A Layne Post
Through some divine appointments and blessings along the way (full story here), we have made it to Maputo, Mozambique. Just by driving to our guesthouse we realized we were in for new experiences. Maputo happens to be a very large, busy city, which is something Jon and I are not terribly familiar with here in Africa. We usually prefer to stick with the small towns.
It is very hot and very humid here, though if and when the clouds are out, it is bearable. Not having air-conditioners can make the afternoons interesting. We are very close the water, and hope to get over the visit the beach/waterfront soon.
Jon fixing the fan in our little room
It all reminds me of Corpus Christi.
Also upon arrival we have been thrown back into Portuguese. While it still can take a bit to warm up in conversation, we remember most of what we learned, and I believe we will continue to gain skills with practice. We were very thankful when we realized the accent is not too bad, and we can understand just fine, though like in Portugal, sometimes we need people to slow down.
We have been welcomed to the community of missionaries with open arms, and our hearts and spirits are so refreshed. I have been able to visit a women’s Bible study and will join next month for their start of a Beth Moore book! We have also acquired Christmas plans, which is exciting! We don’t have to be alone. =)
Through this network of missionaries, the Lord has blessed us with somewhere to live for the next couple of months. A missionary family is currently on furlough, and we are going to be able to rent their apartment until they come back. This is a blessing on so many levels, but one in particular is that it is fully furnished. Jon and I own very little, and eventually we will have to buy things, but this allows us to delay a bit.
The highlight of our first week here would probably be the opportunity we had to join a friend in her ministry at a local hospital in the oncology ward. She has a weekly ministry with the children there, and we were invited to join their annual Christmas party. They asked if Jon could bring his violin and play some Christmas songs, which ended up being such a blessing to all those around. Many of them had never seen a violin before, so to hear someone play such fun songs was a treat.
Layne showing Miquel how to blow bubbles
Jon Playing "Feliz Natal"
Not only were we able to bless them in a small manner, we found ourselves being filled with joy and praising God for the lives of the individuals we met. To see people in such pain with physical ailments rarely even encountered in the States… to see them laugh and smile is simply amazing. They loved on us and eagerly helped us practice our Portuguese. We look forward to developing these relationships more and more.
Thank you for your prayers thus far. They have definitely been felt and much appreciated. Please continue to pray for the following:
- Open doors to ministry
- Favor with immigration (We have 30 days for now, and probably no trouble for 90)
- Safety for us and the vehicle (Big city = more crime)
- Health, health, health (I have been quite sick since we arrived… probably a parasite.)
[flashvideo file=/blogpictures/Joy_To_The_World.flv /]
Jon played “Joy to the World”. Sorry about the constant dudding in the sound.
Apparently clapping right next to the camera creates that effect.
