Better yet don't forget we have a BIG, GOOD God and we are part of the solution

Yup, this is a follow up. The baby with the burns was at church Sunday playing with others (just not sitting down!), the baby in Joburg is improving and they are making plans to remove the ventilator, lower the meds and remove him form ICU!, the lady in the car crash is fine and should be home in a few days. The forced landing of the missionary plane was caused to mechanical problems and could have been terrible. On a personal note our new mega-dog (great dane) is catching a ride here saving me a 9-10 hour (each way) dirt road drive! Our truck transmission will be ready the end of the week and now all have to do is get it up here in Moz form Joberg! I have had some really wonderful meetings with other missionaries and local pastors and see a picture of what the future could hold working together with others, missionaries and Mozambicans. My family is healthy and i am sleeping well lately. All in all a good week with many things 'moving' in the right direction---for which we thank God profusely!

On another note please pray for our Muslim neighbors and workers as they just started Ramadan and it is a incredibly oppressive time. I pray that it leads them to question their faith and seek the truth...and find Jesus! Please also continue to pray for Dr. Charles who is under attack personally with rumors and junk and must prove himself innocent!

I am starting to translate some sermons to share with the churches here and continue to be drawn to the calling of the disciples. The 'not-good-enoughs' according to Rob Bell in his 'Dust' sermon (www.nooma.com). These guys were fishermen who didn't cut it to follow a Rabi. But i am moving beyond that thought to the fact that these fishermen were also sinners, most likely crude and rough guys. They were lost, probably marginally Jewish, knowing or believing enough to call themselves Jews but not devote. And here is where Jesus calls his 'A' squad to change the world. And even after their stupid remarks ('let me sit next to you in heaven Jesus') and failings ('no, never heard of Jesus', as the rooster crowed) Jesus continued to work with them, teach them and explain things to them (just like me!). Some didn't get it. YET in the end they did, they moved mountains, they spoke in tongues, the were imprisoned, tortured...established churches and did God's will. WOW.

What about me? What about me? Are we still in the boat with our Dad's fishing, ignoring the call form sure, are we walking with Jesus learning at his feet, covered in his dust? Are we comprehending what he is saying....and are we changing our world?

Hey, start walking...the running will come. And in the end who knows what God will do through you...and even me.

Just another traveler.

Lest we forget we do have an adversary.

Going spiritual here folks...hope i don't bug anybody.

As a believer in the Bible, a follower of Jesus, a son of God, it is at times easy to forget that we are waged in a battle for our and others sanctity and souls. Recently this has come to our attention in a very real and terrible way.

Here in Mozambique things can be hard. Real hard. In the last weeks we personally know of a child who received 3rd degree burns over their back side and legs (now OK), our friends child who was evacuated to south Africa still suffering in intensive care with seizures unable to shake a nasty infection/virus/lung damage, another missionary is receiving vicious rumors which are all untrue but may land him in jail, another women was driving home and her axle broke causing her to lose control and roll the truck (both she and her baby are ok now after another evacuated to SA) others have been robbed, harassed, thwarted in ministry, found pastors being immoral and unethical and this list is not including the little things like depression, marital stress, children with malaria, lack of funding, car problems, forced airplane landings and struggles to learn language...

We've come to the conclusion we are under attack and we have also found 'If one part suffers, every part suffers with it;'(1 Corinthians 12:26a) So we suffer for the sake of making Jesus known here and yet are surprised when we suffer. Even more so we are angered when our children suffer. We are heartbroken at times.

Today I ask you to pray for your missionaries. (Pray for us too). Satan does not want us here. The darkness is thick. Satan is busy distracting, discouraging and flat out attacking God's people and confusing, distracting and leading others away form the truth. We know our troubles are 'light and momentary' and we are in the in the hands of a loving God...but that doesn't mean bad things don't happen nor that it feels good to be here and go through these things. Contrary to all the health and wealth stuff out there these days Jesus promises his followers that they WILL suffer (Luke 9:23)

'Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.'2 Cor. 4:17

We are not losing heart, don't you either, not matter what you are going through. Go to Jesus, talk to him, pray for everyone you know. Serve others...get out of yourself! Read the history of God's people and know you are not alone.

Be encouraged...these things will pass.

Pray for Ben, Caleb, Charles, Amy, Paul, Dave...and their families.

Thanks.