Hearing God Workshop

Hearing God workshop at All Souls Umhlali

We did a work shop on hearing God this past weekend at All Souls Umhlali. During the morning we touched on these topics in scripture:

Come to God daily - John 10:9-10,
Do not doubt what He says -
Genesis 3:1,
The Word of God - John 6:63 and Matthew 4:3-4,
If you are a child of God you can hear His voice - John 10:27
Forgive - Psalm 73:21-22
Watch out for personal agenda - Matthew 11:15-19
Ministries specifically given to facilitate hearing God's voice - Ephesians 4:10-12
Respond to what God tells you - Matthew 10:40-41
The Holy Spirit and hearing God's voice - John 16:31 and Acts 8:14-17
Because everyone is called, every one can and must hear God's voice 1 Peter 410-11

We had a great time with the saints in the community!

February 25, 2013

Ps John Mkulisi translating as Trina shares on the need to be thankful during the Zulu outreach We have just finished a trip to the northern Drakensburg area in our home state of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.  This is our primary ministry to the Zulu community and one of the most rural areas that we visit. Pastor John Mkulisi has a significant ministry both as a shepherd to the local community and to other ministers in the area.  He is well versed in scripture and an excellent translator between Zulu and English. When we met he and his wife, Irene, five years ago, they asked us to help them reach out to other shepherds in their area and we have continued to do so ever since. Trina has a wonderful relationship with Irene and from the beginning of our time together they have encouraged one another and worked to help the women of the area see their value in Christ. There are cultural hurdles among Zulus that often keep women from fully participating. Trina's gracious, unassuming style is very effective at bringing many of these precious ladies out of their shells! Isaiah 41:8-9 (NASB) says,

8 "But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend, 9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts And said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you."

We had one testimony from the ministry times that was particularly encouraging.  One of the messages referenced the above scripture and highlighted the "chosen" place of anyone who takes Christ into their heart. Many people were moved and one young man tearfully closed the service in prayer when he was asked. The next day this boy's mother stood up and said that her son had been secretly consulting with witch doctors and had told her that he wanted nothing to do with God because of his disappointment. He then had a dream the night before our service and there was "a man who told him that he was chosen and not rejected." When the message came he knew God was speaking straight to him and he completely rededicated his life to the Lord! It is the reality of God's goodness that we love to see come through when we work with people. Please pray for our ministry in the Indian areas of Durban. We believe that this particular area is important for us to concentrate on and we've already been to a number of churches in the area this year. Not only are there a large number of Indians in Durban, they are very influential with the Zulu population. We will highlight this work a bit more in next month's news update. We are currently planning a trip to the USA in late May and the schedule will be very tight. We have family to see and very many churches to visit. Please pray for us as we work toward this over the coming two months.

Blessings in Christ, Rodney, Trina and Bridget

Anelisa's Smile

 On one of our trips to Wellington we got to know a beautiful lady with a huge heart.  Karmien Joubert helps underprivileged children explore and express the world around them through art. She loves every child she encounters. Anelisa is one of the children she works with at the education center weekly.  Anelisa is an orphan living in one of several child homes in the area. While we were there Anelisa fell and broke off her two adult front teeth. The nurse at the clinic scheduled the teeth to be pulled as this is the least expensive alternative. Karmien could not stand the thought of loosing such a beautiful smile so she found ways to help Anelisa. A local dentist was contacted that could do the repairs, money was quickly raised to pay for the procedure and a beautiful smile has been restored. 

Karmien Joubert and Anelisa

Matthew 25:40 says " .......truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

Much too often we see things happen and think shame but that is just the way things go. If you could change one life, make one person smile, would you? The opportunities are all around us daily. Reach out and make a change.

Anelisa (10) by "norsa foster homes"

November 5, 2012



Some of the Saints we are working with in the work in Stratford



  Pastor Blesson Kallimel of Beersheba Church in Oxford   We have just returned from visiting several different parts of the Body of Christ in England. Our burden for this area dates back 15 years and is only at the infant stage of development. Part of the mission is helping to pioneer a new home based fellowship in East London. The leaders of this group have become spiritual children to us over the years and it is very exciting to be helping them fulfill their callings in a city with a challenging spiritual environment. Islam and Secular Humanism are two of the biggest hindrances to the work of the Lord in London. It will take persistence and a total dependence on the Holy Spirit to see this work succeed. Beyond this we also work with an established fellowship, BFCI, in the city of Oxford Pastor Blesson and his wife, Grace, are exceptional friends who are already doing a wonderful work in this area.Every time we get to be together, there is a mutual blessing that helps us prepare for and look to the future with anticipation. We will support this man of God in every way possible as he has been prepared for very significant ministry in the UK at this time. The last leg of the trip was a prayer walk in the city of Leeds in Northern England. Many years ago I had a dream about this area and this trip marked the first of what will be many trips to the region. I am convinced that the Yorkshire area, with its population of roughly five million, will be the center of one of the most important moves of God that the modern Church will witness. It is imperative that Christians look beyond the spiritual doldrums that have plagued the UK in recent times and begin to base their conclusions on what God is saying and doing today! The Church in the UK is on the verge of an advance that will give hope to Christians in many nations that presently see very little of the life of Jesus in their societies!

