Cyclone Dineo

For those who have been praying for us over the past day in the wake of Cyclone Dineo that made landfall near our city, thank you! 

We made it through the night. It was a bit scary, but we're fine. Some damage to our house, mainly roof tiles, our hot water solar tank fell and shattered, half of our solar panels flew off the roof, one walkway veranda covering blew off, and lots of trees limbs broke. But many people in our neighborhood--and beyond--lost their roofs, so clearly lots of damage especially with all of the rain. The main cell phone service is out, though we still have internet for now on another carrier. Water is out as well, and electricity is out in places, though we don't know how extensive. 

We are planning to organize some teams to send out and help clear roads--lots of trees down--and help with roofs once the roads are passible, (right now our only road out is blocked in multiple locations) we will take teams out to the villages to help as we can.

If you would like to donate money that we will use to help with roof supplies, roads, etc, in the churches and in our communities, you can donate to the ECHO Project, and we will funnel the money to help the community here. Please send us an email if you give, or mark online that it is for Cyclone Dineo Relief.

Thank you for your prayers!!

Lisa

Hot water tank fell off the roof and shattered.

2016 ECHO Project Update

We are so grateful to everyone who has helped support the ECHO Project over the past few years. Because of your generosity, we have been able to continue helping some of the most vulnerable who live near us. Through this extension of our ministry here in Mozambique under African Outreach Ministries, we have always strived to make a difference in the live of individuals, and with your help, that is what we have been able to do.

LOOK AT 2016:

Here is a brief overview of what we did with the money that was donated to the ECHO Project last year.        

•                Alex paid off the business loan for his tuc-tuc and now owns it free and clear!

•                Began revamping the water well in Magola now that electricity is available. This included buying the electric pump, a water tank, and the structure. Project will be complete in early 2017.

•                Purchased school supplies and uniforms for a young woman from one of our village churches who is attending school in the city.

•                Continued distributing monthly food packet to families caring for orphans

•                Supply blood pressure medicine for a woman in the village as well as other medicines as needed

•                Provided baby formula and cereal to the mother of twins unable to breast feed. They recently turned one and are doing well!

DISTRUBUTION:

We gave out $5775 in funding various projects and needs. The largest share fell in the Compassion category as we have begun the overhaul of the water well in Magola.  The well is very deep and the hand pump kept breaking.  We are now installing an electric pump that will be housed in a new concrete building with a large water tank on the top.

LOOKING AHEAD:

As we look at 2017, here is a quick look at some of our goals for the year.

•                Completion of the water well renovation project in Magola.

•                Distribution of a second business loan.

•                Continued disbursements of food packets and medicine to those most in need.

•                Paying for the housing needs for a young man who is excelling at university, but is unable to pay these fees. (He will also be attending Bible school at the same time.)

•                Glasses for a young college student who’s struggling with his eyesight.

•                Working to get a young man who is going blind into the country’s only blind school. If accepted he will need to help with lodging and school fees

It's a deadly race across the desert. . .

I just received an alert that while the official release date isn't until 7th, Desert Secrets is now available as an ebook! I had so much fun writing and researching this book that's set in the Sahara and Morocco. So if you love non-stop romantic suspense set in an exotic location, be sure and check this one out!

     Amazon                            Barnes & Noble      

DEADLY PURSUIT

"When aid worker Lexi Shannon is abducted at gunpoint in Mali, she quickly learns her kidnappers are really after her brother—and the money he's stolen. Landing at the secluded desert compound, ex-military pilot Colton Landry has a clear mission: rescue his brother-in-law, who's being held for ransom. But after discovering the kidnappers also have Lexi, there's no way he's leaving her behind. Their daring escape soon turns into a deadly chase when their plane is shot down, stranding them in the desert. Making a desperate run for the Moroccan border, Lexi and Colton must trust each other and rely on their strength and ingenuity to survive. But it may not be enough to outrun and outsmart their relentless pursuers…"

HAPPY READING!!

Lisa

Ministry Update for 2016

It's been both an extremely difficult as well as an amazing year where God's goodness has reigned. Here is the condensed version of our ministry video from this year. We are grateful to everyone who came to visit, who ministered beside us, who supported us financially and emotionally, and who prayed for us. God is good!


African Outreach Ministries Report for 2016 from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

Merry Christmas!

Lisa Harris

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #20

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through all 31 stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 3 grand prizes!

