A Few Fun Stories From Africa

Friday night I went out with a big group of harvest school students and leaders to do some street ministry with the prostitutes and pimps. There is a group that goes out every Friday night but this was the first time I have joined in. It was an incredible experience! I was on a street ministry team were we would walk around praying and bringing in the kingdom and see who God highlighted to us.

We talked and prayed for one lady who owns a little bar. Sarah (one of the harvest school staff) had a word about her having bad dreams about things from her childhood. The bar owner confirmed that she did and Sarah asked if it was okay to pray for her. You could literally see her demeanor change after the prayer! It was like a weight had lifted. She was smiling and joking and seemed just so filled with joy. We also brought a few of the girls we found on the street back to the hut were some of the students stayed back to wash feet and do their nails and just pray for and love on them. This is just one of the amazing ministries that IRIS has here. It was an honor to get to join in for the night.

 
My regular practical mission is sewing school materials. Basically ever Friday morning I get to cut and fold fabric for capalians and purses that the Mamas and widows sew throughout the week. It's been a very chill practical. I expected to be doing more. But the lord has really been working on me while I've been here that it's about resting in Him. Easier said than done when my western mind is always telling me to run and strive and earn. But really He loves us! He loves us!!! The end!!! We can rest in His love.

One more fun story...this morning my color group was on for greeting team at church. When Mama Heidi came in she made a point to hug each one of us. Not only that but she made a point to look into my eyes after the hug. I don’t think I have ever seen such intense eyes filled with so much love. This really is an amazing lady who has fully given her life to the Lord. She knows what love looks like and truly does stop for the one.

Again I just want to thank you all for your support and prayers in getting me here! I feel so spoiled to be here on this amazing adventure growing more and more in love with our awesome God!
 
With so much love
Mindy

Pemba Africa

Mississippi, Fun Facts, and Quotes!

Headed into week 5 of harvest school. Again so much has happened that I hardly know were to starts. First I want to say again what a blessing it is to be here! I want to thank you all again for your support and prayers in getting me here.

Outreach Change:
I'm changing my outreach at the end of school. Originally I was going to be staying in Mozambique to do the 10 day bush outreach and then staying at the base here in Pemba to help with the Christmas celebration.
God has since put it on  my heart to change to the Mississippi outreach. Amy Lancaster was here for a week and a half sharing her heart with us. My color group had the opportunity to meet with her in a small group and while meeting with her and getting to ask questions about her ministry wewillgo in Jackson Mississippi. I really felt like God was telling me I needed to change outreaches. At first I was fighting it, realizing how hard and costly it would be to change flights. But that night as I was in bed I asked the Lord for conformation. I asked if I was meant to go on the bush outreach that He wold give me dreams about the Bush and if I was meant to go to Mississippi that He would give me dreams about Mississippi. The next 3 nights I had dreams about Mississippi.
Since I have felt such peace about the Mississippi outreach. I am emailing with the travel agent now trying to work out flight changes. Normally I would be so stressed out about getting everything changed and the finances of it all but I just have such a peace. I know that the Lord has called me to do this and He will provide all that I need.
I will be staying in Jackson through Christmas. I am also praying about the possibility of heading to the One Thing conference and spending some time in the prayer house before heading home.
I would love prayers for this as I am in the process of getting it all figured out now.

Fun Facts:
-On day 16 in Pemba I took my 4th shower (bucketbaths more often than a shower since the water is out often)
-When your leg breaks through the latrine on outreach and you fall a good foot and a half...you get a HUGE adrenaline rush!!!
-When a man gives a gift to a woman in this culture it means you are engaged....
-2/3rds of the world lives like they do here in Africa
-If a guard explains that he is getting bit and you offer him some bug spray...he may thank you over and over again as he walks away and you will never see your good bug spray again.
-If you go out to eat, there is a good chance you wont see your food for and hour and a half.
-Holding a baby with a bloated belly and nothing on but the rope the witch doctor has tied around her belly will give you such a mix of emotions...I don't even have the words to explain.
-When you pray with your housemates and cast out the bugs in Jesus name during week one after having roaches, lizards, ants ect. We can now testify going into week 5 that we have had no more critters!!! Praise the Lord!!!
-Pooping is a time to rejoice!!!
-Fanny is a much different word to all other English speakers that are not from America.

