Saturday, June 30, 2007
what does love look like?
Groups from all over the world flock to Iris Ministries every week. We are housed in a separate area just for mission students, but there is housing here for visitors and hotels nearby for visitors as well. Just this week a group from Korea and a pastor of a large church in Los Angeles, California, Che Ahn, came to visit Iris. Also, as I mentioned, a documentary is being created by a group in California and well known producer Kit Carson. The intent of the documentary, from my understanding, is to reveal from a secular viewpoint, the changes that are occurring in Mozambique because of the impact of the move of God. God is moving in Mozambique and change is happening. That is also why these groups are visiting from around the world. They want to see these changes and witness the move of God. Yet ultimately they discover what love looks like. That is the simple message that is shown here. That is also the message in Isaiah 58. It tells us to clothe the naked, share your food with the hungry, provide the wanderer with shelter, set the oppressed free, untie the cords of the yoke and loose the chains of injustice. This is true missions. It is about disciplining others and showing them "incarnational" love. Others are coming here to see this in action.
Mozambique is the poorest country in the world and has been impoverished for generations. There is no concept of work ethic or any ethics for that matter. No one questions right from wrong. It is not wrong to lie or steal in their culture. This is what separates them for me. In my Western world, even those who do lie and steal, know that it is wrong. This cultural difference is a major hindrance. They need a moral compass. Even if you view it from a secular, economic standpoint, this nation needs a salvation from itself for it to survive. This is also seen by the way in many other nations, including India and China. The corruption forces them to remain in a vicious cycle of poverty.
It is our job to simply disciple them and show them in servant leadership the love of God. Love is not rude, and therefore, we are simply here to love them and learn from them. We are not here to ridicule or change their culture to look like ours. So we clothe the naked, share our food, and provide shelter. Here in Mozambique, visitors see this being done physically. But, it is also needed desperately at home in the spiritual.
Things are still good here. I have to admit that I was exhausted today and had to take a nap this afternoon. I think it was my first! I stay so incredibly busy and every day is full of so many activities and today I just needed to rest. The interesting details are, I have not bathed in a week. I did get to snorkel last night, but didn’t see a whole lot. I do at least know sort of where to find the reef and hope to find someone to go out with me this afternoon. We don’t have running water a lot of the time so I have been swimming in the ocean a few times and showering off with “fresh" water at the Pemba Dolphin restaurant. There are a few good places to eat around here and we all seem to have this survivor mentality and are eating every meal like it is our last. There is a great little Chinese place in town that is very popular. Entrées are 4 dollars or less and they have pineapple flavored Fanta! I have pretty much limited myself to eating out once a week and have purchased canned goods in town for other meals and still eat my share of the kitchen rice and topping of the day. I also have Clif bars and granola. And every morning they have fresh bread! It is really good. Of course we add peanut butter, bananas and honey and jam from the market. Groceries are expensive here. Most Mozambicans are unable to afford groceries from the markets here. They are expensive even by American standards. So I have my canned goods and peanut butter rolls keeping me always full. Boys sell huge chocolate bars along the beach and since we all have this survivor mentality I bought one last night.
Today we fed the village children. Iris feeds village children during the week. All children are welcome to come. It involves us going to the kitchen and loading up a truck with a large drum with rice and the topping of the day. Today’s topping was cabbage stuff. I think there had to have been about 100 kids there. The kitchen only gave us about 20 bowls so we had to keep washing the dishes and the kids actually sat pretty patiently as they waited for their peers to finish before they could be served.
I hope to get into a village soon and spend more time with the Mozambicans this week. My group is in charge of doing a service for the Iris kids tonight. The kids are well taken care of for the most part. They are good kids who have been loved on and you can tell. I hope to spend more time with them in the coming weeks as well. This service is designed especially for then. There are a good many of them who are early teens and they love, as any teenager, hanging out with their friends and music. So this service is an opportunity for them to all get together and play music and hang out. They love hip hop and American music and western clothing. The girls braid their hair and wear jeans and they boys wear t-shirts with American rappers on them. So we will do skits, share testimony, and worship with the youth tomorrow night. The Africans love to dance and it is fun to watch them all dance under our big green and white tent and see the cloud of red dust form. This is Africa.
A friend of mine told me about a possible opening here working in hospitality, coordinating these groups that come to visit. She may be applying for it and it would be a major stretch for me. However, it did peak my interest. I could sell my house. I could live here for about $1000 per month. It’s feasible and something I would consider…maybe not right away, but could see myself doing something like this in the future.
I am not sure what the coming week will bring. We are doing a group dinner Sunday night. There is a missionary here from India who is leaving in two weeks. She is preparing an Indian meal for all of us. We have not all eaten together yet and it will be fun for us to all be together like this for the first time and I am very excited about the Indian food! I also have to do laundry on Sunday. My sheets are orange. I don’t like doing laundry and am going to do as little as possible. It is rough on your hands.
The mosquitoes are out more and a friend, Mark, was diagnosed with malaria today. It is pretty bad here. I am on medications that are pretty reliable and don’t expect it to be a problem.
I am looking forward to the wedding this coming weekend. Teisa and Gene, missionaries with Iris are getting married by Heidi on the beach. It is going to be a huge deal here. As I mentioned, they expect to feed 2,000. They want the ceremony to be a testimony to the marriage of Christ to His bride and show the villagers the love of God. I am one of the photographers and am so excited! I will be following Gene around for the whole day, capturing the event.
I believe I only have about 47 more days here. It will all be over before I know it. I will write again as soon as possible. My weeks are busy and I will try to find time to write. I am learning the routine of getting into town and the internet café and such. I will be back to the hum drum of life in Atlanta all too soon. I do miss you, but I miss my bathtub more than anything else.
