This is a great shot that gives you an idea of how much fun these kids have when you open up a parachute for a game, instead of using the parachute for war! Thanks, Calvary in Lynnfield, Massachusetts
Mark
Monday, July 17, 2006
Thursday, July 13, 2006
To visit our website online, copy and follow this link:http://ag.org/top/missionary_directory/world/world.cfm?Display=Yes&churchdetail=AGFM01A3
To donate to this ministry online, copy and follow this link:https://secure1.ag.org/contributions/detail.cfm?LedgerID=331751C2-1949-4AC1-B3D8-4044B2EEEBDC
To donate to this ministry online, copy and follow this link:https://secure1.ag.org/contributions/detail.cfm?LedgerID=331751C2-1949-4AC1-B3D8-4044B2EEEBDC
We all made it back safely to the United States. Thanks for the prayers.
I have been really encouraged recently - something I have always wanted is beginning to happen on a more visible basis -the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Just having come off the field I've been pretty busy trying to get things together and meetings set up. I think because of that, my preaching has been kind of "raggedy," rough and not well polished.
Several times after I finished preaching I actually thought, "Wow, I really bombed." But in the kindness and the grace of God, He has made up for my frail homilies by touching and speaking to people's hearts during my rantings. People come up to me in tears after the sermon and say, "Oh missionary, God just soooo spoke to my heart during your message. Thank you so much for coming here today. There was such a powerful anointing on that message."
I know that there is no excuse for a poorly prepared sermon, but I also know what it's like to have a VERY well polished sermon and deliver it passionately and still see people sitting about as moved as Ohio roadkill. How deeply I long for the company of the Spirit in ministry - that people would be genuinely moved in their spirits, and not just in their emotions.
Preaching, which used to be so difficult for me, so horrible because of how sickly nervous I would get has become a joy because at times when the Holy Spirit is ministering with me, it feels like I'm just soaring with Him. Altar ministry is so wonderful because in those times of prayer He shows up and speaks. The primary reason we are moving from Angola to Namibia next year is for the love of the Holy Spirit. I am nowhere near being being able to compare myself with anyone so great as Kathyrn Kuhlman, but I am beginning to understand why she had this great fear of going before a crowd and not having the person of the Holy Spirit come in the way He used to manifest Himself. Once you've got that; it's everything.
We'll be in Missouri at School of Missions for a couple more weeks, and then the first week of August we'll be in Michigan as the Camp Missionaries for the Elijah Kids' Camp. After that, we've got a couple weeks that are open where we will be looking for churches to book services, and then I'll head back to Western New York and Pennsylvania while Kim and Breanna head back down to Georgia.
Thanks for keeping us in prayer during our travels. My prayer is that this precious anointing God has given as a gift would be cherished and protected - it is so valuable.
Thanks be to Jesus who purchased us with His blood, and through His blood gives us access to His kingdom and all the wonders therein!
I have been really encouraged recently - something I have always wanted is beginning to happen on a more visible basis -the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Just having come off the field I've been pretty busy trying to get things together and meetings set up. I think because of that, my preaching has been kind of "raggedy," rough and not well polished.
Several times after I finished preaching I actually thought, "Wow, I really bombed." But in the kindness and the grace of God, He has made up for my frail homilies by touching and speaking to people's hearts during my rantings. People come up to me in tears after the sermon and say, "Oh missionary, God just soooo spoke to my heart during your message. Thank you so much for coming here today. There was such a powerful anointing on that message."
I know that there is no excuse for a poorly prepared sermon, but I also know what it's like to have a VERY well polished sermon and deliver it passionately and still see people sitting about as moved as Ohio roadkill. How deeply I long for the company of the Spirit in ministry - that people would be genuinely moved in their spirits, and not just in their emotions.
