Becoming a friend, and eating a whale; August 9-11, 2010

August 9, 2010

I think I am in love!

Had my morning coffee, grabbed bread and went up to sit with the boys as they ate breakfast before school.  I look around, and I know I am accepted by them.  I am now more than a missionary, I am their friend.  I have come in to sit with one or two of them at a table, and as more of them see me, they nudge another boy, point to say that I have come in, and more than 10 are now sitting around me.  They are chatting as normal boys, comfortable in Makua, and on the important parts, getting my attention so they can tell me the story in Portuguese. I can't remember the distict moment that this happened, but I am their friend; and we both know it.

The boys head to school and I go up to the girls dorm with a roommate; then take them over to the beach.  The girls are so wonderful and beautiful, yet so very shy.  Fatima came in swimming with me first, then finally Mariamo as well! :) They invited me thursday, they want to cook Matapa for me.  I am so honored!

Came back to take a shower and eat dinner, and on my way out Achimo comes up to me, stares up at me with his big beautiful eyes and says in Portuguese, "Please, will you tell me a story?"  That stole my heart.  Thank you God that I get to be the one to tell bed time stories to these beautiful children.

So Achimo, Juma, Manuel, Ellias and several others sit down in front of me as I tell them about my parents, and about life growing up.  Their eyes were huge and in awe; it was so sweet.  It came time for them to head to bed, they all came up to get a hug and kiss good night.  I am in love!

August 10, 2010

After school the boys invited me up to their veranda to play with them; I brought cards and Jenga.  We sat and hung out as Tiago took some pictures with my camera.  Then another missionary and I went to go visit Lordis (she works in the kitchen), along with 5 of my boys.  We sat with Lordis as she got her hair braided and the boys played cards. 

We then went walking around the village so that Sandi could find some fabric. The boys led us around to two different villages and looking for specific fabric.  They were so great! :)  Afterward, I took them to the Noviane market and bought them a coke/fanta.  They are so sweet how they have really shown me how they just love to hang out, and don't ask for anything. 

It was also super sweet, the boys know I don't like it when we go out and everyone yells, "akunya, akunya."  It means "white person."  I explained the them, I am not just a white person, I have a name.  So as we are walking around and people are yelling, "akunya..."  Achimo would holler back, "Nao akunya; Elena."  Sweet!

Came back, and Fatima called me up that she had prepared Matapa for me.  I spend most of the night with the girls, we ate, played games, then I went to go worship with Fatima, as she cried soft tears.  Then came back home to make some birthday cakes!!

August 11, 2010

Went with some of the girls to go get breakfast, and I ran into Folgas.  He started to tell me about a big fish that was on the shore, that we should go see it.  I asked, what kind of fish; a WHALE!! Wow, had to see this!  Ariell and I head down, and sure enough a baby beach whale, surrounded by about 1,000 people from the village.  People were walking about with their machetes hacking away at it, and taking pieces home to eat.  I tried to get closer, and I saw a friend of mine.  I shouted to him, as he looked up, he motioned to me to catch... and there he goes...tossing me a huge chunk of whale!!

So what did we do... went home...and fried it! :)  Didn't taste to shabby!

After lunch ;-) Ariell and I went up to hand gifts out to the rest of the kitchen staff (spaghetti and sardines).  It was so beautiful,  Filipe told me that I had blessed him so much as his friend, Lordis gave me a necklace, I started crying right there.  Then everyone gathered about and started singing praise songs.  It was beautiful and I felt so blessed. 

It was raining so the boys and I decided to go to the beach the next day, went up to the baby house with Fatima to meet her younger brother.  Prayed over a few of the babies who had gotten malaria.  Then Achimo found me, and the boys wanted to know some things, so I ended up drawing a map and trying to explain time zones!  HAHAHA!  WOW!

Graduation and gifts: August 4-8, 2010

August 4, 2010

Met with some people about the Congo, hung out with my boys, met the basket weaving women, bought all the stuff for the party I want to through the boys, played UNO, had a coke and went to bed.

