Rachel's Reflections

City Life : I have made a lot of adjustments in the last two weeks while living in the city of Maputo. My ears are getting used to hearing Portuguese everywhere, even if I don't normally understand. I have gotten used to looking out of windows from several stories up and seeing cars, buildings, and people everywhere. I know my way around some parts of the city and have walked to a few close places by myself. I am becoming familiar with the Word of Life ministry here, participating with what I can. I love the four missionary families who live here and have now stayed in each home. I have visited three different churches, two of them mixed Portuguese and Shangana.     Triechardt School : The youth I met at camp earlier this month all attend Triechardt School. I have had the chance to go visit them at school four times since being back in Maputo. I had several great follow up conversations, answering quetions and trying to be a light and reminder of what they learned about God ...

Camp:  I spent a week and a half at youth camp on the beach by the Indian Ocean in XaiXai province (April 4-13). Grades 6-9 arrived on a Monday and I got my first cabin of girls: Alexandra, Vania, Andrea, Laura, and Shanese. Alexandra and I grew very close and we are planning to meet next week so I can encourage her spiritually and she can show me around Maputo. Farah was a girl on the yellow team I co-led with Jabu; she and I are planning a time where we can see each other again to build a better relationship. It was very hard to say goodbye when the grades 6-9  campers left but we welcomed the grades 10-12 campers just a few hours later. At first I was very intimidated by them but God taught me to open up to them and be honest, genuine, and transparent. I had three girls in my cabin from that group: Chelsea, Shantell, and Thandiwe, they were quiet most of the time but asked very good questions. Both groups had a lot of fun, playing games, singing, swimming, hanging out, and ...

Mozambique camp: Tomorrow morning I leave for Mozambique!!! I'm really excited for the chance to go meet the Word of Life team there and get involved in the ministry going on that side. A team from South Africa is going to help with two weeks of camps that the Mozambique team is running for children and youth. I know most everyone on the team and look forward to the bonding experience. After the two weeks of camp the South African team will head back, leaving me behind in Maputo. Maputo: I will live with Uncle Carlos and Mama Zeza in a guest room in their apartment until May 1. My time with them will be spent getting familiar with the ministry and working on my Portuguese. I will get to help them with a ladies conference and shadow Mama Zeza during her mentoring meetings.  Prayer: Please pray that God will give me courage to speak Portuguese despite fear of mistakes, embarrassing myself, get laughed at, and corrected many times.  (This last week was packed with school...