Feliz Novo Anos

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Am in Maputo with my dearest husband, experiencing my first married New Year....

The weather is getting hotter & hotter. Who would have thought that 35C was actually comfortable to bear compared to 45C & 50C....its very humid here in Maptuo, much prefer the dry heat.

Today, i'm HOT...so HOT, I feel like I'm melting. I am not sweating, I am dripping, its just pouring off me....totally not a good look....We went to the beach and everyone starred at me, not because I had white legs, but because its not commen for women to swim, especially at the beach...I DONT CARE - it was either that or explode.

Its hard, even though I speak basic portuguese I still struggle with understanding. Am finding it super frustrating in trying to understand the WHOLE story, especially if everyone starts joing in. Thank God for my darling husband who can translate when I've lost the plot....what would I without him????....

One good thing is that I have learnt to cook on COAL - yip - I can do this! Much to the delight of my new husband and my Mum-in-law. Even one better, I still haven't burnt the rice....oh yea! (God is on MY side). A downside to cooking on coal is that is takes twice as long, if not longer....

HAPPY NEW YEAR peoples!

South Africa - Kruger Park

Ok, so we have been married for a few days!! Its all good!

We set off to the Kruger National Park to finish our honeymoon off in style! Oh, it was amazing! Everyone has to go! The animals are really BIG and stunningly beautiful. God is an wonderful and creative person. The weather was hot, the food was good, the company - wouldn't swap it for the world! And the view was priceless!

The BIG Day

...To have and to hold....

The day that I'd been dreaming for years was finially upon me... I wanted to cry, but had makeup on. I wanted to see him, but we were in separate rooms until it was time... as my heart was racing, I knew he was the one...

The wedding day was amazing! It was perfect, it was special, it was beautiful - Gods presence was just incredible. The joy that I felt and also the happiness in watching family and friends celebrating was just pricless and such a Godgiven gift.

With two days of celebration we had feed well over 2,000 people, ate 9 wedding cakes, had ten thousand photos taken, sore face muscles from smiling and about six hours sleep.

It was awesome!

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

2 Cor 13:4-7

Hong Kong

(Mum, me & Gran at the flower market)

On our way to the wedding we had a stop-over in Hong Kong. Girls, this is the place for serious bargins on almost everything we could ever want.

Must admit though, travelling with six people its hard, even if it is your family. I found out what my Gran meant when she said that she snores loud - its worse than a train going past your house. Also found out that my mother and I do have very different tastes when it comes to clothing and some perfumes....

We did the Flower market, bird market, Ladies Market, the food market - which included a 10min walk thru an huge open space separated into areas with chickhen, beef, fish both dead and alive...not good if you have just eaten...the smell was shocking...
Each market was very busy and interesting with people bargining, yelling, bumping into eachother, swaping of money and plain hussle and bussle. If you are into a good feed - then Hong Kong is also the place to be, the food is great and not to mention cheap! My little brother Micah was delighted to find that McDonalds there still had McFlurrys and they were cheap even with the $$ exchange, so he practiclly lived on those while we were there...But all in all, it was a good time...

Packing

Still trying to work out if I like doing this - but it usually means something excitng at the other end.....

The Countdown

It has began, or should I say, its almost done.....

I have 4 hours to finish packing and tidying my room. In 7 hours I will be on a plane making my to Auckland. In 10 hours I will on my way to Hong Kong - just the beginning of this amazing jounery.

Truth be told I started counting down 20 days ago and I'm excited - WHY?
1 I'm in love
2 We are getting married
3 I love Jesus
4 Church Planting
5 Living my dream
6 Blessing others

OK - so they are in radom points - I am so excited. I am so blessed. Its not every day that your WHOLE immediate family get to travel half way round the world to come to their eldest daughters wedding (who is marrying a wonderful young man, with a passion for Christ and to see nationS transformed) and also get to visit one of the most beautiful countries in the world and meet my mans amazing family. The thoughts of - oh dear they dont speak the language have run thru my little mind over the last couple of days - but who needs words and language when fellowship, friendship is just a smile or a simple gesture? Have thought of how they will get on? The answer - simple - just brillantly - both families are amazing. Language is not a barrier - just takes a little longer to understand. Besides its funny hearing my parents trying to speak portuguese!

The TIME TRACKING
We leave Auckland at 2pm and arrive in Hong Kong at 8.40pm (same day). Then we are buzy little bees walking around Hong Kong taking up the sights and sounds and smells and just generally haveing a great time....
Then on the 23 Oct we leave HK and fly to SA - yip yet another continant - but a bigger one. Where I hope that we will be met and greeted possibly by my Man! If he cant come - I still love him just the same.
Then eventally depending on my mothers map reading skills they will arrive safely at the finial destination in Maputo, Mozambique.

