Palm Beach Atlantic University Short Term Mission

A year ago, Mark contacted me out of the blue. He had heard about us through Matty, a good friend and pastor, and wanted to explore sending a short-term team from Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida. This past Wednesday, our driver Jacobo and I drove the team of ten amazing young people back to Beira to catch their flights home to the U.S.

Throughout the many months of preparation, it became increasingly clear that the Lord had gone before us and was now sending a team to help us take the next step in reaching the remote community of Chinjunju with the gospel. Chinjunju lies not far from our mission base, and in January we had the privilege of inaugurating a two-room school building there, built in partnership with the community.

That school was itself a miracle of epic proportions. When the community first approached us for help, we had no funds available and many other pressing ministry priorities.

But God had other plans.

He sent us a visitor about a year and a half back who simply would not take no for an answer. Although the country was experiencing considerable post election violence and we could not guarantee her safety, she arrived as planned. We quickly discovered that she was not afraid to get her hands dirty and, more importantly, was a woman of prayer who was deeply sensitive to the Lord's leading.

There is far too much to tell in a short story like this. But one day, while visiting the community that had requested a school, we showed her the bricks the villagers had already made and fired. During our visit, the skies suddenly opened and rain poured down. Thankfully, the shower was brief because the only shelter available was the rough grass-roofed shack the children were using as their classroom.

When the rain stopped, we stepped outside, still a little damp, and were greeted by a beautiful rainbow. To me, it was simply another rainbow. But God used that rainbow to speak powerfully to our visitor. The result was a generous gift that made it possible to build the school within the following year.

The school was appropriately named The Promise of God School. During the inauguration, the district administrator addressed the community and said, "You have received this beautiful school from the mission, but now you also need to receive the gospel from the mission."

That is exactly what happened during the eleven-day visit of these ten spiritually vibrant young people.

They spent their mornings visiting homes, building relationships, learning the local culture, serving in practical ways, and sharing the gospel. Each pair of students was accompanied by an interpreter, and together they had many meaningful conversations.

Every afternoon, the visiting team joined our staff in spending time with the more than one hundred children at the school through crafts, games, and activities. At 4:00 p.m. each day, we held a community gathering where everyone was welcome. Two members of the team shared personal testimonies of how Jesus had transformed their lives, while one of our local staff members, who is also a pastor, presented the gospel beginning with the story of Creation. Day after day there was joyful singing, enthusiastic dancing, personal testimony, and the clear proclamation of the gospel.

During the week we were able to finalize the installation of a solar water pump providing the community clean water for the first time in their history. We also had the privilege of delivering 40 school desks to kit out the two school classrooms! What wonderful and practical demonstrations of God’s amazing love.

The team—eight young women and two young men—also served in many other settings. Two of them assisted Lynn with the rehabilitation of a young man who had recently been paralyzed in a gold mining accident. Wherever there was a need, they willingly stepped in. Time and again, they shared their testimonies, and it was remarkable to watch how God gave them exactly the right words for each situation.

We will never fully know the eternal impact of those eleven days this side of heaven. But I continue to be amazed at how God uses relationships to open doors, establish connections, and accomplish His purposes. All He asks is that we remain open, sensitive, and responsive to His still, small voice.

Thank you, Mark, and everyone at Palm Beach Atlantic University, for entrusting us with your students. Thank you, Izzy and Gavin, for your outstanding leadership, and thank you to the entire team for your courage, servant hearts, and joyful willingness to go wherever God led.