Preaching, which used to be so difficult for me, so horrible because of how sickly nervous I would get has become a joy because at times when the Holy Spirit is ministering with me, it feels like I'm just soaring with Him. Altar ministry is so wonderful because in those times of prayer He shows up and speaks. The primary reason we are moving from Angola to Namibia next year is for the love of the Holy Spirit. I am nowhere near being being able to compare myself with anyone so great as Kathyrn Kuhlman, but I am beginning to understand why she had this great fear of going before a crowd and not having the person of the Holy Spirit come in the way He used to manifest Himself. Once you've got that; it's everything.
We'll be in Missouri at School of Missions for a couple more weeks, and then the first week of August we'll be in Michigan as the Camp Missionaries for the Elijah Kids' Camp. After that, we've got a couple weeks that are open where we will be looking for churches to book services, and then I'll head back to Western New York and Pennsylvania while Kim and Breanna head back down to Georgia.
Thanks for keeping us in prayer during our travels. My prayer is that this precious anointing God has given as a gift would be cherished and protected - it is so valuable.
Thanks be to Jesus who purchased us with His blood, and through His blood gives us access to His kingdom and all the wonders therein!
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Motocross Evangelism in the Mountains of Kwanza Sul
I’ve just returned from what I consider THEE most fun evangelism I’ve ever done in my life. It was our last ministry outing before having to leave Angola on furlough and what a great way to go out. Here’s what we did….. We packed up our sound equipment, film projection unit, tents, food, and motorcycles and drove 8 hours out into the mountains of Kwanza Sul. After spending the night in the basement of the church in Ndalatanga, we put the Land Cruiser in four wheel drive and drove as far as we could on what almost resembled a road. When we got to the remote village of Cadaa we parked next to the church and unpacked. After getting everything set up, I strapped on my Seabag (my 24 yr. old Navy issue backpack) filled with puppets, balls, Frisbees and other fun stuff, and we (An Angolan pastor and myself) took off down one of the mountain trails. We visited several villages in the mountains and shared the gospel, but let me tell you about one village that stands out the most in my mind. It was one of the furthest ones that we went to, and just getting there was quite an adventure - having to cross a large brook and go up a hill so steep the bikes almost didn’t make it. When we entered the village I saw some grass being thrown up into the air on the far side and went to investigate. There were a group of kids there who were playing in the fresh cut grass, just having fun. Being that I was the first white person many of them had ever seen, their attention was immediately captured. I took out the Frisbees and the balls and started playing with them. After playing for about a half an hour, there were all sorts of villagers who gathered out of curiosity. With the gathering of so many people to observe the strange white guy, the children started feeling apprehensive about playing. It was then that I decided it would be a good time to put the games away and share the gospel. I pulled out the pictures that I had brought and told the story about how God so loved us that He sent His Son into the world to save us from our sins. Isaac (the Angolan pastor who accompanied me) and I shared with the crowd about the salvation that God has given us because He loves us so much. We gave an altar call and about a dozen people responded. First we prayed with them for the forgiveness of their sins and repentance; and then we explained to them that because their hearts were now clean, the Holy Spirit would come in and give them power to live for Christ and not return to their sins. As we layed hands on them and prayed for the filling of the Holy Spirit, you could actually see the changes in their countenance as God did a work in their lives. Later that day when we were back setting up the Jesus film at the church a couple of the youth who had prayed with us in the mountain village showed up. They said, “When you came and shared Jesus with us we were still kind of drunk, but the Holy Spirit came and touched us and now we want to just follow Jesus.” I asked them if they were going to stay for the Jesus film, but they said that they had to make it back to their village because it was getting dark. They had walked the 15 kilometers just to ask for Bibles. Fortunately we had a box of Bibles that was provided by Light For The Lost and we gave them some so that they could start a Bible study in their village. We shared