Greetings! I'm sorry it has been so long since my last post. it seems like ages. so much has happened. its crazy. god is working in mozambique and in me in so many amazing ways. i have been hanging out with some kids from the village around our base and it has been a lot of fun. we play all the time. yesterday was mozambiques independence day so we had a fiesta on the beach. there were sodas and candy & it was so much fun.
i dont even know what to say about all the lord has been teaching me. i have been learning a lot about finding my identity in christ. christ in me the hope of glory! i am learning about my position as a beloved daughter of the king. i have always heard and read these things but he is revealing the truth of them into my heart and not just my head. i have felt the love of the father and it has been so so good and empowering. he is taking me deeper into him every day. it is so amazing. he is opening up my eyes to so much. we are learning about the power of his anointing and that he lives in us, giving us so much power and authority. ah it is so crazy. there is so much for to a life of following jesus than i ever experienced before. (sorry this is really spastic, i am here with my little mozambican brothers, showing them that michael jackson is indeed dead. they are shocked, as was i. he is a legend here. its really amusing to me) i am learning that god is really living and active and moving. he is speaking to me in new ways, it is so neat. ahh i just dont even know how to explain.
the warfare is heavy here because of all the advancement in kingdom. my days are kind of like a rollercoaster. some i wake up with so much joy, and some days with so much heaviness and tiredness. but i keep receiving grace to press into the school and classes and loving the kids.
i have one major prayer request- the boys who i always write about- carlito and fogar and hasam, the brothers. i have been hanging out with them everyday, as usual and i have really gotten to know and love them and the more time i spend with them the more i learn about them and the other night i was talking with carlito- the 13 year old and he opened up and told me about his abusive parents. it broke my heart. he cried as he showed me some of his scars and told me part of his story. we cried and prayed together. it has been really heavy on my heart. last night i was not able to sleep as i felt his pain and unrest. he wasnt able to go home last night because he was scared of the punishment that would await him at home. it just breaks my heart. so i ask you to be in prayer for the boys and their family. that there would be restoration. for the hearts of their parents. it has really opened my eyes up more to the calling god has on my heart for his children. the literal children. i know we are all gods children, but his little ones have especially been on my heart and i am discovering that i may have a lifelong call to help love and rescue his hurting or abandoned children. Heidi Baker keeps giving us messages about loving and serving the poor and they really strike something in my heart.
ok the boys are getting impatient in waiting for more news and videos about michael, so i am going to go devote some more attention to that.
thank you so much for you love and prayers and encouragement. they are so good for my heart. it makes me so happy to know you are reading my blogs and staying updated. i send you my love!
love love love
kelly
Friday, June 26, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
I never know how to title this thing...
Today we began week 3! Crazy. It was been so good. This weekend was our first chance to have some serious free time. No early mornings and lots of time to just do whatever we wanted. On Saturday I took a couple of my boys (the 3 brothers who I love and adore and have basically spent every hour of free time with. their names are Carlitu, Fogar, and Hasam) to the beach. We had a great time splashing around in the beautiful, clear water.
Yesterday we went to church, which is always a fun experience here. Everyone is so alive. The Spirit is moving, active. Everyone is up and dancing and singing praises to the Lord. It is so beautiful. It reminds me of the last couple of Psalms- all about praising the Lord.
We have been spending a lot of time here learning and hearing testimonies about God's amazing power of healing. It is something I have never really heard much about actually happening in present times. But holy cow. The spirit is at work here. Teams here have seen tons of healings. I myself have only seen a few, but it is enough to change my way of thinking and praying. Like last week, Hasam (the youngest of the 3 brothers that I spend time with. I think he about 5) came into class and fell alseep in my lap, but he had a really deep chest cough (like bronchitis) and he was having a hard time sleeping because of it so I was just praying over him as he layed there. Then later on that day the kids told me that he was really sick and getting worse. He was so lethargic and it just broke my heart. His oldest brother- Carlitu, told me that the next day they were going to take him to the hospital to be looked at. So I prayed for him through the night, that his cough would be healed and that he would feel better and all of that and the next day, he shows up spunky & happy and didn't cough the whole day! we went to the beach, we played and ran all day and he was fine. Praise jesus! It was so neat to see the power of the Lord at work. I could give countless more stories of the Lord at work here and his powerful healing- the blind are seeing, the deaf hearing, it is crazy.
