Most of you know that we head to the USA every 2 years. Well that time has arrived again and we are in the beginning stages of our travel plans! This trip back to the States will look WAY different than any of our other past trips- not only because we are traveling internationally during a global pandemic and there are restrictions everywhere- there are many no entry countries we would typically transit through, vaccine/mask mandates and mandatory COVID tests. We are not looking forward to all the hoops but none the less determined to get to the States for a short visit! -What else if different about this trip!?? - Eric is Moving to Florida -At the beginning of this year the Lord began to speak to Eric about taking big chances and going for it. After a time of team fasting at the beginning of the year and some vision from the Lord. He placed a few things in front of Eric that were a sure call to a small transition. The last time Eric had this feeling was when we were called into missions in 2013. When you feel this urge and you know its Holy Spirit you better listen and obey or you risk the chance of Him asking someone else.
The school is quite difficult and time consuming and only about 50 people are accepted per school. Eric applied and through various applications, emails and interviews with the CfaN staff was accepted to participate in the fall school which runs from August 10-October 29. Then after the school he will do a 3 week initiation trip where the comes to Africa (I know- so funny) to put to work all he has learned. The school takes place in Orlando Florida at CfaNs headquarters. I know this raises many questions- What about us? What will me and the kids do? We won't be going with Eric. Due to the location of the school Eric actually has to find and rent an apartment and rent a car. We are hoping that he can find a room mate to help offset this cost. We have been so blessed by donations that have already come in! All of Erics School Tuition and Initiation trip have been paid for and we are saving funds for rent/utilities/food/car and extra spending money. We are hoping to raise about $5,000 more for this. Me and the Kids-The kids and I will be staying in Dondo for a couple months then we will travel back to Klamath Falls as normal. Our plan is to arrive back mid September. We will be in Klamath Falls and Eric will join us when he finishes his school late November. We are beyond excited to see what this new addition will bring to our future here in Dondo. God is always so faithful to supply all our needs and even most of wants! We can't wait to be back in the States with our friends and family. We will be staying once again with Terry and Mardi Etters, and will be looking forward to hangout with you all soon!! Much Love, Tawnya
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I am continually grateful and in awe of God’s faithfulness to fulfill his promise that He will work all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purposes. A season of pandemic is no exception for this promise. At first glance, it would seem that a pandemic, with extensive lockdowns, would serve quite a blow to the momentum of our ministry. Our main work in Mozambique is to help disciple all the leaders and pastors of Iris churches in three provinces. As the months of lockdown continued to grow, we knew that we needed to have divine strategy to keep growth in the churches. I felt that the solution would be to provide weekly discipleship materials to every church and have the pastors divide the church members into cell groups of 10 members or less to meet in houses. Each month four new teachings are written and distributed by whatsapp, email, or by hand to each district. Then the district pastor copies them and hands them to the other pastors under him at a monthly district meeting. From start to finish, this discipleship program is helping bring the churches together, and helping to build relationships that to often are neglected with the commonly formatted program of once-a-week church services. Also, the most beautiful part is that God has helped us find a way to establish powerful, transformative teaching that brings our members to depth of relationship with Jesus, activates them for the work, and brings them to maturity. God has helped us redeem the time and reach farther and deeper than before. There are over 300 churches under our care that are continually crying out for visits, teaching, and help. We can not even physically visit all of them let alone give them the depth in the Lord that is so desperately needed. Even though we will continually visit the churches to release the Kingdom in person, we now have a powerful tool implemented that delivers 52 powerful, doctrinally sound teachings a year to churches all over Mozambique. Leave it to God to use a global crisis to help propel his good news throughout the bush of Africa on a magnitude we have yet seen! As we have traveled through all the districts to teach the pastors how to use the new discipleship program, God has been moving powerfully in our meetings. There has definitely been an increase of the power of the Holy Spirit in every gathering. God opened