We just got off the phone with Belarmino. They dug down 100 meters on the other end of the property this morning and again hit rock and no water. Yet, not so very far away is another well on the order of 40 meters deep. And within one or two hundred feed of the lower part of the land is a hand-dug well that has water in the wet season, but not always year round. It is a mystery!
The company (Afrodril) has a resident expert on the under-surface water in the area and he will be back from Maputo on Thursday and Belarmino and the drillers will be consulting with him on what our options are. 100 meters is very very deep and past the normal limits of hand pumps although there are solar powered pumps you can install that will handle that distance. So, a bit of a quandry for us to pray through.
Thanks for standing with us. I am surprisingly peaceful about this and would ask that you continue to ask for God's blessing on this need for water at our project site.
Dave & Ann
"Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." Isa 12:3
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Prayer Request
Water came from a rock twice in the Old Testament. The first time (verse below), God told Moses exactly what to do - hit the rock with his staff and the water flowed. In the second case (Numbers 20), Moses got in big trouble for improvising and doing what he had done before (hitting the rock with his staff) instead of precisely what God had told him to do (speak to the rock). God wants our obedience and the "way we've always done it" does not assure it is the best way or the preferred way.
Today, the well-drillers on our land at Mocuba went down 60 meters without hitting water, and hit a fractured rock layer and from their experience at that depth, they stopped. Tomorrow, they will move to the other end of our property, which is the low side, and try again. This is an item for much prayer. While it is a nice piece of property, it isn't all that big. In this photo, we drilled near the temporary metal shed and tomorrow they will be near the house you see in the distance. The pile you see in the middle is a tremendous termite mound - normal for here.
Water is so important to establishing a ministry center. We just assumed we'd hit water because there were wells in the general area that bring good water. I pray I was not moving ahead of God and 'hitting the rock' with what I knew instead of relying on His providence and simply speaking to Him.
We must pray for a good day of drilling tomorrow. Help us Lord for you are the maker of the streams of water that flow beneath the ground.
Dave & Ann
"Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel." Ex 17:6
Today, the well-drillers on our land at Mocuba went down 60 meters without hitting water, and hit a fractured rock layer and from their experience at that depth, they stopped. Tomorrow, they will move to the other end of our property, which is the low side, and try again. This is an item for much prayer. While it is a nice piece of property, it isn't all that big. In this photo, we drilled near the temporary metal shed and tomorrow they will be near the house you see in the distance. The pile you see in the middle is a tremendous termite mound - normal for here.
Water is so important to establishing a ministry center. We just assumed we'd hit water because there were wells in the general area that bring good water. I pray I was not moving ahead of God and 'hitting the rock' with what I knew instead of relying on His providence and simply speaking to Him.
We must pray for a good day of drilling tomorrow. Help us Lord for you are the maker of the streams of water that flow beneath the ground.
Dave & Ann
"Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel." Ex 17:6
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Church in Quelimane
As a part of our checking on our churches in Northern Mozambique, we visited selected new churches and sat down with the leadership of these churches and attended those that we could. 
While in Quelimane, we connected with the pastor, Pr. Arcanjo, we were to meet and after loading his bicycle on top of our car, we headed back out of town. Just out-side of Quelimane, we turned off more or less elevated road down into a swampy type area, finding our way through narrow muddy roads to a place where we left the car. We then walked single-file through tall trees, tall sugar cane and grass, across small wooden foot bridges, finding our way to a church. We sat in the church with this Pastor who has been leading the church for a number of years. We met most of his nine children, some of whom were suffering from Malaria.
While in Quelimane, we connected with the pastor, Pr. Arcanjo, we were to meet and after loading his bicycle on top of our car, we headed back out of town. Just out-side of Quelimane, we turned off more or less elevated road down into a swampy type area, finding our way through narrow muddy roads to a place where we left the car. We then walked single-file through tall trees, tall sugar cane and grass, across small wooden foot bridges, finding our way to a church. We sat in the church with this Pastor who has been leading the church for a number of years. We met most of his nine children, some of whom were suffering from Malaria.On the floor at the front of the church were some of the training materials we had sent up on the 
bus over this past year. This pastor is putting these books (Chronological Bible Story Telling, Omega Church Manuals and Theology books along with Bibles) to very good use and we are overjoyed to see how God connected a willing servant with these books. This man knows Pastor Antonio and through him, he began attending our ECC training seminars in the Mocuba area. He then latched on to the church multiplication training method and is now training his own group of church planter/pastors in the Quelimane area. Several have started small churches in the area as well although we were unable to visit any of them.