Bless you all.

Amost Done

Well, cant believe that I've been in the Land of the Long White Cloud for almost 8 weeks. Some days have gone fast and some days have gone really slow.

God has been so amazing! He has given me so many opporunities to shout His name, and to receive His love and grace and mercy and also blessing. But since I have been back, God has showen me time and time again, that He LOVES ME and no matter what He is always there for me. His provision is awesome! I love the way he always shows me the way....

One of my first blessings was to arrive back in Wellington to know that my Mum was doing a lot better and a huge answer to prayer at how fast she recovered.
Another blessing was to be able to catch up with my family and friends, especially my best girlfriend Ella - whom we've been friends for almost 8 years....
God blessed me with the most amazing temp job and the team I worked with were amazing and so very helpful. I learnt lots and will remember them always.
It was great to be welcomed back by everyone, even though I did leave my heart in Mozambique, and africa.
Being able to share at different churches and homegroups have been amazing. God has been so very faithful and His presence has been incrediable. I give all praise and glory to Him - because without him we are nothing, there is no purpose.

Have learnt to be more thankful for the many things in my life and the people whom God has placed in my life - without them I wouldnt be who I am today.

I leave you with this....

Our Greatest Fear
Marianne Williamson from her book A Return to Love


Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,
but that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

Wedding Plans

I'm Getting Married in the morning.....

Ok – so the wedding plans – I must admit getting married in another country is such an exciting thing….I totally cant wait…..things will be so different – bring it on!

From the girl side of things
• I have my dress (needs to be shortened)
• Flower Girls Dreses look amazing! They are going to look like princesses - DONE
• Waterproof mascara - DONE
Buying the family presents to bless them - DONE
• Sign the licence when I arrive
• Buy my man a wedding present - DONE
• The flowers arrived, bit of twicking and its all sorted - DONE

From the boys side of things
• Have the licence and need signatures
• Have the rings
• Get a translator for my babe’s family
Preparing for the wedding and celebration - hes doing a good job with his family
• Have our director to marry us

Updating

Boa Tarde

Its time to update you folks…..

I have been back in the “land of the long white cloud” for just on 8 weeks and in 3 weeks time, I will be in the country I now call home; looking forward to our wedding!

Since being back I have:

• Gone to Auckland for the Manifest Presence Conference
• Survived a minor flood
• Surviving the weather of windy, chilly Wellington
• Catching up with family and friends
• Been treated for intestinal worms and hookworm in my foot
• Cried my self to sleep
• Phoned Mozambique once a week
• Haven’t practiced my Portuguese as much as I want too
• Worried about my weight
• Brought my wedding dress
• Had my yellow fever vaccination
• Missing Mozambique
• Wished I was somewhere warmer
• Dreamed about my hunky man
• Gone numb on several occasions
• Though of my beloved just about every hour

Have also started reading a book “Heavenly Man” by Brother Yun. It is truly a must read! It has totally brought me to tears, and brought me to my knees before my creator asking forgiveness in simply just not trusting him, serving him, loving him enough. This book has totally inspired me and brought me closer – I want this faith and understanding and courage this awesome man of God has! How to do this? Simple, get on my face before my King and get to know him more and more! Learning to surrender is not an easy thing, but it says in the good book to die to ourselves and take up the cross daily – I choose that path again! I want to be remember not only as a women after God’s heart, but as a heavenly women!!!

Love you all
Anna

A Picture is worth.....

This is I, attemping at making Xima

Nasimodya, the Gospel is preached!

Here is a testimony of my man (Felito) who took a team of our graduated Bible School students and a team from US on an outreach in Mozambique. We serve such an awesome, awesome God! Nothing is impossible!!

Stuart and Cathy Greer's team from Laguna (USA) and our Bible school students formed a vary good team.

We left Pemba Monday afternoon traveled 3 hours north to a village called Nasimodya, the people of the village were so hungry and so open because the Holy Spirit made them curious, and they so wanted to hear what we had to say to them. It was surprisingly cold that night but the people stayed watched the Jesus film to the end stayed and Listen to Eric preaching a Salvation message. He preached his heart out and the villagers responded to the Gospel with joy then I spoke on healing and challenging them to come by faith to receive from the Lord. Many sick people came forward for prayer.

There are 2 remarkable ones - the first is a man who was blind and deaf and the person who leads him happed to come watch the film and when we started praying for the sick and healings taking place he run got the blind and deaf man and brought him and asked for him to be prayed for, so the team people prayed for him and the Lord open the ears and the eyes of the man and the man who was deaf and blind testified of his healing and the villagers we so encouraged and faith rose up and more healings took place. Another man who was blind began to see, praise to the Lord Jesus!!

