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Faces in the crowd

The purpose of our Jesus film outreaches is to make friends. I truly believe in friendship evangelism. Although there are so many definitions on "Evangelism strategies" I believe it should always (and I mean always) involve relationship as cornerstone. We have had such great successes keeping this in mind.

We never just "arrive" at a spot to show the Jesus film. We make sure we meet people and build relationships before the time. Only then we will pack our "bakkie" (pick-up) and head into the bush. On a typical outreach like this we would sometime have more than 700 people arriving from everywhere. Usually the drums send out the message that we have arrived and a hour later we have a full house. There are so many faces (and children) in the crowd that I can hardly not take any pictures. The kids love their pictures taken.

We have lots of music, dance, joy and cultural activities before we show the Jesus film. After the movie we have a time of prayer and we answer questions like:

"How can I know that this Jesus can really free me?"

"I have tried this thing (religion) before and it didn't seem to work!"

"I love Jesus - does He love Roman Catholics?"

"I follow Christ but still smoke. Is that a problem?"

"I have anger issues."

"Must I pay to receive this Christ?"

"I have fallen .... will you forgive me?"

These are some of the awesome question people ask before we pray. Evangelism is NEVER a "bing bam kaboem" thing. Now you see me now you don't. I just read the most amazing article on evangelism by Ed Young Jr and Niel Cole (read it here .... you will be amazed how diverse evangelism can be http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2008/fall/11.34.html )

One thing is for sure: God is blessing the effort with the churches and the surrounding communities. Thank you for being part of sharing the best news ever!

Weather looking good for hungry people!

Our rain is very late this season. It is rainy season and people are very dependant on good rain to get their seed in the ground. We started serious prayers all around and are happy to report that we had 65 mm the last few weeks. Throughout the night we had about 13 mm of good soft rain. It is great to see people laughing and working all around as they are getting their good seed in the wet soil - expecting a good harvest!

Which makes me think: Have you put in some good seed today? It is never too late. There is someone waiting just for you. Enjoy sowing ...... the harvest will be plentiful and awesome.

Pre-school ..... ready, steady, goooooo ...... 2009!

We have all been working very hard on the mission base to get the new Pre~School (Escolinha) ready for 2009 - specially before the rainy season. The school will house about 130 pre-scholars and will also be used by the local Government school to help out with the shortage they are currently experiencing.

The Escolinha was an old run down building which was destroyed during the long 30 year war in Mozambique. The many RPG and machine gun holes have now been replaced by colourful drawings.

The school will also be used as a training and playing facility for orphans in our area and the others we are currently supporting. The building has been made possible by many people who really cares. Thank you to Barbara Rainford, David Phillips, Niel & Helena and the many great Canadian friends who made this a possibility. And off course the paintwork - Polokwane, Bellville and Blouberg Congregations!

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE BEFORE AND AFTER SHOTS?

We pray that this previously war torn building will now be filled with the laughter of many happy kids and orphans. We pray that it will be a building of refuge and hope for us and the people of Mozambique.

Bush School best of the rest .... again!

Photo: We have a saying in Africa - "There is always place for one more".

It is the second year in a row that our grade 5 students who writes an external exam came up tops. Although we only had a 84 % passrate our other students averaged far more than any of the big town schools around us. The teachers of our bush schools were extatic with the news released yesterday.

Photo: The proud teachers with some of the students.

We also had our school closing down ceremony and it was great to see such a huge turnout from all of our parents. Keeping in mind that it is planting season we had so many people attending that we ran out of room. Anyway there was a festive spirit in the air. Lots of prizes for all the top students and no one left without a sweet and a smile.

Photo: Even our pre-primary students recieved certificates.

Results 2008:

Grade 1 - 96 % pass rate

Grade 2 - 94 % pass rate

Grade 3 - 89 % pass rate

Grade 4 - 93 % pass rate

Grade 5 - 84 % pass rate

Grade 6 - 100 % pass rate

Grade 7 - 80 % pass rate

Photo: Top students in every grade recieved a certificate and some cool prizes.

Congratulations to all our students doing so well. Our university student, Joao Benjamin passed his second year at the University of Maputo without even writing an exam. His average was so good that he passed to his third year. One of our school students was just crowned as the best high school student in Chimoio - top of his class. (And that is a school with more than 2 000 students.)

So things are looking up and God is blessing our students. We have been working hard on Bible Education and Character training in 2008 and will introduce a new Character program in 2009.

Photo: We had 3 bicycles this year which was donated by the University Stellenbosch, Polokwane and Bellville. Here are the new proud owners - all top of their class.

This year we had not just our kids at the school but many orphans too. Thank you to David Phillips and the team in Godalming making the school party possible. It was a feast!

Sunlight through the sun light!

We have just ended our yearly Vacational Bible School. Great to see so many kids forget the worries of life, hunger and survival. A day of fun, water and slippery soap was planned and I can still hear the screams as I am writing this. Although one of our more daring kids, Psalmo was knocked unconscious it only took him a few minutes to recover and join in the other fun.

