Mozambique: Day Two

by | Oct 27, 2017 | Health, South Africa

What is that awful smell? Something is
clearly rotten in the state of the guesthouse kitchen! I hope it isn’t our
lunch!
Day Two has begun.
Our night had been interrupted periodically
as folks were arriving all hours of the night and morning. Nobody seemed to
have received the “Please be quiet, people sleeping” memo. The birds apparently
had not received it either. Needless to say, our day started in the early hours
of the morning. Thankfully, the kitchen had left hot water in flasks so we
could make coffee. And then that rotten smell invaded the guesthouse…
Thankfully, we had to attend early morning
Eucharist and could escape from the powerful, pungent, pervasive pong that hung
over the whole house. It was a full-on Eucharist with testimonies, prayers for
healing, Choirs, and a possible demonic manifestation included for good
measure. Then there was breakfast, which took a long time. Needless to say, we
started late…but as everything we say has to be translated, we will skip the
Dann Spader videos and make up time that way.
We had to stop at noon for prayers, but
thankfully there were no further unexpected events. Lunch was from one until
two, but as folks had been falling asleep throughout our teaching in the
morning, we were not expecting anything better after lunch! Singing lively
songs and doing stretch exercises did help to revive the group when the heads
drooped too low…but we are still behind our usual schedule.
We had Evening Prayer, followed by two
choir groups…stunning singing, that’s all I can say…even though I wanted
desperately to get on with the teaching! Some times, one just has to chill and
let God be God, no?
We decided to show two of the Dann Spader
videos as we figured out that about two thirds did understand enough English to
follow the message. Everyone seemed to appreciate them and applauded at the end
of both.

Supper and bed…thankfully it is much cooler
and we hope to rest well.

Mozambique: Day One

by | Oct 27, 2017 | Health, South Africa

Voices…I heard voices…loud voices…and it
was as light as day. I jumped out of bed, thinking we had overslept, only to
find that it was 3:45. The city of Maputo never sleeps. From then on I tossed
and turned until it was time to get up. Not a good start to our first day in
Mozambique.
Bishop Carlos, his dear wife, Hortensia,
and his daughter (a medical doctor) Graca, went out of their way to make us
feel welcome. Even though it was so late and we were all very tired, they
presented us with a lavish feast. Maputo is a port city, so fish is a staple
diet…and oh the scrumptious spices!
At 8 AM we went to the Diocesan office and
met up with Padre Campira. He and I met at the Growing the Church coordinators
meetings back in December last year. Deacon Mauricio could not meet us because
he had had a very bad accident just last week…he is fine, but his car is in bad
shape…but, unlike in the US, cars are not written off or totalled here…there
are merely knocked back into shape. As long as they can move, they are back on the
road in no time. He told us that he had stopped skidding a few inches short of
a deep ravine and that he believed the angels were looking out for him that day.
Padre Campira drove with us to show us the
way. We picked up Chico, the J-Life representative, further down the road.
Traffic had prevented him from getting to us on time. Maputo is very much like
Addis without the livestock. Driving here is not for the faint hearted. But it is
hot…not as hot as Gambella, but enough to make you feel uncomfortable. Even the
locals were complaining.
The speed limit along the road varied from
60 km to 80 km and even 100 km in one spot. For the most part we drove 60 as
there are traffic police everywhere and they will apparently stop you on a
whim. Needless to say, it took us a long time to get to our destination!
Maciene is a rather small, rural village
nestled among tall coconut trees and date palms. The Anglican centre has mango
and orange trees as well as manioc fields…all in all, a picturesque place. We
settled into the guesthouse, scouted out the place, had Evening Prayer where we
heard some wonderful singing (cantare!), introduced ourselves to those present,
and had supper. Deacon Mauricio had joined us earlier and we chatted about his
accident. I told them that we had had a sense of a spiritual battle going on in
the heavenly realm regarding this visit. They all agreed. Chico told us that
two nights ago, their gas line mysteriously started leaking while they were
asleep. His wife woke up because of the smell and alerted him to the fact. He
turned it off, but could not find the source of the leak. I told them that we
had many intercessors praying for us and for this training course.