The next day we traveled to another Village near Minyawene where I saw many miracles the last time I did outreach. This village was even more open than the other one, you know when the Holy Spirit does the preparation there is favor every where. The Chief when I talked to him he said I myself will be there to hear the word of God, He says so, wearing a Moslem hat, we were there early and Stuart did his balloon thing, and the children were loving it - children who never saw a Balloon before, it was very significant for them, it reminds me when I was growing up it was during the war in Mozambique, I was in Maputo the capital city of Mozambique and in those days to have a balloon in your hands was very significant to us, very special, one balloon will be shared to 3 or four friends, this may not make sense to you, but when I was a child it was possible to share one balloon to 3-4 people when in need, so anyway that brought great joy to the village.
When we played our worship music the whole village danced with joy, and it was just amazing. After showing the film another Cathy preached about the (amor de Deus) love of God and as she was speaking the Holy Spirit was moving in the peoples hearts, then I made the alter call and people received Jesus with joy in their hearts, (that I say because you could see the smiles on their faces)
I shared a testimony of the crawling man who Jesus healed , the man came to one of the out reach there were many people there about thousands and the man heard the massage from Mark 9 when Jesus said everything is possible to him who believes, and a question was asked, do you believe? And the man who crawled began to cry out saying I believe that I can walk again!!! He was in tears and so desperate for his healing, looked at him and said walk in Jesus name!!! the man walked Jesus healed the man!!! Praise Jesus!!!

As I was sharing this testimony, a lady came and interrupted my preaching and she said I have somebody seek in my house, its my daughter and her baby, so the guy who translated for me told me what the lady just said, so I continued to preach for I didn't want to loose the crowd, but as I was preaching I thought to myself when I am done preaching I will go with the team and pray for the sick, but before I finished preaching the grand mum went home and carried the sick lady who was in so much pain, who couldn't stand or walk for long time, she carried her on her back and tied her with something we call capulana (similar to a sulu or wrap-around-skirt) and brought the lady to us. She put the lady in front of me and she said she is in so much pain as you can tell, so I was with someone from the team and I said lets pray for her and as soon as we finished praying for her, I told her to stand up and she stood on her feet and the people were so amazed by that then I said to her, walk to that corner she started to walk and turn and came back to where I was and the whole village saw this and they were all clapping, and that made faith rise up even for more to come receive their healings, and we prayed for more and the Lord healed them, Glory to God.,…

He told us to go and “this shall fallow those who believe.” Its time church!!! Its time that the Lord is restoring the church to walk in the fullness of the Kingdom, in a way that He is bringing back what the enemy has stolen, for long time the church didn't experience healings they were so few ,so we take hold of what Jesus did for us on the Cross.

My kids

Photo of me and (some) my kids! Arent they cute!!!! Cant believe that kids grow that fast, even though sometimes they are totally naughty - they are so cute. Its hard discplining them - but you cant help but full in love with these ones.
They are from the toddlers house - they have just started our Iris version of preschool and its so cute.

A picture is worth a thousand words

This is my friend Josefina. She is wearing a facemask - this stuff is amazing! It really does help your skin. But my friend, is a dear sweet lady who is the most amazing sewer and has the biggest giving heart. She has the most beauitful smile and warm laughter and healing hugs. She radiates with the fathers love and taught me how to learn and to go "lower still". As Mama Aida says "love has teeth" - this women can love with her all....Esther eat your heart out....

Running water & exicitng things

Well, good news! We now have running water – though its slightly brown, it’s running water, my toilet flushed for the second time, ate a half chicken for dinner, washed my feet and we had people confess their use of witchcraft and received deliverance. Two teams also returned form the weekend outreaches, which were totally awesome!

The primary school has just returned back into session after two weeks holidays. During the break the teachers received some training, which was awesome! Everyone was well rested with classes started up again. On the positive side the children are actually staying in class this term and the guards and educators are not having to remind them as much to either go to class and stay in school. Over the two-week holidays, the missionaries teaching English regrouped and planned and it was so awesome. We are now teaching the older children which has been a blast. We can hear some of our children speak a basic conversation and sing a couple of simple action songs. They proudly practice their English; we are so proud of them all!

Outreaches are going well. Still exciting as ever. We are starting to see whole villages come to Jesus. Many are so very open to the Word of God – it’s just so awesome to see. I love seeing the little children come up to receive prayer and healing. It’s so precious.

