Sweet journey back to Kona, many tears of joy were shed. The Comm Trans class 2010-2011 reunited for a hectic week story after story of amazing things that God did through us and in us during our outreach phase all over the world.
It came time for team Mozambique to share and oh how my faith was raised just listening to my friends and I share... it sounded incredible to think of all God had done..so here is a summary of our teams highlights not to mention all that he did in my heart personally.
- Only 2nd day with IRIS in Mozambique we went on 1st bush outreach. The first evening with Heidi and Roland there was lots of opposition to hearing about Jesus but we met with many who wanted to know more about Jesus and receive prayer. The 2nd night saw us acting out a skit (which was incredible in itself) one of the guys in the group did the call to invite those who wanted to know Jesus, wanted prayer for healing to come forward. Many flooded forward. It was intense and chaotic to minister to all those in front of us but incredible, many people were touched and there were testimony's given
- Food was multiplied, on outreach there was not enough food to feed all those in the village and so one of the team along with IRIS Mozambican missionaries prayed over the pot a number of times whilst serving and there was enough for everybody.
- Madelina a beautiful baby 3 years old, malnourished smaller than a one year old, orphaned and with a learning disability arrived to IRIS the same time as we did and needed some special attention to help her to eat which our team could offer. We saw her gain weight, increased ability to use her arms and legs and we could pour love into her every day. Through her there was such blessing.
- The clinic I was part of saw some miraculous healing. The wounds, the limited treatments I could offer and the conditions environment/nutrition/language barrier are not conducive to good healing. I saw things heal supernaturally fast..I did the possible, God did the impossible. Also I would sometimes panic that certain dressings would run out at the beginning at I would cut little pieces off at a time and somehow there was always enough.
- The prison was a place full of joy and hope.. not what you would expect but Jesus had radically transformed these men and women's hearts and they were light in spirit. The last day I was there 40 men who had only arrived the day before gave their lives to Jesus. It was such a special moment. I witnessed their countenance change as they realised no matter what they had done to be in prison that Jesus had lifted the burden from them and they were free!! TRUE FREEDOM. This is good news.
- 3rd Bush outreach we met a man Lorenzo. At the beginning of the evening he was drunk and hurling abuse at the team and at the Jesus film being shown, he even pushed one of the Mozambican women who tried to calm him. Two of the guys started to talk to him and they ate with him and over the evening he calmed down. We were all praying all night that he would sober but God did more than that! At the end they called anyone up who wanted to receive Jesus in their hearts and before they had finished Lorenzo was their calm and peaceful inviting God in! He has since been along each week to the church at IRIS and he is SOBER! and now connected with the family their.
- Two village boys captured my heart, they have desires to be pastors, and they impacted me greatly . I got to spend time with them, pray and share meals with them. They loved to be loved and it taught me so much about simple discipleship. It was hard to say goodbye.
Our lives will never be the same again, I am so grateful that God took me there. It had many challenges but so many glorious riches. You truly find Jesus amongst the poor.
The key things that God has showed me and I want to continue to walk in during this next season wherever he leads me:
- Walking continually in thankfulness and gratitude
- Total submission and reliance on God, he is our only true source of satisfaction
- Having eyes to see the glory in all things, choosing to see them
- Love in action
- Perseverance = perfecting faith and maturity
= becoming more like Christ
= Lacking nothing
- Intimacy unto fruitfulness
Being more in love with God each day as I seek him..
Was it worth it? YES EVERY SECOND
I am so grateful to everybody who has supported me and poured into me over the last few months. Its been an incredible journey and I feel just the beginning of even greater things to come. My heart and passion is see people free especially women and girls.
I don't know specifically what that looks like but a prophetic word for me is that it will be a time of PEACE and PROVIDENCE. Sounds good to me.
The end .......for now
Friday, 8 April 2011
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Final few weeks.....moving glory to glory
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever- increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the spirit. 2 Corinthians 3 - 18
The last few weeks were such a sweet time, finally getting settled into Mozambique life...I feel like I pressed in and got the prize. I found Joy in the simple pleasure of loving the Lord and living out of that contentment. Suddenly the things that felt hard fell away and everything was much easier
God is so faithful and I despite some resistance taught at the bible school. I felt unequipped to but God said it would be good for me....... he led me to teach on the Lord's prayer and how this encapsulates his heart for humanity. I spent time in prayer and God gave me so much revelation I knew the words were his and not mine. I usually get so nervous when speaking in a group but God totally honoured my obedience to him in stepping out in faith to teach this group of pastors. I had no nerves and spoke with a new confidence. I really feel that if God calls me to speak in front of any audience I could do it. It definitely broke some fear in me that needed to go!!!! So good.
My heart has grown to love the people and the culture, I look around and I ask myself what would it look like to have full restoration here. Would they still live in shacks, I think it would and it certainly would not look like western culture. The beautiful culture of community and family would remain and living simply and sharing all you have brings you close to his heart. I feel that having always had plenty I have been ruined somewhat from grasping what these people know innately for having little. They are all about relationship and time has no meaning if you are focused on people. Oh how I love this. The land would prosper and provide the rest of the world!!! The spirit of poverty would be broken and they would live out the riches they were always supposed to and already have....community, simplicity, love.
.We had so much fun in our last week having parties, baking cakes (with cake mix by the bucket load kindly flown in by Teresa's parents), saying so many goodbyes. I have made good friends here in Mozambique and feel that the IRIS family have really given us more than we have given. The final evening went with a bang with the best holy spirit party with Ywam, a group from Bethel church and the IRIS team and some of the children, the joy of the Lord was with us and it was the best night ..... I laughed so much my stomach hurt!!!!
Oh my heart......... oouch!
The last few weeks were such a sweet time, finally getting settled into Mozambique life...I feel like I pressed in and got the prize. I found Joy in the simple pleasure of loving the Lord and living out of that contentment. Suddenly the things that felt hard fell away and everything was much easier
God is so faithful and I despite some resistance taught at the bible school. I felt unequipped to but God said it would be good for me....... he led me to teach on the Lord's prayer and how this encapsulates his heart for humanity. I spent time in prayer and God gave me so much revelation I knew the words were his and not mine. I usually get so nervous when speaking in a group but God totally honoured my obedience to him in stepping out in faith to teach this group of pastors. I had no nerves and spoke with a new confidence. I really feel that if God calls me to speak in front of any audience I could do it. It definitely broke some fear in me that needed to go!!!! So good.
My heart has grown to love the people and the culture, I look around and I ask myself what would it look like to have full restoration here. Would they still live in shacks, I think it would and it certainly would not look like western culture. The beautiful culture of community and family would remain and living simply and sharing all you have brings you close to his heart. I feel that having always had plenty I have been ruined somewhat from grasping what these people know innately for having little. They are all about relationship and time has no meaning if you are focused on people. Oh how I love this. The land would prosper and provide the rest of the world!!! The spirit of poverty would be broken and they would live out the riches they were always supposed to and already have....community, simplicity, love.
.We had so much fun in our last week having parties, baking cakes (with cake mix by the bucket load kindly flown in by Teresa's parents), saying so many goodbyes. I have made good friends here in Mozambique and feel that the IRIS family have really given us more than we have given. The final evening went with a bang with the best holy spirit party with Ywam, a group from Bethel church and the IRIS team and some of the children, the joy of the Lord was with us and it was the best night ..... I laughed so much my stomach hurt!!!!
Oh my heart......... oouch!
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