Newsletter and Our Team

Our snail mail newsletter will be going out next week.  An electronic copy can be accessed by the link "newsletters" to the left or by the following link:

May Newsletter

Ann is working up an email newsletter as well.

This stack of correspondence is a personal letter to our financial supporters - it takes an incredible team of very special people to keep a missionary in the field.  We have the best team ever and we thank you for making it possible, which is what that stack of letters is about.  Our actual mail list is over 10 times higher.   We have been blessed beyond measure with an incredible support team.  But it is not just financial!  In addition, we have people who have housed us, prayed for us, given us material goods that were taken to the field, mailed us things, helped us with medical issues, counseled us, encouraged us in more ways than we can count.  God has an incredible network of people who respond to his leading.  May we all continue to respond to His voice and His leading.

Ann, Grandson Caleb & Dave

He has a plan and we know that it is perfect!

[Ann laughed at the picture and said 'isn't that just like you to want to measure what you've done!']

With much love,

Dave and Ann

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

Team, Leadership, and Lady Vols Softball

When we returned to the States from Mozambique, we landed in Knoxville, Tennessee because that is where we had some things we needed, that is where the ‘family minivan’ was, and it gave us wonderful access to three of our four daughters.  It was our safe place as we processed and prayed through this unexpected life change.  Knoxville was also where we met and started our lives together some 38 years ago, where we both attended college, and where we became Christians, providing a familiar place and truthfully, a place we could just “be” for a while.

One day on a lark, we were driving by the University of Tennessee (UT) and saw a sign that said “Lady Vols Softball game TODAY.”  (Women’s sports at UT are known as “Lady Volunteers [Vols] with the men’s sports being known as “Volunteers.”)  We looked at each other and said ‘why not?’.   This was completely out-of-character for me (not so much for Ann who loves sports!) as I have never been much of a sports fan and my experience in ‘team sports’ is limited to a couple of years of ice hockey in middle-school.  

We entered the softball stadium and sat down.  The team came out laughing and smiling, appearing relaxed and confident as the game started.  The pitcher’s smile of pulled me in and then everything seemed move in a slow motion I can’t explain.  She walked to the outside edge of the pitching circle as her team tensed.  Placing her left foot on the circle, I could sense her entering ‘her groove’.  The intensity of her concentration only increased my own.  She stepped up to the white line; turning her head sideways as she rotated the ball in her hand; lining up as she would everytime in a disciplined process that blocks out all distractions as she made her final mental preparation to pitch.  (To quote the movie “Utopia” - See it, Feel it, Trust it (SVT)).  When the moment was right, she fired that ball with a speed I didn’t think was possible with a softball.  STRIKE - with the batter looking around as if she had no idea what had just happened. Wow, I was hooked.

The entire team responded to each pitch as if it were a choreographed ballet.  It was beautiful to watch as in unison they would all step forward with the pitcher as she threw the ball. With each pitch, with each play, the team encouraged one another.  The catcher looked to the coach, who provided direction.  It was clear that the coach was ‘in charge’ yet the team was functioning as ‘one’ in an orchestration that had clearly been drilled and planned out before the first pitch.

But, then I moved my focus to each player and saw the excellence and unique gifts brought by each of these talented ladies.  With each player I saw the same intensity of focus and yet, relaxed in who they were on the team, knowning their role, not trying to ‘one-up’ their team mates.  The unity of purpose was inspiring.   

When errors happened (not often!), the team didn’t blame but came together and would encourage the errant player, affirming their importance to the team, building them up.  When good plays happened they would draw together as a team and celebrate the success.  Fun in excellence.  When players became tired and were replaced, the team affirmed the leaving player as well as the new player and the focus on the task at hand would continue.  

