Dear Friends

Four months ago we left Inhaminga for Zimbabwe, Rodney needing a medical check up. “We’ll be gone only a week,” we told our Team. It’s been a very long week. We never imagined we’d be away for so long.

The doctor’s report sent us for further tests which showed cancer of the bladder. The bad kind, the aggressive, invasive, fast growing kind. Rod needed radical surgery. Within another week we found ourselves on the plane to Miami where appointments were set up for us by our Mississippi Partners. How can we ever thank you?

Needless to say, the shock and aftershocks were life shaking, faith shaking but by God’s grace, on Christ our solid Rock we stand; all other ground is sinking sand.  We have some understanding of aftershocks now, they sometimes hit harder than the initial shock. Through it all we have learned to trust in Jesus as never before. He did not fail us. Here we are back in Mozambique. Rodney has been cut up, had parts removed, new parts made, is patched up and cancer free! All pathology tests show no further cancer in his body. How grateful we are; what a journey it has been.

Due to the depth of emotion involved, I have struggled to write our newsletter so this is long delayed. Having received such a beautiful AWYesu magazine, I am sure newsletters have not been missed. (Be sure to let us know if you enjoyed our first ever Afrika wa Yesu magazine).

Rod received the best care possible. God has shown Himself so mighty, so great, so loving, such a Father, so much love. This love He demonstrated through His people also. All the provision, care, every detail, amazing doctors, wonderful people, more and more than we can say. All financial needs were covered. Our accommodation was of the beyond magnificent kind. We are humbled and lifted up at the same time. So many of you prayed for us, thank you! To not share about what God is to His people in the time of trouble, is to deny the Body of Christ the substance and result of faith and things hoped for. Faith is believing what we do not see, until we see it.

It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times.

It was a very rough journey, smoothed and stabilized by love. There are not enough words to fill the hole of physical and emotional pain. The courage and fortitude of my husband is incomparable. His smile in the midst of the pain, faith in the midst of seemingly hopeless days is a wonder to me. At the same time, our hearts could barely contain the joy unspeakable and full of glory that filled us to bursting point, spilling over in praise and thanksgiving. So much victory and joy in the midst of the darkness seemed almost irreverent…. but ah, this is the sacred secret; the darker the night the brighter shines His Light. The awesome holiness of God Almighty is not found only in silent awe of His Presence, but in receiving the oil of joy as He anoints us till our cup runs over in the presence of our enemies and we rejoice with exceeding great joy. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:18. Many are the enemies that surround us; demon voices that scream death while angels sing in triumph that Christ Jesus has prevailed and the devil shall not steal our life.

During this time, we partook of the bread and cup of communion daily. “Give us this day our daily bread.” His mercies are new every morning, daily joy, daily strength. Courage. We found that in all things He is the God of the more than enough. Thus in the midst of the worst of times we experienced also the best of times. Only God can do that.

While we were gone, the work of the ministry more than continued. It grew. The incredible AWYesu Team stood together, pulled together. We found that when the cat’s away, the mice DO PRAY! We are so very proud of them. There is much to share of their exploits. If you have not found our Afrika Wa Yesu Facebook Page, please join us as we rejoice in big and small things God is doing.

Thank you dear friends for your continued love and support, for your patience during the time you did not hear much from us. We are ready, more than ready for the most incredible year of our life. We wish you the same.

Please visit our news update on Issuu for more pictures and tales of our exploits in Miami, as well as what God is doing in Mozambique upon our return!

Always in Jesus,

         Rod & Ellie.