Rasta!

Well, I made it here safely. Twas a little crazy, like a 16 hour flight from Atlanta to Joberg, SA but I'm in Mozambique now! I had the priveledge of spending the night in the airport at Joburg with 4 other guys from SA, Congo, Tanzania, and Australia. The only place in the whole airport with a couch was this 24/7 KFC restuarant. We would almost fall asleep on the couch there and then a grumpy old lady would come kick us out. we would go walk around the airport for 5 minutes and then sneek back in until she kicked us out again! It was pretty funny, but not very good for sleeping!

So I'm here in Maputo. Mainly been hanging out with the street boys that come 4 days a week for a Christian street boy program called Masana. They have normal school and Bible lessons here. When they aren't learning they are playing soccer, beating me up, or both! Fortunately, one can dominate any boy trying to kill you by finding his sweet tickle spot and going for it! They are pretty fun boys, very cute, very dirty, and very funny. I love them a lot and wish there was some way that I could adopt them all and take them from living and sleeping from the street...

When I'm not with the street boys, I'm spending time with my good friends who do soccer ministry and live in Mafalala, aka the slums of Mozambique. Most of these are awesome men of God whom I met last time I was in Moz. They have been teaching me how to navigate through the city with all its twist and  turns, as well as how to speak Portuguese and Shangar, the local languages. One of the things I feel God directing me to do is to spend time studying the Bible and soaking in the Presence of God with these guys. They are key leaders in their comunity and if I can spend time discipling the ones that God puts in my path, it will have a great impact for the Kingdom.  

Right now I'm living in a really nice old Portuguese house that the missionaries who work with the street kids live in. However, I don't really want to be here much longer. I'm mostly likely going to go live in the slums with my friends, I'm waiting for them to have room. I'll still come and work with the street boys program during the day, I'll just be living in the Mafalala all other times. It's weird, and I don't like it but in Mozambique, its very common for missionaries to live in nice houses and treat missions like their job. I don't want to be a part of that, especially as I don't feel it's God's heart. Jesus said go into a house, and if they receive you, let your peace rest there. That's what I intend to do. I didn't fly halfway across the world to have running water and electricty! I'm hoping to get some carpentry tools soon and start teaching some of the street boys how to work with wood, Lord willing.

Anyways, that barely sums up the first week, but it's something! I've basically been adapting to the culture, learning what's going on, getting over jet lag, and allowing myself to be mobbed by the cutest little boys on planet earth. Please pray for wisdom, and that I can really at all times be walking in the Spirit. Pray for increased encounters with God's presence with the leaders here, as I've been sensing some spiritual dryness. Also please pray that I don't get malaria! Its pretty easy to do here! I'll try to upload pictures soon, but as of yet, I haven't really taken any!    Oh... and by the way, the title of this blog is my new nickname... universally known by everyone in the city!    Love you guys, blessings, ttyl.