About 300 deaf men (including 3 interpreters and some hearing volunteers) from all over South Africa registered to attend the massive Mighty Men Conference for the long weekend on the farm of Angus Buchan (H) in Greytown. Dirk Venter (CODA), the main organizer was blessed with the wonderful contacts who generously lent their two huge canopy covered cattle trucks, several kombis and a car to transport the large number of deaf men from Pretoria and Johannesburg. As it was the election day, the Wimpy, the first stop at Villiers for our drink and refreshments, kept the promise (as advertised on TV) to give away free coffee to warm up those partially frozen during the transit.

Upon arrival in Greytown late next morning, we formed a long human chain to unload the stuff from the vehicles. With the two trucks parked parallel with an ample space in between, the logs were spanned across the top of the trucks. The black plastic tarpaulin was pulled over the logs creating a spacious room for the men to sleep in. The main platform surrounded by the powerful megawatt loudspeakers and eight gigantic plasma monitors placed in convenient points enabled 200,000 men to have a magnified image of the speaker and the band team.

Dirk Venter, Albert Gouws and Frank Morgan were the interpreters. The message Angus preached was about faith and salvation. Men are called to honour God, to put Him first, to honour their family. Angus talked of the war that the devil is waging against all believers. We need to be fit to fight the war. He did pushups, ran on the stage, told us that God loves us and wants a personal relationship with us, and told us that God talks to us. He told us to read the Bible, and made us promise that we will. “Good people don’t go to heaven, BELIEVERS go to heaven!” Many men gave their lives at the altar call. Others determined to be better fathers and husbands to their beloved ones. Shortly after the end the message Angus Buchan collapsed and was taken to hospital by helicopter. The doctors examined him but could not find what was wrong. So Angus was back to the platform the next day to give a short message! No wonder he was brought back from hospital

by the prayers of many Christians who listened to him from the ground as well as all over the world.

It was a wonderful time of sharing the gospel when so many deaf men met in one place. Food and drink were free so generously donated to the deaf by the kind friends.

We left Greytown early afternoon and the wives were happy to be reunited with their hubbies. Hopefully, the husbands are better men and treat their wives and the beloved better after their experience at the MMC.

William Warmington (D)