Mozambique Journal

Missions Trip to the Ukraine!!

2009-11-16T03:57:00.003+02:00

A team of eleven from our church (Community Of Believers) went on a two week missions trip in October to the Ukraine. We went to build a bath house in a Gypsy village, but the Lord had plans to accomplish allot more than that! We ministered in many churches, prayed for hundreds of people, played with and ministered to kids at a rehab center for abused children, visited a public school and got to do a question/answer time in their English class. There were three of us ladies on the team, and we did a 2 day children's conference in the Gypsy village, and spent a day doing fluoride treatments in the village. We also cut and painted the little girl's nails, and did up their hair with new hair ties. Through all of this we shared the good news of Jesus, and loved the people of the Ukraine. God opened many doors for us, and accomplished what He planned. It was a wonderful time!

Enjoy this short video highlighting some of the trip:

May 24 PLEASE PRAY!!

2009-05-26T05:26:00.002+02:00

I got word 2 days ago that one of the pastor's in Mozambique, Pastor Andre (I went on a few outreaches with him) passed away in the hospital last week.

Tonight I got on the computer and found out that Saturday at midnight one of the drivers, Pedro, got ill and died in the hospital. That was very sudden and unexpected. The ministry loaned our bus to take the family to the funeral of Pedro and on the way the bus was in an accident. No one was seriously injured, praise God.

Needless to say, my family in Mozambique (missionaries and natives) are in a place of warfare and need lots of peace and wisdom and strength right now. We must pray and lift up our brother's and sister's to Father God! We need to lift them up, so they can keep fighting!

"Our help is in the Name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Ps 124:8

We don't serve a busy God who doesn't have time for us. We serve the Creator of the universe, and our help comes from him! HE IS ABLE. Let us pray!

~From Mozambique to Ohio~

2009-05-02T16:24:00.002+02:00

A week ago today I was learning this new style of braiding hair...

Aminosa took a nap while I spent 2 hours braiding and twisting her hair into this...

Just wanted to post those pictures:-)

Sunday in church they prayed for me, sending me off to Ohio with blessings, and a capalana (Mozambican wrap skirt...very useful for many things, from carrying babies on your back, carrying something on your head, or wrapping around your waist as a skirt. It is a good bye gift as a way to bless someone).

My last church service in Mozambique!

On Wednesday morning after saying some bitter sweet good-byes to all of the girls, tias, and Mozambican friends, then to the missionaries, I left Mozambique and began the journey to America...

On Thursday I arrived home, tired after 27 hours or so of travel (and only about 2 hours of sleep!), and happy to see my family waiting for me at the airport!

We made our traditional trip to Starbucks:-) Then my other brothers and sisters and my grandparents came over in the afternoon! I gave them gifts I brought home, and dad made hamburgers on the grill. My niece and nephew are getting so big, and my newest niece is such a cute, chubby baby!! I am so happy to finally meet her.

I miss the girl's so much, and all of my family in Africa.

But I am so glad to be home now, with my family here.

There is a plaque on our kitchen wall that my cousin made that says:

~Family - the greatest gift you will ever receive from God~

I will have to agree. And now, for however long or short this time will be, I get to be with mine!

Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement you have sent my way.

God bless you all abundantly!

And may our adventures with God continue...!

Prayer

2009-04-28T22:54:00.002+02:00

"Dear Jesus. Bless Mana Anna because she is going. And I ask you to make her want to stay, and then we will have a big party for her. Bless the people who are in the prison. Give clothes to the people who live on the street. Heal the people who are in the cemetary. Sleep with us in our room and protect us. Amen."

--Amelia Salamao, age 6

This was what she prayed tonight when I was praying with the little girls as I tuck them in bed.

Saying Good bye to the girls Part 1

2009-04-22T22:15:00.004+02:00

I will be leaving Mozambique in 1 week from today (on April 29th). It's going so fast. God is giving me some precious time with the girls and tias and missionaries. I feel so undeserving and overwhelmed of all the special conversations and quality time I have been getting.

Yesterday (Tuesday) we took almost all of the girls and tias out to eat at a restaurant in the city called "Mimmo's". I was given a donation to do something special with the girls. Rachel and Heather took the money and organized the event, including arranging with the restaurant to do this.

We loaded up in the big flat bed truck and headed off. The girls were so excited and sang the whole time in the truck. When we arrived they formed a line to walk into the restaurant. The waiters and waitresses had set up the tables in a long row, and all we all sat down. They came to serve us drinks, followed by plates of half chicken, french fries and rice. There were 55 of us in all!

I really felt like this time was such a family time. All the girls getting to go out on a trip *together*. All the missionaries who work in the girl's dorm, and half the tias, and all the girls. It was so special! What a treat.

(above) Lucinda waiting patiently for her chicken to arrive.

(above) Fatima enjoying her coca-cola.

(This was Fatima's very first time to eat at a restaurant. AND she got to taste ketchup for the first time too! Her face lit up when she tasted it, and then she soaked her french fries with it.)

(below) The girls all got to try out knives and forks.

Normally they eat with their fingers, or a spoon. They loved the opportunity to cut their chicken with a knife and eat their french fries with a fork.

Serina getting the hang of her knife:

(below) Rute (Ruthy) gave up on the fork and found it much more enjoyable to revert back to using her fingers. And she sucked every last bit of meat off her chicken bones!:

Saying good bye with the girls Part 2

2009-04-22T08:23:00.005+02:00

Rachel made this cake "Thank-you Mana Anna" for us. The waitresses at the restaurant stuck a sparkler in it and came out to present it to me:

Then the tias started dancing and singing, and all the girls joined in chorus. Even the waiters and waitresses were dancing! They made it so much fun! They were singing a song in Shanghaan that says "You are going, go with Jesus". It was so beautiful, it made me tear up. I got up and danced with them:o)

Then Tia Julieta and I cut the cake like they do at weddings, and fed each other a bite. After this the girls cheered. A few of the girls stood up to say, "Thank you mana Anna for taking care of us for three years." Then we served cake for everyone (including our friendly waiters and waitresses).

Saying Good bye to the girls Part 3

2009-04-22T07:57:00.001+02:00

After thanking our lovely waiters and waitresses at the restaurant (who I am sure had just as much fun as we did), we loaded up in the back of the truck again to head to the park.

Me and Margarita - it was so cold!

Heather and Mimi - Heather is taking on the girl's dorm now.

She is doing a fantastic job, and is such an answer to prayer. God has truly equipped her for this next season in the girl's dorm! I am so glad we have had 2 months to become friends before I go. I will miss her!

Here's the girl's in the back of the truck. They sang the whole time!

We went to this park to play for 20 minutes. Since we were already out we thought we would not waist the opportunity! They had a great time swinging and running around.

We ended our outing with a few groups photos.

Missionaries in the photo below include (L to R) Betty, Rachel, Anna, and Heather

It was getting late as we were heading back, and it takes about an hour to get back to the center. We called the center to ask them to save supper for the girls. Apparently they had already eaten, and given out extra large portions to the boys since the girls weren't back yet! I called Larry, who works in the kitchen, and he said to buy bread and he had peanut butter. So in the dark we pulled off the road and bought 30 loaves of bread from a sweet lady. It must have made her day! The end of the day and wanting to head home and she was able to sell ALL the bread she had left! When we arrived at the center Rachel, Heather, and I cut the loaves in half, spread peanut butter and jam inside, and served the girls a late dinner after they took their showers. They were still singing and so happy when we went in to serve them their sandwiches.

It was a great day none of us will ever forget! This was a gift from God.

My Name sake!!

2009-04-11T02:34:00.002+02:00

I have come to know a young couple here, Julio and Marcelina. They have a little 4 year old daughter named Angelica. A month ago Marcelina gave birth to their second daughter.

One day Julio came to see me, he said he had something to ask me. He then shared the news that his wife had just had their baby, and they would like to name her "Anna", after me. He wanted to know if that would be alright with me?

What an honor! Here it is a big thing people do, to name their child after someone who means allot to them. It is a very special honor, and I am so thrilled.

Today I got to see baby Anna for the first time. She is so cute!

I am leaving Mozambique in 2 1/2 weeks, and feel so touched to be leaving behind Little Anna Two. My very own Name's sake!

The Last Supper

2009-04-11T01:50:00.002+02:00

I was planning discipleship for this week, and God laid it on my heart to teach about The Last Supper and communion. I looked up several verses that explained various things, like why the Bible talks about using unleavened bread, what the bread and cup represent, who can take communion, how we should examine ourselves before taking communion, the reason we take communion together, etc.

Turning a lesson into an activity makes it a memory they will never forget!

We made unleavened bread together:

Rosalina pressing her lump of unleavened bread dough:

Our communion elements: Flat bread and coco-cola (I don't think Jesus served coco-cola, but I didn't have any grape juice, so I bought a bottle of coke at the market! And anyway, ever since I have been here I have only ever been served communion with various flavors of pop, LOL)

It was such a special time with the girls. We really went in depth, and they had lots of questions. Apparently before this they didn't even know WHY we take communion!

Now they can never forget it.

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Hebrews 9:22

Therefore when Christ came into the world he said..."sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will."

He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will we have been made Holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:5, 8-10

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."

For whenever you eat this bread or drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

He rose and conquered the grave! Jesus is alive, and He is offering pure, new LIFE to those who call on Him.

May this be a weekend of remembering and celebrating and realizing the LIFE-giving blood Jesus poured out to purify us, that we can live in the presence of a Holy and AWEsome God!

Baking a cake...Mozambican style!!

2009-04-11T01:22:00.003+02:00

We recently bought a real oven and stove for the girl's Saturday cooking day.

Every Saturday the girls make dinner for the whole girl's dorm. They choose the menu, head to the market for the ingredients, and return to spend the afternoon cutting, peeling, and preparing meal for 55 or so people!

With an oven, the girls can learn to make cakes and cookies and things. And who knows, maybe one of our girls will love it, and become a chef or baker?! And if not, they will at least be well equipped to look after their own families one day...

Tia Marlita spent an afternoon with six of the girls, teaching them the fine art of baking a cake.

They had so much fun!! It is so lovely to have the girls together in the kitchen, laughing and having fun, learning and experiencing, making memories and creating futures.

I forgot...

2009-03-31T18:40:00.004+02:00

...that I am living in one of the poorest countries in the world. Not just a "third world country". Mozambique is on the list of the 10 most poor countries.

The "Bocaria", Maputo's garbage dump, where people live, and spend all day rummaging

through the trash that is dumped off in trucks like this one. And when they find something worth keeping or selling, they are thrilled!

I really think before I throw anything out, because I know it will be uncovered here.

An advertisement for witch doctor "medicine", labeling some of the sicknesses they promise to cure. Witch craft is so steeped into this country. The president of Mozambique has ceremonies for the witch doctors to "consecrate" new buildings with their rituals.

Mama and baby heading home from "grocery shopping".

Somehow, after living here for 3 years, it only just occurred to me yesterday, that I really live in a third world country, with the very poorest of people. Yes, I know they don't live like American's. I know they live in little one or two room grass huts or block houses. I know they are lucky to eat 2 meals a day, and there is a very large percent of unemployment. I know the average monthly salaray is about $50.

But yesterday, it all just really hit me. I was walking home from visiting an old man in the community who I help look after. I had just shared a Bible story at his house to 5 little kids who had followed me there. Every time I walk in the community I have a group of "followers". There are about 30 of these sweet little kids (30 that know me) in the community behind our center, and when they see me, they come running, shouting, "E Malungu Mana Anna!" (It's the white mana Anna!!). On my walk home, I encountered several more of the children. Then I heard from behind a row of thorn bushes, "Mana Anna, come see what we are doing!" I came around to see. There were about 8 or 10 kids gathered around 2 very tiny cooking fires they had made with little twigs. And on these 2 miniature cooking fires they had cut a pop can in half, to be a cooking pot, and they were boiling the potato peelings from the potatoes their mothers were cooking on real fires for their dinner. They were pretending to be cooking dinner. These children were so excited to show me their play, and one of the mothers came over to greet me, and laugh with me at the fun these kids were having.

That's when it hit me. "Do these kids know they are the poorest of the poor? Do they know they are the ones on the bottom of the list? That they are considered hopeless?"

Compassion is not feeling sorry for someone, it is having hope for them. When I see these happy kids, running around in filthy clothes that fit them 2 years ago and certainly don't now, clothes that are full of holes. When I see these dirty little bare feet, I can't see them as poor. Because I see their sparkling eyes, and I have such hope for them! The sweet little dirty hand that slips into mine and walks along beside me. The hungry hearts of kids who sit and feed off the story of Jesus calling the little children to come sit on his lap, because he loves them. The joy in their voices as they laugh and play, and say "Look! Here comes Mana Anna!" And when I must leave them, they say, "We will see you next time!"

Oh, the love I have for these kids. This country is called the poorest of the poor. But to God, they are the richest of the rich. They are the ones with the most hope. They are the ones Jesus was talking about, when He said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3

The closing of a chapter...

2009-03-27T00:12:00.005+02:00

Mozambique, Africa

One way to transport a tire...

A sweet little girl outside her home.

The way to carry things around here.

Visiting Olga, who was reintegrated to her home, with her older brother Celino.

A Mozambican lady setting out her produce to begin selling for the day.

About a year ago God put it on my heart to start praying for the person to come after me in the girl's dorm. At first I thouhgt, "I am not planning on going away any time soon!" But I did pray off and on for her, that God would be preparing the right person for the right time.
Then when I was preparing to go home last August, the Lord spoke to me that my time here was coming to an end. I went home and shared this with my parents, and prayed allot. When I returned in October, I spoke with my leaders here, and they prayed with me, and released me to keep following God's plan for my life. We prayed for God to bring someone to fill my responsibilities here, in the girl's dorm. What God called me here to accomplish in and through me has been completed, and I have built on the foundation others had laid. In February Heather arrived, and it was clear she was the one God had prepared for such a time as this! She is from England, and is exactly 2 weeks younger than me! She really loves the girls, and God has really blessed us with plenty of time to transition, and get to become friends before I go.

I will be leaving here on April 29th, and closing this amazing chapter God has written in my life. I will be sad to say good bye to my dear friends (both Mozambican, and missionaries). And it won't be easy saying good bye to the precious daughters God temporarily placed in my care. These past 3 years have been a time of growth, and seeing God do so many miracles. He has protected me, comforted me, changed me. He has shown me how big and wide and deep His love really is. He has given me compassion for those who have no hope, and taught me to hope for them, and teach them to hope. I have gotten to be a carrier of His love and life to countless babies, children, and adults! It is a privilege I do not deserve, but have been given and am so grateful for.

