As I am here and see all the needs around me and the opportunities, God is reminding me that my identity is not found in what I do for Him. I am already His child and dearly loved. This whole year has been good for me to learn this and I think another layer of the veil is being removed. To see right in front of me the difference in an orphan versus a child adopted is showing me that God has adopted me as a daughter. Therefore, I should not live as an orphan, striving to be loved or noticed, and living as if there might not be enough. Instead I should love as one dearly loved, adopted as God's child, trusting His love never fails, trusting He always has enough for me in His kingdom, and He already has good works prepared for me to do.
There are times that I pray for grace to eat rice for meals and grace with not much privacy, but this experience has been going far beyond my expectations. Classes too have exceeded what I thought. The missionaries from around the world that have come here to teach us have been great models for us to learn from.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Bush Outreach
This weekend we traveled 2 hours to a village in the bush-bush. From our base, we saw homes built of bamboo and mud for the entire drive mixed with wilderness. We partnered with 10 Mozambican pastors and 10 foreign visitors. I was humbled by how little the Mozambican pastors have but how much they served us and watched over us while in the villages. I also gained more appreciation for these pastors seeing the villages where many of them came from.
On the outreach we showed the "Jesus" film in the local Makua language. We then had an altar call and prayed for healings. One man had just been released from prison was saved and baptized the next day. We also baptized 20 others. We had to drive about 2 miles and walk another 1.5 miles to get to a small pond the size of a swimming pool to baptize. The village had no running water or electricity and it is the worst poverty I have seen but the people are so loving and welcoming to us and the children so joyful.
On the outreach we also visited homes, praying for one sick man who confessed having witch craft items. He then brought the items out and the pastors burned them. He had been having headaches for a month and said he felt much better after receiving prayer. We greatly enjoyed this bush outreach and there is much more that happened, just not enough time to share.
On the outreach we showed the "Jesus" film in the local Makua language. We then had an altar call and prayed for healings. One man had just been released from prison was saved and baptized the next day. We also baptized 20 others. We had to drive about 2 miles and walk another 1.5 miles to get to a small pond the size of a swimming pool to baptize. The village had no running water or electricity and it is the worst poverty I have seen but the people are so loving and welcoming to us and the children so joyful.
On the outreach we also visited homes, praying for one sick man who confessed having witch craft items. He then brought the items out and the pastors burned them. He had been having headaches for a month and said he felt much better after receiving prayer. We greatly enjoyed this bush outreach and there is much more that happened, just not enough time to share.
What can one do?
In the U.S. prior to leaving for Mozambique, I frequently got asked what we would be doing while here besides the school. My response was that I knew Allison would be able to help with her nursing skills but I did not know what I would contribute.
Because most short-term missions trips are medical or construction based, my persception of missions caused me to disqualify myself as to what I might contribute based on my skills. I did not see myself doing medical or construction based misssions.
Last week, Allison and I went looking for God's treasures, asking the Lord for divine appointments. I found John, 15 years old, wearing a "tie-die t-shirt" at a "fork in the road" just outside our compound. I explained to John who spoke English that he is God's treasure and asked him how I could pray for him. He asked for prayer for his schooling, specifically Portuguese and Math. I told him I would pray for him but I would also help him with his math. John lives in a nearby village where his mother is muslim and unemployed. His father past away years before. Iris offers him a free education and this is how he became a Christian.
So this past week I have met with John each day for an hour tutoring math. The first day I was thinking I would be tutoring algebra or geometry since John is 15 but I soon discovered the sad reality of education here in Mozambique. John asked me to teach him two digit multiplication which is what he is learning in his 5th grade class. However, he did not know any of his times tables and could not add or subtract anything greater than single digits. I hardly knew where to begin to tutor him to get him caught up. I approached one of the educators to ask hi why John is so poorly educated. He informed me that education here is based on grade and not associated with age. Fifth grade could have ages ranging from 10 to 15. People do not value education here and there are such few jobs requiring it that there is no incentive for the people. As a result, village children skip school often and we are witnessing this often as children sit outside our missions school to stare at the foreigners.
I plan to keep tutoring John feeling strongly this is where the I need to invest my time. I don't know what impact this will be but we are learning that "love looks like something."
Because most short-term missions trips are medical or construction based, my persception of missions caused me to disqualify myself as to what I might contribute based on my skills. I did not see myself doing medical or construction based misssions.
Last week, Allison and I went looking for God's treasures, asking the Lord for divine appointments. I found John, 15 years old, wearing a "tie-die t-shirt" at a "fork in the road" just outside our compound. I explained to John who spoke English that he is God's treasure and asked him how I could pray for him. He asked for prayer for his schooling, specifically Portuguese and Math. I told him I would pray for him but I would also help him with his math. John lives in a nearby village where his mother is muslim and unemployed. His father past away years before. Iris offers him a free education and this is how he became a Christian.
So this past week I have met with John each day for an hour tutoring math. The first day I was thinking I would be tutoring algebra or geometry since John is 15 but I soon discovered the sad reality of education here in Mozambique. John asked me to teach him two digit multiplication which is what he is learning in his 5th grade class. However, he did not know any of his times tables and could not add or subtract anything greater than single digits. I hardly knew where to begin to tutor him to get him caught up. I approached one of the educators to ask hi why John is so poorly educated. He informed me that education here is based on grade and not associated with age. Fifth grade could have ages ranging from 10 to 15. People do not value education here and there are such few jobs requiring it that there is no incentive for the people. As a result, village children skip school often and we are witnessing this often as children sit outside our missions school to stare at the foreigners.
