Retouch :: BLOG
Mwanza-53 copy2

Jennifer: Child Prostitute

Written by

 

    A few nights ago we went to one of the local bars and sat down, waiting for the Lord to bring us his daughters.  Before we knew it, we were sharing cokes with 4 prostitutes, aging from 16-24.  As we sat and listened to these girls talk, they shared with us the trials they have been through and the difficult times they have had.  Each of their stories were different, yet hauntingly familiar.  ”I was thrown out of my house”…”I have no where to go”…”I ran away and I don’t know anyone in this town”…”My baby was taken away from me”.  I was amazed at how easily these girls talked to us.  I was sitting next to a girl named Jennifer.  After a while, I felt the Lord leading me to prophesy into her life.  I began telling her everything that the Lord thinks about her.  I told her that the Lord sees her pain and wants to bring her joy.  I told her she was loved and not forgotten.  As Chris and I continued speaking to her, tears started streaming down her face.  I watched as years of pain and hurt came pouring out.  I asked if we could pray for her and she agreed.  I simply asked that Daddy show her his love and fill her with joy.  Before I know what is happening, she is holding me tight and we are both dying in a fit of laughter.  Completely overcome with the joy of the Lord, we hug each other tightly and laugh the tears away.  In a dirty, dark, desolate bar  we connected with the joy of the Lord and we were undone.
The message of restoration and hope that the Lord wanted to give Jennifer that night was simply one thing – joy.  Not how she needed to clean up her life.  Not how she needed to come to church.  Not even how she needed to believe in Jesus.  No, the Father in his goodness knew exactly what she needed and the Lord gave her joy.  What an incredible Daddy that we have!  And what a joy that we get to share him with those who are hurting.  We are working in the bars alot this month, simply bringing the love and joy to girls who are hurting.  I am so excited to see what other encounters the Lord has planned.  I trust that it will always be exactly what we need.
Muterere-61 copy2

Souls for Sale

Written by

 

This month we are living and working just outside the port town of Mombasa, Kenya.  Mombasa is a beautiful placed filled with the ocean breeze and wonderful people.  It is vibrant and full of life.  But underneath it’s inviting exterior lies a hotspot for sexual exploitation.  Mombasa is one of the biggest areas in all of Kenya for prostitution.  We are partnering this month with our friend Cassandra, founder of Justice Rising.  She is working to establish a children’s home for at risk girls and rescue those currently being trafficked.  We have been hard at work searching for a suitable house and developing a strategy plan for the area.  We also get the joy of going into the local clubs and sharing God’s love with the girls who work there.
Sexual exploitation is the biggest illicit industry in the world, and this small town in Kenya has not escaped its reach.  Cassandra has been working with a local pastor here for a few years and has helped get women out of the bars and restore their life.  One of our first days here, we went to the home of one of the girls that they rescued, we will call her Sofie.  Sofie  was working in the bars when God found her and changed her life.  She now helps other girls find a new life as well.  We asked her how the situation in Mombasa has been for young women and she told us that every girl who turns 13 is at risk.  Even if the girls are not working as prostitutes, men often grab girls on the street and think nothing of it.  Sofie’s own daughter has even been molested on her way to school.  The situation here is very hard.  Sofie went on to tell us that just last week she woke up to a young girl screaming.  She went outside and saw this girl being raped by 7 men.  By the time Sofie got to the girl, the men had scattered and Sofie was able to get the girl help.  Listening to these horrific stories I feel overwhelmed.  The situation seems bleak.  But, I am also encouraged and empowered.  I know that the Lord is bigger than this injustice.  I know that the Lord has his eyes fixed on Mombasa and will stop at nothing to save his children.  I am simply honored that I get to help a little bit in this rescue mission.
This month will be a new and stretching month for Chris and I.  This is an area that we do not have much experience.  But we know that nothing we do is of our own strength anyway.  We covet your prayers as we go low and serve the prostitutes in Mombasa.  I also want to encourage everyone who reads this to please watch the film Nefarious.  It is an incredible documentary dedicated to shining a light to this hidden injustice.  Pay the $20, Watch the film and join us in rescuing these girls.
Zebras-3 copy2

Day 1: Nairobi and Multiplication

Written by

We arrived in Nairobi late Monday evening to the waiting masses of taxi drivers, each jockeying for our business. After a good night’s rest at a local hostel, we took the day to rest and get a few errands done. There is a comfortable familiarity with returning to Nairobi, we’ve been here several times as we pass through. There are places we love to go along the way, if you come with us one day we’ll be sure to take you.

