Outreach 2009

The outreach to Espungabera 2009 is going to be taking place from 27th June (leaving Pretoria) and arriving in Espungabera 28th June. Until departure 11th June (arrival in Pretoria) 12th July.

This year we are planning to do some building at the Espungabera Church, mainly to the manse so we will soon be able to move the pastor and his family out of the Church half completed building. We will also be doing some maintaince work to the mission house.

3-5th July we will be out in the bush camping and then again 7-9th. We will be visiting Siyabuzana and Chitsama. The focus this year will be on encouraging the local Churches with teaching. One of the main topics will again be about monogomus marriages. We will also be trying to encourage the Church leadership to identify and encourage young men especially to marry ONE wife but to also go into leadership training in the Church.

The ladies will again be doing hand crafts but will also be taught about not accepting that their husbands take more wives. As all ways we will be showing the Jesus film two nights at each place.

Returning FRIENDS

We so blessed, we so blessed, tra-la-la-la, tra-la-la-la! Walter and Rosie who came to Espungabera a year ago and were part of the outreach team 2008 are coming to visit from the 8th to 24th June. We have kept in regular contact with them. They are coming back to seek confirmation of their calling to Espungabera area. We will be going with them to two places we as a mission AIM have pinpointed as important areas to be developed. And they are going to be praying that God would make is calling clear to them and also as to which of the two areas He wants them.

Please would you also pray that God would make his will clearly known to them about this calling and give them peace in their hearts. We have been wanting help for so long but it must be God's doing not ours. The weekends of 12-14th and 19-21st is when we will go to these two places, (Makumba & Chitsama areas.)

Brazilian Dentist,

Egon is a retired Brazilian dentist. It has been quite a lot of fun having him around. Especially as he speaks "no" English. So I have had a personal Portuguese teacher for a week at Bible school. Egon went to the Bible school with me to experience rural Mozambican life and also to teach dental hygiene at the local school there.

There was just so much new "stuff" for him to see and be part of. I think he had quite a wake up call as to how a large part of Africa lives. He mentioned over and over that they never see that side of life on TV back home. But I guess neither do many of us.

He and I will be going on Monday to Catholic mission station about 20km's from Espungabera and he is scheduled to teach there at the clinic and the little school about dental hygiene. He will also be teaching at a few other places in and around Espungabera until his return to Chimoio around the 15-16th June. He will then also go and visit some other areas of Mozambique. Please keep him in your prayers as this rural African "stuff" is quite a culture shock for him.

The Kiwi gets Malaria.

Thursday 21st saw us go to Chimoio to do our shopping and banking and also to get Egon the retired dentist from Brasil. Leighton our resident Kiwi and "agricultural specialist" went with us to get rid of a bit of "cabin fever". And on Thursday evening he was cold and shivering and came down with Malaria. We were able to start treatment right away. And when on Friday after 1pm we went to fetch him at a friends house to go back to Espungabera it was very doubtful if he was going to be able to travel. But I suppose the younger you are the stronger you are! (alas!) Well he wanted to come to Espungabera and not spend another day in Chimoio. By Monday morning he was feeling much better but is still a bit weak. But every day he he is getting back to his old self. Praise the Lord!

This weekend.

We will be going to Goi-Goi this Sunday for Church. The Church there is led by a young man 24 years old Phienas. He was elected as the leader after the death of our much loved old "saint" Baba Williamo.

Phienas is a one of those young guys that is just growing in leaps and bounds. During Bible School week we normally have an open Bible study on Wednesday evenings. During that time what often happens is that folks come forward to be prayed for. Normally for health reasons. Phienas came forward and blew me away with his prayer request. "That God would enable him not to be so shy and to be able to lead the Church well espically with his preaching". A sure sign that he maturing.

At the same time, in going to Goi-Goi we have the opportunity to show our new pastor Domingo where the Church is. Seeing that we will soon be away for a few months.

Bible school a blessing

The week just passed 25th to 29 May was well attended by the students,(Church leaders). As many of you know that the Mossurize district is one of the main training areas for witchdoctors in Southern Africa if not a large portion of Africa. So the teaching on Jude in the New Testament was particularly helpful to the leaders. Although most of the leaders come from a background of "traditional religion" they were quite unaware of what to look out for and what some of the characteristics of of false teachers and distorter s of the faith are.

What a blessing it was to see how they they enjoyed Jude but also their comments about in the past they had just skimmed over Jude as it "only had one chapter & therefore of not much substance" according to them. So when we got down to the nuts and bolts of Jude they were quite shocked! But they found it very helpful.

Bible school.

Bible school is going to be from 25th to 29th of this month. For some of the students it will be the last course. I will need to present them with certificates in recognition of their studies. They have been learning and doing very well since 2003. All are leading Churches and have ministries of their own going now. 2Tim 2:2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

So now I will be focusing on the newer students and also be looking at finding new leaders hopefully coming up through the local Church where the trained guys have been teaching.

Urgent

Please pray for God's provision with us. Ask that He will send rain to fill our water tanks or that the town water would work and the tanks be filled that way. However God is able to fill them. Town water has made an appearance not even 10 days this year so far and that for only a few hours at a time.

Up and comming events.

This week which is about to "attack" us with all it's challenges and things which God has prepared for us is going to be quite busy. 11th through 16th is going to be a week where lots of final preparation needs to take place. Much maintenance needs to be done around the house and also the generator has seized. This is the one which we have just had replaced. It is already sorely missed as we are experiencing power cuts daily and for long periods at a time. End of June sees the outreach team come and we need to be ready for that. The gas deep freezer has stopped working and needs to sorted out as well. With no "town" electricity keeping frozen foods is difficult. Pray that I can get both the generator and the deep freezer working by the time the outreach team comes.

But before they arrive we are going to be receiving a "retired" German dentist who had spent around 30 years in Brazil. He will be arriving on the 18th and will be spending a month with us. He will be going to many Church groups and also to the hospital and a few of the clinic's and will give lessons on oral hygiene. Lets pray that he is well received and is able to have a meaningful time and mostly a chance to share the Gospel.

I have been asked to preach on Sunday 17th at the Espungabera Church and would appreciate your prayers for the preparation.

Thanks

I firstly need to say sorry to those who keep up with us via this blog. I have not kept it up-to-date over the last few weeks. This has been a very full, testing and mixed up period.

Dawn's mom was very ill and we were called urgently to Pietermaritzburg. She passed away on the 20th of April. Dawn's dad over the same period and a little earlier had a heart attack and a week later a week later his gall bladder removed and a week after that had a hernia operation done, which got infected as well and caused problems. But he is doing much better now. So thanks to all of our dear friends who were praying.