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