The training and work happened before the game, but with the game in play, the coaches were there to affirm, to correct, and to make small changes, but the outcome was clearly in the hands of the team.  When a player made a mistake or perhaps dropped a ball, the coach would pull them aside and there would be an intense time of instruction while at the same time, you would see the coach gently patting the arm of the player.  You could see the great affection the coach had for each player, whether batting, striking out, dropping balls, or catching seemingly impossible balls.  It didn’t matter, they were the coach’s girls and although excellence was expected, there was no question that each girl was important as a person.  Many say this was the reason for Pat Summit’s incredible success in UT basketball, because even in her incredible intensity, each player knew in their hearts that Pat loved them in an unconditional way as she drove them to excellence….because she did.  You cannot fake that kind of love and there is tremendous power in sincere love, not for the purpose of receiving something back, but because you truly love.  (1 Corinthians 13)

From that first game, we have made it a point to attend as many home games as we can and we listen to many of the away games via the Internet.  The team has become ‘our lady vols’ and we feel like we know each one of them, even though they have no idea we are even there.  I envy that they have experienced such a positive team experience and pray that they will take much from this experience as they enter into life after college.  I celebrate their ability to have fun in the intensity of what they do week after week.  I find joy in each player’s uniqueness and how together, they have built a team personality that is one of the best in the nation.  I admire the skill of the coaches to work with this team of young ladies with full hearts and how they allow each to express their individuality within the context of a larger group with a common goal.  It is magic to watch.

The team has a habit that I think probably drives the coaching staff and the fans crazy.  Although the team is amazing, sometimes they seem to play to the level of the opposing team.  In one case, we watched them play a non-rated team from a small college in Ann’s hometown.  Our girls had just come off a difficult weekend against a SEC team and now were playing what should have been an easy game.  The other team came focused as they knew they were playing against one of the best teams.  That team played well and were ahead of our ladies, two - nothing.  I wonder how often we do that in our own lives - play to the level of our opponents?... 

But here is where leadership comes in.  Before the fifth inning, the coaches did some serious motivating in the dugout.  I don’t know what was said, but I imagine it was along the lines of ‘enough already, where is my team?  Go out there and do what I and your fans expect you to do…’  I have no idea but everything changed.  The intensity changed, the pitching changed, the hitting changed, and before we knew it, the game was over 8-2.  

I have seen team and how it can work.  It is based in love, working towards a common goal, with each sacrificially giving his or her all for the team, and in that, encouraging each of the team members as they reach for individual excellence, but in concert with the others to reach a commone goal.  But crucial to lasting success is leadership that exercises genuine caring (love), where direction, discipline, and doting are part of encouraging individuals to be the best they can be but not at the expense of the team not being the best it can be.  There are great spiritual lessons in all of this.

Book I refer to is on the right in this photo.

I just finished an interesting book on leadership called ‘Leadership and Self-Deception’ by the Arbinger Institute.  It’s an easy read and talks about being ‘in the box’ and ‘out of the box’ and it rings so true of my life before missions as well as my experiences in mission.  The bottom line of the book is that we need to see people as people, with families, spouses, dreams, interests; that we need to respond to those times when we know we should be doing something to help others instead of deceiving ourselves with why we shouldn’t (or rationalizing why we don’t have to) and then ascribing blame to justify why we are not doing what we know ‘darn-well’ we should be.  If we are blaming or self-justifying, we need to consider that perhaps we are the problem and we are in the midst of self-deception, where we lose all perspective.  I have been on both sides of this fence and cringe as we cry out in song, ‘change my heart oh God….’

The secret may be to see people as people of value, not units, resources, departments, men, women, black, white, yellow, republican, democrat, churched, un-churched - but rather, people of value.  We are each wonderfully and gloriously made in His image.  Being on team should not mean sacrificing your identity or uniqueness.  We need to value diversity and the richness it brings, just like we see in our Lady Vols, who we see as Ivy, Ellen, Melissa, Raven, Lauren, Ashley, Tori, Madison, Hannah, Kat - precious young ladies at the beginning of a new phase of life where we pray God will lead and direct.  Wouldn’t it be something if we could all get on God’s team and together submit to His coaching?  In this case the song is “wouldn’t it be loverly…” 

We have so far to go in this game we call life as we continually fight the battle to lose ourselves and gain the whole world.   As we all try to work on the various teams in our places of employment, our schools, our churches, and our families, may we regard others as better than ourselves, as people of value made in the image of Christ, as people better than ourselves.

