Another year of ministry at the Zambezia Bible School has come to an end.  As I watched the proud smiles on the faces of the graduates just before they began their march out of the back room robed in their black gowns and with their hats and tassels perched on their already glistening foreheads, I was reminded once again of why we invest in this work.  Let me go back just a couple of weeks.

As you know, Rex and Rita will be retiring at the end of this year after completing 31 ½ years of overseas missionary ministry.  Before they started this particular Bible School in Zambezia they had started two other Bible Schools in the country of Brazil.  But going back even further, Rex and Rita were pioneers in remote fishing villages on the south shore of Newfoundland in the late 60’s and early 70’s.  It was in those years that a connection happened which would have an impact on the final graduation ceremony of their missionary career.

A young lady named Inez Regular, together with another lady friend, felt the call of God on their lives for full time ministry.  They also were placed in one of these isolated communities under the supervision and care of Rex and Rita Stuckless.  Who knew that so many years later, Inez and her husband Melvin Power, pastors of a PAOC church in North Bay, Ontario, would come to the village of Nicoadala, Mozambique to share in the final days of Rex and Rita’s missionary service.  Isn’t our God an awesome God? 

Pastor Melvin and Inez came to Mozambique in mid-October with Garry and Norma Brown, a couple from their church.  On the Friday after they arrived, we had a special meeting with the 9 graduates.  Both the Mozambican and Canadian contingents all shared their personal testimonies.  How inspiring to hear how God is at work transforming lives on both sides of the ocean.

The next day we took them on an adventure.  We drove to a village not too far away, but we planned to stay overnight.  As we waited for nightfall, we played games with the children. We blew up balloons and tossed them in the air, while the children had great fun chasing them down.  Mark taught them how to play with hacky-sacks which our visitors had brought along.  As it got dark, we showed the Jesus film in the Chwabo language.  People kept joining the group even up till the crucifixion scene.  After the film, many people prayed the sinner’s prayer.  They were encouraged to look for a Christian church to learn more about this Jesus the next morning.  That night we slept in our tents – well, we all lay down.  I’m not sure how much sleep we all got.  However, we were all up with the chickens and the sunshine at 4:30 the next morning.  By 8:30 when the morning church service began, we had “showered” in the straw enclosure which just happened to double as the “pee toilet”, and we had eaten our breakfast of sweet potato and cassava root.  The little church was packed with people singing and dancing.  We celebrated the Lord together, each in our own language.  Pastor Melvin preached on divine healing, and many people throughout the church raised their hands asking for prayer following the message.  Our prayer is that many long lasting results will linger from this weekend of ministry.

On Monday night, we started a week of spiritual emphasis at the Bible School.  Pastor Melvin and Inez both ministered throughout the week on the person, ministry and power of the Holy Spirit.  We had wonderful times of prayer and seeking God at the altar each night.  Many were baptized in the Holy Spirit, renewed with power and even called into ministry.  It was a wonderful and much needed time of refreshing for all of us.  On the Friday night we had an open-air service on a soccer field in town.  We invited all Christ-believing churches to participate with their choirs.  It was beautiful to see different denominations coming together to lift up the name of Jesus.  We showed a clip from the Jesus film in the local tribal dialect and then Pastor Melvin preached a salvation message based on what was shown.  Again, many people prayed asking God to save them and change their lives.

On Saturday, the widowed pastor of our church just across the laneway from our home got re-married.  It was yet another interesting cross-cultural experience for our Canadian friends.  The church members sang and sang as they waited for the bride and groom to arrive, which they finally did only an hour late.  Rex Stuckless officiated the ceremony, and Pastor Melvin preached the sermon. The seating arrangement at the front of the church was confusing for our visitors. The bride wore a green lacy dress and typically was very serious all the way through the ceremony.  The bride and groom were surrounded by their witnesses, a couple from town.    Our visitors were not sure who the actual bride and groom were.  As Pastor Melvin preached, he wasn’t sure who to look at when addressing the couple!  However, the wedding was performed and Christ was honored.

Sunday morning was our graduation ceremony.  Our Bible School chapel was filled as the graduates milled around in the office getting their robes on and nervously making sure their hats were on straight.  Soon they were marching up the aisle as Rex played on the organ.  It was a beautiful ceremony.  The class speaker did a good job although he was a little bit nervous. The class chose the name “Sowers” for their theme.  Pastor Melvin spoke on the importance of sowing the seed and that God would bring the increase.  He held a bag over his shoulder and flung seeds around the front of the chapel as an illustration of how we aught to share the gospel.  I’m sure those present will not soon forget it.  The passing of the torch, the handing out of the diplomas and the moving of the tassels signifying their official graduation was all well done.  The subsequent banquet was wonderful.  But the real work has now begun for these men in particular. Many of them are already in ministry, some full-time and some part-time.  But each of them has had much invested in their lives over the past three years.  Please pray that they will put into practice what they have learned and share the truths of God’s Word with their people.

Our goal is to see God’s church grow both in numbers and in spiritual maturity.  There is much to be done, but God is doing a great work.  Our Canadian friends have returned to Canada.  I’m sure they will never be quite the same again.  Meanwhile, tomorrow morning we will be starting the two-day drive down to Maputo for our national conference, the Maputo Bible School graduation, and some missionary meetings.  We hope to go into South Africa to do some medical and dental work and maybe just a little bit of shopping.  We hope to be back home by November 14^th.  Please keep us in your prayers over the next few weeks.  Our little family is under quite a bit of stress these days from many different areas.  We would appreciate a special prayer covering over each member of our family.  Pray for:

Mark – Wisdom and insight as he takes over the financial role on top of the administration end of the Bible School work.  He also wants to start up a new level of teaching at the school in this next year, hoping to train more teachers to help us at the Bible School.

Donna – Strength in the adjustment as having Mom and Dad leave is a BIG one for me.  I will also be taking over the Academic Administration of the school and the running of the Child Care Plus program.

Esther and Jonathan – Protection and peace as they continue their studies at Rift Valley Academy in Kenya.  Pray for health and strength physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Jesse – Patience and peace as he’s finding some aspects of life as an MK (missionary kid) a bit hard to handle.

Pray also that God would send a Portuguese-speaking couple to work beside us in this ministry. God knows what we need.  He knows who would best fill that role.  Pray for God’s leading in these decisions.

Pray also that God would provide the short-fall needed to cover our budget for this year as well as for the coming years.  We need you.

Thank you for your love and support.  We couldn’t be here doing what we’re doing if you did not send us and cover us with your prayers.  God bless you richly for your part in the Mission to Mozambique.

Sincerely,

Mark, Donna, Esther, Jonathan and Jesse Haug