NTM - New Tribes Mission | Planting Tribal Churches

When we first arrived in Mozambique about 5 years ago I was invited to celebrate a birthday at a friend’s house.  He told me that we would be having a “copo de agua.”  Translated into English this means that we would be having a “cup of water.”  I was expecting a very modest celebration as my friend really had limited financial means.  Upon arriving at his house you can imagine my surprise when I found out this quite elaborate spread set for the party guests!  This scene has repeated itself time and time again over the course of our involvement with our host culture.  We have even adopted this expression when inviting people to our place for a meal.  Come over and have a “copo de agua.”  The first time this happened I inquired of my friend why they referred to it in this way.  “We don’t want to set the expectations of the guests too high” was his response.

Well, this past weekend I was once again invited to a “copo de agua” of a friend whose daughter had just been baptized in church.  That was when it struck me how the Jesus’s words to the lady at the well reminded me of this cultural nugget.  When Jesus asked the lady at the well for a “cup of water” the conversation continued with Christ explaining to her that if she actually would drink of the “copo de agua” that He would give it would completely surpass all of her expectations!

As the Easter season is ending I have been spending time with our three oldest children  talking about what Christ did with His disciples over the next few weeks.  I have been brought back to this example of the “copo de agua” and have wondered how many of those moments the disciples had during those 40 days Christ was with them following His death.  How many times have we gone into a situation with very low expectations only to be blown away with the love and grace of God?

Well, folks…..I guess the welcoming committee has been working overtime for us here in Mozambique since our return.   Just the other day I was stopped by a traffic cop (the way they stop you here is simply stand out in the road with their hand up and you brake quick and hard).  I was borrowing a friend’s vehicle as we are still searching for one for our family….more on that later….  Anyway, these stops are quite routine as they want to check the documents of the vehicle and make sure all the driver’s papers are in order.  I gave him everything he asked for and after walking around the vehicle a few times he informed me that the front license plate was broken.  I almost responded with a sarcastic comment but I refrained…..my wife and family who was with me in the car were quite proud.   The back of the vehicle had a plate but it is actually quite common for the front ones to be missing due to kids stealing them for toys and such…..they just brake them off, which is what had happened to this one.  So many of the vehicles here in town are driving around with broken plates but apparently the only ones who get stopped are those that have the “means” to pay the fine.  After mentioning this to some friends from church they told me to go down to the chief of police and file a complaint.  I doubted the success of that but decided to follow their advice and after arriving down there you would have thought it was comedy hour!  The cops just looked at me and laughed telling me to simply pay the fine….”we had plenty of money!”  Hmmmmm, where is my habeus corpus now???

Then just this morning I was out purchasing a few things in bulk as that is the better way to do it with the shortage of food sometimes in the stores up here.  I ended up buying about 8 kilos of floor for our monthly baking needs but instead of going straight home to drop it off I made another stop to get a few more items.  Came back out to the car…..no more flour.  Somehow they managed to open up the back of the car (it was locked) and take out the flour.  On a positive note…..somebody will be eating well these next few days.

Just a glimpse into our lives here recently……more to follow later.

Estamos Juntos (a common saying here when friends leave meaning “we are together”)

I think the theme for our family this year is taken from Paul’s letter of encouragement to the Church at Philippi…..”and my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus…”  In looking at the context of this statement (found at the end of his letter) we see how it so neatly fits into our circumstances.  When we returned from Mozambique just over a year ago we realized that we had a God sized task in front of us.  We were lacking just over 50% in financial support and were also returning to an economy that had been hammered by the global recession.  As a family we continued to be amazed month after month how the Lord would meet all of our needs this past year.  You guys were such an integral part of that.  Many of you have financially partnered with us in the efforts that we believe God is at work in through His Church in Mozambique.  We trust that each of you have purposed to lift us up regularly in your prayers.  For others it has been your hospitality.  Thank-you for carving time out of your busy schedules to welcome us into your home and to come to our home for afternoons and evenings of chaos.

January 17th, 2012 is the date!  We purchased tickets and will be flying from Lexington to Chicago…..to Washington DC….to Dakaar, Senegal….to Johannesburg, South Africa.  All of that will be in just over a 24 hour period.  We will then attempt to get some rest overnight in South Africa and then on the 19th of January we will fly from Johannesburg to Mozambique.  If all goes well we should arrive in the mid-afternoon on the 19th, southern Africa time.  As that date approaches I will be sending out another email for specific prayer requests as it relates to our trip.  Until then please pray our family these last few weeks.  I still have a few speaking engagements.  We sent our big shipment off this week via cargo ship but we still have our things to sort through and decide what goes and what stays.  This can be an unsettling time for our children.

