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Jean and I are always struggling to find time to write about the awesome stuff God is doing here in our corner of Africa. So when a visitor came to me recently with written testimony of her outreach team- I was so thrilled and touched, I asked her permission if I could share it with you! Thank you again Carol for your amazing heart and life! I was also very blessed to be a part of the team following up in Namanupiri so we had the honor of baptizing several people from this village!!!

Here is Carol’s testimony:

The same weekend that Heidi went to the new and unreached village, our team headed out for the village of Namanupiri. We literally saw the Kingdm of God come onto that village. The first night we arrived, the chief of the village would not give us permission to show the Jesus movie and so we just worshipped and prayed for those who came and wanted prayer. That night our team set an all night prayer watch for breakthrough. The next morning the team praised God and worshipped Him for all He was about to do and for His pure goodness. Then, in their little church with bamboo pews, the watchmen began to testify as to what the Lord showed them through the night.

Many things were shared. One that was most in the forefront was that the children were the keys to this village. And so we formed two lines of team members and had all the children slowly go through and we laid our hands on each of them and spoke destiny into their lives and cancelled all of the enemy’s plans against them. We spoke freedom into their lives. Then we headed out in teams to visit houses and minister where needed. As we stood in the street wondering where to start, we realized that the children would have to take us where we needed to go as they were the keys! And so we followed. We prayed for a man who had multiple sclerosis and within 10 minutes we had him up and walking with us around his entire yard. He said he felt stronger than ever and was happy.

As we left there we met a man in the street (dirt road) and he was going to demonstrate his handmade guitar for us. We realized he was very drunk and so we laid hands on him and just poured out the love of Jesus on him and soon the Holy Spirit descended like a gentle dove and this man just went limp and laid in the dirt on his back and lifted his hands to heaven. When we stood him up and took him back to the church to talk with a Makua speaking pastor we found out some wonder things. His name is Joe Pinaca which he said means “I will meet you” and he said that he felt such a power and presence come over him in the dirt and he knew he didn’t want to drink anymore or smoke cigarettes or live the life he had been living. He had never met Jesus and he wanted this more than anything! Jesus “met him” and Joe stayed with us the rest of the day in that church. He didn’t want to leave.

Some of us left and went back to the streets and we were taken by the children to a lady who was in her late 20’s who had lain practically comatose on her cot for five years! She had never left her little hut in all this time and was in the fetal position with dark and vacant unmoving eyes when we found her. We were told that she would eat there when fed, and shishi (uses the bathroom) there on her bed, and be sponge bathed there. When we walked into that place, it was clean but we could literally taste the evil in that place.

We started to just lay hands on her and call out demons and just began to literally soak her in Jesus’ love for a very long time. We sang over her, held and caressed her and just kept singing Jesus name. After awhile we sat her up. Soon after, we stood her up. All this time she wouldn’t look at anything. Soon we were walking her out the door of that hut for the first time in five years! Her mother and sister told us through translators that she went crazy five years ago and so they took her to a witch doctor and this is how it left her.

We sat Aleeza (her name) down on a chair facing the sun and let the warmth of it bathe her. We continued to sing over her and love her and touch her. This went on for at least two hours solid. Soon the entire team joined in! Son there were tears running down her face as she looked at us. She was overwhelmed by Jesus love! She still never said anything. Then her mother and grandmother took her into the bana and gave her a real water bath by pouring it over her and cleaning her and we put her into a new capalana and t-shirt! Then we had her into a new bed in another hut with her grandma watching over her. For five years, everyone was afraid of her and wouldn’t do this!

The Mozambique pastors noticed another hut next to hers and inquired about it. We were told that it was a hut built just to house all her demons. The whole time, the witch doctor lady is standing there watching us and not happy. She was saying bad things to us although quietly. At one point I looked at her with love and told her “Moluku now fenta” (God loves you). She shook her head no. I told her again very gently and she just looked at me. God does love her. So, we asked if we could tear this demon hut down. The family discussed it and said we could the next morning after 4:00 a.m. We told Aleeza we would be back. Still no further expression from her but we could see the transformation coming over her.