Today was a special day for us women at the Iris Centre. One of our missionaries is having a baby and we held a baby shower for her. We managed to decorate one of small lounges with flowers and capalanas and we had electricity, so we could play music from a sound system. All the missionaries baked and brought the goodies to share around. The national women came and we all had a blast. We ate well, laughed lots and prayed much. Then it came to the serious part of the morning, where women who have had children shared the joys, sorrows and advice for the new mother to be….well, in the Mozambique custom this is part when all the women who are single and/or don’t have children are supposed to leave, but we all got invited to stay – but I tell you, I know why they ask us to leave….LOL…. with much sincerity these women shared their hearts, thoughts and experiences of giving birth and raising children – some just spoke, others gave lively stories with actions. It was such a beautiful time!

I am very happy to announce that my little house is getting a new face. Gone is the bamboo wall replaced by a concrete wall with windows. Gone is the crocked floor with broken tiles, which has been levelled and replaced with concrete. The house looks almost brand new. This new look has taken just over four weeks. It has been interesting times watching the workers do their work. Things are done here so differently. Unfortunately one evening I feel asleep and left my bedroom door open and since the windows had no netting or wire crossed-bars a bandito entered my little house and took my cell phone, digital camera, backpack with my togs and all my English teaching materials. We have been unable to catch this person, but I am praying that somehow we will get to meet him, as I want the chance to look him in the eyes and tell him I forgive him and then share the love of God with him. I am upset about my “things” being taken, but they are material things that can eventually be replaced. Please keep this bandito in your prayers.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support. It so greatly appreciated.

Blessings and Jesus Te Ama

Mana Ana

Outreaches

We are holding two outreaches every week and God is continually showing up and lives are being impacted dramatically.

(That is me preaching - Felito is translating as well as one of the student pastors)

My first weekend home, I went on an over night outreach, to a village on the outskirts on Cabo Delgado and Nampula. God moved mightily! We held one outreach meetings on the Sunday evening, then one on Monday morning and also in the afternoon shared with the leaders of the church that we planted while I was here in Pemba for the mission’s school. The church tripled in numbers after the weekend outreach. We saw many miracles such as back pain gone, babies with malaria and high temperatures gone, blind eyes opened! Many came to know Jesus as their saviour and king! Its just so exciting seeing Mozambique reached village by village. Every time we go out of the centre people are being touched by the love of the father!

Village Outreach
These outreaches have been a total blast!
A couple of Fridays ago I went into a local village next to our Iris Centre 2! It was the first time I’d visited since I have returned and it was so wonderful to have the kids greet me and some of my friends I had made previously remember me and call my name! Everywhere I went I heard “Salama, Mana Ana” or “Ola, Mana Ana”, so that was awesome! This particular village is the biggest village here in this area of Pemba. So I didn’t make it far. But I am looking forward to this coming Friday to go and visit everyone again, learn to cook and also invite them to church! I visited one particular family, whose kids spent a lot of time with me while I was attending the school of missions. But I found out that their father has had to leave Pemba and move to Monterpuz to find work and he has gone over 3 months and on top of that these five kids all have scabies, head lice and nasty infections on their arms and legs. I have invited them all to come to the school when it starts. This will be their only chance at an education. I am treating them every day and also giving them food and water! It breaks my heart – but life here in Pemba is simple, but hard for many! Going without a meal or a day or more is a common reality for some.

Odd Spot
There are only ten horses here in Mozambique! Four of them live in Nampula and the owner very kindly donated one horse to us to use until we are able to buy one! His name is Ben and he only speaks Portuguese. We have started a horse programme with some of the older children to help with rehabilitation and reintegration back into society. We had three girls come for just over a month. The changes in the older kids have been almost instant!

The Long Day

June 2006, 1

Boa Noite. As I write this I am sitting on my bed in my room, with the days events replaying in my head. Today has been a long day and also very tiring. It started with meetings at 7.30am, then it was off to teach English at 11am for an hour and then a quick lunch and back to meetings and also helping the team prepare to go to Nampula. (Next week we have a conference in the province of Nampula. The conferences are large; we are expecting well over 200 Iris Churches to come as well others, roughly we are expecting over 3000 people. We feed and water those that attend and many walk for hours or even a day to come to the conference). Then it was administration and then at 5pm it was Portuguese class and then a group was off to outreach. Please pray for the conference, that preparation for the conference goes smoothly, that people travelling to the conference will be safe, and that God will impact people’s lives! That those attend will be encouraged and feel the Father’s embrace – but more importantly will be loved into the kingdom of God and lost in His presence forever.


Felito and I would love to announce with much joy & excitement that we are ENGAGED!!!!
We are both so excited and can’t wait to start our lives together, to see our dreams unfold and walk the path that God has put us on! The wedding will in early November in Maputo with a blessing ceremony in NZ in February.

The Holy Given Missions /Culture Exchange School officially started. It was a joy to meet all the students. Please pray for these students, that God will protect them, invade them, and melt their hearts for the beautiful people here and that He would totally transform their lives with His love, His word and His spirit.