I want to also testify that I have such peace, and God has given me such grace as He takes me from this place, to a place yet unknown. He is amazing, and I am seeing it more and more every day!

The next step...
will be going home for a time. At first I really struggled with just going home, and not knowing where or when I will be sent back out to the "foreign mission field". But as I submitted to God's word of "Wait", I felt such peace, and I see that He is giving me an incredible gift of getting to spend time with my dear family for awhile! I will get to see me niece who I've not met yet, and spend time with people I haven't had much time with in the last 3 years. I will be home at least until the end of the year (and I am so excited to be home for Christmas this year!!). In September I plan to do a 2 week medical course called "Missionary Medical Intensive", which will be very useful for a future in third world countries. And in the mean time, I am going to soak up this time with my family, share God's amazing love with those in Ohio, and wait on God for my next marching orders!

"My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, Lord, I will seek...
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord. Be strong, take heart, and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:8, 13-14

My twenty-third birthday

2009-03-26T23:09:00.002+02:00

I am so overwhelmed at all the love I have been showered with over my birthday. Everyone made it so special!

First they surprised me with an amazing Anne of Green Gables party Friday night (see last post). Saturday morning 11 of us loaded up and went to "The round garden cafe" (I think it is really called "The Blue Moon Cafe"):

We wore our "Anne Hats" from the night before, and pearls and fancy fans... true ladies we are!

We had delicious iced coffees (nothing compared to Starbuck's Frappicinos, but they are very good!) and dainty, little sandwiches...mmm:-) It was so fun to hang out and laugh and chat.

While we were away, the girls and tias were preparing the Saturday night dinner in the dorm (every Saturday the girls choose a dish to make for dinner, go to the market, buy the ingredients, and return home to spend the afternoon cooking for all 48 girls, plus the tias, and others who want to join). This Saturday they were preparing something extra special...

As we gathered in the girls dorm in the evening on the grass mats they sit on to eat together, out marched the girls and tias with a pots of rice, a big pot of chicken in a sauce (very special here!), and 2 beautiful birthday cakes! They sang happy birthday to me, and to Tia Inez who's birthday was Friday, and lifted us up in chairs, and had us cut the cake like they do at weddings and feed it to each other, then gave us each a cup with milk to give each other a drink! It was an evening I will never forget! The girl's presented me with this beautiful card they made, inside each of the girls had made me a little card that was glued in (they had help from Heather and Rachel--two missionaries working in the girls dorm). The tias served all of us the special chicken (it was sooo good!), and we had cake and talked and laughed. It was so special!

Thank you so much to all those who helped make my birthday absolutely unforgettable! Thank you to those who planned and worked so hard on the surprise party, came out to lunch, helped the girls, everyone who phoned, or e-mailed, or sent cards, or messages... I am so blessed by each one of you! You are all amazing. I pray God's richest blessings upon you...:-)

Birthdays!

2009-03-20T23:56:00.002+02:00

It's birthday time! We had 2 birthday parties in 2 weeks for about 18 girls who had birthday's recently. These birthday parties mean so much to the girls. They love to look at the birthday list on my while, and find their names, and see who has a birthday in their month so they know who they will be having a party with. A day to make them feel special and loved. A day to celebrate their life!

The balloons are hung, the gift bags arranged, everything is set...:

A decorated cake is a must-have to make a birthday special:-)...:

We have a theme for the birthday parties for a whole year, so each girl gets to experience it. Our current theme is princesses and butterflies. At each party the girls come, and open presents (just a few little things: chapstick, a sticker sheet, a bracelet, and some candy) and "ooh" and "ah" over each others gifts. Next we play a game, do a craft, sing happy birthday and pass around the birthday bear that sings happy birthday and lights up. We finish up with cake and juice, and the girls go away feeling on top of the world. Such a simple afternoon that creates memories they will never forget!

The game we are playing this year is lots of fun. The girls find partners, one of them is blind folded and has to dress up their partner. The first to get all the dress up items on their partner is the winner!

In photo below:

Tania (left) and Serjia (right), twin sisters, age 10.

... Speaking of birthdays... Tonight all the ladies made a very special surprise birthday celebration for me! It started with dinner with 3 other missionaries. That part I knew about. It was so nice to look forward to that all day. After our dinner, they said I would have to find the cake and cut it while blindfolded. They then blind folded me and led me away, and gave me 23 turns - I was quite dizzy...- and we somehow ended up at another missionaries house where they shouted surprise and took off the blind fold. Most of the ladies were there, and they had it all decorated just for me! I am just so blessed by all the work they put into this night for me. We had such a fun evening, watching Anne of Green Gables on the projector, dressed up with fun pastel colored "Easter hats", and they had a wedding dress for me to wear for the evening:-) We had cake and desserts, and decorations my mom sent me. It was the most fun birthday! I had never had a surprise party before, and this was certainly a surprise!

Tomorrow, for my real 23rd birthday, we are going out for lunch at a lovely little green house cafe. In the evening the girls are making rice and beans for me, my favorite Mozambican food:-) I am blessed indeed...

A new little girl

2009-03-03T23:33:00.004+02:00

This afternoon I was called to the girl's dorm to welcome a new arrival. This little girl is about five years old. Her mama abandoned her here today on the sidewalk by our clinic. The ladies who work in the clinic found her sitting there alone. She is blind, cannot walk, and is possibly autistic. She doesn't talk, but she does an awful lot of babbling and "singing" in baby language. And screaming. We prayed for her, and then Rachel (missionary who is helping in the girl's dorm) and I brought her back to my house to change her diaper and bathe her. She loved playing in the basin of water and splashing it all over the floor.

We have no idea what her name is, so I got the pleasure of giving her a name. The only name that kept coming to my mind was "Lydia". That happens to be my favorite girls name, but I always just planned that I would name my first daughter Lydia. I never thought about naming another child that. But today that name just seemed right. (I just looked up the meaning, and it means "Noble, Kind". Nothing extravagant, but atleast it is not Mara which means sorrow!).

She is a bit of a handful, but also sweet. The girl's all gathered around to watch me feed her her supper tonight. Then I set her on the bed in the room she will be sleeping in. I think it was her first time to sit on a mattress. She loved it, and laid down and kept rolling over and laughing. I think she is used to sleeping on grass mats on the floor.

Please pray for Lydia. She has old cuts on her shoulders from witch doctors (they cut the shoulders with a razor blade to "bleed out the infirmities").

Tomorrow morning our home visiting team will head out to try and find her mother. If they don't have success we will look at putting her in another children's center for disabled kids.

It is such a privilege to be here, to be a mother to the motherless, and welcome with open arms kids who have been rejected and abandoned, and to pour out love and life into each child God brings here.

Thank you for your prayers!

The Reading Program

2009-02-24T23:48:00.004+02:00

The girls love books! They love to read, they love to be read to, they love to pretend they can read and make up stories for the pictures...

Those who can read LOVE these books:

They are chapter books about a little girl in preschool who gets into allot of mischief. The girls would sit there reading and suddenly burst out laughing. I decided to see what was so funny, so I started reading them to the little girls. And those girls sat through the entire 2 hours, listening and laughing through these books!

Those who cannot yet read are well on their way. One of the girls (who is in third grade, and 9 years old, but still didn't even recognize the letters of the alphabet) just put all the letters of the alphabet in order with some cards at her counseling appointment! The tia is charge of the reading program was sooo excited to tell me that! She should be proud because she is the one who taught Mira the alphabet.

Playing Memory is a good game to help prepare to learn to read. You learn to recognize and memorize.

I was on Renee's blog again (http://bakersdozen.typepad.com) and came across another idea which I adapted with what I have. She has these Montessori sandpaper letter cards. Each letter of the alphabet was made from sand paper, and the idea was for the child to use his index and middle finger (the two fingers you use to hold a pencil) and trace the letter while saying the sound that letter makes ("Buh" for B). So smart!

I printed off some letter cards on card stock:

Then I colored them in (in the same colors as the alphabet chart I made so they could see for example, the red Aa just like on the chart, or the blue Pp, etc.). I don't have sand paper here, but I did have some glitter glue I brought for card making. So I carefully put the glue on each of the letters, and let dry. Then I had the idea of writing the letter in the corner along with the lower case or upper case equal, to help them know it goes together. They turned out really cute:

I hope this helps put the letters and sounds in their memory! In my opinion, once they know the alphabet, teaching them to read is a piece of cake. It's trying to teach them the letters that is hard! In the schools they are taught by repetition. The teacher shouts "A!" and the kids repeat "A!". The teacher shouts "E!" and the kids repeat "E!". So they can say all the letters, but if you put the letters in front of them and ask them to find the letter "S" they look at you clueless. It's hard, but I know God is giving us ideas and we are already seeing them "getting it".

Teatime Treats

2009-02-24T22:51:00.002+02:00

Before coming to Mozambique, my little siblings and I started a tradition of having a Valentine's Day tea party. We invited some friends from church, and would all dress in red and pink, and make heart shaped scones, and salad, and of course yummy desserts. One of those is from the wonderful "American Girls Party Book". It was part of Samantha's tea party:

I wanted to make a special snack for the girl's for Valentine's Day, so we pulled out the party book, and made heart shaped 'jam tart cookies'.

First you mix together the ingredients (we made a double batch). Aidinha will show you how:

Roll the dough into little balls, and press your thumb in the cookies twice to make a V shape (heart shapes). Fill the hearts with strawberry jam.

I love how the girls were sooo very careful with this part:

Bake them in the oven, arrange them pretty on a tray, and serve them to your friends! (in our case, the 47 other girls in their dorm)

Serina and Aidinha did a fabulous job. They really did the whole thing themselves, all I did was tell them what to do, and make an example. After dinner they passed the cookies out to each of the girls.

As we baked Serina was saying how she made a cake with her mom once (her mother died). She said, "I learned from my mom how to make cake. Now I learn from Mana Anna how to make cookies!" It is a privilege to mother the girls whose mothers have died. To carry on that role in their lives. I know her mama would be proud of her!

Quality time in the kitchen

2009-02-09T21:45:00.003+02:00

I am always trying to find ways to have quality time with the girls. Sometimes it is easier to just do things myself, but just to ask a few girls to come help me gives them the opportunity to learn, and for us to have quality time together. With 50 girls in the dorm, it's not always easy to spread out quality time with each one. This week I had some things to do in the kitchen so I invited a couple of girls in, and they had a blast.

Making and Baking a chocolate cake:

Mana Cheila is 25, and has lived in the girls dorm for about 10 years. She is handicapped, and used to run away to the streets. She has settled down so much, and hasn't run away in over a year. She's very sweet. Rosa, age 2, is not in school yet, so when all the girls went to school, I invited Mana Cheila and Rosa to come help me make a cake (for the wedding, see a few posts back). We measured out each ingredient and they took turns dumping them in, and mixing.

The finished cake! And 2 very happy bakers!

This is the first time I ever got Rosa to smile for the camera.

And a brag moment, my sweet little Rosa can now count to ten on her fingers, and when I asked her "How old are you Rosa?" she responds "I'm two!" in her sweet munchkin voice, and holds up two fingers. I'm so proud of her!

Friday Night Snack:

Every Friday night I do snack and movie night in the girls dorm. I usually give them something healthy (hard boiled eggs, pop corn, fruit, peanut butter). Sometimes I make them cookies or cupcakes. Last week Eliza and Fatima (2 of the new girls) helped me prepare peanut butter on crackers for all the girls. They were so impressed with out kitchen. Refrigerators, a stove and oven, plates, cups, silverware. "Mana Anna, you have everything in this kitchen! Plates, cups! You thought of everything!" is what Eliza exclaimed when she walked into our kitchen and took a look around her. Fatima pointed to an apple on one of the other missionaries shelves and said, "You even have an apple in here!" :-)

Now compared to America, our kitchen is pretty basic. I mean we just got our first counter top put in, and have been surviving for a few years without a counter. But these girls have probably only ever seen a cooking pot over a wood fire, and a few mismatched plates to eat off of! They both came from pretty poor circumstances. It was a reminder to me where they come from, and how much it is for them to take in all that we have here! Even having beds, instead of sleeping on grass mats on the floor must be a big deal to them.

They spread peanut butter on 50 crackers, and even washed up the plates and knives afterwards.

Sometimes I can get really busy doing "good things", but neglect the whole point I am here. To be a mother to these precious girls, and to give them God's love. God has been reminding me to take time to create special moments for the girls. And as I bless them, I feel so blessed!

Mail for Me!! Yippee!!

2009-02-09T21:24:00.002+02:00

I am a very lucky girl, I am. A friend came back from a trip to South Africa the other day, and had brought back my mail. LOTS of mail. Lots of very good mail. My brother and sister-in-law sent me a package for Christmas!! Woo hoo!!

Here I am with the picture they sent me, Bethany and Gregory!

(I miss you guys)

Oh how fun, everything was wrapped. I got to unwrap each gift, it was Christmas all over for me!:-)

I got 2 boxes of candy canes (it's been like 3 years since I have had candy canes I think), some rug yarn for crocheting dish cloths (something I love to do), pretty note cards with fancy envelopes, really pretty silver earings, and a silver cross necklace with foot prints on the front, and the back says in tiny letters "It was then that I carried you". The card attached has the poem about foot prints in the sand. And last, and definitely not least, peppermint crunch bark! Oh my goodness, savor every moment of the flavor of Christmas on my tongue... YUM YUM YUM!

Thanks so much Greg and Bethany for sending me this package!

Also in the mail I received 12 letters from my mom, and an envelope full of letters from my dear friend Jessica!

I am so loved...

The importance of marriage

2009-02-07T13:06:00.003+02:00

(First of all, this was not my original idea. It came from my friend Laura who lives here and is responsible for a dorm of 5-10 year old boys. You can check out her blog at http://clearlyliving.blogspot.com . Thank you for your creativity Laura!)

Purity

That is the topic we are about to cover in discipleship with the older girls.

Being pure in God, living lives to glorify the Lord, becoming pure through His cleansing us and molding us into His likeness.

To start off our topic, Rachel and I decided to have a wedding, and clear up a common misconception here, that once you have kids together, you are considered husband and wife. Never mind the marriage, the covenant before God.