One of our favorite spots is a local city park that is teeming with monkeys. There’s nothing really special about the park, it’s not a ‘must-see’ destination on any travel sight, it’s just a park… with monkeys. For about 10 cents you can buy a small bag of peanuts and feed the little guys. They’ll sit on your shoulder if you’re brave enough, which I have to admit that I am not. The Kenyans swear that the monkeys do not bite, but I have the words of my father ringing in my ears “If it has teeth, it bites.”.

Along with the monkeys, there are dozens of young boys living in the park. They are mostly runaways ranging from around 8 years old to early twenties. Many are addicted to sniffing glue and stare emotionlessly at you, begging for money with dried glue stuck to their faces. Seeing these boys changes the monkey feeding trip into something entirely different. Today, two of the youngest boys came running up to see us today, while most of the others slept under the shade-trees. I greeted them in the only swahili I know “Habari!”, “Mizuri” they replied, and something shifted.

The last time we visited, it was easier to compartmentalize our visit to the park. This time, Holy Spirit had a different result in mind. Later, as we sat talking over lunch we pondered the boys in the park. Who helps them? What would that look like? What is our response? We know the answer, at least in theory, someone needs to give their lives to a little park in Nairobi. Is it us? If not us, who?

And so it goes… what has God called us to? These days I would rather error on the side of compassion than temper myself in the name of wisdom, what then is our compassionate response to the world? It’s not theory for the boys living in the park, it’s their lives, it’s become their counterfeit identity. Our cab driver was explaining the boys to us and called them “Chacoola” meaning “scavengers”, he said “they eat whatever they find on the streets (laughing now), so we call them scavengers.

Two things I know.

They are Sons of God

And Sons of God don’t scavenge, we get 7 course meals prepared by our loving papa.

Heidi Baker likes to say that she prays for multiplication of our life, that God would break her like bread and give her out to the masses. It’s the reason she started Harvest School, raise up people to multiply the work God is doing in Mozambique. At the end of the day, that’s where we’ve landed… “multiplication”. Before us are God-ordained projects and ministries, things we know Papa has said, but he has also called us to multiply our lives. We are called to raise up a generation to move into city parks in Nairobi, preach the Gospel in the Middle East and change the world one person at a time. Perhaps we’ll be the ones to change the lives of some boys in a park or perhaps… you will.

lion

May Newsletter

Written by

As I write you today, we are mere days away from leaving on our first trip of the year, bags are packed, phones are charged and final details have been worked out. We’re now concentrating on family and friends, along with enjoying one final Starbucks date together. It’s in the “slow-down moments” like these, that we reflect and soak in the reason we go, our beloved Jesus.

There is such love from the Father, love that cannot be measured, contained or tamed. Last year we began a pursuit of a “Gospel revelation”, only to discover He was the one really in pursuit of us. It was a special moment when we realized that we are the joy set before Him, the apple of His eye and His favorite son/daughter. (Don’t worry, you’re his favorite too.)

This whole thing, missions, ministry, trips and farms is all about being His relentless love to the very ends of the earth. We’re not looking for fame or influence, finance or recognition. We’re looking for Him, we’re looking for Jesus to be the shining Joy on every face, the peace in every war-zone and the hope of every heart.

A few weeks ago while praying for intimacy, more of Jesus and so on,  He said something to me that broke my religious brain. “You are as intimate right now, as you will ever be. You are, right now, totally unified inside of me. What you need is a revelation of your unity with Me. I want you to receive this revelation and live from remembrance.” Totally unified. Perfectly One. For so much of my life, I have worked and strived for more of Jesus, for acknowledgement of how hard I work to be holy, only to end up frustrated in my failures and annoyed with my inadequacies. Only to realize that no work is required on my part, I am already fully absorbed in Jesus. The work of salvation is complete, sins are all forgiven, failures already erased… the pressure is off. And so the joy flows like abundant wine,  the glory of complete freedom to enjoy being the beloved and teaching others their position.