We are also very excited, as the weekend outreaches will be starting next weekend. This is one of my favourite areas to serve in. Every Friday evening two teams of 10 student pastors and 10 culture exchange students, a driver, sound system person and national leader will head out into bush, bush. They will sit in the back of a cameo for up to 6 hours on a bumpy road & arrive in a village and set-up camp. The students will sleep in tents, not bathe, use a latrine and be with the people of the village. During the day they will walk around the village and sit and talk with people and in the evenings there will be the Jesus Film, preaching, testimonies and much time for ministry. Then Sunday comes and they either plant a church or the existing church has grown. It’s exciting making new friends, learning & experiencing the language & culture and seeing lives totally impacted by the power and love of Jesus Christ. Please pray for the protection of the teams that go out and also that the love of God will be with them wherever they go!

We have a new chief (leader) of the kitchen. His name is Pedro (Peter) and is originally from Maputo. This guy is unusually tall, organised and very softly spoken, but this guy can cook. He is a trained chef and also used to teach in secondary schools. The proof, well it’s the fact that he has to cook for up to 700 people per day and up to 1500 on Sundays and also he can cook Matapa. Matapa is a simple food – it’s a leaf, similar to that of spinach. Matapa is very good for you, but if you don’t cook it right, it’s nasty. I have learnt that in the south, the matapa leaf is certain type of leaf, but here in the north, its any leaf – and Pedro has been getting the certain type of leaf and then adding a peanut sauce with a bit of that and a bit of this and its amazing. Usually it’s been rather oily and crunchy, but when missionary’s and toddlers go for seconds – the proof is in the pudding. Please keep Pedro in your prayers; he has a large job to do and also to keep many people happy. He is such a blessing to have here.

Thank you all so much for all your prayers and support. It is greatly appreciated. God Bless you all so very mightily. May you know Jesus more and more, as he gently calls you into Himself.

Ate Logo

Mana Ana

Its all good mate!

May 2006, 2

Boa Tarde I am doing very, very well. I feel so very settled here in Pemba. I am reminded of Gods goodness and grace every day. God has been speaking to me about worship over the last week. It has been totally awesome just being swept up into His presence. I am so glad, that I am beginning to be able to sing and worship not only in English, but I am beginning to grasp the Portuguese and Makua songs. The Makua way of worshipping is simple – move and sweat. We dance and dance and then we dance some more! They really do understand joy! It totally brings tears to my eyes every time I hear them testify. They go through hardships and trials that many of us will never understand, let alone see or experience and yet, they are always thankful and full of joy! The verse that comes to mind is that “the joy of the Lord is our strength” and in seeing these people survive every day, I am beginning to understand that verse.

At the end of this week, all the missionaries and the national leadership teams are going on staff retreat to meet up with all the bases from around Mozambique. I am greatly looking forward to meeting up with friends and making new ones, but more importantly to seek the face of Jesus together. Would really appreciate your prayers as we all travel and that while on the retreat we can come together in unity and see Mozambique rocked by the power of God!

Nampula Outreach
The boys arrived back at the end of the week. Again rich in stories with salvations and healings. As I listened intently, I noticed their eyes grew bigger with each story and testimony. The crazy stories they shared of healings such as blind eyes opening, deaf ears hearing and malaria fevers gone – all in His name!!

Bible School
All the student pastors have arrived and school started earlier this week. I am thoroughly enjoying helping with administration with the school this semester. At the moment we are working on name/ID badges with photos and getting a chance to speak with them and taking their photo is such a delight and has brought many smiles to my face. When you get your photo taken here, you are usually not allowed to smile, so getting the student pastors to smile; it’s a barrel of fun! Please continue to pray for these dear student pastors. That God would really reveal himself to these men and also protect their families they have left while they are learning about our King! And also that none of them would return to villages and homes and churches the same!!

