We have made the 3 hour flight, over night in Maputo (Moz. Capital), up at 5:30am, a taxi ride to the bus station, a four ride into Nelspruit and the phone call that our house we had rented was doubled booked so we have to stay with strangers. Some guy named Kent was going to pick us up and house us for only four days. Then we mentioned that we were planning to stay here for 2 weeks. The blessing is that he and his wife Shay are also in Hospitality. We all realized that we have been here before and knew what to do.
So we arrived at their beautiful house that actually is a retreat center and mininstry school. It is located on an acre, has a pool and set up very lovely and feels like home. Unlike the Missionary Guest house we stated at in Maputo. I told Emie I felt like I was in a prison. If any of you every start a guest house make sure it is peaceful and feels like a home instead of bare neccesities.
Ok so back to the house. WE love it and have our own flat that is more than large enough for us. Kent and Shay are truly wonderful. They are meant to be here and we believe we are as well.
Nelspruit feels like America and the thought of being a missionary here seems plush. The kids are excited to explore everything, mall, book stores, cafe', more stores, and the Kruger park. We have just spent one night and here we go. We will keep you updated as time goes on.
Blessings
Heath
Monday, August 27, 2007
Nelspruit
We have made the 3 hour flight, over night in Maputo (Moz. Capital), up at 5:30am, a taxi ride to the bus station, a four ride into Nelspruit and the phone call that our house we had rented was doubled booked so we have to stay with strangers. Some guy named Kent was going to pick us up and house us for only four days. Then we mentioned that we were planning to stay here for 2 weeks. The blessing is that he and his wife Shay are also in Hospitality. We all realized that we have been here before and knew what to do.
So we arrived at their beautiful house that actually is a retreat center and mininstry school. It is located on an acre, has a pool and set up very lovely and feels like home. Unlike the Missionary Guest house we stated at in Maputo. I told Emie I felt like I was in a prison. If any of you every start a guest house make sure it is peaceful and feels like a home instead of bare neccesities.
Ok so back to the house. WE love it and have our own flat that is more than large enough for us. Kent and Shay are truly wonderful. They are meant to be here and we believe we are as well.
Nelspruit feels like America and the thought of being a missionary here seems plush. The kids are excited to explore everything, mall, book stores, cafe', more stores, and the Kruger park. We have just spent one night and here we go. We will keep you updated as time goes on.
Blessings
Heath
So we arrived at their beautiful house that actually is a retreat center and mininstry school. It is located on an acre, has a pool and set up very lovely and feels like home. Unlike the Missionary Guest house we stated at in Maputo. I told Emie I felt like I was in a prison. If any of you every start a guest house make sure it is peaceful and feels like a home instead of bare neccesities.
Ok so back to the house. WE love it and have our own flat that is more than large enough for us. Kent and Shay are truly wonderful. They are meant to be here and we believe we are as well.
Nelspruit feels like America and the thought of being a missionary here seems plush. The kids are excited to explore everything, mall, book stores, cafe', more stores, and the Kruger park. We have just spent one night and here we go. We will keep you updated as time goes on.
Blessings
Heath
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
PLANES, PACHYDERMS, and PRAYERS
PLANES, PACHYDERMS, and PRAYERS
I’m not even going to suggest this will be a short update! They never are! And for those who consistently endure reading them know what’s going on and how to pray . . . THANK YOU!
PLANES: In 5 sleeps our whole family has to get on a little plane and head to a Mozambican border to renew our 6 month visas. At one point, Heath was really hoping and praying that we might be able to come to the States for 3 weeks but that wasn’t feasible. So instead, we are taking a plane to Maputo, the very southern city (the capital) of Mozambique. We’ll spend the night there and then take a bus across the border into a nice little city in South Africa called Nelspruit. There we have reserved a guesthouse for a reasonable price. We are going to take 2 weeks to regroup and be a family without any of the Pemba pressures we’ve been under for the last 6 months. There are a hundred things you could pray about for our 2 weeks away.
PACHYDERMS: Is that how you spell it? It’s elephants. While we’re in Nelspruit we are going to be close to a wild life reserve. In fact, our guesthouse is supposed to be on the edge of a large game reserve called KRUGER PARK. If all works out with transportation and things, we hope to be able to drive through some of it for a couple days. But I’ve heard it’s all kind of hit and miss whether or not you actually see animals! If Jesus can put a lone hippo on a beach out in the middle of nowhere Mozambique for Heath, will you please pray that we see at least a couple pachyderms and a few giraffes? A lion would be nice too but I don’t want to be so greedy!
