May 24 PLEASE PRAY!!

I got word 2 days ago that one of the pastor's in Mozambique, Pastor Andre (I went on a few outreaches with him) passed away in the hospital last week. 

Tonight I got on the computer and found out that Saturday at midnight one of the drivers, Pedro, got ill and died in the hospital. That was very sudden and unexpected. The ministry loaned our bus to take the family to the funeral of Pedro and on the way the bus was in an accident. No one was seriously injured, praise God.

Needless to say, my family in Mozambique (missionaries and natives) are in a place of warfare and need lots of peace and wisdom and strength right now. We must pray and lift up our brother's and sister's to Father God! We need to lift them up, so they can keep fighting! 

"Our help is in the Name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Ps 124:8 

We don't serve a busy God who doesn't have time for us. We serve the Creator of the universe, and our help comes from him! HE IS ABLE. Let us pray! 

~From Mozambique to Ohio~

A week ago today I was learning this new style of braiding hair...

Aminosa took a nap while I spent 2 hours braiding and twisting her hair into this...

Just wanted to post those pictures:-)

Sunday in church they prayed for me, sending me off to Ohio with blessings, and a capalana (Mozambican wrap skirt...very useful for many things, from carrying babies on your back, carrying something on your head, or wrapping around your waist as a skirt. It is a good bye gift as a way to bless someone).

My last church service in Mozambique!

On Wednesday morning after saying some bitter sweet good-byes to all of the girls, tias, and Mozambican friends, then to the missionaries, I left Mozambique and began the journey to America...

On Thursday I arrived home, tired after 27 hours or so of travel (and only about 2 hours of sleep!), and happy to see my family waiting for me at the airport!

We made our traditional trip to Starbucks:-) Then my other brothers and sisters and my grandparents came over in the afternoon! I gave them gifts I brought home, and dad made hamburgers on the grill. My niece and nephew are getting so big, and my newest niece is such a cute, chubby baby!! I am so happy to finally meet her.

I miss the girl's so much, and all of my family in Africa. 

But I am so glad to be home now, with my family here. 

There is a plaque on our kitchen wall that my cousin made that says:

~Family - the greatest gift you will ever receive from God~

I will have to agree. And now, for however long or short this time will be, I get to be with mine! 

Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement you have sent my way.

God bless you all abundantly!

And may our adventures with God continue...!

Prayer

"Dear Jesus. Bless Mana Anna because she is going. And I ask you to make her want to stay, and then we will have a big party for her. Bless the people who are in the prison. Give clothes to the people who live on the street. Heal the people who are in the cemetary. Sleep with us in our room and protect us. Amen." 

--Amelia Salamao, age 6

This was what she prayed tonight when I was praying with the little girls as I tuck them in bed.

Saying Good bye to the girls Part 1

I will be leaving Mozambique in 1 week from today (on April 29th). It's going so fast. God is giving me some precious time with the girls and tias and missionaries. I feel so undeserving and overwhelmed of all the special conversations and quality time I have been getting.

Yesterday (Tuesday) we took almost all of the girls and tias out to eat at a restaurant in the city called "Mimmo's". I was given a donation to do something special with the girls. Rachel and Heather took the money and organized the event, including arranging with the restaurant to do this. 

We loaded up in the big flat bed truck and headed off. The girls were so excited and sang the whole time in the truck. When we arrived they formed a line to walk into the restaurant. The waiters and waitresses had set up the tables in a long row, and all we all sat down. They came to serve us drinks, followed by plates of half chicken, french fries and rice. There were 55 of us in all! 

I really felt like this time was such a family time. All the girls getting to go out on a trip *together*. All the missionaries who work in the girl's dorm, and half the tias, and all the girls. It was so special! What a treat.

(above) Lucinda waiting patiently for her chicken to arrive.

(above) Fatima enjoying her coca-cola.

(This was Fatima's very first time to eat at a restaurant. AND she got to taste ketchup for the first time too! Her face lit up when she tasted it, and then she soaked her french fries with it.)

