Fun Culture Lesson - Mozambique Jan 17, 2010

Hello!

It has been a good start to another good year! This past year was a year of restoration to me. I saw some of the promises and dreams God put into my heart come to reality. I can hardly believe that 2009 is over and we are already into 2010. Many blessings happened in 2009 and I am excited about the next steps I take into 2010. I have so many things to be thankful for. In January 2009 Samuel and I met for the first time. This last year was the year that I finally was able to start discipling our boys according to the vision that God had put into my heart and see them fly in their giftings and grow in their love for Jesus. 2009 was also the year that great healing came to my heart after having a difficult 2008. It was this last year that I feel I have really been able to start to fly into some dreams and promises that God had given me. Though some very difficult things occurred this past year I learned a lot through them and my heart is full of gratitude to God and so many of you who prayed with me through these difficult situations. Our God is faithful and He is the giver of Joy!!

Christmas

We had a great Christmas here in Dondo. On Christmas morning all of the boys, missionaries and many visitors got together and read the birth of Jesus and had communion together. As usual we had our normal lunch of chicken with rice, salad, fries, and pop. Afterwards the boys opened their gifts which is always so fun to watch and then we ate Jesus’ birthday cake that Samuel and I had made.

Culture Lesson For today: Field Mice Story Continued

In talking with my Mom a while back she mentioned how much people enjoyed the pictures and story that I sent out with children in the field in Tica chasing after field mice when the tractor was tilling the ground. I had mentioned that the children where chasing after the mice to catch them and eat them. After going to the field again I thought that it would be fun to share with you the rest of the story about the field mice. Please keep in mind that I am sure there are things about our culture which Mozambiquens would find strange….such as putting clothes on our dogs.

Now for the rest of the story on the mice…..

Before Christmas Samuel and I took a group of around 35 youth to the field in Tica to till the ground and plant corn. During our time there we worked hard and got really dirty. The sun was very intense. So along with the dirt we were sweaty and red from getting burnt (even after putting on 50 spf). We were all busily working away at tilling the ground and planting seed when all of a sudden we hear shouting arise out of the laughing and chattering that was taking place. It was one of the older boys. He was yelling “mouse, mouse!” in Sena as a group of them scattered after a brown field mouse. After killing it with their hoe they found another one, and then another one. It happened that they had apparently come across the hole of a family of 5 mice. So after seeing this (for the first time for Samuel) we asked what they were going to do with them in which they happily replied cook them and eat them. I had never had the opportunity to see how they cook mouse here until this day. What they do is take the freshly killed mouse and put it on a bed of hot charcoal to singe the hair. After this is finished they rub the hair off and take the insides of the mouse out so they can put it back on the fire to cook a bit more before eating it. They said that they actually don’t have to go through all of that and could eat it without taking the insides out or hair off, but it wasn’t as good apparently. It was a fun experience for Samuel and I. So now you know how they cook and eat “rat” here. Remember this is not to knock them down, but to have fun sharing with you a piece of life here.

Things are going very well here. This past month we got 4 more long term missionaries who will be working here on the base and a couple who will be here for 5 months to help out. God is good and He is doing good things.

The boys are getting ready to start school again after being on their summer break. We have 6 of our older boys who will be starting at a vocational school as they continue in their high school education. These 6 boys will be moving off of the base to live closer to the school. We have been in the process of preparing them for this transition. I’m excited for them and feel almost like a mom who is seeing her child go off to college (but it’s a bit different).

God’s blessings upon you and abundant love to cover you today!!

Ashlee

Blessed Generation - Tica trip - November 2009

Happy belated Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving day was a busy day of work for me here so I celebrated it yesterday (Saturday) with the other missionaries on base. Samuel and I cooked the turkey with stuffing and pumpkin pie. It turned out yummy.

Last week the rains finally came which began the planting season here in Central Mozambique. On Friday Samuel and I left early in the morning and headed to Tica with about 45 youth to plant and work in the field that is for the group Blessed Generation (a group of kids at a near by church that are orphaned or in at risk situations that I have worked with). It was a long day of hard work, but the joy of completion feels good. Many other youth came just to help including one girl from another church.











