A goal that I have doing ministry work in Mozambique is to become so invisible so that when I am gone things go on as usual. The bottom line to my greatest desire is to leave them stronger because they were loved and heard words of life from the scripture.
I am home for a month. I received a phone call just a short week ago that my Mom was failing fast and she wasn't expected to make it through this illness. She was on a vent, a feeding tube and her vitals were grave. I immediately started the process to get home and 3 days later I landed in the states having prayed all the way home that God would grant my prayer of letting me see Mom before He took her to be with Him. Psalm 62 kept going over in my mind, "my soul finds rest in God alone, my Rock and my Salvation." I read through Psalm 23, that is Mom's favorite and then 139 because it tells me that God knows it all about me. The Word was my comfort and exactly where I needed to be for 3 days. I never peeped a word to anyone the entire trip, oops except for, "coffee, black please." Today she is doing well and on the road to recovery. My family and I are praising the Lord for His grace and mercy.
So for now I am here and yet able to receive word from Centro Emissor about what is going on and what their prayer requests are for this week. There were 7 women, 12 men and 25 children today in church with some visitors from YWAM, the orphanage located near to where Val and I live in Dondo. Zito spoke this morning from Genesis 22 on walking in faith. I guess that could be somewhat along the same line of what we heard this morning about obedience. They pretty much have to go hand in hand.
This week's prayer requests are:
Luisa - has pain in her shoulder
Venisa - has stomach pain
Antonia - stomach pain
Adelino - back pain
Marta - her teeth are bothering her
Inez - headache
As simple as these requests are, none of these people have simple Tylenol to help relieve the pain. Hard to believe isn't it? No Tylenol?
Another request is for Deborah Zito's daughter. Since her mother died last November she has been spending more time with her Aunt Anna. Now Anna is moving to the states to attend a private Christian school in Tennessee and this is effecting Deborah's behavior. She is very confused and has been acting out. Pray for Deborah and also Zito as he deals with her behavior.
One more important message I received from Val this morning was that our staff member and field pastor, Pastor Todd's, his son Adain who is 4 years old has malaria. This is his first case of malaria after spending the weekend in the bush last weekend with the guys. He is a very sick little guy and his parents are very worried. He is on medication for malaria and is improving but this still is very unsettling for his parents. And Val too being the field nurse.
I am sending along a short video that I took a few weeks back of the young adult choir one sunny Sunday morning.
Click and Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPWQPoF008U
Thanks for loving these fine folks. I know that God is gloried by our obedience to love our neighbor.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
July 25th, 2010
A goal that I have doing ministry work in Mozambique is to become so invisible so that when I am gone things go on as usual. The bottom line to my greatest desire is to leave them stronger because they were loved and heard words of life from the scripture.
I am home for a month. I received a phone call just a short week ago that my Mom was failing fast and she wasn't expected to make it through this illness. She was on a vent, a feeding tube and her vitals were grave. I immediately started the process to get home and 3 days later I landed in the states having prayed all the way home that God would grant my prayer of letting me see Mom before He took her to be with Him. Psalm 62 kept going over in my mind, "my soul finds rest in God alone, my Rock and my Salvation." I read through Psalm 23, that is Mom's favorite and then 139 because it tells me that God knows it all about me. The Word was my comfort and exactly where I needed to be for 3 days. I never peeped a word to anyone the entire trip, oops except for, "coffee, black please."
So for now I am here and yet able to receive word from Centro Emissor about what is going on and what their prayer requests are for this week. There were 7 women, 12 men and 25 children today in church with some visitors from YWAM, the orphanage located near to where Val and I live in Dondo. Zito spoke this morning from Genesis 22 on walking in faith. I guess that could be somewhat along the same line of what we heard this morning about obedience. They pretty much have to go hand in hand.
This week's prayer requests are:
Luisa - has pain in her shoulder
Venisa - has stomach pain
Antonia - stomach pain
Adelino - back pain
Marta - her teeth are bothering her
Inez - headache
As simple as these requests are, none of these people have simple Tylenol to help relieve the pain. Hard to believe isn't it? No Tylenol?
Another request is for Deborah Zito's daughter. Since her mother died last November she has been spending more time with her Aunt Anna. Now Anna is moving to the states to attend a private Christian school in Tennessee and this is effecting Deborah's behavior. She is very confused and has been acting out. Pray for Deborah and also Zito as he deals with her behavior.
