He Is Mighty To Save

I feel as though I could write testimony and memories from this trip for the next month!  God is so faithful! Everyday here in Mozambique has been different and better than the one before it.  The simplicity of life here has captured my heart in a way I still can not describe.  It just brings me joy thinking of a life here in Mozambique.  I thought perhaps tonight I could share an experience and a touch from Heavenly places that came a little unexpected.  It's about 2AM here.  I can't sleep.  I know tomorrow I will be boarding a couple planes to reach London and I'm just sad.  Sad to leave here.  But those emotions we can articulate on another day for sure :)

On Sunday, the Larson's took us to a church service at a nearby Iris orphanage base.  It is a beautiful place filled with laughter, joy and an abundance of love.  This is the base where Heidi Baker lived for many years.  We met amazing individuals and couples who live here and radically pour out themselves to these children as a drink offering on a daily basis.  The women I met were absolutely amazing and inspiring.  Imagine all of your hopes and dreams on hold for the sake of children who were rescued from the streets and given a place to call home.  Imagine a life of such selflessness for the sake of mothering and fathering those who really have no mother or father.  That is what these people do.  Everyday.  No questions asked.  So, there we are enjoying this church service...holding babies and just soaking in the amazing experience of a Mozambican message being translated into English.  Before I knew it, there was a crowd moving to the front and Corey and I were ushered to also proceed to the front.  Prayer began to spring forth as we stood at the front.  They were blessing those who were visiting.  "Super, I thought...I can do this with out totally losing it emotionally."  But I was wrong.  You see, next they have us all sit on the stage in a row and the orphan children come lay prayer shawls over you while they pray for you.  Power, authority, and supernatural impartation starts to release from these children.  They gently laid hands on me and began to pray in their beautiful Portuguese language.  I sat there so humbly receiving all that the Lord had for me.  Within a moment a child began to hold my hands and pray and I just lost it.  I wept.  Among so many things I kept thinking of how many Mozambican women I had prayed for the day before by holding their hands so wanting to bless them and have them receive a touch from the Lord and here I am now on the other side of that prayer.  Though it was moments, it felt like I stayed in that moment for quite some time.  By the time I stood up my skirt was drenched with the sweetest tears I have ever cried.  He is so faithful and mighty to save!

A Few Promised Pictures...

I am just soaking in the moments like the one above here in Mozambique

 Adorable...

My Amazing Hubby loving on kids...

A little water going a long way

Lunch after church at the Iris Orphanage

A Moment To Blog

Okay...well my family has been reminding me through email that we have not blogged yet :)  I miss you all tons so I dedicate this post to all of you!  The truth is Corey and I have been non-stop and just enjoyed our first shower in 3 days - Wahoo!!  We took an overnight flight to London, slept in a hotel all day and night and then took another overnight flight Johannesburg.  Following this we boarded another plane to our final destination -  Maputo, Mozambique.  Our travels were smooth sailing - but to be honest, Corey and I have always loved traveling with each other.  You just bond over traveling in a way you can't explain :)  Well, we exited the plane in Mozambique three flights later and the Larson's lovingly embraced us at the airport.  After settling into the Larson vehicle we were informed that we would be driving straight to a dinner hosted of the U.S. Embassy in Mozambique.  What a privilege to meet such inspiring people from all around the world that call this place their current home.  We felt honored...humbled - a moment where you realize that the small little world you live in is far from what is really going on in the world.  Though this was an evening of impact, it doesn't quite compare to the morning we were about to embrace.

We left the house by 7:30AM and drove to the Bocaria.  Now, the Bocaria is a huge trash dump where people, lots of people, rummage through trash all day long to find anything of value.  Bare with me, this is hard to describe.  The ground is covered with broken glass, the flies are swarming fast enough that swatting them is almost pointless and the beautiful faces running towards you as our vehicle arrives is a moment I will never forget.  Joy just oozes out of these children though they are barefoot, hungry and dirty.  You feel so humbled as you drive into this place almost thinking what do I have to offer.  Am I really going to tell them about a God who loves and cares as they are living in more extreme poverty than I can even make up in my mind?  But...with every ounce of hope and love (and lots of intervention by the Holy Spirit) you just embrace the moment as if it is your last!  These children are so desperately hungry for affection, a type of affection that is truly humbling.  They surround you smiling wanting to hold your hand and just to simply be near you.  So there I am, walking with my husband as beautiful Mozambican children fill every space beside us, between us and literally all around us.  The BEST part - this was only our first full day!! Many more to come...

Alright, well I am truly so tired so I need to sleep but this post was promised to so many so I wanted to bless you with the details of our day.  There is still so much more to share but it will have to wait.  We will try to post pictures tomorrow!!

Corey's Highlight of the Day:  I felt humbled and honored to worship with all the children and adults in the tiny church on the perimeter of the Bocaria.  They exhibited so much joy and laughter despite the worst surroundings.  The Lord is reminding me of the value that is placed on each soul.  That we are all created in His image and no one that we walked with today is less valuable than any person I have ever walked with previously.  God is good!!!!

Charity's Highlight of the Day: Ministering. I got to lay hands on some Mozambican women today and it was just incredibly humbling.  I would grab their hands and just start speaking destiny and rejuvenation over their lives - what a blessing.  I held my tears close to my heart and am still holding them.  I know the Lord will have a special moment when He releases them - the emotion already is truly overwhelming.

Mom...I miss you truly :)

Goodnight everyone...

Today Is The Day

Well...to say that my heart is leaping from my chest is quite the understatement of the morning!  Corey and I are beyond excited to board that plane today.  I feel overwhelmed with Him.  Even during my workout this morning I found myself off the treadmill and dancing around the basement just so intoxicated with His joy, peace and love.  I finished my workout laughing with Him and just nestling into all the goodness of just being His daughter and resting in His arms.  His tender voice is becoming louder and more frequently heard as this trip closes in to our takeoff time of 9PM.  Parts of me are a little afraid I will not want to return home :)

Obedience is a beautiful thing.  When you step into obedience in the Kingdom - things shift.  I picture my heart dancing within me - moving in ways it never knew was possible.  Yesterday was such a humbling day as friends and family prayed over Corey and I are sent us off with their blessing, love and support.  In marriage, it is a beautiful moment to see the look on your spouse's face as they encounter the overwhelming love of the Father.  I am so incredibly blessed to be married to Corey Joel. 

So, we got ice cream together after about 5 hours of church, worship and prayer.  We sat outside on a step in West Chester eating our mouth watering treats when we exchanged a look with one another that silently said, "This is it...life will truly never be the same once we step on that plane".  It was a life changing moment...
God is good. He is so so good.