In Mozambique, in order to get married, most couples of many expenses to consider. The groom will have to pay the "Lobola" (the bridal price, set by the Father of the bride). This could include several crates of refrescos (pop/soda), money, cows or goats, and capalanas (the traditional fabric here, used as wrap skirts, baby slings, blankets, and many other uses). They will also have to afford a wedding, and a celebration feast. The feast will not just be for the wedding guests, but any neighbors or people that want to come could show up and must be fed! Because of lack of money, often people just live together, sometimes for many, many years, but never make the important commitment of getting married.

We had a wedding to explain what marriage is, and the significance of different parts of the wedding.

Please join us for the wedding ceremony!...

Fiona and Dito were our pretend Bride and Groom!

They did a fantastic job. Fiona borrowed a real wedding dress, and Dito wore a tie and dress shoes!

Some of the wedding guests (i.e. the girl's discipleship group).

They LOVED the wedding, and participated in singing and making it a real African celebration!

Dito presented the Lobola to Fiona's "father", Estevao. Age 6.

We asked if he approved of Dito marrying his daughter, and he said Yes. What a relief!

Fiona and Estevao, waiting for Dito to present the Lobola.

They exchanged rings, said their vows, cut the cake, and everyone had cake and punch to celebrate!

Dito made sure the girls understood this was NOT a real wedding, and they were NOT really married! :-)

"But for Adam no suitable helper was found...

then God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man,

and He brought her to the man...

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother

and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."

Parts of Genesis 2:20, 22, 24

Learning Math

2009-01-29T12:45:00.002+02:00

I have been very inspired by reading Renee's website: http://bakersdozen.typepad.com .

She is a homeschooling mom of 13, and one neat lady! Her latest activity for math involved beads and pipe cleaners. I adapted it to do this math activity with the little girls.

"Choose 5 beads of one color and put them on your pipe cleaner."

"Like this?? Look Mana Anna, I did it!"

"Great! Let's count them. Um, dois, tres, quatro, cinco.

Okay, let's choose 5 beads of another color. Good, let's count them again. Ten!"

"Now you have five orange beads. You give two beads to Eliza. How many do you have left?"

"Tres!!"

"Let's make a pattern. Take all your beads off, and let's put them back in a pattern."

"Look at this Mana Anna! I already know how to do this."

Even little Rosa, age 2, is learning. She concentrated very hard, and did a great job!

"Let's count them again."

"Um, dois, tres, quatro, cinco, ses, seite, oito, nove, dez!

We have 10 beads! Look, mine is pretty."

"Wow, you girls are so smart! And they are all very pretty!"

I love to do "homeschool" activities with the girls. I started doing geography classes once a week with the older girls. Next week I will take some photos and show you what they are learning. Thanks for stopping by!

Meet our 5 newest little ladies!!

2009-01-22T18:39:00.002+02:00

In the past 2 weeks we have had 5 new girls join our family!

And in 2 weeks we will be getting 4 more little girls who have spent a year in the "transition house", aka Little Dorm, where they live after the baby house before transitioning into the bigger kids dorms. So we are growing, and having fun!

Meet the new girls:

Eliza, age 11

She came along with several other children from a center down the road 'Padre Andre's'. You may have heard me mention that center before. Paulo, who lived in the girls dorm for 1 1/2 years, was from that center. Receiving these kids is totally an answer to prayer! The center director was removed from his position, and a new Padre put in place. This new Padre has a heart for the disabled children, and is going to reopen the center after cleaning it up and repairing it, as a center for disabled or special needs kids!

"Mimi" (Emilia), age 4

and her sister and 2 brothers arrived 2 days after Eliza.

Their mother died, and their father was unable to look after his 8, 6, 4, and 2 year old children, and work. So we will take them until they are a bit bigger and he can make arrangements to care for them.

Serina, age 6

Sister to Mimi. She is smart, and loves to help. She passed first grade this year, and I have been reading with her to help her with her reading skills. She is improving quickly!

Their brothers are Horacio, age 8, and Jose, age 2. These four siblings love each other and love to be together.

Rosa, age 2

Our baby house is full, full, full! So Rosa has come to live in the girl's dorm. Her dad died, and her mom has 3 other school age children. Her mom was leaving her alone in the house all day while she went out to cart water for neighbors or do odd jobs for people to earn a little money to feed her kids. We have agreed to take Rosa at least until she starts school.

She was very shy when she first came, and didn't speak to anyone. She is slowly starting to break out of her shell, and she even smiled a little bit. I love to hold her in the mornings while she takes her naps, or sit and read to her. She's very sweet!

Fatima, age 7?

(We don't know how old she is for sure)

Fatima arrived today with her little brother. Her mom abandoned them, and her father mistreated her. They were taken by someone who discovered what was going on, and brought to the central hospital. Their dad is now in prison. Social services brought them to us today.

She is a sweet little girl, and I am praying God brings emotional healing to her quickly.

We are loving on these precious little ones, and praising God that He lifted them out of the dust and has set them up in heavenly places! They are treasures, and it is a privilege to be here, mothering them.

Please lift these 5 girls up in prayer!

Christmas Baking Day

2009-01-16T06:33:00.002+02:00

I met some fellow Ohio'ens here in Mozambique a year and a half ago. They are missionaries who live about 2 hours from me. Last year (2007) they invited me over to make Christmas cookies, and the day arrived with me sick in bed, vomiting, weak with malaria. So this year (2008) we tried again, and had a great time! They picked me up the week of Christmas on Monday evening. I spent the night and we spent all day Tuesday making and baking allot of Christmas cookies. They brought me home late Tuesday night. We had so much fun!

Abby (age 8) made this cute snow man cookie.

Marcia (age 19), Angie (mom) and one of the boys who lives with them

as part of their ministry. Not shown is Abby (age 8) and Leah (age 2), as well as Abel and Carlos, the other 2 boys living with them.

Lots of fancy Christmas cookies!

(I will say it is not quite the same, baking Christmas cookies when it is 100 degrees, but hey! At least we had Christmas music on and fans blowing on us!)

These are the cookies I decorated. And no, that checkered one does NOT have a bite taken out of it. It looks like it though! It was stuck to another cookie.

I shared the cookies I made with the missionaries here, as well as the tias in the girl's dorm.

Christmas Day 2008

2009-01-11T01:06:00.003+02:00

Merry Christmas from the girl's dorm!!

I love this, our 2008 Christmas photo. I used iphoto effects to make it look cool:)

The little girls from the youngest two rooms, styling their new custom made and designed skirts, new t-shirts, and new sandals (thank you, donors of the money for shoes/sandals for all the kids!).

Carmina is pleased with her gifts!

The girls each received a back pack for school, filled with an art kit and a few other fun items.

Christmas lunch: chicken, french fries, pasta salad, and potato salad served with rice.

Me and the tias (dorm mothers) who I work with!

I love these ladies.

L to R: Tia Inez, Tia Sidalia, Tia Safira, me, Mana Fina, and Tia Sonya!

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion--

to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."

Isaiah 61:1-3

Christmas Eve 2009

2009-01-10T14:17:00.003+02:00

(First of all, I just want to say "THANK YOU JESUS THAT THESE PICTURES FINALLY UPLOADED!!" I have been praying they would cuz the internet has been so slow and I have been trying to upload these for literally 10 days!)

Christmas Eve Candle light service

Sometimes also known as "Catch the Fire" :-)

The girls with their candles all lit.

It's a bit blurry, but I like how you can see all the candles and all the people.

After all the dramas and dances that the kids performed were finished,

they each received a candle, and then someone at the end of the row would light

it and they passed the flame down as each child lit his or her candle.

Then we sang a few songs to the Lord.

It was beautiful while it lasted, before they started trying to put out each others candles...

Beautiful Alçione with her candle lit!

The toddlers nativity play!!

They are so cute, and every year this play gets better! They did a great job!

Word of the day: Remain in the Vine!

2009-01-08T07:40:00.002+02:00

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,

while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes

so that it will be even more fruitful...

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me

and I in him he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be

my disciples.

John 15:1-2, 5, 8

Feliz Ano Novo!! 2009

2009-01-01T00:53:00.002+02:00

Happy New year!!

Tonight we watched a movie "The gods must be crazy" (funny movie!) with the 110 kids here who don't have family to visit for the holidays. They all got pop corn and candy bags. After the movie was over, they divided up into groups of about 11 each, and we had 8 activity stations set up. They traveled in their groups to each station to play a game, or make a craft, or other activity. That was lots of fun. I got to lead the game Chubby Bunny. It was so hilarious, from big kids who could fit 5 or 6 marshmallows in their mouth and almost make out "Feliz Ano Novo", to the little 5 year olds who could barely hold 2 marshmallows in their mouths. And then those who started laughing and out came the marshmallows in a sticky, disgusting mess:-) Ah, what we do for a good time!

At the end of the activities the kids had a blast dancing to music. Then we calmed them all down and put on another movie and served them sausage sandwiches and bottles of pop. At midnight we went down to the soccer field for fire works. Unfortunately for many of them the day of the bombs is still fresh in their memories. As soon as the fireworks started all the girls took off running and screaming in terror. They have seen them every year, but they were convinced this year that the fireworks would fall from the sky (what goes up must come down, right?) and they were crouching in fear. Poor little ladies. So I went after them and we sat on one of the missionaries porches and those brave enough stood on the edge to watch, the rest hid by the side of the house.

It was an exciting evening! I just got off the phone with my parents, to let them know the year 2009 is a good year! They still have 5 1/2 hours before they enter into the new year. They are 7 hours behind us. My sister Christina wanted to ask, as she was talking to me into the future, if she had broken her new years resolutions yet? Lol

*HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! God bless you richly in the year 2009!!*

Merry Christmas/Feliz Natal!

2008-12-25T23:33:00.002+02:00

Merry Christmas from Mozambique! It's been an exciting day, celebrating the entrance of Jesus Christ into the world! The girls all got new back packs, clothes, sandals, and other fun stuff. The kids all had a big chicken lunch. There is nothing like the joy in the children's hearts on Christmas morning, as they sing and dance, and anticipate the excitement to be had. God has lifted these ones from the dust and set them up in kingly places! The missionaries got together tonight for a Christmas feast, followed by a white elephant gift exchange, and lots of laughter and fun! I won a mug, hot chocolate, marshmallows, and best of all a foot massage from the giver of the gift! Yay:-) (I better scrub the sand, dirt, and blackness off my feet before she sees!). I talked to my family on the phone today, which always makes me feel happy.

In closing, "I wanna wish you a merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart!" :-)

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you;

He is Christ the Lord." ...

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel,

praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace

to men on whom His favor rests."

Luke 2:11, 13-14

May the joy of the entrance of Jesus into the world fill your hearts to overflowing,

and may the peace of God rest upon you!

Merry Christmas!!

(Photos from the day will come, when I recharge my dead camera batteries. This photo I took today with my built-in web came, to send to my parents while we talked on the phone;-) I am house sitting for a couple, and it's a very spacious house as you can see!)

Update on Amina

2008-12-15T07:36:00.002+02:00

Many of you are asking how Amina is, sorry I forgot to update about her.

She had malaria and is out of the hospital and much better. Thank you for praying for her!

If you want to add something else to your prayer list, about 5 of the little girls have come

down with the measles. Poor little things are covered in what looks like a rash from head to

toe. They are sleeping in room 9, which we are calling "The Pediatric Ward" of the "Girl's dorm

Hospital". That makes it a little fun for them to have their own sick room. A few of them are

already much better, but others are starting to come down with it now.

Mom, I did get a measles shot when I was little, right?

My Beautiful Family!! -- and some updates

2008-12-13T14:50:00.004+02:00

This is my mom, holding my newest niece Rachel (born about one month ago!).

Isn't she precious?! She looks like she is smiling in this photo, I love it.

My niece (3 1/2) and nephew (1 1/2) in Amish Country, while I was home. Aren't they so cute?!

This is me (left) with my dear friend Lydia, who got married while I was home. I have photos and will down load them when blogger wants to cooperate. Dad said he wanted a picture of me on here because he forgets what I look like.

My brother Daniel and his new wife Julie on their wedding day. It was a BEAUTIFUL wedding, and fun reception dancing all night!

And now the photo you've all been waiting for... (you have been waiting for this, right?!)

My family. My great big happy family. I will attempt to tell you who is who from left to right.

Me (Anna), Christina, Seth, my sister-in-law and good friend Bethany (sorry your face is cut off Bethany!!), next to her is Greg, and in front of Gregory is Andrea, and my niece, Daniel and Julie, my dad, my mom, my brother Sam, my sister Bonnie, my brother Joel, my sister Cara, my brother-in-law Braden holding my nephew. That is the 10 C children, plus 3 sibling-in-laws, and a niece and nephew (this was before the newest niece was born).

Merry Christmas my dear family! I miss you all!

And now for a weather update from Maputo Mozambique: Today's high was 105 degrees!! Yes, that's right, and it is December 13th!! A-hem, I do believe snow should be in order... how can we make snow men and snow ball fights in this heat?! I am sweating and the heat really takes away your energy.

Today's happenings:

This morning I went to visit an elderly man in the community. I help look after him, and he is unable to walk, and you can't tell what he is saying, but he's really sweet. I knew him before his speech was bad, and I have seen God really work in his life! He used to hold allot of bitterness and unforgiveness towards his family, because when he got sick they rejected him. He now knows the Lord, and is full of joy. I usually read to him from his Bible, pray with him, clean his house, get him water from the well, and make sure he has been fed. On the walk there I stopped and bought bananas for the girls for a snack tonight. On the walk home several little boys who attend our school were playing outside one of their houses. When they saw me coming they came running to give me hugs. They are so sweet! Then one of them asked me, "Mana Anna, out of all of us here, who do you like the best?" I don't think my response, "I like you all the same! You are all very special and important," is what they wanted to hear. They really wanted to know which of them was my favorite!

This afternoon I cut about 400 finger nails and toe nails on the girls. Then my nail clipper snapped so I had to stop. Oops!

That's the news from this side of the world. What's going on at your end?!

(by the way, 12 days to Christmas!!)

"I Can Read" is on!

2008-12-11T13:51:00.007+02:00

With 41 girls on school break for 3 months, we have to find activities to keep them busy. I challenged those who can read to read 25 books per month. Some of them that is quite a big goal, and they are slowly working to reach it, and improving their reading skills very much with challenging words in the books. For others they are great readers, and have already zoomed past the 25 book goal and are heading towards 50 books by Christmas! We are so blessed to have a library here filled with donated and bought books in English and Portuguese (but the girls read Portuguese, not English). We have about 500 books, including allot of good information and reference books, as well as story books, comic books, chapter books, and National Geographic magazines in Portuguese! And games and puzzles too:-)

Those who cannot read yet, are going through the reading program the dorm mothers, older girls, and me teaching them to read. And also we are doing a book activity where each week we will read a book and do an activity to go along with the book. Yesterday I read to them a silly book about a chicken. Afterwards I took them for a walk into the community near the center. We walked along the HOT sandy paths between the thorn bush 'fences' that line people's little yards. We were on the hunt to find the animals we saw in the book, and we had great success! They found chickens roaming around, adorable baby chicks, ducks and a few ducklings, and even pigeons. It was good for them to see what's behind the center too, since the little ones never really get to go walking around in the community here.