• The hunt BEGINS with Stop #1 at Lisa Bergren’s site.
• Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer). 
• There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 11/6)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books.
• Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the clue on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at Stop #31. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

I'm so excited to introduce to you Carrie Stuart Parks. Not only does Carrie write Suspense, but she's actually an internationally known forensic artist. To a suspense writer like me, that is incredibly cool! Here's a short summary of her latest book, When Death Draws Near.

Forensic artist Gwen Marcey is between jobs when she accepts temporary work in Pikeville, Kentucky—a small town facing big-city crime. But before Gwen can finish her first drawing of the serial rapist who is on the loose, the latest witness vanishes. Just like all the others.

Gwen suspects a connection between the rapist and the “accidental” deaths that are happening around town, but the local sheriff has little interest in her theories. When her digitally-obsessed teenage daughter joins her, Gwen turns her attention to a second assignment: going undercover in a serpent-handling church. She could get a handsome reward for uncovering illegal activity—a reward she desperately needs, as it seems her breast cancer has returned. But snakes aren’t the only ones ready to kill. Can Gwen uncover the truth—and convince anyone to believe her—before she becomes a victim herself?

In a thrilling race against time, When Death Draws Near plunges us into cold-case murders, shady politics, and a den of venomous suspects.

Book Ideas

by Carrie Stuart Parks

It’s not uncommon for authors to be asked where we come up with our ideas. I currently have a job shadow—a high school girl—that believes we spend a great deal of time fighting writer’s block for lack of ideas.

No so with me. My husband, Rick, starts with a location he wants to visit. He gets to do some of the initial research. Once I go through telling him "no, we’re not going to put the next book on a river cruise up the Reine River or in Iceland," he settles down with a reasonable place. Step two is to figure out how a forensic artist will end up in such a place—what’s the crime? Third is the cast of possible characters and ending. Yeah, I figure out the ending early on. I don’t want to leave my heroine dangling by her ankles by a rope over a vast bed of alligators. Fourth, I need interesting real events—past or present—to weave into the story. Finally, I need a lesson or a theme tying the whole thing together.

You’ll find all of these features in my latest book, When Death Draws Near.

There you have it!

CARRIE STUART PARKS is a Christy finalist as well as an Inspy and  Carol award-winning author. An internationally known forensic artist, she travels with her husband, Rick, across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law enforcement professionals. The author/illustrator of numerous books on drawing and painting, Carrie continues to create dramatic, award-winning watercolors from her studio in the mountains of Idaho. She was awarded a Signature Member of the Idaho Watercolor Society.

Mentored by New York Times best-selling author, Frank Peretti, Carrie began writing fiction while battling stage II breast cancer. Now in remission, she continues to encourage other women struggling through the effects of cancer. You can visit her on Facebook at Carrie Stuart Parks, Author.

Here’s the Stop #20 Skinny:

• You can order Carrie’s book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD or at your local bookstore!

• Clue to Write Down: to come. . .

• Link to Stop #21 the Next Stop on the Loop: Carrie Stuart Parks’s own site!

BUT WAIT! Before you go, I’m offering a prize as well! A cool zebra mug as well as some yummy handmade chocolates from South Africa. All you have to do is sign up to get my e-newsletter (top left of this blog, yellow box) then let me know in a comment on this post that you have subscribed. If you're already a subscriber, no problem. Just leave a comment as well and let me know, and I'll include you as I draw from the comments below on November 7th.

Happy Hunting! 

Lisa Harris

English Camp: Video #3

I finally found time to finish the last of three videos from this year's English camp. It was a whirlwind of activity for me (I was the gopher) but in the end a great week for both campers and staff.

Enjoy!


English Camp 3 from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

English Camp Olympics 2016!

Okay. . I love this video. It's so fun!!



English Camp Olympics from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

English Camp 2016

We're in the middle of our annual English Camp. Here's a video from the first couple days!

English Camp 2016 from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

Best-selling romantic suspense only $1.99!!!

Guess what? Vendetta, book one in my Nikki Boyd Files, is on sale for a limited time as an ebook. $1.99 at Amazon and Barnes&Noble and only $1.59 at Christianbook.com!

If you haven't jumped into this series yet, now's your chance to give it a try. This book won RT suspense book of the year, plus was nominated for a Christy, so if you love fast-paced suspense with a thread of romance, I think you'll love the beginning to this series. And if you enjoy Vendetta, Missing, book two, is now available as well!