bus over this past year. This pastor is putting these books (Chronological Bible Story Telling, Omega Church Manuals and Theology books along with Bibles) to very good use and we are overjoyed to see how God connected a willing servant with these books. This man knows Pastor Antonio and through him, he began attending our ECC training seminars in the Mocuba area. He then latched on to the church multiplication training method and is now training his own group of church planter/pastors in the Quelimane area. Several have started small churches in the area as well although we were unable to visit any of them.This pastor has attended seminary, has many years of experience, and would like to join with our Mozambique denomination. We asked lots of hard questions and felt quite good that this man was using our ECC materials to do church planting and training in this new area for us. So, 
we will continue to pray for this man, his church, and that God would bless his ministry as we stand beside him. Our Mozambican denomination will stand with him for a year before accepting his church into the Evangelical Church of the Living Word (IEPV) fold. I think this is another case of God putting the pieces together and we praise God for this new work that He found, not us.
we will continue to pray for this man, his church, and that God would bless his ministry as we stand beside him. Our Mozambican denomination will stand with him for a year before accepting his church into the Evangelical Church of the Living Word (IEPV) fold. I think this is another case of God putting the pieces together and we praise God for this new work that He found, not us.It is so incredibly exciting to see how God connects all the dots in His work.
A bright spot in a spiritually dark area!
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." Php 1:6
Human Trafficing
A close friend of ours is heading up some initiatives within OMS relative to human trafficing. Through her efforts, we have received copies of some training materials and been made much more aware of this horrible sin. We have been routinely discussing the topic with our church leaders and finding that there is a general knowledge that it is a problem here. We are also noticing more news and newspaper articles about some of the things happening in southern Africa. There have been several arrests lately in Mozambique as it is a 'source' country or an 'intermediary country' where humans or their parts are trafficed through to other countries, most notably South Africa. Recent arrests point to international involvement (multiple nationalities) and there is thought to human sex trafficing to support the World Cup games this summer in South Africa. Are people that stupid to risk HIV, Aids - it's almost a guarantee? I guess so...
Anyway, I was asking in Mocuba 'what happened to all the street children?' We used to see alot of them within the town. The answer we heard is that those are the children being captured and processed for parts as a part of human trafficing. We were told of a recent arrest in that area that included finding a freezer with human parts; hearts, kidneys, sexual organs, and the like, most likely used in rituals or moved overseas or to other countries for rituals. This depravity is beyond understanding but shows how low man can sink in the absence of God. The Old Testament is full of stories of the horrible things that happened in those times as well, and the judgment that eventually followed. It just tears at our hearts that such things are happening here.
The culture is aware that this goes on and rumors abound when people go missing. Work 'too good to be true' in South Africa can be a lure and families can receive money on the spot to send a family member to South Africa for training and a 'good job'. Just today, I saw something where young girls were being sold for around 650 US dollars in this trafficing market.
We hope to include this subject in our training programs but until the culture itself is outraged, each life is valued, and governments truly don't tolerate the practice, the horrible injustice will continue. There is no end to the depravity that man will sink when he turns his back on his Creator or refuses to acknowledge Him.
Where did all the street children go? Please no........ Come quickly Lord Jesus!
Dave & Ann
"And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD." 2 Ch 12:14
Anyway, I was asking in Mocuba 'what happened to all the street children?' We used to see alot of them within the town. The answer we heard is that those are the children being captured and processed for parts as a part of human trafficing. We were told of a recent arrest in that area that included finding a freezer with human parts; hearts, kidneys, sexual organs, and the like, most likely used in rituals or moved overseas or to other countries for rituals. This depravity is beyond understanding but shows how low man can sink in the absence of God. The Old Testament is full of stories of the horrible things that happened in those times as well, and the judgment that eventually followed. It just tears at our hearts that such things are happening here.
The culture is aware that this goes on and rumors abound when people go missing. Work 'too good to be true' in South Africa can be a lure and families can receive money on the spot to send a family member to South Africa for training and a 'good job'. Just today, I saw something where young girls were being sold for around 650 US dollars in this trafficing market.
