There's A First Time For Everything

On Sunday our family went to a little village called Moreu out in the bush. I visited this village the first Sunday I was here. It was really cool to be able to go back and see all the changes.

This community did not have access to clean well water until recently. Tod Tanner's church in Texas raised money during VBS to send here. Lee, along with some of our national friends, built a well for Moreu. Sunday we dedicated the new well and Lee gave his first message to the body of believers.

I had the opportunity to experience a few things for the FIRST time....here we go!

Take a good look at this picture...what do you see?
That's right, my FIRST MONKEY!!!!! I was so excited to see
my FIRST African animal!

The church in Moreu.

Lee giving his FIRST message. A woman gave her life to
Christ after his message. Praise the Lord!

The new well!

The FIRST drink from the well. The water was really tasty
and safe for us to drink as well.

The whole village gathered around their new well.
Not only do they have drinking water but also the
Living Water.

My FIRST time pumping water out of a well.
It was so much fun!!

A snack which consisted of dried, pounded rice and
roasted cashews. A FIRST for me! The cashews were really
good but I didn't like the rice.

Goofy Emma waiting for lunch.

Still waiting...Africans don't know what plans are so you
make plans as you go along. Lots of waiting!

My three favorite girls! Love each of them so much!

My favorite thing to eat! They cook their rice over a fire
and serve it with chicken or goat, and a yellowish broth
sauce. I could live off of this stuff!

No utensils so you get messy! So good though!

********

After lunch, we got in our car and drove deeper into the bush to attend a wedding. This was my FIRST African wedding! When we got to the church, the people welcomed us and would not allow us to sit anywhere but at the front of the church.

In America, the front is reserved for the family of the bride and groom. In Africa, these seats are saved for the people with the highest honor. So that would be the pastors and the ones who travel the farthest, which happened to be us.

The church was packed for the wedding. This is the view
from the front of the church.

Here comes the bride...and groom!

White dress...some traditions never change

They never smiled but were happy to be married.

Feeding each other cake...same tradition.

They signed the marriage certificate in front of the
whole congregation. 

Presenting the bride and groom with their certificate.

Everyone in the church gave money to the family
as the gifts. 

Presenting Mr. and Mrs...

At the reception, I had my FIRST coconut! I didn't like
it that much but at least I tried it. 

I was a very long Sunday but a very exciting one! I love new things! So thankful for this opportunity to experience another culture. I have fallen so in love with Mozambique and am not looking forward to coming home to America.

Please continue to pray for the hearts of the people in Moreu and those we come in contact with. May all we say and do be glorifying and pleasing to the Lord!

His Servant,

Sheldon

Salt and Light...No Plan B

Yesterday during my quiet time I read Matthew 5:13-16:

"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Jesus tells us WE are the salt and light of the world. I am the salt and light of the world. YOU are the salt and light of the world. He has chosen US to make His name known. Not just in Charlotte, in North Carolina, in the USA, in Brazil, in Africa, in Mozambique, in Quelimane, but to every nation and every people group.

Why would God chose us to do his work?

In the book Radical, David Platt breaks down exactly what God has called us to do.

"CHRIST COMMANDS THE CHURCH TO MAKE THE GOSPEL KNOWN TO ALL PEOPLES

Romans 10:13-15
**Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?**

In these three short verses, we see God's design for taking the gospel to all the peoples of the world, including the billion who have never heard the name of Jesus.
Let's take the verbs from this passage in reverse order:

***God sends his servants. ---> His servants preach. ---> People hear. ---> Hearers believe. ---> Believers call. ---> Everyone who calls is saved.***

Is there any place where this plan can break down? There is only one potential breakdown in this progression--when servants of God DO NOT preach the gospel to all peoples.

WE ARE THE PLAN OF GOD, AND THERE IS NO PLAN B.

He has the power to write the gospel in letters across the clouds so that all people can learn about Jesus and believe in him. But in his infinite wisdom, he has chosen to use us as ambassadors who carry the gospel to people who have never heard the name of Jesus.

God clearly has decided to use the church---and only the church---as the means by which his gospel will go to the ends of the earth.

   The will of God is for you and me to give our lives urgently and recklessly to making the gospel and the glory of God known among all peoples, particularly those who have never even heard of Jesus.
   The question, therefore, is not "Can we find God's will?"The questions is "Will we obey God's will?"
Will we risk EVERYTHING---our comfort, our possessions, our safety, our security, our very lives---to make the gospel known among unreached peoples?
   Such rising up and such risk taking are the unavoidable, urgent results of a life that is radically abandoned to Jesus."

I am the plan of God. You are the plan of God.
He has chosen us, as a church and body of believers, to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Are you willing to give up everything to live a radical life?

His Servant,
Sheldon