Ann at prayer walk station

This day, our Sabbath, we were privileged to spend four hours together on a prayer walk where we were able to walk in isolated woods to specific locations to consider Grace, Adoration, Stillness, Surrender and Rest.  We poured out our hearts, knowing that we are His children, and we simply need to ‘Be’ as he heals our wounded Spirits and accepts our worship, our surrender, our praise and repentence.  It was truly a time of renewal where we stopped to ‘be’.

Be still and know that I am GOD

Be still and know that I AM

Be still and KNOW

Be STILL

BE

It is a state of ‘being’.

With love,

Dave and Ann

When I doubt His love, I hold to His wisdom.

When I can’t understand His justice, I cling to His mercies.

When I wonder about His faithfulness, I cherish His grace.

When I fear His sovereignty, I bow to His holiness.

In that, my heart can rest.

Verdell Davis

[Note - this blog was actually written some weeks ago; just never got around to posting it...]

Field Council

One of the things we do each year, required by both our home organization as well as our statutes on file with Mozambique, is to have an annual meeting of all the missionaries in the field to lay out the plans for the next year and beyond, elect new 'officers' for the coming year and jiggle around assignments as appropriate.  The main deliverable from this meeiting is our annual field plan, which is delivered to OMS each year.  I'll be putting that plan together this year based on input I get from my colleages as discussed in the meeting.  It's a tool that helps guide our work here in Mozambique.

(photo left to right, Larry, Phillip, Susan, Diane, Abigail, Gary, Sharon, Melvin, Ann, Joshua, David, Kyla, Aimee)

It also provides a good forum to problem solve.  A big part of this year's meetings were to give reports of what happened over the last 12 months.  That was very useful for us to hear and there has been an amazing amount of work happening here.   Our missionary children's school successfully moved and started classes at the new location, where we are living now, and the renovations needed to make a school here are finished for the most part.  We have some payments to make on this property in the coming months and years but we are confident that will all work out also.

The photograph is of our team as it exists now.  It's great to have such a tremendous group of dedicated people here.

Tomorrow we will turn in our immigration paperwork and hopefully the doctor's report and recommendation on my eye.  We will also be trying to get the requisite paperwork for an emergency exit from the country w/o a passport (which is included in our immigration paperwork), should we have to do that over this eye thing.  It seems to be settling down, so we're not too worried.

It's a privilege to be here.  As a team, we had our own church service together as a part of our team meetings and it was a special time.  We listened to one of the CDs we brought with us from the OMS 110th anniversary celebration we attended in Indiana a few short months ago.  I know it was my second time, but it was as if God had a different message this time around - I love how that can happen.  Very challenging - it was a message from Beth Coppedge (http://www.tituswomensministry.org) who is a very challenging speaker and one of those folks that is, well, for lack of other words - the real deal.

A number of things really spoke to me here from this message:  the importance of prayer, that our calling is first to love Jesus - He wants relationship with us - He is not impressed by what we do, but rather wants relationship with us so we can be transformed from the inside out.

We need to carry the presence of Jesus into a lost and dying world.  We need to divest of ourselves, spend time in His presence, so we can take that presence out.  Put another way, it isn't what we do, or who we are, our desire should be that when people see us, they see Jesus.  What a challenge - like the donkey who carried the eternal God-man Jesus into Jerusalem with triumph all those years ago.  The people came and worshipped because they were in His presence - it wasn't the donkey, it was Jesus.  I just love that analogy - perhaps because I've been accused of being so mule-headed?

Blessings this day.

Dave and Ann

"Never be so focused on what you're looking for that you overlook the thing you actually find."  State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

Tragedy in our Field

We received a text message during the night that the 8-year old daughter of one of our Christian School Teachers had died last night (actually her 8th birthday is today). Our colleague, Larry, was summoned to the hospital where this dear child had been taken. This is a deep tragedy for our team and for this dear single mom who was from another country herself, bravely serving as a missionary teacher. They were a part of our team and she and her daughter attended conferences, meetings and were a daily part of our colleague’s lives through the Christian School. This dear child was sweet and extremely smart – brilliant actually, with incredible potential. She was sick last week but actually feeling better and was in school early this week.