The girls are gaining a passion for books and reading, improving their reading skills, and getting anxious to see what the prize will be in the end for completing their goals.

~Hello and Good bye~

2008-12-06T22:01:00.002+02:00

"Hi mom and dad! Just wanted to post a picture of you guys so I can look at you:-)"

I love my parents!! And I miss them. It was nice to talk to you on the phone today!

Meet Rosalina! This happy girl [age 13] arrived last week on Friday. She is receiving medical treatment, and was transferred from a children's center an hour away that was being closed down. She has a grandmother who is unable to provide for her. Rosalina has settled in quickly, and is full of joy! She has made friends quickly with the other girls. She's just finished second grade this year, but she cannot read. So hopefully with the reading program up and running again she will learn the alphabet and be reading soon.

And the reason this post is "hello and goodbye" is because these two girls, Salma and Maizinha (pronounced My-zinia) were both reintegrated back into their families a couple of weeks ago. They have both living here for about 5+ years, and both have families who are now able to care for them. It's been amazing since we have started the cooking program (every Saturday night the girls make supper for the whole dorm), and both girls have been a part of the sewing classes. They are well equipped to go back to living in the communities, with skills they can use to live and work. And neither of the could read 2 years ago, and they are both reading quite well now since the reading program started! I always feel excited when any of the girls are reintegrated. It is so much better for them to be living in their families if they have good families.

Salma and Maizinha asked if we could make a cake for the girls Friday night snack, as a going away gift from them. It was a special time to do one last activity with just those two, and then give them the opportunity to say good bye to their friends here.

~Thanksgiving Celebration in Mozambiqe~

2008-12-06T14:51:00.003+02:00

Yummy!! We had a HUGE feast for Thanksgiving, with about 18 people to celebrate. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, dinner rolls, and a few Southern casseroles thanks to one of our missionaries from Georgia:-)

[Above] In line to get some dinner.

A display of amazing AMERICAN foods!!:-)

Erin cooked a delicious turkey, to make the feast complete:-)

And here's the gang (minus me, I was taking the picture). Our celebration included people from: America, New Zealand, England, Mozambique, and Australia!

Dinner was at 4:30, but several of us went early to set up. I had some fun fall decorations mom sent me 2 years ago, which made the celebration more festive! When we all gathered, I read about the first Thanksgiving, from something I printed off the internet, so our non-American guests could learn what this special day is all about. Then we prayed and ate! We were so full afterwards, that we decided to wait till after the weekly Thursday night church service to have the desserts. Afterwards we all gathered back and put on Christmas music, and enjoyed pumpkin pie, pecan pie, carrot cake, and strawberry jello with pineapple chunks. We stayed late enjoying the fellowship, and cleaning up.

It was a wonderful day and I am so thankful for the family God has given me here, while I am away from my family at home. And for the 41 daughters he has given to me to mother for this season! It's a challenge in many ways, but it is so worth it!

And now Christmas is coming...!!:-)

Hospital Central

2008-11-06T22:52:00.003+02:00

Amina is the third of 7 sisters. Her 3 youngest sisters live in our center. Her sister just under her lived here for a year, and now lives at home with the older girls. And Amina came to live here for a short time while she was being treated medically.

Yesterday she came to the center feeling quite sick. The nurses in our clinic decided she should spend the night here, and in the morning we would take her to Hospital Central (our main hospital here in Maputo). Last night while we were having our missionary's home group, the dorm mother's came looking for me and the nurses, saying Amina was having a seizure. It turned out she was sleeping in a bed, and suddenly started having a seizure-- eyes rolling back in her head, salivating, and shaking. The nurses quickly arranged a vehicle and took her to the hospital. As they arrived at the hospital, she went into another seizure. She had no fever, so we are not sure what brought this on. She was admitted to the hospital late last night.

This morning I was at the hospital with one of the boys, for abuse counseling which we have just started taking a group of kids to. I and one of our Mozambican educators, wanted to take a change of clothes, and some fruit and hygienic items to Amina. We found the ward she was in, but the guard said it was not visiting ours and we could not go in. I pleaded with them, explaining I just needed to drop off these bits, and I would not stay to visit. Finally he allowed us to go, being careful to explain this is not normally allowed.

Tia Sidalia and I went up the stairs to the third floor. There was no one at the help desk, so we just walked down the hall way, which was crowded with nurses pushing carts of medicine, and doctors checking over their patient list of the day, and looked into each room to search for Amina. Her room didn't have any free beds left, so she was on a mattress on the floor. She had vomited in the night, and still had the dirty sheets on her bed. Her stomach was still hurting, but she looked much better than yesterday. A nurse was attending her, but the doctor hadn't made his rounds to her bed yet, so we didn't get a diagnosis. We didn't wait around long, because we didn't want to get in trouble, and the doctors were busy checking the patients in that room.

As we were leaving, and walking down the crowded hall way again, I saw a small room with a light on. On the floor was a mattress, with a body wrapped in a white sheet, of some one who must have just died, and they put the body there until someone could come take it away. That really shook me up seeing that!

Our hospitals at home are so nice. The nurses and doctors are usually nice, and are there to help you. One of the doctors I had to deal with this morning at this boy's 7:30 appointment was so disrespectful of me and tia Sidalia. I have been praying that with going to these appointments so often (I have been 3 times in the last 4 days with 9 children!), that we would be a light of the Lord to these counselors, who are not Christians. And I felt like today I had to decide how to respond to this lady. She doesn't know Jesus. She doesn't know His love. She doesn't know she was talking to two daughters of the King of Kings today! But I believe God will open up the doors for these doctors to come to know Him. And if I am to be an ambassador of Heaven, I want to represent well my Father!

It was a rough morning. I came home and spent time with the Lord. I felt very heavy and unsettled about the events that took place. I chose to forgive the doctor who spoke down to us. My devotional this morning was about being humble. Pride always goes before a fall. The Bible says over and over how the proud will be brought low, but God will raise up the lowly in Spirit.

I can be proud and shove off what people say and leave no room for God to teach me or use me. Or I can choose to humble myself, turn the other cheek, and walk on in the grace of God. It's a lesson I think I shall never finish learning until I walk into the gates of heaven.

That was my morning at Hospital Central.

Apples, Apples, Apples!

2008-10-30T22:34:00.008+02:00

First of all, these pictures are in the backward order.

Secondly, I am recapping my time with my family! Pictures of Mozambique will come...

But when you only spend 10 weeks with your family after being gone for a whole year...well, there is allot of catching up to do and fun to be had! So, I am posting some pictures so I can go back and remember the good times:-)

Okay, so after making a TON of apple sauce, you get a little slap happy! These are the kitchen slaves hard at work...

(Joel, Bobo --aka Christina, and Andrea)

Cooking down apples for apple saucing and apple buttering...

Some pretty apples at the apple orchard. Crispy and delicious. Nothing like biting into a fresh picked apple, and the sweet juice running down your elbows.

The farm hands coming back from the orchards.

(Oh, wait. That's my family.)

That's me picking apples. I am so blessed to have been home for Fall! Autumn is by far my favorite season! I love the beautiful colors as the trees turn. I love apples, and apple cider, and candy corn, and apple pies, and scented candles, and a warm bed, and cozy pj's. I love bon fires and raking leaves and all the smells of Fall in the air.

It was such a gift from God to be home for this season!!

~My 3 Little Sisters~

2008-10-30T22:09:00.002+02:00

This is Andrea, and my niece and nephew. Andrea has lots of energy. She loves to clean the house, bless mom and dad or her siblings by making their beds, and she does her chores very well (without complaining or being asked!!). I share a room with her (when I am at home). She always has her dolls all lined up on her shelf, and all her things arranged nicely. She is a joy to be around.

This is Christina. She has such a great sense of humor. I don't know where she gets her silly ideas from, but she is hilarious! She likes to dress up and pretend she is like a sales person or an old granny. She sings very well and is on the youth group worship team. She and Cara sang at my brothers wedding and my friends wedding this Summer.

This is Cara. She graduated high school this year. She also came to visit me with my dad:-) (you can come back now, guys!!) She is a tom boy all the way. The kids in the neighborhood used to beg her to be on their team of back yard foot ball! She works on a farm and loves it. She is slow to anger and doesn't hold grudges for long. She likes to keep peace.

Dad and his girls (minus one)

Cara, me (Anna), Dad, Christina, and Andrea

when we went apple picking this Fall at Stottlers.

~My 3 Little Brothers~

2008-10-29T21:56:00.005+02:00

Sammy, the little Foot Ball player! He loves to play catch. He loves to put on his foot ball gear (including the knee pads and chin guard he just bought with his own money) and play that he is a foot ball player. When there is no one to play catch with, he just tackles himself on the trampoline and pretends to be in the big leagues!

Seth loves to hunt and fish. He also loves to fix cars. He got his first deer of the season his first day out hunting this year! It was with his new bow, and he shot a nice buck. We were able to restock the freezer with like 35 pounds of meat. He boiled the skull to make a nice mount.

Joel went hunting with dad, and shot a squirrel! I made him pose for so many pictures that the poor guy got hungry and took a bite...

So these are my three dear little brothers. They all love to tease, and love to make people laugh:-) And they are all a blessing to our family.

I am alive and in Mozambique...!

2008-10-29T18:25:00.001+02:00

Hello to the faithful readers of this blog!

I am very sorry for not updating in awhile, but I am back in Mozambique (I arrived one week ago today), and it's going great!

I have an update coming, but the pictures I am trying to load are just not loading right now, so please check back soon!

God bless you all richly today!

Home Sweet Home

2008-09-17T14:52:00.002+02:00

~My adorable niece, Honey, playing piano at our house~

Last night I was laying in bed, and I realized I only have 4 1/2 weeks left in the USA!!
When I first arrived home, I missed the kids in Mozambique allot. But God has given me grace
for that, and I am sooo enjoying my family here!

I don't want to take any of this for granted. It is truly a blessing to have 10 weeks with my family! I was thinking, "It is hard to believe I was away from them for a whole year, and now am only home for 10 weeks." In some ways it seems like I have been home for forever.
But also I know time is flying quickly, and I want to savor every moment.

Me, Christina (knitting), and dad
slouching on the couch on a lazy Summer afternoon...

Last night I was feeling kind of sad to think about leaving here so soon.
But this morning I woke up with a bubbling joy that I will be with the dear girls in Mozambique again soon!
I really have 2 families...

My brother Daniel, hoisting my 1 year old nephew up on the roof of our patio!
(Don't worry, he didn't let go)

I love both families so much! In one way, it is incredibly hard, always missing my family here, or always missing my family in Mozambique. But also, it is truly amazing! God's grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in my weakness. And He is the one that allows me to enjoy my family, and do His work, and not be constantly sad that I am not with one or the other.

That might not make sense, but to sum it up, GOD IS SO AMAZING!
And HE is with me wherever I go. I am never alone, and it is HE who fulfills every need and longing that I have. What a blessing!

The Akron Zoo

2008-09-15T16:29:00.002+02:00

Welcome to the Akron Zoo!
Come along for a tour with me...

A leopard waking up from a nap:
(doesn't he look cuddly and cute?!)

Oh look, the new jelly fish display!!

Look at those tentacles!

This tiger was licking the glass. I think my sister was looking tasty to him...

I had to show you these pretty little pink and yellow flowers.
We have these in Africa, too! And the girls like to pick them and bring them to me as a tiny bouquet:-)

Okay, I will stop posting for today. Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

A wedding shower for my sister-in-law

2008-09-15T16:15:00.003+02:00

This is the home of the Coumos Family, in Ohio!
I do love this place.......!

Okay, now on to the pictures of the shower my sister and I had for my brother's fiance.
It was held at the home of my sister Bonnie.
Some of the guests (I am not sure what Honey is doing under the coffee table there, haha):

Julie and Daniel
Wedding date is September 26, 2008

Some of the little monkeys that were there!:-)
C, Honey, Biscuit, and CT

My adorable cousin, M!

The Fair part 4!

2008-09-15T15:49:00.002+02:00

Jelly Bean, our favorite clown! I am not big into clowns, they seem a little scary.
But Jelly Bean is just a normal person, dressed up for fun, and the kids LOVE her!
Throughout the week she does face painting (really cool, full face painting!), balloon twisting,
and tells jokes. We talk to her every day, and have gotten to know her a bit. She is a Christian, too!

Sam, after getting his face painted by Jelly Bean. He wanted a John Deere face,
but she was out of yellow. So he got the International tractor painted on his face, then he went
and bought a John Deere hat from the tractor tent! And those red neck teeth are fake. He won them, and wore them everywhere. He even wore the to the dentist the next week!

Oh look, some more clowns!
(Andrea-11, Joel-13, and Christina-16)

Our 4-H club's flower bed, celebrating 150 years of the Randolph Fair.
(and our 4-H club, Rootstown Small Ones, is celebrating 30 years as a club!)

This was the 150th anniversary of the Randolph Fair. We celebrated all week, and had a birthday party on the second to last day, with scrap books and news paper clippings through the history of our fair. It used to be only 1 day long, then they changed it to 3 days, and now it is the 6 days.

(To the tune of "Our State Fair" from the movie State Fair)
"Our county fair is a great county fair,
don't miss it, don't even be late!
It's dollars to doughnuts at the Randolph fair,
it's the best county fair in our state!"

The Fair part 3!

2008-09-15T15:35:00.003+02:00

This is what homeschoolers do without tv...

The steer show:

A horse show:

Isn't this princess castle cake cool?!
(I cannot take the credit for making it, but someone sure was creative!!)

The rough trucks competition. Normally my brothers are a part of this, but not this year.
Our fair is famous for the demolition derby (2 nights!!), and our tractor pulls, truck pulls, and rough trucks.

And one more group of photos on their way!

The Fair part 2!

2008-09-15T15:15:00.004+02:00

A view of the fair from the ferris wheel (can you see the tractors?):

My darling nephew Biscuit, sound sleep after a long morning at the fair:

Sam, my 9 year old brother, on the middle tractor. This is the tractor races on Children's day!

