The Thistle

 

Beautiful lavender with a spikey head of thorns. A team of nature lovers was dispatched to rid the California state park of this intruder, considered to be "invasive," not native. They chopped, ripped, and hacked. The next season the thistle came back in flush because the work meant for destroying had instead spread the seeds much more by dislodging them.    

~

Joseph said to his brothers, 

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." 

Genesis 50:20

Family Visit

 My beloved nephews and niece 💗 

Father's Day

It's been great getting in the water with my dad all these years 💙

Mother's Day

My mom getting ready to make cards in the art room of our new house!

💝

Recovering and Moving

Thank you for praying as I continue to recover physically, and also as we are preparing to move into a house!

A field nearby that reminds me of God's loving care.

"If God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will He clothe you, you of little faith?" 

Luke 12:28

House!

God has provided so faithfully for us since our house burned down a little over a year ago. 

As I've been recovering from surgery, my mom has been looking for a place for us.

We now thank God for a house! 

After repairs and furniture shopping, we hope to move in early May.

Surgery update

 I praise God and thank you for your prayer! 

I'll share more when I'm feeling a bit better, but I just wanted to say that my surgery went well! 

And here are a few pictures of the cat, who seems to be in recovery with me... 

Flooding in Mozambique

 Since the start of the rainy season this January more than 100 people have died and thousands have been displaced due to widespread flooding.

Agricultural land, houses, schools, hospitals, churches, roads, and power lines have been destroyed.

Would you pray for all those affected, and for wisdom for leadership in this situation.

Merry Christmas

"The light shines in the darkness, 

and the darkness has not overcome it." 

John 1:5

Christmas trip with my parents to visit my sister's family 💝 

Health

 
I am very thankful to God! 

I'm scheduled for surgery on February 10th, 2026.  

Thank you for praying for me.

Last week in Maputo

(left to right - Pastors Juka, Lucas, Aimee, Belarmino, Abel, and Fransisco) 

Last year, the church leaders asked me to meet with, counsel, and pray with them. Pastor Juka said it was confirming that I spoke about the importance of studying and knowing the Word of God, because it was something God had been showing them this year. 

After sharing with the new church group in Matlhemele, they presented me with a beautiful capulana.

 

Speaking at the church in Picoco.

It was so special to visit with and encourage faithful church leaders, Beto and Maria.

What a lovely church group!

(left to right) 

James, Aimee, Fernanda, Eva

James and Eva are wonderful Mozambican co-workers who have helped me with accounting, and renewing my 5 year visa and my driver's license!!  

These are the beloved Brazilians who are serving with OMS in Mozambique right now.

💚💛💙

This wonderful team picked me up and dropped me off, provided meals for me, shared with me, and prayed for me.

~

I am so grateful for all of these people, for this time in Mozambique, and for all those who have been praying and giving.

Thank you!!  

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, Aimee, 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 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.

-

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. 

-

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 💕