              Amazon                                  Barnes&Noble                                Christianbook.com

Celebrating Missing's Release day!

It's finally here! I'm so excited to share with you the latest book in my Nikki Boyd Files. Missing releases today! Delve into the deadly world of counterfeit drugs as Nikki races against the clock to save a missing woman. . .and discovers a budding romance as well.

Nikki Boyd isn't usually called in on homicides; her forte is missing persons. But when a case with two murdered and two missing pops up on a quiet suburban street, she's ready to start the investigation and find missing homeowners Mac and Lucy Hudson. When the first clues lead her to the boat of her friend Tyler Grant--and another dead body--Nikki must untangle what ties Tyler to the Hudsons. The clues pull her into a deadly maze of counterfeit drugs and a killer who will stop at nothing to silence anyone who threatens his business--including Nikki. And if you'd like, read a chapter from missing below!

Ministry update!

AOM 2016 from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

Thank you from the Harris family

Our family would like to express our deepest appreciation to all of you who have prayed for us over the past few weeks. Your words of encouragement have been such a blessing! On top of that, we are extremely grateful for the financial support that will allow us to update our security system and replace some of the stolen items. Here's a short video expressing our thanks. We hope it will be encouraging to you as well!



Huge Thank you from the Harris family and African Outreach Ministires from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

No Turning Back

Sometime days I think God is trying to tell me something. I clicked on a link on FB today to an article talking about no turning back. That sometimes the cost of following Jesus ends up being more than you thought when you first decided to follow him.

I’ve been thinking about not turning back for several months now. The first time was at church back in the states when the worship leader lead “I have decided to follow, Jesus.”

I remember singing that song hundreds of times as a child growing up. And decided there was going to be no turning back for me. When I felt the call from God to be a missionary, the pull was at times unexplainable, but undeniably. I might have been young, but I was going off to save the world.

Except sometimes the world hasn't turned out to be what I imagined. And as I sat in that pew that Sunday not too long ago, after more than a decade of living in Africa, I wanted to turn back.

I didn’t want to leave my oldest behind to go to university in the states. I didn’t want to drop off my youngest at boarding school. I wanted us to be a family. To have Christmas together in our own home, to celebrate birthdays as a family, and to watch my kids grow up the way you’re supposed to. The way that seems normal, and good, and best.

Because sometimes not turning back is just too hard.

My husband gave what I’m feeling a name. It’s called grief. I’m grieving this stage of life. The part that begins the normal empty next stage, except for us it means that my three kids are living in three different countries. I expected the red tape, power outages, and water shortages, but this is hard, and not what I ever imagined life as a missionary would be like.

Go ahead and fill in the blanks for your own life. Because I know that for each one of us, life doesn’t always go the way we once imagined. Life can be joyous, but it can also be tough. The unplanned losses and dreams are hard to deal with.

But on those days when I don’t want to move forward, when I simply want to walk away, I'm realizing I have no other option but to look to Him. And I take another tentative step forward.

No turning back. No turning back.

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.

So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.

Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High.

(Ps. 46:1-4) NTL

Merry Christmas!

For those of you who follow my blog, you might have noticed that I've been absent the past few months. My family and I returned to the US in July for just under five months to help our oldest adjust to his first semester of university. Considering the fact that he moved to Africa when he was six, there's a lot of things he needed to adjust to as a third culture kid. Someone recently asked us if he was interested in doing a semester abroad through his college. Well, the truth is that for him this is a semester abroad!

While we were here, we were hoping to have a time of sabbatical rest after twelve years on the field. Well. . .that didn't happen. What did happen was homeschooling two kids, helping a third kiddo get settled into college, writing one book, seeing some beautiful sites while visiting supporters, friends, and family, and saying good-bye to two of our board members who passed away.

And now with New Years around the corner, we're actually extremely excited to get back to our own beds and routine and not live out of a suitcase anymore!

But in spite of the fact we're going home tired, we are grateful for the chance to see family (it had been three and a half years since two of our kids saw their grandparents!) visit with friends, and express our thanks to churches and individuals who have supported us so faithfully. 

Plus, we've been thrilled to hear about how the Christians are continuing the work while we've been gone. We can’t wait to jump back into the work and learn more about how God has moved while we’ve been in the US. These photos are of some special evangelism training that was taught by the leaders while we were gone.

My prayer for each of you is during this sometimes too hectic time of year, that you will find the true Reason for the Season in Him. 

