Mozambique…or not!?

After a week of rest and restoration in South Africa, it is time to move on. God has used this time to bless us in many ways as a Squad and draw us closer to him and to each other. It wasn’t anything we did or didn’t do but what God DID that kept us out of Mozambique and here in Nelspruit, South Africa. He knew we weren’t ready for what was ahead, and had things He wanted us to accomplish personally, as teams and as a Squad before we could move forward into ministry. He wanted to bless us! His timing!

As we waited and prayed this past week, many changes have taken place. Originally, I was to be heading to Iris Ministries in Mozambique with team Luminous. Now, team Luminous will be staying in South Africa, still partnering with Iris ministries…and I will be heading West from Mozambique…to Mature, ZIMBABWE (just across the border)! We will be taking a 20 hour bus ride where we’ll spend the night in Vilanculos, Mozambique before carrying on another 13 hours to Beira. We will spend the night at an Iris ministries orphanage and then head out to our ministry location, which is an estimated 6 hours away, on roads with pot holes big enough to “swallow” a car! It will be another long week of traveling…

This month, due to the tight expenses we have already occurred, and the expensive transportation costs to/from our destinations, we will be living off of $4/day. This past week we have grown to love each other and fully be a community, and therefore we are sharing each others expenses and carrying each others burdens, making it possible for each team to be healthy and provided for. We are living Acts 2!

It is a change that was surprising and unexpected, but one I am at peace about. We will be tenting. I have been waiting 5 months for this. No running water. No toilets. No internet. No electricity. I don’t know when my next shower will be or ho I’ll be able to wash clothes. It’s winter here in Africa, so it’s a lot cooler than what we have been used to! I am excited to “rough it” for the month and no longer be in the comforts of a city! I don’t know much about the ministry site we will be at, but I know that we will be working with displaced families. Zimbabwe is a nation in dire need. Poverty. In need of prayer. In need  of love. In need of Christ. They need healing and restoration.

Pray for us as we travel. Pray for the hearts of the people in Zimbabwe (and Mozambique and South Africa as the rest of the Squad will be there). Pray that what we have learned over the last week will not fade away but will strengthen us. God goes before us!