Zimbabwe and Drakensberg 2012

August 15, 2012   Some of the Pastors from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Congo and South Africa                               Pastors John Mkulisi and Ari Cavalcanti handing out Zulu Bibles      We have just finished two weeks working in Harare,Zimbabwe and the Drakensberg mountain area of South Africa. We attend an annual conference in Harare that brings leaders from many of the Southern African nations together for teaching and fellowship. Over the years this gathering has grown both in number and effectiveness. We are currently praying for a larger venue to accommodate the increased interest in the meetings. Please pray for the planning challenges that will go along with a new, larger event. We ask the leaders who attend to pay for their own transport cost and we, IRC Ministries and partners, do our best to provide Bible training and subsidize the venue for the attendees. We have also seen our outreach to Zulu speaking people in the Drakensberg Mountain area of South Africa expand. We continue to work with several key leaders who definitely preside over fields of people that are "white for the harvest." Our recent work there included many salivations and bibles distributed. There is MUCH more to be done in this area and we appreciate your support!

Blessings in Christ...............................................Rod, Trina and Bridget

Zimbabwe 2012

We just returned from eight days in Zimbabwe. The pastors conference went very well. The time in Zimbabwe was fantastic! Pastor Ari took several videos which can be viewed at:

Videos of ministry in Zim 2012

An update will be posted soon.

Mozambique July 1, 2012

We have just completed a very intense period of ministry in South Africa and Mozambique. We spent a total of 27 days, from late May through June, traveling to Cape Town, SA and throughout southern Mozambique. Trina and Bridget spent this time at home in Durban as they worked through Bridget's school requirements.  It is a great challenge to be away from them for this length of time and it is our hope that in the future the schedule will allow for more time between ministry venues.

There is emphasis on teaching ministry with Pastor John Mabunda The work in Mozambique has exploded and there is no end in site to what the Lord is doing in that nation.  Having survived the terror of communism, where most Christian practice was deemed illegal, many people are receiving Christ and are very hungry to grow and mature in Him. There is a significant problem with witchcraft and occult practices in Mozambique and new believers must be taught not to involve themselves in any way with these deceptions.

 Some of the simple and beautiful Christians in Maputo, Mozambique

One practical facet of the work there is to distribute bibles translated  in the local African language, Tsonga (pronounced Shangan). With the help of a minister from Brazil, Ari Cavalcanti, we were able to distribute nearly 300 bibles to those who did not have any scripture to study or read. While this distribution began the process we were only able to place bibles in the hands of a fraction of the people in need. Please continue to pray for more provision in this area as there is a profound need for more bibles in and among the different people groups and churches we are working with. We are resting and preparing for a Southern Africa pastor's conference in Harare, Zimbabwe from July22nd - 29th and work in the Drakensberg Mountains, SA the first week of August.  Please keep these events and our family in your prayers!

Mozambique 2012

Maputo, Mozambique

Have you ever been in the presence of someone that you knew was "Great" in the sight of God? Pastor Camilo Manhico has served Christ as a local pastor in Maputo, Mozambique for the past 43 years, including more than 20 years of a brutal communist reign that saw great persecution come to anyone who dared to proclaim Christ.  His ministry has many facets, but perhaps the most moving is his work among the mentally ill.  He has housed and cared for thousands of the years that were deemed untreatable by the society and the state.  Multitudes have received total healing through only the prayer of the righteous and the Grace of Jesus Christ.  Many now have their own families and are pillars in the community in Maputo.  It is my prayer that I can one day say I've served Christ's purposes as faithfully as pastor Manhico.

Pastor Camilo Manhico and Rodney

Blessings in Africa

Zachariah
Hello my name in Zac, I live at Hearts that Hope. My name means "the Lord Remembers" I was found living in a township with my step mom, she didn't call me by name only "boy" and she didn't feed me or look after me. When Hearts that Hope found me my life was sitting around hoping to be fed only to get sugar water to drink and sand and dirt to eat. I moved into my new home on the 19th of May 2012. Even when I was living with my step mom in the township "THE LORD REMEMBERED" me. Now I love it at Hearts that Hope!!! Zachariah  http://heartsthathope.com/

 

Bridget and I had the pleasure of looking after little Zacky on Saturday while his new mom and dad went to a wedding. We had so much fun loving on this sweet little guy. His story is not unlike many of the children here in Africa. The difference is that Zac's story has a happy ending.

