Darkness is no match for Light!!
This past week we heard the news of yet another horrific attack on innocent civilians in the Cabo Delgado Province of Mozambique (About 2 days drive North of the mission). More than 50 people were beheaded by Islamist militants, an act too gruesome to imagine and hardly one anyone wants to even write or talk about! As a side note, it is the BBC that reported these as Islamic. The unfortunate reality of human existence is that evil exists in the world. Some may struggle to believe in a God, but it would be hard for any normal person to say that this kind of behaviour is not pure evil! And as smarter people than me have pointed out, if there is pure evil, then why not pure good! The Bible clearly declares God is good…”You are good, and what you do is good!” declares the Psalmist (Ps119:68).
One would think that while living through a global pandemic, where the entire world is almost shut down to try and protect life, this would be the natural inclination of human beings everywhere! Clearly not! I am not an expert on the matter, but it is likely that human beings have killed more human beings in the history of the race than any plague or pandemic! For reference research how many people have died in Syria alone due to the war there over the past few years!
In any case, my spirit cries out from within me these days in ways it has not for many years… “In this darkness we have a chance to bring light. And because there is so much and such intense darkness, it does not take a lot of light to make a difference. Just a glimmer will bring hope!” So lets shine, not because we are trying to show people how good we are, but as an expression of gratitude and generosity to God’s amazing grace in our lives. A God who pours out on us, what we simply don’t deserve…forgiveness, unconditional love, peace, courage, compassion and even joy in the madness, desires that these flow through us to a hurting world.
Thank you to all of you who light the light in your corner of the world. And thank you for your generous support for us as we continue to do that here in Mozambique. Yes, somethings have been shut down due to Covid 19, but we are presented with opportunities every single day to bring light, to show love and are so thankful that you are giving us the prayer and support so we can keep doing this!
In the past few weeks we have celebrated some important moments…
We hosted all of our monitors (leaders in training who are training others), for an intensive training time over the past two weeks. And although it required social distancing and masks and lots of hand washing, the time was very special. Pastor Paulo shared the story of how God gave him a dream that resulted in him giving His life to Christ and how he then got to know the mission and graduated from our training. He is now a pastor and trainer helping others. Pray those lost souls in the North perpetuating hatred and fear that God would grant them dreams and voices that would halt their evil and this misery!
We were blessed to have 5 mature pastors take 2 full days to work with us through the counselling course material which will enable us to finalize a Pastoral Counselling course for our leaders. Shannon with an MA in Christian Counselling has brought her wisdom to this project and is heading it up. Although culture has a significant impact on how issues are approached, people are people across cultures and social strata and God’s Word can bring light, and freedom and hope as His people are equipped to share it.
Following are some pictures of the training center area with its new entry way, side-walk to the bathrooms and craft room and new thatched dining area our students constructed just before our training times. Once the palm trees grow, we anticipate it will take on the feel of an oasis for body, soul and spirit!
Packing orphan Christmas packs is always a big job but one done with joy knowing how much joy it will bring to these orphan children who receive them. We have enough packs to bless three communities this year and will be distributing to two of these this coming week. Thank you to all who give through our Unique Christmas Gifts program.
Lynn and Chelsea, along with our health worker Simon, responded yet again to another bad case of malaria. Thankfully Elias recovered well and is so grateful!
We were grateful for an early rain that filled our river reservoir to overflowing ensuring plenty of water to finish off the irrigation of the mission litchie crop and ensure the vegetable production has lots of water until the real rains come.
Finally, Josh and Chelsea made it to South Africa where he is starting his orthodontic and jaw treatment thanks to all who gave so generously. Not only so, but the mission re-registration and all of our missionary residence documentation has now been officially renewed!!
Wherever darkness intrudes, the light drives out! “Let your light so shine before men…”