As I began to write, this line from a song came to mind. The chorus says … “we are hungry, we are hungry, we are hungry for more of You, we are thirsty, for you Jesus, we are thirsty for more of You”.

I have been here in Dondo for a week now. Our children are not hungry in the natural. They are well cared for. Yet, I see that they are hungry. They are hungry to learn, they are hungry to know their purpose, hungry to dream and be who they were created to be.

I arrived at quite a unique time. There are 6 of our older boys who began attending “Young Africa” a fairly new school in the area that offers a variety of choices or tracks for learning a trade or skill. They will stay closer to the school Mon-Friday and be back here with us for the weekends. The younger boys all began today as well at a variety of local schools. Some start as early as 6am – 12 noon and then others start at 12 noon and others start at 2 pm depending on their grade levels. It was a big step for these older boys.

I talked to one in particular who acknowledged feeling a bit afraid. It was so sweet to be able to offer hope and encouragement to him as he moves into this new season.

I have had many opportunities to do art with the boys. Most have been spontaneous gatherings as I try to figure out what a formal schedule might look like. J I pull out my Portuguese learning book and have many spontaneous English lessons as well. They really want to learn and it helps me too. I am doing much better with my Portuguese. It is quite exciting!

I was able to assist with the ministry to the widows and blind on Sat. morning. Once a month we do a distribution of food. It is headed by an extremely tender-hearted man named Joaquim who of his own finances and on his own time goes out and makes repairs to the homes of the widows. To an outsider he may appear as one who needs help as he is somewhat handicapped and walks with a terrible limp … but he must not have gotten that memo. J

Last week I was able to do morning devotions with each group of boys. They are in 2 separate houses divided by older and younger. Starting this week I will be with the older boys twice and the younger ones once each week. Last week I taught from Psalm 1. It went really well.

I have been scoping out the bare walls and gates and etc for inspiration on what to paint. There is a 22 ft wide wall on the end of the Bible School that faces the church. I have decided that this is a prime place to somewhat re-create a mural I did on fabric many years ago. It has images depicting the Garden of Eden, mountains with Noah’s Ark perched atop, a huge rainbow, an equally large dove, a river of life, and fields of flowers full of children each tending to the field in various ways (the harvest). Jesus is there too … holding children of course! The death of Jesus is represented by the three crosses on a cloud in the sky. His resurrection is represented by a butterfly and the children in the far right have the tongues of fire over their heads to represent the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It will be a big project but I am very excited. I already have some of the children who I think will be able to assist me.

I will also be painting the name “Center of Love” on the gate into the base and there are other smaller projects as well. I want the boys to assist me so they can gain experience and confidence in this type of work. Locally it is common to see hand painted signs and murals on the sides of buildings, stores and etc.

There are also those who are truly hungry in the natural. Yesterday I had two brothers ask me if they could live here. They have a mother so they really are not eligible but I do not know why they asked but they were very serious and solemn and stayed with me learning English until it was dark. It is one of the difficult parts of being in this country that I love. Sometimes it breaks your heart.

I just had my housing “upgraded” today and I found this on the refrigerator.

“When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I would have not a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me”

-Erma Bombeck

That statement resonates with me. Pour me out Lord. Let me use everything you gave me.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

I fully appreciate your prayers and if you desire to assist financially in supporting me and the “Labor of Love” God has called me to you can donate either through Iris Ministries or directly through my PayPal on my website at

http://www.laborofloveforthenations.com/donate.html

Thanks again and God bless you,

Laura

For This Reason

This is the finished portrait of Carassa!

Deep Waters 1

This is the finished “painting” using the Derwent Inktense Pencils. The title comes from Proverbs 20:5. I will add the written explaination later.

A new web site is in the works!

This will be a place specifically for the artwork. People will not only be able to go there to view but will also be able to purchase my artwork. My desire is that the proceeds of the sales will help support me as a missionary and will help to support other ministries and missionaries. This is still in the formative process but I will not “despise the day of small beginnings”! Here is a snapshot of the basic look and feel. I am very excited!!!

Here is an update with some background added in (and taken in better lighting). I have not been able to devote much time to her this week as I have had other things I have been busy with. Three of the last seven days I have had art classes or workshops. I had a dentist appointment - which was an awesome provision of the Lord! I have spent considerable time deciding on aspects of and consulting with a friend for the look of my new web site for art. You will soon be able to check it out at www.laborofloveart.com!

