Celebrating Graduations in Mocuba

In previous postings, I have written about the evangelism and church planting program we were privileged to participate in during our time in Mozambique.  The program consists of a four-year structured program where church leaders were trained.  These young men and women start churches in their communities and at the conclusion of their training, can be ordained as pastors in their denomination, assuming they have a good testimony and meet the other requirements outlined in the New Testament.

Juka, our church planting program coordinator sent us the wonderful photos of the graduation ceremonies in Mocuba.  Denominational leaders made the long journey from Maputo to participate in the special event.

We received the photographs with joy at this milestone in the church planting program in Mozambique, but also with heavy sadness because we were not there to share in the joy of the event that culminates what we were working on the past years.  Yet at the same time, they are doing a great job and it remains clear that our time there has concluded.  What a privilege it has been - truly.

You will notice that the meeting is under a temporary structure built from the roofing material that was blown off of the training center in the recent cyclones that passed through Mozambique.

 As it is the tradition in Mozambique, the graduates received a special shirt / covering identifying them as the graduates and they also received Bibles and books to celebrate the day.

The graduates were honored by sitting at the front of the assembly.

One of our most prolific church trainer / planters, Dinis, is shown in the white shirt at the front of the assembly in a couple of the photos as he was a key participant in the event.  Dinis was one of the leaders ordained in a special service last fall in Maputo that we had the privilege of participating in.

In this photo, Juka Fernando is on the right and next to him is denominational leader Daniel Maduel, who also teaches in the seminary in Maputo, and who made the long journey to participate in the wonderful event.  Daniel was the keynote speaker.

In this photograph, Juka Fernando and his wife Elina are passing out the gifts and certificates.

As you can see, our precious church leaders did a marvelous job of hosting and setting up this event.  We are so very proud of them.

With much love,

Dave & Ann

 "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.  Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus."  2 Timothy 2:1-3

"...guard what has been entrusted to your care...."  1 Timothy 6:20


Father God, bless them, guard them, and keep them as they serve you in Mozambique.  Amen

Fire in Nacuarine

On October 30, I received an email from my friend Juka about a sad situation that I thought I’d share with you. But to tell the story, I must set a bit of background. A fundamental difference in the justice systems between the US and Mozambique is simply the presumption of guilt. In the US system, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty (unless you have the misfortune to be tried by the Press) whereas in the Mozambique system, you are presumed guilty until proven innocent. We have found this to be a very significant difference in that it allows the government to pretty much throw someone in jail for whatever.

Most of Mozambique is rural with subsistence farming the rule. There are few organized farms with great production. A practice is to burn the fields back from time to time to clear weeds and debris and some times of the year, there is a tremendous smoke cloud that can be easily seen by satellite photos as the smoke from burning off fields blows towards the Indian Ocean. On some of our trips, fire has gotten away from folks and we’ve had to stop on roads because of visibility problems and actually been so close to fire that we were afraid our tires would melt as we passed nearby.

Now for the story. Juka advised us of sad news about one of the respected members of the church in a place called Nacuarine. One of the older men, called an “ancient” (like an elder or deacon) in the church farmed the area north of Mocuba on a rather large scale, producing enough corn and other crops that they were transported for sale in the south of Mozambique. He had lost his house a couple of years ago to an out-of-control field fire and was a bit sensitive to a repeat of this and so kept the ground around his house cleared as a fire break, but even this is not a sure thing since the houses have grass-thatch roofs. (The photos are of Joao and his family as well as one with Juka and Joao).

Someone started a fire north of his land and it spread rapidly. To protect his house and land, he started a second fire to clear the land near to his house – making a fire break. However, what he didn’t know was that there were some young people that got trapped between the two fires. In the confusion that followed, the young people were not accounted for and presumed dead – and João was arrested. So, the prayer chain was initiated. In the meantime, João remained in prison until it could be all sorted out.

About a month passed and we learned that two of the young people were able to escape the fire but a third one died, which is very tragic. The police investigation settled on the other individual who started the initial fire and did not control it. As such, that individual became responsible for the destruction and death and injury. So, João has resumed his life but very upset at the tragedy of it all. We are thankful for this answer to prayer but also grieving in the circumstance.

Life is transient; it is an undeniable fact. We have been given this day – that is all we know. May some good come out of this tragic circumstance. I sense in our culture that there is some sort of presumption that life will be fair – or that God will reward us for our good works – or that if I just work hard enough, it will all be good. There is no Biblical ground for this – we are only acceptable in God’s sight through faith in Christ – It is God’s grace alone for if it were anything else, we would never know if we had ‘done enough’ and there would be a slew of people out there to try and judge whether you had done enough or not….or been good enough…..for it is our nature to judge….

What freedom we have through faith in Christ. It is a marvelous thing. But with it comes great responsibility.

Father God, grant peace to João and the families affected by this fire. There is so much tragedy in this world, no matter where we turn. Grant us Your peace and assurance dear Lord and empower us with the boldness to share the Good News for there are no guarantees for tomorrow.

