Mozambique - An Upate
Where am I?
I am in the USA.
When did I get back?
I arrived here in the end of October 2008 for what I thought would be approximately a 2 month stay before returning to my home in Mozambique. I was praying for the specific date of my return and was pretty surprised when “I heard” that I was not going back right away. I sensed that God wanted me to stay here for a season. It has been six months of mixed emotions. There were plenty of “unknowns” as to the reasons why I was staying but there was one definite ‘known’ - I was supposed to be doing my art.
What have I been doing?
- I have been missing Mozambique.
- I have been painting!
- I have been able to be very involved in the prayer room at my church. (www.destinychurch.org)
- In January we opened a second campus and I have been able to be a part of this by helping with set up and tear down, ministry to the children and worship team.
- I have been able to take part in art clinics on Friday afternoons and am now taking my second class on Monday mornings with Jerry Thomas, a great artist and teacher in many mediums.
- I am currently teaching a small group/art class for children at my church on Tuesday evenings. I am covering foundational art while at the same time partnering each aspect of the “foundational art” with the “foundations of our faith”. This has been totally new for me and I seek God for my material week by week. It has been great so far! I am very excited because I know that this will be something I can use when I return to Mozambique.
When will I return?
All along I thought that it would be in June, yet all along I also had a sense that things were going to be changing - and I did not know what that meant or looked like. Now I know…
What will I be doing?
…………………………………..I will be “flowing with the changes” … I am moving to Dondo!
Quoting from an email I received April 28th:
“Dondo missionary structure has changed radically - and we’re looking for people who’ve had experience in this culture and who have gifts which are desperately needed in Dondo – it’s crucial. The main leadership has been changed to involve Mozambicans and missionaries together - and training up some older youth in for example, art, for them to teach others, would be a wonderful expressive, creative and healing program for them.”
I have a real confirmation in my spirit about this although it does not come without personal “cost” - but I’ll address some of those thoughts in my blog and later communications. Let me tell you a little about Dondo. It is a short distance from Beira (which has a reported 35% HIV infection rate) in central Mozambique. It is a much smaller center than Pemba. Currently there are 27 boys between the ages of 8 and 16 for whom this is home. It also hosts a Bible school and oversees food distribution and care of 5,000 orphans in the surrounding areas. If you are interested in more details you can follow this link : http://www.irismin.com/ministryLoc_dondo.cfm
There were conversations of different changes prior to this recent email which I will detail more on my blog to keep this from getting lengthier. http://www.laborofloveforthenations.com/blog
I will share more of my personal vision for the arts and ministry in a future letter.
Where does my support come from?
The only way I am able to do what God has called me to do is through people who feel called to partner with me in various manners. These include …
Prayer – This is foundational to all that I am able to do.
Financial donations – These can be made through my web site. It is tax deductible through Iris Ministries or non tax deductible through my paypal account. Both are accessible through this link
http://www.laborofloveforthenations.com/donate.html
Juice Plus+ - I am a distributor and purchases through my site help to support me.
Because of their dedication to the health of the younger generation they offer free Juice Plus+ for 3 years to children between the age of 4 through college. Both links below go to my site which contains vast amounts of research and information.
Artwork – Originals, Prints and Note Cards (still to come)
http://www.laborofloveart.com
What are my prayer requests and needs? - Foremost … daily direction!
- I have immediate need of finances for my flights and ongoing need of monthly support.
- I am asking for wisdom and favor over logistics for flights and supplies. I feel a need to go to Beira first to drop off what I can bring from States. I would then need to get a flight to Pemba to move out of my house there, say my goodbyes and head back to Beira . Weight allowances for luggage will be a very limiting factor for the final “in country” flight from Pemba to Beira.
- My Africa cell phone “died” in its ability to send text messages a month or so before I left. Over there text messaging is the main and cheapest way of communicating with others. I can still make calls with the phone but it is very expensive. The other option is to walk all around to find the person you need to speak to. So, if anybody has upgraded their phone and has a tri or quad band unlocked phone lying around it would be of great help to me!
- Ongoing need … language learning! (Does anybody have the Rosetta Stone Portuguese course?)
- Organization and completion of administrative tasks here.
- I desire greater freedom in the artwork creation process.
- I need wisdom for the reproduction and marketing of the art.
How can I thank you?
This season in the US has “painfully yet peacefully“ proved that my utter dependence is upon the Lord. I so greatly appreciate each of you that He has used in the various ways. Most times I feel inadequate in my ability to thank you. I pray that I will continue on to become the person He created me to be and that the fruit of my life will also be attributed to you. For now a hearty and humble “Thank you!”.
For the Kingdom and eternity … because of love.
Laura