So we go forth this season into new places and old, with a fresh revelation of who He is and where we fit in. We get the job of informing everyone else of their inclusion in this ecstasy, we get the honor of telling them to labor no more, the season of joy and celebration is here. Jesus did it all, you can stop striving.

I hope you’ll join us in this celebration in your own life. Acknowledging the fullness of Jesus and your position in his completed work. I also hope that you will pray for us as we travel to Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and possibly Somalia as we share the message of Love and Joy to the ends of the earth. Pray for our continued safety, keeping in mind it’s a heavenly war that we have already won. Pray for energy and passion, wisdom and word of knowledge. Pray for healing and miracles beyond measure, we want him to exceed our expectations.

We thank you in advance for your prayers and support of us, it’s an honor to co-labor with you for the harvest.

learning to get lower still,

Chris and Jenn Hadsell

Kenya and Somalia Food Distribution

Along with building a farm in South Sudan (which you can read about here), we will now be spending the month of May in Mombasa, Kenya. We have been invited by our dear friend, Cassandra Basnett, to assist in food distribution and the establishment of a home for sex-trafficked young girls. Cassandra works with Global Children’s Movement as a director in the DRC and Kenya, establishing schools, working with pastors and ministering to the sexually exploited. We became friends with her through our time in Mozambique and are so honored to be joining her on the field.

The plan is to coordinate the distribution of 1.2 million meals into Somalia in a partnership between several organizations. The meals were donated to Cassandra and will be arriving in Mombasa port over the coming weeks. The nation of Somalia has been in utter turmoil for almost 20 years since the collapse of their government in the early 90s.  Many consider Somalia to be the “worst place on earth” due to famine, lack of government, pirates and warlords. In our minds, this is the perfect place to see Revival.

In addition to the food distribution, Cassandra’s organization is establishing a home for former prostitutes in the area. One of their local churches have been caring for a few of the women and are looking for a long-term solution for them. The home will open in the fall, so there is much to be done on the ground. We are thrilled beyond words at the chance of loving on these women and seeing them restored!

It’s going to be a busy and yet amazing month of laid-down love. This opportunity is such an honor to us, as young missionaries and as a fledgling organization, to learn about these areas and participate alongside our friend.

We covet your prayers during this time, both for us and for Cassandra, as we see God’s love explode in the region. If you would like more information on Cassandra or how to support her ministry, please click the links below:

Cassandra’s personal blog
Donate directly to Cassandra:

Global Children’s Movement website

Awake the Intercessors

Recently, Holy Spirit spoke to me and said “Awake the Intercessors”, a few days later  one of our board members began to stress the need for intercession and prayer covering. As he spoke about the need, I felt confirmation in my heart to call God’s people to prayer.

We are asking you to join us in intercession. Over the next few months we would like for you to remember us in your daily prayer time. In addition to your personal time, we would like to call you to corporate prayer at 10AM/PM EST each day. There are so many of our friends scattered throughout the globe that it would be impossible for all of you to get together in a building. So, as a community of the Spirit, we invite you to pray together from your prayer closets at or around 10 o’clock each day. For some, nightly prayer works best, for others morning is your time. Either way, we invite you to pray in this way:

1.  Asking over begging; Come into God’s presence asking Him to move and remembering that Sons and Daughters do not beg.
2.  Releasing over rebuking; In the Spirit realm we have the ability to release or rebuke, to bind or loose. We have found that releasing the Kingdom of God is far more effective than rebuking.
3.  Peace, provision and protection; the three P’s! Peace beyond our understanding, provision and favor in every way, protection from every attack.
4.  Joy and Love; We live off the joy and love of the Lord, feel free to pray that one over us at all times!
5.  Opportunity and Open Doors; Believe with us for opportunities to be Jesus and open doors to preach the Gospel.
6.  Miracles! We want to see the sick healed, the dead raised and demons cast out. Join us praying for the Gospel to be followed by power.
7.  Wisdom; It’s paramount that we have the mind and heart of God for every situation.
8.  Marriage; Agree with us for increased intimacy and unity with each other, protection for our new marriage.
9.  Other ministries; Please pray for other missionaries and ministers around the globe including our friends at Iris Ministries, We Will Go, GCM etc.
10.  People; Pray for the lost, oppressed and poor. It’s about people knowing Jesus. Ask God to reveal to us the one who needs us the most on a daily basis.

