Mid-term fun!

Wow, time continues to fly by! I flew to Kenya this past week to see my kiddos and was shocked to see the airport all decorated for Christmas. Really? I'm honestly not sure where this year has gone, and I'm certainly not ready for it to be over. At least not until I finish tackling my to-do list.

I wanted to share a few photos from my weekend with the kids. The students all leave campus for a long weekend every term, so I flew up to be with them this past weekend. We hung out with the Taylor family (missionaries in Zambia) at a missionary guest house along with a couple other students we adopted for the weekend had a great time. (I'll post some photos below!)

Jennifer Taylor wrote a fantastic post on our adventurous weekend experience, so I thought I'd share it with you. It's well written and also has a great insight into our lives as missionary moms, especially when our kids attend boarding school.

You can read her blog post Get on the Matatu here.

Lastly, we headed out to the beach today for six baptisms! It was a really special morning to see so many familiar faces give their lives to Christ! I've posted those photos on our FB ministry page.

Enjoy the photos!

Lisa

Traveling in Africa. There's always room for one more person or one more bag!

We went to a house for Ethiopian food and had a great experience. Very different food!

Ah. . .no those are not sombreros, boys!

The bread is the white stuff and all the sauces are laid on top.

These boys were never dull!

My daughter's fav? Planet Yogurt!

Life in Pictures: Catching up

I received a message from a sweet friend yesterday who asked me if I was still writing blog posts. I told    her that I was planning to post something soon, but that the past few weeks had been extra busy, and I just hadn't had a chance. What I didn't realize was that it had been over two months since I've posted anything!

I hope you enjoy a brief overview in photos of our life in Africa from the past two months. The hardest part was sending our three kiddos off to school the end of August for another year, but not only are they all doing well, God has also done some incredible things during this time in the ministry here on the home front, and we are so grateful! We are also very grateful to everyone who has come to Mozambique and worked beside us these past few weeks! It's been a whirlwind!

I am working on putting together some more detailed videos to share as Scott will be back in the US fundraising for AOM in November. I will share those here as well for those who are interested.

Lastly, on top of family and ministry, I'm somehow managing to keep up with my (tight) writing deadlines! I'm super excited about book three in my Southern Crimes series, Hidden Agenda, that will be available in January. Taken, another romantic suspense, set in Paris (my favorite city in the world!) comes out in February. And in the meantimes, I'm currently finishing up book one in a brand new series for my publisher that will come out fall 2015. All I can say is life is never boring!

That's it for now. Enjoy!

A group of the disciple went to our new church plant in
Matimbine (about an hour from where we live) to start work on a church structure.

Along with starting the structure, they also taught and worshiped together.

In July we also had twelve baptisms in Magola!

While Mariah was home, she spent a lot of time with the kids out in the village.
On her last day out, she brought them all new shirts which was a big hit!

A group of men from Shekinah House in South Africa came to help finish the structure
in Matimbine and camped out in the village for a couple nights.

Also in July, Richard Howard from the US came to teach. While we typically
hold an English Camp this time of year, we instead did a four day discipleship camp to
further ground our Christians in the word and how to share their faith. 

We had people come both from town and from the villages.

We have seen a renewed commitment and focus on evangelism from those who attended!

After dropping the kids off for school the end of August, we headed to Zimbabwe with Jack English from the US
and his daughter Amber. Amber will be staying with us for the next 8-9 months as an intern. Scott and Jack
spent for days teaching leaders from Zimbabwe and Zambia in our yearly training. I was able to go this year and
loved being able to spend time with these wonderful church leaders!

Four people came from Katy, Texas to work with our ministry in September and even
spent two nights camping out in the village!

They quickly bonded with many of the people.

During their time in the village, ten gave their lives to Christ and were baptized in the river.

Here Diane and Janet are teaching at our weekly women's bible study in the village.

The women loved the lesson and painting coffee filters to look like butterflies!

Showing off their butterflies.

