Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Mr. Island Wonder Goes To Africa (Summer 2011)

Nelson Mandela - Apartheid Museum - South Africa
So after a 5 week trip to the west coast and back, we landed in KC very tired, but grateful that God has placed us here.  The trip made us appreciative of the work that we do here in the house of prayer.  We realized that the focus on worship and intercession for the last 4 years of our lives has really changed us.  We are different people now.  It it is a change for the WAY better :o)

We also came home to the opportunity of a lifetime.  My sister and her husband are missionaries in Africa, and they extended an invitation for my hubby to go there.  He would help with the work there and in exchange get some much needed dental work done.  An added bonus was that my mother, also a missionary in Beira, was there at the same time.  My husband just happens to be her #1 SON-IN-LAW!  It made for a very enjoyable trip.  Every time I called, they were laughing and enjoying one anothers' company.

So within one week, we decided that he was going... and he did!  It was a life changing trip in many ways.  If you ever feel stuck, you might need a change in perspective.  A scene from the movie Soul Surfer comes to mind.  In the movie, the youth group leader, Carrie Underwood, is showing the youth group a photo.  She asks what they think it is, and the majority thinks it is a flower or fruit or something.  But when she zooms out, it is actually the eyeball of a fly!  Ewwww gross.  Point made.  She goes on to explain that sometimes you can be so "zoomed in" to a situation that you can lose perspective on what actually is going on.  The discouragement that comes from that can be rinsed away by a fresh new view of the situation.

Africa was his zoom out.  In America, we are being told how much we CANNOT do because of the economic situation in our nation.  But he saw a people who have way less than we have in Africa, and they are still making it.  They have roofs over their heads and food on their tables.  Even in the most desperate of situations in Africa, business can thrive and God-plans can be made manifest.  If God can do it for them, then what is limiting us from using all of the many resources set before us to surge forward into the things God has given us to do?

He came home with fresh fire and fresh hope... and a fresh new smile that is beautiful. :oD

Here are some pics from The Apartheid Museum in South, the orphanage he helped in, the market and  churches where he and the team ministered.



Markets in Moz


Most structures in Moz are made of concrete

Kids from the Orphanage









They played baseball for 3 hours one day!  Batter's up!




The small fellowship that my Mom leads

Here is my mom praying :o)

Pastor Mario's Rockin' Church! 

Nelson Mandela
Apartheid Museum Pics







1 comment:

  1. You guys are awesome!! We love and miss you, and so enjoy keeping up on the blog! Keep on keeping on! Higher and Deeper my friends! Sending you MUCH love from the Hartwigs :) Blessings

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