the gospel in several other villages, but seeing those two teenage guys who were so sincere and had walked all that way because they were hungry for God was what touched my heart the most. I’m sincerely grateful for all those who were praying for our safety during this trip. On one night we didn’t have the two cars available and I had to ride the motorcycle out of the mountains in the cold, misting rain. In the mountains those wet rocks get pretty slippery and to complicate matters, the battery on the motorcycle went dead. I only had good light when I was revving the engine, so I had to keep my speed up. It was almost like a real life video game on "Expert" level. It wouldn’t have been much fun to have fallen and broken a leg, but your prayers kept us safe. Our intercessors made the trip not only fun, but really impacting for people in those mountain villages who would have never heard the GREAT NEWS of the manifestation of the love of God in the story and the person of Jesus Christ. In closing, allow me to once again ask for your prayers: 1) We have felt the Lord’s direction for us to move to Namibia after our furlough. The wonderful workings and leadings of the Spirit to provoke this decision I will write about another time. It’s a whole chapter. Pray for the Spirit’s guidance in our preparations. 2)Handing over ministry after many years of labor is difficult, even to capable hands. Please pray for grace in the transition. 3)I’ll be flying back to the States this coming Tuesday and seek God’s grace during my travels. 4)Please pray for Breanna as she is eleven years old and is being baptized into a culture she is completely unfamiliar with. May Jesus continue to be her best friend and the most important in her life. 5)Kim needs your prayers as well. She returned to the States a week ago so she could start getting everything set up for our visiting the churches. May we do what is pleasing in the Lord’s sight and find favor. 6)Most important, greater yieldedness to the person of the Holy Spirit
Friday, April 07, 2006
Thursday, April 06, 2006
April in Angola
Dynabyte April 2006
This month’s newsletter finds our missionaries basking in the warm glow of Angola’s sunny climate once again without electricity. If it weren’t for laptop batteries this newsletter would be arriving there at the end of the month, instead of the beginning.
Here’s what’s been happening on this side of the world:
USS EMORY S. LAND SAILORS VISIT MISSION
This U.S. Naval vessel, a “Submarine Tender,” has been a great help to us A/G missionaries. First they helped Gary and Jan Dickinson up in the Congo with some projects there, and then they came down to Luanda and helped us here.
This is no small thing. There hasn’t been a U.S. military vessel in an Angolan port for over 33 years because of the poor relationship between the U.S. and Angola. So, during this historic visit, for the Navy to choose to make us one of their community relations outreaches, it was a major blessing!
They helped work on the Activities Court that we’re building for handicapped children
They took our bathroom in the Children’s Ministries Training Center and made it handicap accessible
They cut down the “Tower of Terror,” that monstrosity of a health hazard that we had built several years ago for our telephones (and former home of the killer bees)
And,
They tried to help us get our burnt up generator going again.
On Saturday of last week we ran a big activity for the kids and had about 45 sailors out here helping us for that. It was great – we set up a big waterslide for the kids, ran games like volleyball and hand soccer, and did crafts before enjoying a nice, big lunch. The kids absolutely loved the sailors who came out and I believe that God seriously touched the hearts of the sailors who paired up with the kids. The kids’ choir in turn sang for the sailors,
“Hurry, hurry, hurry, my brother, run to Jesus.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry, my brother, run to Jesus.
“Hurry, hurry, my brother, Jesus Christ, calls you
“Don’t waste time now, Jesus is calls you.”
And
“Move in me, Holy Spirit, move in me.
Take my mind and my heart; I put my life into Your hands,
Move in me, Holy Spirit, move in me.”
The love of Christ was demonstrated in great ways and both the sailors and the kids were impacted in such a way that they’ll remember it for the rest of their lives.
On the lighter side, something I’ll remember for the rest of my life was the Sunday morning service which followed the activity. I had to preach in a remote church in Capiri. There was a miscommunication and the pastor thought that I would be bringing a group of sailors out to visit, so they prepared, “Ginginga,” a special dish as the main course.
When they placed it on my plate, the pastor asked me, “Do you know what that is?”
I replied, “It looks like GOAT GENITALIA.”
