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Hello everyone,
greetings of the season & merry christmas to all of you!
Our children are on holidays … school ended at the end of october fort the smaller ones and mid-november for the older ones that had exames.
A couple weeks ago I tried out something new with the older boys at our centre that I do bible studies with on saturdays. I’ve been teaching them for a long time now and I decided it’s about time that they learn how to teach and preach or at least give a word of encouragement. I wondered how they’d respond to my suggestion of making them do that, each week a different person would be chosen to share something they’ve learnt the week before for about 5 minutes. To my surprise they’re not only excited about it, but even arguing over who’s turn it is. They all want to do it. How fun is that?!
On december 23rd we went to Maforga, a beautiful place about 40 minutes away from Chimoio, we did the bible study there, baptised those that hadn’t been baptised (spontaniously), had nice food and lots of fun (see pictures below) … 🙂
To be honest with you Iris Ministries is kinda short of money at the moment, but I believe the financial miracle that we need this month will happen. God is always faithful. Anyways, what I was going to say is that when I was in Germany this summer I received an offering to buy a present for each child for christmas and make a nice meal for them. So we had a nice present for each one of them, jummy mosambican food and apple cake as well (see pictures below)! God knew when I didn’t know …
The weather has been crazy lately, one day it is beyond hot (over 40° C), then the next day it is cold that you need a good sweater … I wish it’d be one or the other so I could get used to one of the two …
A number of my old friends from Dondo came to see me lately – nice!
We had another amazing youth service or maybe I should say 2 other amazing services … each time there are more people and more presence of the Lord – keep praying for more!
At our last team meeting I told the team that our contract ended by the end of the year and we needed to talk about whether we should continue or not. Almost out of mouth the answer came: „Of course we need to continue!“, „Wherever“, one of them said „even if it’s under a tree, but stoping – no way!“ „ok, ok“ I said. As long as God takes care of the finances I was thinking …
The prison is finally open!! Against everything people said it did not only open next year, but this year – praise the Lord – and thanks to everyone that has been praying for that to happen! And please keep praying that nothing else happens …
We had a good meeting with the prison comander (the highest authority there) last thursday and were authorized to start our services again!!
I was blessed by some of the guys of my hospital ministry team that all of a sudden started talking about they really need to pray fort the sick in this hospital every day in their homes cause Jesus needs to do something here … they’re getting a burden – good!
Two of the former streetkids are still at our centre; they’ve really become a part of the family :-). Another one we managed to reintegrate, he’s living with his grandmother here in Chimoio and 5 other ones are temporarily staying in a house of one of the churches here in Chimoio that was built for a preschool. It is not the perfect solution cause there is no adult supervision, but at least they are not sleeping on the street where they constantly get beaten and stolen from the little they have during the night. Also the pastor and the people from the church are trying their best to give food to them.
Also, I was in Zimbabwe again, for 10 days this time. It was a good trip, only this car … 🙁 ! After we had been traveling and ministering for a few days my steering pump decided to finally give up. We took of some parts and put one of the wheel nuts on it, so we wouldn’t loose it completely (bushmecanics), but it was hard to drive; it was like driving one of these 30 year old trucks where the steering just doesn’t wanna turn … my wrists still hurt a bit from it … but at least after 3 days like that the Lord had mercy on me, we found another one (from an other old Isuzu) and the mecanic gave it to me for the money I had (which was not much by then) – thank God! It wasn’t too bad on the main roads, but once we drove off road it had been a nightmare … .
I can only repeat myself, it’s time for a new car and honestly I do believe this coming year I’ll be given another one. At this present moment my car is once again in pieces and this time it is serious, various old leaks, water mixed with oil in the radiator, possibly going into the engine and some other things. I am not a mecanic but this is obviously that is not good. And engine parts are expensive. God only knows. Sometimes I wonder how we even manage to do all these trips with this car and each time we’ve been able to get back. Praise God! So many things here depend on my/this car. We can’t stop going … . I’d also like to know where „my“ plane is stuck … .
Anyways, let me rather talk about what God did … . Each time we needed it God stopped the rain, so people could see the life of Jesus and/or hear the good news about Him. There were days when it was literally pouring down rain when we wanted to set up, but our God is the God who opens and closes the sky acording to his will and as long as we pray and have faith. Sometimes I wonder how people choose to not believe in God.
We saw MANY salvations, as well as healings and deliverances. Maybe just one example … when we were in a place far off the main road we were asked to pray for a baby that was obviously quite demonized (no wonder since the mother had taken it to the witch doctor) and also very sick, it could barely breath we saw the miracle of deliverance and imidiate healing in front of our eyes within just a few minutes. Thanks be to our Father!
With love & apreciation to all of you,
Claudia
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