Partaking and Visitors

My current bowl of fruit.

(coconuts, sugar-apples, and cashews)

One of the ways that I'm trying to work on learning and practicing the local language is by talking with the ladies that sell fruit here.

A type of melon that was new to me.

After our Bible study one day, my dear sisters from church prepared a special meal for me... tortoise.

After boiling them, they removed the shells and separated the body parts.

Both tortoises had numerous eggs of varying sizes, which were thrown into the pot with the tortoise meat.

The lovingly prepared lunch of tortoise (with eggs) and xima. 

I invited Gary and Diane Gray from Maputo to share with the church group in Nyamajeho, Inhambane about alcohol addiction and liberation in Christ. Alcohol is made from almost every type of local fruit here, and many people struggle with this addiction. 

Two former students that were a part of the youth group that Pr. Abel and I led, Chauke (left) and Hermenegildo (right), came to visit. 

Hermenegildo has been working with the local government facilitating a district wide census. And Chauke, who is now pursuing a degree in Geography and Tourism, proudly showed me his grades from the university.

Pastors from the national church in Maputo, Daniel and Abel, came to assist me in an important meeting with the local leaders in Cala. And my colleagues, Paulo and Fernanda, came to encourage the church group in Nyamajeho. What a blessing they all were!

After the meeting, Pastor Abel enjoyed one of the local specialties here, shredded dried cassava, which can be eaten in tea.

 

While Pastor Abel was teased for how much cassava he ate, I was teased for how many peanuts I ate.  

Pastor Daniel, who did most of the teasing, enjoyed another local specialty here, chiguinha, which is made from a cooked leafy green, boiled cassava, coconut milk, and crushed peanuts.


In partaking, we show love.

Jessica, Isildro, Cidalia

Jessica

Tomas and Ermelinda's daughter, Jessica, stayed with me for a weekend.  We played with the children in my neighborhood, did Bible studies, and made pumpkin leaf curry with the leaves from my garden.

I taught Jessica a Bible story to tell the kids at church on the Sunday.

Isildro

Isildro, our former student from the Bible study course Pr. Abel and I taught, came to visit me, and I invited him and a friend to church in Cala. After the service he taught the children 2 new songs.

Isildro was a very faithful and very quiet student, and I often wondered what God was doing in his life. He is now taking an accounting course and is part of an Assemblies of God church in the town where he now lives. 

On this visit, he invited me to the local Assemblies of God church in Quissico, and when he got up to introduce me, he said, "This is sister Aimee. She and a pastor (Abel) brought me to know Jesus Christ." 

What a blessing it was for me to hear that! I praise God.  

 Cidalia

I've been trying to get to know my neighbors here, and I'm thankful for the friendship I've begun to build with Cidalia, holding the baby.

We went to the nearby lake with all the kids, and everyone had a great time!

Being and Other Things

Listening and Learning

Loving

Being

~

"The time for speaking comes rarely, the time for being never departs."

George Macdonald

~

Visiting

The boy with the colorful door

Women and Children

Other Things

Colonies of flying termites that invade inside my house after each rain.

Termite wings left on the ground outside.

Biggest cassava I've ever seen...and eaten (making the 25 liter container of water on the left look tiny).

I got 2 cokes for friends. The cans here have common first names on them.

These 2 cans made 1 full name.

My water bill...

Aimee Howarth is not a common name. At the water company I'm known as... Almeque Hownar :o)

Merry Christmas!

May you know God's great love for you!

Fernando Family

Pr. Juka is one of the national leaders that I serve alongside of in Igreja Evangelica Palavra Viva (Living Word Evangelical church) here in Mozambique, Africa. 

Juka, along with his wife, Elina, and their daughter, Milca, believes God is leading them to study theology and nursing at a seminary in Brazil, to then return to better serve in Mozambique. 
 ~

Would you pray for this family during this Christmas season?


If you feel led to give the Fernando Family a support gift this Christmas, you can give through OMS online
www.onemissionsociety.org

or by mail to: 

One Mission Society
PO Box 1648 
Monument, CO 80132
 (memo line: Fernando Family Study Program #408153)

The Move!

Arriving at the beautiful new ministry house in Quissico, Inhambane!

Along with Belarmino, a smiling Marcos Zito, who did the painting, was there to welcome us. 

I was accompanied by my dear OMS colleagues, Paulo and Fernanda, my sister from church, Luisa, and my mom. 

They were such a huge help with all the unpacking, organizing, cleaning, putting things away... and even planting a tropical almond tree for shade in the future.

Belarmino (far left), from the church, and his workers sang a song of blessing before they left. They did an amazing job on a difficult house, which has both Mozambican and Western aspects, with the hope that both Mozambicans and Westerners will all feel welcome here.

What a blessing it was to have my mom here for the last 3 months to help me with this major transition.

The surprise my mom got in her shoe one morning.

Cultural Introductions

Since moving to the village of Quissico, I have spent many days with a local pastor from the Nazarene church to be formally presented to the local chiefs, municipal and district authorities, government officials, and the religious affairs offices. 

 I praise God that the leaders have received me well and have formally recognized my presence in the community. I want to show love and respect as I live here, and I thank God for His help in these important first steps. 

I was also presented at the local hospital (above), the radio station, and the police and military squadrons. 

Although it has been tiring to make many culturally appropriate visits for introductions in my first days here, this will be a help with my own security, my relationships in the community, and for partnership possibilities in the future.

Churches

I attended the final 2015 meeting of the Evangelical Alliance of Brothers in Christ (held at the Pentecostal church above). It is a group made up of 5 different church denominations, including Palavra Viva church, which I have served with in Maputo for the past 8 years.

Papa Tomas presented me to the group, who gave me a lovely welcome. 

In partnership with my Mozambican brothers from the Palavra Viva church in Maputo, in the future we hope to provide a Biblical leadership training course for church leaders from a variety of denominations in this area.

This time of transition has been challenging, but as it has always been, it is hard and good to live for Christ.

 ~

"The most deeply compelled action is also the freest action...I chose, yet it really did not seem possible to do the opposite" 

C.S. Lewis

Baby Aimee

Just before moving from Maputo to Inhambane, I was blessed with a namesake.

Dedicating baby Aimee at the church in Kongoloti with her mom, dad, and godfather.

Anabela, the happy mother.

Doing the customary dancing and singing praises to God for the baby.

It was such a special way to end my time here in Maputo with women I have grown to love so much over these last 9 years.

"A friend is someone you share the path with."  
~ African Proverb