August 5, 2010

Class with the Banonv's, got stuff for the bday party together.  Got invited to go to an engagement party for Thristine and Helder; what an honor.  I was sitting there with the long term missionaries, Heidi, David Hogan and Helder's local family.  WOW! ... Got to pray over them, chat and celebrate with them.  Then danced with some of the older girls to some worship music and went to a night class with David Hogan and sons.

August 6, 2010

Graduation day!!  Went up to class for a time of prophecy, prayer, etc.  Then came award time... so fun!  The staff handed out awards to some of the students, I got an award for, "Name Called Most Often."  So funny! :)  As I walked up, the whole class, started yelling, "Elena, Elena," just like the kids do.  It was super sweet, and funny. 

Went down for a celebration lunch of chicken and cokes with the bible students that were to graduate as well.  It was awesome.  Headed to the church for games, pictures, worship, dancing and a word from David Hogan.  My boys came in and danced and then sat and sang with me.  Some of the children presented a dance for us, Fatima gave me some bracelets, and gave me a huge hug.

Heidi then gave a word, and read our names aloud.  Went up to receive prayer from Heidi, and other missionaries, and all of a sudden I felt all these little hands on me; my boys had come up to pray over me.  I just lost it. 

August 7, 2010

Tetra and I went up to the kitchen to hand out some gifts; we got spaghetti and sardines to hand out to all of the people who worked in the kitchen.  Then Claudia found us and we headed up to see Filipe's family.  They had chicken and rice for us, so we went and got some stuff for a salad and drinks.  Filipe started to tell us some stories of healings he has seen, and a time when his wife and him were young and miracles that have happened in their life.  Awesome, beautiful, crazy stuff!  Yay God!

His whole family knew that we were going to be leaving in a week, so there were definitely some tears, but after dinner, we had some surprises for them.  We had brought over some gifts!  :)  I gave Filipe this large tin of coffee, his face was AWESOME! I then gave his wife and girls some of my skirts, and such; they were so so excited!  Tetra gave the girls some hair things and Tome a jump rope.  It was so fun to see their grateful faces.

Then Amina ran back into their room and grabbed two kapulanas for Tetra and two for me.  One for our head and one for our waist.  Filipe headed back to his room and grabbed one of his t-shirts (the man probably only owns 2 or 3) and handed it to our friend Jon who had come too.  We all were dancing and singing, it was such a celebration.

August 8, 2010

Woke up at 4 AM to take a shower and hang with Tetra before she left for Tete; we walked and chatted and laughed and cried. Many of the boys were there too, to say goodbye to them.  Achimo was down there with some of the boys, so we played some.  At one point, he grabbed my hands and opened them, reached in his pocket and brought out this cloth.  It was a pillowcase, with his name on it, that he had sewed together himself.  He put it in my hands; I lost it!

Went into church, all my kids, laid hands on me, prayed for me, and cried all over me.  I lost it, again.

Then Georgian Banov went up to give a word, and called a bunch of the boys up to act out in a drama.  Juma and Achimo were up there, and kept looking at me and smiling.  I kept giving them a thumbs up... and they would smile so wide, then look back at Georgian.  It was precious, they then came and sat with me again, asking, "was that good, was that good?"

After church I had been invited over to a Pastor's house for lunch, so I gathered up a couple girls and headed out.  His family started to prepare chicken and rice for us, and I headed with Pastor Bulancha to get drinks.  We got to his friends house, and the man immediately stands up, offers me his seat and offers me food. HA! So sweet, so I get to eat a little appetizer of matapa and sheema.  Delish! :)

Headed back to his house, as we chatted about life at home.  They taught us some words in Makua, and I taught them some Hawaiian.  We prayed for his family, sang songs with them.  Then headed back to hang out with my boys.

Walking in the opposite spirit; July 28-August 3, 2010

July 28, 2010

Foot-washing ceremony with the Mozambican bible students. ...Speechless.

