Serving Muslims with Love

Loving our neighbor must also
be done practically

Muslims are such beautiful people.  My wife and I have been falling more and more in love with our dear neighbors here.  The Father’s love has been pouring out in our hearts in such a way that we desire to serve, care for and love our Muslim neighbors.  We try to seek the best for them (God’s best), and love purely and simply without the premeditated offensive thought of “must preach with words to defend where we stand in the gospel.”

The Lord opened an amazing door to help a Muslim business man here in town.  It was an answer to prayer.  A major business deal wasn’t going through due to language barriers.  I made multiple calls internationally (we footed the bill), translated Portuguese to English and English to Portuguese, sent communications, etc.  A few weeks later, everything was all set and this Muslim man was able to successfully finish his transaction before the overseas company decided to refuse the request.  We did it, just to love our neighbor, and help bring peace to a very trying situation.

To us this is the gospel.  This is love.  It was God’s answer to prayer.  This is waves of revival outside the “four walls.”  We are serving for the benefit of those the Father loves, as He loves (Matthew 5:43-48).  We have always said we were called to be carriers of the heart of God the Father.  This is what it looks like in a non-church setting-fathering and mothering a generation outside the church (that is, people who don't believe)!  We seek to grow in love, embracing people, serving people and believing in their God- given dreams that they might see the awesome value they have and know the Lord Jesus who has given it to them. 

Pray that we might know His love that surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:19), and carry His heart to a neighbor that may have never experienced the love of God.  Imagine purely loving people, and trusting God to decide what His love should look like and the impact His love will have on others.  This is part of what it means to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31).

It starts with you and me.  Let it begin right now!

Love,  Tyren and Tiffany Haynes

TOP REASONS TO VISIT US OR NOT TO VISIT US.

 

We thought of writing a blog with top reasons why you should, and really could, visit us.  Then, just to be kind (smile), we also included a lot more reasons why you may NOT want to visit us (along with additional comments).  Have fun reading, then start searching for tickets and come!  And, you'll enjoy all that the Lord has for you when you get here!

 

REASONS FOR YOU TO VISIT IRIS GLOBAL - LICHINGA


You Know You Want To
You’ve been thinking about it, thinking about it, and now it’s 2014, and you haven’t come yet.  It’s time to act! Just come!

The Haynes Family
It’s easier for you to travel here to see us, than for our family of 6 to travel to the U.S. and back to see you. (But, if you want to buy us all tickets to visit the U.S.A., YES!!!!, just send us an email.  My mom would love to see us all for her 60th birthday this May.  Please join us in praying for the provision of the Lord so that the whole family can travel back.)

Cool Perks

You can bring us cool things that we can’t get here!  Like, Reese’s peanut butter cups.

Nice Temperature
Lichinga is in the mountains so it’s not very, very, hot; nor is it freezing cold!

 

Presence of God
The presence of the Lord is amazing here, and we believe He'll meet with you in a way that will greatly impact your life. 

 

 

REASONS FOR NOT WANTING TO  VISIT (and our free comments)

There are lions and wild animals in Africa!

Yes, but not in Lichinga.  We haven't seen a lion, hyena, or man-eating, ferocious animal yet around Lichinga.  How disappointing!  Africa is a big continent-Mozambique is just one country in Africa.  Lichinga is the capital of our province (state), and we don't have lions, etc.

There’s malaria!

We’ve lived here for 6 years, are still alive, and have been fine.  But, you can always take preventive medicine (mefloquine, doxycycline, etc.), and sleep with a mosquito net.  We’ve had visitors that didn’t take anything and have been fine.  In dry season, June – Oct/Nov, there are not many mosquitoes around.  We live here with our 4 kids, including our 2 year old.

It’s expensive to travel there!

Start saving now.  Use some of your tax return (if you get one).  Write-off on your taxes????  Have people support you – it’s a missions trip for Jesus!  It’s worth it!

Doesn't the Haynes Family want to come back for Tyren's Mom's 60th?
That's true, but that isn't a substitute for having you visit us abroad in this beautiful country of Mozambique.  And after all, we are still believing Jesus for the funds to come back.

I’m afraid!
We’ve had teenagers to grandmas travel here and back safely- and by themselves.  We can tell you how to get here, and back.  Plus, we’ll pick you up from the airport.  Honestly, being afraid is an excuse you’ll regret later when it’s too late.  The Lord is your God.  In other words, you have no reason to be afraid!    

I don't like bugs!
Then don't play with them, sleep with them, or eat them.  Some of the kids at our center do-including ours, sometimes!  But, we don't like them in our house!  We haven't found bugs to be an issue unless you want to sleep outside without a tent or mosquito net.

I don't know where to stay!
You can stay at our center, of course.  And, it's free to stay here.  If you're traveling and need an overnight lay-over in Maputo, we can connect you with a lovely place.

I don’t know how to get there!

Send us an email:  lichingahospitality@irisglobal.org  and we’ll let you know.  If you’d like to speak directly with us, give us a call.  Our info is on our blog site:  http://heartsforharvest.blogspot.com
You can even speak with someone in Portuguese.

The food is too different!

Actually, that’s only if you want to eat bugs, gazelle, and leaves you’ve never tasted before.  Our food is normal, and we’ll even cook you a meal or two.  Our filtered water comes from an aquifer, but you can buy bottled water to drink if you prefer.  Next!

I don’t like preaching!

You don’t have to preach.  You can play with kids, teach, help people do practical things at our center, spend time in the presence of God (He’ll meet you here!), and lots of other things that fit your ability and skill.  FYI:  If you have any excuse for not coming, you’ve already been preaching.

I can’t speak the languages!

We have translators.  Also, you don’t have to know the language to love.  Actually, loving people and smiling speaks into the depths of people’s hearts here.
 
I have to work and don't have a lot of vacation days!
We've met people from other countries who sacrifice and do mission trips.  It's possible.  Tyren did it for years before coming to Mozambique.  If the Lord nudges you to go, GO!  It's worth the sacrifice!

We think you get the picture – there aren’t any excuses!  Send us an email Lichingahospitality@irisglobal.org and we’ll get you started on your great adventure!

Greater love,

Tyren and Tiffany Haynes

Happy Birthday!!!



Homemade "Reese's" that my wife made for my birthday

Last week, I celebrated the big 40!  My family and I celebrated at home with a homemade chicken and cheese "stromboli" that my wife made.  The next day, the missionaries at our center prayed and prophesied over me.  Although it was my birthday, I found myself celebrating others and thanking the Lord for them.  So many people did so many special things: cards, emails, gifts, prayer and food.  They spent themselves in love as they took the time to stop their schedules and include me, spend time preparing food, and allow the Lord to use them in special ways.  In turn, I was overjoyed at seeing the love, kindness and talent that many displayed through the opportunity that my birthday opened up.  I was truly blessed in seeing the Lord's love and glory displayed in diverse and wonderful ways through many people.  I had a wonderful birthday indeed!

 

Thank you again for all of you who sent emails, blessings and prophetic words to make my special day even more special.

 

Blessings and much love,

 

Tyren

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.