When Satan goes out of his way to hinder
the advance of the Gospel, something great must be waiting down the line. We
are all anticipation. Come, Holy Spirit…come…

An Angel Named João

by | Oct 24, 2017 | Health, South Africa

Today we flew from Cape Town to Lanseria, a smaller, and therefore easily navigable airport close to Johannesburg. From there we drove a rental car to Mozambique…quite a drive, but the landscape is so absolutely stunning that even the four stop and go roadblocks did not phase us.

We had been told all sorts of horror stories about the border crossing, from people waiting in line for 16 hours to people having to pay $500 bribes to get through, and so we were well prepared and well armed. Well prepared in that we had done our homework…we had everything we needed in the car from reflective triangles to reflective vests and ZA stickers for the back of the car. Well armed in that we had asked many to pray for us…and we prayed especially for the Lord’s angels to go before us and to prepare the way.

The crossing on the South African side was confusing, but not a big deal. However, as we crossed over to Mozambique we were swarmed by people all offering to help us through for a price, of course. But as this just started happening, a car came up from behind and drove up next to us indicating that we follow him…which we did. The would be helpers begun to curse and swear at him. Who was he and wha did he think he was doing…robbing them of the joy of robbing these foreigners?

João turned out to be an angel in human form. Not only did he speak the language, but he grew up here and knew every detail of what we need to do. He went out of his way to help us get our visas and car papers and even called the Bishop to ask for directions to where we are staying tonight.

But then…wait for this…he actually took us there, driving in front of us all the way from the border into downtown Maputo…and he paid our Toll fees as well.

Coincidence? I think not. He had gone to South African for a medical check-up and was on his way home when he saw us being swamped…and he stepped in to help.

Hmm…isn’t that what disciple-making Jesus style is all about?

An Encouraging Note…

by | Oct 23, 2017 | Health, South Africa

We just received this very encouraging note from one of our most recent trainees (see below). Part of the requirements for our trainees is that they a) identify at least one person they can disciple, and b) train them to make disciples. In other words, they have to train others as we have trained them, but over a longer period of time…in fact, however long it takes…until they produce a mature disciple who can make more disciples. Also, we leave them with a 60 Chronological Study of the life of Jesus to undergird what we have taught them regarding the method Jesus used to make disciples.


Hi, guys I have started the 60 days devotional and I am finding it deepening my understanding of who Jesus is and who I am in Him. I have also shared with a colleague and he has developed an interest. I am praying about the 2 others that I have identified and trust God as I start gently conversations with them. Warm Regards and God’s light be upon you,on your trip to Maputo.M.

Transparency culture…

by | Oct 22, 2017 | Health, South Africa

In his book, “Work Rules! That will transform how you live and lead”, Laslo Bock writes about Google’s culture. The second cornerstone of their culture is transparency.

“Fundamentally, if you’re an organisation that says, “Our people are our greatest asset” (as most do), and you mean it, you must default to open. Otherwise, you’re lying to your people and to yourself. You’re saying people matter but treating them like they don’t. Openness demonstrates to your employees that you believe they are trustworthy and have good judgement. And giving them more context about what is happening (and how and why) will enable them to do their jobs more effectively and contribute in ways a top-down manager couldn’t anticipate.”

I couldn’t help wondering how this would work in a traditional management setting, or, more specific to our own church culture, in a traditional church setting. If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say, “we’ve never done it this way before”, implying that any and every innovation is automatically doomed to fail, I would be a very wealthy man.

Previous generations did not embrace transparency as a culture. For instance, my mother had no idea how much money was in my father’s bank account…and yes, she did not have a bank account herself. In fact, my brother and I had no idea either until the day he died. He did it all himself and kept his cards close to his chest. Today, Louise and I have joint accounts and try to never do anything without prior consultation.

Hierarchical management systems tend to be more like my parents…the lower down the rung you are, the less you know. Boards meet behind close doors and make decisions employees are simply expected to implement. Budgets are closed books. Everything is controlled by a few…everyone is controlled…

Surely if we believe what Jesus said to His disciples in John 15:15, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you“, we, as His Body, would embrace a culture of transparency…

But are we ready to forego that feeling of power that comes from being the only one who is in the know?

We need to be. People are voting with their feet. In todays’ Google culture, operating in a closed system tells your people that you think they are not capable, or not suitable, or that you simply do not trust them. This is not a work environment or church environment people are likely to define as ‘home’ and they will move on…