This is Part One of the story.  At the end of it there is a link to Part Two.

Last night I dreamed of children.

I heard people praying, crying out to God with their whole being in Mecua and Portuguese, desperate for a touch from Him.

I listened to worship that moved the heart of God and brought me to tears.

I saw poverty and lack and a spiritual depth in the midst of suffering that I did not know was possible and I wept for the Western Church that knows little of such things.

Last night I dreamed of Africa and woke with a longing in my heart.
]]> http://mozambiquemission.wordpress.com/2008/07/18/last-night/feed/ 1 theanswerorg http://mozambiquemission.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/first-photos-from-mozambique/ http://mozambiquemission.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/first-photos-from-mozambique/#comments Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:32:50 +0000 theanswerorg http://mozambiquemission.wordpress.com/?p=47 ]]> I have posted a few of the many photos from the Mozambique Mission.  You can access them here – http://www.theanswer.org/mozambique/missionphotos.htm

This was a life-changing time for all of the Team.  Many of us cannot wait to return!  Something about Africa just gets in your heart.  I feel strongly about Mozambique, though I am not sure at this point how, what, when, where, things will happen.  I know I would go back tomorrow were it possible.

I wish I could have taken everyone with me.   But we have tons of photos, hours of video and maybe a little of Mozambique will rub off on you?  I hope so.

THANK YOU! to everyone who helped make this trip possible.  THANK YOU! to everyone who prayed for us.  We were able to get all the supplies into Mozambique and to Iris Ministries.  And we were able to get a lot of things done on the Mission Base .. including but not limitied to: buidling a fence, constructing a water trough, fixing vehicles, repairing the water system, repairing a well, painting, teaching English, working in the sewing shop and helping with village feeding. 

I was able to go to town once and met the owner of the local grocery store and hardware, a Mr. Osman.  I had a very nice conversation with him and thoroughly enjoyed myself.  I would love to return and spend some time with him.  He is extremely knowlegable about Africa and was very helpful to us.

We spent two very nice days in Cape Town before coming home, and got some needed rest there.  The trip home was long and tiring and interestingly enough, it was in the USA that we lost our first baggage!  Three of the bags belonging to Team members did not make it through. 

We will post more in the next few days along with some photos and stories.

THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE!!

The trip from Jo-burg to here was good. South African Air did not charge us for all the overweight baggage! They weighed it out and then told us they would not charge us for it. Praise the Lord! Coming into Mozambique we had a little trouble with Customs as we had not filled out the correct forms, but that got straightened out easily enough.

We have been working on repairing some of the things around the base – leaking sinks, new showerheads, building a watering trough, moving beds, setting up bunks and just where ever things need done. We wish we had brought power tools with us!! They sure would have been helpful.

We did a village outreach to Meize, a village not too far from Pemba. It was a combined medical mission and ministry to the children. The doctor treated the sick and injured while some of the team prayed for them. Several notable miracles happened including one blind man who received his sight and a mother whose milk had dried up and could not nurse her baby.. whose milk came back instantly after prayer.

We have lots of photos we will share later. We brought 3 digital cameras and 2 of them are now broken .. but one is still working praise God.

The water in Pemba has quit working several days ago. We have been without water at the Iris base for 4 days now. Last night I took a ¨3 bottle shower”… which is a 5-Star shower when there is no water. Our latrine is a hole in ground. It is amazing how hard it is to get westerners to quit pooping in a toilet that won work and to use a latrine!

The worship here has been exciting and wonderful, even when we don´t understand the words.

The town of Pemba has a grocery store and a hardware store and quite a bit to offer if you have the money. It is not as ¨primitive¨ as it was when we were above the Arctic Circle.

I am amazed at the number of kids I have met who are traveling the world for Jesus…. young kids 20 or so. One girl from France has been literally around the world on her own. I admire their bravery and committment to the Lord.

We have lots to share but no time now to do it. I just wanted to say ¨HI¨ and let you know we are all doing OK.

Until Later

Jim

Leaving Springfield we had a number of bags over the weight limit but the folks at the Delta counter worked with us and we got it down to just 2 overweight bags.  Praise the Lord.  We had a short layover at Atlanta – enough time get something to eat, then we were off.

The flight to Dakar was 8 1/2 hours.  We stopped to refuel but could not get off the airplane.  After an hour and half on the ground we were airborn again .. for another 8 hours!  Everyone slept some during the flight – got up and walked around – visited – drank coffee and tried to not get too cramped.

After landing at Johannesburg we cleared Passport Control and then went to retreive our luggage.  After about 45 minutes we had all but one large bag of dental supplies.  We had prayer and then went looking for it.  Marlin found it on the ramp where the firearms come in.  PTL!!

We were about the last people out of the baggage area – pushing carts with all our stuff on it – and as we went through Customs they just pointed us down a hallway.  We followed along and suddenly found ourselves outside the Terminal!

I found a young lady who had the name of the Bed & Breakfast (The Dove’s Nest) where we were staying and she called for transportation for us.  About that time a number of young guys came up and asked to help with our baggage.  We told them to wait.  As we were waiting I told Twyla that they would want to be paid as they do this for money.  I neglected to warn her not to pay them until after the luggage was loaded. She gave the one young man $20 and he immediately disappeared.  Ha!  Oh well … such is life. 

Once we were loaded we were transported to the Dove’s Nest (they had to make 3 trips we had so much stuff) and got a hot meal and our rooms.  Two of the bags did not show up – Marlin’s and Debbie’s.  Jodie said “Let’s pray!” and led us in prayer. She reminded us of the angel on the luggage and said “No angel is gonna get lost!”   In a few minutes one of the young men showed up with the missing bags.  They had neglected to take them out of the trunk of the car.

We had hot showers, a good night’s rest and just now finished breakfast.  Other than discovering what few things we had neglected to pack -nothing that cannot be replaced here – we are ALL HERE!! 

Tomorrow we fly to Pemba.  Please cover the baggage with your prayers.  The Lord has not gotten us this far to drop it all now.

We will post more later as we are able.

Love and blessings

Jim

Left to right – Jodie, Azalea, Dee, Debbie, Twyla, Jim, Emily, Charlie
(not pictured – Marlin, Shiloh, Terri)

Dancing to “GOD IS MOVING IN AFRICA”

NINE!!  If you don’t count today!!

I am jazzed!   

Emily

Charlie

Dee

Twyla

Jodie & Azalea

Terri

Debbie

Practicing a skit