Glimpses into a Love Beyond Words

As always, we want to highlight the ministry of someone else we believe in:

Recently one of our friends, Danny Randall, wrote a book entitled “Glimpses Into a Love Beyond Words”. We bought the book, read and reread it as we drowned in the story of God’s love for us. Our friendship with Danny began in Mozambique, while attending the Harvest School of ministry. Danny walks in a strong prophetic anointing and is one of the most hilarious people you will ever meet.

We are so proud of him and this new book and can’t recommend it strong enough. We love it so much, we bought it for each member of our short-term team!

If you would like to learn more about Danny, follow the links below:

Danny Randall Ministries

Buy “Glimpses Into A Love Beyond Words”

A Video of Danny preaching

 

If you would like more information on our upcoming projects, you can click Here: www.retouchtheworld.com/outreach/

To partner with us in the field, you can click here to see a list of needs:

www.retouchtheworld.com/give/

Nambo-6 copy2

April Newsletter

Written by

Here We Go Again!

 

 

After a few months of rest, work and prayer we are thrilled to announce that we are heading back to Africa! We began praying about this trip while we were in Mozambique last fall and continued to feel a pull to return to Africa this year. In a little over a month we will be heading back to South Sudan with Iris Ministries to assist at the Yei Children’s Village.

During our visit last year, we felt called to establish a sustainable and integrated farm for the children’s home. We do not have farming experience, outside of a few small vegetable gardens, but started praying into this new vision. The Children’s base in South Sudan is home to 120+ former orphans and an international missions staff. While the base is a wonderful place, the diet is basic consisting of posho (a corn based mash) and beans for most meals. Over dinner one night, we began to talk about the food and how we could help improve the nutrition for the children.

As the base is located in South Sudan, purchasing fresh, healthy foods is nearly impossible, due to a lack of availability and prices.The land is lush and beautiful so we contemplated planting a few vegetables or fruit trees to supplement the food already available. From this conversation, and a hundred since, we are going in June of this year to implement phase 1 of an integrated farm. This phase will include a small milking goat operation, egg-laying hens, feed grown for the livestock and fruit tree planting. The addition of protein such as milk and eggs are essential for strong bones in young children and will also provide the base with an option for economic growth.

We will spend the first few weeks in Kenya and Uganda preparing materials and purchasing livestock. The last few weeks of the trip will be implementing the plan on base with a small team. We are excited about the dream God has given us and look forward to seeing how it grows!

 

Supporting Others

 

 

A few years ago, sitting in Pemba Mozambique, I heard these words “we pray that our ceiling will be your floor”. These simple words were spoken by Heidi Baker, one of the most inspiring and ‘accomplished’ missionaries I know or have heard of. The words have stuck with me as I contemplate the possibilities of going further in than Heidi or anyone who has gone before me. We feel a draw to encouraging the dream of others, through prayer, finances and prophetic words. We’ve encountered some amazing people around the world, giving their lives away to love God and people. A few of them have impacted us so much we call them friends. I want to highlight a few of them for you, so that you can join us in praying and supporting them.  Please click Here, or check out our Community link to read about these amazing people all over the world.

How to Sum Up Revival

Written by

How does one begin to articulate revival?

Should I write about the hundreds of salvations that I saw?

Should I describe the countless miracles that happened in front of my eyes?

Should I talk about the extreme faith that I saw usher in the presence of God?

Should I convey the radical lives of laid-down love that was modeled daily to me?

Should I re-live the dozens of demon possessed that I hugged to freedom?

Should I write a dissertation on the incredible Theology that shakes my Bachelors Degree?

