E Letter

We've received a number of notes that seem to indicate that some of our friends did not receive our email newsletter that occurred time-wise between our last two blog postings.  So, we are including the bulk of that text below, although updated a bit.  Yes, it is true that we have left Mozambique and are presently state-side.  This was a sudden change but we realize God is over all of our plans and steps, all are ordered by God  May you be encouraged by realizing all that has been accomplished.

Milestones  

March 2012 Village Pastors Graduate from the rural training centers.  This is the first graduation at our extension seminary sites.  Thirty students will graduate, thirty more will graduate in August 2012, and 10 will receive certificates of participation.  Many of the student pastors have already started churches and some of those churches have planted other churches to the 4th generation.  Over the last 4 years, these students have studied and received guidance and discipleship from their training pastor.  Now the training pastors will start new training centers in other unreached areas, thus expanding the Village Church Planting (VCP) program.  May God provide all that is needed to saturate these rural areas with churches. 

February 7, 2012  classes began for the 3rd year at the Maputo Biblical and Theological Seminary.  We are especially thankful that the VCP training and the foundation year of our Maputo seminary are essentially the same, bringing standardized theological instruction to all of Mozambique.  Our Maputo seminary students planted 23 new churches this past year!  All of the seminary educational focus, whether at the Maputo seminary or the village training centers is focused on pastoral training, church planting and multiplication.  Xavier (professor at the seminary) told us that when the students received the training, they said "we have to do what we have been taught for the Glory of God" and the fruit was 23 new worshipping groups.  Only God can receive the glory for this!

February 2012 marks our 5 year anniversary of service.  During the last 5 years, we have labored to develop 14 rural training centers, each training men and women to plant and pastor churches in unreached village areas under the guidance of the OMS 'Into Africa' program.  Simultaneously, we endeavored to develop a young denomination, Igreja Evangelica Palavra Viva, to have a 'Great Commission' heart.  This has been a monumental effort and came with tremendous struggle and sacrifice and would have been impossible except for the Lord's provision.  One of our long standing goals was to push into the Niassa province with VCP.   A new training center will open in Niassa in mid 2012. Thanks be to God.

Reorganization, Redirection and Resting in God's Hands

We have spoken before of the OMS Mozambique reorganization.  In times of war, changes in strategy, personnel and equipment are used to bring a fresh assault.  In missionary work, we are in a full war.  We have fought many battles and continued forward as God gave one victory after another.  But, make no mistake, the battles have been costly.  At this time, OMS has decided with an intentional strategy to reorganize our Mozambican team and work.  Let us all support this plan with prayer.

We have been asked to move into the overall Village Pastoral Training for the Portuguese speaking African countries.  We are praying about this expanded role now and will be speaking and meeting with our South Africa and US partners over the next few months to understand the logistics and specifics of such a change.  This is not an obvious or easy decision for us and we need to know we have God's Call to move in this direction.

The Mozambique Village Church Planting (VCP) work will remain partnered with the OMS partner denomination, Igreja Evangelica Palavra Viva.  After these years of modeling, assisting and discipling, we have released the management of our work to the Mozambicans we have trained.  We think the evangelism and church planting work will continue to grow and thrive as it is God who has chosen this time for us to release the work.  Cover this change of command with prayers of protection and provision.  The Wesleyan Church has come along side to lend support during this transition with logistics related to the Jesus Film and coordination and selection of new areas for the training centers.

As our days in Mozambique have come to an end, we wish to thank you all for standing with us so faithfully.  We are now praying for the green light to accept the expanded role with OMS South Africa or other roles within the world of OMS.  Please pray with us.  A change in country and work is not easily done lest the Lord direct the way.  We hope to have something concrete to share with you very soon regarding future missionary assignment.

We remain thankful for our support team of individuals and churches.

Prayer Needs:

Pray for wisdom and vision to discern the next step to take in ministry.  We have many decisions to make in the coming weeks.  May all that we do bring honor to God.