He responded, “Yup, certainly not a food for children.”
I thought, “YEAAAHH, not a food for children or missionaries. Or any person for that matter. What a horrid sin against the entire male species!”
What do you do in a case like this?
First, Pray to God for a Word of Wisdom.
Second, look at what else is on the table and load up your plate with that stuff.
Third, eat the stuff until you’re full and can’t eat any more, and then with a great look of remorse declare, “Oh my eyes were so much bigger than my stomach! How unfortunate that I have absolutely no more room for this wonderful delicacy.”
Then, if your host seems put out in any way, ask that you might be able to take the culinary wonder home to share with your family. When you get home, give it to the dog. Is he not part of your family?
BIG FIRE AT BIBLE SCHOOL
Please be in prayer for the Assemblies of God Bible School here in Luanda. Yesterday as I was at home the Bible School Director pulled up in his car and asked if I had a fire extinguisher to put out a fire in the school. I told him that I had one in my car and I’d get it for him, and that was when I saw the huge plume of black smoke coming from the Bible School. I gave him my extinguisher and then I quickly gathered up every other extinguisher I could get my hands on from the houses and vehicles and drove up to the school. When I saw the inferno I realized that our little extinguishers weren’t going to cut it.
It was total mayhem. A few people were running back and forth with buckets, some running into rooms to retrieve personal effects, but most people were just standing, watching the student dorm rooms burn down. I saw some hoses on the ground, but nobody using them.
“Why isn’t anyone using these hoses?” I asked.
“There’s no water pressure.” The students responded. I followed the hoses to the spigots and they weren’t attached. “Of course there’s no pressure, the hoses aren’t attached. Why aren’t they attached?”
“They’re too big for the faucets.”
I grabbed a couple workers, “Go get some strips of rubber fast, and let’s attach these hoses!”
Within about 15 minutes we had the fires under control and then 10 minutes later when the fire was completely out, the fire company showed up. We saved about two thirds of the dorms, but as you can see on the pictures at our website, the damage was quite considerable.
Upon investigation, it was determined that the fire was caused by an electrical short in a room where mattresses were being stored. By the grace of God, nobody got injured or killed and we were able to put the fire out and not lose all the dorm rooms.
3. MINISTRY IN THE SPIRIT
A woman came to my office on Saturday wanting to work directly with me on the weekends in children's ministries, and the Holy Spirit opened up her life before me. I perceived that the primary reason she came to work with me wasn't to learn children's ministries, but to revive her life spiritually. Her experience had been that she had felt the manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit most while she was ministering to children, and was most happy during this time. As time went on she felt less and less of the manifestation of the Spirit's presence and was becoming dry. Unhappy.
Her real reason for visiting and wanting to work with us was therefore based on her desire to recapture that happiness, that joy and presence of the Holy Spirit in her life again. When I declared this to her, she broke down and confessed that it was true.
So I told her that this was not bad or anything to be ashamed of, for the Word says that we are supposed to seek first the Kingdom of God.
The Lord then showed me a mind picture of a bird in the nest that was waiting for the mother to come and give food. This was the type of relationship the woman had with God. A life of the Spirit coming and going. God however, wants us to be able to leave our spiritual infancy and abide with Him. A life that has a continued focus to practicing His presence, disciplining one’s attention towards constant prayer, attentive to His voice. Easier said then done obviously, and only accomplished through brokenness. Touch and go is good, but as we grow the spirit yearns for more, and that’s when we begin to realize how much that treasure (Matt 13:44) really costs.
4. WHAT’S NOT HAPPENING
Here’s what’s not been happening: This week we were supposed to take some motorcycles into the mountains of Gabela to share the gospel with people in remote mountain villages, however, my guide, Pastor Isaac called the night before we were supposed to leave and told me that his wife was having labor pains and that we couldn’t go.