Church Visits
Being able to visit the local Iris churches is such an awesome opportunity to go out and encourage the pastors and their churches, but also to meet with the pastors and their families. This last weekend, Felito and I went to encourage Pastor Juma. Pastor Juma is a dear sweet man, who has been married to one woman and has five beautiful children. Usually when we arrive at church we are greeted very warmly with singing and dancing, when we arrived, the door to the church was closed. But after speaking to some of the children playing at the front of church, Pastor Juma and his church had gone to one of his friend’s church to encourage them. So, off we went for another 20-minute drive past the long, green grass, and the cornfields. If you look out the window, you can see the soft faint outline of the hills in the distance of Nampula. We arrived and they were already worshipping. They were so happy! The presence of God was so vivid and real, but more, you could feel the joy and trust they have in our God. Pastor Juma came running when he saw we had pulled up. He greeted us and hugged us and the children came pouring out, all with smiles. As we walked into the four-walled mud-hut styled church, you couldn’t help but notice the simplicity, the humbleness of the place. It was small, it was dark, it was hot, but God was here! We entered from the back of the church and made our way up to the front, my eyes wondered around this peaceful little church, a smile grew on my face. Worship, praise and dancing continued. The instruments are simple – an abacus is a tambourine, used cans of fizz become cymbals, hands become the drum and our voices the trumpets. Everyone takes a turn to lead a song. Everyone is joyful – the women watch me as I dance. The rhythm they move too is different to what I am used too, and I struggle to keep up, but all is well, once they seen the “onkenya” (white person) start to sing in Makua all is forgiven. Worship stops and Pastor Juma steps forward, raises his hands and everyone begins to pray. What a noise to hear and a sight to see. I now understand, how prayer moves the heart of God. When they pray, their whole body prays. Their face expressions, the hand movements, the sincerity of their words – everything is used and given to God. As I prayed for the offering, God filled my heart with love and compassion for these dear people. They don’t have much, but they give so gladly. I was left in tears as they brought their offering forward. Some gave money, some gave melons, and others gave produce from their farms like corn, beans, and peanuts. Felito was introduced and he stepped forward and rested his bible on the bamboo platform and began to speak. Everyone became hushed as the word of God was spoken.

When church ended, we were greeted and welcomed again. We shook hands with every person. Young and old had come to worship today. We gave a ride to the women and children of Pastor Jumas church. Felito’s car can fit 8 people; we had 14 people in the car. As soon as the doors were shut, they began to sing. We rolled down the windows, as we drove we worshipped, people walking stopped and turned their heads, to see where the sound was coming from. It was such a beautiful sound – I imagine what heaven will sound like – will it be in one language we sing too? Even though we had come to serve, to encourage and to bless. It was really the other way round.

President Spoke
The newly elected president was in town, and all nationals were required to go and hear him speak. I asked permission if I could go and was greatly excited when I heard the answer was “yes”. I have heard many good things about this president, and I was interested in what he was going to say. All the pastors climbed into our two cameos and drove into the city. I drove with Felito, we spoke about what this visit means for Pemba, and also the protocols I had to follow in this meeting. The president spoke in Portuguese and the translator spoke in Makua. He spoke very well, and encouraged the people. Many people were there, standing under the hot afternoon sun. Women and children selling cold ices and also sugared peanuts and other delicious hand-made goodies. In between the speeches, there was dancing and singing, which was a great fun to watch.

Thank you so much for all your prayers and support.
God Bless you mightily

Mana Ana

Ola de Pemba

May 2006, 1

Boa Tarde! This morning I woke to birds chirping away. As I rolled over and closed my eyes, I could picture the beautifulness and calmness of the sunrise. The thought that ran thru my head this morning was of heaven, of the peacefulness, the serenity, the joy and the continuous flow of sweet music. What would it be like? To hear, to see, to smell, to touch and even taste heaven. So, what is heaven - its truth, home of our saviour, no pain and suffering; it’s the contentment of being with Jesus, our lover and king for all eternity. All I know is that the more I imagine what heaven will be like; it will be so much better than I can imagine. The verse that comes to my mind, as it says Gods ways are higher, than ours; His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Only He knows the time, but we will wait and we will worship and shout His name in all the earth! My prayer this week is that people will come to know and understand the beauty and the peace of our Lord. That they really understand what it means to rest in the loving arms of the Father.

April Outreach
The team returned two weeks ago. All were tired and dirty, but with big smiles on their faces as they began to share what happened. I sat and listened for hours as they spoke and shared of the goodness of our God. My heart pumped with excitement as their eyes lit up and their face expressions grew each time they spoke of the healings and miracles of our Lord. The tears flowed as they spoke of the people who heard about Jesus for the first time and then received Him as their personal Lord and Saviour. Thru the tears, I could see the hand of Jesus holding each new life in His hand saying, “welcome home my child, welcome home, I love you”. Jesus came, so that we might live a life - full with abundance. I know, that people here in Mozambique are becoming aware of what life is, what love is and whom this man named Jesus is. God is alive and is moving very powerfully! It’s an honour and privilege to be here in Mozambique, to serve Jesus and to love the people He loves. For testimonies on the outreach please visit www.africaonfire.com

Next week, Felito is planning another outreach for 5 days to the province of Nampula. Nampula, was where they had the biggest response and the provincial pastor has invited us back to go to villages we didn’t go on the month long outreach. We would greatly love your prayers. We want to see Nampula rocked by God. We have a small team of 4 people going. Please keep them in your prayers as we travel and proclaim the name of Jesus. We want to see Gods hand move in power and the kingdom extended. As it says in Acts “to go and be my witnesses to all the world, heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons in my name, making many disciples….” Life is simple here, as is the gospel. Jesus come!

