Spaghetti is traditional here in Mozambique

  I read once that children who have known family traditions while growing up in the home are better adjusted socially and have a more secure sense of feeling that they belong to something bigger than themselves.  Right or wrong, I decided tradition would be a good thing to add to our list of do's and dont's that I wanted to do for my children. Anything that would make them more stable citizens and family members.  After all I am their mother and I am supposed to do everything I can right?

  Each year before Christmas I run around looking for a good buy on PJ's for gifts for my kids and grandchildren.  For many years now this has become one of our family non-spiritual tradition's at Christmas.  Everyone knows they will get something new to sleep in for the new year.  My family can pretty much count on me giving at least this as a gift.  Other families have more exciting and fun traditions but this one seems to work for us.

  Another family tradition is, my sister believes that on Thanksgiving you need to have turkey.  So this is my extended family's tradition.  Then after lunch we all collectively sit around and tell each other what we were thankful for in the current year.  It is fun to watch the kids growing up enjoy this 1/2 hour of accolades to each in the family.  I like this part of Thanksgiving and as our family tradition, this one is my favorite.  Personally I could eat pizza on Thanksgiving and it wouldn't matter to me just so we can sit around and give thanks and teach our children the importance of thankfulness and family.

  I write all of this to tell you what happened to me yesterday at my small church in the bush at Centro Emissor.  Well really, it started the day before when Val and I went to visit a family from church and saw that one of the babies sleeping on a mat on the ground had a cord wrapped around his belly indicating that they had been to the witchdoctor.  Or the witchdoctor had given them a visit.  On any given Sunday, the witchdoctor will travel around the village and visit those who have just come from church and try to sell their goods.  The goods being, spells, cords for health, serums, and their chants and advice.  This is still very common in the bush.  The tradition of witchdoctors is alive and well in Africa.  Probably in America too but under a different guise.

  It is cultural here to go to the witchdoctor for advice.  I was talking with a friend of mine from here one day about witchdoctors and she told me her husband had been married 3 times already and they were not yet 25.  I asked "why?!"  She went on to tell me that her husband had failed at his business of selling clothes in the market place and the witchdoctor would tell him that it was his wife's fault so he kept leaving his current wife to find a new one that would help his business succeed.  My friend is a christian and they no longer to go the witchdoctor they pray to God instead.  But this type of tradition is very real here.

  Back to my story about yesterday........ after seeing this cord around this little boy's tummy, I was horrified.  This boy, his name is Miguel, is the grandson of the leader of our women's group at  our church.  I left their home asking God what He wanted me to do about this.  So I spent the night praying about how I could approach my friend and also practicing my Portuguese because I didn't want to use a translator so no one else would know what we would be talking about.

  When we arrived at the church for Christmas eve services she was the first person God placed before me and I took her aside and said I needed to talk to her alone.  So we went for a walk. I quickly asked the Lord to give me the right words so she understood what I was trying to say and would not in anyway misinterpret my heart or words.  In my very best Portuguese I said to her, "We are friends, we are in this together, this is our work.  We know that the God we worship is the only God we can trust."  She nodded in agreement and smiled. Then I went on to explain to her that I had seen a cord from a witchdoctor on Miguel's belly and this was not a good thing.  She told me that Miguels other grandmother had placed the cord on Miguel while he was visiting her the day before.  And off we marched to my friend's house near by to find Miguel.

  We walked into the yard of their home and there was all of her family member's, their spouses and children.  I greeted everyone and then my friend began to talk to her family in their tribal language about the cord, witchdoctors and that we need to have faith in Jesus for our lives to be good.  She tore the cord off of Miguel and threw it in the bush.  He had no idea what was going on and fell down into the sand crying.  Then we laid hands on him and started praying for his life and protection and favor for his future as a Christian and godly man.  It was a special moment. Miguel's mother is young and still very naive.

  As I share this incident with you I'm thinking about the sower and the seeds.  Our church is full on Sunday's, it's a tradition to go to church here in the bush.  It's like America, many of us go to church on Sunday and many stay home to cook.  The seeds are sown during church by the word of God being shared, our faith increased and then we leave to go home.  Have those seeds fallen on a rocky ground?  Or on some ground that had thistles, or in fertile soil?  Is the thief going to steal the word away from the heart's of those I love here?  And those in America too?

