A GIFT FROM THE CHILDREN OF THE AGRICULTURE PROJECT - JUNE 6, 2009

Here is a picture of a blessing that I received today. The children's gift - the capulana and head wrap on me.

The picture with me inside of the church with the head wrap on and the capulana wrapped around me was when I was talking to the church - sharing my gratitude and praising Jesus for what He is doing.

They had blessed me. Yep, they said I looked like a real Mozambiquen women. They said that I looked very pretty.

This was a gift from the children of agriculture project. We now have an official name for our group - Blessed Generation.

Ashlee

HELLO TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS - MAY 27, 2009

Hello to my family and friends!

It feels great to be writing you once again from Mozambique. To be here once again with this people whom God has given me such a love for brings joy to my heart. Upon my arrival it took me a bit to get back on the Mozambique time schedule, but I am doing well now. I’m once again used to going to sleep with the loud sound of crickets and frogs outside my window. Thankfully the drums from the witchdoctor’s ceremonies have not been a normal thing as they are sometimes. Coming back to the smell of Mozambique and the humidity in the air is a nice change from the cold. The reminder of the roughness of Africa still has not ceased as the effects of it are all around me from the many deaths that I heard about within the first week I was back to the women laboring in their fields so they can have food for their families. It is the end of the rice season and we are going into the potato season.

So many transitions have taken place here on the base since my absence, but they have been for the good. The team that I am working with now has changed. Two of the women that I worked with in the years past have left, but we have two couples that have joined our team. I am enjoying getting to know them. It has been neat to see the different callings, giftings and personalities that God has placed in each of us and how they complement one another for the better of the whole. God is rewriting history here.

Our boys are growing and maturing into young men. Nelson and Domingos (two of our older boys) and I were looking at a picture of us all together about 2 years ago and we had a good laugh as they saw how “boyish” their faces were.

We have 4 new boys who are now with us. Three of them are brothers and one is an only son who is a complete orphan. His mother passed away while I was in America. His mother Rebecca was one of the first people that I started helping when I took the responsibility of the clinic on our base in 2006. Tuesday through Friday they have devotions in the morning which three of us missionaries take turns leading. Right now the older boys are doing a step-by-step study of the new birth that we have in Jesus. The little boys, who are mostly led by Julie, are learning a variety of lessons from not being fearful because God is their protector to knowing that God still does miracles today. She has been doing a great job with them and has been having fun making up songs to go with the lessons to help them remember. I love seeing Julie soar with this.

June 1st is Children’s Day here in Mozambique so I am helping organize activities for this day. It’s always fun coming up with things that our boys have never experienced before and then seeing their faces when we introduce them to it. So for this Children’s Day I am making a piñata! Anything with food is always a lot of fun. J Right now we are planning on doing fun games on Saturday because all of our boys will be here and they don’t have school commitments. On Monday, the actually date of Children’s Day; we will have a big soccer game between our boys versus our staff. The last time they played together our staff lost so they want a rematch. It will be fun to watch. We are also going to have the famous chicken, french fries and salad lunch that is always the special meal for any celebration. Let the celebration of the children begin!

As I have said so many times in the past there is no way that I could be here without your support. Thank you so, so very much to those who have supported me financial this past year. You have no idea how much you have helped me to be able to stay here and do what God has called me to do. Thank you so much! Thank you for believing in the vision that God has placed in me. Thank you for believing in me!!

Thank you for your prayer support and every note of encouragement to those who have sent them to me. It is always such a joy to here from people that I care about.

Richest blessings to each one of you!

With Love,

Ashlee

HEADING BACK TO DONDO - April 30, 2009

A big hello to you!!

Wow, it has been a while since I have sent anything out. I have had a wonderful time being back in America. So much has taken place since my arrival, but once again the time has come to head back to Mozambique. I fly out of Seattle on May 13 and will arrive in Dondo, Mozambique on May 15 to glowing faces of joy for my long awaited return.

I spoke with the boys a couple of weeks ago and they are very excited about my return and told me that we have 5 new boys who have been added to our family. I am looking forward to meeting and loving on these 5 new little ones. I know Papa has big plans for them and has given us the privilege to be a part of what He is doing in their lives.

I’m also looking forward to reconnecting with the people in the community which I have connections with. Many changes have taken place in Dondo since I have been in the States so I will be going back to a lot of new things. So much change has taken place at the base that I do not know the fullness of it until I actually get there and sit down with our missionary and Mozambiquen team. Father is good and He knows only good and has only good things in store for His kids.

Before I left Mozambique at the end of November I knew that God had a treasure chest full of treasures that He wanted to give me, but He was waiting for my arrival in America. Since my arrival here I have been so blessed by the many things He has done. His treasures are great. One of those treasures is meeting a man that I truly adore. His name is Samuel. I met Samuel in January when I went to Redding, California to visit Bethel Church (which God had told me to do when I was in Mozambique). As many of you know I have never dated before or allowed anyone to pursue me so this is a very new experience, but I’m convinced that it’s God. Samuel is an amazing person with a heart of pure gold who feels called to missions. There is so much that I can say about him and about our journey, but this is good for now. It has been a very fun few months hanging out with him as he has come to Washington a couple of times and I have gone to Redding, California to visit him. He is originally from Ohio, but is at Bethel church as a Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry 3rd year intern with the evangelism pastor there. This summer Samuel will be going to a remote island in Alaska to work. Our communication is going to be extremely limited during this time because where he is going they don’t have good Internet or cell reception. I don’t like this part as it is going to be difficult not having much communication, but God’s grace is sufficient. After Alaska he is not sure if he will be coming to Mozambique to visit me or if a door will open up for him to get his pilot’s license. Please keep him in your prayers regarding this and the decisions that lay ahead of us both. I have attached two pictures of us both. One is of us on my birthday and the other is us after we went skydiving.

Thank you again for all of your prayers and support. Please keep my family also in prayer as this is a difficult time for us as we spend our last days and hours together until we see each other again.

You are very loved and highly favored!

Because I love Jesus!
Ashlee