This desire to share the gospel in these remote mountain villages has been thwarted for so long now. Each time we plan the trip, something breaks down or a physical ailment causes us to delay our plans. I’m to leave for the U.S. for furlough this summer and time is running out. Sooooo…
PLEASE PRAY FOR
God’s help to do this “MOTO-EVANGELISM”
Help for the Bible School to rebuild the student dorms
Financial Grace to get a generator for the missions compound
Guidance in setting up services for our upcoming furlough
and most important, greater yieldedness to the person of the Holy Spirit
This month’s newsletter finds our missionaries basking in the warm glow of Angola’s sunny climate once again without electricity. If it weren’t for laptop batteries this newsletter would be arriving there at the end of the month, instead of the beginning.
Here’s what’s been happening on this side of the world:
USS EMORY S. LAND SAILORS VISIT MISSION
This U.S. Naval vessel, a “Submarine Tender,” has been a great help to us A/G missionaries. First they helped Gary and Jan Dickinson up in the Congo with some projects there, and then they came down to Luanda and helped us here.
This is no small thing. There hasn’t been a U.S. military vessel in an Angolan port for over 33 years because of the poor relationship between the U.S. and Angola. So, during this historic visit, for the Navy to choose to make us one of their community relations outreaches, it was a major blessing!
They helped work on the Activities Court that we’re building for handicapped children
They took our bathroom in the Children’s Ministries Training Center and made it handicap accessible
They cut down the “Tower of Terror,” that monstrosity of a health hazard that we had built several years ago for our telephones (and former home of the killer bees)
And,
They tried to help us get our burnt up generator going again.
On Saturday of last week we ran a big activity for the kids and had about 45 sailors out here helping us for that. It was great – we set up a big waterslide for the kids, ran games like volleyball and hand soccer, and did crafts before enjoying a nice, big lunch. The kids absolutely loved the sailors who came out and I believe that God seriously touched the hearts of the sailors who paired up with the kids. The kids’ choir in turn sang for the sailors,
“Hurry, hurry, hurry, my brother, run to Jesus.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry, my brother, run to Jesus.
“Hurry, hurry, my brother, Jesus Christ, calls you
“Don’t waste time now, Jesus is calls you.”
And
“Move in me, Holy Spirit, move in me.
Take my mind and my heart; I put my life into Your hands,
Move in me, Holy Spirit, move in me.”
The love of Christ was demonstrated in great ways and both the sailors and the kids were impacted in such a way that they’ll remember it for the rest of their lives.
On the lighter side, something I’ll remember for the rest of my life was the Sunday morning service which followed the activity. I had to preach in a remote church in Capiri. There was a miscommunication and the pastor thought that I would be bringing a group of sailors out to visit, so they prepared, “Ginginga,” a special dish as the main course.
When they placed it on my plate, the pastor asked me, “Do you know what that is?”
I replied, “It looks like GOAT GENITALIA.”
He responded, “Yup, certainly not a food for children.”
I thought, “YEAAAHH, not a food for children or missionaries. Or any person for that matter. What a horrid sin against the entire male species!”
What do you do in a case like this?
First, Pray to God for a Word of Wisdom.
Second, look at what else is on the table and load up your plate with that stuff.
Third, eat the stuff until you’re full and can’t eat any more, and then with a great look of remorse declare, “Oh my eyes were so much bigger than my stomach! How unfortunate that I have absolutely no more room for this wonderful delicacy.”
Then, if your host seems put out in any way, ask that you might be able to take the culinary wonder home to share with your family. When you get home, give it to the dog. Is he not part of your family?
BIG FIRE AT BIBLE SCHOOL
Please be in prayer for the Assemblies of God Bible School here in Luanda. Yesterday as I was at home the Bible School Director pulled up in his car and asked if I had a fire extinguisher to put out a fire in the school. I told him that I had one in my car and I’d get it for him, and that was when I saw the huge plume of black smoke coming from the Bible School. I gave him my extinguisher and then I quickly gathered up every other extinguisher I could get my hands on from the houses and vehicles and drove up to the school. When I saw the inferno I realized that our little extinguishers weren’t going to cut it.