My niece and nephew, Honey (3) and Biscuit (1). This was durring the truck pulls, and the trucks were very loud. Honey did NOT like the loud noise at all "What is that noise in my ears?!" she asked. Biscuit's face lit up every time he heard the loud trucks, he loved it!

I got a first place ribbon for this rug hooked wall hanging I entered. I made it 2 years ago,
and when I was deciding what to enter, I thought I would put this in. I really didn't expect to win anything for it, it is my first and only rug hooked project!

More to come!!

The Fair part 1!

2008-09-15T14:48:00.002+02:00

Finally I am able to post up some pictures. This is my sister Christina's photography.
The ferris wheel at nighth (I love this picture!):

"Hello there, Wilber!" A curious pig:

L to R Andrea holding her fifth place duck, Anna (me!) with Andrea's grand champion duck, the poultry judge, Cara with her third place duck, and Joel with his second place duck. They did really well this year!

The cows have a private conversation...

Joel at the small animal auction, auctioning off his duck.

I am in America!

2008-09-02T17:33:00.000+02:00

Hi friends and family!
I want to let you know that I am home. For some reason I cannot make normal posts, or add pictures from blogger with my parents computer (my computer is not online here). So here is a quicky...!

I am doing great. we had a good week at the fair. My sister Andrea had the grand champion market duck! Cara, Christina, Joel, and Sam also did good with their ducks and rabbits. It was a tiring week of sleeping in the camper and walking around (and drinking TEX'S Lemonade and eat cheese sticks...).

Now we are on to showers and preparations for my brother Daniel's wedding!

My siblings have started school so they are busy with mom all morning. It's fun listening in on their school work. We went to the Akron zoo for a field trip last week--my, but there are allot of animals at these zoos we have in America! The last zoo I was at had monkeys, crocodiles, a hippo you could pet, and a snake. Yep, that's all! The Akron zoo had lots of animals, including a tiger that came right up to the glass where my sister was trying to take a picture, and started licking the glass on the other side of her! It was so funny. And the lions were pacing back and forth, trying to devise a scheme to get out of there, I am sure! The new jelly fish exhibit was awesome!

Check out thehomespunheart.blogspot.com to see the shoe box SWAP I did with Monica. I can't post pictures on here so head over there to see! It was really fun, thank you Monica! I was very blessed by what you sent me.

I am enjoying my family, and missing Mozambique. God is teaching me allot.
Bless you all!

48 hours

2008-08-04T08:19:00.003+02:00

Anna (me!) and Cara in Mozambique the day they arrived in May

A very small part of my beloved family (the 4 youngest sibs and mom)

Joel-13, Christina-15 (aka Bobo), Andrea-11, Sam-9, and mom

This was when they were leaving dad and Cara at the airport, which is why mom

and Joel don't look particularly happy.

But on Thursday we will ALL be happy because that is the day they are picking me up!

in 48 hours I will be leaving for the Maputo Airport to go home to America, and I am so

excited!! Please pray for safe travels, and for me to be healed of this nasty sinus crud trying

to attack my body.

For those of you in Ohio, see you this week!!!!!!

God's so awesome!!

2008-08-01T18:06:00.003+02:00

Priscilla from Brazil performing a dance with the little girls.

The Lovely Tias! Tia Safira, Tia Sidalia, Tia Inez, and Tia Sonia

One of our two teams of dorm mothers, who daily pour into the lives of each girl, mothering them and loving them.

The Lord their God will save them on that day

as the flock of His people.

They will sparkle in His land like jewels in a crown.

How attractive and beautiful they will be!

Zechariah 9:16-17a

I had discipleship with the older girls today. Only four of them came. We discussed the benefits of being Christians, how are we different to the world. What is our gain. What do each of the girls desire to see God do in their life time. We talked about how life is short in comparison with eternity, and this is preparation for Heaven--God is even storing up treasures in Heaven for us!

The girls opened their mouths and spilled out their hearts. It was lovely. We read a few scriptures together, then I suggested we pray for each other. If they had anything specific they wanted prayer for, we would pray for those things too. Well, as we laid hands on each girl, the girls prayed for one another and some cried a little. The Lord is really capturing their hearts for Him. I know these girls are going to be the women that bring transformation to the lives of many people, they will be the ones to be leaders with a voice, they will be the ones who bring the captives to Jesus, and bring freedom to the lost. They are willing for God to work through them, and I can't wait to see what He does!

As of right now, it will be 4 days and 15 hours till I leave to go be with my family

for 10 weeks!! I am getting so excited. I started packing today, and putting things away to

make room for Rachel, who will be moving in while I am away.

Yay! Brimfield, here I come!

I can't wait to see you mom and dad, Bonnie and Braden and Audrey and Brady, Greg and Bethany, Daniel and Julie (looking forward to meeting you too!:-)), Seth, Cara, Bobo, Joel, Andrea, and Sammy bean! I love you all so much, and have really missed you. I am so looking forward to being with you again.

!!!

2008-07-26T00:01:00.002+02:00

After having a nice evening with 5 friends watching Anne of Green Gables (yes, that is a must-bring-with-you-on-the-mission-field movie!), we thought we heard a mouse. So when there were just 3 of us left we went on a search, and after shaking a little metal shelf where I keep my food, a mouse came scurrying out!! AHHH!!! The 3 of us all let out a scream and ran out of my house.

THERE'S A MOUSE IN MY HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and I HATE mice. I don't know how I will sleep tonight. Lord help me! Make that horrible little mouse die.

P.s. Oh, and this is Post 100. Not exactly what I had planned for a 100th post, but I don't have anything more exciting at the moment. I am just hoping I can get to sleep before he starts making his rounds again. I have my bedroom door shut with a piece of foam stuffed under it to keep him away from me. YUCK YUCK YUCK! I HATE mice!!

99th Post and 15 days...

2008-07-22T21:26:00.003+02:00

(Sometimes this is what clothing swap day looks like... )

This is my 99th post!! That is pretty cool...

Well, I haven't been updating for awhile. But I thought I would let you all know what I am up to these days.

Last week on Monday and Tuesday we did a children's conference in a near by village called Maracuene. We had about 150 children the first day, and 200 the second. We kept the format from the children's conference we did in 2007 at the center. Day one we teach on Jesus' death and resurrection, and Salvation. Day 2 we teach on the Holy Spirit, and Hearing God's Voice. The kids love it and God really captivates their hearts, praise the Lord!

This week we are going to another village, about 45 minutes away called Babole. We will do 2 mornings of children's conference. I am not sure how many children will show up. Pray God brings in a harvest into His Kingdom! How awesome to have the opportunity to introduce these kids meet Jesus, and what a difference they will make!

Monday of this week we had a big games day for all the children at the center. Out of about 350 children living here, about 100 of them have relatives or family they can visit. So now we are on 2 weeks of school holidays, and those children with family have gone home. We had a fun filled day for the rest of the kids, to help them enjoy the only home and family they know--each other and us! They kids had so much fun, walking in groups with their dorm to each station. We had egg and spoon relays, water balloon toss, sack races, wheel barrow races, 3-legged races, a game where you crawl and push a marshmallow along the ground to the finish line, and a game where you had cups and you had to fill them with water, by carrying the water in a spoon across to where the cups were set up. In the end we gave out prizes to all the winners in the church, and special prizes for each dorm for the one child in that dorm that had the best attitude. And all the children got oranges for participating.

I am forever shocked at how cheap some things are here in Mozambique. For example, I bought 300 oranges last week at the market, and it cost me only 13 dollars and 40 cents!

I will be going home in 2 weeks, and I am so excited. Inbetween children's conference and daily routine activities, I am trying to wrap up a few things that need doing before I go. Today I made 15 pureed meals to put in the freezer for one of the girls who has a special pureed diet. I will make 15 more over the weekend. Also updating lists and files in the girls dorm, sorting out new mattresses and blankets for all the girls, cleaning my house for the missionary who will stay here when I leave, and packing! I can't wait to see my family. I have been talking to them on the phone and e-mailing, but there is NOTHING like family, and to be with them for real is so wonderful. And I will be home for the FAIR this year! And my brother's wedding, and the wedding of 2 friends! Good timing, eh?!

Praise God He has sent Rachel, a sweet missionary my age from California. She will stay in my house and help Ellie look after the girls. I know everything is in God's hands and it will all be great. It's nice to go away and not have to worry about leaving things behind. It's all God's doing, and I am just the vessel He has chosen to do through for such a time as this!

Well, I will get to bed now. Hopefully I will have a Post #100 before I go home!

A trip to the zoo!!

2008-07-03T15:32:00.005+02:00

Checking out the monkeys

15 little girls visiting the zoo!

Ooh, that crocodile is close! Don't stick your fingers in the cage, girls!

Snack time

On Tuesday afternoon me, Tia Inez, and our newest missionary, Rachel (she is my age!) loaded up 15 little girls in the flat bed truck, and drove to the zoo. Yes, Maputo has a zoo. A very run down zoo, that had exactly 4 different types of animals. A hippo that would hang its head over the fence for people to pet him (stand back girls, if you value your hands), lots of crocodiles, some monkeys, and a little snake. And an animal graveyard, where the lion went years ago. The big snake, and the gorilla that did tricks were moved to South Africa, so they were not there. And there were many, many empty cages, that once held all sorts of fun animals!

I think it was worth every bit of the one metical (that is about 4 cents) it cost per person!:o)

The girls had such a great afternoon, seeing the animals, eating tangerines and peanut butter on crackers, playing on the broken down play ground (well, the slide and monkey bars were still standing. The swings and everything else was falling down). They talked all about the trip on the way home, and some slept from their exciting and exhausting afternoon at the zoo!

Celebrate Life!

2008-06-30T21:28:00.003+02:00

Thabo with Tia Judite, when he was staying in the clinic, regaining his strength.

Thabo, Vella, and Paulito on Children's day, waiting for their chicken dinner.

Vella is a very dear friend of mine, and the missionary over a dorm of little boys, where Thabo lived.

Vella praying for Thabo.

He received so much love in this family. He learned what it's like to be loved instead of rejected. He got to know Jesus while he was here. He felt God's love through the missionaries and tias who looked after him. Sometimes He would be mumbling and they would say, "Who are you talking to Thabo?" "I am praying to Jesus." He would say.

Sometimes he would be singing in his quiet voice, and they would ask what he was doing. "I am singing to God because Jesus told me to." Was his reply.

Thabo came to us about 2 years ago, battling HIV, TB, and malnutrition and rejection.

But though his body was weak, His spirit was quite alive and full of Joy. Thabo means "Joy", and we know him by the joy he brought to so many.

He spent a few months in the hospital, then stayed in the clinic here at the center for a few months. And finally, he spent the last 4 months in Vella's house, where she, and 2 tias, care for 5 little guys ages 5-6.

On Friday morning, while the rest of the boys were at school, Thabo was alone with the tia and Vella. In the last week he had gotten much weaker, and now he was asking for Tia Judite to hold him. She did for a little while, and then he asked for Vella to hold him. Tia Judite passed him off to Vella, who held him for a while. Then he said, "I want to go to sleep."

Vella laid him on his bed, and said, "Go to sleep Thabo, and be free." As she pulled her hands out from under him, and took his last breath, closed his eyes, and went to sleep from this world. He woke up in Jesus's arms, with a whole new body, and able to run and play and dance with Tino and others!

Today was the funeral. It was sad, but sweet. Because we know where He is now.

Some of the young boys who were friends with Thabo came to the funeral, and with tears streaming down their faces, they said their final good byes.

Please keep lifting up Vella, and Tia Judite and Tia Victoria, who poured out love unconditionally into Thabo. They miss him terribly, and he has left such a sweet legacy.

We celebrate his life!

The Reading Program

2008-06-25T12:20:00.002+02:00

Aidinha and Mira writing the alphabet.

About 15 months ago we started the reading program. Many of the girls, and the boys, even up to fifth grade, cannot read. They did not catch on in first grade, so they were passed to second and third and so on without any extra attention. Or they started school late, but because of their age, were put straight into a class without assessing their abilities. Then in school, it is allot of repeating what the teacher says back to him, or copying off the chalk board. But not so much mental work, so it is easy to slide along, without ever learning. And this is the problem we discovered.

It started with Ellie and one of the tias and I testing all the girls to see where they were at. If they could read 4th grade or better, or read a few easy words, or if they didn't even know their vowels, let alone the whole alphabet.

After that, the tias worked with the girls in the afternoons with chalk boards and paper and books and flash cards. Some of them still struggle, but many of them have improved so much! I started working last year in September in the school (we have a school for the children here, and the community--preschool through 7th grade), and now I am working with 40 fourth graders on Thursday and Friday mornings, learning to read.

God has really given me some strategies. Some times I will be praying, and an idea pops into my head. Or I'll be laying in bed and God starts giving me creative plans how to teach these kids. Last week I was playing "Memory" with some of the girls. And then I thought, "I should make a memory game with the letters of the alphabet!" I did on the computer, printed them out on pink paper, cut it out, and laminated the cards. The kids in the school love it. They get to play a game, and don't even realize how much they are learning. It was great, because so many of them don't know the alphabet, and I have been struggling how to teach it to them so they would get it. This was such a great idea! They are learning the letters, and matching them. They are learning to memorize--by remembering where the cards are placed. They are learning to see small differences--like the difference between b and d and p. It's so good for them.

It's so exciting when you are teaching a child, and suddenly something "clicks" in their mind, and they get it! They are so thrilled and proud of themselves. God's doing some great teaching here, and it's a privilege to be a part of it.

P.s. 42 days---yes, just 6 weeks, and I will be going HOME!!:o)

The fair!

2008-06-24T10:31:00.002+02:00

Today I was checking out randolphfair.com

You should check it out if you live anywhere near Portage county Ohio!

And the best thing is, I WILL BE THERE THIS YEAR!! I am so excited.

After 3 years of not being at the fair, I am so excited I can hardly stand it!

My younger brothers and sisters will be showing their rabbits and market

ducks. Looking at the schedule just thrills me:-) When I was in 4-H, every

year you can't wait for the fair to come. Then you have a week of amazing FUN,

and then when the fair is over, you just can hardly wait a whole year for the next

one to come around. That is how we mark our Summers. All year you are saying

"Can you believe it's already been 3 months since the fair?!" Or "Can you believe

there is only 7 months and the fair will be here?!" And now, I will just inform you

that in exactly 6 weeks and 1 day I will be leaving to go home for a visit. And about 1 1/2

weeks after I arrive home, we will be loading up the camper, and heading off to the fair!