  Would you pray with me about this tradition of following a witchdoctor?  That this tradition be one that is broken and replaced with following Christ!  Would you look into your own heart's and homes to see what traditions are keeping your eyes on Jesus and one's that have become distractions to follow idols?

Miguel and his young mother Sarah

This little guy is healthy and fat!

  I love my work here in Mozambique.  I learn more each day that poverty is found in the soul and hearts all over the world.  I have learned that people may be rich in their souls and have nothing in their surroundings.  And then there are those who have many many things and traditions who are impoverished to the point that they are dead man with bones walking around.

  Thank you for all of the support that you give me spiritually and financially.  Let us do a good work together in breaking the bondages of deadly traditions everywhere.  Speak the name of Jesus!

Obedience,

Keep America a God fearing nation!

Shoes donated from money raised in Iowa at a church in Colesburg.
Population 450 and they raised $1,400 at VBS this summer!  Courageous kids serving God by helping the poor!

All kinds of shoes for shoeless children.

People fighting for a box.
Something as simple as a cardboard box is a prized possession to own.
They will hold items that would otherwise lay on a dirt floor. 

One piece of clothing or a pair of shoes.  There just is not enough to give to everyone.
Consider sponsoring a Christmas program for 2012 with Children's Relief International.

 This little girl was so sweet and shy.  It took me quite a while to get her to smile with me.  I think it was more about the sweet sucker than it was about me trying to encourage her to smile.  At this church plant most of the children only speak the tribal language.  She probably thought I was crazy when I was trying to speak Portuguese to her!

Today was a hot day for this ole’ Iowa girl.  There was not a breath of air to be found and even in the shade the heat was pounding through the tree branches.  Today I realized no matter how much I love Mozambique and how much I want to be part of this land, I will always be a weaker one, an American, who lives here.  The heat was assaulting and at the end of the Christmas give away event I went home to a comfortable bed to nap with a fan blowing on me.  I’m not nearly as sturdy as I should be or would want to be if I had to live the life of a woman who was born and raised here.  Life is hard and the war has left a mark and an attitude of desperation.

I have seen this many times before at gatherings at different locations around the area and villages that I am familiar. There is a crowd mongering that happens when there is something that is distributed.  It’s like there is a war going on.  A war in their hearts and a war in their minds.  An indescribable madness that happens even to the children to reach, push and grab for something, just anything so they can be the one to hold the prize.  It must liken itself to what happens in America when WalMart has the deal of the year on Black Friday and everybody and their mother is out there trying to get that one special thing for that one special child.  With one exception.  In America, the children have asked for so many things, they can’t remember that they asked for this one object that drives their gift giver into insanity to insure they have it to give.

We drove to the mountains north of here to a village called Mt. Silovo.  The pastor told us there would be around 30 kids attending and there were more like 130.  And again the pastor’s number of 50 families, again was under estimated and we saw around 200 come to partake of the Christmas party.  I wasn’t saddened by the increase in numbers rather I became quite excited to see so many faces light up when they became the chosen child who was given either a piece of clothing or a pair of shoes or a toy and every child received a sweet sucker.

Each time I have the privilege to stand before the poor I think about the teaching of Jesus.  Over and over again I have learned that the last will be first and the first will be last.  That we will always have the poor with us.  I have learned that if someone asks for something and I have it, I need to give it.  God will so bless us when we are obedient.

Tonight as I prayed, I thanked God that He would have me be born in America. I am thankful that I have learned more in 5 years of living in Mozambique about myself and what really matters and pleases God, than I had learned in all of my life before coming here.

God has blessed America.  Let us remember to keep it a God-fearing nation.

This will make your face hurt........

  Rise and Shine!  I was up at 6am this morning trying to gulp down a cup of coffee before this day would begin.  It’s a special day here in Centro Emissor, at our church and for our church.  Today again was the provision of God’s word coming back to us as answered prayer.

  Off I went to ElShaddi to meet with my friend Edmundo to fill our little truck, “white lightening” with food from the containers.  Answered prayer for such a time as this.  It is a season of little food and little rain.  Even the crops planted thus far are not even growing yet.  As farmers in Iowa we all know that corn should be knee high by the 4th of July.  Well here, rice should be knee-high by Christmas and there's not a stalk to be found.

