Road Trip!

If you know anything about me, you know that I love road trips. Like, completely adore them. I love seeing new places; I love listening to music for hours on end as the world flies by; I love being in conversations that drag on and on without interruption. Yesterday was perhaps the most epic road trip I have ever taken. Carol, Ezequiel (who is the MI representative here in Mozambique), and I drove about 400 miles up the coast of Mozambique landing in the small village of Inhassaro. We started in the capitol city of Maputo and just kept heading north for about 10 hours. Ezequiel gave me full reigns on the music selections played in the truck and I was a happy camper. Along the way we saw unending sugar cane fields, acres of coconut trees, crazy kinds of birds I have never before laid eyes on, and ocean as far as the eye could see. It was awe inspiring to say the least, and I again found myself overwhelmed with praise - overwhelmed with the creativity of God and God's unending willingness to let us participate in it all.


















Inhassoro is a beautiful little town right on the ocean and we woke up early this morning to worship with the local UMC there. This was the first church that Carol visited when she became the MI Coordinator, and it is now the first church that I am visiting as the new MI Coordinator. I love this tradition. Worship was inspiring and we were honored guests. The church members and leaders poured forth gratitude as they reflected on the years of service that Carol has given, and they wait with anticipation as they begin to look forward to the next phase of this partnership. The lunch to follow was made by the women of the church and was an all out feast consisting of fish, shrimp, calamari, and some kind of coconut, pumpkin-leaf stew...delicious.





















We left Inhassoro in the afternoon, heading down to another coastal town called Vilankulo. Here we met with local pastors and the area superintendent to discuss the building of wells and proposals for sustainability projects to be started by local churches. The church leaders were gracious hosts and we shared ideas about how to continue this work together, hand in hand, as we anticipate this new chapter of the MI.











Tomorrow morning we leave early, heading to the Massinga district to explore more of the projects happening here through the MI. Stay tuned here for updates, which I am trying to be faithful about posting whenever we have an internet connection. Continued prayers for health, safety, and grace are appreciated. Boa Noite!