School, lunch...and left for outreach.
About 30 bible students, pastors and missions students piled into the back of a camion, with pots of rice, beans, chickens, tomatoes...etc. Little Elliot jumped onto my lap, and we all sang songs in Portuguese, Makua and English. Cindi taught us all a song, so as to every people group would have a part to sing; perfectly wonderful. After a few hours, we pulled off and we welcomed by hundreds and hundreds of smiling, excited children. I grabbed my bag in one hand, Elliot in the other, and made my way to the pastor's house where we were to camp for the weekend. We set up camp and waited for Heidi and the rest of the crew to come in.
Part of the Mozambican crew went outside and set up the Jesus film (a film about the life, death and resurrection) as we went and prayed. We did a drama, Heidi spoke and then we were sent off to pray for people.
After a while, many many drunk men started to close in on me... my local Mozambican bible student/friends we keeping an eye out for my protection, so they came in closer and surrounded me as we headed back the pastor's house for a night sleep. Elliot passed out beside me on top of his sleeping bag...we slept sound all night.
July 9, 2010
Woke up early and sat with the women and children as they readied the food for the day. They taught me many local Makua words as we danced, singing, "rice and beans, rice and beans" in Makua. The women were all laughing so hard! Heidi came over and in her hands was pure gold; proper Starbucks coffee and a french press. Yes, even me, an avid Starbucks avoider, was overcome with joy! Thank you Jesus!
Headed to the church to dedicate it, we cut the string, people from the village offered up chickens, coconuts, everything of value because they were so honored to have us. Wow, talk about humbling. People from the village kept offering me mandioca and coconut. So blessed! Then we did a drama about Jesus healing a man who was demon possesed. We we headed out of the church, Heidi says, "where are you going? now it's time to see it in action." She turns and asks anyone if they are tormented by evil spirits. About 30-40 hands go up, we there we go...off to pray for people. People here are so aware of the spiritual realm, and they recognize their need for freedom.
A woman comes to Heidi, screaming and biting, this demon is really trying to embarras this woman and harm Heidi. Heidi just hugs her, leans in and sings over her, "Daddy loves you, Jesus loves you." Demons hate that, so they fled and the woman completely restored! Yay God!
I went outside, ate some more coconut, played volleyball with a ragged old thing with the children and then sat with this boy named Alvide. He was the only child I found who spoke portuguese. He had a school book, so we went through it as he taught me how to say things in Makua and I taught him in English. It was so fun!
We then went back to the pastors house for rice and beans, and changed clothes... for the BEACH!!! (Alvide found me as I was walking to the truck, opens his book and with a huge smile, shows me a girl in his school book with my name! He says, "Elena, I found you!" ...How sweet) ...Ah! Jesus sure does know my love language; coffee and beach; in ONE DAY!!! Man, I am loved! :) We found this little secluded area of beach, we got to jump in and swim and play for only about 30 minutes, then headed back to get ready for night outreach.
The boys went to set up sound for the night, as we went off with local pastors to pray for people in the village. When we arrived to the tent for the night message, my friend Pascoal was there playing worship music. So I jumped up with him and lead worship dancing for the next hour or so, then I lead the kids through more worship and games as one of the leaders gave a message to the adults of the village. As we regrouped to head back to the pastor's house, my little friend Alvide found me and grabbed my hand. He pryed my hand open and put a little handful of tiny African fruits in it. I began to weep softly; even this little one knows what a joy it is to share. Oh God, I have so much to learn; but I am so richly blessed to have a little friend like him.
Ate dinner at about 11pm, Elliot on my lap; then headed to bed without brushing my teeth (too much work for how tired I was.) All night it was so hard to fally asleep; so much talking outside our tent.
July 10, 2010
Come to find out... all night; the talking that was going on; apparently while we were doing outreach some of the local pastors overheard men from the village saying they were going to break in our tents and steal stuff and maybe worse. So they decided to stay up all night and watch out for us, to make sure we were okay. They are so amazing, not even telling us or asking for credit or recognition! WOW! Lord, teach me more about community!
...Morning baptisms at the beach; so amazing and beautiful! One of my little friends in the village was becoming Christian; which is not a small decision in a mostly muslim village full of witchcraft. We gathered and prayed for people as they came out of the water, sang songs and I sat with my little friends as they beamed with joy for their new found freedom. No more fear of evil spirits, or appeasing the gods or ancestors. We returned to dedicate a baby and say thank you to the village at the church.
After the dedication, this mama got up in front of the whole congregation (probably 200 people) and pointed to me and said, "Thank you, thank you very much." I was blessed beyond words! ...Love makes a difference...it really does.
We packed up the trucks, Elliot slept on my lap, we bought some bananas on the road side and headed home.
As our trucks arrived back into IRIS, Jordao and some of my other boys came and gave me big hugs saying they missed me. I rushed in the shower, changed clothes and met up with my boys to play cards. Grabbed dinner, then Tetra (who went on outreach to another village) grabbed a coke and debriefed! HA!
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