XOXO
Me
Mozambique is the poorest country in the world and has been impoverished for generations. There is no concept of work ethic or any ethics for that matter. No one questions right from wrong. It is not wrong to lie or steal in their culture. This is what separates them for me. In my Western world, even those who do lie and steal, know that it is wrong. This cultural difference is a major hindrance. They need a moral compass. Even if you view it from a secular, economic standpoint, this nation needs a salvation from itself for it to survive. This is also seen by the way in many other nations, including India and China. The corruption forces them to remain in a vicious cycle of poverty.
It is our job to simply disciple them and show them in servant leadership the love of God. Love is not rude, and therefore, we are simply here to love them and learn from them. We are not here to ridicule or change their culture to look like ours. So we clothe the naked, share our food, and provide shelter. Here in Mozambique, visitors see this being done physically. But, it is also needed desperately at home in the spiritual.
Things are still good here. I have to admit that I was exhausted today and had to take a nap this afternoon. I think it was my first! I stay so incredibly busy and every day is full of so many activities and today I just needed to rest. The interesting details are, I have not bathed in a week. I did get to snorkel last night, but didn’t see a whole lot. I do at least know sort of where to find the reef and hope to find someone to go out with me this afternoon. We don’t have running water a lot of the time so I have been swimming in the ocean a few times and showering off with “fresh" water at the Pemba Dolphin restaurant. There are a few good places to eat around here and we all seem to have this survivor mentality and are eating every meal like it is our last. There is a great little Chinese place in town that is very popular. Entrées are 4 dollars or less and they have pineapple flavored Fanta! I have pretty much limited myself to eating out once a week and have purchased canned goods in town for other meals and still eat my share of the kitchen rice and topping of the day. I also have Clif bars and granola. And every morning they have fresh bread! It is really good. Of course we add peanut butter, bananas and honey and jam from the market. Groceries are expensive here. Most Mozambicans are unable to afford groceries from the markets here. They are expensive even by American standards. So I have my canned goods and peanut butter rolls keeping me always full. Boys sell huge chocolate bars along the beach and since we all have this survivor mentality I bought one last night.
Today we fed the village children. Iris feeds village children during the week. All children are welcome to come. It involves us going to the kitchen and loading up a truck with a large drum with rice and the topping of the day. Today’s topping was cabbage stuff. I think there had to have been about 100 kids there. The kitchen only gave us about 20 bowls so we had to keep washing the dishes and the kids actually sat pretty patiently as they waited for their peers to finish before they could be served.
I hope to get into a village soon and spend more time with the Mozambicans this week. My group is in charge of doing a service for the Iris kids tonight. The kids are well taken care of for the most part. They are good kids who have been loved on and you can tell. I hope to spend more time with them in the coming weeks as well. This service is designed especially for then. There are a good many of them who are early teens and they love, as any teenager, hanging out with their friends and music. So this service is an opportunity for them to all get together and play music and hang out. They love hip hop and American music and western clothing. The girls braid their hair and wear jeans and they boys wear t-shirts with American rappers on them. So we will do skits, share testimony, and worship with the youth tomorrow night. The Africans love to dance and it is fun to watch them all dance under our big green and white tent and see the cloud of red dust form. This is Africa.
A friend of mine told me about a possible opening here working in hospitality, coordinating these groups that come to visit. She may be applying for it and it would be a major stretch for me. However, it did peak my interest. I could sell my house. I could live here for about $1000 per month. It’s feasible and something I would consider…maybe not right away, but could see myself doing something like this in the future.
I am not sure what the coming week will bring. We are doing a group dinner Sunday night. There is a missionary here from India who is leaving in two weeks. She is preparing an Indian meal for all of us. We have not all eaten together yet and it will be fun for us to all be together like this for the first time and I am very excited about the Indian food! I also have to do laundry on Sunday. My sheets are orange. I don’t like doing laundry and am going to do as little as possible. It is rough on your hands.
The mosquitoes are out more and a friend, Mark, was diagnosed with malaria today. It is pretty bad here. I am on medications that are pretty reliable and don’t expect it to be a problem.
I am looking forward to the wedding this coming weekend. Teisa and Gene, missionaries with Iris are getting married by Heidi on the beach. It is going to be a huge deal here. As I mentioned, they expect to feed 2,000. They want the ceremony to be a testimony to the marriage of Christ to His bride and show the villagers the love of God. I am one of the photographers and am so excited! I will be following Gene around for the whole day, capturing the event.
I believe I only have about 47 more days here. It will all be over before I know it. I will write again as soon as possible. My weeks are busy and I will try to find time to write. I am learning the routine of getting into town and the internet café and such. I will be back to the hum drum of life in Atlanta all too soon. I do miss you, but I miss my bathtub more than anything else.
XOXO
Me
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Check this out
Well known director/producer Kit Carson has been here for 6 weeks with a film crew, filming what is going on with Iris Ministries and revival in Mozambique. He is a Cannes award winning director. The film crew is doing a documentary on God and how He is showing up in odd places. Some of the crew are Christians, most are not. Today one of the crew talked to us as it is their last day. He told us he was jealous of what we have and it was pretty cool. Check out their website for updates on the film. I look forward to seeing it when it comes out. www.burningmediagroup.com
In Town Today
Made a last minute visit into town...things are great! I was beginning to really get frustated with things here. We have been in classes and not really spending time with the Mozambicans, including the children at the center. Then, Heidi came yesterday and gave a beautiful sermon from Isaiah 58 about feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked...not just in the natural. She really made it a point to discuss the issue of Mozambique having no Judeo Christian work ethic and how we can learn true discipleship in becoming servant leaders. So we now are spending about 3 days a week with the nationals. I have signed up to work with the women who sew. I don't know how really and what a better way to learn. I hope they invite me into their home and look forward to having a meal and spending time with them. That's what true missions is about, forming relationships and sharing the love of the Father and I just can't wait to get out there!! So, I have come into town to buy cereal and milk!!! It is keeping me alive. Oh yea, and bananas. I just can't eat rice two meals a day/ 7 days a week so I have started to subsitute one with cereal and that helps. Still madly in love with everything here...so beautiful, I am at home and will have a hard time coming home. Only seven more weeks of living in this heaven. I am excited about working with the nationals and all that I am going to learn from them. Thank you all for your emails. I enjoy hearing from home, even if it is about Sonny et al or Paris Hilton, they are all entertaining. Hope to post more details soon.
