Reflecting on the way back to CLT

As I sit on the plane back to Charlotte, I am trying to reflect on the trip we had this far. 

At times the trip seemed like it was a Month long and other times it seemed like we just left yesterday. I feel like we accomplished the task at hand and that God was able to move through our hands, feet and voices throught the trip. 

What's Africa like?

In many ways Africa is totally different than the US but in many ways it is the same. The food is different, the people are different and the way of life is different. But in the ways that matter, Africa is similar in many ways. 

The sense of community is very evident in the lives of the people in Mozambique. People with disabilities are cared for by the community and also the church.  We saw people that were physically handicapped, blind people that were led around with help from a friend or family member and also people with mental disabilities. In some ways they were helped by society, but there were also those who were neglected and left on the streets. It was great to see the church standing up for those less fortunate in society. 

The presence of God in Africa was also evident in the lives of the people in Mozambique. It was amazing to see the joy and dedication of those who traveled many miles to come to our DNOW conference. They traveled by walking, bicycle, motorcycle, shoppá(Mozambique  taxi), boat, and by car upwards of 60 miles to come and learn and worship. How privileged are we in the US to have a car (if not 2) to take our families to church to worship, yet rarely have to travel more than a few minutes to attend corporate worship. 

The worship of God was evident in Mozambique. Praise and worship surrounded their services and were almost always accompanied by uninhibited singing, dancing and playing of instruments of all kinds. Participation by the entire congregation was the norm, yet how often do we see people in our congregation disinterested in singing or participating in any way. The joy they had while while worshiping God was not based on what they had in this world, 

but in what they had in Jesus.  In the US we have so many things in this world that bring us joy that distract is from the true joy we should have in God and his gift to us in Jesus. 

What did you do in Africa?

In Africa we did our best to live out the Great Commission.

 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV).  

We were able to work alongside Brian and Becky Harrell, two great missionaries for the cause of Jesus Christ in Mozambique.  We taught the youth of Nacala and Liupo the gospel, challenged them to remain sexually pure, taught them how to be accountable to their brothers and sisters in Christ, and also how to grow in their spiritual walk daily. More than anything I hope we were able to show then the love of Jesus Christ through our lives and out actions. 

Our team

I thought we had a great team this year. 

I am encouraged by the age of the members of our team and what that means for our church. Our age range was 20-32. This shows that our church is building the next generation of Christians living out the gospel and the bible in their lives and dedicated to the mission of Jesus Christ. Through the Holy Spirit we were able to reach the lives of the youth in Mozambique and live out the Great Commission. 

Messing with Joseph

Some if you may have seen the video from last year where our team pranked Joseph while riding to the airport. 

It received such great reviews that our team decided to carry on the tradition (3 more times)

Then Original

http://youtu.be/A1F_tMIbDKU

Part 2 

http://youtu.be/ORs3-4s3468

Part 3

http://youtu.be/nWEMM_AB4BU

Part 4

http://youtu.be/sITVmbHr5Xg

Most of us agree that part 2 and 3 have the best reactions. 

Landed in NYC

Just landed at JFK. 15hrs 00minutes 07 seconds from takeoff to landing. 

Day 7 - Last day in Nacala

Today was the last day in Nacala for our team. We all woke up early with the exception of Jorden she hasn't been feeling well and decided to sleep in. everyone els went out on the boat for our last swim on the boat. 

The captain had the boat ready at 6:00 and we made our way down with our masks, snorkels, fins and a few spearguns. A few of us were in full garb including wetsuits, knives on our legs and lead weighted belts. 

Brian saw a few fish that were spear-worthy, but didn't have an opportunity to shoot it. Brian is able to hold his breath for over 4 minutes and can dive easily over 90 feet. Becky is also great at diving and easily can hold her breath longer than any of the guys on our team, especially Joseph. 

Right before we left to head back home, Caleb speared his first fish. It was a 2lb squirrel fish. Caleb brought him back to the house and had him for breakfast. 

In addition to squirrel fish, we had French toast with homemade maple syrup. We also had a chance to eat one of the local fruits, a custard apple, which Whitney mis-heard as a 'cussing' apple. We have been calling them that since then. The custard apple looks like and artichoke but breaks open to reveal a moist white flesh, almost like fish. Each of the prices contain a seed that you have to spit out. Most everyone like them, except for Jorden. 