The information is slowly coming in and the doctors are narrowing the cause down to some tragic and aggressive disease. We won’t know cause for a couple of weeks, and it seems that as humans, we want to understand cause as we reach inwardly and heavenly to try and understand; we trust You and Your mercy, but these things are so difficult Lord.

The normal and daily pressure on our colleagues is already monumental; Father in Heaven, strengthen our dear team, draw them together in this horrific time as they sort out all many things that must be done in this situation. Bring the right people to the side of all our colleagues, comfort those who grieve, strength those working in the background, and shower your mercy and grace upon all of them. There really are no words; there is only Your presence.

The funeral will be at our seminary on Saturday.

All of our days are truly numbered. Our hope is in You dear Lord. Amen.

Dave & Ann

“In Christ alone, my hope is found” from the song by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend

Mocuba Center Update

I thought you might enjoy the most recent photos we received on our Mocuba Training Center project progress. Actually the photos are from last week, but they are the most recent I have. The roofs trusses are being welded back at Juka's house and transported to the site because the generator isn't able to provide the current needed for the generator (they must have a big welder!).

We had a meeting with our OMS advisors today. It went well although only two of the four were able to meet with us. We (the OMS Field Team) updated them on our seminary program, CAM school, and denomination's efforts to write a governance manual, and the church planting work. We came away a bit discouraged personally after the meeting because of some of the comments made during the meeting, but tomorrow is a new day. We did gain valuable counsel from our advisory board members.

"And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation,...." Romans 15:20

Project Update and a Little on Thanksgiving

We're literally hours away from a quick trip home to visit our daughters in the States. We look forward to seeing our girls but at the same time, there are so many thinigs happening here - there is never a convenient time. We will be centered in South Carolina and don't expect to travel very much beyond arriving in Alabama (Dave's mom and sister), South Carolina (Sarah / Allison), Tennessee (Ann's brother and Lynsey) and then back to Alabama for the return. We need some time away and with our precious family and are looking forward to the break, hoping I remember how to drive on the other side of the road.

With this said, I am not sure how our Internet access will be in the coming weeks so if it seems that we have dropped off the face of the earth, we haven't really. Thank you so very much for standing so faithfully with us.

We have a couple of things coming together here in Mozambique in our absence:

1. Next Tuesday, the fellows are coming to fix the water well at Intaka and Belarmino is tasked with ensuring that the well bolts are welded in place and that there is very good security for the well. We will begin digging a new well in Mocuba next year (Project 407670 - Water for Life)

2. We are doing an upgrade to the church at Mavalene, which has out-grown its current space. The church meets in a lean-two next to Pastor Abel's house. We will extend to metal roof to provide more space out of the rain / sun and extend the wall up against the roof. They have an all-night prayer service on 12/31 and normally people in the area throw things over the wall, such as bottles, which can be dangerous to those in the church. (Project 405770 - Mavalane)

3. Marcos Zito's wedding on December 19. (Project 403960 - Moz. Benevolence)

4. OMS Advisor's meeting on December 4.

5. Juka is doing a training session with the Trainers next week in the Mocuba area before they gravel back to Maputo later in the month (to arrive in time for the wedding). He has some business to settle in Nampula relative to our church planting work there and they will leave from Nampula because they can be assured of a seat on the bus if they start there, rather than catching it in Mocuba. So - an extra days travel to assure yourself of a seat.

(photo of Turkeys with Turkeys!)

Thanksgiving (photo above is Jason, Tristen, and Rachel - our adopted kids.)

