New video and update from Moz

May and June in Moz!

From new English classes to a houseful of visitors, we’ve had a busy couple of months here at Equip Mozambique.

Our Adventure in Video!

It’s a little hard to believe we’ve been here in Mozambique for 7 months already! We recently completed a video giving an overview of the projects we’ve taken on here. There’s never a dull moment as God continues to expand our vision and reveal his plans for Mozambique. Check out our video HERE, or click the link below.



Click here to watch our latest video!



Visitors

We finished most of our house renovations and bought the needed furniture, and not a day too soon! We’ve had a steady flow of visitors for the past couple of weeks, who have been a blessing. One of these visitors is an old friend, ‘Mama Lee’, who ran an orphanage here for 11 years. She has since moved back to the States but is here to visit her kids. We’ve been privileged to have her company, and to provide her with a ‘home base’ from which she can minister to the children and work with Pastor Mario to establish the orphanage under Peniel leadership. Her love for Mozambique and dedication to the welfare of her kids is a big encouragement to all of us.




Our other visitors were an amazing couple, Jeff and Anneen, who are on an 11-month motorcycle journey from South Africa to Egypt. Their mission is to film a documentary about Muslims who have chosen to follow Christ. Check out their website and blog at anarrowpathmovie.com! They interviewed some members of our church, including Pastor Mario’s wife, Zaida, who was raised in a devoutly Muslim family. They also taught a few video classes for the Peniel media team during their stay here. They have a lot of skills and expertise to offer, and the media team was eager to learn more from them. They gave us the full versions of the testimonies filmed here, and we plan to edit and release them for those of you who are interested in the amazing things God is doing here among Muslims.












It's been great to open up our home to visitors like Jeff and Anneen












Mama Lee with a couple of her kids












Carla with one of her English classes









Kyran and Jariel are enjoying their new school!












We were glad that Jeff and Anneen made some time for us on their motorcycle-through-Africa itinerary!




English and Education Classes







Carla has had an opportunity to use her teaching skills with some English classes. Zaida and her 6 children have been wanting to learn English for years, and Carla started doing regular classes with them. She plans to start some more classes soon with some pastors who want to plant churches in Zimbabwe and Malawi. It’s a privilege to provide the tools necessary for these Mozambican missionaries to fulfill their calling!






Through the church’s women’s ministry, Carla has continued teaching mothers about getting involved in their children’s education. In her last talk she shared the idea of making books at home to read to their kids, and it was amazing to watch their faces light up! There are very few books here, and they are quite expensive, so she showed them some books she created and encouraged them to do the same. It has been a great opportunity to equip families to give their kids a better chance at succeeding in school and life, leading to a brighter future for Mozambique.
Kids' New School







While we were enjoying homeschooling Kyran and Jariel, they were having difficulty connecting with other kids, learning Portuguese, and getting into the culture. A friend from church recommended the Christian English school where she sent her son, and we decided to try it out. The school is run by Kenyans and Nigerians, the teachers are Zimbabwean, and most of the students are Mozambican. The kids have been doing quite well at the school, they are opening up more, making friends, and learning a lot.










Prayer







Thanks for your prayers! As we reviewed our prayer requests from our last newsletter, we realized nearly every one was answered! Please keep it up.
Praises

We asked for prayer for Kyran and Jariel to make more friends, and their new school is helping with that!

That our house improvements are mostly done, and we can now use it to be more hospitable.

That we have made some great connections with old and new friends visiting us.

That our teaching and equipping roles are expanding and bearing fruit.

Prayer Requests

That we could stay healthy. It’s winter here now, and most of us have had colds and sniffles for a few weeks.

That we could manage our time well. As the pace is picking up and we are getting busier, we want to make sure we choose the right projects.

Please also pray for Jeff and Anneen’s film project, that they would have a safe trip and make more good connections as they travel north.

We will have another visitor from our home church, Laura, who will be arriving next week. Please pray for her preparations, travels, and the projects she will be doing here.









Jon and Anneen interviewing and filming Amir, a leader at our church who grew up in a Muslim family. His was just one of many powerful testimonies we got to hear this week!

Conference, car, and casa, oh my!