After tilling the ground and planting corn we had a great feast of beans, rice and juice. I bought tons of veggies to cook in the beans because I wanted the meal to be full of nutrition. Most of the kids from Blessed Generation don't get that good of a meal. There was even enough for them to have seconds on beans.....


Esau, who has been helping with the organization of this project, said that we will need to go back to Tica sometime in December to clean the field of weeds.

Thank you so much to those who have been contributing financially and in prayer.

God is good all of the time!!!

Ashlee

Fun on the swings Oct 1, 2009

Miracles and Fun in Mozambique - Sept 21, 2009

Hello.

Here is a quick update on the happenings of life here. But before I get into that I want to let you know that the finances for Samuel to come to Mozambique still have not come in. Please keep this in prayer and thought.

Outreach with boys & miracles:

I just finished with a full, but good weekend. On Saturday I took 15 of the boys on outreach to Mafambisse which is about a 20 minute drive away. We had a great time. The people of that community were very encouraged. They tasted and saw God’s Kingdom touch earth. The boys presented two dramas that were very powerful. I could feel God’s power in that place as we ministered. I felt such a joy as I watched our boys step out and minister. I felt a fire as I ministered God’s truth. I believe many lives were touched by Jesus’ presence. There was one lady who I spoke with when we arrived who had been experiencing problems with her eyes. At the end of our time there this same woman came to me and told me that something happened with her eyes…they felt better. Another woman said the back pain that she was experiencing had left. The greatest miracle was the many men, women and children who wanted to know Jesus. The pastor of the area along with many people asked when we were going to come back. It was great as we did not minister inside of a church, but we were outside in the front yard of a man named Peter’s house who God had touched to allow us to use his land.

Children’s Church:

For the past two Sundays I have been doing a special children’s church for the kids of the community and our kids. I have felt that I wanted to do this for quite a long time, but never felt the release to start until a couple of weeks ago. The first Sunday I had about 100 kids. The second Sunday I had around 50 children (it was raining so the numbers were down). The kids are very responsive and I feel like they are eating up everything that I give to them. The first Sunday I taught them that God is in a good mood, which led into salvation. At the end I asked who wanted to know Jesus as their best friend and almost every child raised their hand. What was neat about this was that I felt it was very sincere. You see, sometimes here in Africa they raise their hand or answer a call to repentance just because of the person who is giving the message (a white person). But these kids know me and on this day their hearts where open and prepared. I can see in their eyes that they are hungry and that the Holy Spirit is working in their hearts. Some of the boys who are part of my discipleship class have been helping me on Sundays. It has been great seeing them step out.

Boy’s Birthday Party:

Once again this year we celebrated the boy’s birthdays. This year we did something different….we took them to a pool. They had a blast. I made chocolate cake for them, Janet (another long term missionary and friend that is at our base right now with her husband Jeff) brought bananas, we bought sodas and brought lots of balloons for them to inflate and play with. They had such a great time. To make the celebration a bit smaller and more intimate, Janet and I took two different groups on different weekends. It was so great seeing them all laugh so much and having so much fun. One visitor made a comment that he had not seen one of our boys (Domingos Costa) smile so much. It was great!

Thank you again for your loving support financially, in prayer and encouragement. Please remember to keep Samuel and I in prayer as we continue to seek God’s plan for our lives and the steps to come.

With gratitude,
Ashlee

Some Good News! - September 1, 2009

Hello.

I hope this email finds you full of abundant life and joy today because Father God is in love with you. What a great Heavenly Father we have.

Some good news is that Joanel is doing very well with his recent transition of living here with us. It filled my heart with warmth as I saw him running through my front yard today smiling and laughing as he chased after Nando (one of our other boys). He is adjusting to life here and fitting in really well.

I was told that his dad was let out of prison on Saturday and had already come to the base to try and take him back home, but our guards and pastor told him that he could not and needed to talk to the police about the situation. We now need to find out what we can do to help keep Joanel safe. He has not left the center yet since he came except to go to a funeral and cut his hair. We are looking into the possibility of reintegrating him back to a family member who lives in Maputo (Mozambique's capitol city in the South).

Thank you for all of your prayers and support during this difficult time.

God bless you abundantly.

Jesus wins!!
Ashlee