November Newsletter

September 2012 Newsletter

June/July Newsletter: Holiday Bible Club!

To view fullscreen: Right click on the newsletter, and select "open in new tab" this will allow you to zoom in and view the whole newsletter. :)

May Newsletter

March Newsletter

Mozambique

Millions around the globe are asking, "What's going on in Mozambique?"
So I, your local (and by "local" I mean "international") WOL Missionary Intern, have made it my duty to fill you all in on the details.
For those of you out of the loop, I am in Mozambique!!! I have been looking forward to coming here since I first began this journey and after a 6 1/2 hour trip I am finally here!!!

Right: A view of Maputo from the balcony of the Nogueira's apartment.
Middle: The camp property in Gaza.
Bottom: Enjoying lunch in a cafe in Maputo.

I have been staying in the capital city of Maputo, located in the southernmost province of Mozambique, with the two Word of Life Missionary couples that run the ministry here. I spent the first week with the director of Word of Life Mozambique, Carlos Nogueira, and his wife Maria Jose. I have just spent the past week with the other couple, Eneias and Bibiana Gomes. Both couples are Brazilians originally from the area near Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The first week was spent preparing for our two camps that are going to be running these next two weeks. It was just me and the missionaries, so we took a little trip to both camp sites and brought supplies in advance of the staff arriving.



This past week, there was an invasion of Brazilians! Word of Life in Mozambique has only run one youth camp before this year, so they are still working on getting a full Mozambiqan staff for camp. Because of this, eleven Brazilians came over from Palavra da Vida (Word of Life) in Sao Paulo to help with our camps, and if you know anything about Latin culture (or Brazilians) you understand that the houses became much louder this week. :)

This past December 25 was my first Christmas spent away from home, and it was very different from that to which I've become accustomed. There was no tree, no presents, none of the "normal" Christmas food, etc. but it was still a very good Christmas, nonetheless. On Christmas Eve, we had some Mozambiqan cooking, sang some songs in Portuguese and Shanyana (one of the African languages of Mozambique) and read the story of Christ's birth in Portuguese. On Christmas Day, I was able to Skype with my family as they opened their presents, so all in all it was a very good Christmas. I absolutely loved it!

Saturday, the 30th of January, we are leaving for the first camp site in the state of Gaza (about two hours north of Maputo) and we won't return to Maputo for 15 days. I am very excited to serve God in these camps. To see God work through others, campers lives changed, fellowship with the Brazilians and Mozambiqans, and of course improve my Portuguese. I am in a supporting role, serving with the food area of camp (as well as any other area they need me) while Mozambiqans are taking the roles of the counselors for the youth camps.

Please pray for:
The campers, that we would see many come to know Christ in these next few weeks, and see many lives changed by God's work.
The counselors, that God would give them wisdom and discernment in working with the campers;
For the support staff, that God would give us hearts of service and joy in our areas of ministry;
For the leadership as they will be sharing God's word throughout both weeks;
For the program staff, as they lead all the different games, activities, music, etc;
and for all the staff in general, that God would glorify Himself through us, and that we would be open and willing to do whatever He desires of us.

See you in two weeks!

Mostly Harmless

Being involved in anything, be it work, school, activities, church, or ministry, we can become forgetful of the little things that God has done/is doing to bring us to where we are.. Yesterday, I did something I haven't done in nearly a year and a half; I took a walk in the rain.
The weekend of June 16, 2010, I walked with a group of very good friends in Marilla, New York, and just talked about God's grace. I do not have that group of friends here, so I went by myself and just thought over what God is doing.

My roommates are about to finish school, and go back to their homes. I'm thankful for them, for God bringing them all to Bible college for this year, the way He's worked in their lives, and getting to know them, myself. They will need prayer as some are not sure where God is leading them in the future, and they are all going back to serve in their local churches in some form of leadership.

This past Saturday, I was able to go visit a water park with the young adults of Hillbrow Independent Baptist Church (my church in here in South Africa) and had a great time. After stopping at a grocery store, our vehicle refused to start again. Eventually it started, and after a long day of cooking out and swimming, we drove back toward Johannesburg hoping to return to the city in time to get dinner, God, it seems, had other plans. Our vehicle broke down two different times with overheating problems, and the night finally ended with everyone getting out and pushing the van up a hill and finally getting it to church. I am so thankful God got us back in one piece, and for the group of friends He's given me since being here.

I'm going to be going to Mozambique in December to serve short term with the Word of Life ministry there, and I am very excited for that. More details about that will be included in my last newsletter for the year.

Right now, I just need God to break me down, and make me whatever He wants me to be. Submissive to His will, regardless of what it is. I'm grateful for all those praying for me, I am praying for you as well (while walking, I used that time to pray over my friends, family, and all other supporters).

The next post will probably come either right before, or right after I arrive in Mozambique.

By His Grace,

John Cottier