August 2008 Update

Hi Friends and Family

Thank you so much for your prayers over the past month… We have seen God move and protect us incredibly over this time.

At the beginning of August Felito, Anna and I went back to Mozambique to pay for the 10 hectare land, but it turned out that the land was already owned by another person, and that the people who showed it to us were going to take the money and disappear! Thank God that He brought their plans into the light!

A friend of Felito’s from Xai-Xai (pronounced shy-shy) showed us a number of pieces of land, and a rural village called Chizivanae, which is north of Xai-Xai. The land is very fertile, and everything they plant grows there (corn, citrus fruits, cashew nuts, mangos, avocados, passion-fruits etc). We went into the village to visit a number of the family homes there. From talking to the people we found that they have no village well, so they rely on rain for their water. So if it doesn’t rain they have no water. The people are dying from simple preventable problems like drinking unclean water and malaria. As we visited the families, we prayed for a few of them. One woman we prayed for was 102 and had been involved in a bus accident and had resulting lower back problems. Even so, she oozed joy, didn’t look a day over 80, still had all of her teeth, and was working in the field! We believe that this village is where God is calling us to base the ministry from. We heard today that the chief has set aside a couple of pieces of land for us to look at possibly purchasing. We are excited about bringing Jesus to the poorest of the poor!

A couple of days prior to this, Anna and I spent a day in Mazivilla with the woman learning how to make xima (like mashed potato but made from corn). We spent the whole day making one meal! From peeling the dried corn, pounding it, separating and sifting it, mixed it with water and then ground it in a ceramic pot for over 3 hours! We are real Mozambiquan muscle women now!

There are a team of Brazillian pastors here to do outreaches with us for two weeks. On Friday (22^nd) we head to Giyani - by the Zimbabwe border until the 24^th when we go to Mozambique for another 10 days. We will be staying in the villages in tents, and are looking forward to seeing the available land.

Praise reports from the prayer points in the last update:

Praise God the trailer is finished! We picked it up today, just in time for outreach! (Pictures to follow after outreach)
Felito’s brother (Joao) is doing much better and able to work part time again.
God has been providing divine connections for outreaches and for the land especially in Xai-Xai.

Prayer points:

- For God’s continued presence and protection especially during the outreaches.
- That Anna and I will continue to learn Portuguese quickly (essential in Mozambique).
- That during the outreaches God will move mightily with people coming into relationship with Him and their lives transformed.
- That God will clearly show us the exact land He wants us to base the ministry from.
- That God would go before us and prepare the way, and that we would walk in it with His wisdom and discernment, showing His love.

We pray everything is going well for you all,
Love and Blessings,
Felito, Anna and Bronie :)