"Speak up for those who can not speak for themselves."

Proverbs 31:8

A baby was recently found in Kempton Park, near Johannesburg in a roadside drain. She was found by a security guard who was walking to work. The guard heard a noise coming from the drain but was not sure what it was. The security guard went back home to call her husband to ask him to help open the drain. While opening the cover, some police happened to drive past and stopped to see what was happening. That’s when they found the baby, with a bag around her head and another one around her body. It is estimated that she was under 24hrs old and she was still alive! After a brief stay in hospital she has been relocated to a place of safety.

This kind of thing does not have to happen. There are other solutions. In the Durban area there are several baby safes. A baby safe provides an opportunity for a mother to leave a baby anonymously, while being assured that proper care will be given to the baby. Staff are notified by voice call when a baby is left in the safe. The baby safe is a pre-assembled box that can be easily installed in any door or wall. The safe has a variety of features that makes it truly a safe, low maintenance, yet a life saving option for women and young girls in desperate circumstances. http://thebabysafe.org/

We are convinced more than ever that God has astonishing plans to rescue defenseless babies from plastic bags, rubbish bins, dumpsters, the side of the road, and abandoned fields in South Africa and throughout Africa. Through partnering with organizations like Hearts that Hope and The Baby Safe we can make a difference one life at a time.

Blessings, Rodney and Trina

Family Milestones

Our three beautiful grandchildren.

Our son

We wanted to take the opportunity to brag a little on our family. In December we celebrated the birth of our grandson. In April our son-in-love came home from Afghanistan to his amazing wife and three beautiful children and in May our oldest son graduated from Ashford University. We are very proud of all our children. Our youngest is still loving life here in Africa with us but missing the family back home.

May 2, 2012

May 2012

Some of our good friends, Lijo and Bindu,with Bridget in London

We are entering a very busy time in ministry over the next three months.  Much of our work in the African countries is done over the winter period from June through August to limit the chances of mosquito born illness during the outreaches. At times the conditions are very rural causing transportation to be a significant challenge.  Also, during some of this ministry, Bridget and Trina will stay in South Africa adding the emotional strain of being separated from family. We will travel several places within South Africa, to Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom. It is a wonderful privilege to serve the Lord in the capacity that we do, but we understand our utter dependence on Him more every day. Part of His Grace, is YOUR prayer support for us during this period.

Showing more of our majestic, local wildlife

Blessings in Christ..............Rod, Trina and Bridget

March 29, 2012 We have returned to South Africa after a three month visit to the USA where we had a wonderful time with all parts of our family. December was spent with our immediate relatives in Alaska and Fort Worth, Texas. It was the first time in a number of years that we have been able so spend the entire holiday season with them. Our travel among the churches and Ministries we work with was equally fantastic. Philippians 4:1 (NASB) 1. Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.  Some of our friends in Fort Worth, Texas: Chris & Angela Hough, Cathy Spitale and James Jeter who is the founder of Bridges of Hope International. James Jeter gave me my first job in the ministry many years ago. He taught me that ministries should exist for the purpose of exalting Christ and benefiting His people. Trina and I will always be committed to these values in our work. These photos are some of the individuals we work with in the USA that make up our "joy and crown."

  Eric & Elaine Johnson of Optimum Lifestyle in Houston, Texas http://www.optimumlifestyle.org/

 Jay and Kathy Sharp with Jayden, Jeremiah and Benjerman in East Texas http://www.jayandkathy.com/

Blessings,      Rod and Trina Kirkpatrick ircministries.org

November 30, 2011

  

                 
                  Pastors from the Phoenix area of Durban, SA gathered for Praise and Worship


I recently spent a day of worship and intercession with many pastors from the Indian communities in the Durban, South Africa area. Just over 150 years ago, Indian nationals first arrived in South Africa as indentured servants trying to earn a better life for their families. Most of these original settlers were followers of Hinduism and to a lesser extent Islam. Over time the situation has changed dramatically. Once almost non-existant, Christianity is now estimated to be the choice of anywhere between 25 to 40 percent of the Asian community in South Africa! Trina and I are also privileged to work with communities, like the one in Durban, in the United Kingdom and Malaysia. Today their are approximately 2.8 billion Hindus and Muslims. This is nearly forty percent of the world's population and represents a profound harvest opportunity that the Church must not ignore. Consider 2 Timothy 1:7 which says,

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (NKJV)