Immediately filling breakfast we had to pack the LandCrusier and head for the airport.  We said our goodbyes to Becky, Andrew and Micah and were on our way.  The McDaniels were also heading back home to Nampula so we were able to spread out into both cars. The guys were serenaded by Joseph and his iPhone playlist on the way, mostly because the didn't want to fall asleep and have us film another episode of  "Messing with Joseph". 

After saying our goodbyes to the McDaniels we checked in the airport and sat down for our last meal in Mozambique: Grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato, cokes, sprite and water. 

Day 6 - Last day in Liupo

Last night we had dinner late of Xema, chicken, and tomato crillé (sauce). We were all tired and ready for bed. After dinner we broke down the Jesus film and got ready for bed. 

We went to sleep last night to the sounds of the village singing and little kids running around. This morning We woke up to the sounds of roosters and babies crying in the background. We had breakfast at our camp of hot tea, pumpkin and banana bread.

After breakfast We broke down camp and all got ready for the day. The first item on the agenda was baptism. Seven people in the church had made the decision over the last few months to be baptized. 

The location of the lake for baptism was about 5ks away. We started our walk and Brian began to take groups back and forth. We walked about halfway before it was time for our turn. Joseph, Caleb and I opted for the Mozambique air conditioning and stood on the sides and back of the LandCrusier. It was pretty cool. 

The baptism was awesome. In total there were 7 people who had made a decision to be baptized. The first guy to be baptized is unable to walk without a crutch and even then walks extremely slow and labored. It was amazing to see his joy in The Lord relative to his circumstances. How often do we complain in the US and not seek God's glory. This man has nothing including limited mobility but praises Jesus for what he has. 

It seemed like the entire church came out to watch the baptism. It was a time of celebration and thanksgiving. Unlike our services, there is singing and dancing between those being baptized. After each person is baptized, two friends or family members received them on the shore with hugs and kisses. 

The walk back to the church was also a time of celebration and worship. We sang and danced until it was our turn to rifled back in the LandCruiser. It was much hotter today than most of the other days. We even saw a snake on the road walking (luckily John, Whitney, Caroline and Joseph had already hitched a ride back).

Once we got back to the church we had a little down time to play with some. Of the kids. One of the kids was making a soccer ball. The ball is made out of a piece of plastic filled with pieces of cloth and plastic bags. The whole thing is weaved together with a little bit of string. The string cuts into the plastic and even makes the ball look like it is made out of individual panels like a real soccer ball. 

Next it was time for the final session on spiritual growth. Emphasis was out on spending time daily in the bible and prayer. Jorden and Caleb led and told the story of Daniel and the Lions den. Jorden shared how she prays daily and what she has learned and Caleb shared about his quiet time he has each day and the importance of accountability in the life of a Christian. 

Brian closed up the session by leading us all in the Lord's Supper. He invited all the have accepted Jesus as their lord and savior and also been baptized to join in the celebration of Christs death and resurrection. The seven that were baptized earlier that morning were able to partake of the Lord's Supper for the first time.

After the Lord's Supper we finished packing everything in the totes and all of our things went back on top of the LandCruiser. Caroline took the opportunity to entertain a few of the kids in the church. 

We had lunch prepared by the ladies in the church. We had rice, beans, fish and even papas fritas (french fries). They looked different than what we were used to but they were great. We had already packed our silverware so we had the pleasure of eating with our hands (which is common with Xema, not as much with rice). 

We met one last time to thank the church for their hospitality during our stay. We presented them with a few capulanas from the market, a soccer ball, and a few other things. They thanked us for the sessions on the book of Daniel and asked us to come back soon. We were sent off with a warm goodbye with a handshake line including everyone in the church. 

We made it back to the Harrell's and Tracey McDaniel had already started the spaghetti dinner. We had to stop on the way to get bread and veggies for salad. We had a great dinner and Tracey even made chocolate cake. We ate till we were full and maybe even a little more. 

Tomorrow we leave and are hoping to get a last minute swim in the ocean before we have to leave for the airport. If so, we will get a chance do a little spearfishing. 

I would be a bit remiss if I didn't tell you a little about our friend Abilio. 

This is Abilio. He helped make this week a success. He was our translator and helped not only in the bush but also in the city. He can speak 8 languages with Portuguese being his native language. He has three children and his wife works in the Harrell's home. While Brian is able to understand Makhuwa, he is not fluent in speaking and relies heavily on Abilio for translation away from the city. 

Day 5 - DNOW in the Bush - Liupo

Most of us were up late packing the roof of the Landcrusier and once we finished we discussed the trip thus far and prayed about the conference we just finished in the city and the conference to come the next 2 days. 