(below) The girls all got to try out knives and forks. 

Normally they eat with their fingers, or a spoon. They loved the opportunity to cut their chicken with a knife and eat their french fries with a fork. 

Serina getting the hang of her knife:

(below) Rute (Ruthy) gave up on the fork and found it much more enjoyable to revert back to using her fingers. And she sucked every last bit of meat off her chicken bones!:

Saying good bye with the girls Part 2

Rachel made this cake "Thank-you Mana Anna" for us. The waitresses at the restaurant stuck a sparkler in it and came out to present it to me:

Then the tias started dancing and singing, and all the girls joined in chorus. Even the waiters and waitresses were dancing! They made it so much fun! They were singing a song in Shanghaan that says "You are going, go with Jesus". It was so beautiful, it made me tear up. I got up and danced with them:o)

Then Tia Julieta and I cut the cake like they do at weddings, and fed each other a bite. After this the girls cheered. A few of the girls stood up to say, "Thank you mana Anna for taking care of us for three years."  Then we served cake for everyone (including our friendly waiters and waitresses).

Saying Good bye to the girls Part 3

After thanking our lovely waiters and waitresses at the restaurant (who I am sure had just as much fun as we did), we loaded up in the back of the truck again to head to the park.

Me and Margarita - it was so cold!

Heather and Mimi - Heather is taking on the girl's dorm now.

She is doing a fantastic job, and is such an answer to prayer. God has truly equipped her for this next season in the girl's dorm! I am so glad we have had 2 months to become friends before I go. I will miss her!

Here's the girl's in the back of the truck. They sang the whole time! 

We went to this park to play for 20 minutes. Since we were already out we thought we would not waist the opportunity! They had a great time swinging and running around.

We ended our outing with a few groups photos. 

Missionaries in the photo below include (L to R) Betty, Rachel, Anna, and Heather

It was getting late as we were heading back, and it takes about an hour to get back to the center. We called the center to ask them to save supper for the girls. Apparently they had already eaten, and given out extra large portions to the boys since the girls weren't back yet! I called Larry, who works in the kitchen, and he said to buy bread and he had peanut butter. So in the dark we pulled off the road and bought 30 loaves of bread from a sweet lady. It must have made her day! The end of the day and wanting to head home and she was able to sell ALL the bread she had left! When we arrived at the center Rachel, Heather, and I cut the loaves in half, spread peanut butter and jam inside, and served the girls a late dinner after they took their showers. They were still singing and so happy when we went in to serve them their sandwiches. 

It was a great day none of us will ever forget! This was a gift from God. 

My Name sake!!

I have come to know a young couple here, Julio and Marcelina. They have a little 4 year old daughter named Angelica. A month ago Marcelina gave birth to their second daughter. 

One day Julio came to see me, he said he had something to ask me. He then shared the news that his wife had just had their baby, and they would like to name her "Anna", after me. He wanted to know if that would be alright with me?

What an honor! Here it is a big thing people do, to name their child after someone who means allot to them. It is a very special honor, and I am so thrilled.

Today I got to see baby Anna for the first time. She is so cute!

I am leaving Mozambique in 2 1/2 weeks, and feel so touched to be leaving behind Little Anna Two. My very own Name's sake!

The Last Supper

I was planning discipleship for this week, and God laid it on my heart to teach about The Last Supper and communion. I looked up several verses that explained various things, like why the Bible talks about using unleavened bread, what the bread and cup represent, who can take communion, how we should examine ourselves before taking communion, the reason we take communion together, etc. 

Turning a lesson into an activity makes it a memory they will never forget!

We made unleavened bread together:

Rosalina pressing her lump of unleavened bread dough:

Our communion elements: Flat bread and coco-cola (I don't think Jesus served coco-cola, but I didn't have any grape juice, so I bought a bottle of coke at the market! And anyway, ever since I have been here I have only ever been served communion with various flavors of pop, LOL)

It was such a special time with the girls. We really went in depth, and they had lots of questions. Apparently before this they didn't even know WHY we take communion!

Now they can never forget it. 