In the past, we have had Thanksgiving celebrations where we invited various friends to eat Turkey and cranberry sauce, something not eaten much here. It is a great holiday for cross-cultural sharing and participation but this year was a bit different. We decided with the time-pressures in preparation of departing, we would have a smaller celebration here where we live with the two other missionary families near us. Then, other missionary friends found out about it the next thing we knew we had a ton of people coming. Ann decorated the house with Thanksgiving things and we especially noticed that all the children seemed to especially enjoy seeing (and eating!) all the food. Our open grounds allowed them to run and there were all sorts of games in progress all over the place. It made our hearts sing to see all these children running and laughing all around the house. Just before everyone arrived, we managed to change the oil and serviced Aimee's car and then devote the afternoon and evening to eating the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Three turkey's 'gave their all' and some other turkeys did the carving! ;-)

We ate outside in the shade and generally enjoyed a general break from the routine chaos. We had missionaries from seven different agencies, all joined together for a common cause, to spread the gospel. Especially special was Jason and Rachel (and Tristen) coming down from Xai-Xai to spend two nights with us. We love this couple as if they were our own kids and Ann especially enjoyed cooking with Rachel in preparation for Thanksgiving. Tristen calls us Grandpa and Grandma, and who can resist that? They brought this amazing ham (hard to find in with Moslems owning most of the shops!) that disappeared in nothing flat and was clearly the favorite item on the table!

After a few games, we moved over to the Hulsey's house to enjoy a buffet of deserts and look at Don Hulsey's photographs of his dive trip last weekend swimming with sharks big enough to swallow him in a single gulp. Beautiful photographs and I am always so engaged by his enthusiasm for diving. He says he cannot help but worship God when he sees the beauty and wonder of the life that is teaming underneath the waves of the ocean. The photos are remarkable.

It was such a blessed day and I could not help but give thanks in my mind over and over again. It was a great time of ministry to a wonderful missionary community, all who have dedicated their lives to the cause of Christ. The people in this photograph below represent seven different mission agencies doing work in Mozambique.

"Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth....Enter His gates wth thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name...." Psalm 100

Seminary Dedication

It has been an interesting week with Bruce and Mabel Callender. They headed up the OMS work here for many years and had returned for our seminary dedication service. In the first photograph, they are standing with Ann at our Khongolote ministry center. It has been interesting to hear their stories about the past work and to see through their eyes the many changes in Maputo since they left about four years ago.

We (Ann especially) had done much preparing for the dedication service. We had an order of service that was designed to be 1.5 hours in length with a time of food and fellowship to follow. Our intention was that the service would be in Portuguese, with only one part being translated to accomodate our Regional Director and the reading of a letter from the OMS president. Well, as the service started, a translator went up front and so we had English and Portuguese. You might not understand the significance of that subtle change, but the service just went from 1.5 hours to 3 hours.

We had about 150 people attending the event and it went really smoothly. We started by shuffling everyone out into the lobby and we then had the former director (retired) of the Department of Religious Affairs cut the ribbon opening the chapel. After a time of worship, we were challenged by the Minister of the Department of Religious Affairs (photo) on the importance of fully using the opportunities that we have before us. One of our OMS board advisors brought an inspiring message on how we can't do things our way, but rather need to seek His way; that the seminary should be a house of prayer, fully belonging to the Lord. Our OMS regional director emphasized the importance of the day; to dedicate this work and building fully to the Lord.

Rev. Mike Thiessen summarized the vision for the future of the OMS seminary, focusing on 1 Timothy 3. He emphasized two points: 1. Having a holy and transformed life; and 2. Teaching God's word. Bruce and Mabel discussed the history of the seminary and their joy at seeing what God had done. They were then greatly surprised when Larry and Susan Weil presented them with a plaque that was installed in the seminary entry way, thanking them for their vision and work on the seminary. In addition, the seminary chapel was named in their honor.

Afterwards, we gathered in the Lobby for refreshments and fellowship as person after person spoke to Bruce and Mabel, thanking them for their work here in Mozambique. Afterwards, we all went to a nearby restaurant for a team dinner to end the wonderful day. So, we start the new page of history tomorrow and wonder what we will see in 10 years looking back to this day that we gave this building back to God. As the 20 current students stood up, I couldn't help but feel a great sense of satisfaction that the work has continued forward despite the hurtles and struggles. As we watched Pastor Daniel "MC" the entire service with such poise and grace, we could see Bruce and Mabel beaming as he is like a son to them.

It is so clear. God will complete what He has started. May we go forward under the shadow of His wing and on the path that He has laid out before us.