The revival here in Mozambique is all of these things and more. Over the past two months, I have been a part of all that my heart has longed for. I have finally found a place that lives out the true Gospel. It is a place that takes care of the orphans, the widows, the sick and poor. But it is also a place that believes in deep intimacy with the Lord. A place that can quickly laugh in the Lords presence, and just as quickly worship under the fear of the Lord. It is a place, that above all, believes that all fruitfulness flows from intimacy. Heidi and Rolland Baker, the founders of Iris Ministries, live their lives this way. And through their lives of laid-down love, they model to all who are around, what a life of fruitful intimacy looks like. I have never before been to a place where miracles happen daily, healings are a common occurrence, salvations are countless, yet intimacy with the Lord is the thing most treasured. It has taught me so much about my approach to the Christian life.

I am learning more and more that to live a life that I want, I have to be intimate with the Lord. His desire for me is to just sit and be intimate with him. Not intimate in the sense that I have to fulfill a quite-time requirement daily. But intimacy that hears the Lord’s voice talking to me daily. Intimacy that let’s God tell me all the good things he thinks about me. Intimacy that flows from my heart of love, allowing me to worship him with my whole being. It is this intimacy that the Father is after for his children. He longs to be intimate with each one of us. He wants to talk to each of us daily. He wants to tell us specific things to even tell each other. God is in a good mood. A great mood actually. And he loves to have fun. And he loves to interact with his children in a very tangible way. He is desperately in love with us.

So as much as I have seen – all of the salvations, miracles, and deliverances – all of these are part of revival.
But the sum of all of the parts, is intimacy.

Artemis

Written by

While on our most recent trip to Turkey, I was reminded of the first time I went, over 2 years ago.  This is a blog I posted after God taught me a very important lesson.

This week we got the chance to go to Ephesus, Turkey. Yes, Ephesus, like the book of Ephesians, Ephesus. Don’t worry; I had no idea it was in Turkey either. Anyway, today I had two of the most powerful revelations that I have had on the trip thus far. The first began when my team did one of the coolest things I have ever done. We were sitting in the ruins of the main theater in Ephesus and decided to read the book of Ephesians out loud. We were the only ones in the theater; so we decided to each take a turn reading a chapter out loud. And I was up first. To be honest, I was a little nervous. I was scared that someone would see us and we would get kicked out. Even though Turkey is not a closed country, it is still very unpopular to be Christian and to preach about Jesus. I feared getting in trouble with the authorities; and that was my problem, I feared man. Timidly, I stepped down from the theater seats onto the main stage.

Hands slightly shaking I turned to Ephesians 1 and began to preach. It was an incredible moment for me. Thoughts of Paul standing on the same spot preaching to the Ephesians thousands of years ago flooded my mind as I read. I envisioned the theater seats full of Jews and Gentiles, listening on the edge of their seats as they heard the good news of Jesus Christ for the first time. As we each took our turn on the stage, various tour groups made their way through the theater, each silently listening to the words being spoken. We got to preach where so many spiritual giants had stood before us. The best part is, we just did what we wanted to do in that moment. We didn’t set out to preach on the street corner. We didn’t go searching for converts or beating people with the Bible. The moment was truly organic. Who knows how many seeds were planted that day. I was amazed that people actually sat, listened, and some even applauded as the Gospel was read out loud in a 99.7% Muslim country. I learned that day to never fear the acts of man. Instead, my calling is to just fall more in love with the Lord daily and allow him to move me when he wants me to move, and for me to rest and be when he wants to love on me. It truly is wonderful that the Lord is calling us to just be still and know that He is God.

While we were sitting in the theater I began thinking about Paul’s visit to Ephesus as recorded in Acts. Acts 19 says that while he was there, Paul basically went in front of the temple of Artemis and declared that “gods made my human hands are no gods at all”. It angered the people so much that they all gathered in the theater and for 2 hours yelled, “Great is Artemis, god of the Ephesians!”

Let me provide a little background…During this time, Ephesus was one of the biggest cities in the world. It was a port city, and was therefore was home to many different types of people. Artemis, their god was one of the most worshiped gods in all of Asia, as well as the rest of the world. The influence of the Ephesians stretched far indeed. The temple built for Artemis is one of the ancient wonders of the world today. This town was completely devoted to their god. Paul and his companions caused such an uproar that the crowd was ready to kill him.

Paul’s friends prevented him from going into the theater, for fear of his life, but they stood boldly before the crowd.

