The gap is getting smaller...

Hello everyone!!

So the gap is becoming smaller. I realised in church on Sunday that the gap, the differences between my local friends and I is smaller! There’s still a lot to learn about this culture. However at this time I feel like my friendships in the workplace, in my home and in everyday life is becoming thicker! This makes me so happy and excited! I pray daily that in these friendships, God can shine through me. God once told me that once when I was little, people would be healed from my shadow. I argued with Him and said that’s not possible! Yes that’s right…this stubborn girl who thought she knew better, told God He was wrong. A few years later I then read about Peter’s shadow healing people. (Acts 5:15) I feel like as I am now becoming friends with locals and going to their houses, sitting with them and sharing with them. I am praying desperately that God will do work in their lives. That He will heal them, pour down on them and bless them beyond what they even expect!

When I was walking to the children’s base on the weekend a lady was sitting down in the dirt waiting for a bus (Chapa) to come past. I said ‘Salama’ to her, which is hello in the local tribe language ‘Makua’. She said ‘Salama back but then as our eyes met, her eyes went dark and her tongue went out like a snake. I knew this was a demon-possessed women and she was reacting to Jesus who lives in me.

This is the kind of thing I am talking about. I would love for you all to pray along side me. That as I start to become ‘one of the local’s’ (Well a white local). That I don’t get in the way one bit to what He wants to do through me. That I can just sit in the dirt and share my testimony with my friends…and hear theirs. That we can encourage each other and be a blessing when we are having a difficult day. That the big picture of the church being a family becomes apparent.

I would like to let you all know that I have decided to step down from doing the amount of admin that I was doing. This is to concentrate more on setting up ministry work with the prostitutes in this area. We shall start by just becoming a familiar face in the party scene here by selling cola and Fanta. We may also do hairdressing. Please can you pray that a team comes around for this and that we are received well in this area?

I would love to hear about what you are all up to! Please do keep in touch and let me know if you have any prayer requests.

Lots of love to you all! 

Ruth

Snakes in the camp...

We have had quite a bit of a battle this last week. A few of the children I look after had ear problems, two houses got broken into and had lots taken. A few things went missing from the baby house (not any babies just incase you were wondering, hehe). Some of our older boys got into a bit of trouble. Things keep breaking in my house as well as it leaking every time it rains. It all seems to be a bit hard. However we know that the witchcraft around Easter is always crazy. We can feel the enemy coming in and trying to steal our joy, our friendships, and our possessions. 

The day that the houses were broken into was Easter day. We had an early start and had lots to sort out. We then went to church and the amount of support; the way we got together as a family, the joy and celebration shown on that day was wonderful. That night we then had a snake come into our compound next to our house. It summed up the day; it summed up the way the enemy was sliding in. The guard then got a big stick and killed it. ;)

It made me think of a video that I saw this last week. A man named Arthur Blessitt carried a cross around the world. He was in the world record books and speaks in churches. On the video he was talking about a moment where he was walking in a cold part of the world where there was a blizzard and he thought he was getting hypothermia. He decided to pray against the blizzard and the cold. It then became heaver and colder. He laughs to himself and says 'it will take more than that to take me away from your joy, I will still praise you'. 

This is such a hard lesson to learn but as these troubles are happening all around us I am learning praise God with my family here. I am learning to walk with God in this and focusing on Him and not the troubles that come to distract. 

Please pray that through all of this we as a family become stronger and become conquerors in Him. Today one of the younger boys who is three was told he didn't need medicine for his ear anymore, which is wonderful!! The Tia and I celebrated! :)

Please do keep me updated with everything and let me know if you have anything you need prayer for.

Blessings and joy,

Ruth

My boys having fun with the camera...

'Jesus loves you, Jesus loves you, you. you. you. you. you. you. you!'

Thank you to everyone who was praying about my visa. We went to immigration this week and they agreed that they would stamp my visa after 90 days. Which means I only have to leave after 6 months! After there seemed to be no hope...God shows me how all my hope is in Him.

Just want to remind you all how much I love and appreciate your support and encouragement.

Love and prayers!
Ruth

I'm here!!

Hello my dear friends and family,

I am here and hit the ground running, but with a big smile on my face. J It was so wonderful to see all the children and my friends again. I couldn’t wait to see the babies in the baby house I went in as soon as I got there, sadly they were sleeping!

I am currently living in the hospitality centre while I wait for someone to move out of my new room. This is now just going to be with one of my friends instead of two of them as one is moving to the base with the children on. This means I have a bigger bedroom that doesn’t rain! J It also has an air-conditioner installed but sadly it is broken. Looks good though. Hehe. So next week I will be moving into my new room and making it my own, searching for furniture and unpacking all my stuff!

I am also going to start going out to do work on the streets next week r maybe the week after. This is so I can focus on the baby house for now as there is a lot to do. Please do pray though for me as I start preparing for go out. Can you also pray that the locals respond well to us?

Well this is a short little update but just to let you know I am here, loving it all and getting stuck in! Thank you to you all for your support, prayers and encouragement during this last season to get me to Pemba. I hope you are all well and getting excited for this hot summer that is meant to be coming to the UK!

Lots of love!

Ruth 

A little season called...'Packing more but making it weigh less'

I am starting to pack my things and getting very excited! As you can see by my picture the title of this post isn't really working! ;)

For all those who where praying for my visa, sadly I did not get the visa I wanted which would allow me to stay in the country for a full 6 months. I will have to leave after three. I can return soon after but just a shame I can't stay in one place. However as I keep saying, this is God's problem not mine! :) All will be sorted out.

I will be in London for a little while before going to Heathrow on the 29th. I shall then be in Jo'burg staying at a friends house until the 2nd April when I will be landing in Pemba!

I will be staying in contact with you all via this blog so if you don't get an email once a month and wondering what's happening...come on here and see if there are updates! :)

Lots of love and prayers!

Ruth

Wish list...

...I have been asked a few times if there is anything I would like for Mozambique so I thought I would do a wish list for you all to see:

Curtains for small windows in my new house! x2
Bed sheets
String
Shampoo and conditioner x lots!
Make-up
Flip-flops
Sunglasses
Electric hand mixer
Cooking pot

Thank you!! xx

I'm a going home!

Today I purchased my flight tickets! I went into Trailfinder and found out they were have a sale through South Africa Airways which ends today! So after getting very excited and slightly nervous I booked them! I shall be leaving on the 29th March from London Heathrow and won't be returning for a year.

I will be starting to do the before prep work in these next few weeks so will be very busy but if any of you guys are around the Norfolk area I would love to meet up!

Please pray that everything goes smoothly and that I get monthly supporters. At this time I need about 20-25 people giving £10 pounds a month. I have also been writing to companies in the Norwich area to see if they would like to support a local person doing charity work. So far I have no reply so please pray for favour in this! I am going to be sending my application form for my visa soon. I am going to be asking for a rare 12 month multi entry visa. This would mean I wouldn't have to leave the country every 90 days and leave after 6 months instead! This would be incredable so again, please pray for favour with the Mozambican embassy.

Thank you again to all of you who are supporting me in this with your prayers and kind words. It means so much to me! If you have any questions please do email me!

I would love to hear updates from you all or any prayer request you might have.

Love and prayers!
Ruth