When we are weak, HE is strong!

When I heard about the news of that the end of world is near, I laughed, but little did I know, what the next few weeks would hold.

We received two WorldRace Teams. What an adventure that in itself that brings!! And that is where the story begins.

Once upon a time, in a very hot and humid and wet, rainy season, twelve young adventures stepped their tired feet off the cramped and clammy bus into the busy dusty street market. After a very long extended travel experience. Tanzania to Mozambique. There tickets boldly printing four days, but after rough and long border crossings and numerous police stops, they arrived hot and tired after seven long days. The next few days were spent resting and recharging their batteries in the picturesque and lush green city of Chibuto. The tiny city was busting, as during wet season the vegetation is plentiful and beautiful. The flats lands are covered in bright greens and pokka-dot with a splash of colour from the fruit trees, pineapple, mango, cashunut, papaya etc.
Both the teams were eager and their servants hearts were so gentle and kind. They ministered with grace and the LOVE of only a saviour can give. They endured heat, large spiders, days without water, no electricity, scorpion bite, killed a snake, over sized cockroaches, allergic reaction, bats, just plain iky and yucky bugs. Lower they went, their hearts towards their King and their hands towards the needy and broken.
Just before the celebration of Christmas, they packed up and headed south to Maputo. To the land of lights and running water.
Again these two teams pulled together and ministered with such love and grace on the outreaches and ministry visits but little did we know what was going to hit.
One by one, as if we were dominos, it hit. A fever, a sore and achy body and wanting to be all curled up in bed : m a l a r i a. First, was one of the team members from the worldrace, then I (anna) and then bang, the gate fell down and poor Issachar was rushed to the hospital with a cut to his head. The next day, Jiameto was ill, as was Felito and Paulina and the next day Candio took ill. But its the next day that will forever be in my memory. My little prince was sick. It was not what either of us wanted to hear. My heart sank and I felt guilty, as two weeks ago he had been sick as well and now he had malaria too. We explained to the kind and compassionate doctor and she shook her head in disbelief, with so many in one house with malaria.
We are not denying its not been hard, its been super rough. We have cried ourselves to sleep and spent many moments in prayer and others lacking in sleep while serving the sick.
BUT the adventure hasn't ended. We still have five more days with our teams and we are exhausted, excited and eggar to see out God move!

Tomorrow is CHRISTmas and we will not let the last week change the fact that our saviour is alive and loves us!
The enemy may have a plan for us, BUT my GOD is bigger and he is STRONGER and His LOVE is enough!! His plan is my future! He died so that we may have LIFE and have life ABUNDANTLY.

Merry Christmas!

We ask that you keep as very close in your prayers!

November Update - long over due

Hi ya'll

Its a shiner of day! Things have been muddling along.

Paulina has been officially on school holidays now for almost three weeks and she also just passed her school exams, so she has enough credit to go into the next grade. We were all filled with relief and happiness at her passing. She was so excited as it meant a reward. A trip into town to eat grilled chicken!!
We have had a visit from Social Services which went well. We haven't had official notice, but we got the paperwork required for Paulina to apply for ID and passport. Her ID is in process and due the second week of December, and then for the passport which means a WHOLE family trip to SA hopefully in January!! The excitement is building while we are planning this special and momentous trip.

In less than a week we have two teams from WorldRace come to stay with us for the month of December, which means an extremely full house and busyness and fun!

Felito has come back from Outreach at Mazivilla which went amazingly well. Lots of people healed and walking closer to King Jesus. (photos to come)

On negative side, Jiametos son, David has been admitted to hospital. He has some sort of infection with his fever spiking every couple of hours and with vomiting and diareeah. He had a blood transfusion after his blood tests came back as he was anemic. His fever hasn't spiked as high since blood transfusion. Have done loads of tests, and are awaiting results. Please keep him and his family in prayer. Jiametos wife also has malaria.

Was so sad going into children's ward, wish I could do more. We leave feeling so drained and almost frustrated at the standards and lack of care and compassion.
In the same ward as baby David we Saw two cases of infected scabies and childhood leprosy and also a little girl with a massive swollen tummy, its not worms, so she has had a test to see if its a tumor. Poor thing is in pain and cant hardly stand as it unbalances her. They are from Inhabane, which is about 6 hours drive from Maputo and have no family here. Mother is freaked out. We prayed for them. Please keep these dear children in your prayers too.

Feltios sister, Raquel, had her baby yesterday late morning. She had a boy, its number six for her. She is exhausted after over 28 hours in labour, she also nearly had a c-section but he finally came and weighs 4.5kg. Baby and Mum are doing well, but ask for prayers as she copes with a new born. Im now hurriedly making another baby quilt as the other one is just too pink.

God bless every one of you. Thank you for all your love, support and prayers! We love you all!
Jesus, He is the REASON for the SEASON! bring it on as we celebrate our maker and King.

