It was an emotional Saturday night for me, leaving the team that I love so much! They all surrounded me in prayers that gave me great courage as I venture on with Jesus before me, behind me, at my side, and in me....
As the plane landed in Moz, my first thought was how much Jesus loves this place. There is something special about Mozambique. Oh heavens! And the children are beautiful!!! When I arrived at the home, it was nap time. Some of the girls were already awake. The first thing they said as I walked in was, "Bonita, bonita, bonita" as they pointed at me. They speak portuguese (thankfully similar to spannish and I am doing pretty well). It's been a day and a half and I already remember 98% of their names.
Tomorrow is national Children's Day so we will be very busy with preparations for a party. So fun!!!! Please pray for me as I get adjusted here. I am also constantly talking to the Lord about our future, so please pray that I will have an open heart for however He leads.
Other prayer NEEDS: one little boy named Americu has AIDS and is severely malnourished. His hands and feet are swollen. He needs a miracle to fight through.
A little one named Hawa is in the hospital for an unknown fever. If all goes well, she may come home tomorrow.
Another little boy named Danni is swollen from the hips down for an unexplainable reason.
Please also pray for Pieter and Rika who are the papa and mama here, they have had a really rough last two weeks and are emotionally drained. I want to be a joy to them here and for them to really be uplifted.
Peace to you! Much love, Amanda
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
6 hours....
Hi everyone! I just wanted to tell you all that in 6 hours I will be on my way to the airport in 6 hours, headed to Mozambique!!!!!! It has been a wonderful stay here in Cape Town. The Lord has stretched me and grown me. I am at a Birthday party so I haven't much time to write. Just please pray for my journey. I have been a little stressed about it-I am still not packed, and have to wake up at 3 am to leave for the airport!!!!! Plus, I have to stop over in Joberg, and I really do not like that airport. Pray for safety and a smooth journey! Thanks loves!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Sick to His Glory!!!
Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in a while! I missed the last internet cafe visit because I was sick in bed. Boy was I soo sick! But do not be worried, I am better and better every day:)!!!!
On Sunday we had a baptism, two beautiful women were baptized!!! Just as soon as the baptism completed, the sickness just hit me! Nausea, tummy pain, a fever, chills-my whole body. By the time I got into my bed I was miserable and hurting all over! But you know what? Jesus is so full of grace! HE gave me such grace that I was not sad about it or upset. I had such a thankful heart! Tears of thanks even because I have been begging Him to have a heart of compassion. That I would know how the people in Masi feel. As I lay sick in my bed and all the house was full of people and music and cheering, I though of every sick and forgotten one lying on their beds in little shacks around Masi while all was noisy outiside of them and no one remembered them. And then it also hit me that Jesus is not just moved with compassion for the people, but He feels what they feel! Jesus feels every pain they feel! I pictured His body broken and destroyed for us. He really felt it and feels it all! He is so loving!
When my team came up to check on me and saw how hot my fever was and how terrible I felt, they came and laid hands on me to pray. Jenn said my back was burning her skin, but instantly she felt the heat leave. I felt it too! My fever dropped and I felt soo much better. Still weak and not totally well, but so much better!
On Monday I was still too sick to go out, but many people in Masi were healed as my team went out in faith and prayed for them.
On Tuesday we spent 6 hours straight praising and worshipping God as we walked around Masi. We prayed for several people who gathered around us. One woman we prayed for is named Angela. She has AIDS and is not well at all. So thin and frail. Both her and her mom believe in Jesus. Her mom cried out the deepest prayers for her daughter. We all surrounded her house and asked Jesus to bring joy and healing and peace. We believe that He will heal her, even knowing that the fullest healing is for her to be taken into Heaven.
Today we went around Masi again, it was a difficult morning because Lindsay and I have both been sick and not full strength. We are a team with Sean, and so it was hard for two out of three of us to feel so weak. But we pressed on, and I trust that God has been glorified.
I think it is amazing that I keep running into this little 7 year old girl named Sabina. She is soo cute! Her front two teeth are missing. She loves to sing with me and she has taught me some Cosa songs as well. I talked to her about my Heavenly Daddy who is not like her daddy on earth that hits her. I love her! Jesus loves her!
Well I must go, hopefully this was not too long, just wanted to catch you up!