XOXO
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!
PS a Missionary couple is getting Married July 7th and I am going to get to photograph the wedding!!! Very excited! They will get married out the beach and have invited nearby villages and hope to feed 2,000 people! Will share more on this soon.
XOXO
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!
PS a Missionary couple is getting Married July 7th and I am going to get to photograph the wedding!!! Very excited! They will get married out the beach and have invited nearby villages and hope to feed 2,000 people! Will share more on this soon.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
My new friend Henrique
He always seems to find me and just wants to come along on my walks along the beach. We all usually wind up in the water. They just strip down to their tattered little undies. The beach balls from the Dollar Tree have been a huge hit!
Wimbe Beach
This is across the street from my house! I run here three mornings a week at 6AM. My time here is limited though, but I get here every chance I get. The village children always follow...
Sunday Sermon
This week has flown by. Having classes every day and the newness of it all makes the days go by fast. We have guest speakers most every day and that is nice to add variety to each day. Heidi has really been stressing that we are to get to know the Mozambicans and that missions is all about relationships. It appears that the Mozambicans have some frustration with Westerners being here in their country. It is most likely because of the differences in culture and economy. But I can understand, as we are a foreign people invading their country. We have not expereinced any hostility. I just assume she deals with this in running mission centers across the country. So it is crucial that we form relationships with the people, share our stories with one another and realize how much we all have in common. So, yesterday two of my roommates, Terra and Loren and I struck out with three of the pastors from the Bible School and went out into a local village. We met with three different groups of women and they were amazing. It was neat to see their tidy little homes and how efficient they are in keeping things in order. They were generous in sharing what they had with us and were very friendly and kind. One woman had us pray for her baby who seemed to be covered in scabies or some type of bad skin disease all over his body. One woman invited us in for peanuts and also asked for prayer. Their faith is super strong and they rely heavily on God for provisions. Their faith is a beautiful thing to witness. As we were walking through the village (breathtakingly beautiful by the way, views of the crystal clear ocean and there just happened to be a rainbow in the sky yesterday) a little girl ran up behind me and grabbed my arm and led me to her home. Three women were sitting out in the back yard. Two on their version of a bed, handmade wooden frame with cloth straps. One lady looked ancient, no teeth and was braiding her hair. The other was kinda pudgy and so jovial and another, Beatrice. I sat with them and used by horrible Portuguese to find out their names, ages and how many children they had. The pudgy one was 37, has two children and grandchildren! We laughed at my poor Portuguese and they helped me learn to tie my capalana tighter as it always seems to be falling off. I learned that we do share so much in common and regret not speaking the language because I am sure I could learn a lot from these women. I went into town this morning to buy rice and beans to take to them today and hoped to have lunch with them. However, this is Africa and nothing is as planned and the language barrier makes things worse. We had scheduled to meet the pastors outside our base at 11:00 but no one came. We saw them around 12:30 as we were headed to the beach and their answer to all my questions was “yes”. It is so frustrating! “Are we going?” “Yes”, “Are we staying here?”, “Yes”, “What time can we leave?” “Yes”, “Do you know if the NASDAQ is up or down?” “Yes”. So we just gave up and went to the beach. Hopefully, they will show up for church tomorrow and we will again attempt to set something up with them.
I keep forgetting that I live on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Google “Wimbe Beach” or “Pemba, Mozambique” and you can most likely find photos of this gorgeous coast. I tried to snorkel yesterday morning. I went with a friend and when we got out there (I still have not been by the way) someone stopped us and asked if we wanted to go out on a boat. The reef is a pretty long swim away. It is doable, just far and we are limited on time in the mornings. So we decided it would be worth it and agreed to let him take us out. I thought he really had a boat boat...you know, motor, steering wheel, more than one seat, a couple of life jackets...No. THIS IS AFRICA...It is a tiny little handcarved amazing little skiff. I don't have a photo, but I did notice them along them beach in some of my searches of Wimbe/Pemba and you may be able to find one. Anyway, we get out to the reef and I have all my things with me...capalana, flip-flops, housekey, snorkel gear. The man stands up and the boat flips over and in the water we all go. The boat was thus full of water and I am diving under to grab all my stuff. I lost my snorkel! He is bailing our our boat and I am treading water and trying to get my flip flops. Brock is doing the same. Thank goodness another larger boat (still no motor) came along and picked us up. The boat was full of people who had just been out and were anxious to get back so we had no choice and I had no snorkel so we just went back in. Oh well, I guess I will try again later.
In regards to teaching, my favorite was Rolland Baker's message that I alluded to earlier. We do hear a lot, in the church, about loving one another. Also, here as missionaries it is our job to love the Mozambicans. Christ told us, the greatest of these is love. However, we simply do not have the capacity to love others, until we get a full and complete grasp of Christ's love for us. It still blows my mind, but it is all so true. We were created by God to engage in fellowship with Him and to have relationship with Him. It is impossible to love others without feeling loved yourself. So how much like a Savior can you treat God? He wants to be treated like a Savior who can save you from yourself. No matter how hard we try we can never truly change ourselves to be come patient, humble or anything else. We often think of Him like a vending machine, trying to just get stuff out of Him. God wants us to understand that He loves us and that you can entrust your life and future to Him. It is the answer to undefineable joy. If one can feel so loved and so full that you will be okay. Just like in dating relationships when everything is wonderful, all is well, the world is good, so it is when we are in a good relationship with our Father. So, I am trying to understand and comprehend the love of God and become confident in His companionship so that I have what it takes for me and for others. Afterall, what the point in serving Him if we don't enjoy Him?
