Friday, June 22, 2012

Bible School African Style -- Part 1

On our migration thus far, the Lord has blessed our family with good overall adjustments to our new culture. Lee and I have done very well, but the girls have had a more difficult time, understandable. One thing I tell them is that I don't want them to just survive....but ...to thrive in Mozambique! It has been a "one step forward, two steps back" kind of progress. The past week and a half were no different.

A group of 15 youth, young adults, a pastor and his family from Gaffney, SC came to Quelimane to work with youth and children in area Baptist Churches. We were so blessed to get to tag along! Some days Meghan thrived, some days it was Lilly, other days it was Emma. On the other side of that coin, there were days that they each didn't, and they begged to go back home or were rude to everyone. I am just thankful that everyone felt what it feels like to love Mozambique even if it was just for a day.

They started at our church....Missão Baptista of Coalane!
Sunday morning went the team arrrived.
Coalane had never had a mission team before.
Singing songs!!
(Notice that the walls of the church have been mudded.
This is sign of permanence!)

Look at the smiles on the faces of the men in the back row!!
Joyful!!
During church Emma made paper cranes
and put them in the mud on the walls!!
Imagine that!!
Meghan's week started great!
This was the she found her place at Coalane.
This is her, a little friend, and Carolina and girl that is her age.
Emma also had a great time making friends on Sunday. This is her with my
language teacher's daughter, Bionda, and her cousin Marava.
They have tried to play together before and it just didn't click....until Sunday!
 Great friends!!
Sweet faces!
Emma's turn!
Notice the bracelet on this little guy.
This is a charm that they put on their babies here.
Someone mixes a concoction and sews it into this cloth bracelet.
They believe that the concoction protects the baby from illness.
This is part of their beliefs in the powers of the spirit world.
We are only scratching the surface!
Her man!!
This is Monday morning.
The group started with ice-breakers.
Painting nails was always a favorite!
Gender doesn't matter here :)
This Emma's other new friend....Rosalina!
Rosalina is in my reading group on Tuesdays.
She is special too me because she is very shy and doesn't have very many friends.
I suggested that the girls be-friend her and they did!
She stuck like glue to Emma both Monday and Tuesday.
(They are almost the same age.....my children are much taller
than their Mozambican age-mates.)
This is me and Suzana my language teacher!
Rosalina wanted to be in the picture, too.
Sweet thing!!!!
Another charm!
This is why we are here!!! These people need to know about the Most High God!
They need to be free from this bondage to charms and the like!

Rosalina jumped into this picture with us.
Tuesday.....packed house for Bible School.....last day in Coalane!

Meghan helping a little guy with the sack race!
Emma policing the line.
DON'T try to get in line twice!
I love this picture!!
I post this picture not to exploit this little guy,
but to show you the horrible state of the children's clothing in this community!
I wish it was just as simple as you sending us
all of the clothing that you don't need.....but, it's not!
Last year for Christmas the only thing Meghan wanted was a parachute!
This is why!
Thank you Mary!!!
Lilly and 2 of her friends.
This is progress!!!!
Many of the children brought their little siblings on their backs to Bible School.
You can't very well play field games with a baby on your back.
So, Meghan and Lilly wanted to help them out by "babysitting"!
She loves doing this!!

Sweetness!!!!
I love this picture! At the end of the day on Tuesday the pastor gave an invitation.
These are the ones that came forward.
He is talking with them about how to become a Christian.
The boy in the front with the striped shirt is Bilton.
Bilton is in my reading group on Tuesday mornings!!!!
I am rejoicing for his decision!!!
The smile says it all!!!!


Awesome start to the week!!!! 


Tracy

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