A Skeleton in the closet? The Muslim Makhuwa Tribe! & more news.

Helping Wycliffe reach the 4,4 million Makhuwa Muslim tribe in N. Mozambique.

I finally had a face to face meeting with Alan Webster, the Executive Director of Wycliffe SA, and one of his amazing staff in Johannesburg this month.

Today I was sending picture after picture to figure out with the project manager which figures would convey our first sandbox bible story in a way that the Muslims would want to watch it.

WHO WAS WYCLIFFE?

Wycliffe translated the Bible into English, as he believed that everyone should be able to understand it directly. Wycliffe inspired the first complete English translation of the Bible, and the Lollards, who took his views in extreme forms, added to the Wycliffe Bible commentaries such as this one in Middle English.

Wycliffe missionaries develop alphabets, help preliterate people learn to read and write, and translate the Bible into written versions of currently spoken languages.

PRAYER POINTS

1. That I can figure out the correct figures.

2. That the enemy would not distort any of our online conversations as we work on the project.

3. Protection over my two computers that needs to do the work - this load shedding is really bad for the computers! I do back up everything but would really not want to see a computer break. Thanks.

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THE SKELETON

Have you ever wondered why you sometimes do what you do, or think what you think?

Someone contacted me and asked if I would do sand-play therapy with them. For some reason this session really intrigued me.

We were nearly done when I said, there is still a closet in the sand that you are ignoring. She said, "When I open it, it is empty but the moment I close it, it is full. I don't understand." I said, "It is amazing how your sub-conscience knows what coming... and it does not want to deal with."

I asked her to look if any of the other toys on the table, triggered what she felt was in the closet while it was closed. After some time and quite taken aback for what came to her mind, she placed a skeleton in the closet. Tears came as a result of this one action.

As she was willing "to look and feel," it took another 20 minutes to figure out who and what this represented. She was finally willing to place Jesus in the scene she remembered. He spoke some things to her and the Skeleton was finally laid to rest and left the box, including the cupboard. Jesus is so faithful if we allow Him to enter into our closets! She sat back and said, "I feel 10 years lighter"

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DEALING WITH A HULK

In another session with someone else, I once again witnessed how Jesus can come (at the point where He is freely invited) to look at, in this case, a big green, strong and ugly shouting hulk - telling it to be quiet and to leave the box. The hulk in this story represented many things in the little boys life.

The fearful little purple man laying on his back in the sand, feeling perceived powerlessness, finally stood up and found words to express both what happened and then, with Jesus right next to him found forgiveness and extended forgiveness after all these years. Without Jesus in the box, I have no idea how people deal with deep pain from the past.

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WHILE I WORK - I have 3 dogs fighting to sit on me while I work! I enjoy them. Mossie became a little bit bigger than what was expected but she is the fluffiest thing to hold.

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Photo: Fitting in a meeting over breakfast before I flew back to the Western Cape. I can understand why Jesus had breakfast on the beach with his disciples. Pity that coffee was only introduced in the 1500's... they missed out!

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MOM TURNED 70!

We really thank God for protecting mom all these years. We've had some close calls with her, but I am SO super grateful that Jesus has not called her home yet!

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Now that I am in SA... I can play sport again. I LOVE IT

I am off to my Badminton evening! I am finally getting the hang of the game and was finally "allowed" to play in the slot where the more experienced players (mostly men) are playing... I was soaked when we were done but I love competition and hitting those plastic feathers! I missed sport so much and the fact that my back is ok at the moment is simply awesome.

I also helped a friend move into her new house. Stilbaai is exploding! It is not a small "still" town anymore.

I am so blessed to be able to work from here - and to influence people groups from this spot! What a blessing in this season.

Thanks so much for all your prayers and support. I really appreciate it.

In Him,

Sarah Anna-Lise