Leaving For Canada in a Few Days.

What a privilege is ours to partner with the King of Kings to see His Kingdom come to those who are in darkness brought into His marvellous light. We can often see that Satan is keeping people bound and enslaved to Him and in darkness through witch craft and the traditions of their forefathers. They don't know anything different until they hear about Jesus and that He came to set them free. We are seeing people set free from Satan's chains, those that were possessed by demons are now possessed by Jesus set free from Satan and living lives to the honour and glory of their Lord and Saviour.

The Lord looked down from His Holy height;

from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,

to hear the groans of the prisoners,

to set free those who were doomed to die,

that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord.

Psalm 102:19-21a

This past Sunday I was in Assumane gathered with the Christians there and as we were worshiping I was just thinking about Lucia a lady who was sitting next to me who was demon possessed and everyone in her village called her crazy. Her uncle brought her to the missionaries here for pray and she was set free. For many months she would walk three hours each way from her village to come and worship with other Christians on Sunday. Just recently some of the Christians in Assumane coordinated by Jesse(One of the missionaries here in our team) have been able to build Lucia a house and she is able to live closer to her church family. She is a godly lady and mother of four children who is living her life for the Lord. What a testimony she is of the power of our God. I was so encouraged to see her there with her children on Sunday, the Joy of the Lord on her face and to see the Lord restoring what Satan had stolen.

You will know the truth

and the truth will set you free.

John 8:32

Debbie, Lucia, Annelisa & Mikila

I have been reminded in the last few weeks of the brevity of life. Two weeks ago I drove Kevin's truck to carry the casket of Victo's two year old nephew. What a vivid reminder this was of how short life can be and the importance of redeeming the time. There is so much that can eat up my time but I must be focused on those things and people that will last for eternity. I often get very focused and have many things to do but Jesus gives me opportunities to show his love to someone through spend time with them or speak into their life if I am willing to set my schedule aside and join Him.

It is hard to think that almost nine months have gone by since I arrived here in Mozambique. Mozambique now does feel like home and it is hard for me to say that I will be going home in a few days, as Lord willing I will be flying out of Mozambique on the 13th for a visit back in Canada. I will be looking forward to returning home in a couple of months, they say "Home is where the heart is". God has placed his love in my heart for this land and these people. This past Tuesday I went again to the prison with Victo. I really love being in there and worshiping with those men. God is placing love in my heart for them that is only His and it is hard to explain, but I start to see his heart and plan for them and I want to see them catch the vision that although they have messed up God looks past that and loves them and first of all is calling them into deeper relationship with Himself so that they can be those laid down lovers who will also be partners in seeing His kingdom established here as it is in Heaven.

Me teaching in the Bible School and Victo translating

The second week of the second semester of the Bible school has just finished. Most of the same students have returned with one or two new ones. I had the chance again to teach a little this past Monday in the school. It is always a joy to be able to be apart of the journey that God has each of them. They continue to have burning desire to share the gospel and are motived by their love for the Lord to often go on their own or with another fellow student to the villages to preach the gospel. This weekend the students are going on their first outreach by them selves, a totally Mozambican team. They have been trained and they are now ready to run with the Lord and blaze new trails into the unreached villages of Mozambique.

Arise shine, for your light has come

and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

Isaiah 60:1

These last two weeks I have been trying to lend a helping hand to Kevin and Katherine on the construction of their house. We have been so blessed by the amount we have gotten done as a couple Mozambican brothers, Kevin and myself have worked away. We have built them a round house a bit smaller then the one I am living in right now. It will be cozy for them but it will wok for them. We are all just amazed at what the Lord has been able to accomplish through us in such a short time.

The beginnings of what would soon be a round house.

I have never gone in circles so much in one day.

Our team R/L Antonio, Luciano, Acristopher, Kevin & myself

The Wilcox's left the middle of last week to go to a conference in Pemba over on the coast about a 14 hour drive away and so that left me all alone up where I live except of course for the dogs and the cat which I have had the privilege of feeding while everyone is gone. It hasn't been too bad. Kevin & Katherine and Jesse & Tanya have felt a bit sorry for me I guess and they have invited me over to their places a few times for dinner, which I have enjoyed very much. It's always nice to eat someone else's cooking. The Wilcox's got back Friday evening and it is nice to have them back for the last few days before I leave.

I am looking forward to catching up with as many of you as I can will back in Canada or the US. I am not really looking forward to leaving Mozambique, but for me to visit with you it is kind of hard to do it without leaving, unless of course you came to visit me here which you are always more then welcome to do.

Next time you hear from me I should be in North America somewhere Lord willing. I would appreciate your prayers for my travel. I have around 23 hours of flying to get back to Canada, so it is nice to know that I am going to get to meet many of you to make it worth the long journey.