Dave & Ann

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9

“You…were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love.” Gal 5:13

First Wedding; Mocuba Training Center

Sometimes we just get so excited about things we can hardly stand it.

We just sent in our monthly church planting report, and we were thrilled to see that 2 new churches, 62 baptisms, 217 decisions for Christ, and over 800 in structured discipleship training. This is great news. But some other things really excited us in a few emails we’ve received the last couple of days.

One is that we just had our first wedding at the Mocuba Training Center; that just thrills us to no end to see how this facility is being used for our OMS-founded denomination. And, the wedding dress is one of the ones sent by some of our dear supporters. There is something so very special about the love shown across the miles from the churches in the States to the churches in Mozambique. And then, Antonio and Theresa are the Patrinho and Madrinha (Godfather and Godmother – very important cultural role in Mozambique) and Juka officiated. We still could use an influx of cash to finish off some things at the center – I think that is always the case!

And on the 14^th of August, our trainer in Ilhe, Dinis Ramos officiated a wedding there as well.

I am also including a precious picture of Milca, Juka’s daughter carrying water for the garden at the training center – you can see the center in the background and the small house. Juka will move there eventually. In addition, this other picture shows the water well that is the solution to water needs at the center in the short-term; a hand-dug well. There was not sufficient flow to support a pump type well.

I am also including a photo of Juka and Milca planting a tree - I had always cast a vision that the center would be like the SIL center in Nampula - that someday there would be big trees to cast shade and provide a respite from the heat and a peaceful place to study and learn about God. I almost cried when I saw the picture as I miss them so much.

Blessings!

Dave & Ann

“Do not let you hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” John 14:1

Training Center

I've been trading email with Juka Fernando, our church multiplication coordinator in Mozambique. I wanted to share these current photographs from the recent church planting conference / seminar he did at our Mocuba Training Center. The training included couples the first day and then they branched off into Church Multiplication training with the leaders and the wives went off with Juka's wife for their own special training program. Juka has received alot of good feedback about the training that he tried to focus on common problems and their solutions. Yes, it is true, the same relationship issues within the church occur in Mozambique and Juka is very gifted at helping people work through these issues.

He has rigged up a system to pipe water to the center from a nearby well so they have water right now. They have also hand-dug a well that is providing water for them as well. He promised me photographs of this also so I can understand better what he has done to provide water.

In the above photographs, you can see Pastor Abel with Pastor Nelio and his baby, Doce. You can see some of the neighboring houses in the background with the grass roofs. Next is a photo of one of the training session, using one of our African Text training books - from the cover and the color, I suspect it is the book titled "Talking with God" (a focus on prayer). However, there are other yellow ones as well. Juka's goal was to finish the theological training by extension (TTE) books with all the leadership during this conference. I need to ask him that question - he didn't say he did, which means he probably ran out of time! I know his primary focus was completing more of our OMEGA series, which is focused on church planting techniques. He was also trying to help our trainers with training to do a better job with intentional discipleship and baptism of new believers.

The Trainer's wives are in the next photograph, with Elina (Juka's wife) sitting on the right. The chairs you see are a wicker type chair made locally in Gurue and sold along the side of the road, made by church members for the center in this instance.

You can see the men who attended the conference standing together in the next picture at the door to the training center.

Lastly, we have some of the men fixing temporary window coverings over the center. We ran out of money and were unable to add the glass and the window guards (to prevent break-ins) at the present time. We will do that work as we receive funding for the Mocuba Ministry Center. We went over budget a bit because of the higher cost of materials in central Mozambique and the transportation costs for getting materials from the city to the training center. However, this will all happen in God's timing as we still have a vision to turn this center into a seminary extension site eventually, with dormatories, a church building, more classrooms, etc. It is all planned out - it just takes money! However, we need to walk slowly as in a project like this in Mozambique, too much too fast isn't necessarily a good thing.

It has been such an incredible privilege to have a small part in all of this. To walk the land, pray for God's provision, see His hand move, to plan and execute the construction, and then to see the facility in use. It is truly a God-thing and we are so very thankful to our wonderful team that stands with us so faithfully. God was moved through the hands of so many people to make this training center a reality!

Pray for this work; that it would continue to flourish and expand as our dear church leaders evangelize their own country for Christ. It is a awesome thing to see God's hand at work through so many.

Blessings.

Dave & Ann

"...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..." 1 Philippians 1:6

It is His work!

Mocuba Training Center Update

We thought you might enjoy seeing the most recent photos of the Training Center in Mocuba. We still don't have the windows installed but they are very very close. The center will be used for a 10-day conference starting the first week of August, so the pressure is on to finish everything.

In this first photo, you see the training center on the right, with the small temporary structure used to house tools

and materials during construction, and the house in the back where people will be able to stay. The other photos are from different views.

W

e are very pleased to have this work completed. It gives us a great focal point for the church and we look forward to continuing the vision to eventually move on to the second phase as we build our residential seminary extension site. In this photo, you see Pastor Antonio walking across the ground. The major north - south road in Mozambique is just this side of the trees you see in the distance.