It was total mayhem. A few people were running back and forth with buckets, some running into rooms to retrieve personal effects, but most people were just standing, watching the student dorm rooms burn down. I saw some hoses on the ground, but nobody using them.
“Why isn’t anyone using these hoses?” I asked.
“There’s no water pressure.” The students responded. I followed the hoses to the spigots and they weren’t attached. “Of course there’s no pressure, the hoses aren’t attached. Why aren’t they attached?”
“They’re too big for the faucets.”
I grabbed a couple workers, “Go get some strips of rubber fast, and let’s attach these hoses!”
Within about 15 minutes we had the fires under control and then 10 minutes later when the fire was completely out, the fire company showed up. We saved about two thirds of the dorms, but as you can see on the pictures at our website, the damage was quite considerable.
Upon investigation, it was determined that the fire was caused by an electrical short in a room where mattresses were being stored. By the grace of God, nobody got injured or killed and we were able to put the fire out and not lose all the dorm rooms.
3. MINISTRY IN THE SPIRIT
A woman came to my office on Saturday wanting to work directly with me on the weekends in children's ministries, and the Holy Spirit opened up her life before me. I perceived that the primary reason she came to work with me wasn't to learn children's ministries, but to revive her life spiritually. Her experience had been that she had felt the manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit most while she was ministering to children, and was most happy during this time. As time went on she felt less and less of the manifestation of the Spirit's presence and was becoming dry. Unhappy.
Her real reason for visiting and wanting to work with us was therefore based on her desire to recapture that happiness, that joy and presence of the Holy Spirit in her life again. When I declared this to her, she broke down and confessed that it was true.
So I told her that this was not bad or anything to be ashamed of, for the Word says that we are supposed to seek first the Kingdom of God.
The Lord then showed me a mind picture of a bird in the nest that was waiting for the mother to come and give food. This was the type of relationship the woman had with God. A life of the Spirit coming and going. God however, wants us to be able to leave our spiritual infancy and abide with Him. A life that has a continued focus to practicing His presence, disciplining one’s attention towards constant prayer, attentive to His voice. Easier said then done obviously, and only accomplished through brokenness. Touch and go is good, but as we grow the spirit yearns for more, and that’s when we begin to realize how much that treasure (Matt 13:44) really costs.
4. WHAT’S NOT HAPPENING
Here’s what’s not been happening: This week we were supposed to take some motorcycles into the mountains of Gabela to share the gospel with people in remote mountain villages, however, my guide, Pastor Isaac called the night before we were supposed to leave and told me that his wife was having labor pains and that we couldn’t go.
This desire to share the gospel in these remote mountain villages has been thwarted for so long now. Each time we plan the trip, something breaks down or a physical ailment causes us to delay our plans. I’m to leave for the U.S. for furlough this summer and time is running out. Sooooo…
PLEASE PRAY FOR
God’s help to do this “MOTO-EVANGELISM”
Help for the Bible School to rebuild the student dorms
Financial Grace to get a generator for the missions compound
Guidance in setting up services for our upcoming furlough
and most important, greater yieldedness to the person of the Holy Spirit
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Cobra, Cobra!!! A "Faster than Folgers" wake up call!
It’s Saturday and we just finished another morning with the developmentally disabled children’s choir. “Developmentally Disabled” is the politically correct term nowadays for handicapped. You could say, “physically challenged” as well, but I don’t normally use that word because ever since I hit 40 and put on that extra 15 pounds I seem to be pretty physically challenged myself. Sometimes just getting out of bed is physically challenging.
Anyways, we’re seeing new faces each Saturday as the Lord just keeps sending more kids in. We’ve got a choir of about 40 kids now, but I think only about 20 of them would really be ready to sing in a performance. That’s ok though, our purpose isn’t really to “perform,” but to provide them a place where they can feel God’s presence, learn about how God sees them, and feel part of a peer group where they aren’t looked down upon, but are equal.
