A Jon Post
It seems like there’s something new to talk about every week recently. It’s funny because I struggle with wanting to keep these posts short enough to be readable (I understand the “DEATH BY HUGE WALL OF TEXT” syndrome that so many internet readers suffer from), wanting to keep everyone up to speed on latest news in our lives and ministry, wanting to give you all the individual stories and a glimpse into the emotions, and wanting to put a bunch of pictures up so you can SEE what we’re doing.
So I’ll put it to our readers. Chose one of these and let us know what you are looking for from jonandlayne.com. If you have thoughts or more suggestions that just a vote in this poll leave a comment and let us know how you’d like us to communicate with you here.
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Anyway… I’ll do a newsy, pictury post for this one until I hear more from you about what you’d like to hear.
This week we’ve been pretty busy every evening. Our Portuguese missionary friends (Jorge and Alice) invited us to be a part of showing the African Cup of Nations soccer games in some townships around Maputo. The African Cup of Nations is a HUGE deal here in Africa as each African nation competes to be the best soccer team in Africa. People love it and it’s a great way to connect with the average African. We partner with a pastor who has a church in an area of town, go to a soccer field very near the church and set up a satellite dish, projector and 8×6 foot screen and draw huge crowds. The pastors get a great opportunity to speak of the love of Jesus to the entire neighborhood in the area of his church, the people get to see a soccer game, and we get to set it all up and cheer and laugh and connect with people on a great personal level. Our new Land Cruiser serves as a wonderful mobile-soccer-game-show.
The showing of the games is a bit of an evening commitment and we have been spending each night from 5:30 until 11:30 out in the townships to do it. It’s thrown us a little off in our schedule but it’s just for this month and we’re happy to be a part of it.
Click on the picture below and hopefully you can get an idea of what we’ve been doing.
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- GOOOOOOAL!!!!
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- Mozambican national team on screen
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- Layne is always popular among the kids. She is so natural at this.
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- Some times it takes a while to find the exact location to point the dish. I’m happy when I do.
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- Jon bolts down the dish stand and uses his GPS (thanks Joe!) to align the dish
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- Layne is in charge of getting the screen up and tied down
We’re still going to the hospital on a near daily basis to visit and love the friends we’ve made in the oncology ward. I’d like to write more about that but I think I’ll wait and tell you more next time I post.
Thanks for reading, voting, praying, giving. We are so proud to tell people here of our incredible support base. You are the envy of many missionaries we’ve met. We love to boast about you.
We are praying for you guys often. I love being able to hear what the Lord is doing through you. Please do not shorten your post. We want to know all that you two have to tell. I get emotional sometimes just reading and knowing that Lord has so much to offer you both. We think it is so great what you guys are doing. We love you guys and miss you. The Jones Family
We love to boast about ya’ll! I agree, DON”T shorten!! I for one love to hear and see all I can:)
Thank ya’ll so much for the pics, it especially helps us feel there seeing your precious work. The people there are wonderful and you two are pretty amazing as well;) Bless you and know you both are prayed for much and loved tons!!
Hi, Make your posts as long as you like they are all great. I love hearing them. I am always amazed at your stamina but it gives me strength to read your exploits and it is like you were here telling your stories. We(the church) went to Nursing home today to visit and I was really affected by all the stories and their willingness to talk to strangers. I ran into an old friend somehow in my ditheringness I had forgotten she was at that home. I was so excited to see her it was definitly a God thing that he led me down to her room. Isn’t He amazing. Keep up all your stories and posts. prayers and love, Jonna
What are the feelings there about the shooting that happened in Angola against the Togo(?) soccer team in which 3 players were killed?
I have been blessed to have you two as friends and the work and love for God that you two have is so precious and true… Keep up with the long posting information.. I love the long not the short and b/c it gives me more information and love the photos..I saw the photos when the soccer team won and they were really happy to accomplish the wining. I am so happy to be able to view the difference on how we take sometimes take the things we and can be selfish and they don’t have whole lot but are truly blessed.. Thanks for everything and I’ll be praying for you two.. Love ya’ll
Loving the updates. Love you guys and praying for you.
I love a smattering of both. If you guys only have time for a quick post that is great, but the longer posts are fun too! It is so cool living in a time like this when we get such a close look at what you are doing.
I really look forward to reading your posts and I often wait until George is around so I can read them to him. We enjoy the posts and the pictures. You both paint such a realistic picture of Africa, I often feel like I’m there! Short or long, I read them all.
God Bless,
The Villarreal Family
HI!
Just a quick hello to tell you how much we appreciate and value all of your news and pictures. It is a blessing to see what you are up to, what God is doing, and to know how to continue to pray for you.
Love and Care,
Vern, Maribeth, Ben, and Abrianna Braaksma :-)