Coaching and Shepherding

 I have been planning and preparing for the visit of a coach and a shepherd.

 It was a privilege to have Tim Roehl, center back, and Jose Banales, right front, visit Mozambique.

Coaching

 Tim (with Melo, who translated for him) came to teach the national church, interdenominational seminary, international Christian school, and our missionary team about coaching, based on his book, Transformissional Coaching. 

 Church leaders learned about the importance of listening and asking effective questions to connect with and empower others as they seek to serve Christ.

 Working on intentional listening, caring, and celebrating with one another. 

Leaders praying for one another.   

 Tim demonstrated a coaching session with national church leader, Pr. Juka, under the tree at the church in Kongoloti.  

Shepherding

Jose, with national church leader, Pr. Abel and his wife Vitoria, came as a shepherd to Mozambican pastors who have been serving as national missionaries planting churches in Mozambique.   

Jose, encouraging Pr. Abel on a visit to his home church.  

 

 Pr. Juka with a new tie, one of many that Jose brought as gifts for national pastors.

 Pr. Juka's daughter, Milca, trying on her dad's new tie.

Jose brought a precious little nurse for the new real nurse, Pr. Juka's wife, Elina. 

Maputo Biblical and Theological Seminary

We planned to have Tim's next coaching sessions at the seminary. 

 Biblical and Theological Seminary of Maputo

 An average of 50 Christian leaders participated in the 4 days of seminary sessions, representing 8 countries and various seminaries and organizations.

 Practicing asking good questions about goals, realities, options, and action steps. 

 Small groups studied different passages of Scripture to learn about the Biblical basis for coaching.

  Elect Generation Children's Ministry

Jose sharing with the soccer boys.

And then the picture afterwards!

Helping Hands Ministry

Tim and Jose visited Jean Paul, who has received love and a wheelchair from the Helping Hands ministry.

Tim, praying for Jean Paul.

Christian Academy in Mozambique (CAM)

Jose sharing a special message with the kids at the school chapel service.

CAM teachers and OMS Missionaries

Tim's final coaching sessions with Christian Academy teachers, OMS missionaries and a Wesleyan missionary.

Fiesta

On the last evening, Jose prepared a Mexican meal for everyone!

Curious kids about to taste marvelous Mexican cuisine.

It was a blessing to partner with a coach and a shepherd here in Mozambique.

Church Conference & Service, and Inhambane

Church Leader Training

Palavra Viva (Living Word) Evangelical Church leadership training conference with 3 visiting pastors from Conim church in Brazil.

Pastor Rafael, from Brazil, teaching on preaching.

Leaders from different churches working together in small groups.

Women leaders working on how to prepare a Biblical based message.

We praise God for this wonderful training time.

Maputo Province All Church Service

We had our first ever all-church service where members from all of the Palavra Viva churches gathered to worship and fellowship together!

It was a special time of celebration and praise for what God is doing in the national church here.

Left to Right: Pr. Abel, Pr. Daniel, Irma Aimee, Pr. Nelio, Pr. Juka, Irmao Paulo, and Deacon Belarmino (in the back with the microphone)

I serve as part of this 7 person transitional church government, in which we are working on the development of  leadership, organization, and ministries in the church.

The congregation prayed for us in this special service. 

Would you please pray for Palavra Viva Evangelical Church:

"that their love would abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that they may be able to discern what is best and that they may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God." 

(Phil. 1:9-11) 

Inhambane

Pr. Rafael, Pr. Abel, Papa Tomas

After the conference and church service, we traveled with our 3 Brazilian brothers to the Inhambane province.

Pr. Jaco with the children.

Pr. Sandro with Mama Palmira and baby Eva, whom he had visited 2 years ago.

We also visited and prayed at the 2 plots of land in Inhambane for the future ministry house and ministry center.

 We continue to wait for the local government to release the document needed for the construction license to start the building.

Would you pray for God's will, way, and timing in this. 

Thank you!

Back to Zambezia!

I've just returned from a ministry trip to the province of Zambezia, where I visited Mozambican missionaries from the Palavra Viva church in Maputo, Pr. Juka and Elina Fernando.

Here they are looking like Malibu locals in Mocuba, thanks to some shirts from my Dad. 

Churches

Pr. Juka, along with his wife Elina, has been preaching the Gospel and planting churches in Mocuba for the past 5 years. They will now be transitioning back to serve in Maputo. 

Another local pastor who has studied at the seminary in Maputo will now be taking the lead in this area. Please pray for Pr. Dinis and his wife Matilde, with their 3 boys.

Pr. Juka and Elina are very loved and they will be missed much by their Christian brothers and sisters in Mocuba.

I had the opportunity to visit and meet with some of the leaders to talk about the transition of leadership and to encourage them to remain faithful in following Christ.

A Carpenter

While in Mocuba, Juka started a carpentry business, which he officially registered with the government. This business will continue with the local men he has trained, and I have asked them to make all the furniture for the ministry house in Inhambane!

The beautiful bed Juka made as a gift for his wife, Elina.

Food and Beverage

While in the home, I did some tasks with the women. We got water from a well for cooking, washing, etc...

Since the water basin had to be filled frequently, I asked if we could play a game to see who could fill the basin the fastest time...

I got my timer out, and with much laughter and some spilled water, we all competed...even the carpenters wanted to compete! 

I won't say who lost...

We went to the local market and bought a special fish, Peixe Pedra. Joanita proudly holds the great fish.

After cleaning it, onto the grill it went.

Mindo poured on a tasty combination of vinegar and garlic.

Pr. Juka got the prized head of the fish.

Another delicious food we ate was this type of grapefruit...I call it the "grapefruit plus." 

Here's why...

1. It's larger than the "non-plus" variety grapefruit.

2. It's practically seedless! (or they're so small you just eat them and don't realize it)

3. It's SWEET without the sour!!!

...hence the "Grapefruit Plus"

A Nurse

While in Mocuba, Elina successfully completed a nursing program!

It was a blessing to be there for her graduation.

 

She specialized in perinatal nursing.

A proud husband with his wife.

After the graduation, there was a party at the school, where there were 2 of the largest pots I've ever seen.

Plenty of rice.

Then we had another celebration with friends and family, and I presented Elina with a new capulana, and...

...a picture of the first baby that Elina had delivered (which she had electronically sent to me almost a year ago and had forgotten about!)

Would you please pray for Pr. Juka and Elina as they have finished their time in Zambezia and will be transitioning back to Maputo.

1st Ministry Course Graduation in Inhambane!

I praise God that after three and half years of monthly trainings in Inhambane, Tomas and Isildro have completed the Ministry Course with Pastor Abel and I! Ermelinda, Tomas' wife, also studied the Women of the Bible course with me.

Aimee, Tomas, Ermelinda

The service started inside the church, where Tomas shared a testimony about some of the things he learned. He spoke about Christ as the last and perfect sacrifice for us, thus eliminating the need to continue sacrificing animals, as is traditionally done in this area.

So many people came, we had to move the service outside under the tree, where Isildro shared about what he had learned.

Ermelinda, who had studied The Women of the Bible, talked about the importance of being a faithful praying woman, wife, and mother.

Belarmino, from Maputo, MC'ed the graduation ceremony with me.

Pr. Daniel, from Maputo, preached a Christ centered message.


Like mission within mission, what a joy it is to see my "old" brothers from Maputo minister to my "new" brothers in Inhambane! 

Pr. Abel presented the certificates.

Congratulating the students

Would you pray for Isildro, Tomas, and Ermelinda, that they would continue to grow in faith, knowledge, and grace, and that they will use what they have learned to serve and teach others.

Thank you!