I keep forgetting that I live on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Google “Wimbe Beach” or “Pemba, Mozambique” and you can most likely find photos of this gorgeous coast. I tried to snorkel yesterday morning. I went with a friend and when we got out there (I still have not been by the way) someone stopped us and asked if we wanted to go out on a boat. The reef is a pretty long swim away. It is doable, just far and we are limited on time in the mornings. So we decided it would be worth it and agreed to let him take us out. I thought he really had a boat boat...you know, motor, steering wheel, more than one seat, a couple of life jackets...No. THIS IS AFRICA...It is a tiny little handcarved amazing little skiff. I don't have a photo, but I did notice them along them beach in some of my searches of Wimbe/Pemba and you may be able to find one. Anyway, we get out to the reef and I have all my things with me...capalana, flip-flops, housekey, snorkel gear. The man stands up and the boat flips over and in the water we all go. The boat was thus full of water and I am diving under to grab all my stuff. I lost my snorkel! He is bailing our our boat and I am treading water and trying to get my flip flops. Brock is doing the same. Thank goodness another larger boat (still no motor) came along and picked us up. The boat was full of people who had just been out and were anxious to get back so we had no choice and I had no snorkel so we just went back in. Oh well, I guess I will try again later.
In regards to teaching, my favorite was Rolland Baker's message that I alluded to earlier. We do hear a lot, in the church, about loving one another. Also, here as missionaries it is our job to love the Mozambicans. Christ told us, the greatest of these is love. However, we simply do not have the capacity to love others, until we get a full and complete grasp of Christ's love for us. It still blows my mind, but it is all so true. We were created by God to engage in fellowship with Him and to have relationship with Him. It is impossible to love others without feeling loved yourself. So how much like a Savior can you treat God? He wants to be treated like a Savior who can save you from yourself. No matter how hard we try we can never truly change ourselves to be come patient, humble or anything else. We often think of Him like a vending machine, trying to just get stuff out of Him. God wants us to understand that He loves us and that you can entrust your life and future to Him. It is the answer to undefineable joy. If one can feel so loved and so full that you will be okay. Just like in dating relationships when everything is wonderful, all is well, the world is good, so it is when we are in a good relationship with our Father. So, I am trying to understand and comprehend the love of God and become confident in His companionship so that I have what it takes for me and for others. Afterall, what the point in serving Him if we don't enjoy Him?
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Unexpected Surprise
Someone just came to the door as I was about to go burn trash and asked if I would work the internet for her tonight. We have a tiny office here that we are allowed to use. Only one computer and slow as Christmas but a huge treat to get online without going to town. The sign up for it stays full, but since I have the key to the office I get to use it free till the first student shows up!!
Today was another amazing day in Pemba. I found the Southern Cross in the sky last night! Amazing. We had teaching yesterday on love, I guess. We say "love one another" and how the answer to everything is love. However, it is impossible to truly love others, especially those who need it the most, without feeling love yourself. So, we were encouraged to see Christ for who He truly is, our Savior. If we treat Him like a true Savior and Redeemer and we stay full of His love and overwhelmed by His love for us, we remain full.
Things are great here and the time is flying by for me. My time is up! I will elaborate and write more on Saturday!
Love.
Today was another amazing day in Pemba. I found the Southern Cross in the sky last night! Amazing. We had teaching yesterday on love, I guess. We say "love one another" and how the answer to everything is love. However, it is impossible to truly love others, especially those who need it the most, without feeling love yourself. So, we were encouraged to see Christ for who He truly is, our Savior. If we treat Him like a true Savior and Redeemer and we stay full of His love and overwhelmed by His love for us, we remain full.
Things are great here and the time is flying by for me. My time is up! I will elaborate and write more on Saturday!
Love.
Monday, June 18, 2007
1 Million Star Hotel
God is faithful. Even times I turn away and do things my own way. He sees the underlying intent of the heart, knows my weakness and failings. Yet, His love is still ever present and drawing me back to Him. What a beautifully loyal heart, always extending the scepter of redemption and grace. “We are not locked into a present, determinist future. Ours is an open, not closed universe. We are ‘co-laborers with God,’ as the Apostle Paul put it- working with God to determine the outcome of events. Therefore our prayer efforts are a genuine give and take, a true dialogue with God- and a true struggle". Richard Foster
I have been spending a lot of time in prayer. It is my prayer that in this small sacrifice that I am making that God will bless you all for your sacrifices in sending me. I am learning more and more of who God truly is and that I have put Him in a box and limited Him all my life. He is bigger than we think. He longs to be daily involved in our activities and desires our fellowship. So that is what I am learning to do here as I seek a new heart in return.
We visited an Iris church yesterday morning. The village was on a hillside, overlooking to ocean. The views were breathtaking. This mixture of poverty and beauty is quite astounding. I am having a difficult processing it all. I just know that this nation of poverty and oppression doesn’t have to always be this way and it is not God’s purpose. He is calling us to intercede and spread His message as co-laborers.
His presence is so real here. I call it an open heaven. I am living in the dirt, it’s in my hair, under my nails and in the rice and beans. But I am blissfully happy and content. I’ve spent nights at the Ritz Carlton that were not as refreshing as it is here.
Love.
I have been spending a lot of time in prayer. It is my prayer that in this small sacrifice that I am making that God will bless you all for your sacrifices in sending me. I am learning more and more of who God truly is and that I have put Him in a box and limited Him all my life. He is bigger than we think. He longs to be daily involved in our activities and desires our fellowship. So that is what I am learning to do here as I seek a new heart in return.
We visited an Iris church yesterday morning. The village was on a hillside, overlooking to ocean. The views were breathtaking. This mixture of poverty and beauty is quite astounding. I am having a difficult processing it all. I just know that this nation of poverty and oppression doesn’t have to always be this way and it is not God’s purpose. He is calling us to intercede and spread His message as co-laborers.
His presence is so real here. I call it an open heaven. I am living in the dirt, it’s in my hair, under my nails and in the rice and beans. But I am blissfully happy and content. I’ve spent nights at the Ritz Carlton that were not as refreshing as it is here.