  We filled the truck, blessed those who helped us and then off I drove to the church to unload and go back to Dondo to get the pastor and his family.  As I drove through the village I just couldn’t take the biggest grin off of my face.  I thought, “God You are SO GOOD! Thank You that I get to be part of this!”  Have you ever smiled so hard and long that your face hurt?  Today mine did.

  My little church in the bush thanks you all at Wooddale and at CRI for all that you have provided for this Christmas season.  Can you imagine?  Every family in our little church will have food for Christmas!  Every family!  Every child, mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, brother, sister, auntie and uncle....... every one!  They will have the basic need of food on their mats, in their bowls to celebrate another day of life and the birth and life of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  

He IS the reason for the season.

  I hope this makes you smile.  Trust me when I say, you are making a difference here with the poor, the widows and the orphans.  I know that God is pleased because we have obeyed.

Kids start to learn how to carry things on their heads at a very young age.

This is Sarah.  She is single and still a teenager, already a mother.  Her son's name is Miguel.  He is strong and fat.  Pray for these two that God will continue provide food and shelter for them as they both grow older.

 I wish I could say I knew every name of every child at church but I don't.  This little girl is one of 6 children in the family.  Last summer my friend Deane was blessed to dedicate her baby sister to the Lord.

This little guy is new to our church.  He and his momma have started in the last 4 months to join in on the fellowship and worship of Centro Emissor.  Our church is growing and growing.  I'm so thankful that God has continued to strengthen our pastor and anoint his preaching.

  If you feel so led please visit Children's Relief International's website to donate for more families to have food.  $1,000.00 will purchase enough food to provide meals for 120 families for 1 month.   This buys oil, sugar, corn meal, and then we add the rice packets from Wooddale.
www.childrensrelief.org

2 Corinthians 9:6-14

New International Version (NIV)

Generosity Encouraged

 ⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.⁹ As it is written:

   “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; 

   their righteousness endures forever.”

 ¹⁰ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
 ¹² This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. ¹³ Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

¹⁴ And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.

Obedience,

Kathy

This all began with 7 or 8 older women

  Each week there were 7 or 8 older women from the barrio (section of town), Macharotte that would walk to the Dondo church.  It is a good 2 mile hike one way, I know, I have done it unprepared and totally pooped when I got home.  But these same women would walk to church every Sunday because they wanted to hear the word of God and truth be spoken.  They wanted to fellowship with other believers, they wanted to dance and sing and worship the King together.

  Noemia is a woman whose greatest fault is her compassion.  She just cares about everyone.  Every woman, man and child that God places before her.  It was hard for her to see these women walk to church each week and sometimes mid-week so she began a bible study with these 7 or 8 precious women under a tree with the prayer that one day a church would be built for them.  That was a year ago.  And today the building stands as is for now, mud, bamboo and one day a cement floor inside with a clean water well too!

  Also that group of women that started out as 7 or 8 older women is now close to 20-25 women of all ages and 60 children hearing the word of God two times a week at this church.  Well, we are still outside under the tree but we are close to moving in.

  Each time I have come to the church for bible study the water well has a continual line of people getting clean water.  This well is the only water well in the area of the church and it has been a tremendous blessing.  For every hour that can be removed from getting water, another hour is added to do other chores and responsibilities.  My prayer is that this time will be loving their neighbor, their children and Jesus.  People come to get their drinking water and end up hearing about the living water.

Newly built church in Macharotte with a new "clean water" well too!!

This woman told me her house fell down last Sunday after the heavy rains.
 Now she lives with a friend.  She needs a new house for herself and her orphaned granddaughter.

These are 3 of the first 7 or 8

This is only part of the group today,  Praise the Lord!  May His kingdom expand!

 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 

as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.

 For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Obedience,

kkk

Dancin' in the dirt!

  If you would have walked by the door of the church today you would have seen a cloud of dust inside from all of the dancing that was going on!  It was a good day at Centro Emissor.  We celebrated 3 important events today:

1.  This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice in it.
2.  Fernando a new baby boy was dedicated to the Lord.
3.  It was our leader, Zito’s birthday.  

This is great cause for celebration when someone reaches another year.  We must celebrate each day!  But another year?  Now that is a time for celebration.

Zito is thanking everyone for their gifts and love.

Fernando our newest addition to Centro Emissor!

