Precious friends and family,
I hope this finds each of you well. I am writing because I have exciting news to share! I have just been accepted to help staff the next Iris Harvest School of Missions in Mozambique. This means I get the joy and honor and delight of returning to Pemba, Mozambique for the next few months to love on children and see others trained and equipped for taking the Gospel to the nations. I am excited beyond words! Jesus is so good and faithful to bring me back to a place I love so much.
Most of you will remember two summers ago when I attended the Harvest School of Missions and fell even more in love with God and His people. Many of you gave of your resources- prayers, funds, encouragement, and I just wanted to sincerely thank you again. Your gifts are absolutely invaluable. My time in Pemba was a life-changing experience that I hold very dearly in my heart. In Pemba I learned more of the Love of God- tasting and seeing His goodness for myself. I saw Jesus move in power, with signs and wonders. I saw people come into saving knowledge of Jesus. I saw pastors being equipped to teach and share the Word of God. I saw children being taken in, loved, fed and transformed by the glory of God. I saw people worshipping the Lord in Spirit and in Truth. And I was invited to join in all of these endeavors! So beautiful.
I am so thankful for this chance to return with a new role. I will be serving as a staff member for the school which means I will be leading teams on outreach into the “bush-bush,” being available for ministry and prayer, being a “house parent” for some of the students in attendance and many other duties involving service and love. I really covet your prayers in this time of stepping into a leadership position. I know Jesus has called me to this place and I trust He will provide and equip me with everything I need. Still, I am asking for your prayers for wisdom, leadership from a place of love, strength, health, endurance, and anything else the Lord places on your heart to pray. Having a leadership role is much different from being a student at the school and so I am sincerely asking that you remember me in your prayers. The focus is not as centered on me, but on the students we are equipping for the work of the Kingdom. Your prayers are valuable and crucial to the work of the Kingdom and I am thankful beyond words for them! I know that I cannot carry out my responsibilities without the strength of Jesus and the power of your prayers.
And now, for some practicalities... I will be leaving on September 15th to begin the journey to Pemba. I ask that you please pray for my travels- safety, luggage making it with me, energy. Also, please pray that everything comes together in time for the trip, particularly my visa. As you can tell time is short between now and when I leave and so I ask that you join with me in trusting Jesus to provide all I need! :) I land in Pemba September 17th and spend my first two weeks there primarily with staff members- setting up, preparing for the students to come. The school begins October 3rd and runs through December 10th. Again, please pray for me as I lead and minister to these students from all over the world and all different stages of life. After the school I will immediately be leading a team of students into the “bush-bush” for a 10 day outreach where we will be traveling to different unreached villages in Mozambique, camping out and sharing the Gospel and seeing people come to Jesus! After that I return to Pemba for Christmas with the children at the Arco Iris Children’s Center! I am so excited for this chance to share Christmas with these beautiful children of God! I will be flying back to the states December 28th and covet your prayers for that time as well.
That was a lot of details, I know. Just wanted to give you all an outline of my time so you will have more of an idea of how to be praying. I also plan on keeping up with the blog that I stared two years ago when I first traveled to Pemba. The web address is http://irisharvest.blogspot.com/ and I will do my best to update frequently with praises and requests and amazing stories of what God is up to!
Also, for those of you who remember my trip two years ago to Pemba you will probably remember the family of boys I basically adopted as brothers- Jere (age 4, went to be with Jesus in heaven in May 2010), Hasam (age 7), Focas (age 12), and Carlitus (age 15). I just wanted to share the amazing news that I will be reuniting with them! Praise Jesus! My heart thrills at the thought of holding them in my arms again and loving on them and seeing the little men of God they are growing into. I also ask for your prayers as I seek to love on them and speak life over them and minister to them and their family. When I was in Pemba before God made it very clear to me that a main reason He brought me there was to love on those boys so I am very excited to be reunited and see what He has been doing in and through them since we were last together.
So, I ask that you join me in praising Jesus for His faithfulness! He is a good, good God and I am so excited to go and serve Him! I thank you immensely for your prayers and your encouragement, love and support. Please feel free to write me while I am preparing and while I am away- kazimmer@samford.edu. I look forward to sharing stories about the goodness and grace of God! Thank you for sowing into the work of the Kingdom. I pray your are blessed and filled with all the love and fullness of God.
Overflowing with love and gratitude,
Kelly Zimmerman