Love.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
saturdays and spiders
as I write this there is a spider crawling across my screen! posts have not been working so I apologize in keeping this short.
Hi everyone. I came to town to the internet café this morning to spend an hour and write you all. The weeks are so busy with classes and group meetings. We are going into a village tomorrow and I am really looking forward to spending some time with the Mozambicans. It is incredibly beautiful here. I have not taken any pictures yet! I keep telling myself I have two months to do all of that. Right now I am just settling in to the life here. I am so grateful for your words of encouragement and prayers. I am surrounded by 150 amazing people from all over the world who have a heart for the poor and seeking more of God in their lives and it is wonderful for me to experience. We are greatly encouraged to form relationships with the people here as that is the core of ministry. So I am working on my Portuguese and making Mozambican friends. We tend to stereotype others who are different than us and see ourselves as superior because of our wealth. It is so eye-opening to hear their story and realize we have things in common and are all in need of something more out of life. I just love it here and will have a hard time coming home to the mundane life in Atlanta.
Hi everyone. I came to town to the internet café this morning to spend an hour and write you all. The weeks are so busy with classes and group meetings. We are going into a village tomorrow and I am really looking forward to spending some time with the Mozambicans. It is incredibly beautiful here. I have not taken any pictures yet! I keep telling myself I have two months to do all of that. Right now I am just settling in to the life here. I am so grateful for your words of encouragement and prayers. I am surrounded by 150 amazing people from all over the world who have a heart for the poor and seeking more of God in their lives and it is wonderful for me to experience. We are greatly encouraged to form relationships with the people here as that is the core of ministry. So I am working on my Portuguese and making Mozambican friends. We tend to stereotype others who are different than us and see ourselves as superior because of our wealth. It is so eye-opening to hear their story and realize we have things in common and are all in need of something more out of life. I just love it here and will have a hard time coming home to the mundane life in Atlanta.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
not suffering!
James 1:27 Pure religion is to look after orphans and widows in their distress
Here I am once again, pondering, always pondering. I think too much. All week I am thinking about what I am to say to all of you. First of all I still remain humbled and amazed by the generosity of my friends and family. Thank you all for your prayers and donations. I am so blessed. I am very content here, despite the conditions. It is a simple life and I don’t miss Atlanta traffic and the things that life in the States contains.
I wake up each morning at 5 to watch the sunrise. Breakfast is served around 7 and consists of the sweetest tea you ever tasted. Yes, sweeter than our tea in the south. We also get a large homemade roll. Right now I am having this out on our back porch watching others scurry to the kitchen. I am enjoying our little community of students, all ages, all backgrounds, various countries. There is a fullness within interpersonal relationships and this communal living. Our society stresses independence and self-reliance and I am a prime example. What a relief to live a life where we can depend on each other and no longer feel that we have to live in isolation.
I am daily humbled by the lifestyle of the people here and the joy on their faces. The people of Mozambique are very polite and friendly. We have not had running water and have had to haul water from a well, wash clothes by hand and burn our own trash. I cannot imagine having to prepare my own food or care for children in this environment and am honestly just really grateful I don’t have to. The kids are amazing. There is no racism in their hearts, animosity, resentment or hatred. They just love to be held and in turn you get your socks blessed off by their affection. In Genesis 1 God creates humankind in His own image and puts everything in place to sustain humankind. When we are complete in Him, it changes the way we see others. The poor, the unworthy, the sinner and me. We are all created in the image of God. We are all capable of corresponding with God. To me, this responsibility as an image bearer can no longer be evaded. Because of this we have a responsibility to clothe and feed the poor and the hungry and it is no longer an option to not interfere. The selfish life of just grappling to get all you can and horde it for yourself is very unfulfilling and it is truly more blessed to give than to receive. All this seems to be slowly falling into place for me as I am making the choice to live for something greater than myself. Faith comes from hearing, not from having heard, thank the Lord. So I am daily just trying to hear. To many of you this may seem such a simple concept and you have already mastered it. I just seem to do things the hard way and have to so something drastic like go to Mozambique to find the meaning of life.
I am in class from 8-3ish with a break for rice and beans in between. Classes have been great. I really thirst for more education and knowledge. I know that two months of this is going to be great for me and I will do my best to share what I am learning. After class we have free time, but this seems to always be consumed with some activity or another. I am trying to run here, but it is difficult. I have to run with someone and running outside the base can be dangerous. Most people head to the beach and that is my plan this afternoon. I still have not found the reef.
One of my main questions I want answered is “Can a nation change”?. I know you must be thinking that surely I had already answered that one, but no, I question everything and have to see it for myself. So this is the journey that I am on and the question I ponder every day. We are called as His disciples and to be His hands and feet. And that is why I am here. God will certainly have to do the work, I am just a vessel. I step out in faith, believing that God can change the hearts of the people and that they will see His love and realize that He is the one, true living God and no other god can satisfy. It seems insane that I am here to share in this message when I am daily learning it myself. My trust and faith is still growing. “Unless He in you makes the suffering your own you can’t intercede for them; you will never touch the throne unless you send up that real cry; words don’t count at all“ - Rees Howells
I am doing my best to intercede, lay down my life so that I can finally live, and searching for the well of everlasting joy. I am grateful for your prayers and your interest in me and my journey.
I will blog as often as I can, but may be Wednesday’s only. I will check e-mail then and write you back if I can. We are limited on time and the internet is dial-up and terribly slow. Love, love, love..
Here I am once again, pondering, always pondering. I think too much. All week I am thinking about what I am to say to all of you. First of all I still remain humbled and amazed by the generosity of my friends and family. Thank you all for your prayers and donations. I am so blessed. I am very content here, despite the conditions. It is a simple life and I don’t miss Atlanta traffic and the things that life in the States contains.