Seems like to serve someone else has become easier; it was so natural to sit at the feet of some of the most amazing men in the world, and gently bring water up over their feet, as your hands run against a maze of scars; a man who has trusted the Lord with not only his life, but the lives of his family members, to come learn more about this hope they have found in Christ.  However, I cannot begin to describe how it feels to have this same man, get on his knees, cup ever so gently my foot in one hand, and with the other, bring up the same water to wash the dirt off of mine.  Someone who has risked his life to see good news advance, someone who has almost no earthly posessions, kneeling down, praying over me.  WOW...

July 29, 2010

Wrecked again by Mama Aida as she talked about what it looks like to be pure in heart, and persecuted for righteousness... wrecked.

Left with a small team for a bush outreach;  this time... about 30k's outside of town we picked up a family heading to their village, then headed off-road.  No roads, no nothing...just bush.  Almost got stuck going over an empty riverbed, then really got stuck in the mud, in the middle of NOWHERE!

As the men gathered, any sticks they could to put under the tires to get us out of the mud, I sat with a young boy and began to teach him John 3:16 in Makua.  How fun... we played hand games and sang and danced.  After being stuck for at least 4 hours, another IRIS truck came and got us out of the mud.  And because it was already dark, we headed to another village back on the road.  Oh but the surprises were just around the corner...

When we got to this other village, we set up camp in front of this pastor's house...and searched for the latrine.  If you were not careful you could almost trip on the hole in the ground; as there were no walls aroundit... just a hole... no fence around the pastor's property... nothing.  So... grabbed a couple of the girls... some kapulanas....and went for it...

Then sat and played cards with the boys of the house... the eldest is learning portuguese, so we practiced best we could! 

July 30, 2010

Woke to the sound of scraping burnt rice off of a pan at 4:30am.  WOW! ...Then by the time I actually made it out of the tent to face the latrine situation, the pastors had built a makeshift wall around it!  If you ever wondered what love looks like in the bush... that's it!!

Went into the church for worship celebration, then split into three groups to walk throughout the village and pray for people.  Again, how did I end up to be the translator!! So funny, but I made a pretty good pair with the local bible teacher.

Out in the village, we saw many things I had never seen before: an elderly lady with worms that were eating away at her foot, a small house that was used to sacrifice animals, and an occasional child... we ended up praying for people, prophesying over people, talking to people about Jesus, etc.

Came back to camp for lunch and were met by a sea of hungry people.  Their hopes were met, when we split them in to groups of three and handed them a plate of rice and beans to share.  I don't think I have seen a group of people, here in Mozambique so hungry.

The adults then went inside the church, and we took the children out to play some games... on with the fun! :)  We ended up playing the largest game of "duck, duck, goose" I have ever seen!  The children kept picking white people to chase them, and when they did, the entire audience would errupt in laughter!! They thought it was the funniest thing to see a white person running!!!

That night we did some ministry; showing the Jesus film first, then the local pastor wanted us to share our name and where we were from.  I stepped in front and introduced myself in Makua... and all the villagers laughed and waved at me; so precious.  We then prayed for people, loved on em, danced and sang with them, and went to BED!

July 31, 2010

Sat in the dirt with my new, beautiful, little friends; played an immense amount of hand games, and sang lots of songs.  As I stood up to go back up the camion, a little girl runs up, yelling, "Elena, Elena" (My middle name in Portuguese).  I turn and she opens my hand and places in it a hand full of millet.  Tastes terrible... but sweetness to my soul!

As the camion pulls out from the village... a large group of children begin yelling, "Elena, Elena" ...As I turn around and poke my head out of the windom... they all start cheering and waving.  I almost lose it... How you love people, matters.

We get back to IRIS; I do laundry, shower, rest, and wait for Tetra.  Then we grab our boys (Juma and Awali) and head to the beach.  We skipped rocks, swam... then they wanted to make videos.  It was time to go, so we bought some donuts and headed back. I told the boys I would see them at dinner and then watch the movie with them.