Today started off early, 5:15am early with showers for the guys. It was a beautiful morning and we had homemade cinnamon rolls and coffee, they were awesome. We finally got on the road at 7:10 and headed for the bush. 

On the way to the bush we dropped Saranya off at her house. She lives in a small block home about a half a mile from the school where she teaches. Saranya was a great addition to our team and we all enjoyed meeting her. 

The drive was pretty cool. It was a combination of off-roading, stopping to check the luggage and some sketchy Mozambique bridges. 

We also had a chance to mess with Joseph and John slamming on the brakes and yelling when they fell asleep on the ride. We also left Joseph on the side if the road when he had to use the restroom. 

We made it to Liupo around 10:30 and after partially setting up camp, started right away with worship led by some of the youth from the church in Liupo and also a nearby church. They were invited to join in the conference as well. 

The church in the bush is much smaller than the one in the city, even than the one the guys slept in down the street from the church in the city. 

In the bush they speak Makhuwa and some Portuguese so most everything has to be translated twice. Abilu (our translator) does a great job also of translating straight to Makhuwa from English.  Brian also speaks both, but relays on Abilu for the majority of the translation. 

After a few choruses we gave our testimonies and Brian gave a gospel presentation. It seemed like the whole village came, they ranged in age from 3 to some in their 60s. Several raised their hands for a profession of faith and were later counseled about their decision. In Mozambique as soon as one kid raises their hand their 4 friends around them do as well. It is great that they are individually counseled to make sure the decision is theirs and theirs alone. 

We rearranged the order of the sessions from the city and began with Shadrach Meshach and Abednego  in the fiery fernace and focused on peer pressure and accountability. John and Caroline did a great job. 

After the first session we played games with all the kids until lunch was ready.  All the guys kicked the soccer ball around with the 80 or so boys and Joseph, Caleb and I learned a local game called banana. It is a combination of dodge ball and trying to fill up a bottle with sand. 

Lunch was ready around 3:00pm. We had been sneaking snacks between sessions to hold us over. We had Xema, rice, chicken, fish, matapa, beans and a salad that looked like slaw.  

After lunch ae began the lesson on Daniel  refusing to defile himself with the kings food and Relating it to sexual purity.  Like in the city this is a charged topic and kept most everyone's attention. Both groups went until dark requiring both groups to work by headlamp. 

While the girls were finishing up their purity talk the guys set up the screen for the Jesus film. We had the attention of a "few" kids (below) while we were setting up. 

We are all pretty tired. It is 7:15 now and the film just started. We are waiting to see when dinner is going to be served and hanging out at our camp. Sleeping arrangements are Brian in his Hammock, Becky, Caroline, Jorden and Whitney in the 8-man, Joseph and John in the wide 2-man and Caleb and I in the skinny 2-man. 

The latest report is 3 hours til dinner. So not that far off from back home. 

Tomorrow we will have a baptism service and the the last session on spiritual growth before heading back to the Harrell's for the last time. 

Day 4 - Church in the city

Today wrapped up DNOW for the church in the city. Since some of the youth were from other churches around the city, we woke up early so they could get back to their villages to worship back home. 

We got up around 5:30 and I think everyone slept much better. I know I did. We all got in late after the film and went right to sleep. 

All the boys and girls met at the church in the city and have a personal devotion including a time in the Word and a time in prayer.

Breakfast followed at the church followed with bread, jam and boiled eggs. There was enough for all the youth and even some for the church members who hadn't eaten breakfast. 

In order to provide extra time, we didn't have Sunday school at the church, just the main worship service. Joseph's preached on the book of Timothy and fighting the good fight and finishing the race. 

The service was great and had a time for each of the churches that were still represented to have an opportunity to lead worship. Our group participated with the youth of the church in Nacala. Several of the youth expressed their gratitude during the service and their enjoyment in the lessons. 

At the end of each service they form a line leaving the church allowing each member of the service to shake the hand of one another, similar to a receiving line at a wedding. Could you imagine how long that would take at Hickory Grove?

We had lunch at the church and sent off the remaining youth that traveled too far to make it back in time for their service. We had rice and matapa (reduced spinach like leaves in coconut milk). It tasted like a mixture of cream spinach and artichokes).  It's the best local meal I have had to date. 