I love you all! Please pray for my courage! My trip is only just beginnning. I don't want any bit of sickness left in me when I get to the babies in Mozambique. I don't want them to catch it! Love in Christ, Amanda
On Sunday we had a baptism, two beautiful women were baptized!!! Just as soon as the baptism completed, the sickness just hit me! Nausea, tummy pain, a fever, chills-my whole body. By the time I got into my bed I was miserable and hurting all over! But you know what? Jesus is so full of grace! HE gave me such grace that I was not sad about it or upset. I had such a thankful heart! Tears of thanks even because I have been begging Him to have a heart of compassion. That I would know how the people in Masi feel. As I lay sick in my bed and all the house was full of people and music and cheering, I though of every sick and forgotten one lying on their beds in little shacks around Masi while all was noisy outiside of them and no one remembered them. And then it also hit me that Jesus is not just moved with compassion for the people, but He feels what they feel! Jesus feels every pain they feel! I pictured His body broken and destroyed for us. He really felt it and feels it all! He is so loving!
When my team came up to check on me and saw how hot my fever was and how terrible I felt, they came and laid hands on me to pray. Jenn said my back was burning her skin, but instantly she felt the heat leave. I felt it too! My fever dropped and I felt soo much better. Still weak and not totally well, but so much better!
On Monday I was still too sick to go out, but many people in Masi were healed as my team went out in faith and prayed for them.
On Tuesday we spent 6 hours straight praising and worshipping God as we walked around Masi. We prayed for several people who gathered around us. One woman we prayed for is named Angela. She has AIDS and is not well at all. So thin and frail. Both her and her mom believe in Jesus. Her mom cried out the deepest prayers for her daughter. We all surrounded her house and asked Jesus to bring joy and healing and peace. We believe that He will heal her, even knowing that the fullest healing is for her to be taken into Heaven.
Today we went around Masi again, it was a difficult morning because Lindsay and I have both been sick and not full strength. We are a team with Sean, and so it was hard for two out of three of us to feel so weak. But we pressed on, and I trust that God has been glorified.
I think it is amazing that I keep running into this little 7 year old girl named Sabina. She is soo cute! Her front two teeth are missing. She loves to sing with me and she has taught me some Cosa songs as well. I talked to her about my Heavenly Daddy who is not like her daddy on earth that hits her. I love her! Jesus loves her!
Well I must go, hopefully this was not too long, just wanted to catch you up!
I love you all! Please pray for my courage! My trip is only just beginnning. I don't want any bit of sickness left in me when I get to the babies in Mozambique. I don't want them to catch it! Love in Christ, Amanda
Friday, May 22, 2009
Jesus is Alive!
Oh my dearest friends! I can hardly speak for all the awe I have at how good our King Jesus is! I am doing well, quite sleepy with tired feet at the end of this week, but oh so full of joy!
In these last two days I have been ambushed by the joy of the Lord and I hunger for more and more and more! I am so hungry for Him! I want Him and I want whatever keeps me from fully receiving and fully giving Him to be stripped from me!!!
I have found the children in Masiphumele! Beautiful! Many trouble makers, stealing and hitting......surviving....but soo hungry and eager to learn about Jesus. All you have to do is keep waving and they will come right up to you. You put your arm around them and they put theirs around you. They love to be loved on and it's totally changing the atmosphere here. Yesterday I taught about 10 kids who had been just playing around and passing the time. I told them the whole God story and they sat for it all! Young ones too like 3 to 8 year olds! Then today we found some of them again as well as more. A young women, mother of 2, invited all the kids and us into her tiny shack as we told stories of Jesus and watched them ooh and ah (of course they did go back to hitting one another just after, but I am not discouraged! They will be changed and it will spread through all the land!)
Also, WE HAVE SEEN HEALINGS!!!!!!!! Through a very unique turn of events, we ended up in a man's house who had been lame in one leg for over ten years, We told the man we believed Jesus wanted to heal him. He said he also believed. So we laid our hands on him and prayed. Afterwads we asked if he felt any different. He said his foot felt warm. We knew this often means the Holy Spirit has touched, so we told him he should get up and try to walk, AND HE WALKED! Everyone in the house was amazed, including two nurses who were there! We didn't know they were nurses, we just thought they were friends. They were so amazed! We were all shouting with joy! Among the other small groups of 3's out and about there was a woman who's arms was healed, another who's ankle was healed. We also prayed for many who were coughing, sick, with AIDS, ect., belieiving they've all been healed in Jesus' name.
Okay so do please please keep praying! I have to hop off before this thing dies (we are at Kate's parents house tonight and using a laptop.) Pray for rest tomorrow, we are taking our day of rest tomorrow. Should be fun!!!!!
In these last two days I have been ambushed by the joy of the Lord and I hunger for more and more and more! I am so hungry for Him! I want Him and I want whatever keeps me from fully receiving and fully giving Him to be stripped from me!!!