Pray for protection and guidance for Igreja Evangelica Palavra Viva as they step out and step up to reach their country for Christ.  They will now partner independently with the Into Africa project and move toward a ministry partnership with OMS.  This is a big step for OMS and for PV.

Cover our field team with prayer during the months of February and March as many events and changes are occurring.  

The first graduations of the Village Pastoral training will take place in the north of the country, the Maputo seminary began it's 3rd year on Feb 7th.   

For now, we are resting in God's hands

Love,

Dave and Ann

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."  Proverbs 16:9

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."  Proverbs 19:21

Back in the States

Our apologies for not writing.  Much has been happening in our life and in response to some changes in Mozambique, a season of prayer, and an answer to prayer we could not deny, we have returned to the United States.  We had five wonderful years associated with the Mozambique Church Multiplication work but our time in Mozambique has concluded.  It is not what we had expected or planned for, but at the same time, we totally accept this change in direction.

As we noted in our recent email letter, we celebrate the 120 plus churches planted during the five years we were a part of the Village Church Planting (VCP) program in Mozambique.  We rejoice in the 15,000 decisions for Christ coming through that ministry - it was amazing and it was an honor and a privilege to have had a small part in what He is doing in Mozambique.  In March we have 30 village church pastors graduating from the VCP program with others graduating in August.  Our VCP trainers will be moving into new areas under the auspices of the National Church as the cycle of Model, Assist, Watch, and Leave comes to a close for us.

Our national church leaders had a good-bye dinner for us at the seminary before we left, where we were able to share memories with each other.  It was a tearful time for all of us as we have been a part of their lives the last five years; in their homes, praying over their struggles, participating in weddings, funerals, birthday parties, and life in general.  We love them so and it was clear that they loved us.  We have gone knowing full well that they have taught us so much more than we ever brought to them and we rejoice in how God has moved in their lives.  We have learned so much, but the things we have learned were not always the things we expected to learn but rather those things God in His sovereignty knew we needed to learn.  He is good all the time. 

Ann teaching a couple how to monitor their blood pressure

What honored us the most was when the church leaders said that what made us different was that with us they experienced "freedom and liberty".  We felt such joy at that statement - that the trials and tribulations were worth it.  As with our own children - our desire was always to foster independence, not dependence.  We didn't have all the answers but we all had the same Father, who did!  We must seek God alone for the solutions to our difficulties.

Christianity is not a list of rules that you must follow to prove yourself worthy in some fashion.  The Bible teaches us that all of us have fallen short of the glory of God, none of us is righteous, no not one….It is only through His Grace that we are saved, not of works, least any of us might boast.  If it is anything except unmerited favor (Grace), then we would have no hope at all and what we believe would be little more than a clever system of rules that allow some to lord it over others, as the scribes and pharisees did in Jesus‘ time and were called out by him for it.

Yes, our precious church leaders walk with God and hear His voice and who are we to presume we have the answers for their lives?  We can pray together and seek His face together but His counsel will always exceed ours, always.  We firmly believe in the OMS stated vision - to train nationals to evanglize their own country; to equip and release leaders; to plant churches.  We know we leave this vision in the capable hands of the national church leaders.  We remain passionate about the Into-Africa project method for planting church throughout Africa - a model that has generated over 11,000 churches in 10 years.

We have been offered positions in a number of places including other missions, the Into-Africa project, and in our churches.  We are praying over all of this, seeking to know what He would have us do next.   We have targeted the end of the month as the date by which we hope to have clarity as to our ‘what next’.  To that end, we head for OMS headquarters in the morning to review some of the opportunities in front of us.

Thank you for standing with us for this time - we will get back to you very soon on the ‘what next’.  He is in control.

May God continue to bless the church and His work in Mozambique and all those who work to further the gospel in this beautiful country.  May He also bless the seminary students and staff in their new term which began today.

We are currently in Knoxville, Tennessee where one of our daughters lives.  Today we were investigating moving into an apartment - next door to the first apartment we lived in as husband and wife in 1975.  It is a strange world and there is nothing new under the sun.

Blessings all.

“Who among the gods is like you, O Lord?  Who is like you - majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”  Exodus 15:11