   Maybe you remember Zito’s wife Ziara passed away two years ago last November.  If you have ever lost a loved one, you know that his wounds are better but still deep.  His children wept at the thought that God has protected their daddy to remain with them and raise them another year.  It was such a sweet site to behold, his family together rejoicing.

  The entire church danced and sang songs of celebration for the pastor.  The women danced a special dance.  I just love it when they dance.  They don’t ask me to join in anymore, I’m too much of a distraction when they are trying to get all of their steps just perfect.  The dust filled the air!  I just smile with so much gratitude for the way the body of Christ honor’s their leader here.

  Then one by one everyone went to the front and gave the pastor a hug to show their affection.  And me too!  So grateful to God that today Zito is strong, he is leaning hard into the work God has before him.  The church is growing and so is Zito in his faith.  He is a small man in stance but huge and growing on the inside.

Everyone loves Mahayo!

 Before we all went home..... out came the celebration drink!  It’s called Mahayo.  It is not an American drink.  Corn meal and sugar together... fermented.  You can imagine the smell.  The ladies all laugh at me because I can’t drink it, it totally gives me too much time in the casa de banho.  Everyone left with their belly’s full and more in their take away container.

  It’s days like these that I just can’t stop smiling the biggest smile I have.  Life is good here.  God is so faithful to provide.  Thank you all for making this happen.  Without you, I wouldn’t be here, without you, my church family would not have gone home full.

Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God n Christ Jesus for you!

1 Thes. 5:18

Obedience,

"You called? I am here!"

  A name is called, “Lucia Fernando Ginsinca “ “I am here!” responding with force so that she would not be overlooked.  Each name called, a person stands, opens their bag and the rice packets are dropped in.  Everyone helping each other, this must make Jesus smile.  I know it does me.


  I watched as she very carefully laid her capalana (a piece of material that is used for many things ie: a wrap around shirt, a head covering, to carry bundles of goods and many many other helps for a Mozambican woman) her capalana in place on the ground near her to lay one of her twins.  He was a bit fussy.  The family had come to receive food from the containers and they had been sitting waiting for several hours. This food packed by thousands of Americans in Minnesota that took their time and resources to feed people that they will never see face to face.

Today again we had the privilege to feed the blind community of Maffarinha.  And today I met a sweet family of 6.  Lucia is the mother and she has 5 children, 7, 5, twin 2 year old’s and one being absent today.  Lucia has been blind since she was 14, she is a widow now.  She has no home, she lives with other family since her husband died.  Lucia was very happy to hear about the American church who blessed them. And more importantly that many of them are still praying for each family that receives the food.

  "Lord, today we thank You for Wooddale and their service to our Mighty King.  Lord may You richly bless all of the helpers of the Million meals above and beyond what they could have ever hoped for or imagined."

  Isaiah 25:8  The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all      the earth.

Obedience,

Big Mamma

Changes! 2012 Changes!

