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!