PRAYERS: We would really appreciate knowing you are really praying for us during this week of preparation to go, while we are away and then the week we return.
** There are many things to get in place and people to find to cover our position for 2 weeks.
** Pray that all of our different desires of a “break” will somehow be met while having 3 very different ages of kids.
** Pray that it will be restful and refreshing for all of us. (I think I’m a bit more pessimistic about this one than Heath is!! Though maybe mom’s always feel that way when you vacation with their kids!)
** Pray that travel, bus, finding our house, and transportation for 2 weeks will be peaceful.
** Pray that we will be ready to come back to a VERY BUSY October.
Thank you all for your love, prayers and financial support over the last 6 months. Though we keep our givers anonymous for many reasons, it does not mean that we appreciate you any less than if you were getting handwritten thank you’s every time you sacrificially give to the Kingdom work we are doing. And I hope you know by now we value those who give of their time to pray, write, send packages, etc just as much as anyone who has given finances.
Here is an update on what our expenses have proven to be in the last 6 months. If you have other questions or want more specifics, we are happy to give them.
Our primary expenses are:
1. A monthly donation to Iris for electricity and guard fees, etc.
2. FOOD and DIAPERS: To be able to eat semi-normal, it has proven to be our biggest expense. We have many people over for dinner and find this to be a large part of our ministry.
3. Occasional dates and outings: Before I began cooking, we would try to go out to eat once a week with our family. We don’t need to do that very often anymore, though occasionally we go out with the kids or with visitors.
4. Odds and Ends around the house.
5. Ministry to the Mozambicans. The Lord has led us to give in various ways and to various people. You have blessed Mozambicans as you have blessed us. I love the giving heart of my husband and I love even more that I am not the one running the finances here!! If you want more details on the things we have given towards, let us know.
6. THE BIGGEST EXPENSE: Travel every 6 months to renew our visas as a family. Then when the baby is born in November we will have to fly again to Maputo (the capital) and get the baby a passport as soon as possible. We desire to come back to the States in February for 2 or 3 months to introduce the baby to everyone and to regroup for another year. The vast majority of money given is going towards these enormous expenses. Once again, we are in awe of how God has provided for us. As we budget out this trip, we have exactly what we need to get there, live for 2 weeks and get back.
THANK YOU ALL. We love you dearly and appreciate you all.
Loving Jesus in the Living of Life,
Emie for the family
I’m not even going to suggest this will be a short update! They never are! And for those who consistently endure reading them know what’s going on and how to pray . . . THANK YOU!
PLANES: In 5 sleeps our whole family has to get on a little plane and head to a Mozambican border to renew our 6 month visas. At one point, Heath was really hoping and praying that we might be able to come to the States for 3 weeks but that wasn’t feasible. So instead, we are taking a plane to Maputo, the very southern city (the capital) of Mozambique. We’ll spend the night there and then take a bus across the border into a nice little city in South Africa called Nelspruit. There we have reserved a guesthouse for a reasonable price. We are going to take 2 weeks to regroup and be a family without any of the Pemba pressures we’ve been under for the last 6 months. There are a hundred things you could pray about for our 2 weeks away.
PACHYDERMS: Is that how you spell it? It’s elephants. While we’re in Nelspruit we are going to be close to a wild life reserve. In fact, our guesthouse is supposed to be on the edge of a large game reserve called KRUGER PARK. If all works out with transportation and things, we hope to be able to drive through some of it for a couple days. But I’ve heard it’s all kind of hit and miss whether or not you actually see animals! If Jesus can put a lone hippo on a beach out in the middle of nowhere Mozambique for Heath, will you please pray that we see at least a couple pachyderms and a few giraffes? A lion would be nice too but I don’t want to be so greedy!
PRAYERS: We would really appreciate knowing you are really praying for us during this week of preparation to go, while we are away and then the week we return.
** There are many things to get in place and people to find to cover our position for 2 weeks.
** Pray that all of our different desires of a “break” will somehow be met while having 3 very different ages of kids.
** Pray that it will be restful and refreshing for all of us. (I think I’m a bit more pessimistic about this one than Heath is!! Though maybe mom’s always feel that way when you vacation with their kids!)
** Pray that travel, bus, finding our house, and transportation for 2 weeks will be peaceful.
** Pray that we will be ready to come back to a VERY BUSY October.
Thank you all for your love, prayers and financial support over the last 6 months. Though we keep our givers anonymous for many reasons, it does not mean that we appreciate you any less than if you were getting handwritten thank you’s every time you sacrificially give to the Kingdom work we are doing. And I hope you know by now we value those who give of their time to pray, write, send packages, etc just as much as anyone who has given finances.