Child prostitution is a major problem in India around 1.2 million children with at-least 100 million people are involved in human trafficking in India Dear Beloved,   Thank you for this opportunity to share with you what will be happening in the near future and 2012 about my vision to help those who are prisoners of prostitution.   My ministry in Mozambique will continue because of our loved one’s there and our church in the bush that we are and will continue to raise funds for to build the church.  My time in Mozambique will be 3 months instead of 6 months. We will return November 20th for 5 weeks to spend the holidays with our church and close our houses for 2011.  We will continue to go and encourage and minister to those whose lives we have invested in for the last 5 years.    But God has opened doors for me to go to India and work with a ministry called “Mudpath’s Ministry.”  Mudpath’s gets it’s name from the environment in which the programs take place.  Trash, raw sewage, mud-everywhere.  Small mud paths weaving around the muck that reaches into the shadowed doorways It is a tremendous honor and privilege to be the voice for the voiceless in Kolkata, India.     Many girls, barely 9 or 10 years old, in prostitution and domestic service in India are tortured, imprisoned, sexually abused and raped.  They are sold by poor parents, tricked into marriages, and promised employment are locked up for days, starved, beaten, and burned with cigarettes until they learn how to service up to 25 clients a days.   Mudpath’s project leader is Smriti.  A single woman whose passion much like ours, is to love, provide meals, education, bible teaching and sewing classes to the children of prostitutes while their mother’s work in the red light district.  Smriti and I have a goal to save these children from the same muddy path that their mother’s, grandmother's and aunties have walked.  Our goal is to provide education, food, clothing, safety and most importantly love to the unlovely and compassion to those who might never know it.   Each one of us has been given a measure of something inside of us that wants to help those who are in need.  As American’s we have been blessed beyond belief compared to those who live in 80% of the world’s poverty.  We have been blessed to have been born at such a time as this with the ability to give of ourselves to those less fortunate.   My goal is to raise $9,600 through 2012 ($800 per month) for Mudpath’s ministry, this is a worthy cause.  My goal and passion is to speak to as many women as possible to help as many women and children as possible in the sex trade whether it be in India, Africa or America.   I am asking you to do nothing before you pray.  Please pray about supporting me monthly, and if you are already sending in monthly support I am asking you to raise it.  I know this is bold.  And believe me I hate this part of my work more than you know but it is in the ask.  I am asking you to do this for 2 years.  Commit for 2 years and then at the end let’s talk about whether or not to continue. Let us all play an important part in being the loud voice for the silent cries that have never been heard until now.   Please pass this letter on to everyone you know, send me every name and organization I can speak to for the sake of the voiceless.   I need your help!  You are needed by those who you will never lay your eyes on.  You can help, your voice counts and can be heard.   Thank you for your time. I pray for your compassion to act and for your life to be changed by changing another’s.  “You can take yourself out of your past, but you can never take your past out of you.” Obedience, Kathy Knight Field Leader Children’s Relief International Fund Raising for the Voiceless 319-270-2352 Donations – www.childrensrelief.org Memo – Kathy Knight/Mudpaths kathy@childrensrelief.org

Amazing Love

  There have been many questions and not many answers about what is going on with me these days.  I would like to say thank you for all of the prayers that have been said for me in the last 6 or so weeks.

  Part of the problem is that I went to Mozambique not really well, just having pneumonia, but on meds to help clear that up.  Then in June and July I was down with malaria and in the first part of August I went to eat at a beach resturant and got salmonella poisoning.  Woo Hoo.... I was a sick puppy!

  Life has been a whirlwind of not knowing why I was not recovering from these conditions. I had to take a quick flight to come home, with a visit to the ER and then every doctor known to mankind.  Ok, not every doctor but it seemed like that for a while. I was spending a lot of time in waiting rooms and leaving with no answers.

  What I do know at this point is that I am getting better, stronger, and one day soon I will again be able to jump and leap over tall buildings and play the guitar again like nobody's business.  In fact, I am playing again on the worship team in two weeks so come to church!  I am ready to rock and roll for Jesus!

  On the other hand, I believe too that there were so many really cool people praying for me that God just healed me from whatever wild and crazy parasite that found it's home inside of my body and now it's gone.  Whatever the case may be, I am getting better and giving the glory to God because He's the one in control.

 Now that I am in the states, feeling better, my next steps are to get to Texas, do a debriefing and then hit the road for support raising.  My next year's plan will look different because I am not going to lead team's per say but I want to focus on personal ministry and growing our little church in the bush.

  Thanks again for your prayers, your financial support and just lovin' on me big time!

I pray God is glorified in all that we do in serving Him here and wherever He sends me!

1 Chronicles 16:23–24 (NIV84)

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth; 

proclaim his salvation day after day. 

24 Declare his glory among the nations, 

his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

Obedience,

Kathy

5 Days, 3 church plants and 11,880 meals!

                         A kiss for the hands that have packed the food to save lives.

               11,880 meals were delivered to 3 church plants in northern Mozambique!

                 150 blankets were donated to be handed out at the food distribution.

                                      Pastor Jeronimo and Noemia Cessito


  She is at it again!  Noemia a young missionary woman came to Mozambique from Brazil many years ago, met a man named Jeronimo and the rest is history.  She has been here longer than she lived in Brazil so wouldn't that make her Mozambican?  Never the less Noemia is vivacious, charismatic, has a great voice and uses it to glorify the Lord.
And most importantly she loves the Lord with all of her heart, mind, soul and strength.

  A week ago last Thursday she packed a van with 14 of her best leaders, loaded a huge rental truck with generators, clothing, 150 blankets and 11,880 meals and took off for a training in northern Mozambique.  Fearlessly she and her team managed to minister to over 300 families and most likely twice that many children.

