ARCH WINDOW COVER

Outreach here at Pemba has felt like being one of the 72 being sent
out by Jesus because of the results we are experiencing. When the
disciples came back they where rejoicing because the blind saw the
lame walked and they had authority over the demons, each week as
teams come back to Pemab they share stories just like this. Two or
three teams will head out to a different part of the northern
province of Cabol Delgado. Each team is made up of about half foreign
visitors like me and suzy and half local mozambican Christians,
normally 30 - 35 of us pile on to the back of a flat bed lorry
squeezing in with sound equipment, tents and enough food for three
days. We all get bump along for up to 7 hours along uneven roads
normally arriving just before dark to set up tents in an village.
Some start to cook and others pray while a few set up the sound
system and movie screen, soon the village is resonating with funky
african worship music and people start to gather and dance. Usually a
few hundred to a thousand people will drift in to see what is
happening and after introductions and prayer it's time for the jesus
movie in macua or macondi the local tribal dialects. The Jesus movie
is quite staggering, the number of languages it has been translated
into, it is probably the only film available in macua! It is almost
defiantly the first movie that has been shown in their village and
the first time many villagers have seen and heard the story of Jesus.
Two and a bit hours later we are all very tired but pushing in
intercession as the movie comes to a conclusion. A preacher jumps on
the truck and starts to talk quickly, it is 3 hours after dark now
and sundown is when people go to bed normally, so before they drift
off to bed their attention must be engaged. This is the moment to let
people know this isn't just a movie but reality and this Jesus is
here and He wants to heal you and set you free. Soon a stream of men
who want to quit drinking are pushing forward to be prayed for for
freedom, a blind lady is lead forward, a girl who has been deaf for
years, an old woman complaining of crippling back pain and stomach
problems. With to few translators to go around people point to the
part of their body which hurts and we just start to lay on hands and
pray. The Old lady climbs on the truck and shows everybody how she
can bend now, the girl looks startled as suzy clicks her fingers by
her ear realizing she can hear and the blind lady says the darkness
in her eyes is gone, punching the air in praise of Jesus the only
true God. How many hands do you think go up when asked if they want
to follow Jesus, to have Him in their hearts? The people press
forward to receive, they are hungry, hungry for Jesus and He is here
to meet them. The next day early in the morning they gather to tell
stories about what Jesus did for them the night before, to beat the
drums and worship and then load up and head down to the river to be
baptized. This village will soon have a church building made of grass
bamboo and mud, we know one of the village men will be at Pemba
himself soon to attend the pastors training course. This is how a
nation is changed, God is here growing his kingdom and it is so cool'
because He takes us His little kids along with Him, to join in His
exploits of Love, demonstrating how much He desires and values the
poor of Mozambique. wish you where here friends!