We hope to include this subject in our training programs but until the culture itself is outraged, each life is valued, and governments truly don't tolerate the practice, the horrible injustice will continue. There is no end to the depravity that man will sink when he turns his back on his Creator or refuses to acknowledge Him.
Where did all the street children go? Please no........ Come quickly Lord Jesus!
Dave & Ann
"And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD." 2 Ch 12:14
Tragedy
When we left for Mocuba, one of the leaders we work with (Lucas) had taken one of his three sons to Central Hospital because he was 'blocked' and couldn't 'poop'. We talked with him frequently and prayed for his son Naftal (8 years old) often, receiving updates all during our trip. On the way home, we received word, after three weeks of hospitalization, that Naftal had died. We knew this little boy and we know his siblings well. The funeral was the day we arrived from our trip north and we did not attend but today visited with the family in their home after church. We so enjoyed watching his one daughter Madalena dancing and singing in church (she is about 5 or 6).
We are not clear on the diagnosis of this dear child, but Ann believes that it was an advanced stage of childhood cancer - basically a tumor of the kidney (possibly Wilms tumor). He swelled very large and they were removing fluid trying to make him comfortable for as long as they could. There was talk of an operation but then they concluded it probably wouldn't help. Lucas was faithful to visit him every day but there was little to be done. His mother had left the family about a year ago and no one knows where she has gone so this poor child did not have the comfort of his mother's presence. So heartbreaking...
As I was doing children's sermons in the north, I could not help but think of this young child in Maputo fighting for his life. Children are often left to their own devices in this culture with very little parental oversight and we see this also in the church. So, I often take opportunities to preach to the church through children's sermons about the value of children from Jesus' perspective along with the importance of obligation of the church to stand with the parents in the raising of godly young people.
Today was palm Sunday and we visited our Khongolote church so we could spend a little time with Lucas and his family after church. The video clip (below) starts with his daughter Madalena dancing with her palm branch at this morning's service.
Pray for this dear family. These things are always difficult to understand but we know with certainty that God will see those who love him through the valley. Today, Naftal walks pain-free in a different valley near that house prepared for him, as he waits for the rest of us to join him, which we certainly will some day. Eternity awaits for those accepting the precious gift God has given through Jesus.
Have a blessed holy week. 2000 plus years ago, Jesus made his triumpal entry into Jerusalem being lauded as a king, knowing full well that his time was coming - that passover was near. The ultimate sacrific for sin was entering as King, but not the king the people were waving branches for, an Eternal King.
Blessing this holy week.
Pray for Lucas, our brother in Christ.
Dave & Ann
"...Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God." Luke 18:16
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" 1 Ti 1:17
We are not clear on the diagnosis of this dear child, but Ann believes that it was an advanced stage of childhood cancer - basically a tumor of the kidney (possibly Wilms tumor). He swelled very large and they were removing fluid trying to make him comfortable for as long as they could. There was talk of an operation but then they concluded it probably wouldn't help. Lucas was faithful to visit him every day but there was little to be done. His mother had left the family about a year ago and no one knows where she has gone so this poor child did not have the comfort of his mother's presence. So heartbreaking...
As I was doing children's sermons in the north, I could not help but think of this young child in Maputo fighting for his life. Children are often left to their own devices in this culture with very little parental oversight and we see this also in the church. So, I often take opportunities to preach to the church through children's sermons about the value of children from Jesus' perspective along with the importance of obligation of the church to stand with the parents in the raising of godly young people.Today was palm Sunday and we visited our Khongolote church so we could spend a little time with Lucas and his family after church. The video clip (below) starts with his daughter Madalena dancing with her palm branch at this morning's service.
Pray for this dear family. These things are always difficult to understand but we know with certainty that God will see those who love him through the valley. Today, Naftal walks pain-free in a different valley near that house prepared for him, as he waits for the rest of us to join him, which we certainly will some day. Eternity awaits for those accepting the precious gift God has given through Jesus.
Have a blessed holy week. 2000 plus years ago, Jesus made his triumpal entry into Jerusalem being lauded as a king, knowing full well that his time was coming - that passover was near. The ultimate sacrific for sin was entering as King, but not the king the people were waving branches for, an Eternal King.
Blessing this holy week.
Pray for Lucas, our brother in Christ.
Dave & Ann
"...Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God." Luke 18:16
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" 1 Ti 1:17
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