Inhambane

This week I visited Inhambane with 5 of my beloved sisters from Maputo.

We encouraged and prayed with neighbors there. 

Giving my mom's paintings☺️

Sharing God's love with so many special people.

Sharing with the church group in Cala.

On the way back we stopped by the lake to enjoy God's beautiful creation!

Elina

It was so good to hear about many things that God is doing in each of their churches. Elina told me that she had been asking God for a prayer partner. This year she and Julia started praying on the phone every night at 10pm. Other women heard about this wanted to join, and now there are four groups of six women praying together every night for their marriages, children, churches, work, and communities!

(left to right) 

Victoria, Elina, me, Julia.

Victoria told me about a woman in her church who has been widowed twice and she was being rejected by many of her friends and neighbors because they thought she was cursed. She was very depressed and she left the church, but Victoria remembered a Bible study I had done with her about how God loves and cares for widows and orphans. Victoria visited and prayed for her, and shared that Bible study with her. The woman is now doing well and came came back to church!

Tininha

I traveled with young Tininha to Chibuto last week, and we asked her to come to Inhambane this week. I told her it would be a good experience to learn about other ways of life and to show God's love to different people. It was such a good opportunity to talk about boys and cell phones, the importance of spending time with God each day, and serving others! 

Everyone helped to prepare the food.

One day Elina made a video of me preparing Mozambican couve step by step! 

Shaving the coconut.

Pounding the peanuts.

Sifting the peanut powder.

Peanut powder. 

Making coconut milk.

Cooking the couve, coconut milk, and peanut powder (with tomato and spring onions).

Finishing the last step - salt!

Couve with rice ☺️

The plumeria tree in the front of the house continues to grow and multiply. These women were such a beautiful blessing in Inhambane 💗

Visits and Somos Nós Trip

I had a special visit with little Aimee, and I gave her a card with flowers that my mom had painted. 

I shared with her that if God cares for the beautiful flowers, how much more will He care for her!

💕

It was good to see Carlos and Tina with their growing family.

A dad sandwich ❤️ 

Somos Nós, which means "It's Us," serves people with disabilities. 

I traveled to an area called Chibuto with this team to love, listen to, pray for, assess, and give wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and canes to about 50 people!

Here are just 4 stories of some of the people I met.

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An elderly man fought in the war and lost a leg after stepping on a landmine.

A young woman had malaria while pregnant, resulting in her child being born with disabilities.

An elderly woman lost one of her legs during the war when a grenade was thrown into her house.

A young man was born with cerebral palsy and was abandoned by his family, but had one of the most joyful smiles I've ever seen. 

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It was a privilege to show them love by hearing their stories, freely giving them mobility aids, and praying for them if they wanted prayer. 

Thank you for praying!

Gifts

On my last leg from Ethiopia to Mozambique, I sat behind an old friend who blessed me with such a beautiful gift during the flight 😊 

With the help of a dear friend, I was able to submit all of my paperwork for my visa renewal and my driver's license!

On Sunday, Monica took me to visit the church in São Damaso 😊

What a gift to see so many people I love 💕 

Preparing for Mozambique

Grateful to spend a day at the beach with my beloved nephews and niece.

In preparing to travel to Mozambique, I asked my mom to paint 10 watercolor cards based on Mark 4:39 to give to the Mozambican pastors I'll be visiting.

Jesus' powerful and comforting words in the storm.

She painted other cards to encourage some of the other people I'll be visiting. What a blessing💗

I am working on my schedule, and I would appreciate prayer for God's protection and plans for this trip!

Health and Mozambique

My surgery has been postponed possibly until around the end of this year.

Because of this postponement, I would be able make a trip to Mozambique in October to visit, encourage, and pray with the church leaders, missionary team, and the ongoing ministries, as well as renew my Mozambican visa and driver's license. 

I would appreciate prayer for my health and for this trip. 

~ Thank you ~

Family Visits

 💕Such a special time with my sister's family in Northern California...

...and my brother's family in Southern California 💗

Health Update

My mom did a little water color painting of a boat in the middle of a storm. 

It reminds me that Jesus rebuked the wind and said, "Peace! Be still!"  Then the wind ceased and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:39)

 The health journey I have been on these last years has felt like a storm. As hard as it is, it's a storm that Jesus has continually calmed, and He has given me His wonderful peace.

I may be able to have a surgery in a couple of months, and I would appreciate prayer for God's continued peace.

I saw this reminder of the deepest theological truth on the ground of a parking lot one day.

Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.