Meeting Together
Mark Behle – Lesotho
Let us not give up meeting together…but let us encourage one another… (Hebrews 10:25)
One of my bibles says that the book of Hebrews “was written to a group of Christians who, faced with increasing opposition, were in danger of abandoning the Christian faith. The writer encourages them in their faith by showing that Jesus Christ is the true and final revelation of God.”
Although few, if any, of us reading this face persecution for our faith, we do sometimes weaken in our faith and go through periods of spiritual drought. One of the benefits of meeting frequently to study and share God’s Word is being encouraged by others in our faith journeys. The writer of Hebrews understood this well and thus we are exhorted to not “give up meeting together.”
Over the last ten years I have met with a small group of teachers involved in Scripture Union from Quthing District here in the south of Lesotho. When all goes well, we meet once a month when schools are in session. When things are not going so well, we meet once every couple of months. Most of the time things go well. The main problem is that given the fact we are school teachers, and a bit scattered by distance, the only day we can meet is Saturday. Finding a Saturday each month that every one is free isn’t easy.
So sometimes it takes a few months for us to get together again. When we met in September it had been more than three months since we were together. As we gathered for our meeting everyone expressed the thought that it was so good to be together again.
One woman told us how she has been quite ill and had really missed being with us. Since that time we’ve been praying for her and she is now much better. Another had been having personal problems and had much to share with us. Someone else had a problem and wanted the group’s advice. Another person noted that not meeting for quite a long time was discouraging as one of the purposes of meeting together is to encourage one another in our faith and in our work as Scripture Union leaders.
I also meet less frequently with members of one of the Scripture Union committees. And on Sunday afternoons I meet with our Friends of God group here at school. In all these meetings the main focus is bible study. A passage is read and we join together in discussing what we can learn from it. It is always a blessing to see how someone will bring a fresh perspective or new insight to even a well-known and beloved passage.
Back in September the basketball team finished in 3rd place for the second year in a row at the national tournament. We lost our semifinal to the eventual runner-up by the score of 51-36, but came back the next day to win 58-43. Our season record was 11-5 and all but one of the losses came at the hands of the national champion and runner-up.
Our new pastor, Rev. Ramonotsi, has arrived. He has been serving an isolated parish far up in the mountains for the past nine years. He will soon be joined by his family as his wife is a primary school teacher and has stayed behind to finish the school year. I’ve enjoyed several good conversations with him and look forward to his ministry among us here at Masitise.
Another change is about to happen. The high school will soon have a new headmaster. Mr. Colin Macdonald is stepping down and retiring after fourteen years at Masitise. In all he has worked in Africa for over 40 years with the last 25 being here in Lesotho. In October when we had our annual speech day and farewell celebration he received a number of gifts, including a traditional Basotho hat and blanket.
When the year ends, our new headmaster, Mr. Motsai Monareng, will take over. He went to high school at Masitise and has been teaching English and Literature here for fifteen years. He also serves as our church secretary and is involved with the youth organization of the Lesotho Evangelical Church.
Your prayers are requested for:
- A smooth transition at the high school with the change in headmasters.
- The safe arrival and settling in of Rev. Ramonotsi’s family.
- Continued good rains over the next few months for the crops.
- Safe travels as I journey to and from the States.
I will be returning to the States for a few weeks over Christmas to visit my parents and sisters. I’ll be leaving Lesotho on the 12th of December and leaving the States on the 6th of January. If you wish to contact me by email during this time please use
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I believe strongly that we, as Christians, despite all the gloom and doom we hear of and see in the world, are to be a people of hope! As we enter the season of Advent and Christmas, may we remember to keep our focus on Jesus, the Hope for all the world.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Yours in Christ,
Mark Behle
Mark Behle is a missionary with the Lesotho Evangelical Church. He is a Mathematics teacher at Masitise High School, Lesotho.