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Ministry in the Province of Manika and other updates...
Glory to Jesus!! I just arrived back from this weekend’s ministry trip to Manika province. I am getting ready to leave this Wednesday again for Caia to do food distribution to the children (once orphans, but know have a home) and evangelism. I should be back either Sunday or Monday. This trip is far away and there is a ton of work to do as we have around 500 orphans that we have the privilege to care for in Caia. Please keep this trip in your prayers as these trips are full of labor – physically and spiritually.
Before I leave again I wanted to give you a quick update about this weekends ministry trip, but before I do I want to let you know that we received another boy into our center this last Thursday evening. I actually got to be very much involved in his whole process of coming to stay with us and had the opportunity to welcome him into his new home. The other boys have welcomed him right in and are loving on him and playing with him….his name is Joaquim and he is 9 years old.
Since I was gone for his first few days here I have not been able to spend a lot of time with him, but I have been told he is very quiet – this will most likely change in a few weeks as he becomes more familiar with everyone. As for the rest of the boys they are doing very well. We were given an offering from a family who visited here which allowed us to buy all the boys new jackets and underwear – this has been very exciting to them and such a tremendous blessing as we are in the cold months now – yes it gets cold here… J
Regarding this week’s ministry trip – it was awesome!! The Holy Spirit really moved in power. Before I left on this trip I had asked Jesus who was supposed to go with me. As I prayed he told me to take some students from my third year class. When I asked him which ones He showed me two of my students faces.
The morning that I was leaving I went to them as they ate their breakfast (which is a roll and sweet tea) and offered them the opportunity. They were delighted with this and said “yes, if Jesus is choosing us to go we will go”. Joao (one of the students I invited) said that he had a dream the night before that someone was coming from the missionary house and they brought a gift to him and Gonsalves (the other one I invited)…and then here I was bringing them this opportunity.
A quick interruption as I am writing this letter to you I so much wish you could hear and see all that I see – I so much desire for you to be able to feel and experience what it is to live here day in and day out. Just as I am writing this letter tonight 3 of our beautiful boys came to the door because Domingo was not feeling well – I love these boys so much. As tears ran down little Domingo’s face which is usually full of smiles, I comforted him and gave him something to sooth the pain – but most important it was an opportunity to pray and see God work….God has truly knitted my heart here and given me such a great love for this place called Dondo!
Back to the ministry trip….I traveled everywhere by chappa. Our team consisted of 6 people as there were 4 of us from the Dondo and Pastor Johnny and his wife Christina who are the provincial pastors of Manika. They oversee around 130 churches in the Manika province….what beautiful people they are – truly a son and daughter of the King. The first night when we arrived it was already dark and getting pretty late, but headed straight to a church to ministry. As I walked down the hilly terrain under the beautiful star-filled sky of Africa I could here the people singing and the drums going full forth.
What a delight as I stepped into this little dirt hut church which was filled with a dim light from the 2 or 3 candles that were lit. The people had been waiting for our arrival and where hungry to hear the word of God. That night the presence of God filled that little church. When all was over and I was walking out of the church I was mobbed by many children running up to me and giving me great big hugs – it was so great!
The next morning we woke up to head to Manika (it is the district of Manika in the Manika province). We caught a chappa (Mozambiquen style transport) to go the church which was about 45 – 50 minutes away. While in this chappa the glory of God came and we ended up preaching and worshipping Jesus. Halfway to our destination we stopped, but the people on the chappa asked us why we had stopped because they wanted to know more and asked if we could please keep teaching them until we reached Manika – so needless to say that we had an amazing time as the Holy Spirit moved on the peoples hearts in this chappa.
The driver was a Christian and as everything was going on he was so filled with joy he could hardly sit still – his hands waving in the air and with joy agreeing with the word that was going forth to the people in his chappa…..Jesus visited that chappa. But this was not the only time it happened. Every time we took a chappa the presence of God would come – His joy would come as His word went forth and as we filled the chappa with praise to Him. When we finally arrived at the church in Manika we found out that there had been some miscommunication and the pastor thought we were going to be coming to his church on Sunday morning. At one point the rest of the team went to buy some fruit for us to eat for lunch. Joao, Christina and I stayed behind.
