Happy Thanksgiving

We will be celebrating our Thanksgiving a few days late as our eldest returns home on Friday. I'm  so excited about some time together as a family over the next few weeks while he is home on break.

Praying that each of you have a very special Thanksgiving as well.

Be blessed,  Lisa

The least of these

We recently received a call from a friend of ours who needed help with a situation. A young boy had been stopping by the lodge where she works, asking for food and money every few days. He was always dirty, his stomach extended, and sores covered his body. She and the other workers would give him something to eat, or a few metical (our currency), but she wanted to know what to do to help him more.

Scott took some of the disciples to visit him this week to find out more about his situation, and see what we could do to help.



He's an orphan who used to live with his grandmother, but now lives with his elderly aunt and uncle.

He doesn't know how old he is.

He doesn't go to school.

His body is covered with sores, his clothes worn and tattered.

He's malnourished.

His hands and feet are infested with tiny worms that live in the sand until they find away to burrow their ways into your hands and feet.

The situation is serious. So serious, in fact, that he has to go to the hospital this week to be treated.

In dealing with this young boy, I was reminded of the passage in Matthew 25. "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. . .for whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

As we move into Thanksgiving week, we all have so much to be thankful for. But there are people like this young boy living around us. And it doesn't matter where we live. They are lonely from divorce or the lost of a spouse. They are discouraged--worn and tattered--after losing a job, They are scared because they don't know what the future holds.

The world around us might seem unstable, but "God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when the earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea." Psalm 46:1-2 (NLT)

Be a blessing to someone today,

Lisa

Visit TheECHOProject.org to find out how you can make a difference here in Africa.

A huge thank you to The Fellowship at Cinco Ranch and Kosmos Coffee for choosing The ECHO Project as their 'Cause of the Month!' We really appreciate it!

To learn more about The ECHO Project and how you can get involved as a family, small group, or Sunday School Class, drop me an email or visit our website!

Lisa

Home again

Visiting a park in Lyon.

They say there is no place like home and that is true in so many ways. We arrived home almost a week ago, excited to be back with two of our kids (Gabe returns next week!), and immediately hit the ground running. So while it's great to be back, I'm still trying to catch my breath. :-) Our time in the States was a blessing. We were able to meet with some of the churches that help support us as well as individuals and friends. We were overwhelmed by the amount of love and support shown, especially to Jaco and Inge who decided to go ahead and make the planned trip with us to meet the African Outreach Ministries board, along with their two boys. 

Most of our time was spent running from one commitment to the next, but we still greatly enjoyed dinner with friends and supporters, meeting with our wonderful board members for a weekend retreat, and sharing with several groups of people interested in what is happening in Mozambique. 

I was able to see my mother and Scott his parents and one of his sisters, so that was an added blessing as well. I've posted a few photos from the trip I hope you enjoy. In the meantime, we're back to school, teaching, writing deadlines and house building! 

Be blessed!

Lisa

Hanging out with some of our college-aged friends from Sugar Land who've all been to Mozambique.
This group also put on a garage sale to raise money for Jaco and Inge. What a blessing they have been to us!

Ernan and Lander enjoying the aquarium restaurant in downtown Houston

My mother and I outside the same restaurant

Stunning Dalias in a Park in Lyon
(We stopped in Lyon for a couple of days on our way to the States to visit some missionary friends)

Scott sharing with our wonderful board members.

Visit with Scott's parents. We also were able to meet with a
supporting church while we were there and vote.

There are really no fall colors here in Mozambique, so I love seeing the lit up, fall colors.

Loved being able to see the Rocky Mountains as well (this is Mt. Garfield) as like with the fall colors, it's pretty flat here in Moz.

During a break at our board meeting, Scott took the time to try out the zip line.