Primary School
Praise God for weekends! We have just appointed a director (principal) for the school, so the teachers and the children are adjusting. The children are learning very fast, much to the excitement of all the teachers and missionaries! Please keep the school in your prayers and the director as he starts to lead this school.

The Wet Season is Over – I think
Officially the wet season should be over. But we are having an unusual extra amount of rain, since it was officially declared finished. I am very double minded about the rain here in Mozambique. Why? We simply need rain. For crops, we can collect it for drinking; bathing and washing water also the animals need it. But most of Pemba, as is Mozambique, is simply sand and dirt and when it down pours, that sand and dirt turn to raging torrents of slippery ankle deep mud, not to mention all the bugs come to the surface. And our house floods. We have a simple design fault and anytime it rains, the water and mud enters the front door and goes everywhere. The joy that I can see in it, is that after we clean up the floor is clean!!!

Thank you all so much for ALL your prayers and support. God Bless you so mightily

Mana Ana

Announcement!!!

Hear ye, hear ye!!!!

Hey Everyone!

Well, Felito and I would love to announce with much joy that we are ENGAGED!!!! ☺

So my beloved popped the question last Saturday much to the delight and shock to myself and of course the answer was yes!! We are both so excited and can’t wait to start our lives together, to see our dreams unfold and walk the path that God has put us on! As I write this, I am smiling big time and can hardly sit still!!! I can’t wait to be married and just be together and see what will unfold before us!

The big day, the beginning of many amazing days we can share together is in November in Maputo. We haven’t decided on a date yet, but we will keep you all posted. Lord willing, we would love to see you all there and join us on our special day!!

God Bless you all so much.
Love
Felito and Anna

Here I am....

March/April 2006

Update Time!
Ola. Would like to apologise for me not being in contact for such a long time. We have had an exciting time with our water supply and electricity. Centre One, is attached to the town electricity – so when it does go down, everything goes down, but we can put the old generator on, but gas has been expensive lately, so thus we have been a little short on some things. Personally, I quite enjoy it. The whole Centre is so quite and you can go out at nite and see all the stars and hear the frogs singing. Also being dark, you are unable to see all the bugs – which I am sure the guards are happy not to hear me scream or anything….LOL… Also, being able to cook in the dark and then eat with candles – is very special.

Perhaps going without water is not really that wonderful, especially in this heat – but the smell from the bathrooms and the unwashed dishes after a couple of days – does leave one wondering about nose clips or digging your own personal latrine.

As, I type this, I am sitting and resting, worshipping my God! Unfortently my heaIth and my room-mates health has been added onto the sick board here in Arco-Iris. This morning we tested positive for Malaria. And yet again, I have a chest infection. Malaria and fevers are very commen at this time of year, due to the rainy season, but we are believing for God to be God and move mightily.
When you have malaria, people have told me you need to rest and rest some more – yip, I totally agree with that. I think as a westerner, I never fully understood and took it so sersiously; even after reading books and articles on it, and seeing first hand when people are ill with it. But after testing positive, I have a new understanding and almost a respect for it and also the people who have it, and how they maintain their sanity.

Please continue to pray that the health and protection for the kids, pastors and missionaries.

April Outreach
Well, the graduates that are coming for this amazing outreach have arrived, expect for one.
We are counting down the days before we leave! I received my conformation from Heidi Baker (Director of Iris Ministries Inc) and I am allowed to go on this awesome, amazing outreach! Unfortently because I am sick with malaria, I have to wait a couple of days to rest. We have another car that leaves later this week, and if I am feeling well enough and the get the OK from the doctor, I will ride with the sound system.

Please keep this amazing outreach in your prayers. For protection, for health of the graduates, Felito. pastors and the team. That God will guide them and fill them with wisdom and also that Gods hand be everywhere and that when they step into the villages and as they are driving, that there will be this tremendous favour and Gods anointing to be with them – we are asking for open heavens. We want to see Mozambique, loved into the kingdom of God. To see the broken hearted made whole, to see the sick healed and people to walk in the freedom and life that God has for them!! The goal of this outreach is worshiping God, sleeping in a tent, praying for the sick, making friends that last a life time, seeing people come to Jesus! And also encouraging the leaders and churches of Mozambique!
Our vision is simple! To see the kingdom built, to see this nation on fire for God! To see God move in power, to see this nation changed!

In black n white: we are holding two outreaches every night and then return to the same campsite. We start in the Zambezia province coming up from the Zambezia river up to Niassa, then we will be joined by Rolland and Heidi for a three day conference in Lichinga. Then it’s a relaxing time and will enjoy a safari day in the beautiful Niassa Reserve. Then its off to Nampula and then returning back to Pemba.
We will be joined by local pastors in each province so teams will vary in number.

