Women’s Craft Center
We rejoice that the craft center, which will be used by the women’s literacy program, is well underway in Mozambique. This building will provide a place for conducting hand crafts training for women’s program leaders, as well as house a crafts shop for the mission where hand-made items from the various programs can be sold.
Women’s Craft Center foundation walls
Women’s class being conducted outdoors in the shade.
The women’s literacy program has experienced tremendous growth, and the craft center will greatly facilitate the work and training of women.
The partnership with Love Mozambique South Africa (support from churches and sponsors in South Africa through Francois and Alta Rauch) has made progress on this craft center possible.
Health Home Visits
Health concerns at some of the new orphan homes kept health workers busier than usual over the past few weeks as they have accompanied Heather Neufeld on visits to these homes. One of the more elderly grannies, who cares for her orphaned grandchildren, complained of stroke-like symptoms so Heather and Celestino (pictured below) went to the home to do an assessment, provide care, and pray for her.
This granny’s eyesight is poor and she is hard of hearing, and yet she was the only one left to provide care for her orphaned grandchildren. Here, one of the children helps Celestino (health worker) ask questions by repeating them loudly into her ear.
As a routine part of all home visits, especially where a family member is sick, there is a time of prayer.
Providing basic health services to these grannies and the orphans they care for is a tremendous source of encouragement and hope where they had no other recourse before. When they first join the mission’s orphan program, they’re often in a poor state of health because of the extreme difficulty of their circumstances and poverty coupled with poor access to health care services. What a privilege it is to be able to minister to the needs of those who are so vulnerable!
We are happy to report that this granny has steadily made good progress in her recovery.
Meeting In Brazil
In the first week of March, Dwight Lagore and Bill Green left Mozambique for Brazil where they met up with Earl Trekofski.This was a wonderful opportunity for Bill Green as SAM Ministries’ new executive director to see the breadth and depth of the ministries God is using to bring change into the lives of people.
Earl Trekofski, Avelardo (serving at Mount Horeb), Bill Green
Dwight and Bill arrived just in time to participate in the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the mission in Brazil (Mount Horeb). Earl had been in Brazil for a month already serving with the team there in a variety of ways.
Bill Green sharing with the Mount Horeb board
Besides the AGM being an important time in regard to the organizational structure of the mission, the past year’s ministry successes and challenges were also shared. Opportunities for the new year were discussed and the attending members had a chance to contribute. It’s a real privilege to be able to partner with people who God has raised up and burdened to make a change in lives.
A Providential Meeting
“As Bill Green and I awaited boarding our flight to Beira Mozambique, I was amazed by the new departure gates for destinations in the region from Johannesburg International Airport. We were tired after the long flights from Edmonton through Chicago on to Sao Paulo, Brazil. And then after a rather tense layover, not being sure of our onward flight, we had just endured the 10 and a half hour over-water flight to Johannesburg from Brazil. We were already a day behind schedule due to our first flight from Edmonton being cancelled. After spending the better part of the day in the Edmonton airport, we were assured the airline would get us on flights the next day, but the travel agent was not as sure about it. Needless to say, this had added some additional stress to this already long trip.
Unique Christmas Gifts For Mozambique
Five new desks were purchased for the school in Mozambique this week from donations given towards Unique Christmas Gifts. These five desks are a very welcome addition to others that have been given over the years, but we will need even more desks since enrollment has increased significantly! Higher enrollment has also put more pressure on our feeding program, and we have had to increase our monthly food purchases in order to keep up.
The Mucombeze pastor’s association celebrated the official delivery of a plow this week. These association pastors are enrolled in the mission’s leadership training program and these gifts will greatly increase the production of the food needed to help feed widows and orphans in their churches and communities. It will also enable better nutrition for their own families as well. Two cows were purchased and delivered earlier this month.
Please pray with us as we serve the educational and nutritional needs of children, and as we partner with local pastors to meet people’s needs in the rural area of Mucombeze!
February 26th Update–Dwight Lagore And Bill Green
The Annual General Meeting in Mozambique took place on Saturday last week. It was a full day and a good day with many encouraging reports shared of the year’s activities.
Bill Green sharing with the Mozambique mission board and members.
Front left to right: Heather Neufeld, Alta and Francois Rauch, Barb and Ron Wayner, Tome Mairose, Dwight Lagore, Pedro Chada, Bill Green. Back left to right: Rick Neufeld, Ricardo Oliveira, Matthew Fernando, Andy Kuret, Joao Benjamim, Simon Nicolau, Celestino Massaule.
On Sunday, Dwight and Bill visited a church in the nearby community of Pina. Dwight shared the following:
“Today we went to church in Pina, at Pastor Mafuta’s church. He is one of our graduates who now heads up 5 churches [which he started]. I was so impressed by the church. It was full from stem to stern and the testimonies shared were significant–people sharing the week’s happenings and how they saw God at work. Bill shared a personal testimony about his sister who was born with Down’s Syndrome and how despite the challenges she faced, at age 18 she won 7 gold medals in the Special Olympics and later won top female athlete of Saskatchewan. He shared what an incredible blessing this child was to the whole family and how thankful they were to have had her in their lives.
Two young ladies committed their lives to Christ after the message, so it was a great morning. Last Sunday was also good and after Joao shared at that church (Pastor Mairosse’s church), 5 gave their lives to Christ. They had the last two weeks’ converts come up and there were around 12 or 13 that came up to be welcomed into the church.”
Their time in Mozambique has gone by quickly, and today, Dwight Lagore and Bill Green leave for Brazil to join Earl Trekofski and the team there. We pray for safe travels for them!
Leadership Visits To Brazil And Mozambique
Farewells were said at two separate Canadian airports last week as Dwight Lagore and Bill Green headed to Mozambique, and Earl Trekofski left for Brazil.