I can't wait...!:-)

What's cookin'??

2008-06-22T17:41:00.000+02:00

Mmm...dinner! Hope your hungry!

::And God is our answer::

2008-06-20T19:10:00.002+02:00

"It is important to remember that for every person,

there is a problem. Even more importantly,

for every problem our God has a prescription!"

--Woman, thou are loosed!

Sometimes things seem to be caving in all around. Sometimes I wonder if anything more could possibly go wrong? Sometimes I have trouble quieting down my mind to listen to God, and just rest in Him. To live out of a place of rest, instead of being distracted by all that is happening around me. But I have learned, and must constantly remind myself, God is the answer. And if He is the answer, I would do well to leave the middle of the problems, and come to Him.

Many people this week have been hit by cars and died, here in Maputo.

Filipe (who lives here at the center), his brother was hit by a car up North and died. That was His only family member he has contact with.

A little girl was violated.

Another girl who is in a wheel chair has come down with a very large and horrible bed sore. She has also lost allot of weight and has a bad chest infection that won't clear up. She is having her wound cleaned twice daily, and I have made her some nutritious pureed meals to help her regain the weight she has lost, and to fight the infections.

An elderly man we look after in the community, who is bed ridden, kicked his son out of the house. I was called upon to 'resolve the situation'. I don't know what I said, but apparently it worked because he has let his son move back in.

15 little girls had no undies this morning because it didn't dry yesterday from the rain. I didn't find out until this afternoon, and I quickly passed out new undies to all the girls!

A couple of the girls have been telling allot of lies to get things they want, and being very manipulative.

I cut 3 of the girls hair today, because they have nasty infections on their scalp that needs treated.

These are some of the things that happen in a week here. And for all of these things, I know that God is the answer. And when I bring these needs to Him, He will resolve them. I don't need to get stressed out, worked up, or drained from all these situations. I have to remind myself to bring them to Jesus.

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit, unless you remain in me...apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:4,5

Rewarded for their labor...:o)

2008-06-16T10:34:00.002+02:00

Yesterday after church I walked into one of the girl's rooms, to see a mattress on the floor, blankets tossed here and there, clean and dirty clothes spilling out of their clothing boxes,

toys, etc. strewn everywhere. Oh dear! How do I drag those girls from their play to come clean this up, without arguing and whining. Ah, yes! "Everyone who cleans their rooms before shower time will get a snack of peanut butter on crackers. Those who don't help clean don't get snack."

Suddenly there were cheers and 48 girls ran (ok, 46--2 of the girls did not get a reward) to their rooms cleaning, organizing, sweeping, making beds. Wow! They waited in their rooms, beaming and a bit nervous, as Mana Anna came in to inspect. Yes, 46 girls did a very good job cleaning their rooms. And they all got to eat a healthy snack of peanut butter sandwiched between 2 crackers.

That was easy.

Children's Day, June 1st 2008

2008-06-08T15:53:00.003+02:00

Children's Day is the First of June. We celebrate it like Christmas here, with presents, clothes, and a big chicken dinner! It's a joy to have a fun filled day, celebrating our Children that God has lifted out of the dust, and placed them in our big, happy family!

Pretty little girls in their pretty new clothes

waiting for the Sunday morning church service to begin.

Checking out the cool new toys!

Eliza trying out her adorable hat and gloves with little finger puppets on them:o)

Aminosa filling her tummy with her yummy special supper.

Lots of satisfied children enjoying a plate of fried chicken, spaghetti noodles, potato salad, bread, and a banana (carbohydrate heaven!).

It was a fun day filled with lots of happy laughter, games, a puppet show for the girls, and song/dance entertainment in the evening put on by the children.

God has blessed these kids so much!

Tino

2008-06-05T17:19:00.003+02:00

I wanted to let you know that last night around 6 pm, Tino was being fed his supper, and

peacefully closed his eyes and went to be with Jesus. He did not have any big seizures like

he'd been having for days, just peacefully passed from this life into our Father's arms.

The medical staff and head of the baby house took his little body to the mortary, and today

they are making plans for the funeral (to be held Friday or Saturday). His grandmother was

able to come right away and the dorm mothers were around to comfort her.

Please pray for those handling the funeral and those who looked after him and loved him into

Jesus's arms.

Thank you for those who have been praying for him. He's held on for a long time, way beyond the doctor's expectations! And He is now in heaven, he doesn't limp when he walks, he doesn't need glasses, and all those kisses and hugs he used to love to give out, he is now giving to Jesus!

He's made it before us, and he's been promoted for this life on earth, to a perfect life and perfect body in heaven! Praise the Lord!

More Kruger pictures!

2008-05-18T22:15:00.002+02:00

A large warthog!

No, this isn't dad after two weeks with his daughter's, It's a baboon!

A waterbuck!

Anna and Cara and two Mozambican women

2008-05-18T22:01:00.001+02:00

Walking through the girls dorm!

2008-05-18T21:19:00.004+02:00

Saturday Afternoon

2008-05-17T20:27:00.002+02:00

Cara in a crowd of darling little girls!

Anna, Cara, and Dad out to eat at Sagre's on the Indian Ocean!

Dad and Cara on the beach. The hotel in the background is the Holiday Inn.

It's one of the nicest hotels in Maputo and very expensive to stay at.

Half chicken dinner...grilled to perfection:o)

Anna with Margarita and Sidalia.

Out to eat and at the beach!

2008-05-17T20:02:00.003+02:00

This evening we went out to eat at a restaurant on the beach. Cara got to put her feet in the Indian ocean. The temperature was very pleasant, the company lovely (Bob and Betty from Canada), and the meal delicious! (half chicken, garlic bread, and coca-cola!

Outreach to Manhiça on 16 May, 2008

2008-05-17T10:34:00.002+02:00

Dad, Cara, and I went to Manhiça with 2 missionaries and a Mozambican Pastor, as well as a few others, to show "The Jesus Film". This time, the projector worked the whole time, and about 300 people made their way through the village and the brush, to come watch. It was great, and afterwards about 50 people came forward for the alter call. Very exciting!

Happy women and children after the movie finished.

Anna and Cara helping cook over the fire (we made beans and rice, a fish stew, and sheema, which is like a very stiff unflavored porridge that they pour the stew or beans over).

The men sat at this table. They had brought it out from one of the houses in the village, and set it with a table cloth, bowls, and spoons!

The women and children sat on grass mats on the ground. It was a wonderful time to

fellowship and make new friends with the Mozambicans in this village!

More Kruger pictures!

2008-05-17T10:00:00.003+02:00

Greater Blue-Eared Starling

Impala drinking. Notice the 2 crocodiles lying in wait at the water's edge...!

One of the many elephants eating in the brush.

2008-05-15T23:41:00.002+02:00

Cara enjoying the babies in the baby house (holding our newest baby, Antonio).

Francisco in the baby house.

Isabel and Tania watering the garden. We replanted the girl's garden on Tuesday afternoon.

We haven't planted more veggies yet (at the moment just green beans are growing), but we landscaped the entrance to the garden with some pretty new plants. The little girls love to help out in the garden!

Left to Right: Cara, Sifa's husband, Sifa, Anna, and Dad

We visited this Pastor and his wife on Wednesday morning. They have a children's center 20 minutes from here. They have 30 little boys living with them, and 600 children attending their school. Sifa and her husband are from the Congo. They were going to be missionaries in Madagascar, but ended up in Mozambique. They are a lovely couple, and have a nice center.

A Mozambican community garden. These are across the street from where I live. Many little plots of land that the people cultivate and use the veggies for their families and for selling.

Our garden project is to teach the girls how to tend to their own garden one day!

Kruger National Park 15 May, 2008

2008-05-15T23:22:00.002+02:00

Today we went here:

And saw this:
And this:

...And this!!!

Talk about AMAZING!!! God is incredible! He kept bringing animals right in front of us.

We had an awesome day.

Paulo's new leg braces, and our happenings...

2008-05-14T07:37:00.003+02:00

The Thomas family from our church sent leg braces for Paulo (read recent post titled "Paulo").

Fitting them on him. They are a perfect fit!

Isn't he cute? The tias (dorm mothers) were so thrilled, they kept saying "It's a miracle he has braces! It's a miracle!" And they put him on his feet and were dancing around:o) He stood for a few second on his own for the first time! (Until he realized noone was holding on to him and he got scared and sat down!) It's such a blessing for little Paulo. Thank you so much Mr. and Mrs. Thomas!!!!!!

Homemade chicken pot pie...mmmmm....!!

We went to the Bocaria (the city dump) on Monday afternoon to join Vella, Tracey, and Francisco with their weekly children's church ministry there. They learned about the Lord's prayer, and we did lots of games and competitions. They kids are precious!

Tuesday morning dad fixed some phone line problems and reconnected a few phones. Cara and I Walked across the street to buy plants for the girls garden. After lunch dad, Cara and I went in the garden with some of the girls, to do some make overs! The garden was beautiful, until some workers needed to bury some electrical cables and decided it would be a great idea to dig a huge trench all the way through their garden to bury it! So, yesterday we went in and dug up the dead plants and roots that had been shocked from the trench digging. And made it look very beautiful with the new plants! The little girls love working in the garden and making it look pretty:o)

Late in the afternoon we climbed on the truck for street ministry. First we went to the city police station. They have cells there for men who are waiting to go to trial. Several armed police men walked with us down to the cell. It smells like urine and is very filthy. The men come filing out, having not showered for weeks. We prayed for them, and dad shared with them how this world we live on is like a grain of sand in the universe and there is no other life but here on earth, because God created us for Himself . But God loves them so much! And he read in Romans 8 "There is therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but walk according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of Life has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Afterwards we prayed and passed out bread to the men. Then the police escorted us out, with rifles hanging on their shoulders.

Next after it was dark, we drove to a back alley, and gathered a bunch of street kids. Some as young as 8 years old. One little boy really tugged at my heart. He was 8 years old and named Faustinho. He was wearing a mans black dress shirt, socks without shoes or sandals, and a little pink back pack that had no zipper, and was stuffed with a white bed sheet. His only possessions. I asked him where his mom was, and it turned out his mother lives in a village quite far away, and he ran away from home because he was being beaten.

We took the kids up on the roof of a building, and had a time of worship. Then we prayed for them. I shared with them there. I asked "How many of you are afraid of something?" (most of the kids, except the real tough ones, raised their hands). They were afraid of snakes, lions, witch doctors, the dark, ghosts, night mares. So I had the little boy Faustinho come up, and a very tall boy named Angelo. I asked, "Does Faustinho need to be afraid of snakes, or thieves, if he is walking with Angelo next to him?" "No!" "Why not?" "Angelo will protect him!"

Great, so we did a little skit to find out. Another little boy came up and was instructed to go steal Faustinho's back pack from him. So he starts taking it from Faustinho, but Angelo pushed him away.

And that is what Jesus does for us. He is much bigger than Angelo, and he will protect you! When you are afraid, you just call on Jesus, and he will help you. When you have bad dreams, you just say "No, Satan! I am a child of God and you can't scare me!"

I also told them that they need to walk on God's road. Not the wide road where witch doctors and thieves and murderers and bad people walk. Instead of stealing, they can ask for what they need, instead of going to the witch doctors, they can go to church, etc. And when they are walking hand in hand with God, he will look out for them!

I loved it. Sometimes you just feel like " This is what I am living to do!" And that's how I felt last night sharing with those street boys. My heart was so full of compassion for them.

I will try to get Cara or dad to share some of their experiences with you too!

Have a good day!

Hanging out at the center!

2008-05-11T19:52:00.003+02:00

Anna and some of her girls.

Dad and Cara on the first day they arrived in Mozambique! (a little jet lagged)

Anna and Cara playing an exhilarating game of Yahtzee!

Joao and Dad -- Long time friends happy to meet again!

Arçenia, Cara, and Ana

Cara's new hair-do! Lots of braids:o) The girls are having so much fun with her!

They are calling her "Mana Anna two":o)

worship service in church

2008-05-11T19:11:00.003+02:00

Worshiping the Lord!!

Cara on the left and Anna on the right.

The music might be choppy on this. If you press pause and let it load all the way

before playing it, it will play all the way through without problems. We're having fun!

Dad and Cara in Mozambique!

2008-05-11T19:00:00.002+02:00

Cara has quickly been adopted by the girls. They love her! Right now she is in the girl's dorm having her hair braided. They comment to me in Portuguese "Mana Anna, you have a big nose and she has a little nose." And other silly things. When I translate that for dad and Cara, the girl's get all embarrassed:o)

Dad walking through the visitor's compound. He is enjoying meeting up with old friends, and playing his harmonica and recorder with the worship band. The kids and older boys are thrilled to see "Papa Greg" again! (And I am THRILLED to enjoy chatting with my dad and spending time with him and Cara. What a gift!)

Sina is 1 year and 8 months now. Cara was so excited to see her, after praying for her (see past blog entries from end of 2006/beginning of 2007). She came to us at 5 weeks old weighing 2 pounds. She is a miracle! Running around, ruling the roost in the baby house, talking away. It's so cool for Cara to see the baby she prayed for doing so well!

More photos to come! Enjoy!

Anna and Cara!!

2008-05-11T12:50:00.005+02:00

Cara and Anna after a wonderful church service in Mozambique! (More photos to come when the loading gets faster...maybe a video too!)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM!!

Tomorrow morning...

2008-05-08T08:38:00.002+02:00

...at this time I will be heading to the airport to pick up my dad and sister!!

Yay, I am so excited! :o)

Friday's the day!!

2008-05-06T19:03:00.005+02:00

Back row L to R: Daniel, Greg, Bonnie, and Christina

Front row L to R: Cara, Seth, and Anna (me!!:o)

(I had no pictures of Cara on my computer, except this one. She was about 3 then, and she is now 18!)

This photo was taken probably in 1993. Since then 3 more kids came along.

If you don't know, I am the fourth oldest of 10 children! I love my big family!

My Papa!!

On Friday morning I will be going to the airport to pick up my dad and sister!!

I am so thrilled, I've been floating around on cloud nine:-)

GOD IS AWESOME! 2 months ago none of this was happening, and now in just 3 short

(well, it seems to me it is 3 looong) days they will be here. I am so happy.

Stick Bread

2008-05-03T22:09:00.003+02:00

Delicious bread roasted on a stick over a fire...mmmm...

2 1/2 cups flour (whole wheat is great!)