God has blessed this work and answered your

prayers - no injuries, no major problems. We still don't have water and need to resolve that before expanding further. We do have a good well within walking distance so the water can be hauled to the facility for use, which is consistent with the local culture. You can see some of the nearby house roofs (grass) in the distance.

In this last photo, you see my close Mozambican friend and colleague, Juka, fixing the fence with a nice shot of the center behind him before adding doors and finishing the outside with a skim coat of cement. What is so

cool is that we can continue to communicate by text messaging and email while we are stateside! It is a far cry from the days of sailing ships and letters!

The formatting of this post is a bit off for some reason and I can't seem to fix it. Sorry about that!

We are stateside as of last Friday. Our plans for vehicle and temporary storage of our shipment fell through, forcing us to purchase a used vehicle. It is a story itself of God's provision as I was praying about what can we do and I picked up the paper, randomly opened it and an ad caught my eye, which led to a dealer, and some wonderful men who helped us work through the details. You should try it sometime - buy a car with an out-of-state drivers license, no permanent address, working overseas with an 'employer' in another state, and what stateside address we have (our daughter) had been changed a month ago to an even different state from an even different state. Ok, now, think about getting a loan for this same couple, who by the way, had no insurance and one of them has an expired driver's license (of course from another state). So, then go get car insurance, then car tags.....you get the picture. It is less stressful in Mozambique!

But, God was merciful and it all worked out although I have until early September to figure out about that first payment! What a life we are living as compared - no Lord, I'm not asking to go back to Egypt - anyway, I don't like leeks! (you'll have to look up the verses!)

So then, we had to quickly move our shipment from Mozambique (that came in with out any problems and we are hats off to the US customs people who were tremendously helpful to us and helped us get everything squared away on this end. A great office in Huntsville. So, we rented a u-haul truck and took it to knoxville where we can share a storage unit with daughter three before eventually getting some of it back up to Pittsburgh. If it sounds crazy, you are right. We did squeeze in a day trip to Nashville to see our pregnant daughter Sarah and her husband David. I don't think that baby can stay in very much longer! The way back to Huntsville was interesting because we got into this massive back-up from an accident where the Interstate was closed. But that worked out also with some alternate routing and driving skills I learned in Mozambique!

So, goes the report on our first 4 days!

We are in South Carolina now for a time of transition, de-briefing, and wedding!

Much love,

Dave & Ann

More on Motorcycles

We have been having significant difficulties with our Internet service here and have not been able to post things lately – speeds are just too slow and we’re on then off then on then off – it just gets too frustrating so we’ll do an entry without photos.

Yesterday was Fourth of July – not a holiday here but after church, we did go to the American School where the US Embassy put on a sort of ‘fair’ with activities for the kids and you could buy some food (no hamburgers or hot dogs however!) and there were lots of flags and red/white/blue things. We saw a few people we hadn’t seen for a while and enjoyed catching up with them. The school is beautiful with lots of wonderful facilities and they are in the midst of a big building program. We stayed a while but wimped out for staying for fireworks as we wanted to be home before dark. We try to minimize our travel after dark here.

We are getting closer to being ready to return to the states but the chaos is getting to both of us. We have boxes all over with stacks of “ship back” and “stays here” and “for renters” and “give away” and “burn” and so on. We have decided to send a lot of things back to the states as we are heavier with personal things than we want to be. Next term we want to be ‘mean and lean’ so we can move north or to another location in Mozambique with minimal difficulty. The less personal stuff we have the better for that type of life. You don’t want anything with you wouldn’t want to lose, because you probably will. And, to store for a year with uncertain housing when we return, it just doesn’t make any sense. But that is lots of work on this end between now and leave day.

Today we met with Pastor Abel for a 0900 meeting at our house to catch up on our church multiplication work and a trip he had just returned from. We also talked about what will happen while we are gone to the States with the church multiplication program - we had quite an agenda, and that included time for lunch. And then, we did some maintenance on the little motorcycle he drives. I have been working with him on regular maintenance, a foreign concept here (figuratively and literally). Together, we changed the oil and checked the air filter – opps – no air filter and the store he bought it from didn’t have any, so they just removed the filter and wrapped a cloth around the air intake. The store has no idea if they will get more filters in…such is the way here. The sad part for me is that in this dusty environment, it will likely accelerate wear in the engine because the air needs to be clean. And, then, we changed the oil. I have warned him and warned him about over-tightening things. (Here I have watched so many tighten things until they break) – and I went to the house to look for something that might work better as an air filter and came back to “the oil plug screw won’t tighten”. Well, I check it out and it was over-tightened to the point it actually stripped the threads, warped the washer, and broke a chunk out of the engine casing. He looks at me kind of sheepishly and says he forgot and tightened it hard. I guess so…

We found a washer that might work to seal the broken part, cleaned out the little metal parts from the over tightening, but I was not very hopeful it would hold.