I have found the children in Masiphumele! Beautiful! Many trouble makers, stealing and hitting......surviving....but soo hungry and eager to learn about Jesus. All you have to do is keep waving and they will come right up to you. You put your arm around them and they put theirs around you. They love to be loved on and it's totally changing the atmosphere here. Yesterday I taught about 10 kids who had been just playing around and passing the time. I told them the whole God story and they sat for it all! Young ones too like 3 to 8 year olds! Then today we found some of them again as well as more. A young women, mother of 2, invited all the kids and us into her tiny shack as we told stories of Jesus and watched them ooh and ah (of course they did go back to hitting one another just after, but I am not discouraged! They will be changed and it will spread through all the land!)
Also, WE HAVE SEEN HEALINGS!!!!!!!! Through a very unique turn of events, we ended up in a man's house who had been lame in one leg for over ten years, We told the man we believed Jesus wanted to heal him. He said he also believed. So we laid our hands on him and prayed. Afterwads we asked if he felt any different. He said his foot felt warm. We knew this often means the Holy Spirit has touched, so we told him he should get up and try to walk, AND HE WALKED! Everyone in the house was amazed, including two nurses who were there! We didn't know they were nurses, we just thought they were friends. They were so amazed! We were all shouting with joy! Among the other small groups of 3's out and about there was a woman who's arms was healed, another who's ankle was healed. We also prayed for many who were coughing, sick, with AIDS, ect., belieiving they've all been healed in Jesus' name.
Okay so do please please keep praying! I have to hop off before this thing dies (we are at Kate's parents house tonight and using a laptop.) Pray for rest tomorrow, we are taking our day of rest tomorrow. Should be fun!!!!!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
A Day in the Life of....
Here is a run down of my usual day:
7am: wake up, prep for day and WORHSIP JESUS on our own. (My favorite place is on my deck where I can dance and read and pray)
9-9:30am: breakfast and making sandwhiches.
10: Worship all together in Masi, the location.
11-1pm: Walking into and around township, entering people's homes and sharing Jesus, encouraging Bible studies among the people, ect.
1-1:30pm: Lunch (a simple sandwhich)
1:30-6: continue walking around Masi doing the same as before lunch.
Evenings: we have an amazing dinner cooked by a wonderful South African women-delish!!!!
Then we are free to play games, hang out, read, watch beautiful sunsets...(Which I am missing right now so that I can write to you).
More to come to describe all that I see and experience!
Oh yes, and prayer requests:
Clarity of mind and heart as we attempt to share Jesus for who He really is!
Endurance for each day, as you can see, alot of walking!
Joy and Courage!
Love in Him!!!!! Amanda
p.s.: Jenni, you must be reading Always Enough! Isn't it great?!?!?!
7am: wake up, prep for day and WORHSIP JESUS on our own. (My favorite place is on my deck where I can dance and read and pray)
9-9:30am: breakfast and making sandwhiches.
10: Worship all together in Masi, the location.
11-1pm: Walking into and around township, entering people's homes and sharing Jesus, encouraging Bible studies among the people, ect.
1-1:30pm: Lunch (a simple sandwhich)
1:30-6: continue walking around Masi doing the same as before lunch.
Evenings: we have an amazing dinner cooked by a wonderful South African women-delish!!!!
Then we are free to play games, hang out, read, watch beautiful sunsets...(Which I am missing right now so that I can write to you).
More to come to describe all that I see and experience!
Oh yes, and prayer requests:
Clarity of mind and heart as we attempt to share Jesus for who He really is!
Endurance for each day, as you can see, alot of walking!
Joy and Courage!
Love in Him!!!!! Amanda
p.s.: Jenni, you must be reading Always Enough! Isn't it great?!?!?!
I am in Cape Town!!!!!
Hello my lovely family and dear friends! I am so glad to be sitting here at this internet cafe to write to you. Please dismiss any errors in spelling, I haven't much time and feel in a rush!
My team and I got here in the middle of the night Monday night. Travelling was soo soo smooth! It was so great! I sat next to a sweet Christian couple for the first 7 hours who prayed blessings for me and we were all encouraged by one another!
I want to tell you how exciting it is to be in this place! It has been a strange first few days of trying to adjust to times and new atmosphere and culture, but so good! It is great to have a team to be encouraged by and to encourage. We also met up with a team from Norman,Ok so now there is about 27 of us!!!! We all stay in one house, girls on the top floor and guys on the bottom. My shared room of 7 girls has an amazing deck with a view of the town leading up to the ocean!!! I see the ocean! And the sun sets right in front of me!!! So gorgeous!!!!
