IN LOVE ON THE STREET

I knew I had my opportunity.  I saw Atori Mario sitting on the ground on the side of the road with his feet hanging out and cars passing, missing him by about 24 inches.  I sat down about 10 feet away from him.  It was dirty and dusty and everyone was staring at me, but I ignored them.  Then, I just started talking while inching my way closer and closer to him.  I didn’t understand the local language he was speaking, but we had a good “conversation” for about 5 minutes.  I wanted to share the gospel with him again, but every time I looked at him, he got really annoyed.  So, I looked at the ground and talked about what Jesus means to me, who He is and what He is able to do.  Atori quieted down and the whole expression of his face changed.  I stayed and just sat there until he got up and started talking to himself, shouting and carrying on like he frequently does.  I was so excited about this special moment the Lord had given me.  It gets even better.  The next time I met Atori in the central market, he told people I was his friend.  Somehow, the Lord has touched his heart.  It's taken so long, but I will continue to pray for him and ask the Lord to save his soul.  If we love Jesus, we must aim to fall in love with the least of these that the Lord puts before us.  (Matthew 25:40)

Another time, I noticed a man at one of the shops with a book about Islam.  I didn’t feel the “nudge” of the Holy Spirit to talk to him like I usually do.  But, I knew he needed to hear about Jesus.  As I began talking, the Holy Spirit began giving me words and examples to share with him.  Most of all, the presence of the Lord was upon the area.  A customer came to buy something, but I didn’t want him there interrupting our time together.  I thought, “Lord if you don’t want this customer here, just have him leave now.”  Immediately, the man dropped what he was looking at and walked away.  The shopkeeper sincerely listened to the Word.  He allowed me to pray for him to encounter Christ in such a way that would leave him no doubt that the gospel was the true word of God.



The Lord sent this drunk man up to my car near one of the city's

smaller markets.  The gospel touched his life.  Here we are posing

and making muscles together.

Please pray for me, Tyren.  I need to be utterly consumed by the Lord's love.  His love opens one's eyes to see.  When we see as He sees, we see oppotunities for a harvest that is hidden (hidden treasure) to all except those who have the love necessary to pursue it.  I can cry to the Lord to use me, but I must also allow him to purify the filth of my own heart so I see what He sees in each person he sends to me.  People are dying in their sins and lost in the difficulties of this life.  I need the grace, I need the glory.  I must surrender my life continually and pursue His heart as He cries in the bars, the streets, the markets, the stores, to businessmen, to unbelievers, and even to sleeping saints.  Love matters if you know Him.  The harvest is truly ripe!

Staying in the simplicity of love,

Tyren and Tiffany Haynes

It's Time for a New Year - 2014

We are triumphantly entering into the season and the place (with Him) that the Lord has prepared for us.  A lot has occurred these past weeks, but time/space would not allow us to share all about the healings, salvations, challenges and fun times - as a center (our Lichinga Iris base) and as a family - that have occurred.  But, we’d like to share something that we sent to our prayer partners for the first month of this year.  Every month we send out prayer requests to people committed to praying for us.  They are an amazing group of people who support us in prayer to pursue the Lord’s heart and fulfill His work here in Lichinga and beyond.  We sent them three of the “core values” we embrace as a family.  In all we do as part of Iris Global, there are several values in the scriptures that we feel the Lord has highlighted as necessary for us as a family to fulfill the ministry He has given to us.  No matter if we are serving at the Iris Lichinga base, in the village, on the streets in the city, experiencing revivals of love in Tanzania or elsewhere, or at home as a family, these three “core values” are at the heart of everything we do.

Glory – We long to glorify the Lord in all that we do.  We want to reveal Him, His very person and heart, to people; and not just His power or work. We want people to see Him as He is, and allow Him to be the focus, motivation and source of what we do in ministry.
Presence – We seek to be with God and depend upon His presence to live and do ministry.  Nothing of value will happen without Him (John 15:4-5).  We enjoy preparing people’s hearts for His presence.  We host His presence, and set our hearts on intimate encounters because we truly want to know Him and serve whatever agenda He feels is important.
Love – Mark 12:29-31.  We want to know His love, so we can love Him and others.  The Lord has thoroughly convinced us that there is no other way to live except in the love of God.  All of the ministry activities must come as a living response (offering) to His love.  We’ve recognized that in Lichinga the intercession, preaching, healings, salvations, and the conferences in Tanzania, have all occurred because of His love for man.  If we choose not to live lives of love, there would be no place for us on the mission field, and there would be little to no power for Christ’s sake in our ministry.  We understand that true kingdom power comes from being in love with Christ.  We long for His power, but never at the expense of His love.

Please continue to pray with us and for the work of the ministry.  We are asking the Lord to prepare us for His glory.  Even now, there’s a fire, a rain, that is falling upon Iris Lichinga.  It is providing the grace for lovers to live for the depths of the Father’s heart.  His will, His way – there is no other way to demonstrate true love.  We want to be faithful and remain desperate for Him.  We long for a shift, a change, to do ministry like we’ve never imagined doing ministry before for Him alone.  Mozambique needs to know Jesus.  Pray that we can be used to reveal Him in greater ways.  May our limits and comfort be defined by His glory and love.

Thank you for praying for us!  We look forward to sharing with you the exciting things the Lord will do this year in the ministry. 

Love,  Tyren and Tiffany Haynes

If you haven't done so already, remember to read our latest Newsletter: click here.  The Newsletter is stored online, but we suggest that you download it for greater readability.