Conference, car, and casa, oh my! The past two months have been busy ones for us, as we’ve focused on our roles as equippers and encouragers, taken a 17-hour road trip to buy a car, and have worked on needed house improvements. Carla and Jariel during one of Carla's teaching sessions. Women's Conference Last week was Peniel’s international women’s conference, and Carla was invited to speak. She taught three elective sessions on transforming the education system through parental involvement. It was very well received, especially in a culture where neither parents nor teachers take an active involvement in kids' education. Kyran and Jariel were able to show off a bit of what they know in order to inspire the mothers to spend more time with their kids, help them learn to read, ask lots of questions, encourage curiosity, and be creative, all of which is foreign to the culture. There were a few teachers who attended the sessions, and they talked about how difficult it is to be the only teachers of integrity at their schools, how they had to constantly turn away offers of bribes in exchange for good grades, and how little the kids coming into their classes knew, since previous teachers never expected much from them. We gathered around them to pray for strength to be a light in a dark place! Jon and Janie were also hard at work during the during the conference. Jon worked overtime with Dino and the video crew to record the conference sessions and make the teachings available afterwards. Janie teamed up with another photographer to do photos and photo editing. It was a busy time for us all, but we were glad of the opportunity to fellowship with and be a blessing to our friends at Peniel. Jon, Kyran and James hard at work in the media department. Conferência das Mulheres Vitoriosas (Conference of the Victorious Women) Some ladies from one of Peniel's church plants presented gifts of fruit and sheep to Pastor Mario and his wife on the last day of the conference. Carla made matching outfits out of capulanas for herself and Jariel. They were a big hit at the conference! The kids enjoyed being able to play outside more while we were in Maputo. We don't have much of a yard, and there aren't many parks in Beira! Facebook Website YouTube Email Donate Equip Mozambique is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so all donations are eligible for tax-exemption.

New (To Us) Car In our last newsletter we mentioned that we were importing a car. It arrived in Maputo, the capital city, and Jon, Carla and the kids went down there to get it at the end of March. The process ended up being more complicated than we’d anticipated, and one week in Maputo turned into three. But our prayers for favor were answered, and we are now the grateful owners of a 4-wheel-drive minivan! After months of getting rides with friends or taking chappas and chopellas around town, it is an incredible blessing to finally have a car of our own. Everyday tasks like buying groceries and hauling media equipment to and from church are much easier now. We bought a larger car because we also wanted to be able to bless other people with transportation. Most of the evening services at church go so late that public transport is hard to get, and we have already packed out our van on several occasions with people who needed rides. It is a big asset to our ministry. Janie was happy to cover up the cartoon                     The kids pitched in, too. murals  in her bedroom.     Home Repairs One of our goals is to spend more time connecting with Mozambicans by having people over for meals or small group Bible studies. So, we’ve been at work getting our house into shape. Cracks and windows needed to be repaired where water was coming in, several of the walls needed painting, and the floor needs to be redone. We are working on converting our ‘house’ into a ‘home’ but the process has left us without a living room for over a month. We are still looking for furniture as we don’t yet have a dining room table or any sofas or chairs for the living room. We are also hoping to install a generator so our food doesn’t rot in our fridge during the many power outages. We will be very excited once this process is complete and we can begin sharing our home with others. A side benefit of this long home repair process is that we were able to provide some work for friends in need. One friend, Tony, needed money to pay for his education, and Lino needed help rebuilding his haircutting business. Both considered the opportunity to be an answer to prayer and we are glad to have their help. As always, we appreciate your prayers and support as we pursue the plans God has for us here in Mozambique. Praises That our car arrived and we were able to drive it home safely! That the women's conference went well, and that we were able to start equipping families to have greater success in education. That we have made some beneficial connections with some Mozambican business people who will be great assets in our attempts at helping business and economical growth. Prayer Requests That God would continue to guide us in how to equip Mozambicans to reach their full potential. That we could find ways to get Kyran and Jariel more friends and help them become more connected to the culture here. That the house projects would be done soon and that we would be able to keep our eyes on the blessing it can be to others instead of just the work itself. Worship in one of Mozambique's tribal languages. And an accompanying dance, of course!

Our church's first worship album!

Our church, Peniel Worship Center, put out a new album of original worship songs! Here is the translation of all the songs on it. You can download the album on iTunes, Amazon, or the Google Play Store, it's called "Africa o Tempo de Adorar", or "Africa, Time to Worship". Check it out!

1. Africa

Africa, it’s time to worship

In spirit and in truth unto the Lord

Rise up and shine in the Lord

Shine as glory comes over you

Many come to you to celebrate

Many come to you to worship

Hearing what God has done for you

The nations will come to praise

The nations will come to sing

Hearing what God has done for you

Many come to you to

Praise, dance, and celebrate!

