From: “Brenda Lange”
Date: December 11, 2011 5:22:50 AM CST
Subject: Blog Dec. 11, 2011
SUNDAY UPDATE ON PEQUARIA AND NACCACA CHURCHES
Today, I taught at both these churches, which makes for a very busy morning.
At Pequaria:
JACINTO is doing marvellously (both physically and spiritually).
His EYES were so ALIVE and sparkled with JOY!
He was laughing and singing along with the rest of us.
A big change from the solemn, mute young man I met 5 weeks ago.
I asked Pastor Tomas what is making the difference?
I was told that JACINTO is at Pastor’s mud hut daily to listen to the Church’s AUDIO BIBLE in Makua.
For those who can’t read, HEARING God’s Word is a precious gift.
Jacinto is doing what all new Christians should do—FEED on God’s Word. The results are written in his sparkling eyes.
Jacinto’s feet are no longer swollen, and his eye lid color is now light red instead of pale white.
Thanks to the gifts we received to provide him with a high protein diet, he is making a fast recovery.
THE AUDIO BIBLE IN MAKUA, our local tribal language, is an item I’d like to add to our WISH LIST.
$40 provides this invaluable gift to a bush church.
Since illiteracy is 85–90% in remote villages, this is the ONLY WAY a new Christian is able to know what the Bible says.
AMEDO—the 3 year old who received a transfusion 10 days ago, is looking much stronger.
His name means “no fear” or courageous.
He is truly that, as he is one tough little boy to have survived all he’s been through.
He, too, is receiving a high protein diet to hasten his recovery, and his father received corn and bean seeds today.
The rainy season has begun, and our clay based roads are getting muddy.
ERMALINDA, the 9 year old who was delivered from demons 2 weeks ago, has changed drastically!
Today, she actually made eye contact and talked to us.
Her father was out of town when his wife brought Ermalinda for prayer.
He told us the dramatic difference in her caused him to believe immediately in Jesus!
On his knees before the church this morning, with his daughter and wife at this side, he repeated the sinner’s prayer to receive Jesus.
God is changing many lives in this little village that was steeped in witch craft before Jesus sent us there.
PEQUARIA’S VILLAGERS are “waking up” to the fact that Jesus is the truth, the way, and the light. He answers prayer, and heals the sick.
There is never a dull moment in this village, and there is always an adventure waiting for us on Sundays.
NACCACA CHURCH is now 3 weeks old, and the 32 adults and children sat attentively today on their bamboo benches as we explained through dramas and picture stories how to walk with Jesus. They proudly showed me a small bamboo “veranda” they built this week which needs a grass roof.
The members built it to serve as their temporary church for the rainy season.
The members say that they would like to build a permanent church in May when the rains stop.
Their biggest need is for a water well.
They are truly suffering from lack of water, and with your help, we would like to provide them with a well in 2012.
This village has 5,000 people and only one hand pump water well.
To receive 20 liters (5 gallons) of water, a person must stand in line for 8 hours and pay 4 cents U.S.
With temperatures at 100 F (38C heat) in the sun, that is not an easy thing to do.
That adds up to a lot of money/family each day, and these people don’t have it.
The Normal water price from a village well is 15 CENTS U.S. per MONTH.
To survive, these families must live on 5 gallons of water/day and spend $1.20/month.
Those who don’t have the money, must walk to PEQUARIA, 6 miles away to get water from traditional wells.
TOGETHER, WE CAN STOP THIS WATER ROBBERY.
A WATER WELL IS A GIFT OF LIFE that keeps a village healthy.
$10,000 for a well is only $2/person for a LIFE TIME of clean water in this village.
The church has been given a large piece of land by the village chief, and there is plenty of room for a water well to benefit their neighbourhood.
I know there is underground water as there is a traditional well about 8 meters deep at the mud hut we purchased this week for Pastor Luis who now heads up that church.
It is dry at this time, but it lets us know that most of the year the water table is not very deep.
The water is there, we just need to give them access to it.
WISH LIST ADD ONS:
Some of you have asked about shoes and clothing costs for our children:
A shirt with shorts or skirt costs $7/child.
We have 1,700 children in the program who need our clothing help.
Of the 115 orphans living with us in Balama, 54 are in school, and must have school uniforms (we make them ourselves) and shoes in order to attend school.
The village children do not required to have uniforms, only those attending the school in Balama town.
54 UNIFORMS and sets of SHOES needed:
Uniforms cost $15/child (our sewing department provides them with a white short sleeve shirt/blouse, and dark blue pants or skirts.)
School Shoes are $20/child.
THE BUSH BUNNY’S USA TOUR SCHEDULE will be released by late December.
I am looking to seeing many of you as I tour 7 states to share what God is doing in Mozambique.
Blessings,
Bush Bunny Brenda and the Balama staff