The Big Move

After much prayer and consideration, Felito and I have decided to move from PalmRidge South Africa, back to Maputo Mozambique.

The AOF Team

Introducing the Africa on Fire Team (with friends)

Marcelo (in the blue tshirt) & Adriana and Felito (in the red tshirt) & I on the end

Outreach Update

OUTREACH TIME

The Africa on Fire team want to thank everyone for their prayers and encouragement and their continued support. Without you we wouldn’t be here doing what we have been doing. Again we want to thank everyone at Lifeswitch church for your love and support and donating the necessary funds for the trailer, thank you so much for your heart and generosity. The trailer is such a super huge blessing and the outreach wouldn’t have happened without the trailer.

Our first outreach was a huge success. We want to magnify Gods goodness, without him nothing would have happened.

Over the course of a few days the team from Brazil and New Zealand arrived in South Africa. We had a few days together to prepare and pray. During that time, there was much stress as the padjero yet again needed to fixed, but after much frustration and tears on our part it was decided to rent a kombi 10-seater van (which actually seated 8 people). We loaded our bags, tents, blow-up mattresses, sound system, generator, petrol, gifts, food and water onto the new trailer, piled into the van and we were off, two days later than planned, but this is Africa.

It was a six-hour drive to Giyani, not the longest stretch of the outreach, but the trailer was full and heavy. This was a first outreach for most of team and the first time in Africa for all of the team from overseas, so everyone was excited and apprehensive. We arrived in Giyani way past sun down, the people had been waiting for us at the church for a very long time, even though it was late they greeted us with much enthusiasm, we raced through the worship and Pastor Marcelo from Brazil was introduced, people were hanging on the edge of their seats…they are hungry people, it wasn’t us they wanted, it was Jesus. As soon as Pastor Marcelo started to preach, God’s presence came. During the time of ministry God’s presence was ever so strong. He moved swiftly, yet powerfully. Many were healed. Children were healed from headaches, high fevers and women who had pains in their bodies were healed. One lady had been blind in one eye from an accident with a knife as a child and God opened her eye, we all rejoiced with her at what the Lord had done. People also received Jesus into their hearts. Another lady had been healed during the worship of a pain in her leg she had, had for many years and it had stopped her from dancing which greatly upset her. When she came to testify that the Lord had healed her, she danced her way up and danced the whole way through as she spoke, it was so beautiful. We were in Giyani for two days, the church was packed, and people were standing outside even by the windows to hear the word of God and just to receive a touch from God. Worship was amazing during our time there; God’s presence was very much felt during the whole time. We celebrated, we danced, we sang, we worshipped and God came. We left knowing that the lives of the people in Giyani were forever changed.

We drove through the Kruger National Park to get to Mozambique; we crossed the boarder into the Great Limpopo Park into the Mozambique side. We weren’t quite prepared for the road. Many had told us that the roads were paved, obviously their understanding of paving was very different to ours. It was a long and hot drive but after many hours we arrived in complete darkness in Mazivilla. This village has no electricity, so we quickly set up our tents with the light of the kombi, we woke early the next morning and spoke to those that came and visited. In the early afternoon we headed to a large field to set up the trailer and sound-system. We danced and danced during worship, it was a very happy time. People were really blessed and touched by God’s presence.

The next day we were off to Chibuto, still in the Gaza province. This is the village where Felito’s parents were born, so it was a wonderful reception meeting family. Everyone was so very welcoming. We arrived we before sun-down and setup our tents, then in the afternoon went to setup everything for the evening. Though the people in Chibuto didn’t have much, they gave everything they had. Everyone loved to dance and worship the Lord. The sweet presence of the Lord, was everywhere. Many people again were healed and set free. We had high fevers healed, pains in the body healed, even one child’s hearing improved.

The Brazilian pastors had brought a couple of large bags of toys, and sandals for children. It was such a joy to see the children receive their new sandals and their dolls and cars. It brought tears of the eyes to those who were handing out the presents, it truly is better to give than to receive.