It didn’t – I got a call later that the oil all leaked out near the seminary and that’s where the motorcycle is now. We’ll have to take it to the shop again, but I shutter at how it will probably get fixed – In the states I’d just cut a new thread and put an oversized bold in it with a good washer, but in this case, with the chunk of the casing gone, we may have to weld it in place or something crazy like that. (I’d love to take a car from here into a minute-lube place in the States and say, “Yes, you’re right, you have to grind that drain plug off and weld a new one on before you add the new oil!”) Sigh……. This motorcycle makes such a huge difference in his ministry, it truly does, but it has not held up (Chinese-bike) nearly like I wish it did. Plus, it is hard to relate the mind-set to you my readers. Most of you have grown up with basic understandings of motors, screws, electronics, and the like. Guys have fixed bicycles, wagons, and watched dads and brothers fix things with parts bought at the local hardware store from the time they were little. It doesn’t work that way here. Many haven’t a clue about things like this and are doing their first learning on complex things like cars and motorcycles. Change the oil – why would you do that? There is still oil in the crankcase – yeah it is like molasses but what does that matter, it is still running today? This part doesn’t really fit – that’s ok, just pound it in with a sledge hammer, that should work – if not, Sam has a welder and we could grind a piece off of that thing over there (and you probably think I’m kidding!).

But everyday it is getting better and I have been pleased to see how Abel so faithfully works to maintain this motorcycle as he knows what a blessing it has been to him. Maybe someday he will get that second one and have it all figured out by then, having learned on this first one. He just returned from a trip to Mavila the Inhambane province where he and Aimee Howarth used the Jesus film as an evangelism tool. The reports we have received are very good but he does want me to look at the generator – for some reason it has be propped at an angle to work – can’t imagine what that is about!

A Honda motorcycle about the same size as this Chinese bike costs nearly 3 times more (and twice what it would be in the States), so it puts us in a bit of a pickle. Name brand quality things here are very very expensive. However, Mozambicans are very clever at getting broken things to work a while longer, so we will see what happens in the coming days. The bike has about 14,000 km on it at this point and is ready for a set of tires as well.

Pastor Abel left our house at 4 PM – it all took a lot longer than we thought….how many more days until our plane leaves? We need our youngest daughter here desperately! She was always around when we did packing like this and made it happen! Every day we get calls about people wanting a piece of us before we leave – it’s going to be a sprint to the finish line.

We just got word that a church planter in Zambezia province – two weeks after giving birth to a baby. Very very difficult – life is hard here for the dear people in rural Mozambique, very difficult. Likewise, Abel’s sister Raquel is in the hospital having nearly died from Toxemia and losing a baby. She effectively had a stroke affecting her right side but is fortunate to have survived. She was young (mid 30’s). Fortunately, she was relatively near decent medical care.

Belarmino is back in Maputo. Juka has the responsibility for the final things on the training center in Mocuba. I talked with him a little Sunday after church but we need to really sit down and work through the details of the project before we leave – hopefully later this week. I’m hoping for some updated photographs shortly!

Today I was reading in 2 Kings about a lady whose son Elisha had restored to life. In God’s provision, Elisha told her and her son to avoid the famine that was coming by moving away. So, she leaves Israel for the seven years and returns and her house and land are gone. Not a surprise….but God works it out so that ‘by chance’ she gets her land back but NOT just the land, but all the profit for the seven years. I love those kind of stories of God’s faithfulness to His children.

May He show you His faithfulness today!

Blessings!

Dave & Ann

“Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, ‘Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.’” 2 Kings 8:6

Wow….

Mocuba Update

We haven’t written in a while I realized today but not because not much has been happening. The Mocuba project is in the final stages and we think it will be completed in the next two weeks, or at least phase 1 will be completed. We are so thankful to have Belarmino on the job! His last report included photographs inserted in a WORD document and you can't copy them out and post them in a blog, unfortunately, or at least I can't figure out how to to it!

The roof trusses are complete and Belarmino fabricated them from scratch. We are using metal, because it works so much better than wood in this environment. Belarmino had to make these trusses at Juka’s house and transport them to the construction site because our generator wouldn’t drive the welder. I don’t quite understand that because on paper, the generator was more than adequate, but then we’ve also learned that it isn’t uncommon for things to perform significantly below what their specification sheets would say.

We continue to wait on the well-drilling people. We had a very good meeting with the headquarters people here in Maputo, but there is a disconnect between what their people are telling them from Mocuba and what “our” people are telling us from Mocuba. I think the bottom line is that there is a little water in one of the holes, but not enough to support a pump. Afrodrill does not want to put in a pump if the water infiltration is too little – and I am glad. We’ve been through that already and have a pump that doesn’t work because of this and has been a real sore-spot with the community. No pump is actually far better than a pump that doesn’t work! So we wait.

I'll try to post photos soon but Juka is on his way here for some meetings and he has the camera and his computer, which we be updating for him.