As I walk into the biblioteca to watch the movie... the boys find me! :)  They have saved me a seat in between about 6 of my boys.  As we watch, Lion King II and then Pride and Prejudice, they sit around me and ask me to explain what is happening.  HAHA!  Now I am translating an english movie into Portuguese.  Wow! Never thought... I give them all kisses goodnight, and head to bed.

August 2, 2010

David Hogan is here...enough said.

August 3, 2010

Q and A with David Hogan, then with Heidi and Rolland; I prayed a blessing over Heidi and Rolland, we all started weeping.  So humbling...

Then made my way with Tetra to go visit Filamina (another mama who works in the kitchen, but lives in the village).  Sat on her beautiful lanai, as her son fell asleep in my lap.  We chatted, and played games with her daughter.  It was such a beautiful, sweet time.  ...It came time to head back to IRIS, a long walk through the village...

On the way back, about 15 children from the village started coming up, grabbing our butts, pulling our hair, just being really ridiculous and annoying.  So Filamina grabbed a stick and started threatening to whack them.  She then hands me a really big stick and encourages me to do the same.  AH! ...I froze...All I could think; "walk in the opposite spirit." ...So I took that big stick, stuck it out above my head, and started singing makua worship songs, and marching and dancing down the street.  All these kids started to laugh, then sing and dance with us.  We began passing by all of this barracas, and places where people from the village are drinking/drunk and such.  It was awesome; a free worship and evangelist outreach, done by people under 4 feet!

...Returned home for dinner, then headed to the talent show:  and as soon as I arrived, my boys found me! :)
Achimo sat and began to tell me about how is going to do a dance for the talent show, and when his time arrived... he kept looking at me as he danced.  It was so sweet... He knew I cared... So awesome to be the one there, he knew was so proud of him.

50 cent and the discoteca incident...according to Chavier; July 19-25, 2010

July 19, 2010

Honored to massage the feet of one of my favorite mamas then prepared for a cross-cultural, village style sex talk.

July 20, 2010

Oh Heidi!! She just wrecked me again, teaching about the meek.  ... After my crying mess, ate lots of chocolate and celebrated Wade's bday! :)

July 21, 2010

Lauren, Bridgette, Chantal, Ana and I headed out to Mieze (a farming village about 30 minutes from Pemba).  Sat with about 15 teenage girls as we shared a bit of our testimonies, and talked about sex in the kingdom of God.  Gave them a million hugs and kisses; did some art projects and headed home. 

As the rain poured down, I sat on the veranda with my boys as they would take a sip of my coffee and pass it to the next.  I spread my flannel over all of us and we huddled up to stay warm.  No matter the weather... some times you do what you have to, to be near friends.  I am so blessed to be called a friend.

July 22, 2010

Heidi wrecked me again... I don't know if I can handle it anymore!!! :)

Played an amazing game with Chavier; we set up a couple mats/chairs/ and imagined we were traveling the world.  He built an imaginary house where we could stay, with Tetra and messiage too.  ...It almost wrecked me how sweet it was.  Lord, there is nothing more I want to do, them to bring these children home.  Help me understand how to.

July 23, 2010

Outreach into the village, met up at the prayer chapel.  There were these two young teenage girls there, I asked if we could pray for them.  I asked her if I could pray in some portuguese, then english.  She said that was fine.  As I was praying in English, I could feel God just begin to hover over this girl.  I began to prophesy over her in english.  She began weeping, and weeping.  God was doing something amazing in her.  As I finished my prayer for her, a smile came over her face.  We started talking in portuguese about what it means to be a princess, with God as a loving king father.  Her and her friend, were so blessed, they held hands and were smiling ear to ear, beaming with this new understanding of the God that just loved on her, makes her a princess. 

July 24, 2010

Tetra, gathered me and some friends, and headed out to help build our friend, Marilia's house.  Ran into little Zito on the way.  We would smash rocks with a huge hammer thing, then put them between rows of dried bamboo.  We sang songs in Makua, and little Zito kept pulling out my rocks and showing me which ones to put where.  Never thought a 6 year old would show me how to build a house... loved it!

