Bringing Floorball to Villages

Last Wednesday (10/6), floorball (a type of floor hockey) entered the villages of Assumani and Sanjala (instead of Namacula). These activities gave the Mozambican coaches opportunities to organize trainings and “fun” tournaments with children in the villages. As we played in the sunny and dusty fields in both Assumani and Sanjala, Jesus brought much joy into the lives of the children and the adults that were watching them.

Last Thursday (10/7), several tournaments were held all day in the city’s sports arena to host 100’s of kids from around 8 years old to teenagers. The top winners received special prizes, including sports’ shirts or shorts, and everyone who participated received nice prizes. In preparation of the event, Celio and some of the coaches made 4 more goals out of PVC tubing. We used fishing net to cover the goals. We only needed a little bit, but had to purchase the shortest length available - 100 meters long (~300 ft.) and 4 meters (~12 ft.) high. Of course, we had plenty of fishing net left over!

On Saturday (10/9), we had a wonderful time in Namacula introducing children to floorball, and singing and dancing (in the dirt again) to African songs of various languages. I asked Victo to come along with the Swiss Team and Mozambican coaches so he could help run the sound system. Some of the ladies on the Swiss team led the crowd in a silly song in English about a banana. The children enjoyed it so much that the ladies did it again. Then, we attempted to play the Jesus film, but couldn’t get it to run properly. So, we played a powerful film about a muslim man who converted to Christianity because Jesus revealed Himself to him through dreams. Victo preached after the film and many people, including children, gave their lives to Christ. Then we called for the sick, and many people came to the front to receive prayer. In the beginning, some of my Mozambican coaches were kind of timid, but they slowly got courage and began to pray for people. It was very dark outside and I had forgotten to bring the floodlight which runs off the generator. So, I turned the lights on from my truck, and pointed them toward the platform to make “spotlights”. Praise God who does all things well!

On Friday, the Swiss team returned back to Switzerland. Pray that Jesus would help the coaches to continue floorball in Namacula and other areas of the city. Also pray that Jesus would give me wisdom, plans, and greater vision to disciple the coaches and young men and women players now that the floorball camp is over. Sports is a “language” that transcends many boundaries, and our floorball teams are open to everyone. We pray that Jesus would use floorball to declare the good news of Jesus Christ to youth and develop the lives of young people in Lichinga and beyond.

The Director of Floorball4All in Switzerland and Tyren

Team with T-shirts they won in the tournament

Team playing during Tournament

Seeing and playing floorball for the first time in Assumane Village

In the joy of Christ,

Tyren and Tiffany Haynes

Jesus! Lets Play Floorball!!!

For months I knew that the team of 12 Christian Swiss floorball trainers were coming and what they were going to do. But, after one week, I’m still in awe at the workings of God that are unfolding before my eyes. His creative strategies are too beautiful to capture with words, and only daily experiences can partially suffice. The coaches are receiving advanced trainings in floorball, being showered with love and teaching from the word of God, and in the midst, the Lord is establishing a group of handpicked coaches who will advance the kingdom of God in local villages and districts outside of Lichinga through floorball. We all know that after the Swiss team leaves, there will still be a lot of work to do to continue to prepare and support the coaches. Celio, the head coach, and myself trust the Lord to strengthen us and continue to be faithful with what He started, and with what only He can fulfill.

This week on Wednesday we'll be having "fun" floorball trainings in the villages of Namacula and Sanjala; on Thursday there we'll be a tournament in the city for youth, followed by an outreach in Namacula village on Saturday.

Below are several pictures to give you a glimpse of some things that have been happening.

Swiss and Mozambicans working together to make a goal

Teaching the Parable of the Lost Sheep

A team was started for girls

Our floorball camp was aired on national radio and TV (Celio being interviewed by the radio station)

Handing out diplomas for completing the Floorball Camp (2nd from the right: Director of Sports for the Province of Niassa, Mozambique. He is also in the first photo on top)

Please continue to pray for God's prescence to be upon the Floorball activities and that we will all encounter Him in life changing ways.

