The Wheresoever Team in Mozambique has kept busy after the exciting but exhausting time with Danny, Lindy and the Hope Chapel team. Here are some brief highlights of their activities since then.
Completion and presentation of well at Ntachi village
The well at Ntachi Village which was started during Danny and Lindy's visit in the summer of last year (2012), is now complete. The well is now being used by hundreds of people. The formal presentation to the village took place on January 9th, in the presence of the Mayor of Vila Ulongue.
Wheresoever Expanding in Malawi
The ministry is expanding into Malawi near the capital city Lilongwe, where Wheresoever team member Moses and his wife Eunice are reaching the lost. A group of approximately 60 is gathering on Saturday and Sunday afternoon to hear the Word and watch as the Holy Spirit touches many lives. At the request of the people who are being ministered to, the Wheresoever team held an outreach in the nearby village of Kakhuta on December 4th. It was wonderful to see so many lives saved, including the chief of the village, witch doctors and traditional dancers. People were being set free after repenting of stealing in public. A woman was repenting of teaching withcraft to her children, now realizing the satanic influences and vowing never to do it again. 501 persons accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and a new church was started.
Encouraging Reports from Wheresoever Councils
Some reports are slowly trickling in from some of the 10 Wheresoever Councils around the Tete Province of Mozambique. Macanga reports 122 salvations during November. Maravia reports 60 in October. Another 250 in Mutarara, 80 in Musakama and 25 in Limbuni. It is wonderful to see all this happening, especially since these are the local pastors picking up their evangelism responsibilities and doing this without the direct involvement of the Wheresoever team.
Church Building Collapses
Sadly, the church building at Chisamba was damaged as they repaired the roof for the rainy season. The wind and rain later made it collapse. There is a need to teach them stronger building techniques. The villagers are donating what they can to raise enough funds to repair the building. Wheresoever would love to help when the financial situation allows. This is a problem as they are in the middle of the rainy season now. Some of you may remember that Chisamba is the very first village that Wheresoever went to way back in 2004, and it was the second church started as a result of Wheresoever spreading the Good News, when God started to reveal His purposes for this region of Mozambique.
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Outreach at Changara village
Just before Christmas, the Mozambique Team held an outreach in the large village of Changara. It is some distance away, south of the city of Tete, maybe 5 hours away from the Wheresoever base. There were many setbacks along the way. Two tires burst on the Land Rover, the enemy usually thinks he has succeeded but as always The Battle Belongs to the Lord. As the team waited for for someone to return to Tete to buy new tires, the team started their door-to-door evangelism at the place the tires burst - 41 people recived Jesus. Hallellujah!
The next "problem" was that the officials would not allow the outreach to begin. After some long meetings and a lot of prayer, they opened the way. God is Faithful. Two new churches are now operating in the area, both with Missao Fe Apostolica, in Changara and Cancune. The one in Changara has already started to grow and is expanding its borders.
The outreach began under a tree at the place the government had agreed to, where 35 people were saved. After that, the government allowed the team to choose a better location, leading to another 251 salvations. In the follow-up sessions, a further 826 persons received Jesus into their lives. No wonder the enemy was trying to stop or delay this.
There were many healings and deliverances, with God's glory attracting more and more people for each session. One example was the woman who came forward with her testimony. She explained that for six months she had more or less constant menstruation. She had gone to hospitals and witch doctors, with no positive results. After she was prayed for, it stopped. That was part of the reason that so many more people came to the next session where over 300 persons accepted Jesus. The Word of God gets around, many had cycled long distances to attend that session.
This is what the new church in Changara looked like during the service that Sunday.
Opening of new church in Domue
The African Team went to Domue on January 4th and 5th to dedicate the new Foursquare church there and hold outreaches in the area. The church is meeting in a school classroom. Across the outreaches in the afternoon and evening each day, 273 persons accepted Jesus.
This young boy could not hear, but after prayer he claims to be hearing well. This miracle attracted many people.
Christmas in Mozambique
Christmas was a special time for people not used to celebrating Jesus' birth. On the morning of Christmas Eve the team partnered with the Foursquare church at the Wheresoever base, and gave small gifts to many of the orphans in the area, 104 in all - some rice, soap, sugar, salt, clothes and a little money so they could buy some meat to cook on Christmas. It's interesting that more orphans showed up than expected and the team thought there were not enough gifts. But it seems that God multiplied them, everyone got something. Then the team went to give some gifts to some of the destitute widows and poor elderly in the area.
Most of the church celabrated all night long on Christmas Eve, leading to Christmas morning. It was especially refreshing that there were so many of the youth there, their lives so transformed as they choose to worship Jesus instead of so many worldly activities they used to engage in.
During the overnight service, this lady witch doctor surrendered her life to Jesus.
Funeral of Foursquare Pastor
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It was very sad that Pastor Misheki who was leading the Foursquare church in the village of Msambamoyo, died on December 15th and was buried on December 16th. He was one of the stronger Foursquare pastors. He left behind his wife and six children. Much prayer is needed so that the family is provided for.
But even in death there is life. During the funeral and burial, 245 persons came to Jesus. This is after a group of men of traditional faith, upset and agitated because everyone was praying to Jesus, came in trying to chase the mourners out of the house. Even though this village has a stronghold of traditional faith, the church that was led Pastor Misheki is still there, and a second church has been established in the village. Nothing can stop the move of the Holy Spirit in this area.
Mayor of Vila Ulongue Visit
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It is an honor that the mayor of the city of Vila Ulongue has come at different times to visit the Foursquare church that meets at the Wheresoever base. It is rare to see government officials in these areas attend church. He came the first time with his wife and two other officials. He was very happy and has promised to come back often. He even donated four bags of cement to be used for the new church building.
In June of last year, Cesario from the Wheresoever Team went to his home to pray for him when he was very ill. God touched him and he was healed in the name of Jesus. He is very grateful.