the door for us to travel to the northern province of Niassa to deliver the new program to all their churches. Niassa has never been in our ministry area due to the travel distance, but we felt the necessity to go. During our two days of meetings and services, God powerfully met us. Not only did they receive the tools necessary to disciple thousands of people, but the Lord met each of these district leaders in a powerful encounter. The power of the Holy Spirit was poured out, repentance flowed, they were on the floor under the weight of God’s glory, and some were even supernaturally filled with the joy of the lord. It was wild, and beautiful, and transformative, and God was in control. On the last morning in Niassa, the lead pastor asked us to pray for his son. His son was a drunk. He had a good education but could never find work. He then fell to alcoholism. He had been a disgrace to his wife, children, neighbors, and family for a long time. As our team lead the ministry and deliverance time with this man, the power of the Holy Spirit fell. The man felt God come and set him free! Since that day, I have talked to the pastor many times to follow up about his son. Each time he has confirmed that his son is still alcohol free, and he has returned to his land to tend to his own crops! He is now providing for his family again! God restores! We are in a time in history that we have a choice. We either let every trial of life derail us and we walk behind the wake and destruction of every crisis that comes, or we lock eyes with Jesus and follow his lead so that we are ahead of the situation in a way to not lose momentum for the Kingdom. I would rather ride the waves that come, rather than be pummeled by them. Remember, we are the head and not the tail. Let’s take our place in history! Much love in Christ As we have come into this new year we have felt a strong leading of the Lord to establish righteousness and the power of the Holy Spirit within the churches of Central Mozambique. We have felt that to see this happen we need to spend time in the teaching and demonstration of these things. It’s our desire to join with the local churches and spend time with the pastor and leadership in teaching and practical ministry. To honor this vision we have planned trips to visit churches in the bush every month. We will spend a few days with them and give the Holy Spirit room to bring transformation. During the last week of February, Lloyd(a member of our Missionary Team) and Eric took a 5 day trip to the district of Muanza. God moved powerfully! As we walked through the village and ministered house to house, the pastor was able to learn how to explain salvation, lead someone to Christ, how to pray for the sick, and how to build relationships and show the love of Christ in his community. Throughout the days we spent with the community we also held services at the church where there was emphasis on the foundations of the Gospel. We spoke on salvation, baptism, and the Holy Spirit. We relied on the work of the Holy Spirit to teach and bring transformation. We want all that we do and teach to be something that the pastors and leaders can duplicate and see multiply once we leave. There were so many precious highlights during this time. During one of these instances, we had walked far into the bush just to encounter one old man and his wife. The wife had experienced a stoke and suffered some disability. They warmly welcomed us. We sat under the mango trees while I shared the message of salvation. The man prayed and received Jesus as his savior. After we had taken some time to pray for his wife, the man began to express his true desire to be transformed and set free from his addiction to alcohol and smoking. He also was more that willing to relinquish all his items of witchcraft. We prayed for his deliverance from these things and then took him to the creek and baptized him. It was a beautiful display of humility and true repentance. Another powerful transformation that we witnessed was from one of the women of the church. She volunteered to help cook for our team during our stay. From the first time I talked to her I had noticed a heaviness on her. She wouldn’t raise her eyes or smile. As she encountered the truth of the Gospel and was baptized, God began a powerful work. During the ministry time of our last session, Lloyd had a word of knowledge about some that were under the influence of the demonic because of involvement with the witchdoctors. Two women came forward confirming that they were experiencing the type of manifestation that Lloyd had called out. The first woman manifested violently when confronted with the name of Jesus. She was set free! The second woman was our downcast cook. In a powerful demonic manifestation, she jumped to her feet thrashing wildly. Within minutes she was set free also. She instantly began to testify about what had oppressed her and her excitement for being free. She said that she had entered witchcraft because of pressure from her family. The next morning, as we were preparing to leave, she testified again, with a full bright smile, that she will no longer submit to pressure that her family put