Blessings
In our last couple blogs, we mentioned about the possibility of purchasing the ministry vehicle if enough funds came in. We are grateful to report that since then, $11,100 has been raised (one person gave $100, one couple gave $1,000, and one couple gave $10,000). Of course, it is not enough to be able to purchase the vehicle, but how awesome are our supporters that they stepped up in just a couple weeks to be able to do this much! We still have just about another week or so until we will have to say that we will wait until next year, but even if that happens, what a great start to our ministry vehicle fund! God is good.
We also recently received a donation from a little boy, with this note attached, "I am donating $13.27 of my own money. Please use it to buy toys for kids to play with. Thanks." We are so thankful for any and all gifts, and I especially get excited when it's children, because it reminds us and them that everyone can be involved in missions, not just adults. So, thank you Joseph for blessing us with your gift, and we'll make sure that children benefit from it!
In our last couple blogs, we mentioned about the possibility of purchasing the ministry vehicle if enough funds came in. We are grateful to report that since then, $11,100 has been raised (one person gave $100, one couple gave $1,000, and one couple gave $10,000). Of course, it is not enough to be able to purchase the vehicle, but how awesome are our supporters that they stepped up in just a couple weeks to be able to do this much! We still have just about another week or so until we will have to say that we will wait until next year, but even if that happens, what a great start to our ministry vehicle fund! God is good.
We also recently received a donation from a little boy, with this note attached, "I am donating $13.27 of my own money. Please use it to buy toys for kids to play with. Thanks." We are so thankful for any and all gifts, and I especially get excited when it's children, because it reminds us and them that everyone can be involved in missions, not just adults. So, thank you Joseph for blessing us with your gift, and we'll make sure that children benefit from it!
Marriage Seminar
Yolanda and I were able to take last Saturday for just ourselves. We just happened to see a magazine in a bookstore that is put out by a Christian counseling center in Harare (we didn't even know there was one). In it, they mentioned about a marriage seminar that was happening on Saturday at a lodge where there is an animal orphanage. We enjoyed the marriage retreat we went to last year in St. Louis so much, that we decided to go to this day seminar. We were so glad that we went. Being in Zimbabwe, we weren't sure what to expect. There were two sessions, which were run by two different couples. The second couple was with Family Life, which runs the most prominent series of marriage retreats in the U.S., including the one we had attended. Their presentations were both excellent, and after each one, they gave time for each couple to do a project (discuss what they had been talking about). We were interrupted during our second project, and below is a video of what happened :-)
Yolanda and I were able to take last Saturday for just ourselves. We just happened to see a magazine in a bookstore that is put out by a Christian counseling center in Harare (we didn't even know there was one). In it, they mentioned about a marriage seminar that was happening on Saturday at a lodge where there is an animal orphanage. We enjoyed the marriage retreat we went to last year in St. Louis so much, that we decided to go to this day seminar. We were so glad that we went. Being in Zimbabwe, we weren't sure what to expect. There were two sessions, which were run by two different couples. The second couple was with Family Life, which runs the most prominent series of marriage retreats in the U.S., including the one we had attended. Their presentations were both excellent, and after each one, they gave time for each couple to do a project (discuss what they had been talking about). We were interrupted during our second project, and below is a video of what happened :-)
We very much appreciated the content of the seminar, the speakers, and the other couples (about 15) who attended. There were couples of all ages, one who had just gotten engaged, all the way to a couple who had been married 35 years. The two workshops addressed stress in marriage and communication. We decided these were timely topics, as we are in a time of transition, change, and deal with common stressors in Zimbabwe, such as a lack of electricity and clean water, crazy drivers, and security. We definitely hope to continue to attend seminars like this, whether in Zim or the U.S. After lunch, they took us on a drive around the grounds, where we saw zebras, buffalo, impala, and sable to name a few. These were all roaming freely. Then, we saw 2 three year old lions who the owners have had since cubs, in a pen near their home. We enjoyed being so close, and even got to touch them. At one point, while we were looking at the lions, the zebra from the previous video wandered up behind us. Here is a video of how the lions reacted when they saw it, getting all ready to pounce.
Then, we went to another area of the sactunary, and we saw an adult, male lion. He was with a female and a cub. We didn't get to see them up close, but he definitely ran over to us and made his presence known. The owners raised him too as a cub but at 22yrs old they dare not enter the fenced off area.
Although the animals were a fun part of the day, Yolanda and I very much enjoyed the seminar, and appreciated the sessions most of all. Even though we are still "newly-weds," we think it's a blessing to be able to take opportunities to enrich our marriage whenever we can.
An Opportunity
I (Yolanda), have a great opportunity to speak at a women's group from a church this coming Saturday. Our Shona teacher invited me to come and share at this gathering. The ladies are very excited to have me come and share with them and I am equally excited to have the opportunity.