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Hebrews 9:22

Therefore when Christ came into the world he said..."sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am,  I have come to do your will." 

He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will we have been made Holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:5, 8-10

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."

For whenever you eat this bread or drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

He rose and conquered the grave! Jesus is alive, and He is offering pure, new LIFE to those who call on Him. 

May this be a weekend of remembering and celebrating and realizing the LIFE-giving blood Jesus poured out to purify us, that we can live in the presence of a Holy and AWEsome God!

Baking a cake...Mozambican style!!

We recently bought a real oven and stove for the girl's Saturday cooking day.

Every Saturday the girls make dinner for the whole girl's dorm. They choose the menu, head to the market for the ingredients, and return to spend the afternoon cutting, peeling, and preparing meal for 55 or so people! 

With an oven, the girls can learn to make cakes and cookies and things. And who knows, maybe one of our girls will love it, and become a chef or baker?! And if not, they will at least be well equipped to look after their own families one day...

Tia Marlita spent an afternoon with six of the girls, teaching them the fine art of baking a cake.

They had so much fun!! It is so lovely to have the girls together in the kitchen, laughing and having fun, learning and experiencing, making memories and creating futures. 

I forgot...

...that I am living in one of the poorest countries in the world. Not just a "third world country". Mozambique is on the list of the 10 most poor countries. 

The "Bocaria", Maputo's garbage dump, where people live, and spend all day rummaging

through the trash that is dumped off in trucks like this one. And when they find something worth keeping or selling, they are thrilled!

I really think before I throw anything out, because I know it will be uncovered here.

An advertisement for witch doctor "medicine", labeling some of the sicknesses they promise to cure. Witch craft is so steeped into this country. The president of Mozambique has ceremonies for the witch doctors to "consecrate" new buildings with their rituals.

Mama and baby heading home from "grocery shopping".

Somehow, after living here for 3 years, it only just occurred to me yesterday, that I really live in a third world country, with the very poorest of people. Yes, I know they don't live like American's. I know they live in little one or two room grass huts or block houses. I know they are lucky to eat 2 meals a day, and there is a very large percent of unemployment. I know the average monthly salaray is about $50. 

But yesterday, it all just really hit me. I was walking home from visiting an old man in the community who I help look after. I had just shared a Bible story at his house to 5 little kids who had followed me there. Every time I walk in the community I have a group of "followers". There are about 30 of these sweet little kids (30 that know me) in the community behind our center, and when they see me, they come running, shouting, "E Malungu Mana Anna!" (It's the white mana Anna!!). On my walk home, I encountered several more of the children. Then I heard from behind a row of thorn bushes, "Mana Anna, come see what we are doing!" I came around to see. There were about 8 or 10 kids gathered around 2 very tiny cooking fires they had made with little twigs. And on these 2 miniature cooking fires they had cut a pop can in half, to be a cooking pot, and they were boiling the potato peelings from the potatoes their mothers were cooking on real fires for their dinner. They were pretending to be cooking dinner. These children were so excited to show me their play, and one of the mothers came over to greet me, and laugh with me at the fun these kids were having.

That's when it hit me. "Do these kids know they are the poorest of the poor? Do they know they are the ones on the bottom of the list? That they are considered hopeless?" 

Compassion is not feeling sorry for someone, it is having hope for them. When I see these happy kids, running around in filthy clothes that fit them 2 years ago and certainly don't now, clothes that are full of holes. When I see these dirty little bare feet, I can't see them as poor. Because I see their sparkling eyes, and I have such hope for them! The sweet little dirty hand that slips into mine and walks along beside me. The hungry hearts of kids who sit and feed off the story of Jesus calling the little children to come sit on his lap, because he loves them. The joy in their voices as they laugh and play, and say "Look! Here comes Mana Anna!" And when I must leave them, they say, "We will see you next time!" 

Oh, the love I have for these kids. This country is called the poorest of the poor. But to God, they are the richest of the rich. They are the ones with the most hope. They are the ones Jesus was talking about, when He said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3