While we waited at the church there was a group of children that we hanging out there playing so we began to talk with them. At first they would not even say what their names were, but by the time the rest of the group came back (which was about 45 minutes later) the children were surrounding us as we prayed for them and told them about Jesus. There were about 8 of them there….we got to lead them in a simple prayer…it was a beautiful time. Before leaving I asked the group, “Do you think Jesus would have brought us all the way here just for these children and for those people on that chappa?” I sure think He did!!!!
This morning’s service was in Gondola, which is an area in the Manika province. All I can say is “Wow, God you are awesome”. It was such a powerful time as the Holy Spirit touched the people so much – He came in such power. Before getting up to speak I did not know exactly what He wanted me to speak on, but as I stood up and began to speak He showed me each step….The cry of His heart was for HOLINESS – He is a HOLY GOD who dwells in holy vessels…and since we are the temple of the Holy Spirit we must live holy lives. Before there was an invitation to respond to what the Lord was saying He just came and people were on their faces before God – their was weeping and their was joy….He did such an amazing work in this place and I am so thankful that He has allowed me to privilege to be apart of what He is doing.
I think of this often – what a privilege it is to serve Jesus in this place!!! Thank you to each and everyone who has been holding me in prayer and for all who have financially sowed into this harvest. It is with a heart full of gratitude that I say “thank you”!! May Jesus see and bless you abundantly!!!
With much love – together for the harvest,
Ashlee
p.s. sorry if there are any misspelled words or incorrect grammar in my newsletters as I am usually not able to read them over before I send them out do to time, but as many of you know I am usually careful about grammar and spelling so this is different for me. :)
To send packages:
Ministerio Arco Iris
Attn: Ashlee Cladek
Caixo Postal 1237
Beira Mozambique
Africa
Tax deductible giving:
FireStarters Ministries
18923 – 217th AVE E
Orting, WA 98360
(please put a note “For Mozambique Mission”)
Before I leave again I wanted to give you a quick update about this weekends ministry trip, but before I do I want to let you know that we received another boy into our center this last Thursday evening. I actually got to be very much involved in his whole process of coming to stay with us and had the opportunity to welcome him into his new home. The other boys have welcomed him right in and are loving on him and playing with him….his name is Joaquim and he is 9 years old.
Since I was gone for his first few days here I have not been able to spend a lot of time with him, but I have been told he is very quiet – this will most likely change in a few weeks as he becomes more familiar with everyone. As for the rest of the boys they are doing very well. We were given an offering from a family who visited here which allowed us to buy all the boys new jackets and underwear – this has been very exciting to them and such a tremendous blessing as we are in the cold months now – yes it gets cold here… J
Regarding this week’s ministry trip – it was awesome!! The Holy Spirit really moved in power. Before I left on this trip I had asked Jesus who was supposed to go with me. As I prayed he told me to take some students from my third year class. When I asked him which ones He showed me two of my students faces.
The morning that I was leaving I went to them as they ate their breakfast (which is a roll and sweet tea) and offered them the opportunity. They were delighted with this and said “yes, if Jesus is choosing us to go we will go”. Joao (one of the students I invited) said that he had a dream the night before that someone was coming from the missionary house and they brought a gift to him and Gonsalves (the other one I invited)…and then here I was bringing them this opportunity.
A quick interruption as I am writing this letter to you I so much wish you could hear and see all that I see – I so much desire for you to be able to feel and experience what it is to live here day in and day out. Just as I am writing this letter tonight 3 of our beautiful boys came to the door because Domingo was not feeling well – I love these boys so much. As tears ran down little Domingo’s face which is usually full of smiles, I comforted him and gave him something to sooth the pain – but most important it was an opportunity to pray and see God work….God has truly knitted my heart here and given me such a great love for this place called Dondo!