One of the objectives for the trips is to attend the Annual General Meetings (AGMs) which will be held over the next few weeks at both locations. This is an important time where the fields report on the previous year’s activities and those planned for the year to come. It is also a time to enjoy fellowship and strengthen ties.
Dwight and Bill will spend 2 weeks in Mozambique during which time they will attend the AGM. It is the first trip for Bill (Executive Director) to Mozambique, so he will experience first-hand the activities on that field. They will then join Earl Trekofski in Brazil for a week where they will attend the Brazil field’s AGM and visit current projects there as well.
Earl’s departure from Kelowna Airport, Feb. 18th.
(Earl and Ruth Trekofski)
Dwight and Bill’s farewell at Edmonton Int’l Airport, Feb. 13th.
(Patti and Bill Green, Amanda, Dwight, Arthur, Lynn, Gladie, and Steve Lagore)
Dwight and Bill got off to a bumpy start on Monday as their first flight was cancelled. Thankfully they were able to reschedule all their flights for the following day and have since arrived safely in Mozambique.
On a tour of the base, checking progress on staff housing construction (Rick and Heather’s house).
(Rick, Tendai, Dwight, and Bill)
Connecting with kids in the sponsorship program.
(Bill, Joao, and students)
At the time of writing this post, Earl was still in transit to Brazil and we trust for his safe arrival at his destination as well. The next few weeks will be full, busy weeks for these men so your prayers are appreciated as they travel to all the places they must go and encourage the many people they will be in contact with!
More Orphan Homes Receive Help
The Amigo Orphan program continues to grow and we are excited to report that six more orphan children have been added to the program this week. There is never a shortage of homes needing help and sponsorship! Heather Neufeld, accompanied by Pastor Mariano and Matthew Fernando, visited the new homes recently to get better acquainted with the families, to pray with them, and to take some pictures.
Sponsorship is given to grannies caring for orphans in their home. This is one of the new grannies inside her mud hut.
Pastor Mariano, who has a servant heart and a passion for ministering to people, bows his head to pray for a new orphan home. Pastor Mariano’s primary responsibility is working with this program.
What a privilege it is to serve homes and families who love and support one another.
If you are interested in orphan sponsorship, please visit our Orphan Sponsorship page.
Hangar Walls And Roof Complete
A big celebration was held recently to commemorate the completion of the hangar walls and roof in Mozambique. SAM Ministries was blessed by the tremendous team effort by partnering organization, Mercy Air, the Harderwyk team from the U.S.A., and the Mozambican staff in putting up the hangar structure over the past few months.
The hangar walls and roof complete with wind sock.
Work remaining includes a concrete floor.
Harderwyk Team and Mozambican staff
Barbara Wayner writes: “We are thanking the Lord for [good progress made on] the building which will serve the Lord and the people of southern Africa for many generations to come. We also celebrated protection from injury and from the sun. It was 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher most days, that’s one reason the guys and the team started working at 5:00 a.m.. Wow, that is early but it’s cooler too!
Celebrating in Africa means dancing and singing.
[And eating food, too.]
The hangar is a testimony of the Lord’s love and faithfulness through His people, both through those who have supported the work with their prayers, finances and expertise, and those who came to Mozambique to erect the building.
The day the hangar walls and roof were complete, the windows of heaven opened with rain. Rain represents the Lord’s blessings and in Africa we understand the blessing of the rain to a greater degree. The people have been praying for rain for their crops, they need more rain. Please pray with them that the Lord will bless them with more rain and they will know it is from Him, not from the rain god but from Jehovah Jireh, the Creator and sustainer of the universe!
Thank you Jesus for the privilege of knowing you and being set free by You!
Blessed to be a blessing!
Barb”
Partnerships And Furlough News
There is little more exciting than watching people who have chosen to give themselves to partner with God in His amazing work of rescuing people from the destructive influences of a messed up world! We had the privilege over the weekend to be with two churches as well as a number of families and individuals who are supporting or who have started to partner with SAM Ministries to give people a chance!
Saturday we had the fun of sharing lunch and a good afternoon visit with Suzanne and Andrew and their new little arrival, Emmit. Suzanne has led a number of nursing teams to Mozambique and this past year she brought Andrew out to meet us…that is after marrying him. We had the fun of giving them an African wedding ceremony while they were there and our prayers of blessing and good will paid off with the arrival of little Emmit only a month ago. Both Suzanne and Andrew are amazing people with big hearts and we were honored by their willingness to drive so far to enable this reunion.
Sunday morning we started out in Westerose, Alberta where we worshiped and shared with a great group of people who have been partners in this effort for many years now. Their faithful support, prayers and encouragement is characteristic of so many churches and individuals who God is using to make this mission happen.
Todd Green, a columnist and an auto mechanic’s instructor (thegrumpymechanic) at SAIT in Calgary, Alberta Canada, invited us along with Rick Cogbill of Mercy Tech Mission to share with his church about the vocational training started in Mozambique and the need for the maintenance facility presently under construction. As Todd shared his experience and the impact his encounter with Mozambique had made on his life, it was clear that yet again God had recruited another ambassador to represent the needs of people He deeply cares for.
Rick Cogbill, founder of Mercy Tech Mission, who is in a new phase in his journey of faith (along with his dear wife Nan and family), inspired us all to keep digging ditches (an illustration from a Bible story in 2Kings 3:16 ) so God could fill them with His provision to meet not only our needs, but the needs of those who need to be set free from the enemy of their souls! Rick traveled to Calgary for the weekend from Summerland and had the chance to share in a church in Okotokes as well.
Thanks to all the churches and good friends who have opened their homes and hearts to us over this past month.
