Helping at the Children's Center

Hi Everybody,

Bom Dia! That is good day in Portuguese. Its one of the few things that we are able to say. It is usually followed by, “how are you?” and then the response is completely lost to us. As we reported earlier, things are going well. We continue to be in good health, are eating pretty well but beginning to tire of rice. We usually have it for lunch and dinner, well actually we have had rice for every lunch and dinner except for one. It is complemented with some type of sauce, such as beans, cabbage, goat etc. Breakfast continues to be a roll and sweet tea. I pass on tea and have coffee, provided by me. Out days start very early as the sun is up at 5:00am and when the sun comes up everybody gets up and the semi quiet of the night gives way to roosters, goats and many, many voices. Our classes start at 8:00am and go until about 12:00-1:00. Our afternoons are kept busy with feeding the street kids, playing with the children, helping on some projects like the one starting next week, the digging of about 40 latrines! There is a great danger of a cholera outbreak if they don’t do something about the village children and the workers using the hillside as their toilet. It is a pretty serious problem and we will be working practically on solving it. The Children’s Center called the Village of Hope is hope to about 200 children, 100 pastors in training, 120 of us missionary students, about 50 native staff workers and about 30 full time missionaries. So this children's center is like a village of about 500 people. It’s a busy place, especially since it is open to any village child to come to school or lunch during the daylight hours. It’s a challenge to keep track of which kids are Iris children and which ones are street kids. Additionally, we will continue to go on weekend outreach where we show the Jesus Film, pray for sick people, dedicate churches and baptize people. We were in two villages this past weekend doing just that and we probably baptized over 100 people. It was a great time. I’ll sign off for now as my time here at the internet cafe is about up. Thanks for your prayers, we’ll try to keep you posted. We love you all!

Ron and Jan

Off To The Bush

Our practical experience began within a few days. We loaded up and headed to the bush, bush. That is farther away than the bush. How far I can't tell you! Twice the bush! On the way out there were 25 missionaries and student pastors in the cameo truck, food for three days, generator, sound system, lights, screen, projector. Upon arriving at a village we provide breath taking entertainment  as we set up our tents and mingle with the people. Little babies scream at our white faces. We have learned about three phrases of the tribal language. Hello, how are you? Thank you. It's quite a scene and quite an experience and  I have a blast. Darkness comes fast and we set up everything we need to show a movie! It must be an incredible experience for the village people to watch a 2 1/2 hour movie about Jesus. Village life isn't much different than life during Jesus' day. Afterwards many, many raise their hands to receive Jesus. Women breakdown in sobs when Jesus is crucified. Their understanding of His sacrifice makes me feel a deep poverty of spiritual appreciation. The following day we hiked about five miles into the bush (would that be the bush bush bush?) to a oily colored water hole and baptized about 75 people. Waist deep in water Ron helped the pastor give everyone a good soaking and the rest of us prayed for people as they came shivering out of the water. In the afternoon five gracious couples invited us to their wedding. Well, no invite was extended, but I hope they considered it an honor that we were there.It was an amazing ceremony! Just amazing, and if I were to describe it the cumputer's battery could not last.
After noon we loaded up the truck and left the village with children running along side of the truck, animals scattering, pastors singing, and laughing, smiling villagers waving good bye and headed to the next village. The senior pastor who was with us is a highly respected Mozambican man in charge of the all the churches in this district. So when he arrives, people are married, churches dedicated, and the villagers send back presents of gratitude with us. At the second village we baptized another 50 or 70 people in the Lurio River (for those of you who like to know where in the bush bush we were.) Because of the strong Muslim nature of this area we are asked not to mention personal names, the ministry's name, or specific information in our blogs. So sorry for some generalities.
Eight more passengers, two bunches of bananas, two very large bags of mateka, one living chicken bound at its feet, and a bundle of sugar cane poles were added to the truck and we came home. Whew, three days in the bush, red dust, hot sweaty days and two long wind whipped sun draining. I've NEVER been so dirty. End of the report on outreach.

Bike Shop Missionaries

While we wait for bicycles to arrive and clear customs we are students at a missionary training school. To qualify as a missionary in the minds of the local people all you have to be is white; so we qualify! While most of the people in the school have aspirations to become missionaries somewhere, Ron and I, by virtue of the bicycles and what God told Ron to do with them, are missionaries. So what do missionaries need to know? The local culture so that the gospel is preached in the context of village life without damaging the social structure. The languages: the local tribal language and the colonial language of Portuguese. And practical experience.

Ben Vindo!!! Welcome to Africa!

Praise God for giving us safe travels through five airport transfers and bring us to here Saturday afternoon with both B.O.B bags of luggage. The very next morning we had the opportunity to thank God in church, and what a church service it was!. Worship was joyous and lively line dancing lead by the student pastors accompanied by African drummers and the waving of capalanas. It went on and on until our clothes were plastered to our bodies and God received a fragrance of our worship sweet to Him, BO to us :) In this culture the teaching is conveyed by singing and everyone participates in an African church service. The widows sang, the students pastors sang, the children sang, we sang. With many Hallelujah Amens! people gave testimonies, they repented, and praised God for whatever He had done in their lives.  One woman from the village who had been barren came to this church and was prayed for, and stood up with the baby God had given her and asked for the ministers to name the baby. He received the name Lazarus John the Baptist Elijah-a lot of name to live up to!   All of this kept three people busy translating from the local tribal language, to Portuguese and then to English. Church here isn't a service, it's and event!

We're Taking Off

We are packing and prepping to be gone for several months this fall and winter. Glacier Cyclery is in the capable hands of Lee, Mike, Tyler, Tim, Clay and Kevin.. Thanks guys for making it possible to take off on this adventure!