HECTIC BUT BLESSED

Wow what a time we have just had with the outreach group. It's been run, run & run. The group arrived on Monday 30th June after a 3 day drive from South Africa. We also had Walter & Rosie from Northern Ireland who arrived a few days before the group so that they could be part of the bigger group. There were 14 folks from SA, 2 from Northern Ireland, Dawn & I, Alberto and his wife Virginia and 4 translators.
On the 3 day drive up in three cars 5 tyres were ruined. We were able to organise that 2 new tyres be bought and brought from Beira. And we had some second hand tyres here which we were able to fit so the team had full complement for the return trip.

What did we do?
1) We went to a place called Mupengo (which means "crazy") and we planted a new church. The local believers from a few churches came to help. Soon we were demoted to being the helpers but blessed as we saw the local folks take ownership and build their church. We were able to show the Jesus film 2 nights and at first we estimated there to be over 700 people. But the second night there were easily double that number, about 40 people gave their lives to the Lord. God is sooo GOOD!

The ladies of the outreach were just blown away by the hunger to learn and the huge need there is for ministry to the women. The local women are for the most part illiterate and are under a massive bondage of "culture & tradition". They just do not have any say in what happens in their lives.

2) We returned to Espungabera to get washing done & also to help out at the Espungabera Church and the building of the pastors house at the church property. Again we showed the Jesus film & had good attendance with 7 young folks giving their lives to the Lord.

On Sunday morning we split up so we could get to more than one Church to preach. Roger, Alberto and a few folks went to encourage the folks at the Makumba Church we planted last year. When they got there they found only a little boy with a letter telling folks that the whole church had gone to visit in an area which is far away and there was a sick member there. No prizes for guessing where the next likely church plant is going to be. So on their way back they stopped at one of the first church plants at Mukuyana and had a wonderful service there.

3) We went to Bunga to help with the expansion of the church building. But when we arrived the biggest part of the work had been done. They did ask our help to go and fetch some of the roofing poles. So off a few of the men went. Shoe! These people are so on fire for the Lord. The distance that these men walk to get building material from the forest is to be experienced to be believed. Again were showed the Jesus film which we have done before here and 5 more people were converted.

BUT the Lord had us teach on some very urgent matters relating to multiple wives. In this area tradition runs very deep and especially the young men are wanting to force tradition into the church. And are putting the leaders into a lot of conflict with the headmen as well as the witchdoctors. Please pray for the leaders, they are the ones who are really at the work face chiseling away.

The group left on Friday 11th July. We were able to take a short break to catch our breath with Walter & Rosie.