HOme AT LAst...

AFter watching and waiting and wondering for little while (for what really seemed like an eternity) our eyes finally caught glimpses of them coming through the airport. THe girls squealed! I think I might have let out a holler or two! WE were all so happy to get to see Dad, Mom and Brundee, at last! THeir flights were excruciatingly long and they were sooooooo tired! WE not thinking of how long they had already been sitting and how exhausted they would be had planned to drive straight hOme. AFter lot's of hugs and kisses and a few tears of joy, we offered a thankful prayer to God for bringing them back HOme. THe time we spend will not be long enough. THey will be with us only 6 short weeks, before returning to Africa. But it will be full of wonderful times spent together filled to the brim with our FAmily and God's LOve in our hearts.

Carrie

On our way HoMe!!!

Wanted to call everyone (Eden, Teagan, Kailah and Valyncie especially) We're in the Air in Malawi and on our way oh happy, happy day. Only hours now and we will with the ones we love most on the earth. It's been so long. Were so excited. I'm thinking of the greatness, the goodness, the faithfulness of God and Jesus our Savior. We know God has been with us every step of the way, there are these special times when we remember He manifested Himself to us above all that we asked or could even think possible. I feel like a little child who's eyes have been opened to How BIG This World Is. And the same is true with God. He is the Mighty One who inhabits the eternity yet in the night speaks "It is I (I am) do not fear". In a way I hate to leave Africa for it is here that I have felt SO CLOSE to my Father in Heaven. It has been an experience rich in the Spirit. I never want to loose what I have tasted here. I long for my family to see a difference in me. It's my prayers. If I could just LOVE them like Jesus loves me. Reveal yourself to them Lord for no one could help but love you if they could only once truly see you.

You know my heartaches

Lord you count my tears

You know...

there is nothing man can do...

After a busy week with David and Elmer in South Africa going from Nelspruit to Durbin then Johannesburg and Pretoria looking for trucks for the Malawi project and parts and kitchen supplies for the seminary in Beira we spent Friday afternoon to Sunday night in Kruger. It was a blast! We missed seeing any cats but lots of everything else. Then we were on to more buisness in Pretoria. The truck was supposed to be ready but when we called they said the papers for the customs were not done. They should be done by Wed @ 3. The kitchen suppliers were waiting on a kettle. So we looked at a Samil that Dolf had located for Dave. It was tired no good but the man knew of a auction on Wed at 9 so since it was Tuesday we went and looked at the stuff and they had some really good parts and a Samil 20 low miles worth bidding on that went for cheap. Next am Brundee and Dad went to the Auction but everything went for more than the Maranatha funds could purchase and we had prayed so it was okay. We went to see the truck and they had not been truthful. The things they were fixing on the truck were not all done. Dad test drove what they had fixed and it still had the same problem. Disappointment! And they said the funds had not gone through till we got there so it will probably be another week. The kitchen supplier was not honest either the hood to the stove was still not in. We are used to such business Dave called and said they had a breakdown and we located and ordered and paid for the parts. And after spending a lovely Sabbath with our new found friends we went for home. Not even 50ks from Pretoria we got pulled over at a check point and told they had to impound our vehicle and wait till Monday for the office to open to take care of the problem. We were one of many cars there good revenue for the province. God got us out of that one. And we sailed to the border! SA said we were late coming back but they give 90 days and we had not been gone even 3 weeks. Finally Dad said check our vehicle pass and see. He dropped it and stamped it and we were out of there. Now for Mozambique! After waiting 2 hours while the officials watched their fifa game back in the office they took care of buisness and we came home to Motola. It dumped rain so bad at one point we could hardly see. Good to be back now if only the phone worked. I just took a quick walk outside and killed a flea on my shoulder. I'm feeling crawly! While we were gone the yard people cleaned up the back and planted corn all over. It’s knee high. The more I travel the more I know that for everything beautiful and wonderful in Gods creation Satan has done his awful work to the ruination of people animals and the earth. My heart cries continually it is time oh Lord for you to work for there is nothing man can do to remedy the woes of the world. And He will! Just had to finish what I began in Pretoria. More later.