Love,

Tyren and Tiffany Haynes

Gearing Up for Floorball Trainings

FLOORBALL
We are preparing for the 2 weeks of floorball training and discipleships that start on Sept 28. A team of 12 Christians will arrive from Switzerland on Monday to run the event. Tyren is busy coordinating things with the floorball team here in Lichinga and working on some logistic details. This is an opportunity for the lives of many young people to be greatly impacted with the love and goodness of Jesus Christ in the sports' arena, and for a lasting impact of the sports' department here in Lichinga as well. (To the left is a photo of kids with palm branches they use as hockey sticks. Our floorball teams use professional looking plastic sticks).

TRIP TO MALAWI TO RENEW VISA
When we returned to Mozambique, we found out that the original information we received about Chayah’s Mozambican residence was incorrect. Since Chayah has a U.S. passport now, we had to apply for her temporary residence visa to remain in Mozambique. We recently traveled to Blantyre, Malawi (~15 hour drive there and back) to apply for Chayah’s visa. We were thankful for our truck, which held up well on the bumpy dirt roads. If you read the news on the web a few weeks ago, you know that prices, especially food, across Mozambique are on the rise. These costs include our yearly visas which formerly cost about $100 but now will cost us more than $800 per person each year to renew (for adults). Children’s visas are renewed every 5 years.

CHOOSING TO GO DEEPER
More than ever, we understand that the cost of true discipleship is everything. Faced with Jesus’ burning passion for the city and children in the villages, we know that nothing will suffice except Him alone. As missionaries, if we want to minister to Him and experience His glory, we can have none of our own dreams, desires and self-ambitions. Time after time, we are laying down more and more for the sake of Jesus who died to give us His life. May God’s presence awaken His people and the lost in Lichinga to the newness of life in Christ, and to the beauty and joy of laying down their plans, desires and dreams to live for His.

In the joy of knowing Jesus,

Tyren and Tiffany Haynes

Return to Lichinga, Mozambique

We are in Lichinga, Mozambique and are doing well. We’ve been unpacking, cleaning our house, getting the home school room prepared for this year, and adjusting to having a walking one-year old in the house.

We thank all of you who made our time in the U.S. truly special. You touched our hearts with love, and even in brief comments; so many of you encouraged our hearts and opened our eyes to see more of the beauty of the Lord’s work in Lichinga and all of Mozambique. We thank you so much for making our time in the U.S. unforgettable, filled with surprises and full of God’s love. You are so special to us.

(A special note goes out to all of those at our church family, Church of the Living God in Manchester, CT from Tiffany: I so much appreciated seeing all of you, even if we only got to chat once or exchange a smile of greeting during our time in the states. You don’t know how much it means to know that we have a church family back in the states praying for us, thinking of us and supporting us with love and prayer! We so appreciate you!)

Wow! We’ve Got Wheels
Our good God did it again. Last week, we purchased a Nissan Terrano 4X4 truck from another missionary who left the country. It’s a 5 seater, with 2 additional fold down seats in the rear that give ample storage room when folded up. Last year, one of our prayer partners sent us a green toy truck saying that she believed that our truck would be green. Well, our Nissan is dark green. Thank all of you who prayed and believed God with us, and supported us to help make this possible. We praise God for the means to advance in ministry, and for greater opportunity to travel together as a family.

Continue to Pray for Mozambique and Us
There’s nothing better than to go “lower still” as Heidi Baker, co-founder of Iris Ministries puts it. Our hearts are on fire, aflame with Jesus’ love that is drawing us ever lower in Christ-like humility. We are less dependent on our selves, but in full expectancy of what Jesus can do in our lives and ministry. Pray with us, believe with us, contend with us as we seek God to fill Lichinga with His presence. We just want more of you, Jesus!

Our truck. Hallelujah!

Annelisa Wilcox, co-leader of children's center, with 2 of the 3 orphans that were just received

Truly in love with Jesus,

Tyren and Tiffany Haynes

View Our Video Online

We are excited to let you know that you can view a short video about our ministry in Mozambique online.

1. Go to http://www.clgonline.net/missions/missionaries.aspx
2. Find our photo on the page
3. In our section, click on the link called LATEST VIDEO UPDATE!

Enjoy! Please continue to pray that Jesus would use us to impact the nation of Mozambique and beyond with His love and power.

In Christ's Love,

Tyren and Tiffany Haynes