Quotes from Heidi: I wish I could share all the context and heart of these quotes but I hope that even these little tidbits you can find some wisdom and joy to add to your life.

"All of you are called to do radical things for God"
"When you release, God grows it"
"You need to walk in the shoes God has given you, not somebody elses"
"Don't try to control people, just press in for the presence"
"The key to finishing strong is giving love and receiving love. We have to have a relationship with Him"
"Ask Jesus what love looks like in your situation everyday"
"We are called to come with great humility and great love"
"A good prayer to pray is...don't leave me like this"
"If you spend time in Gods presence, He can do in a moment what would take you a life time to do"
"Whatever He asks of you, He will provide"
"Radical lovers do far more than slaves"
"God says think bigger-your vision is too small"
"The primary purpose why God has called you is because He wants to be your friend"
"I don't do evangelism, I don't do outreach. I am outreach."

Final note:
I'll leave you all with something from Colossians that the Lord keeps bringing me back to the past couple of days: Teaching me more and more what love really looks like. Real Love. True Love. Unconditional Love...

Colossians 3:12-15 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness. and patience. Make allowances for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Safari, First week in Pemba, The bush bush

Our ride

Our amazing tour guides! Loved them!!

Hello Friends and family!

I’ve now been in Pemba for a week and a half. Internet is not easy to access here. It’s quite a chore getting into town and back, so these updates won’t happen to often.  But don’t worry, I am doing great and getting wrecked in His love everyday!

Safari:

To start off…Kelsi and I had the amazing blessing of being able to go on a safari in South Africa before school started. It was so much fun! We had the most amazing tour guides who had so much knowledge about Africa and the animals, and just such a love for Gods creation.

Safari crew :)

African Beauty!

Our safari hats brought all the way from Northstar golf course in Fairbanks Alaska

 
































The first week of Harvest School:

WOW! So good! Steve Long was our first speaker from Ontario Canada. He spoke on the fathers heart and the focus was on us receiving His love.

Our school consists of 28 nations! How cool is that!?!?! There are all ages here as well. Married couples with babies, and children, ladies in there 50’s and then the 18 and 20 some things like myself.

The Lord has been doing some deep healing in my life even within these first few weeks. I don’t even know how to put it all into words. He has been tearing down walls, cleaning me of anger, jealousy, dealing with an orphaned spirit, and fear.

Our first day with Heidi Baker she told us “A good prayer to pray is, Lord don’t leave me like this”. She talked from Ephesians and how it says every spiritual blessing has been given to us. God actually says to us “think bigger, your vision is too small!’  We are called to be radical lovers! Heidi said to us “Radical lovers do far more than slaves”. Amen! I want to be so filled with His love that it overflows. Let there be no room in my heart or mind that is not of Him.

Outreach/The bush bush

Wednesday evening I found out that I would be leaving for the bush bush for outreach Thursday after class. I’ll admit I was freaking out! I was like I’ve only been here a week! No WAY! I’m not ready! HAHA!

We were split into groups of about half Mozambique pastors from the bible school and half Harvest School students. We will be in these groups for the rest of our time here. It ended up being such an amazing time! We arrived to the village after dark and found the chief of the village to get permission to stay in the village. We were actually blessed to be able to camp in a back yard with a fence and a latrine.

Friday morning we went into the village to tell people we would be showing the Jesus video and pray for the sick. The first people we ran into were hiking back with water (the women carry about the size of a five gallon bucket on there heads like it’s no big deal!) and sugar cane. They immediately handed up a sugarcane pole as a gift. What a humbling experience, to be given a gift from them. You almost want to say NO NO! Keep it! But it’s such an honor, you can’t say no. They took us back to their home and again had us sit in their best seats. The Mozambique pastors said we must, it’s the place of honor. The village was all mud huts with straw roofs. They cooked over fires and have to walk to collect water each day. We asked if we could pray for them and the lady told us she had foot and knee pain. After we prayed for her she stood up with the biggest smile and said the pain was gone.  The Mozambique pastors translated for us and she said “I’m afraid that if you go it will come back.” We were able to share with her that Jesus loves her and healed her, and she does not have to be afraid that it would come back. We then prayed for her husbands shoulder pain and he was totally healed! He then asked if Jesus could help him with his addiction to alcohol, so we were then able to pray with him for that. It was so good! And that was just the first people we prayed with that day. We also were able to share about Jesus with some Muslims, who came to Jesus! And a couple who told us they were about to separate but wanted Jesus to help them because they did not want to separate.