I plan to keep tutoring John feeling strongly this is where the I need to invest my time. I don't know what impact this will be but we are learning that "love looks like something."
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Adventure update- Allison
We are truely enjoying our time here. It is a new way of life, but I feel we are beginning to settle into a schedule (which of course I like). The days start early and end early, which I thankful. I have started daily in the mornings at 5am, helping in the kitchen to count bread. We count 700 rolls for the kids, staff, and students. Its been fun and helps me to learn the language.
We had a nice suprise this week. They have decided to provide jam with our breakfast rolls- this has been an extra bonus.
The children are beautiful and such a blessings. I love playing with them in the ocean, playing tag, and laughing often. The boys truely love Wade and are always excited to see him.
We also spend time at meals, or during outreaches with the Mozambican bible students. Although communication is difficult, I am looking forward to hearing more of their stories and their desire to seek whole heartedly after God. I am truley humbled, how little in the material possessions they compare to us, yet they are overflowing with love and willing to sacrafice even more to seek God. We just walked to town (about an hour walk) with two of them. They helped us get around and learn the language, we are thankful for them.
I am also rotating with a few other nurses to do nursing for our school. No major issues so far, mainly bug bites.
We had exciting testimonies from our village outreach. I will try to post them soon. Much love.
We had a nice suprise this week. They have decided to provide jam with our breakfast rolls- this has been an extra bonus.
The children are beautiful and such a blessings. I love playing with them in the ocean, playing tag, and laughing often. The boys truely love Wade and are always excited to see him.
We also spend time at meals, or during outreaches with the Mozambican bible students. Although communication is difficult, I am looking forward to hearing more of their stories and their desire to seek whole heartedly after God. I am truley humbled, how little in the material possessions they compare to us, yet they are overflowing with love and willing to sacrafice even more to seek God. We just walked to town (about an hour walk) with two of them. They helped us get around and learn the language, we are thankful for them.
I am also rotating with a few other nurses to do nursing for our school. No major issues so far, mainly bug bites.
We had exciting testimonies from our village outreach. I will try to post them soon. Much love.
Prayer Requests
We have connected well with a group of boys about 8-10 years old from the Iris Orphanage. Each day after dinner they are waiting for Allison and me to come and play with them. On the outward appearance these children are well taken care of. They appear more clean and educated than the local village children. However I know each of these children have a tragic story because they were brought to Iris due to loss of parents, physical or sexual abuse. And though we know these children are in a good situation now, I cannot help but wonder if they don't still long for a father and mother, and is this why they want to spend time with us. We sit with them at meals, we take them to the beach, but can we be father and mother to them when we are only here 3 months? Will this short term investment just create more pain in their lives and ours? As I ponder these thoughts, I am reminded that it is possible to have pain without love but it is impossible to have love without pain. I cannot avoid the pain in my life but it is possible to avoid love, which is a great error. And when one loves people, there will always be opportunity for pain because our heart has been opened.
Please pray specifically for Gildo and Jalia who we have connected with the best. May the God who puts the lonely in families give these two young boys many spiritual fathers to call forth their destinies.
P.S. Our village outreaches are on Fridays. Pray that the we may be led by the Lord as we minister in the local villages.
Please pray specifically for Gildo and Jalia who we have connected with the best. May the God who puts the lonely in families give these two young boys many spiritual fathers to call forth their destinies.
P.S. Our village outreaches are on Fridays. Pray that the we may be led by the Lord as we minister in the local villages.
God Speaks Through Children
During class this week Heidi Baker was encouraging us to spend time with the children and with the poor. She says she learned far more about the kingdom of God by sitting with the poor and with children then she ever did while earning her PhD in Systematic Theology.
After class while walking back to our apartment, I was wrestling with these thoughts as I battled a sinus infection and was not feeling great: I told God that I wanted to do something more math oriented and not to play with children. I didn't want to play with children right now. Could I not do something more administrately and serve you here?
About the time these thoughts went through my head, I turned a corner only two see a two year old little boy from the nearby village had locked eyes with me. He had his arms lifted high for a hug and a big grin on his face, running as fast as his legs would carry him straight for me. I bent down to him and he would not let go. My heart melted and I spent the rest of the day playing in the dirt, sitting in the hot sun, with a child I could not communicate with in any language other than love.
God had answered my question about whether I needed to spend time with children this afternoon with a simple demonstration. I have not see this child again but he was at the right place at the right time to speak to me.
After class while walking back to our apartment, I was wrestling with these thoughts as I battled a sinus infection and was not feeling great: I told God that I wanted to do something more math oriented and not to play with children. I didn't want to play with children right now. Could I not do something more administrately and serve you here?
About the time these thoughts went through my head, I turned a corner only two see a two year old little boy from the nearby village had locked eyes with me. He had his arms lifted high for a hug and a big grin on his face, running as fast as his legs would carry him straight for me. I bent down to him and he would not let go. My heart melted and I spent the rest of the day playing in the dirt, sitting in the hot sun, with a child I could not communicate with in any language other than love.
God had answered my question about whether I needed to spend time with children this afternoon with a simple demonstration. I have not see this child again but he was at the right place at the right time to speak to me.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
National Children's Day
Today was National Children's Day, a national holiday. Iris fed about 2500 children ages 3-12 a meal of rice, cabbage, and a piece of fried chicken with a Fainta soft drink. It was amazing to see these children walk miles to line up in the heat to get this free meal and receive a goodie bag consisting of 1 lollipop and 3 pieces of candy. Many of these young children(5-7 years old) escorted or carried their younger siblings (18 months to 2) as they were not big enough to walk for long times no their own. Allison and I had the privilege to help the children line up and wash dishes.
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