Pull your hair out!

Every so often one gets a re-occurring problem that just won't get fixed. This picture is of the back axle of our car and the wet oily mark is just that. The factory weld is leaking oil. Now I've welded it once before about a month ago. As no doubt you have heard us whine that we don't have electricity. That's not 100% true, we do get electricity but between 10pm and 5am. Right at the time when we need it most. Our neighbours must have thought that I had lost a screw when a month ago at midnight I started grinding & welding. But I could not have done a good job as I have had to do it again. Pray it holds this time.

While working on the re welding I took a look at the "new shock absorbers" we had put in which the outreach team brought in July. And one had pulled it's self through the mounting bracket and gouged a big hole. So welding was the in thing. Let's hope that holds as well this time.

The roads have just got so bad and very rocky, everyone's cars are taking a hammering.

Still in the MIRACLE business

Praise the LORD!

While the ladies were learning how to sew, a woman brought her 9-10 year old son who's face was so swollen he could hardly see. She came asking for help, just any help. We asked her what had happened and she told us that he has been this way for some weeks now. After a few more questions it became clear that he had Bilharzia. We made sure that she understood that she needed to get him to a clinic/hospital very urgently to be treated. But we said that we would pray for her and her son that she would get the necessary treatment the boy needed. Hospitals and clinic's are few and very far between.



Placing our hands on them both we presented them to the Lord Jesus with our request for him to be healed. Being late afternoon Saturday she would only go on Monday to look for help. We attended to a few other questions about false prophets and witchdoctors.



Later on we got ready to show an "English" film on creation with Alex translating what was happening. The sound was so bad but not a person left. They were all packed into the half finished Church and were watching a 54cm TV screen. Amazing the hunger for truth!



Next morning, Sunday, we had a wonderful service with Alberto preaching and 5 people came forward to accept JESUS as their SAVIOR. P.T.L. Then I was privileged to lead the communion service. Just as we were closing the service a man stood up and said he would like to give a testimony. Saying nothing he brought the young boy with Bilharzia forward from the day before, HEALTHY - CURED Jesus is still performing MIRACLES.



What a weekend!

Blessings at Siyabuzana

We had for some time now planned to go back again to one of the Church's we planted last year at Siyabuzana. The leader is Edson Bhikosi who was converted out of a Zionist sect and held the position there of Bishop. (not a single day of Bible study but Bishop) He is just so on fire for the Lord it's wonderful to see. His hunger for truth and how quickly he has grown is praise worthy.

Some months ago the ladies in the congregation got to hear about other ladies groups that were sewing and knitting and asked if Dawn would come to teach them as well. So we planned this past weekend and off we went.

The Church had prepared so much for us, it was as if VIP'S were visiting. The love and care that these people showed us from the very little they have is sometimes overwhelming & often makes me think that, we in our western Churches have forgotten much or have much to learn about love and hospitality from these rural folks.

Just after arriving we were called to breakfast and were served FRESH BREAD, tea or coffee & sweet potato. And so?! you are thinking. Someone was sent to buy the bread by bicycle at a place called Dacata, easily a 50km round trip. That bread was great.

Dawn started to teach quilting to a group of 20 ladies who learnt to sew "Log Cabin". Dawn kept on saying that she was so impressed of how quickly they were learning. And next thing a whole lot were done. And they were shown how to join all the blocks together to make a quilt. Each lady given 3 different size templates and a pack of material so they as a group could get going on their own. They were also given needles, cotton and scissors. We hope that they stick to it and soon will be able to sell their handiwork. I wonder what the next thing will be that they will want to learn.

Mid year conference

This was a much needed time to get together will colleague's and find out how each other are doing and to be able to share in the joys and the frustrations of ministry. We went to a place just north of Beira called Rio Savane. Very beautiful but also very basic.

This was also the weekend before Toni was to fly back to start her new year at school. Grade 11 WOW! how old does that all of a sudden make me feel. She is really growing up fast & when we look back it seems that time is just flying by faster and faster. Toni did very well passing grade 10 well and seems keen to get going in grade 11. Next thing we will be looking at which university she will go to.

Ladies project

The leader of a Church at "Mucheyoyo" (spelling?) The ladies at his Church have asked if we could start a sewing & knitting project with them so that they could make and sell things.

The box that Zacharias is picking up is full of donated wool and needles which he is going to carry on his bicycle back home from Bible school week. The trip is about 70km and will take him one & a half days to get back home.

Pray that the ladies will get their project going and will actually begin to get in a bit of money.

Prayer & Praise

We have planned a trip out to Siyabuzana for the weekend of 6-7th September. This is mainly in response to the ladies of that Church. This is a Church which we were able to plant last year together with the outreach team. The ladies have been to visit at other churches and have seen the sewing and knitting projects which are underway. These also provide much needed funds for the ladies. So Dawn and Emmie a local school teacher will be teaching the ladies and I will make use of the time to sit with the men and do some Bible study with them.

We also hope to be able to visit with Kiyfas again and pray with him. He is the fellow who has been chained to the ground/tree for more than 8 years.

Camping with a twist

Living out in a small little town has a few challenges of it's own. We or rather I had thought that we had at least one full gas bottle when I went off to Bible school week 11-15th Aug. Well I was greeted with a sort of I-Told-You-So glare. Dawn & Toni ran out of gas for cooking and for shower the day I left. Needless to say I wasn't winning any popularity contest. After searching around I found a small camp gas bottle "very very" empty, but it had a little.

Every so often Mozambique throws a curved ball. Monday 18th Aug we went on our merry little way 5 1/2 hours to Chimoio for monthly shopping & to redeem myself from the gas situation. There was no gas in town not from any of the suppliers. Oops! Then on the grocery shopping list, no milk, no margarine, no fruit or very yucky. But the shops a full of non essential items. Eeek!

The fruit of labour is so sweet.

Tuesday afternoon on our way back from our monthly shopping trip we met the Church leader from the Bunga Church. And he just was so happy and could not express his gratitude. At the teaching on multiple wives. We focused mainly on the young men on day one. While the ladies taught the woman that they do actually have a choice. Especially when it comes to marriage and that sort of thing. Then in the evening the women asked the men what thy had learned as the women had learned about one husband & one wife. The men claimed they had no such teaching and could they prove it from the Bible. As most out that way are illiterate they couldn't. But day two was a shocker for the young men. We brought both groups together and taught the whole group together. Now they had no excuse. Mateus the leader told us that there is no more talk of taking a second and third wife. Especially from the young men. And even the older men and leaders of other Churches are now convinced. (for the time being)

We had a number of the outreach team give a brief view of what is taught in their home Church on marriage. Praise the Lord Lets hope that we will start seeing a different attitude towards women.

Teaching is the way to go!

While the outreach team was here we went to one of the local Churches Bunga. While there we were asked to teach and to help explain about multiple wives. The local leaders are facing a massive task going against tradition. And the young guys especially are wanting to continue with the traditional ways. "wow to have 2-3 wives doting over you" But that also means that you have 2-3 times more jealousy and spitefulness and the husband normally runs away when the going gets tough. What a man!

This picture is of some outreach members doing a drama on culture and tradition, showing the local folks what they look like through the eyes of outsiders.