The Lord is doing lots in my heart, teaching me more every day. I am still having to work on resting in Him, not striving so much. It is hard, but good. He is meeting me every day.
Thank you so much for all of your prayers and words of encouragement. I really cannot tell you how much each one of them means. I am so thankful for you, as my community of believers.
Please keep praying for my ability to handle everything that is being poured into me. There is so much to take in and sometimes I struggle to find time to want to be around any of the other students here with me. I hope to work up more of a desire to spend time with them, building community but it is hard when i want to spend all of my time either processing everything by myself, or playing with the kids.
thanks again for the love and prayers.
press on
kelly
Yesterday we went to church, which is always a fun experience here. Everyone is so alive. The Spirit is moving, active. Everyone is up and dancing and singing praises to the Lord. It is so beautiful. It reminds me of the last couple of Psalms- all about praising the Lord.
We have been spending a lot of time here learning and hearing testimonies about God's amazing power of healing. It is something I have never really heard much about actually happening in present times. But holy cow. The spirit is at work here. Teams here have seen tons of healings. I myself have only seen a few, but it is enough to change my way of thinking and praying. Like last week, Hasam (the youngest of the 3 brothers that I spend time with. I think he about 5) came into class and fell alseep in my lap, but he had a really deep chest cough (like bronchitis) and he was having a hard time sleeping because of it so I was just praying over him as he layed there. Then later on that day the kids told me that he was really sick and getting worse. He was so lethargic and it just broke my heart. His oldest brother- Carlitu, told me that the next day they were going to take him to the hospital to be looked at. So I prayed for him through the night, that his cough would be healed and that he would feel better and all of that and the next day, he shows up spunky & happy and didn't cough the whole day! we went to the beach, we played and ran all day and he was fine. Praise jesus! It was so neat to see the power of the Lord at work. I could give countless more stories of the Lord at work here and his powerful healing- the blind are seeing, the deaf hearing, it is crazy.
The Lord is doing lots in my heart, teaching me more every day. I am still having to work on resting in Him, not striving so much. It is hard, but good. He is meeting me every day.
Thank you so much for all of your prayers and words of encouragement. I really cannot tell you how much each one of them means. I am so thankful for you, as my community of believers.
Please keep praying for my ability to handle everything that is being poured into me. There is so much to take in and sometimes I struggle to find time to want to be around any of the other students here with me. I hope to work up more of a desire to spend time with them, building community but it is hard when i want to spend all of my time either processing everything by myself, or playing with the kids.
thanks again for the love and prayers.
press on
kelly
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Whew...
Greetings again!
Things have been going great here this week. I am meeting with the Lord every day in new ways. Getting "wrecked" as they like to say here. This week David Hogan has been speaking to us. He and his ministry have raised over 500 people from the dead. It is some pretty crazy powerful stuff. He is a little intimidating and I am not a huge fun of his method of preaching because he is very very harsh, but he is full of the Holy Spirit and the Lord is using him for great works.
I'm sitting here at the cafe with some more of my favorite kids, Carlo, his little brother and some friends. They follow me everywhere now, but I like it most of the time. They are really precious, helping me to translate and get around town. Lots of fun.
Every day I am learning more about the Lord and it has been so good. I am just so full of his joy and goodness today. I realized that I don't have the capability to love others unless I am first madly in love with Him. He woke me up refreshed and full of love today. And it is beautiful.
We had an intense time of prayer and repentance after our class with David Hogan today and it was really good. Hard, but good. I was really convicted about my unwillingness to die to self. I keep realizing that more and more each day. How I want to be in control of my life, instead of letting go and allowing Jesus to guide and direct my every word and movement. It's going to mean lots of dying, daily. And lots of changes. But I am eager to press into it. Scared, but eager.