on her to participate in witchcraft and that she only desires more of the Holy Spirit! How amazing is the work of the Holy Spirit! As Eric had personal time with the pastors, he asked what they were learning and experiencing. The first thing that the local pastor said was that the things that they were seeing (regarding what the Holy Spirit was doing) he had never seen before. They also expressed how seeing a practical example of evangelism through relationship will be a great help in the future. They also loved the truth that was taught and demonstrated with baptism as it revealed some doctrinal errors that had limited the experience of baptism within the church. We are so pleased with the increase that the Holy Spirit brought to the churches, communities, and individuals that we encounters deep in the jungle of Muanza. God be glorified as He continues to multiply all that was established! Well, beloved friends and family I am sure that you're as surprised to find a newsletter from us as I am that I remembered the password to log in here. Its been 16 months since my last post. What can I say about the past 16 months??? I think that I could fill books with all of my thoughts from then until now. I will simply start in January 2019. This started our second year as official base directors here in Dondo. The first year was beautifully greeted with a heinous break in on our base that led to months of sleepless nights and our dearest friends trying to regain their strength to make it through. 2019 started off with joy that we would soon be hosting our annual bible school and visiting teams. Our family and church family was coming from America in April which is always a delight. Everything was good until March 15th. EVERYTHING CHANGED. As all of you know this was the day that turned 2019 into a year of absolute chaos. Cyclone Idai blew through the central region of Mozambique utterly destroying everything that was in her way. How do I even begin to explain what this was like? I have never in my life felt loss like I did during this time, I was uncertain if my friends were alive as the winds and rains ripped roofs off and uprooted trees throughout our neighborhood and central provinces. Over 300 people sought refuge on our property, nearly all our trees were uprooted, roofs gone, water supply damaged and so many afraid, devastated Mozambicans seeking help at our door step. The following 5 months were a blur, I sometime have a flash back of something that happened and try to piece the memories together to comprehend what took place. I know that Gods absolute grace was on us during this time, we went to bed almost nightly at 2 or 3 am and woek up ready for the day at 6. Though it was an intense season, I am so thankful for all the Lord spoke to me during that time. Daily I was reminded of the Good Samaritan and how he was moved with compassion to help. Again and again He spoke "I desire mercy over sacrifice". I long to do what I do here out of pure compassion rather than religious duty. We had an amazing team that came to help us during this time, we made amazing friends and I am forever grateful for what we walked through along side those who came to live with us and serve. Also my mom and dad are able to come out and help which was awesome. During the Relief efforts our team was able to facilitate building over 50 churches, 200 houses, and feed over 12,000 families. During this time we had tremendous favor with the local government, and saw many miracles. Food multiplication, friends alive where they shouldn't be, trees falling but not crushing certain important buildings or falling just enough over to spare a friends life. God truly is Faithful. We visited America in August for 4 months. This was a busy season for me too. I know that furlough is suppose to be a time of rest but I can honestly say this was far from a time of rest. I really had to find joy in all things, and sometimes it was difficult. We managed to continue working with the relief team on the ground in Dondo while visiting churches in the States. Eric and Lincoln were fortunate to kill massive Bucks and an Elk this year, so hunting was a success for our family. Any one that knows Eric knows that we only return home during hunting season so these trophy animals were an absolute blessing to him. Eric and I had the opportunity to send some time in Jackson Mississippi and Mexica doing Ministry with dear friends. It felt good to arrive back home in Dondo with things calmer than when we left. The relief teams have left, though we still continue with house builds and food and material distributions things are slower than the past summer. We are in rainy season and just a few weeks away from the one year anniversary of the largest humanitarian disaster to hit the Southern Hemisphere, and things here are still grim and people are still in desperate need of help. Large relief agencies have mostly left with just a few internal workers here and there. For me being back home after what we went through has its pros and cons. I love my house, my friends and my routine. I am sad at all that has been lost and all that has changed. During the first weeks after the