Of Whom The World Was Not Worthy

Please prayerfully read the following about my friend Surpresa and what recently happened to his brother in central Mozambique:

This is what Heidi Baker says from the Iris Ministries Blog dated October 22, 2007 (http://www.irismin.org/wordpress/?p=46):

#9. Surpresa Sithole, one of the four international directors of Iris Ministries, had to attend the tragic funeral of his brother Pastor Sithole and his cousin after a group of radical religious anti-Christians cut him up into pieces because he was preaching the gospel. Pastor Sithole will be greatly missed.

Here is the latest update I could find on Surpresa’s brother/cousin: (http://www.irismin.org/wordpress/?p=48):

Our International Director Surprise Sithole also flew in to be with us from South Africa. He recently went back to the very village where our dear pastor, Ezekiel Sithole, was martyred for the gospel. They cut off his tongue and lips to silence him. They said our movement, Partners in Harvest/Iris Africa, would be silenced. Surprise went back into the village in love and humility releasing forgiveness to those who killed his cousin. Thousands gathered to hear him preach. And hundreds were saved. Please pray for Pastor Ezekiel Sithole’s wife who is deeply troubled, very, very thin and left with many children to raise alone. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” Matthew 5:11-12.

Surpresa’s brother is in fact his cousin who lived with him and his family when they were young so he has considered Ezekiel a brother ever since that time.

Ezekiel is now survived by his wife Theresa, their seven children and 130+ orphans that they help care for.