When we left the church to go back to the Harrell's, a couple of us rode with the Lee McDaniel to take some of the youth from his church in nampula to see the ocean for the very first time. Lee said the largest body of water they would have seen would be a river the width of a street. 

It was pretty cool to see the expressions on their faces and see them run into the ocean so excited that they left all their clothes on. On the way back to the house Caleb and I went Mozambique style hanging off the back of the Landcruiser. 

Once we got back we finally had some down time. We will be leaving early in the morning to head to the bush so we only had to pack our bags and eat dinner tonight and this afternoon so we decided to go back down to the water and hang out and snorkel a little bit more. 

Tonight Becky is cooking us tacos and we will hit the bed early for a long day tomorrow. At 6:00am we will start off the day with a 3½ hr ride out to the village in the bush. 

A few of the kids in the church. 

Day 3 - DNOW in the City - All day

We had a busy day starting at 7:30 in the morning. The first item on the schedule was breakfast.  Since the devotion and first session were split boys/girls we also did breakfast separate. We provided boiled eggs, bread with jam and tea for the all the youth.  

Once we were done with breakfast, all 90 bread rolls and 50 or so boiled eggs, the guys had a devotion lead by Caleb on accountability. Caleb shared a passage from Colosians and challenged each of them to join a fellow brother in Christ in an accountability group to change them to pray, read the bible and go to church more often. At the same time down the street, Caroline led the girls devotion at the Harrell's church. 

Next was game time... soccer time. We left for the field and split up and played full field soccer. As you can imagine 50 guys (with 4 white guys) draw a crowd so we had plenty of spectators. We played shirts and skins so Caleb and I had the pleasure of going shirtless after we only applied sunscreen to our heads. The score ended up 1-0 with John and Joseph's team winning. John played goalie and Joseph was his sidekick backing up the defense. 

After soccer all the guys walked back soaked in sweat to pile back into the small church down the street for the first lesson on purity. Garrett taught the guys while Whitney taught the girls at the Harrell's church. These were the first of 3 sessions out of the book of Daniel. This one focusing on Daniels desire not to defile himself with the Kings food. The guys session was great and really brought to the surface that the youth of Mozambique struggle with the same problems concerning sexual purity as American youth.

The youth are also like American youth in their cell phone usage. Here is a photo of 1 of the 2 outlets in the church

Lunch was next and was cooked by the ladies in the church. We had rice and beans with cabbage and onions. Overall it was similar to rice and pinto beans you would have for New Years dinner, minus the porkchop and collards. 

Once everyone was full from lunch, we had the other 2 sessions focusing on peer pressure (taught by Caroline and John) and spiritual growth (taught by Jorden and Caleb). Both of these lessons were also out of the book of Daniel with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego focusing on peer pressure and Daniel in the Lions Den relating to spiritual growth.  

All of the lessons went extremely well were followed by discussion or small group time. We challenged the youth to make a commitment to sexual purity, time in the word of God and prayer and also a challenge to join or create an accountability group in their church. 

After the last session we were all wiped out and some were even dosing off (AC). The youth on the other hand were organizing a presentation of their worship teams.  We were able to experience almost 2 hours of singing, drums and clapping of young believers in worship (even got to bust a few dance moves). 

Dinner followed with a meal of Xema (Shema) and Chicken. Everyone took part (with the exception of JOHN) including firsttimers in Caleb, Jorden, Whitney and Caroline. The girls shared a plate (but at least they tried, John). We will get another chance in the Bush, but there is almost no way of backing out there. 

As I am writing this it is 9:43 and we have been going since 6:30. There is a Jesus Film playing in Makuwa (with Portuguese subtitles). We are waiting till it is complete and we can walk back with the guys to the church down the street. 

Bucket baths hopefully in the morning, Sunday school starts at 9:30 and we need to pack up out of the church down the street. 

So far it has been a great trip. It is different than I expected compared the trip last April, but it is great to see the fruits of our labor and the dedication that Becky and Brian have for their church. This is no small task to put on a conference like this in this city where you are the organizer, the transportation, the delivery truck, the translators, and the host to name a few. 

We will make it back to the house after church tomorrow for real showers and pack up for the Bush leaving earlyThursday morning (7:00am). 

On another note:

So far I have only recognized one child from our trip last time. She is a special needs girl and her parents send her our each day to beg for food. Last year Melissa Guinn took to her and this year she found comfort in Whitney, Caroline, Megan McDaniel and especially Jorden. Jorden is currently attending Liberty with a degree in special needs education and was great with her over the last two days.