cyclone some of my very best friends moved back to the USA to peruse missions in Nepal. I have shared a yard with the Pulliam family for the past 3 years and consider them to be some of my best friends, I wish so often that I could just visit with them face to face. This is one of the saddest realities of the mission field, we had to learn it and teach our children that people come and go and often. We do however have an amazing new family that joined us mid relief. The Windon family arrived late June. Their sweet boy Titus is such a great little friend for Ahava. Our Missionary team now consists of our two families and we should have a single girl arriving soon from Romania. We are in full swing with ministry now, preschool started on base on the 10th of February with 81 precious kids. We are still re building some of what was damaged on the base. Eric is doing weekly seminars, preaching in various churches on Sundays, and I am running the preschool again along with our Mercy Ministries (formerly knows as our Widows Program ). Doing admin to keep the doors open and financial accountability strong. The kids are home schooling, Ahava is attending the preschool on base and cannot understand a darn thing that is spoken. She mumbles what she thinks is Portuguese and I am hopeful that she will pick up the language soon, she enjoys going. Eric goes out this week for a 5 day bush seminar and then we gear up for our School of Kingdom Advancement (our Bible School) in late March. I am going to do my best to update monthly (or more), I appreciate everyone who has read this far and thank you for supporting us whether in prayer or through monthly support. Those of you who are supporting us monthly are helping us stay in the country as it is quite an expensive to get yearly visas, pay rent, and utilities and we are also employing some workers and putting Song through College. You are changing our lives, our kids lives providing them with education and changing the lives of those we are able to help. God bless you all. If you have any interest in sponsoring a class room in our preschool, or our bible School please email me. Hearts and Hugs - Tawnya 16 months at a glance The Lords heart is so vast, and He is constantly bringing areas of ministry to our minds and hearts and as we are obedient to listen we see our tent pegs expanding into territory we are unfamiliar with. Last year the Lord placed upon our hearts to open a public clinic here on our base. As we have been here we have seen a great need for basic medical care everywhere we go. With this vision our future Health Center seeks to provide free health care services and at the same time be a channel of blessing and evangelization.
This vision is twofold. Firstly, we are believing to open a permanent facility that serves for treatment and support for low complexity issues and eventually for highly complex heath issues, we also plan to prepare and disciple volunteers who are potential health agents to serve in the clinic, develop a nutrition program for malnourished children, be a health prevention center, open a dental office, have an onsite laboratory and pharmacy. Currently we have a building that we are planning to renovate that will serve as our clinic and two amazing doctors from Argentina who currently serve with us here in Dondo. They will serve alongside our Mozambican team, discipling and teaching them along the way. Secondly, we see a great need for honest, free health care in rural bush areas, we plan to provide these areas with these exact things through means of a mobile clinic that is adapted to offer small surgeries, and medications. This will be coupled with evangelistic crusades, where we will go out and provide medical care and present the gospel through teaching, preaching and the Jesus Film. With both the stationary and mobile clinic our main goal is evangelization through action and word, offering medical care and health promotion to the people of Mozambique. We are currently in the process of raising funds to begin renovations on our building, we are looking to raise $20,000 to complete the renovation and buy needed items for the rooms. Continue to believe with us for favor and provision and pray for continued growth and depth in the Mozambican bride. If you would like to give financially please email [email protected] James 2:14-17 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. As many of you know we arrived home in Dondo January 15, two months ago today. Our time in the states was good, it was very eye opening for me (Tawnya) as it was the first time back in the States that I truly felt I was a visitor. It was a hard reality for me to face. I remember when we first decided to go on the mission field and we were pastoring the youth at Faith Tabernacle/Refuge City Church. I remember sitting in the pews grieving silently for all that I was "giving up". I sat in my nieces 8th grade graduation knowing that one day I would return and she would be an adult, graduating high school. To see all my little nieces and nephews and know they'd be rapidly changing over the years while I was away. To realize that our parents would be aging just as quickly.