The Jesus video was so good! We prayed and surrounded the camp in intercession the whole time. So many gave their hearts to the Lord and came up for prayer and healing. I could go on and on with story after story but I realize this is already getting long.

Please know that I miss you all so much! I actually got sick on outreach with a bad cold/chest cough (just the Lord helping me to lean even further into Him).  But I will admit I was feeling quite homesick and missing the comforts of home this past week. Please pray for health for me. It’s been hard feeling so tired and sick.

Like I said I won’t have access to internet often but please do email or facebook me! I would love to hear from you all and have news from home and what’s going on in your lives!

Blessings and love to you!!!

Mindy

Africa, it's time!

Hello again friends!

 

Tomorrow at 9:30am I'll be on a flight headed for Africa! I'll admit that I was stressing out this evening, and eventually found myself crying. I think all the little things finally caught up to me, all the rushing, packing, figuring out finances, paperwork, emails, and so many hard goodbyes. Even if it's only for 3 months, goodbyes are always hard...at least for me. I'm not good at goodbyes.
 

I'm happy to say that I am all packed and feeling much more ready. I praise the Lord for good friends who call and pour peace and sense into my life!
 

I would love for you to be praying for me as I travel and make the transition into living in Africa for the next 3 months. I want to have an open mind and heart to all that the Lord will be speaking and doing in me.
 

Thank you all for your prayers and support!

Reflections from Mexico

I wanted to share a few pictures of my trip to Mexico to visit Marnie. It really was such a blessing to get to visit and see a little bit of the life Marnie is living down there. God is so so so good!!! My time in Mexico was good for my soul in the deepest way possible. I had not laughed as hard as I did on this trip in a long time. It was so fun to see how much Marnie loves where she is at and the ministry she is doing. It was a reminder of how great God really is, and what ministry is supposed to be. It's meant to be something we enjoy and that brings us life and happiness. Sure it's not always a cake walk and life has it's ups and downs. But we really are meant to live life to the fullest and to enjoy it! When we seek God's will and follow where He leads we can walk in that to! It was so great to see a good friend living that life.

Rainy season in Mexico, lots of cool storms and fun suprise rainshowers:

One of my favorite quotes from Marnie was when we got caught walking home in a surprise flash flood like rain storm "we might as well have some fun in this cause otherwise we're just going to be miserable!"

Marnie, myself and Kate in front of one the Catholic cathedrals

Another brightly colored curch

 Bussin it

View of the city from the piramides in Cholula

Walking the circulo

Huge tacos with cactus and spaghetti

So so good!!

Our new little friend showing us a turtle

Just a little Lucha Libre Wrestling

The 4

Inside the worlds smallest active volcano

Volcano

In front of the volcano

Marnie's team getting ready to play some softball

Marnie and her killer arm

Marnie sharing at church about her trip to the London Olympics

The Girls (rooftop of Marnie and Yost's casa)

:)

This birdnest is just outside Marnie's window

Popo trying to clear up for us

Finally on our last full day in Puebla we had a clear view :)

View from Marnie's rooftop

Greetings from Puebla

 Hola Amigos!

 

A few months back my friends Kate, Tyler and I planned a trip to Puebla Mexico to visit my Friend Marnie Johnson who is down here doing ministry with AIA (Athletes in Action). I've been here a week so far and it has been such an amazing time. The Lord is just so good how He calls each of us in different ways to walk out our faith and live for Him. It's been really fun seeing Marnie in action down here. I'll work on posting some pictures when I get back to Walla Walla.