The final photograph is of the OMS team with Bruce and Mabel and Bruce Bennett. If you look closely, you can see all the photographers relflected in the windows! Note the plaque over the door although the picture isn't really the greatest.

From left to right, Aimee, Chris (teacher at CAM), Susan, Larry, Mike, Bruce, Mabel, Bruce Bennett, Ann, Dave.

Blessings.

Dave & Ann

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith" Romans 1:16-17

New Missionary Arrives

We are pleased to announce that Aimee Howarth has arrived as a new missionary joining our team here in Mozambique. She is coming to do women's ministry and has a real heart to move to northern Mozambique. We joined the Weils to meet her at the airport and unfortunately another Kodak camera has crashed and burned so I have no pictures! No more of that brand....We were all set to get a welcome picture but - no luck.

[late entry - However, I did get a picture when we took her around the next day! (late addition). Aimee is on the left next to Ann and our dear friend Kimberly is on the right in the snoopy shirt. Kimberly is staying with us a week while her parents, who work for another mission and are very close friends, minister in northern Mozambique at a conference.]

Aimee arrived for her two-year assignment with only two duffle bags and a carry on. Oh to be young again!

We had a wonderful time getting reacquainted at the Weils and will take her around with us some tomorrow. She is already asking about how soon she can do a survey trip to the north - as she feels strongly that is where she is to go. It is our hope that we can take her north and introduce her to the work and hopefully enable her move into what God has called her to do as quickly as possible. We are so glad she is here.

She has served here as a teacher at our school in the past, knows Portuguese, and has advanced training relative to missionary work. She has worked hard to prepare for her term here and we are excited to see what God has in store for her. Thank you Lord for this answer to prayer.

"It is good to praise the Lord..." Psalm 92:1

Thiessens are off

Just a short note to let you know that Mike, Sarah, Gab, and Simon made it on the plane and are headed back to Canada.  We have shed so many tears and cried out from the depth of our souls.  Gabriel was in much pain today, no energy and feeling very bad.  God was gracious and the luggage was taken without question and all went well at the airport.  They are on their way - fly on the wings of angels.  We are in shock here and feel like a piece of our heart has been removed.  I had the privilege to hold Gabriel at the airport for a while and I have never prayed so hard.  He is a precious little fellow.

There was a tremendous crowd at the airport to support, handle the luggage, and love the the Thiessen's up.    

Hold them close dear Lord and bring them back to us.

Dave & Ann  

Prayer Request for Gabriel

Our world has temporarily stopped here in Mozambique.

Mike and Sarah Thiessen joined our team the middle of last year and Mike, the director of our OMS seminary, has done absolutely amazing things getting our seminary program together and working with our National leaders. But the last two days have been dark days for all of us. Sarah knew that something wasn't quite right with their two-year-old son Gabriel - you know - that mother's instinct; and she insisted on taking him to a doctor we all use in South Africa. His symptoms were vague - but upon an ultrasound test, the doctor discovered a tumor on his liver. Subsequent tests confirmed a rare type of cancer seen in very young folks that has also spread to Gabriel's lungs. This is the kind of news that no parent should have to deal with and all of our hearts here are broken for this young one that is a part of our family here in Mozambique.

The photo is of of Gabriel (on the right) and his older brother Simon (on the left) at a Christmas dinner at our house one short month ago.

So pray with us for healing. Pray that God would help us answer the questions floating around in our minds. We have arranged for an emergency exit back to Canada where their home church is waiting to stand with them and where doctors from that church have broken through the red tape to get Gabriel to the immediate help he requires. Pray for this precious family and child. It is devastating to all of us. They leave Monday afternoon, to arrive in Canada Tuesday. Pray for a special measure of God's grace, mercy, compassion, and peace during this valley. Pray for their return to the field; pray for strength as they walk through this valley.

Sometimes there are just no words.

"For in You, O LORD, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God..." Psalm 38:15

Jesus Film Showing

On most any given day here, I could write about any 10 items that happened. The last few days have been an unusual whirlwind of events - isn't that a laugh? I have probably said that a lot of times as that is truly our normal, which is similar to each of your normals, I'm sure. I think it is the human condition!

