What Have the Kids Been Up To?

The Lord has been growing Brit in many areas over the last few months.  We are so proud of how she continues to draw her strength from The Lord.  It is not easy being so far away from each other but it has been a joy to watch The Lord direct her path.  

Here are just a few highlights we would love to share with you... 

She has been given a job at the school's newspaper as a photographer.  Check out the latest edition of the paper here. 

Brit was asked to give her testimony during a fundraiser evening for the PaulAnn Mozambique Mission team.   We are thankful for technology that allows for us to be able to watch our girl give her testimony for the first time on the stage in front of a large group of people.   We praise The Lord for the work He has done and continues to do in her life.  You can watch her testimony here.  

This past weekend Brit went to Austin to shoot her first engagement photos for my cousin.   She is very excited about this opportunity and looking forward to shooting the wedding in October.  

 

 

It has been fun to watch Luke continue to grow into a young man.  He is a lot of fun to have around and very helpful around the house.  He continues to spend his time in school, working out at the gym, helping with jr. youth, participates in sr. youth.  He also helps with the sound team and the crèche team on a rotating basis.   Last month Kim had the boys build a catapult for school.  It was fun to watch Luke plan and build his catapult.   

 

 

 

This past month he was able to go on a hike with some of his friends in the Wokberg for two nights.  He always comes back with stories to tell.  This last time we heard about spiders and baboons!  

before they left for the hike

after two days in the mountains

 April 19th he had to have his tonsils out.  It's not a fun surgery when you are almost 17.  He is still recovering and dealing with the pain.  I am sure he is hoping the next few weeks will fly by so he can eat (more than toast and jello) and get back to the gym.  

on the way to the Operating Room

April Training

Training was the week of April 4th - 7th.  Mark traveled with Member, Brad and Chantel to Mbuzi while the Vaughan's and Derricka and Stanford traveled on to Xikumbane.  Below are pics and updates they sent me from the bush.  I stayed in Polokwane with Luke and The Hixon kids.   This gives Chantel time to go in with Brad and teach the ladies as her time in Moz during outreaches will be limited because of the kids schooling.  This also allowed me to get a lot of work done towards our logistic planning for outreaches.   

Dumela/Mbuzi Hub

Because the Limpopo River is still high and flowing the training was held in Mbuzi.  Most of the pastors were able to take a boat and cross the river for training.  This is the first time this year we have been able to have training with this hub.  The river was too strong for them to safely cross the last two months.  

Wednesday was a busy day teaching and fellowshipping with the pastors and their wives.  Member started the men's teachings and taught on Jude 1:1-13... False teachers and how they make their way into church. Brad spent Wednesday afternoon as well as Thursday morning reviewing Lesson 3 in the Fundamentals of Faith focusing on Attributes of God.   Mark finished the teaching on Thursday with 2 Peter 1: 1-11 knowing and growing your faith in Christ.  

 

This is the first time in the Dumela/Mbuzi training hub that we are beginning teaching the women separate.   Chantel was excited to begin this new opportunity with the women.  She enjoyed getting to know them and studying God's Word together.  They went through  Fundamentals of Faith Lesson 1 which focuses on the Bible, why its not just another Book, what it is all about and why it is important.  The ladies have an understanding about the Books of the Bible and how to find verses.  They also spent time studying Psalm 23 and Psalm 39 as well as taking time to get to know each other.   During some of their discussions, the ladies had some questions regarding sin.  Chantel spent time going through The Gospel with them.  

They ended Wednesday evening with a church service where one of the local pastors preached.  

They enjoy their time with the pastors and their wives.  It was a great time of teaching, fellowship and spending time in the presence of The Lord. 

Thursday afternoon they distributed seeds to the pastors to take home and distribute between their church members in their various villages. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Xikumbane Training Hub

The training is going well, and we are continuing in our teaching in Fundamentals of the Faith.  The men are currently learning about Prayer and the ladies are currently learning about Salvation.

Most of the men have been able to attend this session and the ladies have also been faithful in their attendance.

William gave the new teaching material out today and the church leaders are confident that they will be able to teach the introductory lessons before the teams  arrive.  They are very excited about having another resource in their own language.

 

  

Busy March and April

It's been a while so we are letting pictures speak 1,000 words!

Mark teaching at the April training with Masango translating 

Pastors proudly holding their newly translated teaching material

William teaching in Xicumbane and Derrick translating

going through the newly translated teaching curriculum

The river has gone down alot since February. 

Easter conference in Zimbabwe

William teaching at the Easter Conference in Zim

Sharyn worked with the children's ministry in Zim

While Mark and The Hixon's were in Moz for the April training, I stayed home with Luke and The Hixon kids.  It was school holidays here so we had some fun in the sun (probably for the last time until summer returns).  Meriam's two daughters and her granddaughter came to play with Bentley and Allie one day.  Later in the week our neighbors came to play for the afternoon.   Fun was had by all.  

The guys have been busy at the mission farm working on vehicles and trailers.  I went out on a weekend to help Mark work on two of the trailers.  It was fun playing, I mean working, with power tools.   A nice break from computer work and a fun time working with my man.

This weekend Mark is busy doing maintenance on our water pumps we use for the showers and kitchen tent water. 

 

March and April in Mentz

Tuesdays continue to be a highlight of our week.   We are nearing the end of our curriculum we have spent the last several years using, New Tribes Mission: Building on Firm Foundations Book 2: Evangelism:  Genesis to the Ascension.   We have spent the last 6 weeks studying:

-The Jewish leaders plotted to kill Jesus because He healed a man on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-19)

-Jesus tells the parable of the sower (Mark 4:1-20)

-Jesus calmed a storm and released a man from the control of demons (Mark 4:35-41; 5:1-20)

We continue to move slowly so that we know they have an understanding before moving on.  It has been great to see many of them are beginning to ask questions and relate things to their situations in life.   We have also had to start taking both of our vehicles because we pick up many of the people on the way to Mentz who have just got off work.