As an aside, we learned today that the church at Tenga blew down Friday night in a wind-storm. We'll be going up tomorrow to see what can be salvaged. Tenga is a very sad story and could be its own case study, but I'll save that for another time. If we don't try to recover the materials (metal roofing sheet and the like), it will disappear within days. This small church is located about an hour outside of the City in an area difficult to get to without a good vehicle. It was started before we arrived here and there have been many attempts to resurrect the work after the original leader left the area but without success. It is heartbreaking.

“Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him…!” Ps 37:7

Evangelism in Ilhe

Our church multiplication pastor/trainer in Ilhe just finished a two-week intensive showing of the Jesus film in rural areas around Ilhe as an evangelism tool. It was a part of our church multiplication program and part of the training for his students. They showed the film at night in 9 different locations using a generator. We received a report today that over 3500 people attended these events and that they had at least 800 decisions to accept Christ during these meetings. We pray that this successful event will spill into the many churches springing up in this area. Please pray for Dinis as he faithfully models, trains, and assists future church leaders.

At the same time, we are having some disappointing struggles in Mocuba. We are building a small training center there, which we hope to eventually turn into a seminary extension site and ministry center for the Evanglical Church of the Living Word (our Mozambican denomination). We see this as a good thing but some of the leadership there sees this as an opportunity to push for money and material gain, as the construction would say we can do more than we are doing from their perspective. So, there is a tension building about money and why aren't we providing all these material things. It is such a difficult tension that we constantly struggle with, dependency, expectation for handouts, and people going along with church as long as they think they can get something out of it. Well, of course they can, a relationship with the very creator of the universe, a peace that surpasses understanding, and a promise of eternal life. But here, as I imagine in many impoverished places, the needs of the people are so huge, and we are so few... It is a constant tension and this expectation that we shower people with money/gifts/things never seems to let up....This week alot, we lost count of the numbers of people who came to our door or called wanting money. Don't missunderstand, we do alot but we have learned to be very careful; but it is emotionally draining beyond my ability to explain.

Today, we attended church at Picoco. The pastor gave a rousing sermon but not in Portuguese, so I hope it was a good one! They asked me to speak also, so I just sat with all the kids and did a little children's sermon - figured the congregation had already been preached to! I find this works well as the children are always shocked when I go and sit in the middle with them and I usually get a good response from the adults as well. I have such a burden for the young children who receive so little spiritual training here. We would like to spend more time in this area as the young people are the future of this country and they receive so very little spiritual training, even in the churches. Today, we prayed with a bunch of these children and enjoyed being with them. This church at Picoco is doing well and we are so thankful for what God has done in this remote place outside of Maputo. The well continues to function well. (great play on words, well is well!)

Once of the couples we meet with who want to marry, asked to go with us as they have heard alot about this church in Picoco. So, we picked them up in T-3 and took them with us. The fellow, Luis, helped me with translation from Portuguese to Shanghanna this morning, which is always a great help. We really enjoyed their company for the hour ride out to Picoco. The photo is of them with Ann during one of our meetings with them. They are working on a fast-track option to get married before we leave for furlough even though we are ok with them marrying while we are gone - but they really want us to participate. It's important - they have lived together a long time, but culturally, the wife does not receive honor in the culture until the marriage is complete - to the point they often do not travel together in public - so we were very glad to have both of them go with us today. They are a precious couple.

I have been spending a few days each week trying to re-furbish an old block house here on the property where we live that has been unused since about 2000. It has the great potential to be a small duplex-type of apartment that we could use as another guest house for tearms or even rent out. We continue to have a vision to eventually procure this property where we live as a ministry center. We have a stready stream of missionaries passing through using the small guest house and having another available would be a good thing or even alternate housing for us in the future. Ann pretty much coordinates the use of the guest house and the little bit of money collected is used for doing small improvements.

Yesterday, we ran out of water after dark set in and I went down to our well and was able to find an electrical problem in the motor control center for the well. I found it by nearly electrocuting myself but that is another story - when sparks fly in the dark by flashlight, you can generally find what is going on! Turns out that some wires had been installed poorly and over time had started arching, eventually burning through the insulation and breaking the wire. I love it when it is something simple and I can actually fix it! That isn't always the case with the 240 volt three-phase system I have had to figure out!

We think the car starter problem is behind us - thank you Lord! The car repair shop ripped out the alarm system and we think that some sporatic error in that system was ultimately causing the starting problem. So, we have started the car over 15 times now without problems! So finally, after a year, we have that problem sorted out! We had the work done in South Africa and had to leave the car a few days, so we did a couple of border crossings last week. There is a massive upgrade being done at the border between Mozambique and South Africa, I'm sure that was intended to be done before the world cup games next month, but it clearly won't be done by then. Once done, it should make that awful process a bit smoother as things gradually improve here, bit by bit.

Happy Mother's day. Ann received precious calls / notes from her precious pearls. There is a women's day here, but not a mother's day.

Blessings. Thank you for standing with us.