I had hoped to take Andrew out to some of the areas that I will be ministering in, but unfotunately the political situation in our area will not allow for that right now. I will be brief in this area and can't really go into details, but we have been advised NOT to go to any rural locations in our area due to our safety and the safety of those who we will be ministering too. Again, this will be something we will share about in more detail once we get stateside, either in person or in snail mail.
The church I will be sharing at is a new church plant made up of predominately women and children and people of low economic status. Many of the ladies do not have jobs due to the high unemployment rate in the country. Most of the women I will be talking to are single mothers. I will be going with my Shona teacher to the high density area, an area I have not yet visited. I feel safe, although I'm sure my husband would prefer it were elsewhere :-)
I have been given the freedom to talk on any topic I decide (as it relates to Scripture). After prayer and consideration, I have decided to prepare a presentation on "A Woman's Worth." I feel these women especially can benefit from information, knowledge, and truth in this area. I have spent the last few days preparing something along these lines. Our Shona teacher said they would be gracious and allot me only an hour rather than the expected 2-3hrs that most African speakers utilize. I believe there will be singing, visiting, and tea-time that will also take place. I'm also well aware that by no means will we be done within an hour, this will most likely be a whole afternoon event, but we will see.
The reason this is such a great opportunity is because not only do I get to minister to these ladies, but it will also allow word about me to spread (remember, we are keeping the name JM2Z low key here). This allows me the opportunity to possibly be invited to new locations in rural areas as time allows. Building relationships with these urban women, who no doubt have rural homes, will open the door to village visits and the continued work of JM2Z. We are so ecited for what this means. It is unfortunate that we leave in about a month just as new doors of opportunity are beginning to open, but we are confident that they will stay open until we return next year.
Please pray for me for this coming Saturday. Pray that the Holy Spirit will work through me. Pray that my delivery will be timely and necessary. Pray for my continued preparation this week. Pray for these new relationships and where they might lead. Pray for open hearts and open ears. But especially, pray for Jesus' name to be shared and exalted and that the Gospel would be heard.
In closing, we ask that you prayerfully consider giving towards our vehicle fund since our time is soon running out to purchase it this time around with a great savings for the ministry. It would be such an unexpected blessing to be able to purchase it before we return to the U.S., especially since we have these tax-free opportunities for this brief window.
Thank you for your continued love, support, and prayers. We appreciate YOU!
An Opportunity
I (Yolanda), have a great opportunity to speak at a women's group from a church this coming Saturday. Our Shona teacher invited me to come and share at this gathering. The ladies are very excited to have me come and share with them and I am equally excited to have the opportunity.
I had hoped to take Andrew out to some of the areas that I will be ministering in, but unfotunately the political situation in our area will not allow for that right now. I will be brief in this area and can't really go into details, but we have been advised NOT to go to any rural locations in our area due to our safety and the safety of those who we will be ministering too. Again, this will be something we will share about in more detail once we get stateside, either in person or in snail mail.
The church I will be sharing at is a new church plant made up of predominately women and children and people of low economic status. Many of the ladies do not have jobs due to the high unemployment rate in the country. Most of the women I will be talking to are single mothers. I will be going with my Shona teacher to the high density area, an area I have not yet visited. I feel safe, although I'm sure my husband would prefer it were elsewhere :-)
I have been given the freedom to talk on any topic I decide (as it relates to Scripture). After prayer and consideration, I have decided to prepare a presentation on "A Woman's Worth." I feel these women especially can benefit from information, knowledge, and truth in this area. I have spent the last few days preparing something along these lines. Our Shona teacher said they would be gracious and allot me only an hour rather than the expected 2-3hrs that most African speakers utilize. I believe there will be singing, visiting, and tea-time that will also take place. I'm also well aware that by no means will we be done within an hour, this will most likely be a whole afternoon event, but we will see.
The reason this is such a great opportunity is because not only do I get to minister to these ladies, but it will also allow word about me to spread (remember, we are keeping the name JM2Z low key here). This allows me the opportunity to possibly be invited to new locations in rural areas as time allows. Building relationships with these urban women, who no doubt have rural homes, will open the door to village visits and the continued work of JM2Z. We are so ecited for what this means. It is unfortunate that we leave in about a month just as new doors of opportunity are beginning to open, but we are confident that they will stay open until we return next year.
Please pray for me for this coming Saturday. Pray that the Holy Spirit will work through me. Pray that my delivery will be timely and necessary. Pray for my continued preparation this week. Pray for these new relationships and where they might lead. Pray for open hearts and open ears. But especially, pray for Jesus' name to be shared and exalted and that the Gospel would be heard.
In closing, we ask that you prayerfully consider giving towards our vehicle fund since our time is soon running out to purchase it this time around with a great savings for the ministry. It would be such an unexpected blessing to be able to purchase it before we return to the U.S., especially since we have these tax-free opportunities for this brief window.
Thank you for your continued love, support, and prayers. We appreciate YOU!
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