I wake up each morning at 5 to watch the sunrise. Breakfast is served around 7 and consists of the sweetest tea you ever tasted. Yes, sweeter than our tea in the south. We also get a large homemade roll. Right now I am having this out on our back porch watching others scurry to the kitchen. I am enjoying our little community of students, all ages, all backgrounds, various countries. There is a fullness within interpersonal relationships and this communal living. Our society stresses independence and self-reliance and I am a prime example. What a relief to live a life where we can depend on each other and no longer feel that we have to live in isolation.
I am daily humbled by the lifestyle of the people here and the joy on their faces. The people of Mozambique are very polite and friendly. We have not had running water and have had to haul water from a well, wash clothes by hand and burn our own trash. I cannot imagine having to prepare my own food or care for children in this environment and am honestly just really grateful I don’t have to. The kids are amazing. There is no racism in their hearts, animosity, resentment or hatred. They just love to be held and in turn you get your socks blessed off by their affection. In Genesis 1 God creates humankind in His own image and puts everything in place to sustain humankind. When we are complete in Him, it changes the way we see others. The poor, the unworthy, the sinner and me. We are all created in the image of God. We are all capable of corresponding with God. To me, this responsibility as an image bearer can no longer be evaded. Because of this we have a responsibility to clothe and feed the poor and the hungry and it is no longer an option to not interfere. The selfish life of just grappling to get all you can and horde it for yourself is very unfulfilling and it is truly more blessed to give than to receive. All this seems to be slowly falling into place for me as I am making the choice to live for something greater than myself. Faith comes from hearing, not from having heard, thank the Lord. So I am daily just trying to hear. To many of you this may seem such a simple concept and you have already mastered it. I just seem to do things the hard way and have to so something drastic like go to Mozambique to find the meaning of life.
I am in class from 8-3ish with a break for rice and beans in between. Classes have been great. I really thirst for more education and knowledge. I know that two months of this is going to be great for me and I will do my best to share what I am learning. After class we have free time, but this seems to always be consumed with some activity or another. I am trying to run here, but it is difficult. I have to run with someone and running outside the base can be dangerous. Most people head to the beach and that is my plan this afternoon. I still have not found the reef.
One of my main questions I want answered is “Can a nation change”?. I know you must be thinking that surely I had already answered that one, but no, I question everything and have to see it for myself. So this is the journey that I am on and the question I ponder every day. We are called as His disciples and to be His hands and feet. And that is why I am here. God will certainly have to do the work, I am just a vessel. I step out in faith, believing that God can change the hearts of the people and that they will see His love and realize that He is the one, true living God and no other god can satisfy. It seems insane that I am here to share in this message when I am daily learning it myself. My trust and faith is still growing. “Unless He in you makes the suffering your own you can’t intercede for them; you will never touch the throne unless you send up that real cry; words don’t count at all“ - Rees Howells
I am doing my best to intercede, lay down my life so that I can finally live, and searching for the well of everlasting joy. I am grateful for your prayers and your interest in me and my journey.
I will blog as often as I can, but may be Wednesday’s only. I will check e-mail then and write you back if I can. We are limited on time and the internet is dial-up and terribly slow. Love, love, love..
Friday, June 8, 2007
Still in awe
It is only the second day of class and I have already been completely undone and seen so much. As I mentioned earlier, the trip here was a complete and total nightmare. But, as soon as we landed I knew that I was precisely where I was supposed to be.
As for Pemba, it is amazing. It is a beautiful place on the Indian Ocean. The Mozambicans are very friendly and kind. It is very African, with all the smells and lots of dirt. The water is clear and I hear there is a reef somewhere and am determined to find it for snorkeling. The Iris Base here in Pemba is beautiful. We have simple mud houses that are pretty primitive, no air conditioning and no water. It is a three bedroom house that will house 10 people. There are currently 9 of us and I am in a room with 4 girls. I got the top bunk. There is a center for orphaned children right behind our house and a large cafeteria. So, there are tons of kids running around all the time. Words cannot describe what the cafeteria is like. Well, maybe they can. Hot, loud, stinky and lots of flies. They weren’t kidding when they said every meal was rice and beans. That has been the staple so far. But it is really not that bad. Today we had rice and stinky boney fish.
Class has been amazing so far. Instead of being something you dread, it is really something I look forward to. We have Portuguese language instruction each morning. Yesterday the guest speaker was Bill Johnson, author of When Heaven Invades Earth and Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind. He spoke on the fullness of God and how “greater is He that is in me, than He that is in the world”.
Following class we went to town. I have so many new found friends. I went with Alon who is from Orlando, married and soon moving with his wife and son to Uganda. They have sold their belongings and are renting out their house and going straight to Uganda after the school. We took a little boy from Iris with us who speaks very good English, to help us with translation. It was a good thing. At the bank, the teller thought 20 dollar bills were 200’s and gave us thousands of dollars. We would not have known the difference unless Jamie had been with us. There are 27 Meticas in 1 US dollar. I bought a cell phone for really cheap so CALL ME!! You can get international calling cards anywhere, just make sure they include Mozambique, my number is 011 258 827415198. Cool huh? Or text messaging will work too. I am not sure how much it cost to send an international text message in the states, can’t be too bad and it is really cheap for me to get them.
Today was incredible. I got up at 5:00 to watch the sunrise and went snorkeling (still looking for the best spot). Classes started at 8:30. JoAnn McFadden is leading our music each morning for the next several weeks. She is supposedly someone well-known, but I have never heard of her. Leslie Ann Leighton is our main teacher and she spoke this morning. She spoke about the nature of the church being missions for all and that it should not just be a “tag on” as it is often considered. She also spoke about Israel in the wilderness and how it was designed by God to be an “inconvenient alter call”. The wilderness (and Africa) is a perfect place to become face to face with God because you cannot survive otherwise. Dr. Heidi Baker spoke after lunch. We dedicated a new medical truck donated by an American doctor and then she allowed us to ask her questions. She spoke about being yielded and having intimacy with God being the only way she can survive.