Oh, just writing, my spirit is picking up and the excitement is building within me! When I was attending the school of missions last year, I couldn’t get enough of outreaches! As much as I love being with the children, and investing into their precious lives! I long to see this nation, be a nation after Gods own heart. I really agree with Matthew 10:9 “….so, that none perish!...” Its my prayer, to see the beautiful people of Mozambique, Gods children, being loved, changed and impacted, to see them walking into Jesus’ arms! Its such an honour and privllage to serve such a God and to be His hands, His feet and arms – to be the fragence of Jesus in this place!

Prayer Points
 Divine health and protection
 Wisdom
 To love unconditionally
 God to continue to move powerfully – to see people healed and changed!
 Learning languages (Portuguese, Makua)
 Stopping for the one
 Heidi & Rolland (directors) as they travel overseas and preach
 That more would come into the Kingdom of God
 As the second base is being built that we’d get all done on time with all the necessary materials needed
 During the rainy season for our children and staff to be protected from malaria
 Children to learn and have fun in school
 Pastors to understand and learn the word of God, so they can make an impact in their churches and villages
 My infection (on my foot) to leave and not scar
 Preparations for the baby house will go smoothly

Thank you all so much for all your prayers and support! God Bless you mightily.

Ciao, Ate Logo

Mana Ana

Feliz Natal

Well, we survived Christmas and New Years here in Pemba!!

Christmas was excellent! It was overwhelming and super emotional!

On Christmas Eve, we had our Iris Staff party at a local restaurant and we were treated like kings and queens. We ate till we could eat no more! We laughed until it hurt! We smiled until our faces got locked! Then at midnight, we sneaked over to the children and woke them up to say Feliz Natal and had our very own candle service, which lasted about an hour! That service was a great success, no one was hurt, nothing caught on fire! We played a game half way thru the service with blowing each other’s candles out, which I must admit; the missionaries had just as much fun as the children! Then it was time to put the kids back to bed and then the missionaries back to work to finish all our surprises for the children here at the centre as well as the street kids!
I woke up at 7am here on Christmas day, which was a huge sleep-in! Then it was off to celebrate Feliz Natal. We handed out the presents to the children here at the centre, then it was a church service, then we had a wedding, then it was baptisms, then it was off to feed and love the multitudes the came for the grande fiesta!

We had well over 2000 people come and eat! It was such an honour to serve the people of Pemba their fiesta! They ate rice, chicken, and Mozambiqican salad and then got a COLD coca!

To see the delight on some of the faces of the children to give them a plate of food and then a cold coca! It was incredible! God moved so mightily, we saw people healed; we saw many become children of God!

We had enough food for all, even the staff! Praise God!! Many people were loved and honoured on Christmas day! I could hardly keep it in, and at the end of our long day which for us missionaries ended round 8pm we just sat on the floor and cried and thanked our Lord for being amazing and working such wondrous miracles and touching and changing our lives and for letting us serve Pemba! But the thing that hit me most was the LOVE of God for the people of Pemba and for me! I didn’t eat or drink for the whole day, let alone sit down! I was always with kids, so didn’t even get a moment to stand still and take it all in! But at the end when we sat and thanked Jesus for that He had done for us that day! God just touched my heart! I realised that He had sustained me for the whole day! God cares so much about people, but also the little things! That feeling of being so totally loved and then giving it away! It is very hard to pen down! It really is better to give than to receive!

New Years!! Well, lets just say that Mozambique’s celebrate so very different to Kiwis! They start the night before with a loud party on the beach then the party just continues! No expensive is spared! But here in Arco-Iris we just relax, outreach into the community then starting at 10pm we have church service, which finishes at 1am! We welcomed in the New Year worshipping Jesus, dancing and singing and of course my favourite praying for people! Life here is simple and beautiful!

NB - I praise God that the electricity hasn’t gone down in the last couple of days, so I have been enjoying cold water from the fridge! Hallelujah Jesus!!

The ladies in my sewing class have come a long way in such a short time. Over the next couple of weeks we will be moving from hand stitching to actual sewing machines. The ladies are very excited about that, as am I! I am hoping that if they pick up the machines well, they will be able to sew the uniform for the children that will attend the school! So it will benefit all involved! Earlier this month a group of about 180 pastors from all around the north of Mozambique arrived to begin their bible school education and planting churches. I am teaching the second year class! So they will be with us for three months, then we will have a week to two weeks break and then another group will come!

Thank you so much for all your prayers and support.
Ate Logo! Ciao! Jesu Te Ama

Mana Ana