 

I have been sick since I got to Mexico with a really bad cough. I would love your prayers for healing and health! It's always a bummer to get sick on a trip and feel so worn out. I do think I'm on the up and up though, and still have another week down here :)

 

Just a quick update on my Mozambique funds: I received and email last night saying that I had received $450 :) Praise Him! It was such an encouragement to hear that. I had just been praying to the Lord, feeling really at a loss about still needing $1000 before Friday to pay for the tuition and outreaches for Harvest School. If you feel called to support me in getting to Mozambique, there is a paypal button to the right of this page. Or for tax-deductible purposed please see my last blog posting if you would like to send a check to Journey Church.

 

Thank you all for your prayers and support at this time! I do feel like I've been on a bit of a roller coaster, with many ups and downs since the Lord has called me to go to Harvest School. Its been a very humbling process and I am learning more and more each day to lean into the Lord and His goodness and not to try and rely on my own strength and will to get there because there is no way I could do it in my own strength, no matter how hard I try. His way is always the best way, and the only path I want to travel.

In need of a Miracle

Hello!

I figured with my upcoming adventure it was time to start blogging again... We will have to see if I can remember how this all works...

I wanted to share with you all about an exciting journey I am about to embark on. I have officially been accepted to Harvest School of Missions in Pemba, Mozambique. I wanted to let you all know, and to ask you to consider partnering with me on my mission, and praying for me as I prepare. I have been praying about this opportunity for awhile now, wanting to really take a season and just grow in the Lord and His love. My heart is for missions, and I am so excited to be receiving this specialized training through Iris, and maybe even to serve with them in a more long term bases in the future.

I will be leaving for Pemba, Mozambique at the end of September. While in Africa I will be taking courses and being taught by Iris staff, local pastors, missionaries and leaders form all around the world, as well as Heidi and Rolland Baker. I will get to go on some extended outreaches into the bush were we will do ministry. The mission base is on an orphanage so I will constantly be playing, loving on, and learning from the children who live at the base.

On the main page of the website for Harvest school it says: “There is a new breed of missionaries being released across the earth, transparent saints, with oversized hearts, beating in rhythm with the heart of their Bridegroom King Jesus, carrying His glory across the earth. Fearless, laid-down lovers that know a love that has no boundaries, and are ready to run into the darkest places of the earth and bring in the lost, the dying, the poor and the broken. Jesus came with ceaseless love for both the one and the masses. Now we must do the same: stop for the one, but believe for the multitudes.”

I am so excited that the Lord is calling me to Africa at this time. I am excited for the change and the work that will be done in my heart and mind while I am there. To read more about Iris and Harvest school you can visit their website at: www.irismin.org/missions/harvest

I am hoping that you will take some time to pray about possibly supporting me on my journey to Africa. With the school and travel costs, as well as extended outreaches (I will be adventuring on a 10 day bush outreach at the end of the school session as well as staying for the Christmas outreach at the Pemba base) I will need to raise about 5,000 all together. As of today I have raised about 1,100, it has been such a blessing to see that come in! I know that I am in need of a miracle. By August 25th I need to have the full 3,100 for tuition and the two outreaches. And hopefully the rest to purchase the plan ticket and get the visa to enter Mozambique soon after. This is very intimidating to me, as I have learned that there is no way, no matter how hard I try and work, that I can make this happen on my own, but I know that when the Lord calls us, He is always faithful to provide. I so appreciate your prayers at this time as I learn more and more to lean on the Lord and His amazing faithfulness. 

If you would like to support me financially you can send any tax-deductable funds to:
Journey Church
With a memo: Mindy Smith: Mission Fund
1491 W. Rose street
Walla Walla WA 99362, USA

For convince I have also set up a PayPal button, that you can find on the right side of this page. You can give toward my trip through that as well. Anything given through PayPal is not tax-deductable though. For tax-deduction please send a check to Journey Church with my name in the memo line.

Please feel free to email or call me with any other questions you might have! It would be a joy to even meet up with you and share more of my heart in this. Thank you so much in advance for your support and prayers!

With so much love!

Mindy Smith

Email: Mindysmith87@gmail.com                Phone: (509) 876-7414

Check out this beautiful video done by IRIS Ministries:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a71IY9WyjpU