Well I am back from the 'bush'.
I went on a trip to visit and encourage some churches in the Angoche area with a friend of mine and i learned a lot. First thing i learned was flexibility. We planned on two days, they expected three and we planned on visiting two churches they had 'arranged' four. When asked how far it was to the next village/town, we would be told, "oh, half an hour" but the roads would not allow and we would arrive an hour and a half later! Meal times varied by many hours although the content of the meal was pretty consist ant with sweet potato, peanuts, rice, local chicken and assorted meat parts--we think goat-- and it all tasted good! We were shown hospitality and so much respect it seemed...well, embarrassing. For these pastors and churches the visiting missionary was a big deal. It gave them validity and encouragement i cannot understand. They know how hard it is to reach them, they know life is busy and full of obligations and when someone shows interest and spends time to see them, they are grateful. Also their entire community sees the church is taken seriously and it is a testimony to them as well. Often the missionary is their only link to Bibles, materials and information about Bible Schools as well.
We shared simple truths but found the people eager to hear. At night we would show the Jesus film in their language which always drew a crowd and the second night drew a lot of noise from unbelievers who showed up. Being in a highly mu$lem area you don't always know what reaction one will receive but besides a very loud 'high' guy we had not one problem the whole trip. Many showed appreciation and asked when we would be coming back. (Hint, hint--short term trip) One church gave us a chicken, 10 pounds of peanuts and some flour to show their thanks. These villages have no electricity, no running water, little access to goods and a LONG bike ride on a sandy road to the main dirt road (still hours from a town).
The Sunday am i woke up with a headache and was asked to preach again...'but i already gave the only sermon i have prepared in Portuguese' AHHHH! Well as i read through the scripture the story of the woman at the well came to life and it was EASY to preach on it. It was...actually FUN. I had forgotten that being a missionary was fun, exciting and very gratifying work. this was the biggest lesson i learned...and that when a he end of my capabilities, God would provide a way.
But there is also something else i learned, there is a lot of work to be done! Tons. Come on out. See for yourself. You need not be a scholar or genius. Just love Jesus and share his words...and remember (as i was reminded) most of the work is Gods!
What a relief.

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.

Our first flat tire, spitting cobra, malaria and a dead guy.

As you can imagine the dead guy was the most surprising and upsetting. We awoke one morning and found a few hundred people in front of our house. Apparently there had been a 'domestic' problem and when the guy got home from out of town he found is wife with another guy and well, she was a better fighter...until the police stuck her keester in the slammer. It just took about 6 hours for them to remove the corpse from the rain spillway in front of our house! As i went to greet some visitors at the back door there was this snake thing also wanting to visit and sitting on our veranda. We proceeded to send him on to a better place but it was a little upsetting to find so close to the house. The flat tire, well, that wasn't a big deal except for the fact it took 3 hours to get it repaired.For those of you who have not heard, our oldest son, Toby, had been sick with a virus for a week and when we took him in for the blood test he came back with 4 out of 5 on the malaria test. He was really sick. He was a trooper and enjoyed the attention. He was so sick in fact he didn't even get in trouble for two days...he received the most current treatment and has recovered really well. We are now awaiting the next 'first'...like packages arriving before we expect them or car repairs going smoothly!

There are a lot of firsts to be had here and i am sure we will have more as time goes by but it is nice to know we are not alone. Through some strange (dead guy)and horrible (friend's kid so sick needed to be airlifted out) circumstances we have been reminded that those these events may be surprises to us, they are not to God. .

Rest assured, HE knows what is going on and although some things are difficult or downright heartbreaking, there will also be the wonderful and unexpected joys.
Like the free use of a truck (while we wait for parts for our truck--now 7+weeks) or the unsolicited kind words from another, or invitations for ministry. Or just a moment of bliss watching the sun come up.

Life goes on friends. Things happen and God IS good. Keep the faith and look for the firsts, God only knows what is coming up!

What is of value is protected.

Seems to be a true statement wherever you are. In the USA we protect our stuff (homes, cars, boats) with fancy locks, high tech electronic devices and monitoring systems. Here in Moz we build big walls, put glass on top and hire guards to watch the place when we aren't around. We put immobilizers on our cars and locks on our steering wheels.

But more than anything I hate my walls. I hate having to protect my stuff. I would rather not have walls but i can't afford to replace the stuff either. So i protect what is most valuable to me. My family and then the stuff that makes our house a home and what makes our lives more comfortable. But this weekend i was challenged to guard something immeasurably more valuable. My heart.

If you know me at all or have read my blog...my heart seems to be...well bruised and just possibly it is because i have not guarded it, have not tended it as i should have.

The book of proverbs in the Bible tells us 'above all things, guard your heart' and yet i carry on like i don't have to. Is someone else going to take care of it? Are the depths of my soul going to be fed through osmosis...if i have a bible will i be actually profit from it? These questions come to mind and i have to ask myself not only have i been guarding my heart but how am i supposed to do that anyway?

The last few months have been traumatic, not in a bad way, but have had so much happen, so many new things to learn and digest my heart, my soul have been neglected. My body has been tired and my mind races every day. I have found myself short on compassion and patience for my kinds and not putting my wife's needs in front of mine. I have not spent time meditating on what is good. I have not prayed nearly enough and i have not loved as i should. But this weekend i did. I got back. I took the time, i listened to my wife and i spent time alone with God. I read his word because it is for me and i reveled in the fact that God loves me. These things are good for the guard. I found almost instantly i was not plagued by fear or disappointment. I found i had strength to go on and love to share. I found i want to serve others....my heart was alright after all.

This is a daily thing and not an easy thing. But brothers, sisters, guard your heart, you only have one. If it has been broken, take extra care not to listen to lies. Not to feed on the negative and please don't forget,

You are loved.