2. Atrios (Halls)

I want to come into Your halls

With a grateful heart to worship You

In Your holiness

You are my best

There is no other I want more than You

You are my God

Who reigns in glory

Who heals and sanctifies

Who comforts hearts

And proclaims liberty

To the captives and the oppressed

What I long for more than anything

Is to live close to You

In Your house, Lord

My desire is to worship You

In Your holiness, Lord

In Your holiness

To worship You

I spirit and in truth

Lord

3. Geração Santa (Holy Generation)

A holy generation

Ones who will celebrate

Ones who will worship in holiness

I know that Your eyes

Are over the earth

Searching for a redeemed people to worship You

Who will be filled with the power of the Spirit

And live in Your holiness

A holy generation

Those who celebrate

Those who worship in holiness

A holy generation

Those who seek you

Those who value everything

But don’t sin

You are holy

4. Não Há Barreiras (There Are No Barriers)

If I cry out I know that You will come

If I call Your name, You come

Oh my Lord, come help me

Come rescue me

Yes, I will listen to Your voice

And I will accept the change

Come oh Lord and give me a character like Yours

Transform who I am

Give me Your character

I want to be a mirror

Wherever I go

Lord, transform my life

Give me Your character

I want to be a mirror

Wherever I go

There are no barriers or limits

Wherever I go

Others will always see the Lord in me

5. Renova o meu Carácter (Renew My Character)

I fall prostrate at Your feet

I want to learn from You

Who are meek and humble

Teach me to live with Christian character

Because I want to honor You with my attitudes

Because I want to honor You with my attitudes

Renew my character

Renew my thoughts

Let whatever You want be done in me

Guide my steps

Guide who I am

I want to live Your will

Because I want to honor You with my attitudes

6. Emanuel (Emmanuel)

You have the name above all names

Jesus, Jesus

All dominion is under You

Jesus, King of kings

You reign with power and glory

And Your Kingdom is established with justice

Immanuel, You are wonderful

Prince of Peace

You are the eternal God

7. Quero ser Santo (I Want to be Holy)

Purify me

Purify my soul

Purify my heart

I want to be holy, oh God

I want to be holy (3X)

8. Quero Ir Além (I want to go Beyond)

Whom do I have in heaven besides You?

Where could I go, if life is found in You?

I want to go beyond what my eyes can see

Set the oppressed free

Announce Your peace, oh Lord

To be a lighthouse in the middle of the darkness

Give me Your vision

I want to go to the nations, Lord

The generation that takes on the vision of God

We are, we are

9. Visão (Vision)

Place in me Your vision

The target I will reach

Place in me Your dreams

I will bring forth Your vision

Because this is the time

That the visionaries will run with Your vision

Vision (3X)

Of an eagle, I want to have

Vision (3X)

To see what God sees

This is the time to raise up visionaries

That will rise up like the eagles

This is the time to raise up visionaries

Who will run with vision

10. Frutificar (Fruitfulness)

Lord, here I am

I surrender myself at Your feet

Lord, here I am

I want to go and announce

You are the true Vine

Whoever is in You

Will bear much fruit

I want to be with You
Oh, my Lord
I want to be... Oh Lord

My heart is on Your altar

I want to receive so much more

To give fruit in Your temple

The season has arrived

Fruitfulness

The season has arrived 


Great songs, right?!
As a little bit of back story, songs #5, #6, and #9 were written (and performed on this album) by a girl named Maninya who passed away in January. The whole church was shocked and saddened, she was so young and talented, had impacted so many lives, and left a gaping hole in the community and church family. Pastor Mario prayed, as I'm sure so many others did, "Why, God? Why now?" He felt the answer was, "Because her mission was complete."

All that God had planned and set out for her, she accomplished faithfully. And she's left this legacy behind her, I think about her every time we sing one of her songs in church. She had a gift for bringing others into God's presence, because that is where she habitually dwelt.

Well done, good and faithful servant.

What is the mission God has for you? What are you doing to live it out?

Exciting possibilities and good news!

