Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Witch Doctors Getting Saved!


Dear Family and Friends,

How are you?  We are all doing fine.  Brian just recovered from another bout of malaria, but he is well now.  We are busy with many things, but first we want you to introduce you to someone special.




Meet Dominga (above center).  She is one of 7 witch doctors that have come to Jesus these last few weeks in our surrounding area!  Dominga showed up at our church about 4 weeks ago, all on her own.  The Holy Spirit led her to us. She said she was tired of living in darkness with the bad spirits.  She heard the gospel and gave her life to Jesus that very day.  Since then we have been to her house and talked to her about starting a little business so she can make some money.  We learned that old clients were coming to her to pay their debts.  Though she was desperate for some money and food, she turned them away.  “I have stopped that lifestyle and don’t want your money,” she told them.  Dominga is a widow and has no children.  But she is now set free from the demons which had inhabited her for the past 30+ years.  (These were passed on to her from her grandmother, who was also a witch doctor.)  She is hungry for God and has almost finished our first course of discipleship lessons.  A couple from our church has been discipling her in her dirt yard under a mango tree.  Already such a light to her neighbors, 3 more have joined in with these lessons just in the last week.  When we visited her a few days ago, we suggested that before, her house was a center of darkness.  Now it will become a place of light for all to see as she talks to people and sells cornmeal and beans in her front-yard.  When we said this, we all felt the joyous presence of the Holy Spirit. It was so obvious and unexpected - we all stopped talking instantly, looked at each other in surprise, laughing together as we felt His pleasure!  We know God has a very special plan for Dominga and this new business.  “The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I've come that they may have life, and have it abundantly,” John 10:10.





The lady in pink in the top right picture is Dominga’s neighbor.  She came over when we visited, curious about what we were saying and teaching about God.  When we told her the gospel, she gladly accepted Jesus into her heart.  Now she is coming to the discipleship lessons with Dominga regularly! 



The man above, whom Debbie (fellow missionary) is talking to also accepted the Lord that day.  He was just visiting from out of town, looking for work.  We are excited to see the Holy Spirit at work in people’s lives -  “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,” Col. 1:13.

We love you all and appreciate so much your prayers and support.

Many Blessings,

Brian and Lorena

For more info go to transforminglivesministry.com

More News from Mozambique

Dear Friends and Family,                                                          

How are you?  Our family is doing great.  We so enjoyed our time in the States and Europe.  Visiting with all of you friends, family, and churches was a blessing beyond description! 

We have been back in full swing in Mozambique for a while now.  Brian is back to preaching at our mother church, overseeing seminars, and working on various projects.  Our Church in a Day (C.I.A.D) program continues strong.  Currently fabricating three new churches, we plan on placing them in strategic areas in the Sofala Province within the next thirty days. 


Our C.I.A.D. in the community of Macharote is doing great.  The once little church of old widows has now grown to over 100 members.  If you haven’t seen our C.I.A.D video, please follow the link shown below.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPSISJ9HHXE






Lorena is in the midst of teaching the youth from several churches how to do a children’s program, for Sunday school and community outreach.  Next week they will do it for the first time on their own.





(Above) Teaching and learning games with village kids.  Oral cultures, like Mozambique, learn best through drama, music, games, chants, stories, and activities.

Important upcoming seminar and recording project:  Next week we are having a large week-long seminar with Rick Leatherwood, a missionary from Ethiopia.  He will be teaching his “Oral Bible” – 70 key Bible stories.  Several hundred pastors will be attending.  Afterwards, we will be recording these stories and putting them on solar audio units and micro-SD chips which can go in their phones.  Please pray for everyone’s health (as malaria is an epidemic here), safe travels (pastors coming from many provinces on bad roads and unsafe public transportation), receptive hearts and minds, and success in this recording project.  Thank you!

Blessings,

The Wood Family

If you would like to support this ministry, go to the following link: http://www.transforminglivesministry.com/donations/