Newsletter Aug-Oct 2016 Pg 3

Praises to God and Thank-yous to Prayer Warriors!

Thank you Prayer Warriors!
It's been 1 week since we asked you to join us in diligent daily prayer for 7 days.
Wow! What a difference a week makes!
I just left meeting with Stephanie. We spent over half an hour talking, with smiles and astonished looks on our faces, as we shared with each other how we are both in such a state of peace! Is it possible to be in such a state of rest when we have no idea what the future holds? Well of course it is! But only by clinging to the solid rock of Jesus Christ! And by being strengthened through all your prayers to keep clinging to that Rock! And seriously, who really knows what their future holds anyway?
We continue to soldier on with the work that God has called us to do here at Maforga.
We have the clinic license!
The new laundry & sterilization room is complete and beautiful!
Many patients are being treated despite the clinic closure, and are healed, including one man
     suffering from a skin disease for over 1 year - healed in 1 week with only prayer and coal tar!
Team members are praying for one another and encouraging each other!
We've had several days of rain!
Bible School graduation was Sunday - 150 more disciples in this area praying for Mozambique and
     spreading the Good News!
And God continues to move in and through the lives of Maforga!
Thank you and God bless you for standing with us!
We are united in prayer!
The Lord knows the thoughts of man,
That they are futile.

Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord,
And teach out of Your law,

That You may give him rest from the days of adversity...

Unless the Lord had been my help,
My soul would soon have settled in silence.

If I say, “My foot slips,”
Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.

In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.

 - Psalm 94:11-13, 17-19

Hi Prayer Warriors!
We're still faced with many unknowns, but that's what Faith is for, right?!
I received some awesome counsel and resources from dear brother Denny Thonmpson about the honor-shame / power-fear culture that I am in. What a blessing!
We don't have and can't get honor on our own; it must be willingly given by one who already has the honor. And shame is so dreadful that it is covered at all cost. What Jesus did on the cross for unworthy sinners turned the entire world system upside-down!
Thanks to the strength by your prayers, I continue to worship & serve with peace & joy, while I wait for God to turn this whole thing on its head. All to His glory!

Prayer and Praise!

Hi Prayer Warriors!
It's been exactly 48 hours since requesting 7 days of prayer. Wow! I woke up this morning, aware of a change in the spiritual atmosphere! This was confirmed by several others. Praise God! Thank you for being so dedicated and faithful! The battle rages on, but God is on the move! Please keep praying!
'…Today you are about to engage in battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, alarmed, or terrified because of them. For the Lord your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.' Deut 20:3-4.
God bless you; I love you all!

"Habakkuk" Sermon Jam - Ken Carlson

Hi Prayer Warriors!

We are in the midst of a fierce spiritual battle. Just as we recommitted our resolve to obeying God and not give any way to fear or doubt, the enemy turned up the heat.

We are asking everyone to please commit to pray for everyone at Maforga and for Maforga's light to shine for all to see and glorify God.

Please dedicate time to pray for Maforga every day for the next 7 days.

 For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’” Zecharaiah 2:5

Please don't forget to pray for each other as well, as we also pray for you all! The power of prayer is real, the enemy knows it, so he will try to stop you.

Until the whole world hears!

Update written 10/29/16

The Follow Team, 11 men & women from Holland, were here for 2 weeks. They accomplished so much on the clinic, staff quarters, and dorm/sterilization room. What a blessing! I really enjoyed getting to know them and had a lot of fun with them! Stephanie & I left Maforga Saturday morning to take the Team to depart from Beira. We spent a final Saturday afternoon & evening, and Sunday morning fellowshipping with them, then dropped them off at the airport.

 Henk, Yos, Sheri, Jappa, Garrit

 Irma, Sheri, Kees, Thea

 Leo, Sheri, Chritiaan

 Wim, Sheri, Pauliena

Steph then dropped me off at a Catholic Center to get some much needed rest. She returned to Maforga for the clinic inspection scheduled for Tuesday morning & planned to pick me up Wednesday morning. The Catholic Center wasn’t a Monastery like I was told, but it was quiet (I was the only guest there) for my 2 days of “call to silence.” No calls, no texts, no emails, no knocks on the door. What an awesome time with the Lord! I spent the entire time studying scripture and praying in the Chapel (open 24 hours).

Wed morning I turned my phone back on, only to discover the inspectors never showed. Steph was spending Wed sorting out the confusion and would pick me up Thursday. I was glad for the extra day at the Center. Steph picked me up Thurs morning. The clinic inspection was re-scheduled for next week, so we stayed at a quiet place north of Beira (again, no other guests) to seek the Lord, pray, and discuss clinic logistics (she leaves on furlough in 3 weeks). My phone croaked as soon as we arrived – praise God it waited until after Steph & I had arranged for her to pick me up a day later than expected! They only had electricity from 6-11pm & had no internet, so it was also a peaceful time seeking the Lord! We’re back in Beira tonight, and will head to Maforga early tomorrow morning before the heat. It’s been in the mid-high 90’s here. Praise God for electricity, fans & internet, now that we're back in Beira!

The Friday afternoon prior to our Saturday departure, I packed up my “illegal” clinic. The clinic isn’t licensed to be open yet, but I’ve been treating several patients per day, and was tired of running to the clinic to obtain items I didn’t have in my kit at home, so I set up the 1^st clinic room (medical records room) as my treatment room. It was basically a bookshelf with several tote-boxes of all the common medicines, wound care supplies, and needed equipment & supplies to treat patients. My “little clinic” is well known locally, so when I loaded up all the tote-boxes in preparation for Tuesday’s inspection, a small crowd gathered with astonished & concerned faces, until they knew it wasn’t permanent. I think the little children were the most concerned, when they saw the box with the lollipops being carted out!

Thank you for keeping us and the clinic in your prayers! Please continue to pray that the clinic will open soon. We will continue with the Lord's work despite the clinic doors being "closed," but it sure would be nice to have the clinic and staff fully functional and at full capacity again!

May the Lord bless and keep you all!

Sheri