Helping Hands, Cala Children, and Land Legalized!

My Brazilian colleague, Laura, came with us to Inhambane. 
The back of her shirt says, 

YOUR LIFE HAS VALUE

JESUS LOVES YOU! 

Artur's life has value.

We were thankful to be able to show him Jesus' love by sharing the story of Mephibosheth from the Bible, and giving him a wheelchair! 

Through the Helping Hands ministry, we were also blessed to be able to give crutches to Julhino.

His very creative father had made a walker out of wood! Unfortunately, it was too heavy to be helpful.

Pr. Nelio, (above) with the wooden walker.

Julinho and his little cat.

 Julinho's life has so much value.

Cala

Laura gave a children's Bible story book to the kids in Cala.

Elder climbed a tree to pick some oranges for us, and he tossed them down.

Catching oranges at night

Elder, the expert tree climber

Laura with the kids, and the freshly picked oranges.

Land Legalized!

After much negotiation and hard work with the local government, we have now put  official "markers" (the long concrete blocks) into the corners of the land, which signify legal possession! 

 This is a result of prayer and support.

I praise God!

Kids, Car, Sophie and Heather

 My colleagues, Paulo and Fernanda, have a wonderful ministry of singing, praying, telling Bible stories, and playing with the local children in Machava, Maputo. Their daughters Laura (above) and Luana have a great time with the kids!  

  

I was sharing with the older boys from the group about helping others who are in need. I asked two particular boys to come up to the front that day. 

Earlier that week, my car got stuck in a muddy water hole. This is not my car, but I couldn't take a picture since I was in my car when it happened!

After seeing the water rush under the hood of the truck, I thanked God afterwards because the left side of the truck, where the air enters in, was higher than the right side that had fallen into the hole, so water did not get into the engine.

These young boys from the community stayed with me the whole time while I was waiting to be towed out by my colleague, so I thanked them in front of the group. They were a great example of being a help to someone in need! 

Back to Inhambane

It's the "dead of winter" here (64F/18C), and I won the contest for being the coldest (that's me on the left in the black parka - I know it's ridiculous). Sophie, on the right, is from England (no jacket, not even a sweater). 

Sophie has been in Maputo for 5 months teaching at CAM school, and before going back to England, she took a trip with us to Inhambane. 

 Heather, from Northern Ireland, who has been here for 6 months, also joined us. She is an occupational therapist and has been working with Mozambicans who have disabilities. 

We made a special visit to encourage and pray for a young man who was hit by a falling tree and has been unable to walk for the last 4 years. 

Praise God that through the Helping Hands ministry started by my colleagues, Melvin and Sharon, we will be able to give him a wheelchair! 

 My good friend Mama Isabel traveled with us to Inhambane, and this was my failed attempt to take a good picture of the two of us.