During our years in South Africa, Trina and I have seen the aggression of eastern religions toward both their current followers and would be converts. It is important for Christians to be informed about the imperial nature that is fundamental to Islam and the demonic oppression that is synonymous with Hinduism. Both are very dangerous to the individuals they envelope and the nations that are influenced by these ideologies. We do need to pray for wisdom for Western leaders to make appropriate political choices that will not allow democratic freedoms to be compormised by the values of eastern religions. However, it is even more important that "fear" not be allowed to dictate the Church's response to these groups. Christian's, above all else, must be resolute in loving and ministering Christ to those lost in eastern religions. There is an overlooked element in the discussion about the Muslim "invasions" of Europe and the United States of America. What is largely lost in the debate is the opportunity presented by Muslims and Hindus coming to live in free societies. It is much easier to befriend and share Christ with a Muslim/Hindu in the UK or USA than in Saudi Arabia or rural India! It is our belief that the very strategy intended by the enemy to spread darkness will be turned around as a resounding victory for Christ. But the people of God are called to respond with a "sound mind" that knows its purpose to pray and see those in darkness set free. Please join us in this burden over the coming year. Ask the Lord's direction for how you can make a difference in the life of a Muslim or Hindu. Please pray for and support our ministry to these beautiful people.

A Tribute

A beautiful tribute to a beautiful princess.

Today we celebrate life in many ways. We celebrate with birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and even funerals. I would like to purpose that we learn how to celebrate life daily by living it to its fullest. Learn how to love a little more, laugh a little more and share a little more of our hearts with those we meet.

Last month we celebrated the life of a beautiful little girl. Mikayla was on this earth for 16 months and 2 days and touched lives around the world.

http://meetingmikayla.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html

Please take a moment to read her blog post "After it All". I am sure it will bless you.

God has put within each of us a wealth of treasures that were meant to be shared.

Kwa Mama Care Center

     Last week several ladies got together to help our friend, Liezel Essop, paint a local creche.The Kwa Mama Care Center is situated in Shaka's Head. At Kwa Mama they collect crumbs and create purpose on a daily basis.  Child care is provided free of charge to any child who lives in Shaka's Head. The center also provides opportunities for around 30 unemployed residents of this community. Each child gets feed two meals a day and have access to a library of knowledge for preschool and after school care.

This is the new look of Kwa Mama Care Center.

A few monkeys pitched up to paint. Bridget and I were two of them.

Before the painting started.

Liezel, the artist opening the the tools of creative expression.

Transformation has begun.

Lizzy's talent is admired by some of the kids.

Bridget is a flower painting extraordinaire.

Just look at those beautiful eyes.

I am told "that is not a heart, that is LOVE"

Now a welcoming place for everyone.

 For more information about the Kwa Mama Care Center see www.kwamama.co.za

August 29, 2011

August 29, 2011

We have recently returned from an annual leadership meeting in the Cape Town area of South Africa. Many of these leaders speak Xhosa and are part of the second largest tribal grouping in the nation. It has been very gratifying to see the relationships among many different Christian churches grow in recent years. 

Pastor Mqokeleli Mntanga of Harvester in Mbekweni Township, SA Pastor Mntanga, or "Clock" as we know him, is a significant bridge among different fellowships in the Mbeqweni Township. This year our conference was hosted by four different fellowships rather than just one as in the past. It is great to report that this part of the Body of Christ is growing in their devotion to the person of Jesus.

The praise team at our recent leadership conference

This trip completed one of the busiest periods of ministry we have ever had. We've been to Capetown (twice), Brazil, Johannesburg, the Drakensburg Mountains, and Zimbabwe all in the course of the last three months. In each location the pastors and leaders we relate with are making Christ known throughout the communities they serve. Please pray for our plans to visit the USA in November/December. Blessings in Christ..............Rodney,Trina,Bridget

Some of the rocks of Zimbabwe

In the month of July we had our good friend Pastor Jose Arimathea Cavalcanti from Brazil with us in Africa.  Rodney and Ari spent a weekend in Germiston, SA teaching and week in Zimbabwe teaching at the annual CUTFIC leadership gathering. There were leaders from all over Africa (and one from Brazil) in attendance. We also had a fun filled weekend in the Drakensberg Mountains with Pastor Mkolesi and some of the resident wild animals.

God stacked these rocks!

Some of the leaders.

Pastor John Mabunda and his family from Germiston, South Africa

More Zim rocks

"Have you seen a tasty aloe tree?"

"You might be good for desert!"

"Why are the stripes intruding on our spotted picture?"

"Do I look happy to see you?"

Mkulise Family Church

Snow on the Drakensberg Mountains means it is cold at the Mkulise home.

Several people received bibles thanks to a donation of 30 Zulu Bibles this month.