Our quick trip to South Africa to deliver the car for the Irish team to pick up was good and we were successful in picking up the Tsonga literature and hymnals we had ordered, as well as delivering the car. It rained part of the way and when we parked the car at the designated pick-up point (a friend of one of the team members), I noticed a screw embedded in the rear tire of the car and little bubbles coming out around it. Thank you Lord that it didn't blow on the way.

Ann and I call this particular car "the Demon car" because of all its peculuarities. It has an alarm system with a mind of its own, an engine imobilizer as a part of that system that also has a mind of its own, and a small electrical short somewhere that no one can find that drains the battery. It has broken down on us, stopped in the middle of intersections, gotten stuck, and other challenging things. The car belongs to our school, but we often will rent it out for teams and the like and we use it from time to time, such as when our vehicle is in the shop.

So at 'zero-dark-thirty' we're loaded up into the two cars for the run to South Africa and the demon car won't start - battery is dead. It won't jump off so we decide to try and push it off - eventually we get it going but an hour later. I noticed the tire seemed a wee-bit low at that point, but didn't see anything obvious! The rest of the trip is non-eventful and even the border crossing, where my heart rate usually increases a bit because of the potential for chaos and delay. After dropping the car off, getting the mission mail, and picking up needed supplies, we return via Kruger Park where we have a time of reflection, devotion, and debriefing with the young couple who has been with us the last three weeks. This photo is of this precious couple in Kruger Park. God's hand is clearly on their lives and we fully expect to see them here again. Fran has quite a few dental patients to check up on!

We return to Maputo and basically take our new dear friends to the airport as we receive the team from Ireland. The next couple of days are spent preparing the Irish team although they are pretty much 'on auto' because they are lead by Melvin Kelly, a former missionary here. We had them over for dinner and orientation to Mozambique, also catching Melvin up with the status of the work in the north. Early the next morning, we picked up Juka and a translator, who will be accompanying the Kelly team as they go north to visit our churches in the Gurue/Ilhe/Macuba areas, and took them to the airport. When we picked up Juka, his daughter Milka (see photo of Juka and family) was not happy with us as she has learned that when the suitcase goes into our car, her dad is going to be gone for a little bit - she was not happy with us although we did stop by the next day and make up with her a little bit!

We received confirmation that the Irish team arrived safely in the north and that they had nearly 200 people show up for their first training session, so we know they are off to a good start. We are excited to see what God will accomplish through them and to hear their stories when they return. We were quite jealous as we would like to have gone also, but that is something we will do in a couple of months as we plan to make a general trip through all of our works in the North in preparation of this year's ECC conference, which we hope to hold in the northern part of Mozambique.

One of the tasks Pastor Juka will be accomplishing in the North is the wedding of one of our trainers. So, we are sending the wedding dress north again, where it will be adjusted and used for probably about the 10th time. It still looks beautiful as the sewing skills here are quite extraordinary and although we aren't sure how the dress is cleaned each time, it always comes back spotless. On the way to the airport, we had to make a minor stop to pick up the wedding rings at the jewler. This photo is at the jeweler's house (if you look carefully you may see Ann waving from the car) where the two rings were picked up. A common symbol for marriage in many countries...

Saturday we spent in preparation getting ready for showing the Jesus Film at Intaka. We were especially excited for this showing, because we had some new equipment (DVD instead of very well-worn VCR tapes) that we'd purchased in the States and brought back with us. The DVD's were a little bit updated from the VCR tapes and the color and clarity clearly about 10 steps above what we used at Picoco just before we left. We followed the same model as before, a time of prayer in the afternoon, sending of evangelism teams out, music to attract attention, and then we showed the film followed by preaching. We were beyond the reaches of electricity again and the clear African sky was clearly a wonder as we could see the milky way cast through the sky and the Southern Cross was clearly visible. Breath-taking.

