Hello everyone!
After leaving Beacon of Hope, my team and I traveled six plus hours to the Guija district. For the past two weeks, we have been living in a small village just outside of Chokwe, Mozambique with our ministry host Pastor Tienie.
My team and I have not had WiFi while here in the Guija district. We have prayed for the sick, elderly, and terminally ill. We have visited the local hospital and prison. God has shown up in so many ways, but I want to spend this time to share my favorite story from my time here.
7am and I hear my alarm go off. I was already awake because the extreme African heat lets you wake up at 6am and in a puddle of your own sweat. It’s Sunday morning. After getting ready, my team prepares to go to our first church service in Mozambique.
Our ministry host forewarned us that this would be a church service that we have never experienced. He was spot on about that.
We arrived to a small cinderblock structure and Pastor Tienie said, “Well, we’re here!” This structure was no bigger than a two-car garage. There were well over fifty people crammed into this space. Oh, and the temperature outside was 106 degrees Fahrenheit…plus humidity!
To bless the church, we arrived with ten Bibles translated into Shangaan (the local dialect). The congregation was so happy that you would think we handed over bars of gold.
The service started. I quickly realized that any real sense of structure was out the window once the Pastor said, “Hello church.” Immediately the congregation burst into worship. With hands clapping and feet dancing, I have never seen such vibrant worship. There were about three sessions of worship. After each session the entire congregation would all start praying out loud! You couldn’t help but be moved by the 50 plus voices all praising, praying, and weeping.
It all suddenly hit me. God has no language barrier! I speak English. They speak Shangaan. Even though we cannot understand one other’s language, we worship the same God.
The language barrier did not prevent any of us from being moved by the Holy Spirit and praising the Creator of the universe. Speaking different languages does not stop God from moving in the individuals who call out His name. When I was praying to God during the time of worship, I could hear him say, “Spencer, I am so much more powerful then this box you keep me in. Why are you surprised?!” Christ died for everyone.
Worship isn’t about the facility, the instruments, or the lighting. It is about praising God. The physical space doesn’t matter. I have never experienced such real and raw worship in my life.
After worship ended, members from the congregation came forward asking for prayer. Our team went around and prayed for every individual who sought it out.
I can remember one man vividly. I walked over and put my hands on his shoulders. He looked up at me and I could see his whole story just by the three seconds of direct eye contact. I began to pray. In an instance, I felt the Holy Spirit take over. He gave me all the words to say to this man.
I had never met this man before yet I felt genuine love for my newly discovered brother in Christ. This is the God we serve! I will serve him with uncontainable joy.
Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
With much love,
Spencer James Belkot