The greater number means more mouths to feed as well. Kim was asking how they were going to continue feeding all the kids after we leave on furlough. It’s costing almost $50.00 each practice for light snacks as it is. I don’t know at this point, but I’m so convinced that what we’re doing is so pleasing to the Lord that He will provide.
It was a good morning and a good time of singing. Better start than yesterday, that’s for sure. Yesterday I was awakened to: “Daddy, daddy, get up, quick! There’s a cobra in the yard. Hurry! It’s a spitting cobra.
I jumped out of that bed and ran outside, grabbing a shovel on the way. What I saw was even more shocking than how I was awakened. There was Kim out there, about 6 feet away from the snake, throwing rocks at it, trying to kill the thing. By the time I got there, she had just about knocked the thing senseless, so it took very little effort on my part to finish it off. As bad as she had pummeled it, I think I’d call my part a “mercy killing.”
I asked her, “What in the world are you doing, taking on a cobra?” and she responded, “You think I’m gonna let that thing loose in our yard?”
Now, that’s the difference between a woman who’s been if Africa 7 months, and one who’s been here for 7 years. Donna (our neighbor) is just as bad. She’s keeping it in a jar for her kids’ science project - dissect a spitting cobra.
Our travel plans to Malange, Ndalatango, and other cities in the provinces have been blocked right now and this is a really important prayer concern.
The reason we can’t travel is because the generator on our campus burnt up and to leave our houses empty without security lighting would be an open invitation for thieves to have their way. Already, someone has stolen about 250 gallons of gas from our storage tanks before we were able to weld a locking mechanism on the tank to lock up the remainder of our fuel.
A new generator here for the 3 houses would cost $20,000.00. So far, $8000.00 has been raised. Please pray on this one. Without this generator we can’t go into the provinces to reach the lost and it is dangerous at night.
If your heart is touched by this, and you want to respond, please let me know. Once again, we leave on furlough in May and we were planning on using these last months to travel around and do ministry in the provinces. Without a working generator here to keep our families safe, we’re stuck in Luanda.
To visit our website online, copy and follow this link:
http://ag.org/top/missionary_directory/world/world.cfm?Display=Yes&churchdetail=AGFM01A3
To donate to this ministry online, copy and follow this link:
https://secure1.ag.org/contributions/detail.cfm?LedgerID=331751C2-1949-4AC1-B3D8-4044B2EEEBDC
Anyways, we’re seeing new faces each Saturday as the Lord just keeps sending more kids in. We’ve got a choir of about 40 kids now, but I think only about 20 of them would really be ready to sing in a performance. That’s ok though, our purpose isn’t really to “perform,” but to provide them a place where they can feel God’s presence, learn about how God sees them, and feel part of a peer group where they aren’t looked down upon, but are equal.
The greater number means more mouths to feed as well. Kim was asking how they were going to continue feeding all the kids after we leave on furlough. It’s costing almost $50.00 each practice for light snacks as it is. I don’t know at this point, but I’m so convinced that what we’re doing is so pleasing to the Lord that He will provide.
It was a good morning and a good time of singing. Better start than yesterday, that’s for sure. Yesterday I was awakened to: “Daddy, daddy, get up, quick! There’s a cobra in the yard. Hurry! It’s a spitting cobra.
I jumped out of that bed and ran outside, grabbing a shovel on the way. What I saw was even more shocking than how I was awakened. There was Kim out there, about 6 feet away from the snake, throwing rocks at it, trying to kill the thing. By the time I got there, she had just about knocked the thing senseless, so it took very little effort on my part to finish it off. As bad as she had pummeled it, I think I’d call my part a “mercy killing.”
I asked her, “What in the world are you doing, taking on a cobra?” and she responded, “You think I’m gonna let that thing loose in our yard?”