This story really stuck me hard. Paul and his friends basically, in today’s equivalent, walked up to the Hagia Sofia and yelled that Allah is no god at all and that Jesus is the only true God. If they did that today, they would probably be killed instantly…but that thought never worried the Early Church.

I wonder if today we hold on too dearly to our own safety.

I wonder if we think quantity is greater than quality and that we will be able to “reach more people” if we keep on living.

I wonder what would have happened if Jesus thought that way?

I think sometimes we wait and do not do radical things like Paul because we don’t “get a vision from God” to do it. So we keep on waiting for an absolution that may never come. Hasn’t he already told us in his word that we will be persecuted on account of his name?

Scripture tells us that the Ephesians believed they were the guardian of the temple of one of the greatest gods in all of Asia. Artemis was the most powerful and most worshiped god. They loved their god so dearly that they yelled adoration for Artemis for two hours. That seems like an impenetrable religion. Yet Paul kept tilling the hard ground. He may never have seen any results….

And yet, No one worships Artemis anymore….

I wonder if during the riots Paul saw any hearts changed.

I wonder if he was concerned with his ruining his witness in those moments.

I wonder if he was worried about offending people.

It seems as though he merely preached the Word and let God do the rest. Too often I think I am scared to speak about Jesus because I fear it will hinder the fragile relationship that I am building with non-Christians.

But who am I to get in the way of God?

If He is passionately pursuing hearts like I think he is, I doubt I am going to be able to prevent it. Maybe God is just waiting for me to boldly tell people about him, and then he will move in hearts. John 6 says that the Father draws people to Jesus.

So are we called today to till the ground through consistent friendships?

Or are we still called to preach boldly everywhere we go like the Early Church did?

The whisper still remains…

No one worships Artemis anymore.


 

Selcuk-0957 copy2

January Newsletter

Written by

With the passing of one year comes the dawn of another, a chance to hope, resolve and begin again. It’s in this spirit that we enter into the coming year, full of anticipation for all that God is going to do in each of our lives.

I had a mentor who always liked to say, “The best is yet to come!” Be it ministry, personal growth or any other spectrum of life. When I first heard him say it, I remember thinking of all the ministry that had happened through the years and the “impossibility” of something better to come. It took me years to learn that this is an “ever-expanding Kingdom” always headed into something better.

It’s impossible to over-bless, or prophetically exaggerate, the things God has in store for us. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Cor 2:9) I pray that you would live this year in the imagination of God for your life.

As you know, Jennifer and I have spent the last 4 months giving our lives away in Africa and the Middle East. What an honor it has been to serve God in this way, more than once we have looked at each other in disbelief at the goodness of God. Having only been married a month or so when we left, it was definitely a season of growth!

We learned to live with each other in a tent in Sudan, hotels in Kenya and a dorm in Mozambique. We learned how to intimately share our lives all while living in a community setting; constant knocks, interruptions and nowhere to hide. We found ourselves longing for alone time in a house with no glass on the windows! Showers were scarce and dates were scarcer, we got thrown into the whole “being-married-thing” at a very high speed and fell more in love along the way. As I’m sure many of you can agree, marriage is a sublime journey. We wouldn’t trade it for the world.

During our first four months of marriage we led small ministry teams to Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique (multiple times) and Turkey. We organized weekly outreaches to the bush-bush, local church outreaches and ministered to couples that have been married longer than we’ve been alive. We ran and we ran hard, hardly taking a moment to breathe and paying for it in utter exhaustion, only to be refreshed by the Holy Spirit.

It was incredible doing this whole missionary thing with each other, learning to lead, love and worship with another. It’s been our dream for years and He graciously gave it to us in a setting of honor, grace and compassion. We learned that there is so much more to learn, to give away and to gain.

We’ve returned home for a short time, to rest, love on our friends and family and prayerfully plan for the future. We will do our best to keep you updated on all the dreams stirring in our hearts through monthly e-mails and weekly blog posts. There are many stories that need to be written, so please check our blog each week for a new post (www.chrisandjenn.org).

