Some news from the Harpers

Below is an earlier e-mail update from the Harpers. It's so exciting to hear about the amazing things they are doing!

Date: Sun, 3 May 2009 16:12:58 +0200
Paz irmaos.
Peace brothers (and sisters)

I’m writing to ask you to pray and to ask others in your prayer circle/church to pray.

Les and I were out at the most remote area where YFC Gaza is doing outreach, a village called Mavuiane again this week following up on the school there (Lizete and Les have trained a woman from a neighbouring area to be the teacher to replace the previous two who gave up due to physical and spiritual conditions there.) and to follow thru on the digging of a well in this area where people currently walk up to 20km for a 20 litre drum of water. This was our 4th trip to try set this up, purchase the necessary equipment and cement etc to line the well.

All the boreholes (tube wells) that have been drilled in the area have found salt water. Nobody has bothered to mount a pump as they say the waters salt content is so high it will destroy even clothing. We were advised to dig a hole and to stop the moment we found water. Apparently the fresh water lies above the salty layer but is very thin and so very easy to break thru and so destroy the well. However, this involves digging a massive, 30m pit and then lining it with cement rings after water is reached.

When we presented the new teacher and the well digger to the community Chief (also the Witchdoctor) the chief started to explain to us the “necessary” things we would have to do in terms of the culture – like giving the ancestors a large sum of money – blessing the first sand to come out of the hole – doing some or another ceremony – at which stage my good wife with hackles raised interjected politely but with much passion and boldness that no ceremony to ancestors was going to take place. There was much discussion translated back and forth. Les and I in English to one another, Portuguese to the Pastors wife and the new teacher and then into Shangaan for the sake of the chief and the others present. Together we explained why we as Christians would not have anything to do with the ancestral spirits, that the funds for the well came from Jesus Christ, and that He would provide the water. We are God’s children and all we need do is to ask our Father. Mark then led the people in a simple prayer for water, sweet and plentiful !

Pray that this ‘challenge’ of faith shows God’s power and brings many to find the Living Water in Jesus.

Some Background

We are all very excited about our upcoming trip to Mozambique Africa this August 09! We wil supporting the work of missionaries Mark & Leslie Harper. They have established Bethel Center, a multi-faceted facility that provides discipleship training, plus has an orphanage and will have an Aids hospice. The center is located just outside of the coastal city of Xai Xai.

Mozambique is a country just emerging from 30 years of warfare. The church there is growing, but very young. Bethel Center will help support the growth of the church across the country, as well as assist the people in the area in a number of other capacities.

While we are there, we will be working with a group from South Africa to put on a children's camp. We will also be involved in some construction projects at Bethel, plus will be tutoring a group of teenagers from Xai Xai in English and bible study.

It will be a busy 2 weeks, but the whole team is working hard over the next few months to organzize and prepare so our time there can be most impactful.