So to return to Oregon and see my sweet niece give birth to her first baby boy, one niece already in junior high, friends married to people i've never met before, my thoughts were reality and it hit hard. Everything was different than the previous visit, we really struggled to find a place to live while we were home which was especially hard on Ahava, she had no idea what to call home and everywhere we stayed she cried and asked to go home it was awful. I am thankful for those who stepped into help us, with housing, money (its way more expensive in america) supplies to return home with and so much more, this helped in some way make us feel loved and helped ease a little of the homelessness I was feeling. It wasn't too long after we arrived in America that I was homesick, I wanted my bed and my house and friends, living here has its challenges but it also has some amazing benefits, those whom we call family, the other missionaries who've gone through the same thoughts and emotions as me are my best friends and while I was in America I realized that what we have here together is truly special, I love to sit in the yard and read Smith Wigglesworth, ponder Iris Globals core values, discuss what it is like to live from His presence daily, it is a small community of like minded Jesus lovers, I was excited to return home to jump into life here again. Most of you know that when Eric and I returned this January we were "promoted" to base directors here, our heart together is to seek Jesus and live through the Holy Spirit, to make a place for Him in all we do and go where He tells us to, we were excited to get back to Dondo to jump into this pursuit of His presence and run with Him hard and strong. It's been 2 months now that we have been back and we finally started doing Jesus films again well ministry in General, WHAT? your last paragraph said you were going to return and run hard and strong. I KNOW. We arrived the 15th of January, two months ago, exhausted from 4.5 months traveling Oregon, visiting loved ones, and 36 hours of flight time plus a 3 day layover in South Africa, to our home, the one with my bed and my pillow. The one I was so excited to return home to, back to the normalcy of my african life. It's also been two months since our base was robbed. The night of the 16th, our welcome back gift from Satan to try and derail our pursuit of this Holy Spirit came. Eric and I were woken up by a huge bang and yelling coming from our neighboring missionaries house, exhausted from lack of sleep and jet lag it took a second before I asked " what was that" when we heard footsteps on the roof near the house we were sleeping in, Eric peered out the door to see a man walking on the roof just to the left of ours. I received a phone call from Mandy clearly shaken by the violation that just occured in their house. I called the police chief who said he'd let someone know. As we waited quietly for the man to jump the fence so he wouldn't enter into our house as well, I was in shock. When we arrived at Scott and Mandy's house our two guards sat stunned and traumatized blood coming from ones face and head. As they described how man after man came over the wall into the base totaling 10, with machetes and Bimbas (a tool used to cut grass here). 8 people entered Scott and Mandy's house, snatching up all the electronics and valuables they could grab, yelling about wanting Money before fleeing after they finally got what they came for. It truly was horrific to hear what they had just encountered. Before I moved to Africa I also thought about the possibility of this sort of thing happening, I always knew it was a possibility but was still so comfortable that it wouldn't happen, well it too had become a reality, it didn't directly happen to me but someone I care deeply about, someone I share life with, and made the reality of it happening to me so much more real. One thing that stuck out to me about that night is this, as we sat on the porch we sat our guards in a chair and we prayed over them, then we all worshiped together, my favorite song, " Worthy Of It All". We all sang with all we had because there was truly nothing else that could be said in that moment. As these past two months have passed, I've hardly slept, constantly woken at night by unfamiliar sounds. My senses heightened, knowing that my precious children are sleeping in my house, my friends in the houses around me and also my friends, guarding our base. Laying awake at night allows for a lot of thinking, I think about all that I wrote above, my friends and family in America and how I gave up my life there to come here, I think about my time here and how I don't want it to be wasted because there are so many lost people around me. I think about the thieves who are out each night violating the homes of those I pass in the market. I think about what might happen if the thieves return, and when I think about this I ask myself, is it worth what could happen? Then I begin to praise Him, "You are Worthy of it All, You are worthy of it all, for from You are all things, and to You are all things, You deserve the Glory. Day and Night and Night and Day Let incense arise. He truly is worthy of it all, sometimes I have to remind myself why I am here, why I follow Him, why I lay my life down at His feet. He is the great I AM. Worthy of all Honor and Glory. Forever to be glorified on His throne. Today marks the day that our family said good bye to what we called home for 20+ years, thought it has only been 3 years it truly feels like we have been here forever and America is just a place we’ve visited. Each year Facebook graciously reminds me of our last day with our families before stepping on an airplane to begin our 32 hour trek to the rest of our lives. It shows me photos of our families at Fisherman’s Wharf, eating delicious food and our cushy hotel room. Each year my family tags me in photos and in the comments they attach sad emoji’s and the words “I miss you so much” This journey that I call my life has been something that is hard to