We have only been here a little over a week but I already feel the Lord doing huge works in me. It is exciting and frightening all at the same time.
Again, I thank you for remembering me in your prayers. I am working to be in prayer for each of you daily as well. Thank you thank you thank you.
blessings,
kelly
sorry if this is really sparatic and disconnected, i am a little distracted by my young mozambican friends...
love you!
Things have been going great here this week. I am meeting with the Lord every day in new ways. Getting "wrecked" as they like to say here. This week David Hogan has been speaking to us. He and his ministry have raised over 500 people from the dead. It is some pretty crazy powerful stuff. He is a little intimidating and I am not a huge fun of his method of preaching because he is very very harsh, but he is full of the Holy Spirit and the Lord is using him for great works.
I'm sitting here at the cafe with some more of my favorite kids, Carlo, his little brother and some friends. They follow me everywhere now, but I like it most of the time. They are really precious, helping me to translate and get around town. Lots of fun.
Every day I am learning more about the Lord and it has been so good. I am just so full of his joy and goodness today. I realized that I don't have the capability to love others unless I am first madly in love with Him. He woke me up refreshed and full of love today. And it is beautiful.
We had an intense time of prayer and repentance after our class with David Hogan today and it was really good. Hard, but good. I was really convicted about my unwillingness to die to self. I keep realizing that more and more each day. How I want to be in control of my life, instead of letting go and allowing Jesus to guide and direct my every word and movement. It's going to mean lots of dying, daily. And lots of changes. But I am eager to press into it. Scared, but eager.
We have only been here a little over a week but I already feel the Lord doing huge works in me. It is exciting and frightening all at the same time.
Again, I thank you for remembering me in your prayers. I am working to be in prayer for each of you daily as well. Thank you thank you thank you.
blessings,
kelly
sorry if this is really sparatic and disconnected, i am a little distracted by my young mozambican friends...
love you!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Hello everybody!
I hope you are all doing well. I have finished my first week of classes. Wow. It has been such an intense week. I don't really even know where to begin. As I sit here at the computer writing to all of you, I'm noticing that I am really homesick. I miss you all lots and lots. I would really appreciate you prayers for comfort and for peace...
It's been a busy week. We heard from Heidi Baker and from Randy Clark a few times. They both have incredible ministries and shared a lot of their stories, which were really incredible and encouraging. One of my favorites was Randy's story of Gideon in Judges 6-8 and how God called and used Gideon, who was so weak and small and inadequate. But the Lord called him a great warrior. And so he became one and God used him in incredible ways. I was really glad to be reminded that the Lord can use us even when we are week and inadequate and unknowledgable. Very glad.
The children here are so precious. I realized I haven't written or told you anything about them. They are so sweet. My new friend Nelson is sitting next to me here in the cafe. He pretty much goes everywhere with me. He is not an Iris kid but he lives in the village and comes by every day. He speaks a little english and portuguese and makua (the main language spoken here, which we are trying to learn, and is really difficult). He is so smart. He helps me with my translations. He says he is 13, but he looks like he is about 10 or 11. Everyone here is much smaller though than in the states. Anyway, Nelson is great. He has become a good friend. The kids here are so much fun. They love to walk alongside and hold your hand any chance they get. Yesterday I went over to the toddler house (where kids from babies- age 7ish hang out) and i brought over some nail polish and spent time painting all the girls nails. it was so much fun! even the tias (the... i guess we might call them nannies, or caretakers) wanted me to do their nails. it was a great time.
i have tons more i could write about but limited time and people are waiting so i'm going to run on. please continue to keep me in your prayers as i do the same for all of you. the lord has been good and gracious to me everyday and i am so thankful for that. he has given me amazing roommates to love and encourage me. thank you thank you thank you!
lots of love
kelly
I hope you are all doing well. I have finished my first week of classes. Wow. It has been such an intense week. I don't really even know where to begin. As I sit here at the computer writing to all of you, I'm noticing that I am really homesick. I miss you all lots and lots. I would really appreciate you prayers for comfort and for peace...