About lunch time we headed back to IRIS and gathered some others to head over to Folgas' house as his mother taught us how to make "macanaco," a mozambican bicuit (cookie).  So we sat, ate coconut rice and curried beans (my favorite) and made dessert.  AWESOME! :)

July 25, 2010

Morning coffee with roomies, then sat with Chavier eating macanaco.  Sat there with my boys as they saw the scar on my elbow.  Chavier points to it, looks up at me and says, "50 cent... cuando voce sali uma discoteca..." I lost it in laughter!!! He begins to make up this incredible story of how 50 cent knifed me when I was leaving a club.  Oh my goodness!  It was so funny!!! We started rolling!!! Then as we went to church, he started to tell of the boys how I got the scar on my elbow.  We would look at each other, shrug and say in unison, "50 cent!" 

After church, headed to Filipe's house, where we danced and danced and danced!! Then bought some stuff for dinner and went to Rosa and Chantals house (two of Heidi's adopted daughters), chatted and ate like long lost friends.

White people don't fart; July 11-18, 2010

July 11, 2010

Laundry, church with my boys, prayed over good friends as Heidi ordained them as IRIS ministers, then made my way through the chaos to head to Filipe's house.  As we nibbled on Mozambican donuts and sipped cokes, his family prepared sheema and beans.  Then Filipe prepared a wonderful coffee for me as we sat around and chatted about America.  His wife kept inviting me to come back and visit, even after I return to America.  Came back to IRIS; played hours of cards with my boys, then walked to the Nautilis (a restaurant down the street) to watch the final match of the world cup.

July 12, 2010

Sat with some of my boys, as we learned some worship songs in Chinese! HA!

July 14, 2010

Goodness, how I just love the sound of Jesus in the morning!

...After class went into town and acted as the translator between missions students and the shop owners.  On the chapa back to IRIS, I was chatting with a Makua mama in the back of the truck.  Then as more people piled in at several stops on the way; I stood up and held on to the cab of the truck.  As the last of the men piled in, the truck sped off, wind flew back and my skirt flew dangerously skyward... the mama I had been chatting with dove forward, grabbing my skirt and crashing into my legs.  How precious she was!! Kushukuru, Kushukuru, is all I could say between laughing for sake of embarrasment.  Thank you, thank you, mama. HA!  Wow... I was feeling the love!

July 15, 2010

Heidi taught about the beatitudes (blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted)... I ended up a teary, snotty mess with Heidi, Sarah and my beloved sister.  Staring in the face of young girls being raped, boys being left as orphans, widows being refused justice: Lord Jesus, I will never again apologize for seeking your presence and power.

July 16, 2010

Interviewed for long term, had about three cokes, then went to prison.  Danced, worshiped, prayed; lots of men healed, few accepted Jesus. 

Then had a big worship party back at IRIS, for all of His faithfulness and provision. 

Watched "CARS" with my boys, then went with a fried to teach some of the youth how to salsa.  HAHAHA! It was awesome!!!

July 17, 2010

Thank you Jesus for the beach!! ...Headed for a lovely afternoon with the girls at Noviane.  We sat on the beach making designs in the sand, as one of the girls farted.  We all laughed so hard.  I then proceeded to convince them that white people don't fart.  HAHAHA! Oh my goodness, I don't think I laughed so hard!!! (yes, I eventually told them the truth, hahaha!)

July 18, 2010

A disabled man in the church shared a dream that he had the previous night; he was running with Jesus.  A bunch of us went up and prayed for him, as he started to walk around.  It was unreal to see it happen right before my eyes!!!

Sat with my boys in the dirt, as I taught them how to add big numbers.  Watched Messiage play soccer, after every play he would look over at me to see if I was still watching.  As he scored, I jumped up and starting clapping for him, he began to beam; it was so beautiful.

The BUSH; July 8-10, 2010

July 8, 2010

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!