In the series of pictures below, we show the film set-up, the sunset as we waited for dark, and then the screen with Christian music videos (in Zulu!) we were playing prior to the movie. At first we had a small crowd, but it grew to several hundred by the time the movie started. We had the sound up to nearly maximum, which seemed mighty loud to me, but Pastor Ricardo said he was a bit dissappointed as the sound didn't cover near as much of the area as he had hoped. After it was all over and we were packing up our equipment, we had several people show up who had heard us and walked over - so I think the sound covered more area than he thought!

One young man, named Sergio, came up and talked with me for a very long time. He had a long story about working as a chef in a Chinese restaurant and how he had lost that job with a long explanation about what a 'good person' he was and how he needed work and the trouble his family was in. I listened a very long time, but fundamentally he was looking for money and the liquor on his breath pointed more strongly to what any money would likely go for - part of the challenges of being here. He stayed for the film and spoke more with me afterwards and promised to think about the things we talked about. He promised that he would return to the church in the morning. We will see - and I pray that God's spirit will move in his heart and life.


So, a rather long entry of what has been happening. Another snapshot of life here. The well drillers have delayed us until September now as we get fit into their work back-log, but we are on the list and we continue to make progress!

Thank you for standing with us!

"The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him." Na 1:7

Field Council

For the last three days, we have been meeting together as a field to review plans and objectives for the next fiscal year and to make assignments for preparing our Mozambique Field Plan. Ann and I did this plan last year ourselves because we were the team! and it is so nice to be able to work with a team on it this year. We have only met a few times as a team at this point and are still learning how to work with each other. Our regional director came up from South Africa and helped us with planning and vision casting and we have set an aggressive schedule for completing the field plan over the coming weeks.

This photograph shows our current Mozambique team. The little puppy is a new guard dog for our Christian School. The other dog is getting quite old and so they have started training a new one - I suppose you could say the old dog will mentor the puppy?

We ended our weekend of meetings with a special church service in our home and a cook-out afterwards and a time of relaxation. The service was especially meaningful as we ended our meetings and bonded together through the process. The young couple in the back row of the photo are our short-term missionaries who have been helping us the last several weeks and we really hate to see them go as they have been such an amazing addition to our team. They attended all our meetings and were able to bring really good comments and observations.

Tomorrow at "zero dark thirty" we will be making a quick run to South Africa to deliver a car to a team from Ireland who will be joining us from South Africa later this week. We will also be checking our mail box and look forward to seeing what surprises are there. We will also be picking up a guitar that was being repaired for one of our churches plus several boxes of books we will be using in our ECC program. Juka will be accompanying the Irish team which will be led by a former OMS missionary to Mozambique. They plan to travel to our northern-most work later this week and assist the church pastors and trainers.

Thank you for standing with us. So much is happening here as we see God's hand in so many places and the answers to prayer have been especially encouraging the last couple of weeks. Thank you for praying - it has truly made a difference. Big impacts for the kingdom the last few weeks, great leadership training sessions, new teams that are being sent out, and amazing community health outreaches - but it is nothing we have done but rather a very tangible movement of God's hand - amazing things we have seen.

A prayer request we have is for our family. We have both been dealing in different ways with a deep sense of loss as we miss our daughters so very much. The young couple who is staying with us reminds us so much of our own wonderful children and sons-in-law - while it is unbelievably wonderful to spend time with this lovely couple, it also drives home the deep loss we often feel for our dear daughters. We pray that God will richly bless our girls and their husbands in incredible ways for their perserverence, patience, and faith that allows us to serve Christ in this way. We know with certainty that this is where God wants us, and with that we find peace, but our sense of loss relative to our children remains the most difficult thing we face as missionaries on a daily basis. In just the past few weeks, we have had a number of people who have stepped in and filled gaps in our children's lives because we are here, and we are so incredibly thankful for those acts of love and kindness.

Thank you Lord for your strength, your peace, and your presence. May our faces and our hearts always be turned towards You, may we always hear your voice, may we follow your leading, not ours, and may we always be in the shadow of your wings. Thank you for the absolute priviledge of serving you in this way and for the incredible group of people and churches that make it possible. Bless them for their faithfulness; may they feel your presence and see your hand at work just as we have been so blessed to see here. Amen.

Dave & Ann

"Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice." Psalm 63:7