explain, many cannot comprehend what we were thinking the day we decided to move to Africa. Sheesh, I’m not even sure I knew what I was really getting myself into when I voiced my idea. But here I sit in my block house listening to the rain hit my asbestos roof top and hoping that it stops so my laundry hanging outside will dry. So what was I thinking the day we decided to go to Africa? It was January 2013 when the Lord decided that we would be going to Harvest School, in my mind it was the following fall and I had plenty of time to manage my emotions and spend a bit more time with friends and family. Well, that changed… We met with Pastor Jim mid February and told him our plans, and “next year” became “this year” REAL QUICK… leaving me with only 7 months to get my mind in order. It was so soon, a thought became a reality in an instant, and I will admit I kind of freaked out a bit. My perspective on all things changed that day. We were youth pastors at the time and each time I would go to youth group I would sob knowing that I was leaving, asking myself, what more should I have or could I have done? I would hug my nieces and nephews knowing that I would miss so much of their precious lives. I watched my niece graduate from 8th grade knowing that when I returned she could be married and having children of her own. I was selling all my belongings, everything that I bought with the intention of keeping forever, wedding gifts, children’s furniture, toys, shoes, cars. It seems like a simple task, it’s just stuff right?!?... Yes, but it truly was one of the most difficult things for me. It was a time of counting the cost, finding security in the truth of the word, and relying on the Lord to carry me though. This was all before we even left for real, we were only going for 3 months and I was struggling hard, but I knew in my mind this was the first step to something MUCH bigger, and MUCH, MUCH harder. When we returned to America we still had no idea what we were doing but we knew that we would be leaving soon, when we decided to move to Dondo, things got real (if they could even get more real). Our families were falling apart, I mean what parent wants their children and grandchildren to move across the world, to the land of unknown and possibility of disease and death? It was chaos for sometime, and in many areas still is but God is good in all things. He helps mend the broken hearted. So now what? We have been here for 3 years already, would I call what I’ve done a sacrifice? No, I am simply doing what the Lord commanded me to do, He said GO out into all the land. I would however, consider sending my only son to die on the cross for the sins of the world, hoping that all the earth would come to know the truth through this great act of love, but knowing full well that many will not -- a true sacrifice. I have simply taken a small portion of my life and given it to the Lord to do what He wants with it. Is it hard? Is what hard? Living in Africa? Missing my family and friends? Yes, it truly is. Is it hard enough to make me want to quit? No way, I plan to run this race with endurance, and finish strong. As much as I know it hurts my family to have us away, for the physical disconnect and lack of communication I hope they know we miss them and that there is spot in our hearts that hopes one day God will allow us to call America home again, that we will be able to go to hockey games, and fair shows, birthday parties and graduations. Until then my hope rests in knowing Him and that He directs my paths. So when I look back on these past three years what stands out? Should I be real and raw here or just give a simple answer… I think I will let it go I want my heart to be made known. A lot can happen in three years. We have a 3rd CHILD! How weird it must have been for our families to greet us at the airport and boom there is one more person than when they last saw us. My niece is graduating high-school and welcoming her first baby this year. So I’m basically going to be a great aunt! My sister whom I have prayed for the last 11 years is clean and sober and going to church. We have seen hundreds saved, set free and healed over these past 3 years. Churches established, people in the jails come to know Christ. Discipleship books written and dispersed throughout the country, friendships made, lives transformed buy the knowledge of the gospel. These 3 years have also brought tragedy and heartbreak, I’ve had grieving mothers needing help with dead babies who have died the most heinous, unwarranted deaths, pastors lose their way and walk away from the church, ungodly amounts of corruption and lies, friends be robbed, sick children, malaria, and loneliness. We want you to know that were so blessed to have been able to welcome our church team from Faith Tabernacle. The two weeks that they spent with us came and went but they were packed full of ministry, miracles and memories. It truly was the best gift our church has ever given us. To have family (church family and biological) come and share with us in what we do here was the most amazing thing, we call this home and we live this life, but sometimes it is hard to live it alone without those we love, you see when we left we didn’t just leave a mother, a father, a brother or a sister, a niece, nephew, cousin, aunt or uncle, we left EVERYTHING all things we knew, understood, and loved, we didn’t have other brothers or sisters or children here to help us manage those losses. So when we had the opportunity to invite our friends and family into our home for the first time it truly was spectacular. Thank You For Visiting Us Faith Tabernacle 3 years down, and many more to come. God is good and He is so worth the small “sacrifices”. How can I say to God “ look at what I have already given you” when He is the one who gave me everything I have to give? All I have is His. I know its hard to picture that, since when you look out the window you see snow flurries, but here, if I leave my ice out on the counter for more that 3 minutes its a puddle of water.