We have also been able to bless a number of people via contributions to The ECHO Project.
If you saw the story of Joao earlier earlier, you might remember that he was suffering from his
skin rotting away. We have been blessed by those who have stepped up to help care for him
 and he is doing much better!

We were able to give food to the mother of this newborn and are
continuing to provide the baby with formula as her mother can't breast feed.

We are currently giving out five monthly food baskets to help
families in need and those who are taking care of orphans.

Visiting the mother in her compound and praying with her. After several
visits she gave her life to Christ!

ECHO Project funds also went to build this house for one of
the Christians in the village. She cares for her orphaned grandchildren
and had to move out of the home where she was living.
She will also be one who will help us as needed to take in people
who need temporary help and housing as a trial project we hope to expand.

Be blessed today!

Lisa

One Day Sale!

Would you help me spread the word?

On Tuesday, July 22nd, my publisher is running a huge one day sale of Fatal Exchange (ebook) for only $1.99!

The sale will be available on Kindle, Christianbook.com, and iBookstore. (I can't guarantee what the price will be for international readers, be sure and double check!)

And if you're on twitter or FB would you help me spread the word?

Something like. . .

Love Romantic Suspense? Christy award-winning author Lisa Harris's Fatal Exchange (ebook) is on sale for one day only for $1.99. http://tinyurl.com/pqpepnw



And don't forget, if you already have it, you can gift it to a friend!

Thank you!

Lisa

Celebration Giveaway!

To celebrate the 4th of July and Dangerous Passage winning a Christy Award, I'm giving away copies of Dangerous Passage to four winners who are subscribed to my Author Newsletter!

If you're already signed up you're automatically in the drawing. (You'll know because I just sent you a sneak peek of the new gorgeous cover of book three in my Southern Crimes series.)

If you're not signed up, it takes all of thirty seconds! Just put your email in the "Join my mailing list" box on the top left of this blog (right under the large banner). This newsletter will keep you updated on the release of my books!

Winners will be notified next Tuesday. US addresses will receive a paperback book. International addresses will receive an ebook copy. Feel free to share with your friends who love romantic suspense!

Happy reading!!

Lisa

Dangerous Passage Wins a Christy Award!

I have to admit that I'm still a bit speechless. I dreamed about being at the Christy Awards last night with my daughter. (They were actually going on at that time since it was the middle of the night for me). Except they were running late in my dream, and we had to take a bus home. I was nervous because I wasn't sure which bus I needed to take, or if I would get stuck there. I woke up about four and decided to quickly check my email on my phone to see who had won. I was stunned/elated/shocked/overwhelmed to see that Dangerous Passage had won the Romantic Suspense category!






TWO GIVEAWAYS:

If you love reading, first of all, there is an incredible giveaway going on at RelzReviewz in connection with the Christy Awards and WynnWynn Media where you can win a copy of all seven books plus a $100 gift certificate.

Second, you can visit Soul Inspirationz to win one of the winning titles from the 2014 Christy Awards plus a Starbuck gift card!

A huge congrats to all of the finalists and winners!

Lisa

Huge Christys Celebration Giveaway Prize Package

Rel Mollet from Relz Reviewz and Wynn-Wynn Media have been hosting a huge Christys Celebration Giveaway, and Prize Package #4 includes my Dangerous Passage! If you love all things modern and romantic, plus some action with your romance enter here for a chance to win a prize package that includes seven of the Christy finalists!

News Flash!

Can you believe it's already June? While many of you are sliding into summer, we are so happy to welcome cooler weather in our part of the world.

Just a couple updates I want to pass on.

One, we've just started back with our ECHO Project blog so we can be more consistent in sharing what  God is doing through this project. The ECHO Project exists to work along side our ministry in Mozambique, addressing specifically the physical needs of the people we work with.

Over the coming weeks and months, we'll be sharing how you can help sponsor an after school soccer program that is working with young people in our area, an update on Rosie and her sign language, a brand new agricultural work, and lots more. 

