Weekend Away

The team meeting Rabia, a very close Mama to us

Having a TEAM is something we've always longed for. We enjoy our life here in Moz but at times it would be so amazing to have another family, or another person, to talk to and walk through some of the hard stuff with. While this may not be a reality for now, we pray that God will give us an incredible TEAM in the coming years. 

For now, we have a group of YWAM folks from Mexico (one from Ireland!) and we are loving having a team around. There is something so different about collaboration, especially with people who have lived outside of their home country for quite some time. 

The church is building a community center!

I find that working with others who challenge you, point you back to God, and renew your faith in humanity, are the best kind of people. This team has been all that, and more. 

They've taught us so much, and the knowledge & grace they bring wherever they teach has been so fun to see. Our communities are excited for more in-depth Bible teachings, and it also gives us an opportunity to step back and enjoy being with the people we have come to know & love. 

Leaders & Pastors in the area churches

Last weekend, we traveled to a small village about 3 hours away. This village is one of my favorite places to be. The people are simple, welcoming, and so eager to learn. They also have creative ways of caring for the many orphaned kiddos in their area. They work together, and they work HARD. This community is one of the hardest working I've ever seen.

We spent two beautiful days dancing, laughing, listening to our team teach an awesome overview of the Bible (in just 2 days!), and of course, enjoying some of the village cuisine we've come to love.

The people truly welcomed our visitors as if they were just an extension of their own family. I hope I can learn to someday love as unconditionally, freely and openly as these people do. Their spirit of hospitality is like no other.

While it was hot, tiring, and the drive was dusty, massive cashew trees provided us with shade for our team to teach. The trees made for a great picnic area, too, as long as you remembered to dodge the falling cashew fruit when the wind blew!

And, Phil & I are finally getting to try interpreting. It's not easy - but I've learned so much more in the last 2 weeks than I have in months. Portuguese isn't difficult, but it takes practice & study time. I'll definitely be adding study time back into my schedule in 2019!

JoJo's first time NOT crying with Mama Rabia

We had a few great adventures. Well, going to the bathroom outside is always an adventure! But there were a few others, too.

We saw a huge black mamba in the middle of the road as we were driving out of the village. We scared it and it literally JUMPED about a foot & a half off the ground. I'd never seen a snake do that before!

We also pulled over on the side of the road to ask a family for one of their beautiful mangoes. When we pulled over and the family saw all the white people in the car, they took off running. We waited a few minutes, and their neighbor came out laughing!

Because of past unrest and civil war that really wasn't that long ago, many people still have fear of anything that doesn't look normal in their part of the world. And we white folks were not an every day sight.

In the end, the family came back out of hiding, laughed, shook Phil's hand, offered us a sack of mangoes, and we traded for a few loaves of sweet bread & sweets we had in the car. We all laughed and drove off feeling grateful that things in Mozambique have truly changed.

Our first weekend out of town went beautifully. We travel again tomorrow, and though we're tired, I know I'm excited to see our other church families, too. (We MIGHT get to see Estonio, TOO!)

Please pray for us as we head out EARLY tomorrow morning, to try and beat the sun & heat.

And if you like what you see & you enjoy our updates, don't forget that Giving Tuesday is only 4 days away! This global day of giving encourages everyone around the world to GIVE to NGOs and nonprofits, just like us.

So, mark your calendar, or if you're like me and you forget everything, do it now. You can give on our website: www.heartfortheneedy.org

Too hot to teach in the sun, so we used the car to hang the props

If you get your donation in BEFORE Tuesday, you'll be entered TWICE to win a beautiful gift basket from my home-town coffee shop, Durango Joes!

Thanks for listening, well - reading, I guess. As always, we love you and appreciate you more than you know.

Hugs,

Laura