An update from Equip Mozambique! View this email in your browser While 2015 will involve a lot less travel than 2014, it promises to be just as exciting for the Equip Mozambique team. We continue to relish our role of discovering, partnering, and empowering - finding out what God wants to do in the church, the city, and in individuals then equipping them for that role. Radio Station The church just got the equipment for most of a radio station from Brazil. They have been actively praying and seeking this opportunity for 5 years, and now it’s within reach. While there are individuals in the church with experience working a radio station, no one has put a station together before or understands how the equipment works together. As always, God seems to have a plan and Jon at least understands the basics. He has been poring over manuals and physics equations from his college days in order to fit the station together in the best possible way. When we left the US, we never thought ‘bearing much fruit’ (John 15:16) would include a radio station, but here we are! Peniel Peniel Leadership We have all enjoyed working under the leadership of Peniel. Even though we’ve only been here a short time, the church really does feel like a ‘home church’. Pastor Mario is a man who has a thorough knowledge of the Bible, a vibrant relationship with God, and is passionate about equipping other Mozambicans to bring positive change to their society. He speaks the truth in love, but he isn’t afraid of causing offence or taking a stand against the ungodly aspects of some of Mozambique's cultural norms. We have all benefitted from his teaching, and have been encouraged and challenged by the dedication with which the other church members live out their faith. A BLOG from Jon about various job opportunities here in Mozambique. Kyran balancing between two puddles on our street. It has been raining a lot lately, and much of Mozambique is flooded. Thankfully our area isn't that bad! Janie has been blogging about her many encounters HERE. Facebook Website YouTube Email Donate Equip Mozambique is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so all donations are eligible for tax-exemption. Education Research   Our interest in helping Mozambique in the area of education is taking on new and exciting turns that we never would have expected. In order to get a better picture of the education landscape and opportunities, we've been interviewing some teachers and parents to get their opinions on the current state of schools and what is needed. One parent told us that some teachers don’t even show up for whole weeks at a time, and if they do come, they’re drunk. She was upset that the kids are expected to pass the standardized tests at the end of the school year when they have so little instruction. Another parent said a student could have 9 classes on their day's schedule, but only 3 teachers would show up that day. Two college professors lamented that many of their students - who graduated from high school - can’t even read.  They simply passed from one grade to the next, and then to graduation, by bribing the teachers for good grades. This explains two other major issues: corruption and the fact  that students of all ages just don’t seem to be motivated or care about learning. These are sadly common stories we’re hearing, so it’s pretty clear that  some drastic changes are needed to ensure a higher quality of education. Parents as Teachers   Carla has started homeschooling Kyran and Jariel, thanks to another missionary family that generously loaned us a complete kindergarten curriculum and set of books. The kids have been loving it, and are learning in leaps and bounds. Through conversations with Mozambican parents, we've come to realize that it is a completely foreign idea for them to be actively involved in their children's education. They've been shocked that almost-5-year-old Kyran can read and do two-digit addition problems, and 2-year-old Jariel knows the alphabet and can locate several countries on a world map. They didn't even realize that such young children were capable of thinking like that! This has given Carla the idea of starting a 'Parents as Teachers' kind of class at church to help parents give their kids a headstart with a desire to learn. This could transform at least some of Mozambique's educational woes from the bottom up. Job Opportunities Jon has also been busy looking for business opportunities and finding the right people to take advantage of them. If you want to know more, read his blog post “Want to Quit Your Job?” Please be praying for Bernardo and Dino, brave Christians who had great jobs but whom God is calling to step into the unknown. Janie Janie’s been spending time with several other girls from church in order to form friendships and keep learning Portuguese. Every day is a new adventure, whether it’s being asked to cook ‘American food’ for a friend, committing hilarious linguistic blunders, or having random conversations in stores and parking lots. She also got to do some photos for the wedding of a Mozambican couple. The wedding included multiple locations, lots of dancing, and lots of food. The whole affair lasted for about twelve hours, and it was a great experience, though it made for a very hectic day. Janie got the chance to photograph a Mozambican wedding. DIREs!   In order for us to do any ministry, there is a lot of administration that has to take place in the background. We have finally succeeded in getting our residency approval! It has been a long process including unexpected flights, emergency documents, and mailing shenanigans but God is good. We are so grateful for all of your prayers and the support of those here who have helped us through the process. To give some perspective on how big of a blessing this is: Jon and Carla were here for three years previously, and were never able to get their DIREs (the Mozambican equivalent of a US green card). This is a major praise report for us. Thank you for your prayers and partnership! Praises We're thankful to finally have our DIREs! We were able to find and buy a vehicle that looks like it will suit our needs well. It's currently en route from Japan and should arrive at the end of March. For God's faithfulness in opening doors and showing us more areas for ministry. For the kids' homeschool curriculum and the inspiration it provided to help other parents.   Prayer Requests That our car would arrive safely and that we wouldn't encounter any problems with the import process. That God would continue to guide us to the right people who need equipping in order to live out their calling. For Bernardo and Dino, the two brave men who are looking into starting their own businesses with Jon's guidance. That we would know which projects to take on and which ones would only distract us from the best that God has for us.  Reinagel family at the beach Thanks for reading, please remember us in your prayers!