MISSION TO MOZAMBIQUE

During July this year, 72 people from the nine provinces of South Africa and three continents, gathered in 4x4's and on motorbikes at the Pafuri Border Post. They ranged in age from Daniel (8) to my father, Leon (83). They had one mission in common: To bring the Gospel to the Central Gaza Province of Mozambique. The group was divided into five smaller teams - the crusade, outreach, discipleship, farming and pioneering teams. As the pioneering team our mandate was to go into remote areas on motor-bikes and 4x4's to locate villages that were unreached and yet open to the Gospel. We set up camp, did outreaches into the villages during the day, showed the Shangaan version of the Jesus Film at night, preached, and prayed for salvation, healing and deliverance. Two individuals impacted me deeply. This is their story. On our first day in the village of Chisapa, situated on the banks of the Limpopo River, we did door to door ministry. We came across Rosalina who was crippled, blind and had intense dental pain. We led her to Christ and prayed for healing. Nothing was initially evident. Two nights later while praying for people, I felt a tug at my arm. I looked down into the clear brown eyes of a laughing Rosalina. Jesus had healed her completely! She had walked to the meeting, her mouth was pain free and she could see! Another blind woman, Porcelina, also came forward for prayer. We led her to Christ and then prayed that as her spiritual eyes had been opened so too would her physical sight be restored. As she opened her eyes she began to exclaim "Ngi bona, Ngi bona!" (I see! I see!). Her face was filled with absolute wonder as she looked at our faces, the crowd around her, and at her own feet. She shared how she had spent all her money on doctors in Maputu who were unable to help her. "I was led here by the hand," she explained through our interpreter. "Tonight I can walk home alone because Jesus healed me." She smiled broadly, turned around and walked into the dark. I was left alone, suddenly wondering if what I'd seen was real. How blind was she really? Had I imagined it all? I asked Jesus for clarity as I walked towards a group of women standing at a fire. I asked if they knew Porcelina. "Porcelina? Yes, she is the blind lady in our village," they replied. "Jesus just healed her," I said, doubt removed. "She can see now!" They clapped and laughed and ran off into the dark to find their friend. The next evening she was back to 'show off' her eyesight. She truly had been healed! On our final morning in Chisapa we formed a church of all the new believers. They called themselves the 'Jesus Church'. Patrick, our interpreter, was radically impacted by the recreative miracles, healings and salvations he had seen and became the pastor of this new church. Rosalina and Porcelina joined us at the first service. It was humbling to see these women, once spiritually and physically blind, praising Jesus, the one true, Living God! In the course of the two week mission over 3 000 came to know Christ and countless people were healed and delivered. As my father said, "I am an engineer, a facts man. I cannot deny what I saw. I felt like I had stepped back 2 000 years and was living the Book of Acts." The blind saw, the deaf heard, the crippled walked and the demon possessed were delivered. The power of God was made manifest and He used the ordinary to achieve the extraordinary! Please pray for Pastor Patrick, for the 'Jesus Church' of Chisapa, for Rosalina and Porcelina and all the new believers. Pray that they stand firm in their faith, that they grow in Christ and share the Gospel which brought them such freedom, to those around them. Jesus has called us to GO, not to stay and so I challenge you to take God at His Word. "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation... And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My Name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink poison it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." (Mark 16:15-18). - Kim Ballantine Email: kim@ballantineinc.co.za 082 683 0334 / (011) 462 4913