Dear Friends & Prayer Warriors,
I want to give each one of you a huge THANK YOU for covering our Mozambique team in prayer for this extended period of time. I've been trying to figure out how to write this letter, what to say, and you know, it's just really difficult when God is moving faster than you can keep up with. I feel like I hit the ground running - actually - I think I did! Ha! I've been trying to write this letter to you, but so much has been happening since our return, I haven't been able to slow down enough to get it done.
Where do I begin? I do want to say that the Lord truly answered lots of prayers. The Prophetic words we were sent with – the Lord truly brought them to pass, and much more! Our team of 26 from 9 different states, and representing 4 countries, melded together quickly by the grace of God. Six of the team stayed in Maputo while the rest of us traveled on to Pemba. The Maputo team loved on the Iris staff and the children, and got wrecked going to the dump where so many impoverished old and young live, just trying to survive.
Mozambique was in one of the worst droughts in 50 years when we got there. Long story short - it rained almost every day we were there. We started, like Elijah, going outside in the 120 degree heat, getting on our knees, putting our head between our knees, and believing God was going to fill our "prayer" sails with the sound of travail. That day it sprinkled for 15 minutes. We needed a soaking rain, not an African downpour, and that is exactly what we got. Every day it rained a little more, a little bit harder, it was beautiful! I actually caught some footage on my digital camera of the rain coming down on three different occasions. And then came the day for the outreach. We prayed for it not to rain that day, at least not during the outreach, and God did exactly that. It was a clear night with stars in the wide expanse of sky until after we got back to the base. It started raining during the night and then for several hours during the following day. Oh yeah, did I mention that 6 deaf youth got healed at the outreach? One of them was also mute, but she's not anymore!
We were thrown into such a place of travail as I've never experienced before - me oh, my oh, the Lord put us on the ground in the dirt, travailing, crying out, proclaiming, releasing, calling for justice, righteousness and wisdom to be deposited down so deep into the soil – to go down to the bedrock of the nation. Oh, and to top it all off, what a spirit of prayer came over us, the ENTIRE TIME, for God's heart for Israel to be released into the heart of the nation. I cannot begin to tell of the depth we experienced in His Presence - loving Him, and loving the things and the people He loves - it was awesome!
These are just bits and pieces that I’ve mentioned here, but they are such treasures! And you know what - each of you has played such an important part in all this happening, they are your treasures too! I cannot say this enough: we cannot do what we do without you! We need you! You have blessed us and you have blessed the people and the future of Mozambique. You have helped establish God's heart for Israel and the poor!
Multiplied blessings to each of you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
With hearts filled with gratitude,
Michal Ann Goll, Leon Hoover, and the entire Mozambique team
