Sharing Perfume among cows, sweat and dust (Mozambique outreach July 2014)

sunrise

Psalm 113: 3: From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised. 

Sunset on our way back from Nwamavique to Panhame

This was for me a really great outreach. I am very thankful that the Lord allowed me to return to this village. (This year would be the fifth time I've been to Panhame). It was good to go back and see the people, and they were very happy to see us back there also. In the way they put it "her face is not new". It is good for them to see the old faces coming back, it means so much to them that the old faces are back there caring about them and sharing with them again about Xikwembu (God). It is a small way to build relationships with them.

Some time ago I read a blog post by John Bloom on wasting your life. The good way to waste your life. The woman who broke her bottle of expensive perfume and there were folks standing around thinking "what a waste" she could have spent that money in "better"ways. In the same way people think you are mad to go for a week to the middle of nowhere not for a holiday, and walk around and talk to people about God. What on earth would you do that for? Well, maybe because it is not for something on earth. It is for Something far greater than this earth. God pulls people together and all of a sudden we have more brothers and sisters in Christ, and we go walking around and pouring out the perfume of Grace on others.

To give you just a glimpse of those we shared the perfume of Grace with. In Panhame is a small church, pastored by Pedros. We could encourage them in their faith to stay strong and grow closer to our Lord Jesus, to stay on the narrow path. Then we also went on hut-to-hut visitations but most of the people are in the fields and at the river busy planting and washing their laundry. So we went to do visitation there.

Limpopo river

One day we met 3 young guys at the river waiting for something. We started talking with them. Only the one guy had a real interest in what we had to say. The other two cannot say that they have never heard of Jesus or that He is the Salvation. We can only pray that the Lord would work in their hearts.

Then on another day we met a lady busy planting crops in her field. She said that she knew about our ministries we had on the afternoons and the evening services but her time is limited and could not come. She is the bread-baker of the village. We then shared with her about the Bread of Life from John 6. We can only pray for her that she will eat of the Bread of Life.

The bread baker lady of Panhame

On another day I started chatting with a young girl Lindy. I shared with her the gospel, even though I do not think that she truely understood what I was talking about. I invited her to the evening services and to the woman's ministry but she never showed up. I very much wished that she would show up so that I can continue talking to her. I can now only pray that the Holy Spirit would work in her heart and that Lord willing next year I can go back and look for her again to carry on with the conversation.

This is just a glimpse of a few people that we shared with.

ladies ministry

The ladies ministry is where my heart is.

Deuteronomy 32: 2-3. May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass and like showers upon the herb. For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God. 

I very much enjoy teaching these women and belief that is where God wants me to be - for now. Deut 32:2-3 is my prayer that my teaching them the word of God would fall upon them like the rain. May they with me stand and ascribe greatness to our God. Early on in the week I was chatting with my dear auntie Marj and said I wondered if we did not do any craft with them, or did not give them any gift at all, if they would still come. I had to wait 'till the friday afternoon before getting my answer on that one. After the ministry time was finished, the craft was finished all was done, we all just sat there. The ladies did not want to go home and we did not want to go home either. We all just sat there and looked at each other, then slowly we started chatting with each other, and shared bits of our lives with each other. Then auntie Marj asked them if there is maybe a craft that they would want us to come teach them next year or something that they would prefer us to with them (like do they prefer to do knitting and sewing or painting etc). Their answer..................  They enjoy any kind of craft that we do, but what they want is the teachings we bring them. I was overjoyed with the answer. and Lord willing next year I want to go back to these ladies and carry on teaching them the word of God, about our great God.

Psalm 34: 3: Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. 

One song that I learned there is one about our Lord Jesus who will one day come back, and then we will dance and sing with Him. Si ku ri wanza Hosi Yesu u ta vuya. (one day Lord Jesus will come back). 

It is such a true song and now it is my favourite one too. Because one day when Hosi Yesu (Lord Jesus) comes back we will be with Him from all tongues, tribes, peoples, nations and everywhere and singing and dancing with Him. 

Revelation 5:9. And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe, and language and people and nation." 

I know that not all of those who came to our ministries are truely saved, but I do know that there are some who are truely children of God, and in that day when Jesus will come back we will all be together singing praises to our God of salvation.

As the David Crowder band sings: " Turn you ear to heaven, and hear the noise inside. The sound of angels awe, and all this for a King. We could join and sing. All this for a King.  Turn your gaze to heaven and raise a joyous noise, the Sound of Salvation come, the sound of rescued ones... and all this for a King. This great love that has redeemed, as one we sing.... Alleluia.  (no I did not write out the whole song here.. )

Riana Odendaal   July 2014