Last week was the beginning of summer vacation for the students, which means that next year some of them will not be returning, they will begin their adventures in primary school. We had 39 children graduate this school year. It has been a learning experience for me since this is my first year directing the preschool. I look forward to the years to come when I am able to help more especially once I can fluently speak the language. My heart constantly breaks for the children in the education system here and I can only ask that God's grace would be upon them and that He would use me to help better their experiences and get those who attend our school off to the best start they can possibly have before beginning primary school, that He would use our school to lay a solid foundation in education and biblical understanding. Though there have been ups and downs this past school year I have enjoyed working with the children, and am thankful for the opprotunity. Thank you for your prayers and support, I appreciate them as I face the many challenges that come with being in a new culture, and helping to bring heaven's culture to earth. Bless you Tawnya Wow! What a year so far! I continue to say that time seems to go faster in Africa. It feels like we were just at home in the States celebrating the holidays, and now here we are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving again. All of us are healthy and happy. Lincoln is about to have his 7th birthday in December. Both he and Haley are settling in with their new teacher, Kristen. Lincoln is in 2nd grade and Haley is in 1st. Kristen has been a tremendous help to our family, not just with schooling the kids, but all around. With her teaching the kids, it frees Tawnya and I to work a little more together on projects and ministry. Tawnya has been helping a young boy in the preschool receive much needed medical care. Between her and the local hospital the boy is on his way to a quick recovery from a terrible infection caused by "Matequenha" (a small worm that burrows under the skin.) Among all our everyday responsibilities the ministry continues to increase. There is a continuous pull from the whole area for more seminars, evangelisms, and preaching. These seminars focus on training the church to evangelize. I have found that all the church members declare that they are saved, but most often they have a great misunderstanding about what brings salvation. Most people here think that if you go to a church, this act is what saves you. They rely on their association with a church or denomination to bring salvation rather than forgiveness of sins through Jesus. I am finding that even as I am going to the churches to teach the believers how to evangelize their area, as they’re learning, most of them are also receiving salvations for themselves. Testimonies of this type follow us wherever we go. Many are being saved, healed and discipled through the seminars and Jesus Film evangelisms!
Looking to the future, it has been on my heart to host some ministry schooling for pastors and church leaders. I want to see the leaders better equipped and established in the word but also gaining vision for expanding their ministries and planting more churches. Please be praying for us about this that we would walk in wisdom to see this accomplished. My family and I are greatly looking forward to a visit from our Faith Tabernacle family in March. I can’t wait for you to come and take part in our lives and the things we have come to love. You all are going to be such a blessing to all the people that you touch while you’re here! We love you all! Happy Thanksgiving! You are continually in our prayers. The Weavers |
| Kristen will be coming in October, as mentioned above she is completely funding herself, please if you feel the urge to support her it would be so greatly appreciated, Lincoln, Haley and Ahava will be blessed tremendously by her presence here. You can find more info about her on her website, KRISTEN WEST MISSIONS If you have any questions about her funding or how you can help please message me or her. As always please keep her in your prayers, transitioning into long term missionary work can be an overwhelming experience, and please continue to pray for provision, it is a large expense to cover as a single girl. Bless you all, Thank you for your prayers, sometimes you pray of Gods provision over us and right now this is a huge answer to my prayers. Love you, Tawnya |
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