On the Way to Africa...God's Way!!!

Well, we arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa yesterday after over 24 hours in flight and in airports. God has truly been showing His grace and favor from the moment we overslept Tuesday morning and rushed out of our apartment a lot later than we had planned to when we got kind of lost on the way to the airport arriving about 30 minutes before our plane was scheduled to depart! (Technically, we should have been already checked in about an hour before our plane was scheduled to depart!) We ran into the airport to catch our 9 am plane right around 8:30 am. God sent a couple of airport baggage clerks to help rush our 7 large suitcases and 3 carry-ons upstairs (we had ended up in the baggage claim area downstairs instead of the check-in area upstairs) to get checked in and to get our boarding passes. It took 2 ladies at the check-in counter, along with one of the the baggage clerks who stayed with us, about 10 minutes to check us in and get all of our luggage tagged correctly. Something had gone wrong during the check-in process and they were not able to get a baggage ticket for one of our checked suitcases. It looked as if we might either miss our plane or have to leave one suitcase behind. We just waited patiently and eventually one of the ladies at the counter went to another computer and was able to print out the last luggage tag. When we were finally checked in and all of our luggage tagged correctly, the baggage clerk went to the security area where we had to put all of our checked luggage and told us he'd take care of it for us so that we could run through the other security area with our carry- ons. We ran over there and went through the process, getting held up again because we didn't realize we should have taken one of the electronic items out of our carry on before running it through the security scanners. We had to wait while they slowly opened up Tyren's backpack, put on gloves, inspected the item very carefully and slowly then slowly put it back in his backpack. By the time we were finished with all of that, it was almost 9:00! We gave Amerel one carry-on with wheels and Tyren (who was carrying Isaiah) and I took the other two and we bolted to find our gate. It was just around the corner! We rushed to the gate and hurriedly told the guy there that we needed to get on the 9:00 flight to Atlanta (we had to catch a connecting flight from Atlanta to continue our journey). He calmly replied that the crew was late for that flight and they were not boarding anyone yet! The first words out of my mouth were, 'Praise God!' God knew all along that we had plenty of time, but everything that happened was just to reveal His glory and His sovereignty in every situation. We ended up boarding the plane around 9:40 am--about 40 minutes of free time to relax in the airport waiting for our plane.

Monday night before we left, I had spent quite some time unloading things that I felt we couldn't take because our luggage ended up being way overweight. It had gotten to the point that I just gave in and said, 'Well, God will have to work something out in our favor because there's nothing else I can take out!' (I must admit that Tyren had told me a few times while I kept trying to empty things out of our luggage not to worry about it.) In our rush to get checked in etc., no one had paid any attention to the weight of any of our luggage-they were all just trying to keep us from missing our flight! God worked it all out for His glory! That was just the beginning of the hand of God working in our favor to get us here without hassle and bypassing normal procedures, i.e. customs in Johannesburg, so that we could see that this is all about Him and not at all about us. Without Him, even boarding a plane is impossible. I don't have time to write about everything else God orchestrated on our behalf just to get us here! To God alone be all the glory! Amen!!

The Lord is Good

We’ve been rejoicing in the Lord as we continue to pack, donate items, complete final administration items, etc. I have to admit, without my wife doing a lot of the administrative things, they wouldn’t have been done (especially since I was working in the beginning of May). Thank you to everyone who offered to help clean the apartment and pack the UHAUL. Thank you for all the donations to date. We bless the Lord!

The Lord has been truly faithful to us, and He has given us a great peace in the midst of circumstances…like waiting for passports and visas. We finally received passports with the visa stamp on 5/18. Single entry visas can only be for 90 days at most. Holy Given students were warned not to schedule a flight over the maximum days or the visas would be denied, so we requested 90 days. Well, on their own accord, the Mozambican Embassy gave us 92 days, 2 days over the ‘maximum’ limit. I’m sure the Lord has reasons for which we are not sure at this time, but even if the Lord only wanted to reveal His sovereignty to give His servants a cause to boast of His great name, it’s worth it.

Another boast of His goodness: We went to Radio Shack to purchase a $27.00 continuous converter to help protect our laptop while using it overseas. (We wanted to purchase it earlier but the Lord had us wait). While talking with the sales agent, we told a customer that joined the conversation that I had quit my job, and the family was entering into full-time missions in Mozambique to help the poor. That’s about all we told her about our upcoming trip. Long testimony short- that woman, who isn’t even “religious” by her own declaration, offered to buy a converter for us. Not the cheap one, but an expensive one that we had mentioned we wouldn’t be able to buy – the $160.00 iGo Anywhere Converter (it’s very nice). Radio Shack wasn’t sure if they carried the model we needed, so she told us to wait at the store, while she went to a bank to withdraw $200.00 cash. She put in extra money to have it shipped quickly to us and another $20.00 “just because”. (She had told us that she has a “good life”, and that “she has the money and we have spirit to help to poor, so why not buy it”). The woman believed she was sent there just to buy the converter for us. Isn’t it wonderful how the Lord will use small things to touch the hearts of people that are lost?

We also had a peace about finances, and weren’t thinking about them because we knew the Lord would provide (it’s His ministry). Today, 5/25, we were able to send off the check to pay for our tuition (all 4 of us) that must be paid by 5/31. Hallelujah!

We fly out from JFK on Memorial Day, 5/28. We’ll spend 3 days/2 nights in Johannesburg waiting for the flight to Pemba, Mozambique on June 1. After 5/28, our internet access will be limited, but we’ll be sure to update the blog and stay in contact.

The Journey Begins PEMBA, MOZAMBIQUE (Iris Ministries' Holy Given School for missions)

Before we even met, my wife and I both already knew the Lord's purpose for our lives was to be missionaries to the nations. Over 16 years later, the time has come. There's nothing else we'd rather do than live out our days in surrender to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, being abandoned to His call, and passionately pursuing His heart for our own lives and for the nations. He is calling us, and there is nowhere else to go, but with Him. He is worth everything.

On May 28th, my wife and I and our two children will leave for Pemba, Mozambique, to attend Iris Ministries' Holy Given School for missions from June - Aug (www.irismin.org). After graduation, we hope to become full-time missionaries with Iris Ministries going wherever they may send us. May the Lord's will be done.

During school, updates will be available on our blog. We'll have some access to the internet via the local Telekom (phone) office.

Thank you to those who have committed to support us in prayer and financial donations. Some people have asked about supporting us financially. If you desire to give a one time donation or commit to monthly support, please email us (using the 'contact' link above in the blog menu bar) and we'll send you information on where to send your financial donation.

With Love,

Tyren and Tiffany Haynes

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