Mbeti Outreach with Owasso and the 4th Year Seminary Students

We headed into Mozambique on May 20th to set up for the first team which would arrive on Sunday, May 22nd.  Since this was the first team of our outreach season we took all of the equipment in.  Sean drove the 7 ton, Gabriel drove the MAN truck, Mark drove our bakkie and Joseph drove the Land Rover in.  Mark's dad and uncle were also with us.  The trip in went well.  We left at 5:30 am and got to Mbeti sometime after 6 pm. (not sure on the time - it was already dark)  It must have rained earlier that day or the day before as the roads had several mud holes.  The only delays were a flat on the 7-ton, the MAN got stuck but Sean was able to get it out and the 7-ton got stuck and Gabriel used the MAN truck to pull it out.  When we arrived at camp we set up a few lights, found our dinner then set up the 6 tents needed for that night.  On Saturday, we got camp 95% set-up and on Sunday Sean and Gabriel headed back to Polokwane and the rest of us finished setting up camp as we waited for the team arrive.

Mark had gone to the river late Sunday afternoon to get water for camp and on the way back he found William and the team.  The bus got stuck in a mud hole not far from camp and took on water in the engine.  The bus had to be towed into camp and William spent all day Monday accessing the damage and the team began their ministries.   It was decided that the con-rod was bent and he would have to tow the bus back to Polokwane to fix it.  Tuesday, the team continued with the ministries and also helped dig a hole that the 7-ton could be back into so that the bus could be loaded on the truck.  Wednesday, William headed back to Polokwane and he returned on Monday with the bus repaired.  The Owasso team was great, they did a great job with the ministries and they were very flexible and a huge help with the bus.

This was the first time Owasso Bible Church has been on an outreach.  We enjoyed our time with them and getting to know each one of them.  It was also our first time to spend time on outreach with the Seminary students from Christ Baptist Church in Polokwane (they joined Owasso for the 2nd half of the outreach).

Mbeti is 8 kilometers away from Matsilele where we have done ministry since 2003.  Pastor Robert is the pastor of Matsilele Baptist Church as well as the chief of the village.  He has been reaching out to the village of Mbeti for the last few years and he asked the mission if we would bring a team there.  It is exciting to see a local Pastor reach out to other villages in the area.  In 2010 the mission took the 4th year Seminary Students and it was a great outreach and so we took the Owasso team there this year and the 4th year Seminary students joined us for the 2nd half of the outreach.  Pastor Robert has also spent alot of time over the last year or so mentoring a man named Andres from Mbeti.

Each day the team would have men's, women's and children's ministry as well as hut to hut evangelism and nightly services.  On Sunday, May 29th the team went to Matsilele for the morning service and then held an evening service in Mbeti.   They had several opportunities to share the gospel and even see a few people come to accept Jesus as their Savior.  We praise the Lord for the work He is doing in Mbeti, Mozambique. 

Here are a few pictures from the outreach in Mbeti ...

This next photo is a Pastor Robert (left), Jospeh, one of our fellow missionaries (center) and Daniel (right) in Matsilele on Sunday, May 29th for the morning service.  The mission has known Daniel since 2003 and he is always with us when we are in the area.  He walked 8 km to Mbeti almost everyday to be with us.  We enjoy having him around camp. 

The next picture is my friend, Cassilda, from Matsilele.  I met her in 2003 on our first trip.  She shared her testimony during church on Sunday morning.  I will tell a little more about it in my next blog post. 

Luke's 11th birthday

Luke turned 11 while we were in Mozambique.  We were in Matsilele setting up camp for the next team to arrive the next day (Mark was also coming back to Mozambique with the team).  We celebrated that day by having donuts, yes I made homemade donuts in the bush, and we had a braai (steak, potatoes and onions) along with roasting marshmallows.   Since we were still on set-up and the team hadn't arrived we ended the day with a movie in the kitchen tent.  We had over 40 kids show up to watch it with us. Today, we celebrated in Polokwane with some of his friends.  It was 50 F here and windy but we still had a great time even though it was COLD!

In the next day or two I will post pictures and update you on the first two outreaches we had in Mozambique.

Our time with Mark's Dad and Uncle

Mark's dad and uncle came for a visit and they wanted to make sure that they could go into Mozambique with us and see what we do with the mission.  They arrived on May 13th and left on June 5th.  They had a week with us here in Polokwane and they were a huge help in all the last minute preparations for our first outreach.  Along with preparing to go into Mozambique we managed to find time to have a little fun around town as well. Kelsey, one of our short-termers arrived at the same time.  We enjoyed having a house full! 

Luke and Pappy

Brit and Pappy

Pappy, Uncle Jim and Brit playing cards

Bob playing with the lion cubs at The Ranch

Jim and Bob playing with the lion cubs

We had a great time at The Ranch

This is a very playful lion.

shopping for 2 teams

making sure the new tent works before we go to Mozambique

and it works -  we put up 4 tents that day in the backyard

Bob and Jim had the job to check air mattresses for holes

after a day of packing - yes all of this goes with us to Mozambique

Luke and Jim are packing the milk

Loading the truck - Brit and Kelsey did a great job packing the truck, with the help of William

We got the tarp on just before the rain came!

Pappy and Luke played a game together the night before going into Mozambique

Nothing like changing a tire on a fully loaded 7 ton truck!

putting up the kitchen tent

Jim helping with the kitchen tent.

They did A LOT of dishes in camp!

They were busy fixing the shower doors.

Hanging out by the showers.

Jim is helping Brit fill the 1,000 liter water tank. 

Down at the Limpopo River

Bob is playing with the kids after the soccer game.

The kids wanted to help them carry their chairs back to camp.

They enjoyed the nightly services.

Wood for the bread hole... very important!

They went with Mark to Xicumbane.

helping to push the bus on the 7-ton truck

Standing in front of a boabab tree. 

Brit and Uncle Jim

Luke and Uncle Jim

Bob, Mark and Jim

We are so thankful that they came to spend time with us on outreach in Mozambique.  We enjoyed our 3 weeks with them!