To view pictures from our latest journey: http://www.chrisandjenn.org/pictures2/?album=all&gallery=3

Blog: www.chrisandjenn.org

Contact: chrishadsell@gmail.com

Mailing Address: PO BOX 671104 Marietta, GA 30066

Learning to get lower still,

Chris and Jenn Hadsell

Petra-0814 copy2

December Newsletter

Written by

Another month has come and gone, although it’s difficult to tell that the seasons have changed and Christmas is on the way. The only indication we have had that time is moving on is the now increasing abundance of mangos in the local market. Mango season is in full swing, I think you can buy about thirty of them for a dollar at this point as they have to give them away before they rot on the tables.

I have a dream that life will be measured in harvest seasons, after all the harvest is plentiful.

The next part of that verse is “the workers are few, therefore ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” (Matt 9:37-38) Well, we’ve been asking and God has been sending. Harvest School is a missions training school that takes several hundred students through a three-month “bootcamp of the Spirit” that ends in them being sent out all over the world. What a variety of people that have come here from all over the world, over 30 countries represented I believe. Everyone from British doctors and Chinese Attorneys to 18 year old high school graduates. Some have come and realized their calling is the hometown they just left, while others have become increasingly aware of their call to a foreign nation.

It’s been a very good and very tiring season working for the Harvest School. Hours are long and sleep never feels like enough but the eternal rewards far out way our current exhaustion. As I sit here processing our time, I am so excited for the things to come. From this little school, millions will come into the Kingdom, from this little school, sex slavery will end, from this little school, the dead will be raised. It’s an honor to play a role in the end-time harvest through our participation in Pemba.

A few weeks ago we had a few friends from the States come and spend a few days with us. Pastor Brett Mayes and Tony Werner from Mt. Paran North Church in Atlanta, Georgia. It was refreshing to see familiar faces and have a little bit of home with us. It didn’t hurt that Brett brought a few pounds of Dunkin Donuts coffee with him for us. They both really poured into us, and it meant so much to have them sacrifice to come to Mozambique.

We were able to go on outreach together into the bush and saw God do incredible things. I encourage you to read the full story on our website: www.chrisandjenn.org

As I have indicated in blog-posts and past newsletters, Jenn and I will be leading a small team to Turkey after graduation this coming Thursday (Dec 8). We didn’t come here intending to go anywhere else but through prayer and passion, God is sending us out. It’s our first opportunity to travel together to an area of the world that God has put so strongly on our hearts. Holy Spirit has indicated to us that this is a trip of worship and intercession. Our days will be filled with visiting different historical sites that are important to the early church and then praying and releasing the truth of the Gospel. We believe that God is not through with Turkey and that the ancient wells of the Spirit simply need someone to stir them up by faith. It’s our pleasure to minister with Jesus in bringing in the end-time harvest.

We’ve been busy changing flights, buying new ones and arranging hotels for our team. They are all ready and equipped to go. I’m asking that each of you take a few minutes over the next couple of weeks to pray for us and them. Pray that we hear God clearly and that we are quick to obey Him. It’s in hearing his voice and following His instructions that we can find the keys to unlock a seemingly “locked” area of the world.

As far as Jenn and I, we have very little plans for the immediate future. We will be home just in time for our first Christmas together to spend with family and friends! Holy Spirit has indicated to us that we need to rest and be married for a few months before heading off again. So we are going to be obedient to that call and spend Jan-Mar (at the least) resting in God’s presence,

Thanks again to each of you for reading our little newsletter and keeping up with our lives. It’s so great to have a community back home cheering us on.

Learning to get lower still,

Chris and Jenn

Papaya Sunsets

Written by

Every now and then we get to do something called Outreach or Evangelismo, depending on your language preference. Outreach is an opportunity to take a team of Harvest School and Bible School students out into the Bush-bush for a weekend of evangelism. It’s usually a highlight of the school for many students as they get to see God’s miraculous works and love for the poor collide.

Jennifer and I have been part of the team that prepares and sends out the students each week. It’s a full-time job for us in buying supplies, making logistical arrangements, doing prep meetings with the teams and so on. We always feel exhausted from our efforts but so thankful for the opportunity to serve the Lord in this way.

A few weeks ago we were given the opportunity to go on an outreach with a team of students to a little village/town called Chiure. When we arrive on an outreach it is very much like the circus has come to town for the villagers… who are all of these white people? and what are they doing in our village?