It was then off to Zimpeto, one of the “suburbs” of Maputo. Zimpeto is where Felito’s father lives and has a church. We arrived and were placed in homes of the church members from Eduardo’s church (Felito’s brother) in Malhazine. We were all very tired and in much need of a good bath with clean water. Much to the excitement of the women, there was service just for them in the morning and then in the afternoon we set up in the soccer field for the evening outreach. Again both evenings God moved and His children were touched, healed and changed, what a blessing it was too see many receive Jesus into their hearts.
The Sunday service was incredible. God’s presence could be felt before we even started. As the choir started to sing, people began to cry, God was ministering to their hearts. During the time of ministry again many were healed, the youth had encounters with God to forever change them.

Then it was a long drive back to Johannesburg, South Africa to begin the two conferences, one at our church and another in the Tembisa Township. Even though we were tired, wanted clean water, light to see what we were eating at night, and no more rice (well at least for a couple of days), and glad that there was going to be no more bad latrine (long-drop) stories, our hearts were left feeling we could fly higher than any mountain and smiles that couldn’t be wiped from our faces. God poured out His love extravagantly and stretched His hand out in the most powerful of ways on outreach. What a joy it is to be called a child of God!! Thank you Jesus for your GOODNESS!!

We are currently in Mozambique and we are returning to Xai-Xai to discuss with the elders and council people about the process of obtaining the land. Please keep us in prayer during this time and that the process of paying for the land, submitting the plan and eventually completing the paperwork for the land that it will go well, swiftly and that God’s hand will be upon it.

God bless Felito, Anna & the Africa on Fire Team.

Im an AUNTY!

Yay, am so excited to announce I am aunty for the first time (well on my side of the family).
My sister had a beautiful baby girl - Aliyah-Rose...welcome to family.

Can't wait to be in NZ sometime next year to finially met her.

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 :)

July Update

Hello prayer partners

What a welcome back. It was straight back into it. We arrived early on Tuesday morning and that night a team of four from the USA arrived to join us for our first South Africa outreach.

We had two days to recover from the flying, then it was up to the Limpopo province (6 hours drive by the Mozambique boarder) to begin our first outreach. The village was rural and very simple living, but no one could escape its beauty.

The next week we returned to Palmridge with the team for two 3-day conferences, which both turned out to be a liberating time of truth, and freedom for the people.

Last week we headed up to Giyani, to a small village 6 hours away, near the Zimbabwe boarder. This outreach was an incredible witness to God’s power and healing. The building was packed with standing room only and people were even lined up outside! God moved powerfully in this village and a large number of people were saved (including the village chief)! God healed people left, right and centre; of blindness, deafness, joint/back problems, acute/chronic illnesses, and mental health problems etc. Our God is so good!

While we were up the top of South Africa, we took the opportunity to visit Kruger Wildlife Park, which was an amazing experience. We saw giraffes, zebras, elephants, buffalos, hippos, leopards and a huge range of God’s creation.

Over the past few weeks we have been looking for a house to live in here in South Africa. We have been unsuccessful in securing a home so far. After praying we feel that God is calling us back to Mozambique. Felito is currently in Mozambique looking for land, which we could purchase and build a house and base our ministry from. We would still be very involved with the church in Palmridge, commuting monthly.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support,
Lots of Love and blessings, Felito, Anna and Bronie

PRAYER POINTS
• That God will show us the land He wants us to buy
• That the trailer would be finished before we move to Mozambique
• That Felito’s older brother (João) will be healed from his sicknesses including tuberculosis
• That God would provide us with divine connections for outreaches
• That God would go before us and prepare that way, and that we would walk in it with His wisdom and discernment.

The Lord is my ROCK....in whom I will TRUST.

PSALMS 18:2
The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.”

These last couple of months have been such a trying time and at times it felt as if Felito and I were on a roller-coaster, powerless to control anything expect just to sit and ride the highs and lows, but our God is so very faithful, His love truly knows no boundries. Without Him, we just wouldn’t have survived the lows. He is our rock and our strength, in whom we choose to trust.

Felito and I would like to thank ALL of those who have supported us, prayed for us while we were back in NZ, following the death of our little Joanna Grace. Thank you all for your kind words, loving hugs and understanding ears. It really warmed our hearts and made us feel very loved during this sad time. THANK YOU!!

We are just so excited, ready to jump and dance around for what God is doing in South Africa. We are experiencing change!! Very encouraging things are happening, but most of all the presence of God is becoming more and more evident every Sunday.