2 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using self-rising flour)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water

1/4 cup oil

Combine in medium sized bowl flour, baking powder, salt, and yeast. Stir it up to distribute salt and yeast evenly. Add the water and oil. You may need a little more water, Mix dough with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball in the bowl (I end up using my hands to mix it the rest of the way). It will be a little stiffer than biscuit dough. Knead 10 -12 times. break off a ball and shape it into a snake like you would with play dough, about 3/4 inch thick and maybe 10 inches long or as desired. wrap it around the end of a stick starting by folding it over the tip (so you can add a filling without it leaking out). Roast over hot coals, turning every minute or so. Not too close so it doesn't burn! Takes about 10 minutes or so. Fill with butter or honey or home made jam! DELICIOUS!!

I look forward to having a family one day, and wherever we are on the mission field, being able to make this homemade bread for them. What a treat!

(Note: This recipe is actually for "Self rising pizza crust". So you could, after kneading it, spread it out in a 9"x13" pizza pan, spread with sauce and toppings, and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes. Also, I had leftover dough after our barbecue tonight from the stick bread, so I made it into a ball --without handling too much because it had already risen-- and baked it in the oven at about 350 for 30 minutes. That was yummy too! I am sure you could make dinner rolls or other treats as well. A very versatile and handy recipe. So simple and sooo good!)

Edited on May 8th to Add:

Easy and DELICIOUS Monkey Bread

Make up a double batch of the dough. Grease a bunt cake pan. Pull off pieces of dough and roll into balls about 1 inch round. Dip in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar. Arange in the bunt cake pan. Bake at 375 till no longer doughy in the center. It took about 45 minutes in the oven i was using, but check it after 30. This is so good!

I will let you know if I come up with any other ideas to do with this dough. Let me know if you try any of these recipes, I would love to hear about it!:o)

Pictures

2008-04-30T23:01:00.003+02:00

Discipleship with the 10-14 year old girls on Thursday afternoons.

Salma, cooking over a fire when we visited Rita's dad (we have since moved her dad nearer to the center, to give him extra care as he is sick).

One of the birthday parties we had for the girls. It was bug themed (the white cupcake was for the diabetic girl--it was decorated with raisins). The girls love their birthday parties!

I just felt like posting pictures tonight. Enjoy! I am going to bed now, g'night:-)

Outreach in Manhiça

2008-04-26T20:02:00.002+02:00

Last night (Friday April 25) I joined a few fellow missionaries and Mozambicans on a one hour trip to Manhiça (a few villages over from here). We were joining with a couple Mozambicans that work with Campus Crusade for Christ in Maputo, to show the Jesus film. This would be the first time to show the Jesus film in this village. We arrived before dark, and then guys set up all the sound equipment, screen, and film projector (the old reel kind, the film was in 4 reels!). Ellie and I prayer walked around the area until I got called away by the Mozambican ladies to help prepare dinner. They gutted the fish and I peeled and cut up the tomatoes, onions, carrots, and peppers (and that was fine by me. I hate gutting fish!). We knelt on a reed mat and prepared the ingredients over pots. Then went to the cooking fire where we cooked a pot of beans, a pot of fish and sauce, and a pot of rice (a staple here). As we cooked it was quickly getting dark, and soon there was no light at all to see what we were doing. So the ladies would hold a stick in the fire to light the end, then hold it up over a pot so she would have enough light to check the progress.

The only noise we could here was the bugs and tree frogs chirping away, and the little generator being revved up. The sky was incredible, layers and layers of beautiful stars! Here, without the glare of city lights, we can experience the true and natural beauty of God's creativity. Millions and billions of stars, layers and layers deep, flooding the sky like sparkling gems! And every so often a shooting star flies across the sky. AMAZING! God is amazing!

That morning Pastor Andre had received the final go ahead from the village chiefs to show the film. Before then he had been told no, and he kept asking again. So the 2 men showed up in their little white pick up truck to see what this movie was all about. We put out 2 chairs for them, and soon a crowd had gathered, seating themselves on the ground or on grass mats. And the movie was begun. This edition was in Shanghan, their native language.

I was still standing by the ladies and the cooking fire and their comments were something like this: "Oh, but they didn't really speak Shanghan did they? They spoke English right?"

"Look, their baptizing them." "Look at those beards! Oh, they must never cut their hair!"

It was quite amusing:-)

I moved over to where the people were sitting, and they were really enjoying it. Then about 20 minutes into the film, the picture cut out! The men gathered around trying to fix the machine, but couldn't manage. So Pastor Andre preached a little, then Ellie's husband Alex preached. And they invited people who wanted to know Jesus to raise their hand, and many did and accepted Jesus as their Savior! Then they asked who is tormented by bad dreams at night, and many more raised their hand, and we prayed for them and told them in those moments they need to call on Jesus. He is the only answer to bring them freedom from evil spirits tormenting them.

The guys handed out tracks and bible story booklets. I hate that part because it turns into a mob everyone is pushing and shoving and fighting to get one of these booklets. I stood guard over the projector so no one would knock it over.

Everyone was invited to come back on May 16th to watch the movie again. We blessed the chiefs with a bible each and several of the booklets, then we prayed for them and fed them beans and rice.

The night was getting sooo cold. Many of the children who had come had sleeveless shirts on and bare legs. I can imagine they must freeze at night when they go to bed in their little grass houses, unprotected from the wind and rains.

When all had gone, we sat down on grass mats with the people living there, and ate together in the dark. I love beans and rice! It's my favorite meal here. We said good byes and thank yous, and squeezed too many people in the truck, to find our way back in the dark on the sandy path ways we call "roads".

At 10:30 we arrived back home, and I was showered and in bed with my fleece sweatshirt on in 20 minutes.

I love being in Mozambique! I love being out in the villages and sharing in the joys and sorrows of the people here. I love ministering to a Pastors wife while cooking over a fire with her, and speaking a few shanghan Fraze's to the old ladies sitting on the mats. I love washing dishes in little pans, drinking tea made with water boiled over a fire, going into the bushes to go to the bathroom (or in some places, going into the little grass outhouse with a hole in the ground to squat over). I love seeing and hearing and smelling and breathing God's nature and feeling His love for the people here. They are my family and we are God's children!

It doesn't take much to have a whole lot of FUN!!

2008-04-20T16:12:00.004+02:00

Today after lunch I gathered up the girls for an afternoon of games!

We had 3-legged races, hot potato rounds, the Mozambican version of "Duck Duck Goose",throwing a ball into a bucket contests, running races, a game that involves coming up with a fruit that starts with the letter "...." and then "Miss Rosa" has to guess which fruit it is, wheel barrow races, and a few rounds of "The Human Knot"...

It sure doesn't take much to have fun. I was thinking how much it means to the girls, just spending time with them! Just simple things make a world of difference.

Hope you are also having a fun Sunday!!

P.s. I have no idea why all the text here is underlined, seeing as I don't have an option to underline the text on my control panel. That's weird!

Paulo

2008-04-18T21:32:00.003+02:00

Paulo was found tied up in a plastic bag behind a building about 2 years ago. He was found by a man who runs a children's center down the road. He came here the end of 2006, and moved into the girl's dorm for extra care. Tonight Nancy, my dear friend and sister in Christ who is a missionary here, was doing milk in the girl's dorm. I was sitting with her and playing with Paulo. He is so happy! He can sit up now, and use his right hand to turn himself completely around in a circle. He can hold himself up on his feet when he is leaning against a bed. He makes lots of baby talking now. He smiles the most delightful smile (and when he's especially happy he squints his eyes too. It's so cute!:-). Tonight he was drooling and he took he lifted his shirt to his face and wiped the drool. I wanted to cry, I was so surprised! I've never seen him do that before! He is learning to eat on his on (though he hates to, because he LOVES food and can't eat fast enough. It takes too much time having to do it yourself).

Paulo is a miracle! He was left to die in a plastic bag. God, our awesome Father, didn't leave him to die! He picked him up and gave him new life! And he is doing so well! It is such an incredible joy to see Paulo's smiling face every day. And it is a privilege to watch God do miracle after miracle day after day. Our God is an awesome God!

Love,

Anna

...because a thankful heart is a happy heart...

2008-04-10T16:28:00.003+02:00

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Today's discipleship group was the girls ages 5-10. We showed the Veggie Tales film of "Madame Blueberry"... in Portuguese! It was so funny to watch "Love songs with Mr. Lunt" singing about his beloved cheeseburger, in Portuguese LOL. I am sure the little ladies did not get a word of his little song of his cheeseburger that he "Ama muito" (loves so much!).

When the movie finished, our Koala and panda bear puppet friends (named Salt and Pepper) came for a visit, and for the girls to share with them what they learned about. They told them all things they are thankful for, and drew pictures of the things they wanted to say thank you to Jesus for (clothes to wear, food to eat, a spoon to eat food with, "Mana Anna because she loves me"... awww...).

I certainly have allot to thank God for! Here are a few:

My cozy bedroom...my sanctuary with the Lord! It's my favorite colors (lavender, yellow, and green), and so relaxing. I have a big wicker chair I bought when I first came here. It's where I sit when I wake up in the morning, and talk to God and read my bible. It's where I came in the middle of a busy day, to take 10 minutes of stress relief with the Lord. It's where I come at the end of the day to rest. It's so peaceful! I love my room:-)

49 girls ages 5-18. I love living in Mozambique, and I LOVE mothering all these sweet girls! It is such a privilege to be here, and to give life and love and God's healing to these girls, who would otherwise be in many different and terrible situations. God brings the lonely into families, he lifts the poor from the dust, and he sets them with princes in heavenly places!

The girl's kitchen. Every Saturday morning one of the dorm mothers takes about 5 girls, and walks to the market down the road with a list of ingredients they will need to buy. They give the money to the girls to work out how much things cost, and how much change they should receive. Then they come home, and we cook! The girls are mastering make rice, and several yummy Mozambican toppings. It took a long time to get this kitchen in place. But God has really used it to be a blessing, and to bring the girls into more of a family here. It's so good for the dorm mothers to teach the younger ones how to cook, so they can care for their own families one day!

Every day miracles! I get to watch kids and babies come in starving and sick and neglected and hopeless and abandoned and orphaned and dying...and they blossom into healthy, chubby, wanted, hopeful, happy children full of God's love! And sometimes a sick child is brought here, and doesn't get better physically. But we get to give them the best of life for their last days. And love them straight into the arms of Jesus!

And last...drum roll please...

MY DAD AND SISTER ARE COMING IN 4 WEEKS!!!!!

Yes, that's right! From the way they talked, I thought they wouldn't come until I returned from my visit home sometime in October. They surprised me while I was in South Africa, and bought tickets to come!

I am sooo excited you are coming, Dad and Cara! I can't wait to give you big hugs, and show you what I do, and spend time with you. I am looking forward to lots of "girl talk" Lol:-)

They will be here May 9th-May 20th. I can hardly wait!

Thank you Jesus for blessing me and giving me more than I could ask! You are amazing, God! And I love you so much.

Count your blessings today, and thank Jesus! It really does make your heart happy! And the joy of the Lord is our strength. So keep being filled with joy, and you will have strength to do the impossible with God!

My heart will choose to say, Lord Blessed be your Name!

2008-04-05T21:15:00.005+02:00

See this little smiling face? Meet Nemias (Nehemiah). He lives in our baby house.

Would you believe that one week ago he was in a coma? We weren't sure if he would live another night. He had already lost 6 pounds in 3 days. He was so weak and not breathing well. This photo was taken in December. After much prayer, God did a miracle! He came out of the coma he had been in for a few days! Each day he made progress. His diarrhea stopped. He started eating again. He came home from the hospital yesterday and today I was holding him and playing with him. He is doing so well! God is sooo good!

There has been allot of sickness in the baby house. Vomiting and diarrhea. Most of the cases were not malaria. But it was just getting out of control, one baby after the other was getting sick!

Then on March 20th this little princess, Irene, who came a few months ago (this picture was taken the day she came--she is albino), suddenly went from this earth into Jesus' waiting arms.

Jesus loves all the little children of the world. I am not sure why he allows some to die so young. It is impossible to understand.

This has been a difficult week. I have found myself just laying down on my bed to cry out to God. And He is so loving. It is okay to cry and ask him "why?" and say "I don't understand!" On Sunday morning I was just about to walk to church, and my phone rang. It was Ros Lazar, calling to tell me Jordina had died the night before. Jordina used to live here when I was here k in the girl's dorm in 2004. I got to know her pretty well, and she was so sweet! She was living with one of the ladies from the church, and working in our baby house last year. Then she got pregnant, and had her baby in November. In February her baby got sick, and she was too late taking him to the hospital. Then she got sick, and on Saturday died. It was so sudden! It is so hard to believe.

A few weeks ago in home group Ros was sharing and said how at home, when something bad happens or you hear of an injustice, you grieve. She shared of how when she was at home for a visit, and heard about a situation here with a little girl, she just couldn't get it out of her mind all day. And she couldn't figure out why it was so bothering her. She said here, we seem to go from one big trial to the next, without breaks. It is just the norm. So sometimes we don't allow ourselves to grieve or feel in these situations. We just get kind of numb. I have been thinking so much about that. And so I have been praying God would make me soft again. That I wouldn't just add it to the list when we get a new child who was abandoned, or kicked out of the house, or sexually abused. But Lord! Help me to be soft and break my heart! Help me to carry these to you, and help me not become emotionless.

"Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

When I say this, I am not talking about having a pity party for myself. I am just saying, when a child was abused or someone dies unexpectedly, it's ok to be angry, to cry, to hurt for that child. And when I am moved by the situation, I can carry it to God for His answer and His healing and freedom! But it takes me open and soft, not hard and numb. This week I have been really feeling the pain of these situations. And God has been taking that pain and replacing it with his peace and strength.

Lord, teach me to be soft and pliable to the work of your hands. Teach me to carry each situation that comes up, and each person or family to you in prayer. Amen.

Gilda lives in the girls dorm. She went in to hospital last night with a chest infection (it seems), sores and thrush in her mouth, and vomiting. They haven't found what's wrong, but she is being fed through a tube now, while they run tests and give her medicine.

Please pray for 100% healing, quickly!

Edited to add: Last night I went to the hospital to see Gilda. She is doing so well! Her mouth sores are all cleared up, her breathing is back to normal, and she is not vomiting anymore. She also had the feeding tube removed. She is taking medicine through an IV. Monday is a holiday in Mozambique so the doctors won't be doing their rounds, but hopefully Tuesday she can come home. God is good!

