We can honor people by preaching the good news of Jesus Christ to them. We can also honor people by treating them as God sees them; by being led by the Holy Spirit to help them realize (demonstrate to them) that what God desires them to be is possible for them. As we interact with people according to the love of God, it helps them to see themselves as the word of God declares that they can be in Christ Jesus. So with a heart full of God’s love and a fresh revelation of honor, I decided to bring Christmas to about 300 prisoners in a greater way. Unlike last year, the prison didn’t send me an official request for money or help to provide food for prisoners to celebrate Christmas. Upon inquiry, I was told that the prison didn’t have the ability to provide anything out of the ordinary for the prisoners for Christmas. So with help from people who graciously donate to us (thank you, thank you, thank you), we purchased over 24 lbs of goat meat (from the outside market), soda and spices for the group that I minister to on a weekly basis. For all the prisoners, which include many unbelievers, we purchased over 335 packs of cookies and 350 small bags of chips. The Lord’s love extended to the guards with chocolate and cookies (wow!). A lady who sells fried bean patties on the street didn’t prepare the right number of patties for all the prisoners, so I asked the prison guard if they could receive these as well. I ate several to let them know they were ok to eat, and not poisoned (remember, it’s the prison). Thank you for your prayers and donations which helped about 300 prisoners and many guards understand more about what Christmas is about – the love of God that comes freely through Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, while inside the prison, I was not allowed to take a photo of all the items that were dropped off.
Again, HAPPY NEW YEAR and may 2011 be a year full of great surprises!
In the love of Christ,
Tyren and Tiffany Haynes
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Merry Christmas With Love
Merry Christmas
We thank the Lord for all of your love, prayers and support. May the Lord abundantly bless you and open your eyes to the treasure that awaits those who are “sold-out” to Him. May you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year full of Christ’s blessing and love.
Celebrating Christmas in Assumane Village
(Tyren) I’ve been reading through the book of Luke, and wasn’t going to read Nahum when it caught my attention as I opened my Bible. But, God gives good things, so I began reading. Part of Nahum 1:3 says, “God has His way in the whirlwind and the storm.” I didn’t know why I felt it was so important to me, but I kept this scripture in my heart. The focus isn’t on our problems; it’s on the One who is still working His pleasure and good will in our lives in the midst of adversities with power to destroy. The same day, on Friday afternoon, a strong wind and pelting rain came down and destroyed the grass hut we used as our Church in Assumane Village. Then, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the scripture He gave me several hours before. Without yet knowing what we’d do and where we’d meet, I had a great peace. God works everything together for good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28). One thing I know – reality will only be experienced while focusing on Jesus and the beautiful things He is doing even in the midst of circumstances that cannot produce any good. This past Christmas Sunday, we celebrated Jesus outside under the blaring sun and brief showers of light rain that refreshed us. We found ourselves in the presence of God, with some worshipping on their knees as the Lord was touching and preparing hearts to receive more of Himself. The children rejoiced in Sunday school as they each received a pack of cookies, candy and chips. We handed out gifts: scented bath soap, cookies and flavored soda, to all the adults.
We thank the Lord for all of your love, prayers and support. May the Lord abundantly bless you and open your eyes to the treasure that awaits those who are “sold-out” to Him. May you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year full of Christ’s blessing and love.
Celebrating Christmas in Assumane Village
(Tyren) I’ve been reading through the book of Luke, and wasn’t going to read Nahum when it caught my attention as I opened my Bible. But, God gives good things, so I began reading. Part of Nahum 1:3 says, “God has His way in the whirlwind and the storm.” I didn’t know why I felt it was so important to me, but I kept this scripture in my heart. The focus isn’t on our problems; it’s on the One who is still working His pleasure and good will in our lives in the midst of adversities with power to destroy. The same day, on Friday afternoon, a strong wind and pelting rain came down and destroyed the grass hut we used as our Church in Assumane Village. Then, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the scripture He gave me several hours before. Without yet knowing what we’d do and where we’d meet, I had a great peace. God works everything together for good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28). One thing I know – reality will only be experienced while focusing on Jesus and the beautiful things He is doing even in the midst of circumstances that cannot produce any good. This past Christmas Sunday, we celebrated Jesus outside under the blaring sun and brief showers of light rain that refreshed us. We found ourselves in the presence of God, with some worshipping on their knees as the Lord was touching and preparing hearts to receive more of Himself. The children rejoiced in Sunday school as they each received a pack of cookies, candy and chips. We handed out gifts: scented bath soap, cookies and flavored soda, to all the adults.
Grass hut church which fell down; brick church building behind. The half-standing grass wall is surrounding the pit toilet (hole in the ground)
A few gathered in the light rain and then remained in the hot sun to worship Jesus. We plan to build a temporary grass hut inside the brick church to shelter us from the rain and sun until the new brick building is finished.Some people didn’t come as they thought service would not continue due to the destroyed church hut, but the few that did come were willing to rejoice in the Lord. During worship, everyone began to move around and pray for one another and speak blessing into one another’s lives (even the children joined in). During this time, a little village boy who didn’t know Jesus Christ walked into the church and agreed to receive prayer, too. The rest of the service briefly paused as this little boy was told about Jesus Christ, and then he gladly accepted Him as His Savior. Hallelujah!!!