  Before she left she told me that an American woman had heard that it was the coldest here than it has ever been in this area and she felt that God told her to donate money for blankets.  Noemia received the money, went straight to town to barter with the vendors there to buy 100 blankets for the $1,000 donated and walked out of the store with 150 blankets.  We both just squeeled with joy at what God would do to warm the hearts of His children.

  In Marromeu, there was teaching for the church plant leaders on how to handle a service.  What happens first, second, worship songs, and praise songs, everything needed to have an orderly service.  Crafts and bible stories for the children with supplies that were donated from American teams and church's.  Women's bible study and leadership training.  The youth and teenagers were also taught scriptures and played games, just like any youth group from around the world.

  After the three church's had been visited, God's word shared, teaching done, hundred's of people fed, sleepless nights for the travelers, food, blankets and clothing donated they all started their trek back home to Dondo.

  Many comments have been made by those who traveled with the Pastor's wife.  One statement that blessed me by a young man, "God was glorified."  Isn't that what we are here to do?  Isn't that the goal of every heart serving him well?

  Thank you Noemia for your love for His people!  Thank you that you spend endless hours each month, week and day to help the poor, the widow's and the orphans.  Thank you that you answered the call to go to Mozambique as a laborer because the harvest is ready.  Thank you God that you gave us Noemia and Pastor to lead us here at the project of Ray of Light.

  August 10th is Noemia's birthday... send her a birthday wish!

Obedience,

kathy

Wonder working Power!

This was one of those days when you had to be there to really get it.

  Pastor Jeronimo was preaching at the big church in Dondo.  It was an unusal thing for Val and I to be in Dondo on Sunday but we had visitor's who were leaving and their main work was in the Villa so we went to honor our visitors and gave them a chance to say their good-bye's.

  The message was one we have all heard before.  The words of God that ring through our souls in times of trouble, in times of glad, and in times of sorrow.  "with God all things are possible."  "everything is possible for those who believe" God's word sent to the ears of those who live in the depths of poverty and deep deep spiritual darkness.  He continued to encourage us by taking us right back into Isaiah 43:13, "When I act, who can reverse it?"  The emotion was building in me as he continued to encourage us all by the mighty power of our awesome God.

  At one point he had all of the parents stand who were supporting their children to go to school to get an education.  The parents standing were scarce in comparison to the people there. Pastor had the Americans stand and told them to look at us, he said, 'these people had to have courage and confidence in God to travel to Mozambique.  It is a long hard travel but they had confidence in God to get them here."  Boy was he right about one thing and that was our faith and confidence that God had sent us here.  His words became more rapid and louder, he was beginning to drive his point home.  We can trust in God.  He can do all things. He is Powerful.  He is Mighty! Only God can change a man's heart. Pastor then gave the example in Daniel with the 3 amigos in the blazing furnace. Can you imagine? Not even smelling like smoke? Who was that 4th person?  Anyone who calls upon, that is anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. My heart was racing at this truth that takes many of us so long to embrace.  It is amazing that God would love us so much to do the impossible in our lives.

  Coming into the finish he led to us think about the things that are pure and lovely, and honorable, the things of excellence and praiseworthy.  Do not flee to the witchdoctor, do not trust in the things of this world and culture but run to the Lord.  Because He can do all things.  He can and will do the impossible when you believe.  Let your faith not falter and be weak but press in, lean hard on the love of God.  He is faithful to the end.

   The Holy Spirit was present. It was quiet. You could have heard a pin drop. Every child sat in silence. One mother's voice came forth..... singing..... as a prayer.....Obrigado Deus Poderoso..... Thank You God, You are powerful.  The tears were running down our faces.  This was a mother whose children have seen the promises of God.  Two are in college, one to be a doctor and the other just starting.  This mother sang the song of thankfulness for her own life as she struggles with sickness.  She was leading us, calling us to trust this God who has done the impossible in this village.

  It is such a privilege to be here.  Thank you for walking this journey with me.  I know you pray for me because everyday is difficult and without your support many days I would just pack up and come home.  We get sick often and yet the laughter rolls out of our home from the joys of living life and serving our Mighty King on the sandy soil of Mozambique.

Obedience,

kathy

www.childrensrelief.org