Finally, with this being the final day of the year to receive your tax deductible receipts for your financial contributions we would like to extend an opportunity for you to invest in the work we are doing in Africa.  Very specifically we are still lacking a few hundred dollars a month in monthly commitments.  We are also lacking about $1,000.00 toward our tickets.  Take a moment and go to www.ntm.org/stefan-kern/give for a quick and easy contribution.

Partnered Together

To the Occupiers of the Land….
A number of years ago I remember sending out a letter to you entitled “occupiers of the land.”  This was taken from the parable in Luke where a king told his workers to “occupy the land for the King” while He went on a trip.  I was recently reminded of this phrase again due to the various “Occupy Movements” throughout America these days.  Thanks for continuing to stand with us as we occupy this world (wherever God has placed you) for His Kingdom!

I have been updating our ministry blog (www.ntm.org/stefan_kern) periodically with news.  I would really encourage you to check this site out and subscribe to any updates as this will allow you to remain better connected to what God is doing in our lives and in the life of the African Church.

We wanted to give you a snapshot of where we are in our return to Africa as a family.  When we returned from Africa after our first term of service we were falling short approximately $3,500/month in financial support.  Since that time we are thrilled to report to you that God has been faithful in His promise of “supplying for all our needs.”  God has brought on numerous new supporters (both in Churches/groups and individuals) to join this team of making disciples in Africa.  We are now only lacking just under $1,000.00/month in support!  Some of you have expressed an interest in helping toward our expenses.  We have an immediate need of approximately $7,000.00 for our airline tickets to Mozambique.  At the moment we have reservations to fly out on January 14th, 2012.  If you would like to partner with us on a monthly basis or help out through financially contributing toward our airline tickets please contact us.  You can also click on the link:  www. ntm.org/stefan-kern/give and contribute securely online.

We sure would appreciate your prayers as I speak this weekend in a church…..then next weekend (20th) I fly up to Minnesota to speak at a church mission’s conference.  Following those meetings I continue meeting with individuals and groups here in Kentucky to share with them where the Lord has led us as a family in Africa.  Sharon and the kids are pretty much in a routine of homeschooling.  We would ask that you be in prayer for these next few months of transition…that they be as smooth as possible for the family.

Occupying On!

I was sitting in my office (Starbucks) yesterday and witnessed a very interesting experience.  Before any meetings I have for the day I go there first thing to do some studying and planning for the day.  I sat down at a table and was simply enjoying the environment around me.  While I had already received my caffeine fix from home earlier that morning, I was enjoying the smells of coffee filtering throughout the cafe.  The room was already abuzz with business deals being discussed and students coming in to cram for their mid-terms.  At the table immediately in front of me was a group of four ladies (students from the University).  In fact, I assume they were athletes because of their attire and some of the conversation I was overhearing.  But it wasn’t their athletic conversation that peeked my interest, rather what they were studying.  It as clear from the books they had on the table and their discussion they they were involved in a discipleship Bible study.  I wasn’t intentionally listening to their conversation but couldn’t help but overhear various points of the discussion that centered around how to live a life devoted to Christ and the everyday struggles we all face.  What impressed me though was the sincere, genuine desire to align their lives with the life of Christ.

This group of ladies wrapped up their discussion and each went on their own way.  I didn’t even notice they had left as I was focusing on my own study by then.  What happened next though was jolting!  The conversation that I had been hearing…..love for god and helping others in their relationship with God….was replaced with a vitriolic, profanity laced tirade.  I jerked my head up to see what was happening and realized the four young ladies had been replaced by a man and woman.  Their conversation, as well, was difficult to not eavesdrop in.  It centered around the latest drunken exploits of the man and quickly moved into how they felt wronged by the medical community and were going to bring lawsuits to the groups they felt they could get the most money from.

Wow!  What a change.  One minute the chairs were occupied by conversation that was pleasing and honoring to the Lord while the next minute the conversation was one that simply was attempting to honor and lift up man.  It got me thinking about which “nature” is occupying the chair of my life?  Is it my “old nature” or the “new?”  What do others observe when they see my life?  Who is occupying your chair?