If you want to be a part of this, please consider becoming a Friend of The ECHO Project. We have a brand new Facebook group where you can sign up to receive updates and help us share the word about what is happening as well as various needs via social media.

This week's blog post is about a sweet boy (above) who has it very difficult in life, but is never without a smile. You can check out the latest post here. 

Secondly, if you love to read here is another HUGE giveaway sponsored by Relz Reviewz, The Christy Awards, and Wynn Wynn Media. 

4 weeks. 25 finalists. 8 Christy winners. 5 prize packages. 

The first book in my Southern Crimes Series, Dangerous Passage, is a finalist for this award. Visit Relz Reviewz for all the details!

Be blessed!

Lisa

I need your help!

After working for several years in Mozambique, we continued to see such great physical needs among the people, we knew we had to find a way to do more. That was the beginning of The ECHO Project, a way for us to raise additional funds that would go directly to individuals in need.

Over the past few years, God has used people from literally all over the world to partner with us financially, allowing us to make a difference in the lives of individuals. We have been able to build houses for the homeless, put in water wells, give school supplies, uniforms, provide medicine and eye glasses, deliver food baskets to the sick and orphaned, provide baby formula, and vitamins, and much, much more.

This year, with help of our teammates, we have started expanding to include farming projects that will supply food to those in need and to create jobs. This currently includes making fertilizer, teaching farming techniques, gardening, and a coconut project.

What do we need from you?

In addition to broadening our financial support so we can expand what we are currently able to do, we are looking for individuals who will help us spread the word about what God is doing through The ECHO Project by becoming Friends of The ECHO Project.

What are Friends of The ECHO Project?

It's simple. We have started a FB group specifically for our Friends of the ECHO Project. Every couple of weeks I will post a video and/or update and ask that you share it with your friends on FB and any other social media you are involved in. You can even take it a step further and share with your church, Bible class, and small group. 

If you are interested in helping, please email or FB me privately and I will send you an invitation to be a  part of the FB group. You can visit our website to find out more about how you can make a difference!

Thank you for helping us ensure that no child or parent's cry goes unheard.

Lisa Harris

Click here to watch video

Get involved with The ECHO Project! from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. . .the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice." Proverbs 31:8

Killer Suspense Giveaway!

You've got to check this out, because if you love reading suspense, 

you won't want to miss this! 

Fabulous fellow suspense authors have joined forces behind the Killer Suspense Giveaway ~ win 7 signed books AND a $100 Visa gift card. 

Check out the giveaway--including Fatal Exchange--now at the blog of the 

amazing Rel Mollett (RelzReviewz) 

Seven new releases by seven suspense authors!

Happy Reading!!

Lisa Harris

The Dark Side of Paradise

People have told us that living by the Indian Ocean must be like living in paradise. And to a small extent that is true. We live thirty minutes from white sandy beaches where tourists love to fish, snorkel, and scuba dive.

But there is another side that struck again recently. A side that I hate.

It’s the dark side of paradise. Because while tourists explore the beauty of the ocean, people around us are dying.

In the past year, I’ve lost several friends to HIV/Aids. I’ve watched them deteriorate until all they could do was lay outside in the compound on a mat. I’ve seen young women with children and families taken by the disease, young students, older women caring for their grandchildren. The disease doesn’t have a preference.

This time, it’s a young mother of four I’ve known for several years. Her husband left her to go live with his second family, but he returns for sex, doing little if anything to care for his family. And now she has the virus.

It’s a scenario all too familiar. But they aren’t the only ones who are dying. There are people all around us who are dying spiritually.

It reminds me of the verse we all know. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” 

When we chose to come to an unreached people group, we expected the journey to be difficult, but we came because we knew people were dying. And because we knew that God loved them enough to die for them.

My prayer today is that we have that same love for those around us no matter where we live. That we will be lights in a world that desperately needs the love of a Savior.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." John 1:5