The next morning we were back at 6:00 a.m. and we built a fire and two of the team sat with Aleeza. She did recognize us with her eyes and was receptive of our hands and our praying. Still no expression. The men started tearing down the house, destroying the works of the enemy! They threw the bamboo into the fire and reduced the hut to a pile of rubble. Then they began to dance on the rubble and praise God! We sat Aleeza up and showed her what was going on and Aleeza SMILED!! Her whole face smiled!!!! Oh how Jesus loves her! Then Pastor Balenzia preached about the authority of God and how he reigns and the works of the devil are dead and destroyed. What a wonderful day of rejoicing! Much more happened in this village. A deaf mute little girl received her hearing and started to form sounds by the time we were leaving! A 17 year old boy received Jesus and within five hours he was laying hands on the sick with us and healing the sick!!!

The kingdom of God sure is the funnest and bestest place to live!!!! Woohoo!

WOW! It’s hard to believe it has been 3 weeks since our visit to Durban. I (Jean) have been meaning to write this update for the last couple weeks, but as usual time has gotten away from us here in Pemba. While in Durban we had the opportunity to minister at Harvest Church. On Friday night over 50 hungry youth showed up, including over a dozen visiting for the first time. The presence of God filled the sanctuary from the beginning of worship till 3 hours later when we finished ministering. After preaching a short message Teisa and I prophesied and imparted to all the youth, and some adults too… Shortly thereafter about a dozen came over to the house we were staying at for some food and fellowship. The Hungry Always Get Fed!!

On Sunday we ministered twice in the morning and once in the evening. As usual the Holy Spirit showed up in power and many lives were touched. There was an incredibly strong prophetic flow and healing anointing, especially in the evening service. One lady who had TB and was having extreme pain in her chest was touched by the power of God and all of her pain left!! Glory to God! We are still waiting to hear more testimonies… Both Teisa and I had a wonderful time in Durban and we were so blessed by the hospitality of Pastors George and Andrew, and the Harvest staff and family. Not only did they take us on a great safari (see our travel pictures), but also Teisa got to go shopping at the largest mall in the southern hemisphere and I even played a round of golf…well…tried.

A few weeks ago, one of our boys, Awiley, broke one of his toes while playing. Normally, a broken toe is not a big deal, but in Awiley’s case, his foot was feverish and infected. And his toe swelled up twice the normal size with something protruding out…our doctors were divided in thinking it was his toe bone exposed or a really thick and weird nail bed. So after praying for him, we headed for the local hospital…I was not looking forward to the long lines, lack of supplies/staff, poor sanitation, and overall suffering in the faces of the people. Unless we are praying for people, I avoid the hospital at all costs! Anyways, we were able to get an X-ray and see a doctor on our first night. Due to it being a Friday night, they scheduled him for an out patient surgery for Monday morning.

Awiley needed to stay completely off his foot, so Jean and I decided that Awiley would stay at our home till he was better. Normally our boys stay at their own house at the Children’s center under the care of our two Mozambican aunties (Tia’s). We want all our kids to be raised within Mozambican culture as much as possible☺

We had the best time with Awiley! We watched movies, colored, read books, and ate lots of yummy food. Monday morning came and we set off for the hospital again. We found the operation building ad we were asked to wait in a large room. Many people were wheeled into our room to recover after their surgeries which was not very pleasant, but we were happy to pray for their healings. Awiley was so brave as the doctors came and poked and pulled at his toe. One doctor who had bloody gloves tried to touch his toe, but I slapped his hand and told him not to touch him…the doctor sheepishly took off his bloodied gloves and replaced them with new ones. The doctor then told us to come back the next day because the person who could operate on children was not in on Mondays. This was quite frustrating because we had been waiting for hours….

We returned to the clinic at our base to seek advice. At this point, I lost it and started crying inconsolably….this was probably my first real “Mom” moment related to the health of our boys. I felt like if we did not fight for Awiley, who would? Jean was a rock and stated the obvious, “Jesus is fighting for Awiley, Teisa.” Just then, our doctor at our center reexamined Awiley’s toe…and found it healing quite well! The protruding object was definitely nail bed and would fall off soon. Best of all, she told us we did not need to return to the hospital (glory!!!) and that we just needed to keep it clean!

Awiley spent one more night at our house before returning to the boys’ dorm. He had a hard time leaving (he had faked a stomach ache) which made us both cry. But the other boys welcomed him back and he remembered how fun life is with his bothers.

But the best part of this story is this: A few days later, Jean and I were sitting in church when we spotted our boys coming in. Suddenly, Awiley saw us from across the room, his face burst into the biggest smile and he came running into our arms with such unashamed love, it melted our hearts. It was then that we knew that love healed Awiley’s toe and maybe a little of his precious heart!