One more important message I received from Val this morning was that our staff member and field pastor, Pastor Todd's, his son Adain who is 4 years old has malaria. This is his first case of malaria after spending the weekend in the bush last weekend with the guys. He is a very sick little guy and his parents are very worried. He is on medication for malaria and is improving but this still is very unsettling for his parents. And Val too being the field nurse.
I am sending along a short video that I took a few weeks back of the young adult choir one sunny Sunday morning.
Click and Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPWQPoF008U
Thanks for loving these fine folks. I know that God is gloried by our obedience to love our neighbor.
I am home for a month. I received a phone call just a short week ago that my Mom was failing fast and she wasn't expected to make it through this illness. She was on a vent, a feeding tube and her vitals were grave. I immediately started the process to get home and 3 days later I landed in the states having prayed all the way home that God would grant my prayer of letting me see Mom before He took her to be with Him. Psalm 62 kept going over in my mind, "my soul finds rest in God alone, my Rock and my Salvation." I read through Psalm 23, that is Mom's favorite and then 139 because it tells me that God knows it all about me. The Word was my comfort and exactly where I needed to be for 3 days. I never peeped a word to anyone the entire trip, oops except for, "coffee, black please."
So for now I am here and yet able to receive word from Centro Emissor about what is going on and what their prayer requests are for this week. There were 7 women, 12 men and 25 children today in church with some visitors from YWAM, the orphanage located near to where Val and I live in Dondo. Zito spoke this morning from Genesis 22 on walking in faith. I guess that could be somewhat along the same line of what we heard this morning about obedience. They pretty much have to go hand in hand.
This week's prayer requests are:
Luisa - has pain in her shoulder
Venisa - has stomach pain
Antonia - stomach pain
Adelino - back pain
Marta - her teeth are bothering her
Inez - headache
As simple as these requests are, none of these people have simple Tylenol to help relieve the pain. Hard to believe isn't it? No Tylenol?
Another request is for Deborah Zito's daughter. Since her mother died last November she has been spending more time with her Aunt Anna. Now Anna is moving to the states to attend a private Christian school in Tennessee and this is effecting Deborah's behavior. She is very confused and has been acting out. Pray for Deborah and also Zito as he deals with her behavior.
One more important message I received from Val this morning was that our staff member and field pastor, Pastor Todd's, his son Adain who is 4 years old has malaria. This is his first case of malaria after spending the weekend in the bush last weekend with the guys. He is a very sick little guy and his parents are very worried. He is on medication for malaria and is improving but this still is very unsettling for his parents. And Val too being the field nurse.
I am sending along a short video that I took a few weeks back of the young adult choir one sunny Sunday morning.
Click and Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPWQPoF008U
Thanks for loving these fine folks. I know that God is gloried by our obedience to love our neighbor.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Rice Harvest Season Is About Done
Sunday morning several more women were able to attend services because they had finished their harvest of rice in the fields. This is a good thing, they have food and produce to sell. What makes me really sad about this season ending is, so is the finish of fresh pineapple. Boo Hoo! The pineapple is so very good here. I mean never before, pre-Africa did I ever have pineapple this delicious!
The baptism class has grown too! They recited their verse for today James 4:8. This makes my heart beam like a proud Momma. We are up to 4 now attending class and I told Molbino that next week i wanted a few minutes to speak and encourage other's to come to class and learn more about what God has to say to us. Before Val and I left in the morning I pondered the thought of taking cookies to those who had gone to class and remembered that probably more than not, had anything to eat yet. Probably since the day before at lunch. It just didn't seem right to take cookies and give them to only the one's who came to class when many of the children, I knew had not had anything.
Zito was home today with his 3 year old Robinson (Robson) who has malaria. Usually when one person in a household gets malaria, it just seems to go around and round. Especially when you live in a small house and there are no nets to protect you and others from you when you are sick.
Next week I am going to start to introduce you to each of the men and women in leadership.
Here are the prayer requests for the week:
Robinson - has malaria
Cipriano - has body aches
Victorino - a visitor not feeling well
Domingo -his knees were aching
Leopoindia - for safe travel
Have a great week friends. I have found some great quotes from Mother Theresa and have been sharing them. Enjoy one of my favorites.
Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.
Mother Teresa
The baptism class has grown too! They recited their verse for today James 4:8. This makes my heart beam like a proud Momma. We are up to 4 now attending class and I told Molbino that next week i wanted a few minutes to speak and encourage other's to come to class and learn more about what God has to say to us. Before Val and I left in the morning I pondered the thought of taking cookies to those who had gone to class and remembered that probably more than not, had anything to eat yet. Probably since the day before at lunch. It just didn't seem right to take cookies and give them to only the one's who came to class when many of the children, I knew had not had anything.