Here are some of the golden soapy moments (WARNING: Do not try this at home or in a thunderstorm:

Photo 1: Getting ready for lift-off

Photo 2: We call this the "side way junction" manoeuvre. The key is not to get your feet in the
mud.

Photo 3: The "Boeing 747 take-off manoeuvre". The angle of the head has to be in just the right
place to catch your breath and make you miss the ton of soap and bubbles at the end
of the runway.



Photo 4: Bad landing - or as we call it - a "Blind Landing manoeuvre"

And lastly: The "Big Pile-up". Ground control had no control!

And that is what they say in Africa: TIA (This is Africa)

Blessings!

Could you help the Congo? Yes we can!

Hi all

I've just heard about this important campaign to European and global leaders, urging them to protect civilians and step up diplomacy to stop the killing in Congo. Hundreds of thousands of people have been terrorised by armed groups and they need our help now. To learn more and to take action, read the email below:

After Rwanda I cannot close my eyes and ears anymore .... would ya take a minute ..... please!

The people of Congo need our help. In recent weeks over 200,000 people have been driven from their homes, and murder and rape are rife. The United Nations peacekeeping mission to Congo has not intervened to protect civilians. As this email is sent, families are running for their lives, stuck between the brutal violence of both the rebels and the Congolese army, without food or shelter - their only refuges are crowded camps which now face epidemics of disease. This is a human tragedy of unimaginable proportions.

All actors need to support better diplomacy, but only Europe can deploy a well-equipped, neutral protection force to be on the ground in two weeks - and European foreign ministers meeting earlier this week blinked, failing to act. If they send a neutral force to the region to protect civilians who are desperately in need, and help put real pressure on Congo and neighbouring countries with UN and African officials, this humanitarian crisis could be addressed and a lasting peace made possible.

The lesson of the genocide in Rwanda was -- step in before it's too late -- politicians seem to have forgotten that. The people of eastern Congo need us now. We need to put overwhelming pressure on European and global leaders to step up, so please follow the link below to take action yourself and forward this email to friends and family -- we'll be delivering the campaign later this week to decision-makers and in newspapers. The situation is deteriorating by the day. The more of us take action, the more leaders will feel that their citizens and people around the world expect them to respond and protect the Congolese people.

Sign the petition here:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_action_on_congo/98.php

The recent clashes between General Nkunda's militias and the Congolese army are the latest in a place where the population has been attacked and terrorised for years by armed groups. Over five million people have been killed. It's been termed 'Africa's world war', with Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia all getting involved. The fighting is fed by a lethal war economy based on the extraction of minerals such as coltan, cobalt, diamonds and gold, to which we're all connected through the worldwide market.

Violence is escalating and allegations abound of Angolan and Zimbabwean troops fighting alongside the Congolese army -- Congolese army soldiers committing atrocities and working with militias including the Rwandan Hutu Forces, some of whose leaders were responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide -- and the Rwandan army supporting General Nkunda to muscle the Congolese government to fulfill its commitment to demobilise these same Hutu militias. So it is no surprise that African-only diplomacy is faltering, and that there is a need for an external, neutral force. We cannot let the best chance to stop the terror in Congo slip by as leaders turn their backs -- Congo needs concerted engagement now. Let's flood European and global leaders with requests for action.

Thanks for enduring me!

Francois

TIA

Awesome miracles!

We had great outreaches earlier this weekend. It was amazing to see God's people coming together and bringing their friends who does not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. We challenged communities to bring their friends ...... but only if they have a relationship with a friend - someone who trusted them.

At one of our meetings this weekend someone brought their friend. She was a lady in her late 4o's. She didn't really participated in the meeting if I could recall. At the end of the service she broke the news to the pastors accompanying me. She told them that she was a witch (not a witchdoctor) and that she acquired a taste for human flesh. She would get human flesh from other witchdoctors and would weekly eat the meat. She did not now how to stop this desire for human flesh. She wanted today to give her life to Christ. It was an amazing moment. We could not share too much detail to the church or to her friends because of the sensitivity of the matter. The pastors were shocked and immediately withdrew - to afraid to speak to her. (This is typical in the culture where we work in!) After working with the pastors and explaining how they should react we helped the lady. After a few hours it was amazing to see God's grace. Her face and eyes changed right before us. Jesus Christ transformed this lady into something wonderful. She could not stop smiling. And all of this ...... because someone cared and brought her to the service. She joined the local bush church and they are currently helping her into a new lifestyle.

Thank you all for caring and keeping us in the bush to help others to find the gracious God and loving Christ which they are so desperately seeking.

Getting ready to eat!

Getting ready to eat!
Originally uploaded by lovemoz17

Happy times at the school as kids get ready to get a well prepared meal at the school. The school kitchen prepared more than 40 000 meals this year alone for the more than 200 kids.