It's been a busy week. We heard from Heidi Baker and from Randy Clark a few times. They both have incredible ministries and shared a lot of their stories, which were really incredible and encouraging. One of my favorites was Randy's story of Gideon in Judges 6-8 and how God called and used Gideon, who was so weak and small and inadequate. But the Lord called him a great warrior. And so he became one and God used him in incredible ways. I was really glad to be reminded that the Lord can use us even when we are week and inadequate and unknowledgable. Very glad.
The children here are so precious. I realized I haven't written or told you anything about them. They are so sweet. My new friend Nelson is sitting next to me here in the cafe. He pretty much goes everywhere with me. He is not an Iris kid but he lives in the village and comes by every day. He speaks a little english and portuguese and makua (the main language spoken here, which we are trying to learn, and is really difficult). He is so smart. He helps me with my translations. He says he is 13, but he looks like he is about 10 or 11. Everyone here is much smaller though than in the states. Anyway, Nelson is great. He has become a good friend. The kids here are so much fun. They love to walk alongside and hold your hand any chance they get. Yesterday I went over to the toddler house (where kids from babies- age 7ish hang out) and i brought over some nail polish and spent time painting all the girls nails. it was so much fun! even the tias (the... i guess we might call them nannies, or caretakers) wanted me to do their nails. it was a great time.
i have tons more i could write about but limited time and people are waiting so i'm going to run on. please continue to keep me in your prayers as i do the same for all of you. the lord has been good and gracious to me everyday and i am so thankful for that. he has given me amazing roommates to love and encourage me. thank you thank you thank you!
lots of love
kelly
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Life at Pemba...
Holy Cow.
I am here. And safe. The travels were all fantastic. Praise the Lord. We met up with a lot of Iris students in Jo-burg and traveled with them into Pemba, which was fun. We all keep talking about how we feel like we have been here forever, even though its only been 2 or 3 days.
What to say... so so much has gone on. Sunday afternoon we got here and all settled in. My roommate is Bec, she is amazing. She is 18, fresh out of high school from Australia. I struggle not to pick up her accent every time we talk. We live with a couple other girls in the house who are also a lot of fun. Every morning I wake up, looking into my mosquito net reminded that I am still here, in Africa, and I get so excited!!
Monday (yesterday) was Children's day at Iris, which is basically like Christmas for them. It is one of the biggest days of the year. We fed about 2,500 kids, Iris kids and local village kids. It was fantastic. All of the Iris kids got bags of gifts. They were so excited! It was so fun to share in the work of that day. At the end of the day we did a Fire Tunnel, which I had never heard of, but we all lined up making a tunnel and were asked to pray over and pour out blessings over all the kids as they went through leaving. It was an incredible experience. I think I was more blessed that any of the kids. I was moved to tears, which really isn't surprising. But by the end I was just weeping. Everyone was so overcome by the Holy Spirit. The people here are SO different from what I am used to back home. People were all "drunk off the Holy Spirit" and falling over laughing and crying and then just resting in the spirit. Chelsey and I both were really overwhelmed by it all. I had never been exposed to anything like it. So we were talking to some of the men at the missions school about it all and praying and it was a really sweet time... which led to more weeping and being met by the Holy Spirit. So yesterday was pretty intense. But very good.
Then today was our first day of class. We had 2 speakers, Randy... something, he apparently is really famous for his work as an evangelist. He talked to us about prophecies, which again was something new to learn about. But it was very good. Everything here is so spiritual, and being from the Episcopal and then Presbyterian church, it is very different. The next speaker was Heidi Baker, the founder of the school. She was fantastic. as expected. She spoke on the passage of the Good Samaritan, reminding and urging us everyday to "stop for the one" to be compelled by love. It was a great lecture, followed by an absolutely incredible time of prayer, where I again left weeping and struck my the Holy Spirit. This was for sure the most intense movement of the Spirit I have ever felt. I just lost control of myself and was weeping and shaking in a friend's arms. I felt the electricity of God in my hands. It's impossible to explain. Afterwards I was weak and shaky. Wow. I am sure there are going to be a lot more experiences like that this summer, which I am both excited for... and scared of. I am learning about releasing. I do not like to be out of control. But to be led by God I must completely offer control to Him. Control of my life and words and body.