During our free time this afternoon I went to the Prayer House. It is a beautiful thatched roof hut that is large and open with a nice granite walkway and flooring. It is on top of the hill and overlooks the Pemba base and the ocean. The view is breathtaking. There was a constant breeze and for the first time in several days, I was not burning up. It is a beautiful place to go and soak and be alone with God, it is a presence and feeling that no one could escape.
As for me, I am loving it here. I know that this is where I am supposed to be and although I still have over two months to go, I know that I will not want to leave. I am getting to know my house mates and am enjoying having these young girls around. I am meeting so many people from all over the world. Even a couple from Dallas, Georgia! I am just completely and utterly content. I love this life of waking up in my little mud house, with all my roommates, sneaking outside at dusk to watch the sunrise and then walking down to the beach to swim out and snorkel. Then spending the afternoon under a huge striped tent, in the dirt before God. The students were all hand selected to be here. I have heard they have had 10,000 applicants. That sounds like a bit much, but that’s what I was told. So we all know that our applications were prayed over and that it was not by our words or random selection that we were chosen.
The orphans are a bit overwhelming. Just constantly kids everywhere, they crawl up in your lap and speak broken English with you. They just enjoy being held and hugged and I enjoy holding them. I hope in the future I will be better able to describe to you what all of this is like. I simply stand in awe. You just have to see this place yourself to understand. I am still trying to digest it all myself. I will try to do better and report more soon. I am dirty and sweaty and stinky, but so is everyone else. Email is terribly slow, but I would love to hear from you. Call if you can!
Love,
Jena
PSGod is living today expecially among the poor. The poor are close to God's heart and we need to get God's heart. If we are not physically poor, then we must enter the world of the poor, live with them and learn tosee with their eyes. Onc we hav made the 'option for the poor', it often is a surprise to find that the poor are our missionaries because they teachus with their lives what it is to be Christian. This is mission in reverse; so the masters become disciples, the speaker's hearers and the givers become receivers. - G. Campese
It is only the second day of class and I have already been completely undone and seen so much. As I mentioned earlier, the trip here was a complete and total nightmare. But, as soon as we landed I knew that I was precisely where I was supposed to be.
As for Pemba, it is amazing. It is a beautiful place on the Indian Ocean. The Mozambicans are very friendly and kind. It is very African, with all the smells and lots of dirt. The water is clear and I hear there is a reef somewhere and am determined to find it for snorkeling. The Iris Base here in Pemba is beautiful. We have simple mud houses that are pretty primitive, no air conditioning and no water. It is a three bedroom house that will house 10 people. There are currently 9 of us and I am in a room with 4 girls. I got the top bunk. There is a center for orphaned children right behind our house and a large cafeteria. So, there are tons of kids running around all the time. Words cannot describe what the cafeteria is like. Well, maybe they can. Hot, loud, stinky and lots of flies. They weren’t kidding when they said every meal was rice and beans. That has been the staple so far. But it is really not that bad. Today we had rice and stinky boney fish.
Class has been amazing so far. Instead of being something you dread, it is really something I look forward to. We have Portuguese language instruction each morning. Yesterday the guest speaker was Bill Johnson, author of When Heaven Invades Earth and Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind. He spoke on the fullness of God and how “greater is He that is in me, than He that is in the world”.
Following class we went to town. I have so many new found friends. I went with Alon who is from Orlando, married and soon moving with his wife and son to Uganda. They have sold their belongings and are renting out their house and going straight to Uganda after the school. We took a little boy from Iris with us who speaks very good English, to help us with translation. It was a good thing. At the bank, the teller thought 20 dollar bills were 200’s and gave us thousands of dollars. We would not have known the difference unless Jamie had been with us. There are 27 Meticas in 1 US dollar. I bought a cell phone for really cheap so CALL ME!! You can get international calling cards anywhere, just make sure they include Mozambique, my number is 011 258 827415198. Cool huh? Or text messaging will work too. I am not sure how much it cost to send an international text message in the states, can’t be too bad and it is really cheap for me to get them.
Today was incredible. I got up at 5:00 to watch the sunrise and went snorkeling (still looking for the best spot). Classes started at 8:30. JoAnn McFadden is leading our music each morning for the next several weeks. She is supposedly someone well-known, but I have never heard of her. Leslie Ann Leighton is our main teacher and she spoke this morning. She spoke about the nature of the church being missions for all and that it should not just be a “tag on” as it is often considered. She also spoke about Israel in the wilderness and how it was designed by God to be an “inconvenient alter call”. The wilderness (and Africa) is a perfect place to become face to face with God because you cannot survive otherwise. Dr. Heidi Baker spoke after lunch. We dedicated a new medical truck donated by an American doctor and then she allowed us to ask her questions. She spoke about being yielded and having intimacy with God being the only way she can survive.
During our free time this afternoon I went to the Prayer House. It is a beautiful thatched roof hut that is large and open with a nice granite walkway and flooring. It is on top of the hill and overlooks the Pemba base and the ocean. The view is breathtaking. There was a constant breeze and for the first time in several days, I was not burning up. It is a beautiful place to go and soak and be alone with God, it is a presence and feeling that no one could escape.
As for me, I am loving it here. I know that this is where I am supposed to be and although I still have over two months to go, I know that I will not want to leave. I am getting to know my house mates and am enjoying having these young girls around. I am meeting so many people from all over the world. Even a couple from Dallas, Georgia! I am just completely and utterly content. I love this life of waking up in my little mud house, with all my roommates, sneaking outside at dusk to watch the sunrise and then walking down to the beach to swim out and snorkel. Then spending the afternoon under a huge striped tent, in the dirt before God. The students were all hand selected to be here. I have heard they have had 10,000 applicants. That sounds like a bit much, but that’s what I was told. So we all know that our applications were prayed over and that it was not by our words or random selection that we were chosen.