Our first day was Tuesday, we had a tour of the townships and a lunch on the beach:)! We heard from the All Nations ministry that we will be working with about their vision and the work they have already been doing here. Today has been our second day and we have jumped right in! At 10 am we met for worship in a small church right within the township and then headed out in groups of 3 with each a translator. We went into what is called the "wet lands" of Masi. The poorest area. Already we have led two women to Jesus and a young boy and girl, brother and sister!
When I am with the children it is so easy for me to tell the story of who God our Father is and Jesus his son. Somehow with adults I lose my bearings. Please pray for me in this! We also had a party for a group of children that All Nations has "adopted." They are called Children at Risk because either one or bother parents have been killed or are very sick. It was soo fun! I love these kids! Beauty!!!
I am going to send this in case my time runs out...to be continued...
My team and I got here in the middle of the night Monday night. Travelling was soo soo smooth! It was so great! I sat next to a sweet Christian couple for the first 7 hours who prayed blessings for me and we were all encouraged by one another!
I want to tell you how exciting it is to be in this place! It has been a strange first few days of trying to adjust to times and new atmosphere and culture, but so good! It is great to have a team to be encouraged by and to encourage. We also met up with a team from Norman,Ok so now there is about 27 of us!!!! We all stay in one house, girls on the top floor and guys on the bottom. My shared room of 7 girls has an amazing deck with a view of the town leading up to the ocean!!! I see the ocean! And the sun sets right in front of me!!! So gorgeous!!!!
Our first day was Tuesday, we had a tour of the townships and a lunch on the beach:)! We heard from the All Nations ministry that we will be working with about their vision and the work they have already been doing here. Today has been our second day and we have jumped right in! At 10 am we met for worship in a small church right within the township and then headed out in groups of 3 with each a translator. We went into what is called the "wet lands" of Masi. The poorest area. Already we have led two women to Jesus and a young boy and girl, brother and sister!
When I am with the children it is so easy for me to tell the story of who God our Father is and Jesus his son. Somehow with adults I lose my bearings. Please pray for me in this! We also had a party for a group of children that All Nations has "adopted." They are called Children at Risk because either one or bother parents have been killed or are very sick. It was soo fun! I love these kids! Beauty!!!
I am going to send this in case my time runs out...to be continued...
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
12 Day Count Down!
Hi friends!
It is happening again! The Lord is calling to me from all the way over in Africa, and I just cannot help but be all together excited! These next days are the ones filled with packing and repacking, last minute shopping, praying nothing's forgotten, seeing as many beautiful faces of friends as possible, hugging my family so so tight.......and start loosing out on sleep for all the energy building up in me(though I slept great last night so maybe I'll be just fine)!
I woke up this morning asking myself, are you ready? Yes, the bags are packed and their have been all these preperations, but are you really ready? Ready to travel light, unsure of what tomorrow will bring? Ready for adventures beyond imagination? Ready to experience being in the center of all that Christ intends to bring with His Kingdom's coming? He answered my questions this morning while my head still rested on my pillow. "I have good plans for you. I have the best intentions for you. You can trust me. Whether it is this or that, You can trust that I will do good toward you. I love you!"
I hope you will get to join me on my journey through this bloggy dealie again! I am not sure how often I will get to a computer or how much time I will have. But know that I want to keep you updated and have you praying for me as much as you think to!!!! So even if I got weeks without a note, please keep checking up on me just in case I get the chance to say hey!
Bless you! I love you!
It is happening again! The Lord is calling to me from all the way over in Africa, and I just cannot help but be all together excited! These next days are the ones filled with packing and repacking, last minute shopping, praying nothing's forgotten, seeing as many beautiful faces of friends as possible, hugging my family so so tight.......and start loosing out on sleep for all the energy building up in me(though I slept great last night so maybe I'll be just fine)!
I woke up this morning asking myself, are you ready? Yes, the bags are packed and their have been all these preperations, but are you really ready? Ready to travel light, unsure of what tomorrow will bring? Ready for adventures beyond imagination? Ready to experience being in the center of all that Christ intends to bring with His Kingdom's coming? He answered my questions this morning while my head still rested on my pillow. "I have good plans for you. I have the best intentions for you. You can trust me. Whether it is this or that, You can trust that I will do good toward you. I love you!"
I hope you will get to join me on my journey through this bloggy dealie again! I am not sure how often I will get to a computer or how much time I will have. But know that I want to keep you updated and have you praying for me as much as you think to!!!! So even if I got weeks without a note, please keep checking up on me just in case I get the chance to say hey!
Bless you! I love you!
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