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