Blake and Megan Hunter were approved as career BBF Missionaries to the field of South Africa in September 2016. They served their internship at Faith Baptist Church, Osterville, MA. Blake and Megan are both graduates of Baptist Bible College, Springfield, MO. Blake majored in Intercultural Studies and Megan in Elementary Education. Their sending church is Faith Baptist Church, Madison Heights, VA.

Making A Difference!

Meet Megan Hunter… a South African Sharing an Important Message.

Megan Hunter was standing in a queue when she was ridiculed for wearing a mask that was actually saving her life. She wrote a post with a message we should all read.

Johannesburg, South Africa (24 October 2017) – “I have a name” is an awesome photo series showcasing everyday South Africans in the most phenomenal way. Proudly South African… one story at a time.

The stories are told by the incredible South Africans… raw & unedited. It’s a showcase of humanness, a reminder that behind every face, is a name.

Meet Megan Hunter… a South African sharing an important message.

“My name is Megan, being chronically ill is something I would never choose, nor would I wish it onto my worst enemy. Today I was reminded of how little the general public know about those who are fighting an invisible battle, and just how tough things can truly be.”

“I headed down to Randridge Mall to the Dis-Chem Pharmacies there to collect some of my chronic meds. I had finished the last of it this morning, and having just come out of hospital I was feeling strong and needed a change of scenery. Plus I knew it would be a quick five minute outing and I knew I could at least cope with that.”

Looking at her, you would never know that there is anything wrong. Megan looks like a “normal” 29 year old – especially after her emergency admission to High Care and five days of plasmapheresis.

“For those of you who don’t know, I have Myasthenia Gravis (a neuromuscular autoimmune disease that affects the message between my nerves & muscles).”

“My latest treatment has completely destroyed my immune system, meaning that I cannot fight off a simple cold and have to stay in isolation as much as possible.”

This means she has to wear a medical mask whenever she is around other people. Megan didn’t want to look “sick” and wanted something to make her happy, so she ordered a special mask from overseas that is pink with hearts and rainbows – it makes her smile and reminds her that there is always something good after a storm.

“I also sometimes have to use a cane/walking stick (a beautiful floral one that belonged to my Gogo that makes me feel bolder to go out into the world) to help me get around.”

Everyone at Dischem knows Megan by now as she goes there so often, and she is always greeted with a smile and questions about how she is feeling.

Today was different. Today was tough.

As Megan was waiting in the queue at the pharmacy, a young girl in front of her turned around, looked at her and started to laugh. She then turned to her mother/older sister and said, “you have to see the girl behind us wearing a crazy mask. What does she think this is?” The older lady very turned around as well, gave Megan big eyes and immediately burst out laughing.

For the rest of the time that they were being served, they kept turning to look at Megan and discussing her – they didn’t even try to hide the fact!

“They seemed to think that the mask meant I was deaf and blind as well.”

“I wanted to cry.”

Usually Megan would have taken the opportunity to try to educate them about why she was wearing a mask, and that it is not simply to look “cool” or try to create a statement. It is not to draw attention to herself. It is to save her life.

Megan wrote a post instead, to raise even more awareness.

“Please, be aware of those fighting a battle that you know nothing about. Ask questions before you judge. And take the time to teach your children about people that are “different”. We all have hearts and souls, and it is moments like this that can truly break someone.”

“So next time you see me, please smile at me. Ask questions if you want to. And know that I appreciate each of you who takes the time to learn more about Rare Diseases”

Megan’s contact details are patients@rarediseases.co.za and you can follow her blog here: https://mgsnowflake.blogspot.co.za/

Letter Update:

Ministry Update

We are so thankful for your continued prayers and support for our ministry! The Lord has blessed greatly in this season, and we are so thankful!

We have really enjoyed our new meeting location in the bigger hotel! It has really worked well for our group, and we have room to grow. At the end of March, we had our first Easter service there with 61 in attendance! We couldn’t believe how many people came to celebrate our Risen Lord together! It was such a special day with people bringing family and friends to enjoy the fellowship. 

We are also so happy to report that there have been 5 salvations in the last two months! This has been a huge prayer request for the last several years, and it is such a wonderful blessing to see the fruit of our labor! Every prayer letter, we ask for prayer for our lost friends, and what a joy it is to report this amazing answer. Thank you for your prayers! Keep praying! There are many more! In April, we also had our first baptism service as a church, and baptized 9 people. We used the pool at the hotel, and unfortunately it was really cold that day, but the cold water couldn’t dampen our spirits! It was amazing to baptize 9 people, one of them being our daughter Kynlee. This was a huge milestone for our little church!

For Mother’s Day, we were able to serve the teachers and staff at a local primary school again this year. We donated cupcakes and coffee, and helped set up the room to serve the staff. It was great to praise and encourage local teachers as they invest in the lives of children. The school has really had a difficult time this year, and we are hoping for the opportunity to serve them more often and share Christ with them. Please pray for this!

At the end of May, we applied for the renewal of our visas to stay in South Africa. This is always a long process with tons of paperwork. We are thankful that the application process is finished, but now we have to wait. It could take 8-12 months, but we are really praying that the visas would come in by September. Our current visas expire in October. If the new visas don’t come back in time, it won’t be a huge problem, but will limit our ability to travel. Please pray with us for this!

Thank you for your faithfulness! None of this would be possible without these partnerships.

Family Update

At the end of April, my dad, sister, brother-in-law, and niece came for a visit. We planned our baptism service so that they could be there to witness such a special occasion. We had a wonderful time with them here! We love when family visit, and we are able to show them our beautiful country and what God is doing here. I’m especially thankful they were able to see Kynlee be baptized and celebrate that decision with her. 

Three things to pray for…

• Our many lost friends that these relationships will open up to the Gospel.
• Our church family that we will continue to grow in the Lord and in number, especially during the next few winter months.
• Our visa applications that they will come back in the next few months.

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If you would like to stay updated with the Hunter family or feel led to give to help them on their journey, you can give your donations to Hickory Ridge Baptist Church or directly to the Hunter Family. You can also stay connected with the Hunter family through their website. Click the button below.