Time CrUnCHhh in Mozambique

Oh my goodness, I'm feeling it! I'm not even there, but we work together on almost everything ministry related, and the list keeps wanting to grow . Oh I am feeling the time crunch that my hubby is in while he wraps up loads of tasks before saying goodbye to Mozambique for a long while.

I wish that I had taken one more walk to the little market behind our rental house. I wish that I had taken the time to breathe in the earthy, smokey smell of the Mozambican air. I wish I had squeezed my kiddos one more time. I wish I had one more day to soak everything in, so my prayer for my husband in this ten day time crunch is that he has one full day of soaking up Mozambican sunshine, hospitality, friendship, and breath in rich Mozambican fragrances.

I love the smell of a wood burning kitchen fire, the smell of a dew damp field, fresh sun dried laundry, roasted corn on the Cobb at street corners, and sweet fruit as the vendors walk by with their round basin loaded up with pineapples, bananas or lichi. Those are my favorite Mozambican smells that tell me I'm on a leisurely stroll in my dusty little city in Mozambique. Ah, but I won't be in Mozambique for a while. Probably a year while I finish university,  and by that time the smell of my last t-shirt hand washed and sun-dried will no longer have the sweet memory invoking smell.

The smell of Mozambican sunshine lapping up the moisture from my shirt has lingered for these three weeks since I left my home in Mozambique.

I may have moved away for a season,  but my heart is always there, waiting for the next season of living in my African home with my big international family.
The funny thing about family is that weather you are near or far, the connection is unrelenting. That's a good thing. We need each other. Papa God designed us for deep loving connections. We're designed for love.

I'm thankful for the people who love me through the smooth sailing and the windy weather.
I love that talking with one of my oldest Mozambican son's after such a long time was one of the sweetest hours I spent during my brief time in Chimoio Mozambique.
The tasks are probably very important, and as long as they are evidence of our love for people we trust that each task will be accomplished in Papa God's perfect timing.

We are so perfectly loved by Him, and gently led by Holy Spirit. I'm certain that this time crunch will be a time of resting while we run, refreshing while we pour out, and rich encounters and God appointments while we trust Jesup to rule over our time.

He is the best and kindest King. He knows how to love each of us perfectly and give us the desires of our hearts at just the perfect time.

I believe that Jesus' perfection is evident in our lives as we live with Christ, and in Him. We don't achieve perfection through our efforts to love more, be sweeter, kinder, holier or more like Jesus; but as we receive his perfect love and trust Jesus with more of our hearts and lives we see His perfection, His attention to detail turning everything to our good in a way we had never imagined.

Don't be afraid to let Him love you. All the sacrifice and suffering isn't important if we don't delight in his love. It's the only way we can love at all. We love people,  places, cities, nature, activities, accomplishments and more because we stop rejecting Jesus' love for us. We breath Him in and just trust.

It's awesome to accept Jesus' love, it changes every aspect of our lives.

Lots of love,
Missionary Momma Mia

Overfull to Overflowing

Today started with a fun church service at Iris Chimoio River of God Children’s Center. We danced and laughed and sang in so many dialects that I only understood half of the songs. The mamas, grandmas, and girls were dancing in the center of the room. The guys played instruments and danced in a line behind the girls. All the voices were loud and clear. We worshipped and prayed together then listened as one of our older sons shared a message about being salt and light. He also talked about forgiveness and brought tears to my eyes. My hubby and I love this young man so much…. We are so proud of him and our other kiddos!!!! Then they surrounded me and prayed over me as I said goodbye. Oh my goodness, they are precious… Their hugs are priceless. Their prayers are powerful and full of faith. 

“Surround Mae with angels on her journey. Protect her and bring her back safely….” They continued for a while, all praying at the same time. Then our pastor prayed over me and our family as we are in this huge transition that God will bless us in our Goodbyes and keep us connected in spirit. My heart was just smushed….Its an incredible people we get to spend time with! They are a huge blessing in our lives. How can we say goodbye one more time? But we are a family stretched across the globe with our own three sons in the US. We miss them so much. It’s time for me to get back to them.   

But I’m not sure if I can say goodbye one more time today. My hubby so kindly reminded me that I need to say goodbye to our Mozambican son Ngenie. I’m pretty sure he’s heading to bed already though. And I’m not sure if I can get through more hugs. I’m over full, but I’m not sure if I’ve made it to overflowing. I’m full like a sack that is about to burst.

I need to take a deep breath and allow God to pour through me, then I can go hug my son….

Ok…hug time before he goes to bed, and then heads to school early in the morning.

Now I’m overflowing…..I got a hug and a big surprise!

I went to hug Ngenie goodbye, and he barely could hug me. Then he asked me if it was ok for him to come with us to Beira tomorrow. He told me that he doesn’t have class tomorrow or Tuesday. I told him that of course he can come. We will work out the details in the morning. I told him that it’s perfect that I don’t have to say goodbye tonight because I can’t handle one more goodbye today. Ngenie couldn’t handle another goodbye either, he was swallowing back the tears. I totally understand the emotion.

Now I’m just to overfull and overflowing with real soppy gratitude to Papa God. He just knows me so perfectly and understands what I can and cannot handle right now. I just needed to be able to wait to say goodbye.

I’m so amazed! We serve an awesome God feels like an understatement!!!! Can you fathom how perfect that detail is for me right now? It’s just so much more than any kindness I’ve experienced from a person in my life.  Papa God is by far the kindest person I know.

I’m literally crying now, and it’s because of amazement. How he loves us!!!! There is no other God who wants to show us his power by arranging a perfect ending to a perfect evening setting up the details that will best bless me!

I feel so loved and so blessed to be right here right now with hubby beside me. Yesterday and today we celebrated our 12^th wedding anniversary with wonderful meals out with friends, and a tremendously sweet lunch date with our beautiful Mozambican daughters! We all got dressed up in fancy dress clothes to celebrate!

We’ve said goodbye to many dear friends here, and we can’t wait to stay connected via various forms social media. Thank you to everyone who has blessed us on our special day!!!!!

We are over full and stuffed with love and friendship, we are overflowing with such tender JOY for being sons and daughters of the best, kindest and perfect Papa God!

Lots of love,

Missionary Momma Mia