Back to the ministry trip….I traveled everywhere by chappa. Our team consisted of 6 people as there were 4 of us from the Dondo and Pastor Johnny and his wife Christina who are the provincial pastors of Manika. They oversee around 130 churches in the Manika province….what beautiful people they are – truly a son and daughter of the King. The first night when we arrived it was already dark and getting pretty late, but headed straight to a church to ministry. As I walked down the hilly terrain under the beautiful star-filled sky of Africa I could here the people singing and the drums going full forth.
What a delight as I stepped into this little dirt hut church which was filled with a dim light from the 2 or 3 candles that were lit. The people had been waiting for our arrival and where hungry to hear the word of God. That night the presence of God filled that little church. When all was over and I was walking out of the church I was mobbed by many children running up to me and giving me great big hugs – it was so great!
The next morning we woke up to head to Manika (it is the district of Manika in the Manika province). We caught a chappa (Mozambiquen style transport) to go the church which was about 45 – 50 minutes away. While in this chappa the glory of God came and we ended up preaching and worshipping Jesus. Halfway to our destination we stopped, but the people on the chappa asked us why we had stopped because they wanted to know more and asked if we could please keep teaching them until we reached Manika – so needless to say that we had an amazing time as the Holy Spirit moved on the peoples hearts in this chappa.
The driver was a Christian and as everything was going on he was so filled with joy he could hardly sit still – his hands waving in the air and with joy agreeing with the word that was going forth to the people in his chappa…..Jesus visited that chappa. But this was not the only time it happened. Every time we took a chappa the presence of God would come – His joy would come as His word went forth and as we filled the chappa with praise to Him. When we finally arrived at the church in Manika we found out that there had been some miscommunication and the pastor thought we were going to be coming to his church on Sunday morning. At one point the rest of the team went to buy some fruit for us to eat for lunch. Joao, Christina and I stayed behind.
While we waited at the church there was a group of children that we hanging out there playing so we began to talk with them. At first they would not even say what their names were, but by the time the rest of the group came back (which was about 45 minutes later) the children were surrounding us as we prayed for them and told them about Jesus. There were about 8 of them there….we got to lead them in a simple prayer…it was a beautiful time. Before leaving I asked the group, “Do you think Jesus would have brought us all the way here just for these children and for those people on that chappa?” I sure think He did!!!!
This morning’s service was in Gondola, which is an area in the Manika province. All I can say is “Wow, God you are awesome”. It was such a powerful time as the Holy Spirit touched the people so much – He came in such power. Before getting up to speak I did not know exactly what He wanted me to speak on, but as I stood up and began to speak He showed me each step….The cry of His heart was for HOLINESS – He is a HOLY GOD who dwells in holy vessels…and since we are the temple of the Holy Spirit we must live holy lives. Before there was an invitation to respond to what the Lord was saying He just came and people were on their faces before God – their was weeping and their was joy….He did such an amazing work in this place and I am so thankful that He has allowed me to privilege to be apart of what He is doing.
I think of this often – what a privilege it is to serve Jesus in this place!!! Thank you to each and everyone who has been holding me in prayer and for all who have financially sowed into this harvest. It is with a heart full of gratitude that I say “thank you”!! May Jesus see and bless you abundantly!!!
With much love – together for the harvest,
Ashlee
p.s. sorry if there are any misspelled words or incorrect grammar in my newsletters as I am usually not able to read them over before I send them out do to time, but as many of you know I am usually careful about grammar and spelling so this is different for me. :)
To send packages:
Ministerio Arco Iris
Attn: Ashlee Cladek
Caixo Postal 1237
Beira Mozambique
Africa
Tax deductible giving:
FireStarters Ministries
18923 – 217th AVE E
Orting, WA 98360
(please put a note “For Mozambique Mission”)
posted by Andre at 6:06 PM
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