Dave & Ann

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber." Ps 121:1-3

Fiber Optics and Communication

About a week ago, a fiber optic cable in the ocean off the coast of Inhambane Province in Mozambique was severed. That minor news thing is causing quite a bit of disruption here. The cable is linked to cell phone service and banking services in the northern parts of Mozambique and has even impacted us down in Maputo. Hard to imagine that a single cable can disrupt and entire country, but it has. The cable is in 30 meters of water and beyond the ability of Mozambique to repair, so with International help, they are estimating at least 30 more days before it can be repaired. That is 30 Mozambican days, so.......

Finally we were able to get through on the phone today and talk for a few minutes to Juka and Belarmino in the north. The training center construction project is going well but we need to transfer some funds and there is some concern that the banking is going to work with the cable problems. We will see what tomorrow brings. He is ready to put the roof on the training center and they are putting up the walls on the small house. We still have not received our returned money on the deposit for the well and the company (Afrodril) is blaming the fiber optic cable problem, but that problem occurred AFTER they were to return the money, but we will test that theory when we send money to the construction account tomorrow. Please continue to pray about the water situation at our land and that we are treated fairly.

Juka reported that he took his driver license test Friday, and passed, but then didn't pass because the director (this is a government official), told him he didn't pay a fee to him (a bribe) and that is why he didn't pass the test. That's quite brazen and is so disappointing and we keep thinking the government is really trying to straighten up the corruption in their midst, we see signs of it, but then we face into things like this. Very disappointing - the director has to be making many times his salary in these bribes - and the culture accepts it as normal, so the cycle continues. So, the lesson learned is to not try to get a driver's license in Mocuba. We had the same problem here in Maputo with people trying to get licenses but that seems to have improved finally. He has a meeting with the director again before he takes the test in mid-May - probably with the expectation of money passing hands. It was the same thing in the schools here until they went to standardized testing, which has helped greatly.

Our embassy has issued a travel warning because of the communication issues in the north. They are expecting additional problems because of this in the coming days and recommend not traveling until the problem has been resolved. That comes on the heels of some unsolved violent crimes at vacation areas in the Inhambane Province that is unusual for Mozambique. And then, someone was recently picked up driving towards Maputo with $400,000 USD (or at least that is the amount that was reported) in some sort of investigation and after the lead investigator's second press conference about it, he was shot and killed. That raises more questions that will likely never be answered. So, danger always is lurking and we thank God for His protection. It is also why we try to always carry very little money - never carry more than you are willing to lose!

The car starter problems continue - the car is in South Africa with Toyota, who sub-ed it out to another shop, who didn't finish it, and we will have to make another border crossing this week to get the car. They are tearing out the alarm system which they think is causing the problem as they inspected the starter internals (and I watched) and it appeared to be in pretty good shape. It is a mystery. We knew we had an alarm system but thought it had been disconnected by a previous owner because we didn't have the gizmos to turn it on and off - but it was still there lurking in the background! I've not had very good luck with these alarm systems here in the cars that I've been around - they seem to cause all sorts of problems and there are few who can work on them when they act up. But, if they stopped the theft of your vehicle one time, it would be work it, wouldn't it!

We were hearing all this pitter pattering of little feet in the ceiling over our kitchen. I lifted the ceiling and was relieved to find it was a blue-head lizard instead of a rat or mouse. I found where he got in and repaired that and the mosquito netting around the roof vent, but I couldn't get the fellow out - so we have left a ceiling tile up, hoping he will come down to live with us and eventually find his way out. These little fellows are in and out of the house all the time (he is a rather large male), and they are voracious mosquito-eaters so we don't mind so much. They grow on you and I guess are like pets......we have slid so far!

Sad news - Pastor Abel's brother in Xai-Xai was killed last night in an automobile accident. Abel was close to him and is quite devastated. He left early this morning for Xai Xai and the responsibility for this funeral and possibly for his brother's affairs could fall to him. Pray for Abel.

Dave & Ann

" Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to Your word to Your servant." Ps 119:76

Mocuba Update

This is the current training center as of today. Great progress by Belarmino and his crew. This photo shows where we are with the center.

Foundation of the house underway.

Starting floor and wall work at training Center

Concrete finish work

More concrete finish work

Walls in progress

Elina (Juka's wife), Milca, Abertina (Belarmino's wife) and Junior testing out the new floor.

In addition, Belarmino advised us that Afrodrill has pulled out of the well drilling and decided to move on to another job. They are refunding some part of our money and tomorrow we should know. Another company says that they believe they can get us water as their equipment is better and can go deeper, rock or no rock and so they want to give it a shot. I'm supposed to get the bid tomorrow and Belarmino wants our ok to continue. Much prayer is needed in this. I have a hard time understanding why this company could do what Afrodrill couldn't. But, that was certainly our experience at Picoco. The second group got us water.

Help us Lord!

"Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water..." Gen 21:19

Mocuba Center Update

Attached are some pictures of the Mocuba Training Center project as of last Friday. We are still waiting on Afrodrill to advise us on the next step. They have put us off week after week, which is easy I suppose since they have 1/2 the cost of the well in their account. Quite fustrating and at this point and they would not get a good recommendation from me as someone to do business with.

