More Kruger pictures!

A large warthog!

No, this isn't dad after two weeks with his daughter's, It's a baboon! 

A waterbuck!

Anna and Cara and two Mozambican women

Walking through the girls dorm!

Saturday Afternoon

Cara in a crowd of darling little girls!

Anna, Cara, and Dad out to eat at Sagre's on the Indian Ocean!

Dad and Cara on the beach. The hotel in the background is the Holiday Inn.

It's one of the nicest hotels in Maputo and very expensive to stay at.

Half chicken dinner...grilled to perfection:o)

Anna with Margarita and Sidalia.

Out to eat and at the beach!

This evening we went out to eat at a restaurant on the beach. Cara got to put her feet in the Indian ocean. The temperature was very pleasant, the company lovely (Bob and Betty from Canada), and the meal delicious! (half chicken, garlic bread, and coca-cola! 

Outreach to Manhiça on 16 May, 2008

Dad, Cara, and I went to Manhiça with 2 missionaries and a Mozambican Pastor, as well as a few others, to show "The Jesus Film". This time, the projector worked the whole time, and about 300 people made their way through the village and the brush, to come watch. It was great, and afterwards about 50 people came forward for the alter call. Very exciting!

Happy women and children after the movie finished.

Anna and Cara helping cook over the fire (we made beans and rice, a fish stew, and sheema, which is like a very stiff unflavored porridge that they pour the stew or beans over).

The men sat at this table. They had brought it out from one of the houses in the village, and set it with a table cloth, bowls, and spoons!

The women and children sat on grass mats on the ground. It was a wonderful time to

fellowship and make new friends with the Mozambicans in this village!

More Kruger pictures!

Greater Blue-Eared Starling

Impala drinking. Notice the 2 crocodiles lying in wait at the water's edge...!

One of the many elephants eating in the brush.

Cara enjoying the babies in the baby house (holding our newest baby, Antonio).

Francisco in the baby house.

Isabel and Tania watering the garden. We replanted the girl's garden on Tuesday afternoon.

We haven't planted more veggies yet (at the moment just green beans are growing), but we landscaped the entrance to the garden with some pretty new plants. The little girls love to help out in the garden!

Left to Right: Cara, Sifa's husband, Sifa, Anna, and Dad

We visited this Pastor and his wife on Wednesday morning. They have a children's center 20 minutes from here. They have 30 little boys living with them, and 600 children attending their school. Sifa and her husband are from the Congo. They were going to be missionaries in Madagascar, but ended up in Mozambique. They are a lovely couple, and have a nice center.

A Mozambican community garden. These are across the street from where I live. Many little plots of land that the people cultivate and use the veggies for their families and for selling.

Our garden project is to teach the girls how to tend to their own garden one day!

Kruger National Park 15 May, 2008

Today we went here:

And saw this:
And this:

...And this!!! 

Talk about AMAZING!!! God is incredible! He kept bringing animals right in front of us.

We had an awesome day.

Paulo's new leg braces, and our happenings...

The Thomas family from our church sent leg braces for Paulo (read recent post titled "Paulo").

Fitting them on him. They are a perfect fit!

Isn't he cute? The tias (dorm mothers) were so thrilled, they kept saying "It's a miracle he has braces! It's a miracle!" And they put him on his feet and were dancing around:o) He stood for a few second on his own for the first time! (Until he realized noone was holding on to him and he got scared and sat down!) It's such a blessing for little Paulo. Thank you so much Mr. and Mrs. Thomas!!!!!!

Homemade chicken pot pie...mmmmm....!!

We went to the Bocaria (the city dump) on Monday afternoon to join Vella, Tracey, and Francisco with their weekly children's church ministry there. They learned about the Lord's prayer, and we did lots of games and competitions. They kids are precious!

Tuesday morning dad fixed some phone line problems and reconnected a few phones. Cara and I Walked across the street to buy plants for the girls garden. After lunch dad, Cara and I went in the garden with some of the girls, to do some make overs! The garden was beautiful, until some workers needed to bury some electrical cables and decided it would be a great idea to dig a huge trench all the way through their garden to bury it! So, yesterday we went in and dug up the dead plants and roots that had been shocked from the trench digging. And made it look very beautiful with the new plants! The little girls love working in the garden and making it look pretty:o)

Late in the afternoon we climbed on the truck for street ministry. First we went to the city police station. They have cells there for men who are waiting to go to trial. Several armed police men walked with us down to the cell. It smells like urine and is very filthy. The men come filing out, having not showered for weeks. We prayed for them, and dad shared with them how this world we live on is like a grain of sand in the universe and there is no other life but here on earth, because God created us for Himself . But God loves them so much! And he read in Romans 8 "There is therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but walk according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of Life has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Afterwards we prayed and passed out bread to the men. Then the police escorted us out, with rifles hanging on their shoulders.

Next after it was dark, we drove to a back alley, and gathered a bunch of street kids. Some as young as 8 years old. One little boy really tugged at my heart. He was 8 years old and named Faustinho. He was wearing a mans black dress shirt, socks without shoes or sandals, and a little pink back pack that had no zipper, and was stuffed with a white bed sheet. His only possessions. I asked him where his mom was, and it turned out his mother lives in a village quite far away, and he ran away from home because he was being beaten.

We took the kids up on the roof of a building, and had a time of worship. Then we prayed for them. I shared with them there. I asked "How many of you are afraid of something?" (most of the kids, except the real tough ones, raised their hands). They were afraid of snakes, lions, witch doctors, the dark, ghosts, night mares. So I had the little boy Faustinho come up, and a very tall boy named Angelo. I asked, "Does Faustinho need to be afraid of snakes, or thieves, if he is walking with Angelo next to him?" "No!" "Why not?" "Angelo will protect him!" 

