On 13th September, two vehicles each with a trailer made a journey into the Chicualacuala District of Mozambique. “Japtrap” (our LandRover) was loaded with Gordon, Member, Darren, and myself along with all our gear; the Vaughan’s Land Cruiser loaded with William, Sharyn, and Derrick. We split ways after entering the country. (Now, before we go any further, please know that “Japtrap” is an Afrikaans word that means “in a jiffy” and it is pronounced “Yaptrap” rolling that “r”. This sign came with our vehicle when we purchased it.)
The Japtrap traveled to the Limpopo River where I ventured
to cross without deflating tires. The
Japtrap is a wonderful ministry tool that is a sure blessing from PaulAnn
Baptist Church (our sending church). It
is a 4 door pickup (bakkie) that has an aluminum camper shell (canopy) and has
an ARB air locker system on the front and rear differentials. The tough Land Rover proved its strength and
conquered the deep sand of the riverbed.
A few kilometers down the shrub walled dirt road we arrived
at the village of Dumela. The once small
thatched house farming community is becoming a thriving commerce with dried mud
walled buildings that offer business like general stores, shade tree mechanics,
and milling.
The Baptist Church stands out in the community as it was built in 2005-2006 by our mission
organization, Samaria Mission and is just off the main road that heads toward
Chicualacuala. The only other building
in the area that stands in the same stature is the local school building, that
of course Samaria Mission also erected. The
church was to become our meeting place where Pastors from the surrounding
villages would come together to embrace God’s Word and what we had to share
with them.
We setup our campsite under a timber rondavel that has only
pieces of thatching left on its roof.
One of the two local pastors met us and began to put an old tarp like
sail on the timber roof in order to provide shade onto our canvas tents. What a blessing to have such an act of
kindness as the sun can really make a campsite rather unbearable.
Some of the pastors, leaders, and wives arrived on Tuesday
and some only arrived on Wednesday when we began teaching. The teaching started with me presenting to
the leaders the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and how it
impacts our hope and our lives.
Gordon
and Member took the second of the day.
Gordon presented the leaders with New Testament Bibles and talked about
the importance of the Bible in their lives and the importance of evangelism,
presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Member taught from Hebrews 12 to help the leaders in understanding
scripture so that they can preach with confidence and accuracy when interpreting
scripture.
On Thursday, Darren continued
the teaching working through the Fundamentals of the Faith lesson.
What a blessing they have such a great tool
in their own language so that they can learn and teach from it.
We look forward to next month’s training as we will continue
teaching through the Fundamentals of the Faith as well as looking at passages
of scripture that will help them to grow in their Christian walk. Please pray with us that these pastors will
become a voice for God to proclaim His Gospel in the bush of Mozambique and
that hearts will change.
Philippians 2:9-11
ESV
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him
the name that is above every name, so
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and
under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father.”