Tent camping at Kruger

Shhhhh! Ah! What was that in the dark? Was it a Hippo? Or a Rhino? Orrrrr... A Lion? What ever will we do now?!!! We are tent camping in Kruger right next to the big five. Yah we really are living on the edge, Except there is a fence, wich is about five feet tall and is not keeping much of anything out. We wish we could share this awesome experience with all of our family. Tomarrow we may go on a guided tour or do some exploring on our own, at any rate we will get to see the beauty of South Africa, the wild life, the mountains and the plains, and hopefully no snakes or spiders. We arrived at about 3:15 and set up camp, went for an evening walk and saw some beautiful birds and tinky tinky monkeys. Just about to turn in for the night and wanted to get word out what we were up to!!!

Is Anything TOO Hard for the Lord?

We no sooner got back from South Africa than we received word the brick machine was broken down. Now the boys had just cleaned and adjusting this machine. The crew had run it low on oil and they drained it and put new oil in. They are suppose to change the oil every week because of the huge amount of hours they run it but though they say yes we do it the record shows no oil purchases. David has Dad making plans to build 3 of these machines. Before leaving the Howling Moon tent needed to be mounted on the cruiser planning on leaving Sunday. We looked forward to Sabbath but decided not to go to church just rest and study. We had Drew over for breakfast and the plan was made to go to a pretty spot on the beach out of Maputo, so I packed a lunch and he went to pick up Edward and Jenny(a couple who are team directors at Beira for Maranatha) at the airport. On our way through Maputo we picked up Crisney and Angelica principals of the Mahito and Libertad schools to take with us. These girls are 29 and 30 and both from Brazil. We had a good time us with no Portuguese and they with no English. Brundee is sending pictures of the ferry ride and the beach. A bunch of kids who were watching us enjoying our food so Bruce and I started passing around peanut butter and jam sandwiches and even ended off sharing one with the 2 moms who came and sounded like they were trying to make the kids go and leave us alone. It was great fun. One mother had a little baby tied on and she really got into the jam soo cute! The ocean was as pretty as I've seen around Maputo.
Sunday came all too soon! First we helped load the van and help get Edward and Jenny off. They had to turn in their petty cash reports so we started. I got the receipts in date order and glued them in a book. David called and had Bruce a list for Monday so Brundee and I started entering the petty cash reports. Meticais for Dec and Jan then Rand for Dec and Jan and US dollars all in a separate reports. We finally caught on. Got it done except the US$. Bruce and Brundee drove to the shop and gave the Cruiser a once over dad saw some grease that he didn't like the looks of and crawled under the rig and found that the steering column had only 1 loose bolt holding it together instead of 4 tight ones. He was so thankful! Over Breakfast he had prayed for wisdom and that he wouldn't miss anything important in his work. God is so good!!! We planned to leave early but last minute had to go to the shop and load barrels of dishes scaffolding cords and tools a huge list for the two new crews on the one day teams. Sammy (shop foreman) had a motorcycle accident and hurt his foot I put oils on and had him bandage it and left him with more telling him to soak it in hot salt water and not to forget to ask God to help him. Finally left about noon Tuesday for the grueling trip to Beira. Because of recent rains there was a lot of water on the way out of town. This Cruiser is so much nicer of a ride than the Nissan. It was a beautiful trip but we had a little trouble. The guard said sorry the reception closed 45 min ago (in Portuguese of course) I was praying. He repeated himself again and then said wait here and disappeared into the night . This is not hard for a black man to do. After a long time he returned and said someone would take us to a casa. So another man climbed on the side and away we went to the same casita we stayed the first time. There is no place in Mozambique you can go where it is so quiet and so far it is the prettiest cleanest beach we have seen. Okay so there was a giant cockroach that fell on Dad and Brundee and Dad woke up in the night with piss ants in there hair other than that I slept like a baby. We woke to rain. Brundee found some nice shells we showered took some pictures and paid to depart. Dad thanked God that before we call he answers we asked God to order the events of the day that we would have opportunities to share