This is a young lady from Mozambique.

I started the initial sketch for a “homework” assignment where I was to paint the entire painting in grayscale, to later add the color as many layers of transparent glazes. This is called a Grisaille painting.

Instead tonight as I prepared to begin the painting I had this impromptu curious thought about using water-soluble ink pencils. I’ve only worked minimally with them in the past and never on canvas - just paper -  and this is a 24″ x 30″ canvas! I drew with the pencils and then used a damp brush to blend it out. It was quite interesting! I see other possibilities opening up. I have plenty still to do but it is 4:45 am and I need to sleep. I hope to post a finished picture sometime soon.

My thoughts on this are to somehow use it to raise awareness of a great prayer need regarding statistics I found for the city of Beira, Mozambique. (This is the main city of an area I will be going to next. ) It was reported that the HIV infection rate there is 35% - twice the national average. One “sex worker” they interviewed said that she was aware of the risk of HIV infection but got US$4.00 for sex with a condom but could get US$10.00 for sex without. Due to financial need she was willing to risk her own life, but really many other lives as well. The problem is so big but nothing is too big for You, God. Lord Jesus please reveal your heart and solution to those held in this type of bondage.

Almost all of my paintings have come from first being inspired by an idea or a message. That was not the case with this one. It was a photo I had taken of one of the girls in Mozambique and I just wanted to paint her … for a number of reasons! Actually she is still in process - I am still working on her - but not too long ago I was praying about what the title of this painting would be and kept getting the word “reason” or “the reason”.  I then researched the use of that word in the Bible. Ephesians 3:14 stood out to me right away. It starts out “For this Reason” …

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what [is] the width and length and depth and height– to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19

Yes, it is for this reason, for these children, that I bow before the Lord. I need His riches in glory and the strength of His Spirit in my inner man. I need Him dwelling in my heart. I need to be rooted and grounded in His love - so that I can go and pour His love upon them. To the best of my knowledge her name is Carassa. I went to look up what the meaning of her name is and the closest match I found was of French origin and it means “Loving Touch”!

On the first day back in the prayer room after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, my pastor called us together to pray for the people of that nation and all affected.

As soon as we began to pray I saw this image of the woman wearing the traditional Indian Sari in the vibrant yellow and orange. I thought “Wow that’s neat. I’d love to try to draw it - but I am supposed to be praying now”. I went back to praying and again the image came to mind. This time I felt it was not only something that I would like to portray but that God wanted it portrayed. I gathered my things and moved to the side of the room and began to draw what I had seen. I later painted this from the original drawing.

I feel the source of India’s hope and comfort are spoken through this image. In the midst of tragedy this woman was lifting her arms in a sacrifice of praise and worship. As I continued to draw, the idea came to have the hand of Jesus reaching in to grasp hers. It was as if her willingness to surrender her worship in the moment of heartache actually positioned her for this intimate connection with her Savior.

Keep yourselves in God’s love …

Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them;

Jude 1:21 - 23a NIV

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked,

“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:1-4 NIV

I found the combination of these two truths from the Word to be perfectly captured in this picture  of my son, taken when he was just three. I saw a mixture of childlike tenderness and sadness in his face. The plastic fire hat that he wears says “Fire Chief”. How does one attain this position of highest authority and rank? It is a title given to one who has proven their ability to lead by consistently laying down their life and running into the fire to snatch others out.

Save - G4982 - Sozo - 1) to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction

Snatch - G26 - Harpazo - 1) to seize, carry off by force

There is urgency to this act! This grabbing or grasping is not an insensitive, angry or hateful action. It is one prompted by sacrifice and love!

The battle is not against the people! It is against the fire which unmercifully seeks to devour them - their lives, the lives of their family members and their homes.

Do I have these qualities in my live?

Could I be described as one who is childlike in my tenderness, mercy and love?

If I passed that part of the examination would I pass the next?

Is there enough profundity to those characteristics to make me so sad at the thought of others perishing; I would volunteer to run into fires and snatch them out?

Also influenced by  Psalms 1:1-3, Jeremiah 17:8 and Philippians 4:8

Revelation 22:17 - And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!”

(This was an image/idea that came one morning while spending time in the prayer room.)