The past few days have been like a rollercoaster. I've had moments of incredible fear, anxiety, joy, confusion, peace, excitement...and anything else you can probably name. But it has been good. I really do beg for your prayers. Everything here is exhausting, from trying to communicate in Portuguese to getting wrecked in times of worship. But I am so thankful for this time to share it with you. I wish I had more time and energy to share all that has happened, but I think this is it for now.
Please continue to pray for my ability to communicate with the locals here (I'm learning my spanish is very helpful) and for my willingness to hand over control to the Lord and however else the Lord leads you to pray. I am so thankful for every one of your prayers. I love you I love you I love you!
peace,
kelly
I am here. And safe. The travels were all fantastic. Praise the Lord. We met up with a lot of Iris students in Jo-burg and traveled with them into Pemba, which was fun. We all keep talking about how we feel like we have been here forever, even though its only been 2 or 3 days.
What to say... so so much has gone on. Sunday afternoon we got here and all settled in. My roommate is Bec, she is amazing. She is 18, fresh out of high school from Australia. I struggle not to pick up her accent every time we talk. We live with a couple other girls in the house who are also a lot of fun. Every morning I wake up, looking into my mosquito net reminded that I am still here, in Africa, and I get so excited!!
Monday (yesterday) was Children's day at Iris, which is basically like Christmas for them. It is one of the biggest days of the year. We fed about 2,500 kids, Iris kids and local village kids. It was fantastic. All of the Iris kids got bags of gifts. They were so excited! It was so fun to share in the work of that day. At the end of the day we did a Fire Tunnel, which I had never heard of, but we all lined up making a tunnel and were asked to pray over and pour out blessings over all the kids as they went through leaving. It was an incredible experience. I think I was more blessed that any of the kids. I was moved to tears, which really isn't surprising. But by the end I was just weeping. Everyone was so overcome by the Holy Spirit. The people here are SO different from what I am used to back home. People were all "drunk off the Holy Spirit" and falling over laughing and crying and then just resting in the spirit. Chelsey and I both were really overwhelmed by it all. I had never been exposed to anything like it. So we were talking to some of the men at the missions school about it all and praying and it was a really sweet time... which led to more weeping and being met by the Holy Spirit. So yesterday was pretty intense. But very good.
Then today was our first day of class. We had 2 speakers, Randy... something, he apparently is really famous for his work as an evangelist. He talked to us about prophecies, which again was something new to learn about. But it was very good. Everything here is so spiritual, and being from the Episcopal and then Presbyterian church, it is very different. The next speaker was Heidi Baker, the founder of the school. She was fantastic. as expected. She spoke on the passage of the Good Samaritan, reminding and urging us everyday to "stop for the one" to be compelled by love. It was a great lecture, followed by an absolutely incredible time of prayer, where I again left weeping and struck my the Holy Spirit. This was for sure the most intense movement of the Spirit I have ever felt. I just lost control of myself and was weeping and shaking in a friend's arms. I felt the electricity of God in my hands. It's impossible to explain. Afterwards I was weak and shaky. Wow. I am sure there are going to be a lot more experiences like that this summer, which I am both excited for... and scared of. I am learning about releasing. I do not like to be out of control. But to be led by God I must completely offer control to Him. Control of my life and words and body.
The past few days have been like a rollercoaster. I've had moments of incredible fear, anxiety, joy, confusion, peace, excitement...and anything else you can probably name. But it has been good. I really do beg for your prayers. Everything here is exhausting, from trying to communicate in Portuguese to getting wrecked in times of worship. But I am so thankful for this time to share it with you. I wish I had more time and energy to share all that has happened, but I think this is it for now.
Please continue to pray for my ability to communicate with the locals here (I'm learning my spanish is very helpful) and for my willingness to hand over control to the Lord and however else the Lord leads you to pray. I am so thankful for every one of your prayers. I love you I love you I love you!
peace,
kelly
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