Love,
Tyren, Tiffany, Amerel, Isaiah and Chayah
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Some Dreams Need to be Canceled
Dreams that Needed to be Canceled
It was Tuesday and time to go to the prison. On this day I felt kind of “blah”, and like nothing much was going to happen, but ministry isn’t rooted in how we feel. While singing praises to the Lord with the prisoners, I kept having the thoughts about 2-3 people, who weren’t part of the group of believers, having bad dreams and who needed a personal word. After teaching, I told the group of believers what the Lord revealed to me, and then asked them to go out to all the other prisoners around the court and ask them to come for prayer if they were having bad dreams. Some of the believers in my group were surprised when about 15 other prisoners came to ask for prayer. A word of knowledge can open people’s eyes to the greatness of God. I told those who came for prayer about the love of God, and about Jesus the Son of God, whom many of them don’t believe in, who was about to set them free. So many other things could have been said or done on this day. But, we are learning more and more each day to let Jesus have His way and do what’s important to Him. Just imagine. Unbelievers who didn’t want to sit among the group of believers to learn about Jesus Christ, came for prayer because they heard that this same Jesus knew they were suffering from bad dreams and wanted to set them free. People will come to know the Lord sometimes, not by what we say (especially if they don’t want to hear), but by what our actions speak as we give personal demonstrations that answer issues deep in their hearts.
Jesus Heals In Special Ways
“My back hurts”, said one of the prisoners. “I’m having very, very difficult problems”, said another. I told them to run, lift up their hands in victory, and shout the words the Lord directed me to have them say. They had to “shout” quietly because we were inside the prison with certain rules that we must abide by. Right afterwards, the man with pain in his back said it was a lot better. A few minutes later, he said, with a big smile on his face, “The pain is gone.” Jesus knows how to heal, and in the prison I’m learning He heals people in such a way that brings them inner freedom, and opens their hearts to Him.
We are praying that one day we can take some photos of our ministry work in the inner prison yard, and projects we are supporting. We thank you for your support that enabled us to purchase 20 hoes to help with the prison’s garden program. We are also in the process of helping the prison construct a huge oven with a chimney which will prevent prisoners from having to cook meals inside a smoke-filled room for 300+ inmates and many of the prison guards.
Prison Ministry was started in 2009, and focuses on opening the way for prisoners to enter their God given destiny. Currently, each week on Tuesdays, Tyren and Felix, who is a Mozambican coach on the floorball team, meet with a group of inmates who are believers and disciple them as well as equip them to evangelize while they are within the prison. Material provisions are donated for those in need. The Holy Spirit graciously moves to bring salvation to the lost, prophetic words, healing, encouragement and wisdom to both Muslim and Christian prisoners. Projects are also being coordinated with the prison authorities to bring material provisions, activities and other things that will benefit the entire prison population.
With love in Christ,
Tyren and Tiffany Haynes
It was Tuesday and time to go to the prison. On this day I felt kind of “blah”, and like nothing much was going to happen, but ministry isn’t rooted in how we feel. While singing praises to the Lord with the prisoners, I kept having the thoughts about 2-3 people, who weren’t part of the group of believers, having bad dreams and who needed a personal word. After teaching, I told the group of believers what the Lord revealed to me, and then asked them to go out to all the other prisoners around the court and ask them to come for prayer if they were having bad dreams. Some of the believers in my group were surprised when about 15 other prisoners came to ask for prayer. A word of knowledge can open people’s eyes to the greatness of God. I told those who came for prayer about the love of God, and about Jesus the Son of God, whom many of them don’t believe in, who was about to set them free. So many other things could have been said or done on this day. But, we are learning more and more each day to let Jesus have His way and do what’s important to Him. Just imagine. Unbelievers who didn’t want to sit among the group of believers to learn about Jesus Christ, came for prayer because they heard that this same Jesus knew they were suffering from bad dreams and wanted to set them free. People will come to know the Lord sometimes, not by what we say (especially if they don’t want to hear), but by what our actions speak as we give personal demonstrations that answer issues deep in their hearts.
Jesus Heals In Special Ways
“My back hurts”, said one of the prisoners. “I’m having very, very difficult problems”, said another. I told them to run, lift up their hands in victory, and shout the words the Lord directed me to have them say. They had to “shout” quietly because we were inside the prison with certain rules that we must abide by. Right afterwards, the man with pain in his back said it was a lot better. A few minutes later, he said, with a big smile on his face, “The pain is gone.” Jesus knows how to heal, and in the prison I’m learning He heals people in such a way that brings them inner freedom, and opens their hearts to Him.
We are praying that one day we can take some photos of our ministry work in the inner prison yard, and projects we are supporting. We thank you for your support that enabled us to purchase 20 hoes to help with the prison’s garden program. We are also in the process of helping the prison construct a huge oven with a chimney which will prevent prisoners from having to cook meals inside a smoke-filled room for 300+ inmates and many of the prison guards.
Prison Ministry was started in 2009, and focuses on opening the way for prisoners to enter their God given destiny. Currently, each week on Tuesdays, Tyren and Felix, who is a Mozambican coach on the floorball team, meet with a group of inmates who are believers and disciple them as well as equip them to evangelize while they are within the prison. Material provisions are donated for those in need. The Holy Spirit graciously moves to bring salvation to the lost, prophetic words, healing, encouragement and wisdom to both Muslim and Christian prisoners. Projects are also being coordinated with the prison authorities to bring material provisions, activities and other things that will benefit the entire prison population.
With love in Christ,
Tyren and Tiffany Haynes
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