Zito was home today with his 3 year old Robinson (Robson) who has malaria. Usually when one person in a household gets malaria, it just seems to go around and round. Especially when you live in a small house and there are no nets to protect you and others from you when you are sick.
Next week I am going to start to introduce you to each of the men and women in leadership.
Here are the prayer requests for the week:
Robinson - has malaria
Cipriano - has body aches
Victorino - a visitor not feeling well
Domingo -his knees were aching
Leopoindia - for safe travel
Have a great week friends. I have found some great quotes from Mother Theresa and have been sharing them. Enjoy one of my favorites.
Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.
Mother Teresa
Sunday, July 4, 2010
July 4th in Mozambique
All of the interns and John and Cindy Pieper piled into our cars and off we went to Centro Emissor this morning to listen to the message to be given by Lee Wilwert. Lee is a young man who has grown up in the Maranatha church. I remember Lee when he was about 10-11 years old and I looking into a classroom during Sunday School and seeing him worshipping the Lord with his eyes closed and singing to the King. This is a mother's dream come true to see her child connecting with God in song. I watched him grow up in the youth group and he has always been one of those guys that just likes to connect in worship.
Today was a good day at Centro Emissor because Lee, from our home church was giving the message to our African Sister church. Before he came to the front to speak, Zito our leader, told the members that Lee came from our church in America and that he would be witness to sharing at home what he sees here in Mozambique. The church greeted him with song and prepared their hearts for the message with prayer.
We know from the scriptures that when we hear the truth being spoken from the word that our faith is increased.
Romans 10:17 - So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Today our faith was increased as we looked at scriptures in Matthew, Mark and Luke on prayer. Whenever a visitor comes to speak afterwards our leader goes after the speaker and again goes over the information in a way that he knows the members will receive. Because of their lack of reading and not having bibles hearing it all again is so good. For me too!
Zito then told the church that i had mentioned to him that it was Independence Day in America. I said that there would be all kinds of celebrations, good and not so good. That people would be celebrating everywhere in America. I said, "We are a privileged people and our country is blessed" Zito then asked the church to turn around and stand before the Americans and pray for our church, for healing of the sick and our country. He asked them to pray for a blessing and that many would come to know Jesus and to know the blessings of being an American.
I said I would get the prayer requests this week and they are:
Luisa - has pain in her side
Domingos - not felling well
Anita Domingos - needs work
The nutrition class on Wednesday - that many will attend and learn more about their health
The church - that it will grow in numbers and that many will follow Jesus
Pascoa - is a man wanting to marry in the church and needs direction on how to proceed to be married and committed before the Lord.
Thanks for staying with me on this. May God be glorified and many many blessings come to you all who pray for us at Centro Emissor.
"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." Proverbs 22:9
Today was a good day at Centro Emissor because Lee, from our home church was giving the message to our African Sister church. Before he came to the front to speak, Zito our leader, told the members that Lee came from our church in America and that he would be witness to sharing at home what he sees here in Mozambique. The church greeted him with song and prepared their hearts for the message with prayer.
We know from the scriptures that when we hear the truth being spoken from the word that our faith is increased.
Romans 10:17 - So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Today our faith was increased as we looked at scriptures in Matthew, Mark and Luke on prayer. Whenever a visitor comes to speak afterwards our leader goes after the speaker and again goes over the information in a way that he knows the members will receive. Because of their lack of reading and not having bibles hearing it all again is so good. For me too!
Zito then told the church that i had mentioned to him that it was Independence Day in America. I said that there would be all kinds of celebrations, good and not so good. That people would be celebrating everywhere in America. I said, "We are a privileged people and our country is blessed" Zito then asked the church to turn around and stand before the Americans and pray for our church, for healing of the sick and our country. He asked them to pray for a blessing and that many would come to know Jesus and to know the blessings of being an American.
I said I would get the prayer requests this week and they are:
Luisa - has pain in her side
Domingos - not felling well
Anita Domingos - needs work
The nutrition class on Wednesday - that many will attend and learn more about their health
The church - that it will grow in numbers and that many will follow Jesus
Pascoa - is a man wanting to marry in the church and needs direction on how to proceed to be married and committed before the Lord.
Thanks for staying with me on this. May God be glorified and many many blessings come to you all who pray for us at Centro Emissor.
"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." Proverbs 22:9
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