Bing, bang, boem ...... blog went boom!

I love technology! So much you can do that was just never possible before. I don't want to go the Apollo 13 way ........ but when things go wrong ...... oh my ....... they go horribly wrong. I lost my picture (beautiful blue sky and paper white clouds) and on my way trying to recover it .... gone is the blog.

I could luckily retrieve all my data and stories ..... but that was as far as I could go. Sorry for the dull display though. I am working on a more technically aesthetic design. Meanwhile ..... gotto go for the blogger version to keep me sane for now.

Many blessings to all and hope life is treating you all very well.

FORD POWER: 12 years and still going strong

A gracious man which I knew from nowhere came up to me during a Sunday service where I was preaching in Cape Town and handed a Ford 4x4 pick-up truck and said: "I brought me pleasure, I hope it will do the same for you!"

Well it is 12 years later and I am still driving the same Ford. And it did not just gave me pleasure driving it, it brought lots of joy to all I have carried with the old faithful Ford. I am not sure how it is running though because it sometimes just dies as I am driving. I am absolutely no mechanic (in fact I am technically very challenged). I have learned that there is a few things you can do to get a Ford going:

• Pray .... never under estimate the fact that God has great mechanical angels that He will deploy the moment you call on them;
• I usually suck on a fuel hose somewhere in the engine .... and hey it really works;
• I always carry a spanner (no. 10) .... I hit a few things (and the locals love it) ..... and then I pray more, because my name is on the "weighing scale";
• I turn the ignition key and if it goes I usually scream louder than my passengers and speed away .... until the next time.

The good news is that we have made so many people happy because of a generous man out there who made this possible. I want to thank him today. I want to thank everyone that supports us during these difficult financial times. May God bless you.

To hear kids laugh ........

There is absolutely nothing like it. A kid's laughter is the single most wonderful sound you can imagine. Specially when they have nothing to laugh about. Hunger is in the air. Every year we spend two weeks just playing with the kids. No work - just playing, laughter, games and more laughter. We are busy with our yearly VBS (Vacational Bible Schools) for our bush schools in the middle of nowhere.

And my goodness ..... are the kids enjoying it!

We start the day with a Bible story, colouring in competition and Bible quizzes .... and some memorization .......... and great prizes too.

Drinking cool drink with a straw with only 5 seconds to spare ..... nearly impossible ..... but nice!

Water games galore - with temperatures soaring at 40 degrees the water games were a real treat for the thankful kids.

And lastly ........ a painted fairy!

Congratulations!

From a hot and humid Mozambique I greet all my friends in the USA -- (and those elsewhere who may be interested)!

You have a new President Elect!

I for one - but I think the overwhelming majority of our politically aware South African and Mozambiquean people, rejoice with you and give thanks.

MY prayer is that God will protect Barak Obama from all sides -

May he be granted the courage and the strength to stand by the high morals and strong convictions and the promises of positive change he has propounded during his campaign, so that he will not be swayed by the self-seeking powerful who always gravitate towards those in authority.

Above all may Obama be protected against the pursuit (even secretly) of personal popularity and power! -- It is so true that "power corrupts" - and so does vanity..... May God keep him humble and wise and intrepid, and grant him and his supporters the insight to seek the advice and co-operation of their opponents in all important matters of state, so together they will be able to truly work for the good of the whole American Nation - and by so doing, also, as far as possible, for the good of all the nations.

Thinking of you with love, gratitude and in friendship!

US ELECTIONS - we are holding thumbs!

There is so much to be said about the US Elections today ....... but I will withhold myself. That the outcome will influence Africa is a given fact. Good luck to all our American friends voting today. If I could I would vote too ........... hope you voted!

Thought I would make this very serious matter a little lighter with the following:

One sunny day in 2009, an old man approached the White House from across Pennsylvania Ave, where he’d been sitting on a park bench. He spoke to the US Marine standing guard and said, “I would like to go in and meet with President Bush.”

The Marine looked at the man and said, “Sir, Mr. Bush is no longer president and no longer resides here.”

The old man said, “Okay” and walked away.

The following day, the same man approached the White House and said to the same Marine, “I would like to go in and meet with President Bush.”

The Marine again told the man, “Sir, as I said yesterday, Mr. Bush is no longer president and no longer resides here.”

The man thanked him and, again just walked away.

The third day, the same man approached the White House and spoke to the very same US Marine, saying “I would like to go in and meet with President Bush.”

The Marine, understandably agitated at this point, looked at the man and said, “Sir, this is the third day in a row you have been here asking to speak to Mr. Bush. I’ve told you already that Mr. Bush is no longer the president and no longer resides here. Don’t you understand?”
The old man looked at the Marine and said, “Oh, I understand. I just love hearing it.”

The Marine snapped to attention, saluted, and said, “See you tomorrow, Sir.”

Enough said ..... blessings to all!