The photos show making/getting stone for foundation work, fencing work around the property and the current status of the first structure. We are quite pleased with the project and continue to pray that the work will be completed within our three to four month period we planned. Keep praying about the water situation. The workers are very dedicated and have 'a mind to work' and we continue to pray for their protection, safety, and wisedom for Belarmino as he heads the work.

Today we attended church in our Maputo City church and a guest pastor from the Ivory Coast spoke. He preached in English and his wife translated into Portuguese. I especially enjoyed the sermon today, first because it was easy to understand but also because he used the exact same verses I had used for a sermon I had done in the North and he challenged me from another angle. I just love how God's word is so alive that way! It was a great time but the most exhillarating thing was how at the end of the service, seven new people stepped forward to profess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus is Lord.

This evening, a couple we are working with who are preparing for a June wedding dropped by for dinner and to just talk. We asked alot of questions and got to know this couple a little better. We did a short Bible study, had a great dinner, visited, and I ran them home. I had to go through four police roadblocks in the process and there was an awful lot of action tonight out on the streets. I wouldn't have dreamed of driving through those areas a couple of years ago at night but now it seems like normal. Funny how your sense of normal shifts over time. Is this like the lobster in the pot???? Anyway, we had a great evening with them and we gave them some homework to do before we meet with them again.

I'm beside myself on what to do with our car. We have a couple headed here from Ireland and I have this car that sometimes starts, sometime doesn't, and there is no rhyme or reason. It has let us down in some not very nice places and that is getting a bit old. I priced a new starter and we're talking $1000 US just for the starter. I'm negotiating with a Toyota dealership in South Africa on a rebuild kit for the starter switch (like a solenoid) on the motor itself as a next step although technically, we've had this done a number of times now without success although I think the rebuild was really just taking it apart and cleaning it and putting it back together.

We've been chasing this problem for over a year now - tried to get it fixed numerous times but it is one of those intermittent problems that drive mechanics insane. I have had success pounding the starter with a metal rod and a hammer to reset the switch when it won't start, but even that doesn't work any more. If I stay on the bumpy roads, I do better because we jar the thing to death, but when we are driving in the city, the roads are so good now, that we aren't constantly jarring it, so it doesn't start when we turn it off.

In my old life, I'd be at the time where you trade it in on something more reliable. But, it doesn't quite work that way in the missionary enterprise. I think we will have to raise additional funding for another vehicle for when we return on furlough. At the rate we're going, we'll be pouring the same amount of money into what we have!

I'm sure I haven't been praying for patience......!!!!

Thanks for reading. Hope you had a great Sunday. Thank's for standing with us so faithfully. It is the gifts and prayers of our dear support base that make it possible. We are so humbled by everyone's faithfulness to us.

Dave & Ann

"So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work." Ne 4:6

Update

We've received a number of requests to know about the water situation in Mocuba. Two weeks ago, we drilled in two locations on the property and hit rock at 60 meters but no water, even though there is water at 40 meters all around us. Go figure... We reported that the expert for the well drilling company was due back and would visit the site on Thursday; well TIA (this is Africa) and Thursday could mean any thursday, or a day near thursday, or just what we wanted to hear.....so, the latest is that he is due tomorrow. We are still praying for resolution. The project is progressing well and we are bringing water in from the closest well to mix concrete and mortar.

While we were traveling in the north, we visited several new churches that are also being used as training centers that I should mention and that I think I promised to mention in an early blog entry. As we were headed to Nampula from Mocuba, we offered a ride to one of our trainers who was headed to a training session at a church in a place called Erua. It was about an hour north of Mocuba on a horrible road and the turn-off was no more than a path through some tall weeds. We drove back up this path with me sweating about how we would start the car (push starting because the starter was acting up) out of there. We arrived at a small church where we were able to visit with the church members and planters. When we drive into these places, just the presence of our car draws attention and many visitors come to see what is happening. We listened to their stories and asked questions about the training they were receiving. Aimee brought a special Bible study to the group and after a nice visit, we had to move on. It was early in what was to be a wonderful and full day. In appreciation, they brought us some produce and cane to take with us, including some lovely avocados. I just love the avocados here and here in Mozambique they make a dessert with sugar, a touch of lemon, and mushed avocados that is to die for! I can't recall the name for it but you would love it. (side note - I had to correct the spelling of avocados because I'm thinking food but writing about Avogadro's number - is that some sort of brain thing?)

Mmmmmm, I must be hungry.

We sat on small benches made from home-made mud bricks. The sun trickled through the openings and I had to pinch myself and the absolute privilege to even be there. Afterwards, I gave one of our volleyballs to the kids in the church and we played a bit in the open area in front of the church but our time was short. They wanted to feed us, but we had many stops before arriving in Nampula late that evening. We were invited back for church on Sunday, but again it was not possible this time; another village area drilled into my heart.

