Sorry about the late blog here. But i have been in South Africa, Polokwane for about 2 weeks after a long 2 months being in the bush in Mozambique. It was very amazing to be there and to witness and to just talk to the people of Mozambique. I got to be close to some of the kids there that I will never forget them. I have learned so much while being there and just getting to know the people I will be working with. The OM's were great to be with, we had our ups and downs but we got through them. Just keep praying for them for they are true Servants of God; Seraiah Wolf, Cody Hixon, Curline Lissa Josheph, Josh Collins, Kylie W, and Hannah Anderson. They were all great help to everyone and they were such hard workers for our Lord Jesus Christ in Mozambique.
We first started in Mbeti, Mozambique, where we were assisting with the Seminary Students from Christ Baptist Church. It was great there and that is when I had to learn to function with myself more than anything and get out of my comfort zone. It took the Samaria Mission team a long time to get to Mbeti, but we finally got there around 5pm at night. It was so hard to put the kitchen tent up and then to put all the rest of tents up, and then the showers and Loo's up. It was a hard job but we did our best to work as a team. We had children everywhere! while we were trying to put up tents and figuring out where to put stuff in camp. Then the Seminary Students came a couple days later and we were ready for anything that came our way. I mainly worked with the Women's for the first 2 to 3 days and it was great getting to know them and trying to talk to them. Then the rest of the week i worked with the children whom which i loved working with. They are all a joy to be with and to be around. We had a bible study then we played games to keep them interacted. After that week of being in Mbeti, the team piled up everything and headed to Kuguma. Another village in Mozambique where I will defiantly would want to come back to.
Kuguma, my favorite village of all them so far. We were there for 2 weeks and some of the OM's had to leave for the next village the following week we got there. the second week came and the Airline team came from Georgia. I got to know them so well and it was just a blessing to meet them and to get to know each one of them. We did night services at 7pm for everyone in the village to come hear whomever is going to preach that night. I got to tell my testimony for the first time and I will let you know i was nervous, but God helped me through it all. We had Children services, Women and Men services, the women's and children's were so much fun to just join and listen. We had translators there helping out with the teaching by explaining it more in depth for all the understand. Our translators there were, Member, Nehemiah, David and Derek. They were all a big help for all of us, if it was not for them God's word would never be taught to the people in Mozambique. I was there for the full 2 weeks, and after that we headed to another village for a night and the next morning we headed out for a good 5 hour car drive to Panhome.
Panhome was an interesting village indeed. The huts next door had a four day party and was just so loud. They even played American music for us to enjoy! We were here for a week and 3 days, and did the same things like we did in the other villages. We did hut to hut, night services, children's ministry, women's ministry, and men's ministry. I helped out in the kitchen a lot and tried different things as in cooking and baking. If you can be in prayer for the Pastor for the church here in Panhome, for he lost his wife about i believe 4 months go. But he has had a lot of help from leaders of the church to help him out with sermons. I got to meet the team from Port Elizabeth in South Africa, which is near Joannesburg. I got to meet a family from the states and they were a bundle of Joy to be around. They had 4 daughters that were adorable and just a pleasure to be around. I got to work with the Children's Ministry the whole time there, and made some friendships that were so nice to make. It was a great pleasure to spend time with these people and I would not change it for a second. After our stay there it was time to go to the next village where we stayed for 2 days in a village named, Xichumbane. We met up with the rest of the OMer's there and another team from Christ Baptist Church where I will be attending this year. I got to befriend a girl named Patience, lovely girl and just so much fun to be around. The church there is so well designed and just so beautifully built. The pastor there is very strong in their faith and just a great time to be around and hear him talk. We had a LoveFest, where everyone from the church and the Samaria Mission team gathers at the pastors house to eat. That was so much fun to do and to get to know other people while I am there. After that village we headed to Mabozane, the last village where we would be staying.
Mabozane was one of my other favorite villages. I got to know the pastor and his family so well that it was like I was part of their family. His name is Misango, his wife Jill, and their children Thelma, Blessing, Shalom, and Alex. Such an amazing family to be around and to get to know. I got to know Jill's mother very well as well. We did the same stuff, children's ministry, women and men ministry. The team that came in was Selma Team from Alabama, I got to know all of them there; therefore, it was only a really small team which we would usually have more, but God blessed us with 8 of them coming. The only reason why the other team did not come from Tennessee is because something happened at the airport, but they will always be in our prayers. Other than that I got to know all of Selma Team; Hannah, Jessica, Miss Keitha, Miss, Gwen, Chuck, Myron and Reagan. I will always remember that team, we connected and helped each other out all the time if they needed. I got to meet alot of kids as well, they were so much fun to be with like Elise and her siblings, and David and his little brother, and of course others. They were all a Joy to be with for the week being there.
After being there in Mozambique we had the opportunity to ride back with the Selma team to the border and head into Kruger Park where we stayed together till the end. We got to stay in this really night hotel type of sort and it as gorgeous and it was of course great to just lay down in real beds and sleep well. Sleeping in sleeping bags and on air mattresses was really different for me but I got out of my comfort zone and I did it. Then we all go together to have brie dinner and mingle with everyone. Then we traveled back to Polokwane where I am at now. I have been in Polokwane for about 2 weeks now after being in Mozambique, and I have learned a lot about myself and others around me. I learned how to talk to people about the gospel and how it is so important to know who Jesus Christ our Savior is. I hope you enjoyed reading this, it was an great experience to be there and to be God's servant there and even here in Polokwane, while helping this family and knowing how much I love my God. Just pray that I may be focused while I am here and that there will be no distraction. Pray for the people in Mozambique, so their faith in Jesus Christ will be strong for him and they can continue to go to church and learn more about our Heavenly Father.
Julia Rose
