New News For The Week (July 21st)

Two and a half more weeks and we’ll be graduating from Iris Ministries’ Holy Given School of missions. The graduation date has been moved up to 8/8, and we are finishing up assignments such as group “drama” presentations, classes on theology and theology of missions, mandatory readings, projects and other things. The coursework contains some in-depth theology teaching , but the fact that we live in the reality of what’s being taught changes the “formal” class room experience. It is reinforced by the fact that we are living in what is being taught. Let me explain by giving some short news on this week.

Sunday was “community” church where people in the community, the Mozambican pastors in the bible college and the holy given students are all under the tent worshipping and praising the Lord. People are getting healed of diseases, oppressed people are set free, witchcraft is denounced, and people are giving their lives to the Lord. (One of the most important things that I see occurring is that Iris is literally changing communities and bringing different tribes together as one community of people who have Christ Jesus as the focus).

In mid-week the Lord wrecked our hearts (for good) during one of Heidi Bakers teachings on the beatitudes. We, the students, were crying as we laid out on the ground offering our lives (no matter the cost) for a greater anointing to serve the poor and comfort the mourning (Isaiah 61:1-2). We started with those among us as we prayed for healing and comfort for more than 1/3 of the Mozambican pastors (our friends in Iris’ bible college) who at some time or another have lost children to hunger, malaria or other means. Treating malaria is not expensive for you and I, but the typically Mozambican can’t afford it. But, the Lord has called us to bring the good news of the gospel to the poor. That means, if possible, we find a way to get the money, to buy the medicine and treat them. We also prayed for a group of pastors who lives were being threatened for the sake of the gospel. (By the way, I was told that a good paying job in Pemba such as a teacher or a police man only pays $2-3 U.S. per day. One roll of toilet paper is .40+ cents. 1 liter of juice is $2 USD. A pack of crackers is .90+ cents. These are things that most can’t afford to buy. Our taxi into town is $2…most Mozambicans walk everywhere).

Wednesday night while walking to dinner a little boy stole my water bottle right out of the box I was carrying. I sent another group of little boys after him and went to eat. The culprit returned crying and holding my water bottle. A single stare let him know how I felt about the situation. Then, the Lord’s compassion filled my heart. To his surprise, I asked him to sit down with me, and then I gave him all my fish (I kept the rice). Before leaving, I let him have a water bottle (smile). The little boy was comforted and was taught something by the love of God. My wife and I aren’t always like this, but when the Lord moves our hearts we trust in the authority of His love.

Friday, one of our housemates and two other ladies were praying for a man with a wilted arm in the city. People around them started making a scene telling them that he wasn’t worth it and that the man should just be left alone. They continued to pray, and 5 minutes later the Lord healed the man’s arm. Jesus loves the poor, and His kingdom belongs to them. (As we discuss in school, so we do…praying “Thy kingdom come and thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. There aren’t any wilted arms in heaven. The Lord put it in His holy scriptures so we’d know what to do while on earth).

This Sunday, 7/22, we’re headed to a local Mozambicans house for a dinner. He’s making the main meal, and we’re making him peanut butter cookies.

This school is to help prepare us for missions any where in the world. Missions is not colonialism or crusading or cultural replacement. We love Jesus so much that we believe that He is the only Savior and are willing to minister to Him and serve people, his creation, whom he loves so dearly. We long to bring Jesus to this Muslim community and at the same time see how they will respond to his love in worshipping him with their own traditions, within their own culture, using their own styles of music, building church and their communities as they want and running services how they like them, etc.). God will redeem culture and change it to reflect his heart and ways. We don’t need to do this. But, we do have the privilege of spreading the gospel (good news for the sick, poor and those who haven’t accepted Jesus as their Savior) and letting people know how much God wants to restore right relationships with the people he created for Himself.

Much love,Tyren and Tiffany Haynes