Here is an update on what our expenses have proven to be in the last 6 months. If you have other questions or want more specifics, we are happy to give them.
Our primary expenses are:
1. A monthly donation to Iris for electricity and guard fees, etc.
2. FOOD and DIAPERS: To be able to eat semi-normal, it has proven to be our biggest expense. We have many people over for dinner and find this to be a large part of our ministry.
3. Occasional dates and outings: Before I began cooking, we would try to go out to eat once a week with our family. We don’t need to do that very often anymore, though occasionally we go out with the kids or with visitors.
4. Odds and Ends around the house.
5. Ministry to the Mozambicans. The Lord has led us to give in various ways and to various people. You have blessed Mozambicans as you have blessed us. I love the giving heart of my husband and I love even more that I am not the one running the finances here!! If you want more details on the things we have given towards, let us know.
6. THE BIGGEST EXPENSE: Travel every 6 months to renew our visas as a family. Then when the baby is born in November we will have to fly again to Maputo (the capital) and get the baby a passport as soon as possible. We desire to come back to the States in February for 2 or 3 months to introduce the baby to everyone and to regroup for another year. The vast majority of money given is going towards these enormous expenses. Once again, we are in awe of how God has provided for us. As we budget out this trip, we have exactly what we need to get there, live for 2 weeks and get back.
THANK YOU ALL. We love you dearly and appreciate you all.
Loving Jesus in the Living of Life,
Emie for the family
Friday, August 3, 2007
Living in Paradise while paradise is living in you!
Emie and I cannot believe we have been married for nine years now. It is amazing how time has flown by. We have commented so many times about what the Lord has allowed us to experience, and it is a fulfillment of dreams. The last two years alone make our heads spin. We are dreamers, ark builders, vagabonds, lion slayers, army destroyers, miracle workers, producers of signs and wonders and most of all in awe of our majestic Jesus. He has been faithful when we were not; he has defied the odds yet again with our skeptics. He has and is the one the Word of God reveals to us. But he doesn’t stop there. He bursts into our lives to take us higher, father, wider and deeper into experiencing his love. It is so great one cannot and must not only intellectually know it but experientially embrace him. He is tangible and loves to get into every nook and cranny of our being.
This past week I surprised Emie with a three-day get away to Londo Lodge for our anniversary. It was breath taking and more than we could have imagined.
We both remembered who we are, without kids (we had Abiel 2 weeks before our first anniversary) and enjoyed simplicity again. It was an affair to remember. The food was amazing and the showers where awesome. Emie and I enjoyed a soothing massage without being interrupted by our wonderful children. They upgraded us to their honeymoon villa and we felt the favor of God.
We snorkeled (hated it), swam, walked, connected, and worshipped in God's beauty. Of course this is not to say the enemy didn't show up and desired to rob what the Lord wanted to tell us. We exerted our authority over him and he left. After that the Lord began to download many things to me concerning our future and how all these crazy ideas in my head will actually connect some day.
Unfortunately our camera broke on the trip so there are not many pictures of us. So we really had to store it in our minds. But the memories and the ability to come back with a fuller perspective has brought peace and more excitement about what is next.
It was wonderful and we thank Josh and Jess for watching the kids for us. Thanks to all of you who have supported and encouraged our marriage into the fullness of Christ.
Living in paradise (Pemba) has been amazing but I am realizing that having Paradise living in me is far better.
Blessings
Heath
This past week I surprised Emie with a three-day get away to Londo Lodge for our anniversary. It was breath taking and more than we could have imagined.
We both remembered who we are, without kids (we had Abiel 2 weeks before our first anniversary) and enjoyed simplicity again. It was an affair to remember. The food was amazing and the showers where awesome. Emie and I enjoyed a soothing massage without being interrupted by our wonderful children. They upgraded us to their honeymoon villa and we felt the favor of God.
We snorkeled (hated it), swam, walked, connected, and worshipped in God's beauty. Of course this is not to say the enemy didn't show up and desired to rob what the Lord wanted to tell us. We exerted our authority over him and he left. After that the Lord began to download many things to me concerning our future and how all these crazy ideas in my head will actually connect some day.
Unfortunately our camera broke on the trip so there are not many pictures of us. So we really had to store it in our minds. But the memories and the ability to come back with a fuller perspective has brought peace and more excitement about what is next.
It was wonderful and we thank Josh and Jess for watching the kids for us. Thanks to all of you who have supported and encouraged our marriage into the fullness of Christ.
Living in paradise (Pemba) has been amazing but I am realizing that having Paradise living in me is far better.
Blessings
Heath
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