him and no matter what happened we would be happy. We went a long way and stopped at a place we stopped before for ice cold juice and water we didn't need fuel this time dual tanks in the Cruiser. Dad came back out and started the rig it turned and died. So they unloaded stuff got to the tools and checked things out then checked the battery it was totally dead. While this was going on the crowd was growing of 3ragged dirty boys too poor to be in school one asking for money. I made them peanut butter and jam sandwiches which they enjoyed and Brundee was impressed to give a taller quieter boy a Portuguese Bible. Dads first thought was it was a waste he can't read anyway. The man at the gas station said no battery go back 1 kilometer and ask at the village there. Everything had to go back in the truck and lock down and Dad had to go with no one else (good thing he loves the heat) back 1k.Its funny but because of our prayers in the morning and how God has been taking care of us I thought God will help him find a battery and I will see him again. The boy12 that got the Bible carried it hanging out with us went home and changed his shirt and came back with that Bible. The men at the station called him over and looked at it and then one came and asked me what kind of book it was. Portuguese Bible. What kind of church. Seventh-Day Adventist and from then we passed out 8 more Bibles. One of the men at the station said he went to the one day church 12k back and could he have one for his mother too. It was so neat right where we broke down. While we waited for Dad (long time) Brundee got out our guitars and played and sang about Jesus and people stopped with their wheel barrows along the road people coming in and out of the gas station stopped to hear and when the men weren't pumping fuel they came and sat by us(a man moved a bench over in the shade by the truck)and listened to the music. Then joy of all joys we saw Dad coming and behind him a man with a bike and on the bike a battery. The men at the station seemed surprised but I told them God answers prayers. Brand new and just like the one that died. Only 3366.mt Dad said he hiked1k and no one would help him but he went to a cell phone hut and the guy new a little English he even head a battery but it was no good. So he went with Dad by shopa (transportation van) 14k to another village where they had 30 batteries. And they had the one we needed. The guy brought it by bike to our truck at the station. He payed him 100mt and 20 for the shopa. So we said goodbye and traveled on by now late and it would be dark soon. At one point we got behind a truck with guys on top who were wandering all over the road mostly on the right which is the wrong side here with on coming trucks and buses. It was scary. Dad had a hard time with the bright lights and the chuck holes but did a fine job and we got here close to midnight or so. It was sure good to be here safe and sound. We got up early and the guys worked early to late getting the Scania+Trailer off and fixing the Samil20. I even got to help grease the Scania with Brundee and inventory the church materials with Drew. It has been good to see David again as well as our USA friends at the seminary (Sheryl Haberly’s Mom and Dad and their two boys. There was a last minute addition to their crew a guy named Brett from Colorado. He is a really nice kid and a mason. He is enjoying his 3 month venture here in Africa. Plenty to tell his Methodist church back home. We are glad he’s here. I have a mission story a lady from the states just shared with me. She has a friend and used to be coworker who was at an airport to get a flight home. On the way past a gift shop he saw a butterfly and since his wife collected them he thought she might like to have it and stepped in to inquire about the price. While he was there a man collapsed at the door of a heart attack and being an ICU nurse he resuscitated the man and got his heart going saving his life. He caught his plane and went on home. Later a box came in the mail from the man who he helped. The letter was full of thanks from the family for the part he played in saving their Dads life. Remember that he had said the only reason he was there at the right moment was because of the butterfly in the window of the shop they wanted to purchase it as a gift for him for his wife. But on calling the shop they were told they didn't have a butterfly in their window and never had. Amazing. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Genesis 18:14 For the Lord nothing is too hard. The rain we had just before coming from Maputo caused some unsanitary conditions I saw on the news. Glad we are here. Keep praying for us. It’s working! Never stop we need it.As they say in Afrikaans Lovies from Africa

