Hein StraussOn behalf of the Sola 5 member churches and the Steering Committee, I want to honour a dear brother, Hein Strauss, who has served as the Sola 5 Coordinator from its seminal conference in 2005. When our dear brother announced in February 2013 that he was stepping down from this position, I must confess that personally, my heart was stung with the pain of losing the faithful service that our brother has rendered to this association over the years. In many ways our dear brother became, to many of us, the face of Sola 5.

 From the inception of the association, Hein has been an integral part of Sola 5, passionately sharing in its original vision and values. Establishing an association of this magnitude, cutting across a number of countries in our region, was not a small undertaking. With unflinching devotion and admirable determination, our brother, alongside others, endured the initial birth pangs, and rejoiced with us when this baby was delivered and began to show remarkable growth. It did not take long before Hein became the face of Sola 5, a de facto vision bearer of our association, and the nerve center of this inter-church ministry.

For some of us who had the opportunity to work closely with him on the Steering Committee, there is no doubt in our minds that not a small part of Sola 5’s success will be credited to the exceptional leadership and competency with which our brother carried out his responsibilities. Who can forget the many sacrifices our brother made for this association? Who can forget the selfless and magnanimous spirit with which this service 12 - Hardworking Hein Strausswas rendered?

Brother Hein, we thank God for you. We thank God that he brought you to this association at a very critical moment of its existence. A combination of your dedication, tenacity, tremendous wisdom and collaborative leadership made you into an invaluable resource to the body of Christ. We are not surprised that this visionary leadership has been recognised by Antipas Baptist Church, and we are certain that your service to the church there and beyond will be used of the Lord in the furtherance of His kingdom and strengthening of the body of Christ.

May the Lord prove sufficient to you as you take up this new challenge at Antipas, and grant you grace equal to the task He has assigned to you. Be assured of our prayers and partnership.

Hein Strauss (left) and Isaac Makashinyi (right)

Hein Strauss (left) and Isaac Makashinyi (right)

By Isaac Makashinyi