We quickly (by africa standards) set up the Jesus film, get our generators fired up and begin to play music videos of worship songs from the local church. It’s cheesy but fun and everyone seems to come out to watch us dance and hug children, it’s apparently hilarious for the villagers to watch us dance around enjoying life in the village.

About the time the sun has almost set, when the papaya trees have become a silhouette against the backdrop of a beautiful sky we begin to play the Jesus Film. It’s basically a film about the event listed in the Gospel of Matthew that has been translated in almost every language, it’s old-school but incredibly effective in sharing the message of Jesus Christ.

During the movie we lay on the ground staring at the beautiful southern sky, praying for God to provide to us the Glory of His presence and call everyone to repentance. Laying on the ground is risky business with all of the scorpions and worms so we usually don’t lay too long.

After the film we have someone share a few testimonies about who Jesus is and what He has done for them. Sometimes it’s Mozambican nationals sharing powerful testimonies of redemption and healing, other times it’s a member of our international team sharing how God delivered them from depression. It’s always a beautiful time. I love the sharing of testimonies as they effect everyone who hears them, to doubt a testimony is to take the risk of calling someone else a liar or even insane. The sharing of stories brings a decision point.

On our recent outreach Heidi was there with a team of six boys aged 8-10 years old. Together they performed a skit about the good samaritan as she preached to the crowd about Jesus stopping for the one on the side of the road. She told them how God is here to stop for them when no one else does. She asked the local villagers for the deaf to be brought forward. Imagine hundreds of black faces barely lit by the makeshift light bulb strand hanging above our truck pressing to focus through the chaos of the event, now looking for the deaf in their community.

They push them forward one by one, 1 then two, three then four. We now have before us four people that the village know are deaf, I can’t imagine doing this back home… how embarrassed the poor deaf people would be as they crowd pushes them forward. However, here… they are desperate enough to not care anymore, they are hungry for healing and this Jesus might just be the moment for them. Heidi graciously welcomes them and hugs them, loving away the shame of being pushed forward by a group of interested villagers into a crowd of internationals and film crews.

She talks to the crowd “Is this person deaf?”, “yes!” they all respond. “what is their name?”, as she points to a little boy of around 8, “antonio!” they yell in unison. “How long has he been deaf?”, “he has never heard!”. On and on this goes, Heidi making sure that everyone knows that little Antonio has never heard. His mother stands by watching intently to see what these very strange people are about to do to her baby boy.

Heidi invites her team of 8 year olds from our Iris Compound, Anselmo/Salimo and others to lay hands on a boy of their same age who has never had the privilege of hearing his own voice. They pray for a few minutes and then look over at Mama Heidi for her to check on their prayers. All the while little Antonio, who has never heard before is looking bewildered and more confused than ever has he is now hearing for the first time off the prayers of little boys his own age.

The crowd watches in amazement as Heidi has previously deaf Antonio repeat phrases after her, for the first time in his life he is speaking phrases and words. For the first time in his life, he hears his own voice, he hears his mother say the I love yous and you’re my sons that He has always longed to hear. The villagers can only stare, scream and shout in amazement. “he can hear!”, “He is healed”, and then it hits them… wait, if this Jesus healed antonio what about me? If He can heal him, surely he can heal me!

The reverberations go on and on through the village. Muslim chiefs have to make a decision, Allah has never healed anyone but this Jesus… witchdoctors are confused and frustrated with their evil medicine.. Jesus is greater, Jesus is greater, Jesus is greater.

We are greeted the next morning by three chiefs who have decided to follow Jesus and give us land for a church. One of them still has on his little muslim prayer cap, we’re not worried about it, Jesus doesn’t seem to mind the fact that he is wearing a little hat. They’ve been captivated by His love for little deaf boys and old women in pain, Jesus has shown himself faithful through healing and love.

In the twilight of papaya sunsets a dawn is awakening them to a new time and place of miracles, love and glory. Why settle for the rest when the King of Glory has come down for them? Why would you? How could you?

Recent Posts


Categories

Jennifer: Child Prostitute
Mwanza-53 copy2
Sign up for our newsletter!