Lord grow them in knowledge and power. Empower Mario as he teaches them your word and for each of the church planters he is meeting with us. May the truth of your Word take hold in this community. Meet the many needs in ways that make it clear it is Your provision.

On the way back from Nampula, we thought we were stopping at the Elope center, where we have visited many times before. We had dropped the trainer off at the road on our way to Nampula as he had a weekend of training to give and we would stop on our way back through. We we made the turn that I knew well, we arrived at the Elope center to find that the church was still there but the family we knew had moved to be closer to their farm, which was a great disappointment to me personally as I really enjoyed talking with one of the sons of this family who was a hard worker and worship leader at the church. But, someone is waiting at the church - the training center has been torn down and moved down the ridge. He points us on down the path and down we go across narrow little bridges on a road that hasn't seen a car for a very long time. People are waving at us and at a few "Y's" in the road, a church member is waiting to point us the right direction. we wind along this windy mountain path, finally arriving at the center at Naritete. We know Dinis the trainer well and sit in the back of the center and participate in the training. We are introduced to the church planters and hear their testimonies. We are introduced and then spend some time talking to various individuals.

I was amazed at the tremendous growing season they have had, everything was so green and lush - a great harvest was being brought in for which everyone was so thankful. Much different than last year! As the day wound down, we needed to go to be out to the main road and well on our way back to Mocuba before night. In appreciation they brought food, a chicken, casava, corn meal, as appreciation for our visit and we all sang together. I always am uncomfortable taking these gifts, but culturally we honor the giver by accepting the gift. I pray God will return their generosity 10-fold.

Juka started to tie the chicken to the top of the car, but the ladies were not happy with this as the chicken needed to live to stay fresh for dinner later. We found a plastic bag, tied the feet, and it stayed inside the car. And, we were asked to squeeze a mom and her sick baby into the car with us and our load, making it work. Turns out the mom was a distant relative of Antonio in Mocuba who wanted a ride to his house.

So, off we go, but now I'm going up some steep rocky inclines where 4-wheel drive is essential. We crawl out to the main highway and I offer a prayer of thanksgiving that we didn't blow a tire or break something on the rocks. The kids remember me bringing a soccer ball before, but we're out and it breaks my heart. We will bring more next time; that is all we can do.

The generosity of the people is beyond compare. The joy of the Lord is their strength and it was an honor to be with and worship God with our dear brothers and sisters.

As we left, Ann and Aimee had this discussion about how they felt like God was just showing us with great pleasure, "this is my church that I have grown and it pleases me." What an amazing feeling to for just an instant see a small glimpse of God's pleasure and love for His people. I am so glad His grace covers me.

What about you? He is always so close, waiting on us to lay all our stuff down and simply do what he told his disciples, "follow me..."

Blessings,

Dave & Ann

"And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Co 12:9

Mocuba Center Update

The Mocuba Training Center Construction Project is underway. Belarmino and Juka sent us some photographs that I think help you understand the process a little bit.

In this first photo, you can see the workers in their morning 'plan-of-the-day' meeting which includes Bible Study and prayer. They meet under this temporary shelter that provides badly needed shade. You cannot imagine how strong

the sun is. Note the staged block in the background brought in by wheel barrow from the main road (will explain in later photo!).

The next series of photographs show the well drilling attempts with the equipment we are using. This equipment is capable of penetrating rock layers but their experience tells them that if we have hit rock at 60 meters, there is not alot of point of trying to penetrate it - need a better location because most wells in the area hit water at about 40 meters.

This equipment is very similar to the equipment we used to drill our well at Picoco, where we had to penetrate a rock later to hit water.

The banana trees in the background are the edge of the property - the trees are actually on our land. The corn behind them is not - well a few plants are, but only a few.

This photo shows the time of prayer and celebration as the first stone (the cornerstone!) is laid for the project.



"Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, 'Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.'" 1 Pe 2:6

Jesus is our true cornerstone.

In the background, you can see the new road coming in to the project site. That is also a "Praise the Lord" as we've been negotiating for that road for a long time and now we can bring the supplies directly to the land instead of wheel-barrowing them from the road adjacent to the trees in the background.

These other photos show the general progress of the foundation and walls of the first building. It is progressing well. We are a tad over 1/2 way through our funding right now, mainly because we're paying for water to be brought in and we've stock-piled materials that are being used for construction. It seems about where we should be although we are finding construction is a bit more there than in Maputo because we have to truck the supplies in from Nampula and Quelimane, which adds quite a bit of transport costs. I am not worried just yet as this is normal on construction projects; you spend more in the first period of the work.

This last photo is Belarmino's son, Junior, who just started walking! This is their first child in over 19 years and they are thrilled beyond measure at this blessing in their lives.

Blessings on this Easter.

Dave & Ann

"If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty." 1 Cor 15:12

"...they [two angels at the tomb of Jesus] said to them [the women who went to the tomb and found it empty], "why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen...." Luke 24:5-7

He is risen indeed...