Great, so we did a little skit to find out. Another little boy came up and was instructed to go steal Faustinho's back pack from him. So he starts taking it from Faustinho, but Angelo pushed him away.

And that is what Jesus does for us. He is much bigger than Angelo, and he will protect you! When you are afraid, you just call on Jesus, and he will help you. When you have bad dreams, you just say "No, Satan! I am a child of God and you can't scare me!" 

I also told them that they need to walk on God's road. Not the wide road where witch doctors and thieves and murderers and bad people walk. Instead of stealing, they can ask for what they need, instead of going to the witch doctors, they can go to church, etc. And when they are walking hand in hand with God, he will look out for them!

I loved it. Sometimes you just feel like " This is what I am living to do!" And that's how I felt last night sharing with those street boys. My heart was so full of compassion for them.

I will try to get Cara or dad to share some of their experiences with you too!

Have a good day!

Hanging out at the center!

Anna and some of her girls.

Dad and Cara on the first day they arrived in Mozambique! (a little jet lagged)

Anna and Cara playing  an exhilarating game of Yahtzee!

Joao and Dad -- Long time friends happy to meet again!

Arçenia, Cara, and Ana

Cara's new hair-do! Lots of braids:o) The girls are having so much fun with her!

They are calling her "Mana Anna two":o)

worship service in church

Worshiping the Lord!! 

Cara on the left and Anna on the right.

The music might be choppy on this. If you press pause and let it load all the way

before playing it, it will play all the way through without problems. We're having fun!

Dad and Cara in Mozambique!

Cara has quickly been adopted by the girls. They love her! Right now she is in the girl's dorm having her hair braided. They comment to me in Portuguese "Mana Anna, you have a big nose and she has a little nose." And other silly things. When I translate that for dad and Cara, the girl's get all embarrassed:o)

Dad walking through the visitor's compound. He is enjoying meeting up with old friends, and playing his harmonica and recorder with the worship band. The kids and older boys are thrilled to see "Papa Greg" again! (And I am THRILLED to enjoy chatting with my dad and spending time with him and Cara. What a gift!)

Sina is 1 year and 8 months now. Cara was so excited to see her, after praying for her (see past blog entries from end of 2006/beginning of 2007). She came to us at 5 weeks old weighing 2 pounds. She is a miracle! Running around, ruling the roost in the baby house, talking away. It's so cool for Cara to see the baby she prayed for doing so well!

More photos to come! Enjoy!

Anna and Cara!!

Cara and Anna after a wonderful church service in Mozambique! (More photos to come when the loading gets faster...maybe a video too!)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM!! 

Tomorrow morning...

...at this time I will be heading to the airport to pick up my dad and sister!!

Yay, I am so excited! :o)

Friday's the day!!

Back row L to R: Daniel, Greg, Bonnie, and Christina

Front row L to R: Cara, Seth, and Anna (me!!:o)

(I had no pictures of Cara on my computer, except this one. She was about 3 then, and she is now 18!)

This photo was taken probably in 1993. Since then 3 more kids came along.

If you don't know, I am the fourth oldest of 10 children! I love my big family!

                                                                             My Papa!!

On Friday morning I will be going to the airport to pick up my dad and sister!!

I am so thrilled, I've been floating around on cloud nine:-)

GOD IS AWESOME! 2 months ago none of this was happening, and now in just 3 short

(well, it seems to me it is 3 looong) days they will be here. I am so happy.

 

Stick Bread

Delicious bread roasted on a stick over a fire...mmmm...

2 1/2 cups flour (whole wheat is great!)

2 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using self-rising flour)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry yeast 

3/4 cup warm water

1/4 cup oil

Combine in medium sized bowl flour, baking powder, salt, and yeast. Stir it up to distribute salt and yeast evenly. Add the water and oil. You may need a little more water, Mix dough with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball in the bowl (I end up using my hands to mix it the rest of the way). It will be a little stiffer than biscuit dough. Knead 10 -12 times. break off a ball and shape it into a snake like you would with play dough, about 3/4 inch thick and maybe 10 inches long or as desired. wrap it around the end of a stick starting by folding it over the tip (so you can add a filling without it leaking out). Roast over hot coals, turning every minute or so. Not too close so it doesn't burn! Takes about 10 minutes or so. Fill with butter or honey or home made jam! DELICIOUS!!

I look forward to having a family one day, and wherever we are on the mission field, being able to make this homemade bread for them. What a treat!

(Note: This recipe is actually for "Self rising pizza crust". So you could, after kneading it, spread it out in a 9"x13" pizza pan, spread with sauce and toppings, and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes. Also, I had leftover dough after our barbecue tonight from the stick bread, so I made it into a ball --without handling too much because it had already risen-- and baked it in the oven at about 350 for 30 minutes. That was yummy too! I am sure you could make dinner rolls or other treats as well. A very versatile and handy recipe. So simple and sooo good!)

Edited on May 8th to Add:

Easy and DELICIOUS Monkey Bread

Make up a double batch of the dough. Grease a bunt cake pan. Pull off pieces of dough and roll into balls about 1 inch round. Dip in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar. Arange in the bunt cake pan. Bake at 375 till no longer doughy in the center. It took about 45 minutes in the oven i was using, but check it after 30. This is so good!

I will let you know if I come up with any other ideas to do with this dough. Let me know if you try any of these recipes, I would love to hear about it!:o)