Tino

2008-03-10T22:18:00.002+02:00

Tino is still very sick. He is now spending his days in a stroller or being held. He cannot see, he has no reaction to sounds or touch. He is being fed through a tube. I sat and held him the other day on my lap for about an hour. I just pray over him and sing to him. He might not hear it, but God does. He has lost weight. He seems to be having seizures constantly, so it really is taking a toll on his little brain. They still believe his has water on the brain as well.

Please continue to pray for him. Pray for peace over His body, and for healing! Our God is Jehovah Rapha - The Lord our Healer. Nothing is impossible or too difficult for Jesus. So let's expect God to do miracles! Let's intercede for Tino's complete healing from this strange illness!

Thank you for your kind words and for remembering him.

SUGAR CANE!!

2008-02-28T16:34:00.002+02:00

So what is this in the photo below?!?! You may ask...

It's Sugar Cane (in Portuguese that's "Cana Doçe")! And this post is especially added for the enjoyment of Dr. Jackman. He is the dentist I worked for at home, and he is from the Islands of Trinidad and Tobago.

Often while working for him, he would bring up stories from his childhood, which often included the things he would eat. Mangoes, bananas picked ripe from the tree, and always sugar cane!

And here in Mozambique I get to enjoy all those wonderful things! We have mango trees all over the children's center, and when mango season comes, we eat them till we start looking like them... ha ha. And sugar cane is a big export here in Mozambique. Especially driving North there are fields full of nothing but pure, sweet stalks of sugar cane.

Now, let me tell you how this works. If you are a Mozambican, you hack off the sugar cane with a big machete. Then you sit down under a tree or on a grass mat, and with your teeth you start to peel back that light brownish green skin. Underneath is something like a woody fiber and you break off or peel off pieces of this. Chew on it for awhile and all the sweet sugary juice comes out. Then you spit the woody fiber bits on the ground (or more properly, in a bowl or the trash).

I sometimes sit and eat this with the girls and the dorm mothers. They have the hang of how to peel the skin off with your teeth. I don't. (I don't want to give you more work when I get home, by breaking my front teeth on sugar cane, Doctor Jackman! ). So today I took a knife, and my goodness is this stuff hard or what! But after about 10 minutes I had a nice little 3 inch piece peeled, and my friend Rahel and I sat and chewed on the juicy fiber. Yum!

(And I figure the sugar contents doesn't really matter, as you burn off at least that much just trying to skin the plant to eat it!)

Women's Conference in Xai-Xai #1

2008-02-24T23:46:00.005+02:00

On February 15th Tracey (my friend and fellow missionary) and I, along with many Mozambican women piled into one of our ministry's flat bed trucks, and headed 3 hours North to Xai-Xai for a Women's conference put on by several of our Mozambican Pastor's wives.

The trip was so beautiful! Long winding roads, wide open land, skies painted perfectly by the Creator.

There's always enough room for one more, you know...! I think we had a total of 20 in the back and 3 up front. Forget about leg space, just hope that the numbness in my leg goes away when we get there!

We crossed this neat bridge going over the Limpopo River. Pretty impressive.

And here's the Limpopo River itself! Beautiful clouds, perfect weather, what a great way to start off the women's conference!

He IS God of wonders beyond our galaxies...the universe declares His majesty!

Women's Conference in Xai-Xai #2

2008-02-24T22:39:00.001+02:00

Glorious sun rise over the Indian Ocean at 5:30 in the morning! We were camping right by the ocean, talk about a gift from God!

"May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works-- he who looks at the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live."

Psalm 104:31-33

The monkeys -- they were at our camping site. Right after this picture was taken, one started chasing Tracey and I! It was very cool to see monkeys so close and personal.

Our camp site...yes, that lop sided grey one was ours. We put it up at 11:30 p.m. by a tiny flash light. On the last day when we took it down we realized it was right over a dip in the ground. No wonder my back was killing me! The rocks by our head didn't help either...

Women's Conference in Xai-Xai #3

2008-02-24T21:48:00.002+02:00

About 300 Mozambican ladies gathered for the 2008 Women's Conference in Xai-Xai. God used this to transform the lives of many women. They came with their babies and their open hearts, and God did a work in them for eternity! There were several speakers, sharing testimonies and stories of women in the bible and more. The women were encouraged to be Godly wives, mothers, and to live for Jesus first. To be a lover of God first. To be intercessors for their unsaved husbands. We had alter calls for women who wanted to be set free from the bondage of guilt and shame, for those that wanted emotional healing from Abuse, for those needing physical healing, for those wanting to give up witch craft! It was sooo awesome to watch these women being touched and changed forever by our amazing heavenly Father who loves them so much!

They gathered 3 times a day for meals (bread for breakfast, rice with pieces of beef for lunch and dinner).

Our last session was Sunday morning. After gathering once more for lunch, the trucks started taking the ladies home. We were the last to go. We left around 4:00, and 5 minutes later the brakes went on the flat bed truck, and we plowed right into the back of a semi flat bed! I had JUST said "Lord, thank you for your angels protecting us." And they were! 25 of us in the truck, and noone seriously injured! Only the 2 sitting up front with the driver had leg pain afterwards, but are ok now. What a miracle, God really kept us safe.

The flat bed truck after the accident.

We then waited 3 hours for one of our drivers from our center to come with our ministry's bus to pick us up. We piled into the bus and the ladies started singing...and didn't stop till we got home! At one point they had quieted down, then the police pulled us over (normal here, they have police checks and they check anyone they feel like). At that point the ladies started up their singing again very loudly. The police did not like that at all, and took our driver's license away. They said we had to stay there until 5 in the morning for punishment! Then one of our Pastor's who had been helping with the conference, and was driving the other flat bed truck (also full of women) caught up to us. He went inside to the police station and pleaded for the license to be given back. The police said only if one of the ladies singing came in to apologise. 45 minutes after being stopped we were on the road again...!

I cannot tell you how good it felt when I finally collapsed into my own bed at 1 a.m.. I slept so well that night!

Thank you for your continued prayers. God is so faithful! It was awesome to see his hand of protection and love over the whole weekend. I can't wait for the next women's conference!

Enjoying Life...

2008-02-22T23:43:00.004+02:00

Anna (me!) with newborn baby Eliana.

The workers finished the new bathrooms in the girl's dorm, but left a pile of tile pieces and concrete pieces. It was such a mess. But then I walked out the door one day, and saw the girls putting to good use the tile pieces. It was so sweet I had to take a picture! Their dolls had a nice meal, I am sure.

We planted bean seeds in a jar stuffed with wet paper towels. This was just 5 days later! The beans grew so fast. We had planted beans in the garden, and I wanted to show them how God made seeds to grow, and what was going on with those seeds under the ground. Great science experiment. They loved watching the seeds pop open and grow roots and a bean sprout.

The thermometer hasn't gone below 100 for weeks. I think we need some rain! It's HOT these days!

God is awesome. This week for our missionaries home group we watched a video called "Indescribable" by Louis Giglio (Not sure if that is spelled right). He goes into great detail about the universe, the solar system, stars, sun, world---this amazing place we live in. God is SO Big, we haven't even a clue. If you can get this video, do! It's been a long and tiring week, but in the midst of that, to remember :

"Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name...Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 40:26, 28-31

He NAMES the stars?! That's incredible. He created the heavens beyond what we can see or know. He keeps it all in motion. He has named each star in thy sky. And yet, He has counted the hairs on your head. And He knows your name. He is not too busy for you. You are the one He thinks about all the time. He has chosen you. He lifts you up with his righteous right hand. If God (who made all these things, and is beyond imagination powerful) is for you, WHO can be against you?! What promises we have in Jesus! You and me--Children of the Living King of Kings!

Thank you for your prayers!

2008-02-09T16:01:00.000+02:00

Thank you for your prayers for me/us this week.

At the moment the gas stations have closed down because they ran out of gas, and the gas trucks won't bring more in if people are still setting fires.

But most of the commotion and rioting has quieted down, after the government decided not to raise the shoppa prices for now. They are discussing what to do.

These pictures were taken right outside our front gate. The shoppas stop there to pick up passengers, so the rioters protested at all the major shoppa stops.

God really placed a blanket of peace over our center. The kids continued playing and being themselves, when normally this would shake them up and put them totally out of rest! But God is in control, and your prayers were felt! That day (Tuesday) the people were saying no one should be working, everyone needed to be protesting. So anyone working was in danger. They vandalized little shops and gas stations. Some men were saying, "Let's go attack the center! The workers are still working and not striking with us!" Some lady heard this and spoke up, "You can't go in there. They take care of orphans there!" So the men listened and left! Isn't God amazing?!

He did many other miracles, including using Katie, a missionary in the city, to provide transport for many pedestrians. Picking up people from school and taking them to their homes, and even picking up a lady in labor and taking her to the hospital. She also found diesel for our generator (that was running very low on diesel, and the power lines had been cut so we had no other electricity), at midnight. He showed her favor with a police escort the whole way to our center, and at 1 a.m. we unloaded 125 litres of diesel from her truck! To God be the glory! During her day people tried throwing stones at her car, but kept missing. And in the evening after spending the entire day driving around, her gas tank was still on full! With God nothing shall be impossible.

Thank you for your awesome prayers. God hears and acts on the prayers of his children. We have had the privilege of seeing Him do mighty works here in Mozambique.

May the Lord bless you with the revelation of His power and love.

Love in Jesus,

Anna Coumos

UPDATE ON TINO: Thank you for asking about Tino and continuing praying for him. He was here for a week being cared for by our medical staff and Tracey's dorm staff. Thursday he was readmitted into the hospital and is in intensive care. He had a high fever and hadn't wet or soiled his diaper for 24 hours. The doctors say he is detiriating rapidly. But we serve the living God and nothing is impossible with him! I dreamed last night that Tracey called this morning to tell me that Tino woke up today and was better! This morning that was not the diagnosis, but it gave me the expectations to keep on praying. I am reading a book on intercessory prayer, and it has also encouraged me to keep interceding for Tino's life. I will update you as I hear more. God is able to do abundantly more than we could ask or imagine!

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!

2008-02-05T10:00:00.000+02:00

This morning the shoppa services (shoppas are Mozambican busses which everyone uses for transportation) doubled the price of fare! No warning, no slowly raising the price little by little,

just one morning you go to get on the shoppa and find out it is double what it was yesterday!

No one can afford it, and the people have started rioting. Outside our center people lined up tires across the road and are burning them to cause a road block. Down the road the other direction there is allot of smoke from whatever they have put in place to block that side of the road. People are angry and throwing rocks and letting their voices be known.

It's quite dangerous at the moment, and no one here is allowed to leave the center today. Many of our workers have not shown up for work because they cannot catch a shoppa and there are too many road blocks. If it is this bad here out side the city, I am sure that in the city it is much worse. This morning I could hear many gun shots, I think it was the police firing shots to scare people.

PLEASE PRAY FOR PROTECTION, PEACE, AND AN END TO THIS RIOTING AND INJUSTICE!

Posted on Feb 5, 2008 at 10:06 Africa time, 3:06 a.m. in Ohio

Tino

2008-01-31T22:51:00.000+02:00

Yesterday (Wednesday) morning I went to visit Tino and bring diapers and food for him and the tia who was staying with him. I and another missionary arrived at the hospital, and found his room. Much to our surprise, the tia had packed up his bag, and said the doctors had discharged him. "What?!" I was shocked. His was laying motionless on the bed. The doctor was still in the room, but dealing with another patient. When he finished I caught him and asked him why they were sending him home. "Oh, he won't get better. He will either stay like this, or slowly grow worse." "Yeah, but weren't you going to do another CAT scan to see if the swelling had gone down?" "He will stay like this or get worse. We are sending him home with you now." Oh how I have struggled these past 2 days with our lousy medical care. So, we brought him home with us. Today he went to GATV (HIV clinic) and was seen by several doctors and they said he definitely should NOT have been discharged. They did an EKG (or something like that, by the neurologist) and he is having seizures regularly. He is suffering so much. He's not had anything to eat today, and only drank a little water. To top it off, the hospital put a feeding tube in and sent him home again. Well, the tube is so tiny we can't get anything through it!

Today I had to just come to the realization--God is in control. Obviously we cannot trust in medical care. And even then, they can only do so much. So, please pray. I talked to Tracey tonight (she is the missionary over the baby house) and she said she feels to pray God take him quickly or do a miracle. But either way do it quickly so he doesn't suffer any more!

Please pray as God leads you. Pray for those caring for him. Pray for the children that know him and love him. Pray for God's will to be done in perfect timing, and for Tino to be a testimony of God's loving care.

Thank you for your faithful prayers!!

In Him,

Anna

Little Baby Dear!

2008-01-30T17:53:00.000+02:00

Baby Elliana arrived 9 days ago! She is now 3 weeks old, and doing so well. She was abandoned at the hospital by her mother. A big answer to our prayers that the hospital would start calling us when they have desperate cases, they did! And brought us this beautiful baby girl! We named her Elliana which means "The Lord Responds".

She is such a gift:-) She weighed 5 pounds on arrival to our center. She is small, but very healthy. We missionaries have been taking turns having her each night. Tonight I get to have her again. She needs fed every 3 hours. It's such a joy taking care of newborns! Very tiring, I am not sure how a mother does it EVERY night. But I love it:-)

Isn't she so beautiful?!

(excuse the yellow medicine she spit up all over the front of her outfit)

Tino

2008-01-30T07:13:00.000+02:00

The official medical diagnosis for Tino is cephilitis. It came on quickly and is very rapidly happening in his little head. He is on medicine to stop the swelling on his brain. He lost his vision, he cannot speak, he cannot sit up on his own, and yesterday when Tracey (director of the baby house) went to see him, he did not know her. She sat and sang to him and prayed for him because she believes he can still here.

The plan is that he will finish the medicine for the swelling in a week, and then come back to live at our center, in Tracey's little dorm of 4-5 year olds, and be cared for 24 hours.

I know God has numbered all of our days and we don't lose when we die if we know the Lord. We get to dance with Jesus! Last night at intercession I had a picture of Tino's skinny little body holding out His hands to Jesus and dancing with him, even while in the physical he is on a hospital bed and can't see.

Don't lose hope. Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Please pray:

Tino would NOT suffer or be in any pain
He would regain a good appetite
His eye sight would come back
Swelling on his brain would go down immediately
God would give wisdom and peace to those directly caring for him
And that God would HEAL HIM with a miracle!!!

Thank you for your concern and faithful prayers. Our God is a Faithful Father! I will update you with any new information as I receive it.