Afrikaans

We just left Beira and in a rush to get back to South Africa to get our much needed work visas taken care of. Had we known that the conference officials were out of the office and papers were not started we could have stayed over Sabbath visited the Paul family as we planned. As it turned out we only had rest for the night at our newly found haven at Morungulu and ended up traveling on Sabbath. Sunday we unloaded everything into the Cruiser and help Caleb get on his way to Beira in the Nissan took care of things at the shop and packed for South Africa Drew having informed us that we would not be able to accomplish the papers but by crossing the border and returning is gives us 30 more days. We needed lots of parts and more tools and had trucks to look at for the boss anyway. Debbie Paul called early Sunday am and told me of friends of theirs who were happy to keep us while we were there and insisted we must stay so we jotted down the number and begin to look forward to staying in a secure place not worrying about our vehicle and meeting this family. It turned out to be so enjoyable! These people are Afrikaans white folks that could speak english! And we had so much fun with them. They have a beautiful simple home complete with granny flat and a sweet grandma named Esther, talking barking parrots and 2 mini dobby’s and a ferocious sounding dog they turn out only at night I never saw but I heard him guarding the yard. Because these people are locals they saved Bruce so much time trying to locate the things he needed it really was wonderful how God blessed. They insisted on serving us breakfast and we had dinner with the whole family at night. They are a busy close family doing so much for others. They invited us to join them and the youth from the church for Bible study at some friends and we met another couple and their kids. They asked us what all we were doing for Maranatha and we told them it wasn't so much what we were doing for God but the work he is doing in our hearts. We are learning more about prayer and faith and the confidence we can have in his promises. How we can believe that he will do what He has promised. And He does. So the South Africa trip was productive and gave us a new connection of friendship. Which is so much nicer than a hotel experience. Dankie! (Afrikaans for thankyou)

Still in Beira

We are still here in Beira. We enjoyed another beautiful Sabbath after a long hot rainy stressful week. The more they went over the trucks the more problems they found. And the more parts they needed. Brundee kept the production going while Dad had to chase parts and by some miracle by the end of the week with Miguels help had found almost every part they needed. Gerald is helping us with the bake parts for the Samil 20 (very hard to find even in SA) He is returning from a trip to SA and Dad will be able to finish temporarily so the work can go forward. On our next trip he can finish the seals and do a complete job. These trucks go over the roughest ground and have no one to maintain them so they literally fall apart. They accomplished a lot with prayer despite the difficulties. I wish you could see the lovely school they have here. It will start in another week. Everyone is returning from the holidays and gathering for the next big push. We have enjoyed getting to know the Ford brothers. I guess tomorrow David and Elmer will be here from Malawi too. Everything we have heard about Blantyre, Malawi makes us long to be there. We are tired of the SMELLS and smoke and noise of the cities and long for rest. Please continue to pray for us and all the crews working here and in Zambia and Malawi that everything will go smoothly and much can be accomplished in the smallest amount of time. Seems like we've been gone longer than we have. Everyday this week we have had beans and rice and tomatoes and we are glad for it. Lots of good water called Vumba from the Manica Mountains not far from Chomoio. Wish I could take a ton home with as it’s the best tasting water since we arrived in Mozambique. We've had some mangos (tastes like the yummy dried ones from Mothers Market). But other than the mangos the quality of the produce in the city is much inferior to that of the bush. I wish I could dry the mangoes and send some home. They are very large and orange-ish firm and not so stringy. We had Fry’s hot dogs today with ketchup and tonight mangoes and pineapple then tomorrow back to the beans and rice and tomatoes. Hungry for those green smoothies!!!!!!!!!! We seem to pray our way through the days and are very aware of God's providential care and praise him for it! Wish I knew what each one of you were up to. Write if you can. News from home is sweet to the soul and health to the bones. Special lovies to our four darling grandaughters from Uncle Brundee Pops and Grammy. We watch the videos and cry for all we miss. God keep you in His care.