Learning to Trust God with the Unknown

In September of 2011, our family set out to spend 3 months in Pemba.  Our kids had never been out of the country before so this was a huge life change! Living in Mozambique was by far one of the most stretching, but amazing experiences I’ve ever had.  We were attending the Harvest School of Missions(HS15) with Iris Ministries(now Iris Global).  It was their summer season over there so think very hot and humid!  In the natural, we realized that we take a lot of things for granted in the US.  There were many times when our Iris base was without water and/or electricity which meant water bottle showers, etc., but it really made us grateful for what we have and gave us a different perspective on life.

Mozambique is one of the top ten poorest countries in the world.  But these precious Portuguese men, women and children are some of the most happy and content people I have met. Come along as I share pictures and memories of our time in Pemba, Mozambique along the east coast of Africa.

Our kids did really well during the three months we were there in Pemba, although it was a big adjustment.  Chad and I had to balance our time with homeschooling and caring for our kids plus all the opportunities for ministry and learning that presented themselves.

Sometimes, we just took turns staying at the house, but other times, we took our kids along to the school hut with books/activities in tow.  Some young adults who were attending the school, started a mini Harvest School for kids which our kids attended some days when we were in class.  This was so nice and they had fun spending time with some energetic, inspiring young people!

Meeting so many dear people from various countries who became close friends, was definitely one of our highlights!  Because of the intensity of the environment there, we developed such strong relationships as we really needed each other and were pressing into Jesus together. One friend in our house encouraged Chad one day saying…”what would keep you from going for Jo’s dream?”  This comment impacted Chad in such a powerful way and from that moment on, God put us on the same page.  We see how strategic God was in leading us there!

One of my favorite things that happened in our time here was that I was able to be a part of village outreach weekly. One day, Jesus led our small group to a neighboring village through a treasure hunt.  This is a really neat way to evangelize and if you want to learn more about treasure hunting, I highly recommend this book:  The Ultimate Treasure Hunt: A Guide to Supernatural Evangelism Through Supernatural Encounters by Kevin Dedmon.