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Cornerstone Communications
South Africa
March 04, 2006

Dear Friends & Family,

Greetings from KwaZulu Natal! Durban, South Africa is so close to ZuluLand, that I'm meeting many Zulus, and in fact have some in the cast! What wonderful people, they're kind and humble. The weather continues to be hot and humid, and I love it! We're hard at work preparing for our upcoming production, which opens in less than two weeks.

Production Update

My friend in Kiev, Ukraine calls me "the tornedo", because she says that when I blow into town, I cause all kinds of commotion and get everything stirred up, and when I leave, it all calms back down again. If so, we're right in the heart of the storm!

Working with my actors this week, I teach the the final pose for the last number in Act One. I love my actors!

I've been working with Charmaine Smith, the music director for Durban Christian Centre, to prepare for the production, and we have literally been putting in 16 hour days for the last 2 weeks. I would ask that you pray for our endurance, as this musical will be beautiful, but is giving our lives a pounding.

The cast has almost learned the entire production, and we now begin to clean, clean, clean. By day, I'm in meetings with the production staff building sets, ordering and designing lights, getting costumes prepared, collecting props, setting up platforms, and on and on. It's a wonderful time of work, because we know it will lead to the salvation of many! I'm believing the Lord for more than 500 souls to come into the Kingdom as a direct result of this production. Please agree with me that we'll have even more than that respond to the Altar Call.

Wednesday, March 1 was a holiday here, so we took advantage of the time, and went to Phe Zulu and met some of the Zulu women.

Like Father, Like Son

I think one of the most complimentary things you can tell a parent is, "Wow, your child looks just like you!" The Lord also wants us, His children, to bear His likeness, His image. Ephesians 4:24 says "You were created to be like God, truly righteous and holy." We are, like God, spiritual beings. Our spirits will outlast our earthly bodies! Joseph Garlington, a pastor and great speaker says, "We are not human beings who experience a temporary spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings who are experiencing a temporary human experience!" Amen!

God's ultimate desire for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development. He wants for you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality, either. God created you to be unique, and wants to transform your character. How? Through Jesus' Beatitudes, through the Fruit of the Spirit, and through the Father's Love.

At Phe Zulu, I love the shape of the huts and the village where the Zulu's live.

If you forget that Character Building is one of God's plans for your life, you will become frustrated, and wonder, "Why is this happening to me?" This is not a popular subject, I suppose, and have lost many a reader about now! It doesn't change the truth. Many Christians misinterpret Jesus' promise of "abundant life" to mean perfect health, a comfortable lifestyle, constant happiness, and instant relief from problems through prayer. They expect the Christian life to be easy.

Never forget that LIFE IS NOT ABOUT YOU! You exist for God's purposes, not vice versa! God gives us our time on earth to build and strengthen our character for heaven. You must become spiritually mature. Some Christians mistake more knowledge as maturity. This is a false assumption. Yes, it's true that the more you read God's Word, you will learn how to be more Christ-like, but you must also fellowship with His people, trust God in hard times, and practice walking in the biblical precepts He's laid out for us.

Another kind of hut, only much bigger! The Jesus Dome is the home for Durban Christian Centre, and seats 6,000. We're planning on packing the hall nightly for the production.

You are a work in progress. Your transformation will take the rest of your life. Remember this, dear friend, that God is far more interested in what you are than in what you do. To quote a friend of mine, "We are human beings, not human doings." God is much more interested in your character than your career, because you will take only your character into eternity. God's purpose for you is far deeper: He wants to make us like Himself before He takes us to heaven. So, submit your life and your desires to Him, and allow Him to work out your ultimate good, if you'll just trust Him.

Baie Dankie!

That's Afrikaans for "Thank you very much!" (and it's pronounced, "Buy a donkey"!) Thank you, my friends for all your prayers, and your gifts to make Cornerstone a blessing to so many nations. Please lift us in prayer this week as we prepare in literally every department to make sure we present a beautiful "gift" to our Lord, a gift of a colorful and beautiful musical that will ultimately bring souls to Christ. God bless you.

For the Kingdom,
Richard Montez