The orphans are a bit overwhelming. Just constantly kids everywhere, they crawl up in your lap and speak broken English with you. They just enjoy being held and hugged and I enjoy holding them. I hope in the future I will be better able to describe to you what all of this is like. I simply stand in awe. You just have to see this place yourself to understand. I am still trying to digest it all myself. I will try to do better and report more soon. I am dirty and sweaty and stinky, but so is everyone else. Email is terribly slow, but I would love to hear from you. Call if you can!
Love,
Jena
PSGod is living today expecially among the poor. The poor are close to God's heart and we need to get God's heart. If we are not physically poor, then we must enter the world of the poor, live with them and learn tosee with their eyes. Onc we hav made the 'option for the poor', it often is a surprise to find that the poor are our missionaries because they teachus with their lives what it is to be Christian. This is mission in reverse; so the masters become disciples, the speaker's hearers and the givers become receivers. - G. Campese
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
I'm Home!
It was an incredibly hard trip over here. The long layovers were very tiring and I was more than exhausted and frustrated. I started to even get homesick already!!! And began to, for the first time, doubt myself. I just started to feel that I was making a huge mistake. However, when I stepped off the plane onto the ground in Africa, I knew I was home. I am supposed to be here. I love everything about it. The smells are overwhelming, but I even missed that too.
The children are amazing, they are everywhere and they hang all over you. I am quite rushed as I am at the internet cafe and with others who are leaving. So, I will promise to do a better update soon. I will write emails from home on a roommates computer and simply upload and add later. But for now, it's hot and stinky and the bathrooms are gross. The shower situation is worse than I thought. I am hoping to buy cleaning supplies and get to work. The problem is that everything is dirt and everything just stays dirty. Also, you can't flush toilet paper, which is just a small technicality.
As for the school, Bill Johnson with Bethel Church in California, preached this morning and it was amazing. Words cannot even describe it. I will try to write more and upload it when my minutes are not ticking away. I have purchased a Mozambican cell phone and will post my phone number. I can text message you! So, get those international calling cards and call me! The phone has to charge so I will post when I can, maybe tomorrow. We are pretty much in classes every day from 8-5. The cafeteria would blow your mind. Tons of sweaty kids and everyone eating rice and beans with their hands. I don't know if I can continue that diet forever and am looking for alternatives. But it is good rice and beans, just don't want to get all blown up from that much white rice.
So, pray that the living conditions will be tolerable. Specifically, the bathroom and shower situations. It is just hard to feel clean rinsing in a bucket that is already dirty water. I don't mind being dirty, just don't want to get the funk.
Also, pray that my living with 10 other people will be good. I am used to having the remote. So it is a little awkard to jump into this communal living. I am making friends though and have met some amazing people, and some from Georgia too!
I will create a good posting tonight and update on my next arrival into town and will have my phone number posted. We are 6 or 7 hours ahead of you.
Also, the school ends on August 12th I think, so there is a possibility I may come home a few days earlier than expected. The house is rented until the 16th so I may be in need of a place to stay. I will just see closer to time, the possible costs, if any for changing my flight.
Will update soon. Pray for grace and patience.
Love,
Jena
PS Beach is amazing. I got in the water a bit this morning. Hope to snorkel in the morning. We cannot go out alone and I haven't found an early rising snorkel partner just yet.
The children are amazing, they are everywhere and they hang all over you. I am quite rushed as I am at the internet cafe and with others who are leaving. So, I will promise to do a better update soon. I will write emails from home on a roommates computer and simply upload and add later. But for now, it's hot and stinky and the bathrooms are gross. The shower situation is worse than I thought. I am hoping to buy cleaning supplies and get to work. The problem is that everything is dirt and everything just stays dirty. Also, you can't flush toilet paper, which is just a small technicality.
As for the school, Bill Johnson with Bethel Church in California, preached this morning and it was amazing. Words cannot even describe it. I will try to write more and upload it when my minutes are not ticking away. I have purchased a Mozambican cell phone and will post my phone number. I can text message you! So, get those international calling cards and call me! The phone has to charge so I will post when I can, maybe tomorrow. We are pretty much in classes every day from 8-5. The cafeteria would blow your mind. Tons of sweaty kids and everyone eating rice and beans with their hands. I don't know if I can continue that diet forever and am looking for alternatives. But it is good rice and beans, just don't want to get all blown up from that much white rice.
So, pray that the living conditions will be tolerable. Specifically, the bathroom and shower situations. It is just hard to feel clean rinsing in a bucket that is already dirty water. I don't mind being dirty, just don't want to get the funk.
Also, pray that my living with 10 other people will be good. I am used to having the remote. So it is a little awkard to jump into this communal living. I am making friends though and have met some amazing people, and some from Georgia too!
I will create a good posting tonight and update on my next arrival into town and will have my phone number posted. We are 6 or 7 hours ahead of you.
Also, the school ends on August 12th I think, so there is a possibility I may come home a few days earlier than expected. The house is rented until the 16th so I may be in need of a place to stay. I will just see closer to time, the possible costs, if any for changing my flight.
Will update soon. Pray for grace and patience.
Love,
Jena
PS Beach is amazing. I got in the water a bit this morning. Hope to snorkel in the morning. We cannot go out alone and I haven't found an early rising snorkel partner just yet.
Monday, June 4, 2007
London
I am in London. Can't check luggage till 4:00 and it is 12:00 so I am miserable. I can't go into the main part of the airport and I am stuck out in a dingy lobby. I could not go in to meet with the rest of the group. Found a place to pay to store luggage and it was expensive. Found a Hilton and came here to use internet. Have luggage with consierge and I pray it doesn't cost a ton. I have five minutes left on my 15 minutes...that cost 6 dollars! I am fine otherwise. Exhausted from lack of sleep...hot and sweaty from lugging baggage. Anxious to meet up with group and have someone to talk to. Not hungry but guess I need to eat here to justify the luggage storage...All out of sorts. Will report again when I can. Leaving London tonight at 7 to fly to Dar Es Salaam- really long flight, will be taking ambien.
Will write again when I can.
Will write again when I can.
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