Now, that’s the difference between a woman who’s been if Africa 7 months, and one who’s been here for 7 years. Donna (our neighbor) is just as bad. She’s keeping it in a jar for her kids’ science project - dissect a spitting cobra.
Our travel plans to Malange, Ndalatango, and other cities in the provinces have been blocked right now and this is a really important prayer concern.
The reason we can’t travel is because the generator on our campus burnt up and to leave our houses empty without security lighting would be an open invitation for thieves to have their way. Already, someone has stolen about 250 gallons of gas from our storage tanks before we were able to weld a locking mechanism on the tank to lock up the remainder of our fuel.
A new generator here for the 3 houses would cost $20,000.00. So far, $8000.00 has been raised. Please pray on this one. Without this generator we can’t go into the provinces to reach the lost and it is dangerous at night.
If your heart is touched by this, and you want to respond, please let me know. Once again, we leave on furlough in May and we were planning on using these last months to travel around and do ministry in the provinces. Without a working generator here to keep our families safe, we’re stuck in Luanda.
To visit our website online, copy and follow this link:
http://ag.org/top/missionary_directory/world/world.cfm?Display=Yes&churchdetail=AGFM01A3
To donate to this ministry online, copy and follow this link:
https://secure1.ag.org/contributions/detail.cfm?LedgerID=331751C2-1949-4AC1-B3D8-4044B2EEEBDC
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Back from Namibia
Well, it's the beginning of February and we're back from Namibia. About 50 hours of driving, whoah! The trip down wasn't so bad. We stopped along the way to minister to children at the Teen Challenge Center in Benguela, and then we stayed almost a week in Lubongo, training leaders in children's ministries and distributing resources (puppets, books, etc.)
Then, we went down to Namibia and spent almost another week in Otjiwarango where we did a Children's Christmas Festival for the local children. It was great. God spoke to people's hearts to give to our ministry, so we were able to really able to do it up right, buying bicycles and cd diskmans as prizes, doing lots of fun games, and some great crafts. The programs we did spoke about the gifts that God gives us. The best gift, His Son, and also the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The drive going down wasn't so bad because it was broken up, but the drive back we did just about straight through and it was a killer. The last day I just couldn't drive any further. I got so sick we had to stop and I just laid down. I know people were praying for me because after about 2 hours, all the symptoms went away and I felt fine and was able to drive the rest of the way. I do appreciate Brother Paul for taking the wheel those two hours that I was out.
My knee is getting better. Slowly but surely. I opted out of the surgery, trusting God for a slow, but complete healing.
Thanks for your continued prayers over this.
Next week we go into Kwanza North and up into Malange to put in a church foundation, as well as to do children's ministry workshops, preach, and show the Jesus film. Next Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Thanks for keeping us in prayer.
-Mark
Then, we went down to Namibia and spent almost another week in Otjiwarango where we did a Children's Christmas Festival for the local children. It was great. God spoke to people's hearts to give to our ministry, so we were able to really able to do it up right, buying bicycles and cd diskmans as prizes, doing lots of fun games, and some great crafts. The programs we did spoke about the gifts that God gives us. The best gift, His Son, and also the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The drive going down wasn't so bad because it was broken up, but the drive back we did just about straight through and it was a killer. The last day I just couldn't drive any further. I got so sick we had to stop and I just laid down. I know people were praying for me because after about 2 hours, all the symptoms went away and I felt fine and was able to drive the rest of the way. I do appreciate Brother Paul for taking the wheel those two hours that I was out.
My knee is getting better. Slowly but surely. I opted out of the surgery, trusting God for a slow, but complete healing.
Thanks for your continued prayers over this.
Next week we go into Kwanza North and up into Malange to put in a church foundation, as well as to do children's ministry workshops, preach, and show the Jesus film. Next Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Thanks for keeping us in prayer.
-Mark
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