Transport Strike

Today has been a strange one. One could almost feel the tension in the air when we woke up.

The weather has been up and down. Wet season has hit hard and early and already there has been flooding.
The local governments have prepared for the worse.
Wet season is both blessing and curse. The rains bring much needed water to the farmers and herders, and the flowers come out in full bloom. The dry land comes alive with radiant colors and with large areas of brown land comes to life with green lushness. But with wet season, there is a dark side, a curse some say, all the flying insects and snakes and just yucky bugs in general. In particular the mosquitos seem everywhere and so many of them. The main hospital in Maputo have set up a temporary clinic just for blood testing for malaria and a ward for those who are very ill with malaria. Our church in Maputo have lost two people from the same family who both had complications from cebral malaria.

But just as hard and fast the wet season has hit, so has the anger and frustration towards the recession. The government continues to speak positive but all around us the evidence is proof that people are struggling and suffering.
More and more people are struggling to buy the basics. The lucky ones with the salaries that stay the same while all around them the prices of food, gas, clothing, education, medicine increases in not so friendly jumps.

There have been rumors going around and today was the day. The people have had enough and the strike was on. Today people refused to use charpas which are the local public transport due to the rising cost of the fare. Two years ago the strike for the same thing turned into nasty riots which last for four days with army coming in and taking charge. People were killed and injured.
So far, today, no body has been killed but a few have been injured. The police are out with their guns, trying to calm, but people are angry.

We ask that you keep us and Mozambique in your prayers. We needs Gods peace and wisdom.

Prayer Needed

Friends and family, we ask for prayer. One of our ladies in our church in Maputo two days ago slipped into coma due to cebral malaria. She is currently in ICU and breathing on her own.
Also two weeks ago her grandson died of complications due to malaria.
We know that Jesus can heal and we are asking for a total healing and restoration in Jesus Name!
Thanks.

Its Pemba Time

This past week, God opened the door for me to visit in Pemba.
I was extremely excited and nervous. I haven't been back to Pemba for several years. I was so worried about the changes and growth; would I enjoy my time? and would the kids remember me?
A very good friend of mine Antoinette was getting married which was the main reason, and another friend who was pregnant was due around the same time as the wedding.
I packed my bag and unpacked my bag and did it again. I didn't know how to pack, I didn't know what to expect. The Lord spoke to me and said change is a good thing. I lowered my head and whispered thank you.
The morning of the flight I rushed around and asked the Lord to take away my nerves and expectations. He did.
My heart was thumping on the trip up, I could feel the heat hit me as we walked off the plane. I had arrived! I looked around and not recognizing any one my heart sank, then I heard my name being called. Albino was there, we embraced and chatted like the years we had been apart didn't matter.
That happened the whole week. Seeing old friends and making new friends. The years in between didn't matter.
Going into the village next door to the Iris base and seeing the kids all grown up brought much joy and tears to my eyes.
Being able to go to the hospital pray for sick was such an honor. A lady who had a c-section as her sons head was stuck, she was in pain yet greeted me with a smile. Tears flowed she spoke of the pain that her body was in but also her heart as milk hadn't come-in yet. We prayed and God's presence came and filled the room and her milk came-in and she nursed her son. God can grow back arms, lungs and heal every disease, but he also cares for the women who had no milk and worked a miracle so she could feed him. What a privilege we have serving the Lord.

Antoinette's wedding was so full of joy and stunningly beautiful. The Lord just filled the place and our hearts and such a picture of us preparing ourselves for the Lords return.

My friend had her baby, which was awesome to be able to be there for the first few days of his precious life.

Over all the week went so fast. I have missed my family so very much. But it was such a special time with friends and quality time with the Lord. He reminded me of the beauty of a persons heart and how a smile can lift a persons moment. God wants to be involved in all aspects of our life, not just our prayer life. Gods beauty is everywhere, we simply need to open our eyes to see.

Conference Time

The conference in Chibuto was simply and purely amazing.
The weather caused a fuss and it was very unusual to have cold and wet at this time of the year. But the church was over full and those that came were touched, changed and encouraged.

On the Sunday after the service we went to water hole and baptized those that received Jesus into their hearts. It was so special BUT God was moving in the hearts of the young men who were down at water hole to wash their car. They stood and watched the baptisms and Felito called them and within ten minutes all seven of the young men had invited Jesus into their lives and were baptized! God is wonderful!!

Conference Prep Time in Maputo

It was such a great week being with Felito in South Africa and catching up with friends and preparing for conference BUT the work has began doing the last minute things for our first ever conference in Chibuto. Every day we can feel the momentum build. We are praying and expecting big and mighty things.

Its great to spend some time with Paulina and family in Maputo and catch up on everything before conference.

We ask that you keep us in your prayers and for safe travels for us and the visiting teams and conference attendees.
Also need prayer for our pajero, its running but needs a mechanic to look at it.