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. . .and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Merry Christmas!

Lisa Harris

PS If you are someone you know gets an Ereader or Ipad for Christmas, be sure to take advantage of the free download of my award-winning romantic suspense novel DangerousPassage!

Happy Release Day!

Thanks so much to all of you who stopped by and shared about your fun park adventures. I loved reading the comments! A big congrats to Kelley who is the winner of my Heart of Africa giveaway, celebrating the release of Vendetta.

My honey and I are away for the week celebrating our 25th anniversary so I'm offline, but I wanted to remind you--if you haven't ordered your copy--that Vendetta is now available on line and at your local bookstores!

Happy reading!

Lisa

Amazon             Barnes and Noble     Christianbook.com

Behind the scenes with Nikki Boyd part two (+ a giveaway)

One of the things I love about writing is the behind the scenes research that goes into a story. Vendetta, book one in the Nikki Boyd Files, is one of those series that has given me a glimpse a completely different world. Between the setting of the stunning Smoky Mountains and Nikki's work on a missing person task force, I found myself completely pulled into both the tough terrain of the area and a look at how police work so hard to find those who have gone missing. If you didn't catch my part one of behind the scenes with Nikki Boyd, you can check it out here. Recently I was able to take a bunch of photographs when our family visited the park last month. One of the things our family did while we were there was white water rafting, which was a blast. 

Along with the gorgeous setting, Vendetta also deals with some tough issues about what happens with someone goes missing and how friends and family often respond. In Vendetta, this case ends up clashing with Nikki's past as she works against time to find a missing teenage girl. Nikki has a lot of motivation to do what she does because of the loss of her own sister which has shown her both the side of the authorities and as the victim. And with that the emotional pull she feels to bring justice to a sitaution isn't always easy.

“Sometimes there is nothing you can do to change your circumstances. Sometimes all you can do is hold on for dear life and pray that God will help you find a way through the storm. Sometimes he shows you a way to escape, and sometimes he walks through the fires with you.” (Nikki from Vendetta)

Sometimes my own spiritual struggles come to light in my books as I wrestle with the tough things I see around me. I've come to realize that because we live in a fallen world, life is hard, but even in the times when we feel as if there is no way out, He will walk through the storm with us.

On to the giveaway. . .

In celebration of the release of Vendetta--the kindle version comes out on Tuesday!--I wanted to have a fun giveaway. While I was at the park, I found a beautiful CD of music and mug that I'll be giving away. Leave a comment below with a way for me to contact you and while you're there, I'd love to hear about any memorable experiences you've had at a national park. Hopefully, none of them were quite as action packed and dangerous as Nikki's! Giveaway ends October 1st at midnight, EST.

Happy reading!!

Lisa

Official Rules for Giveaway: No purchase necessary. Giveaway is opened to U.S. residents 18 years and older. Odds of winning depend on number of entries. Total prizes: One CD and one mug valued at $25. Winner will be chosen by a random number generator and will be notified via email with instructions on how to claim the book. If the winner does not leave an email or meet the above criteria (US resident 18+), another winner will be selected. If a winner does not follow the instructions within 24 hours to claim the prize, no prize will be awarded. Void where prohibited by law.

Behind the Scenes with Nikki Boyd: Part One

Vendetta--hot off the press!

There's nothing quite as exciting as getting a copy of one your books hot off the press, except maybe the journey it took to get to this point. Vendetta, book one in The Nikki Boyd Files, hits stores in a couple weeks, while I'm actually working on book three.

Originally, when I presented my idea to my editor, I was going to focus on different people on a missing person task force for each book of the series. My editor came back to me and said that the publisher wanted me to stick to telling the stories from Nikki's point of view. Now that I'm writing book three, I'm actually so glad we decided to do this, because I love, love, love her story. Nikki's motivation to do what she does comes from the loss of her own sister who went missing a decade ago, and she's never been found. This makes Nikki's journey very personal. She knows what it's like to be on the side of the victims' family, and that knowledge motivates her to ensure that other families don't go through what hers went through.

Another decision that was made early on in the writing of the series was where it would be set. I wanted a southern setting, and for book one, I needed it to be in the mountains. So while Nikki's team is based in Nashville, Vendetta takes place in and around the Smoky Mountains.

Now one of the things I love to do is travel. And while a lot of the settings I use for my books I've actually been able to visit (like Paris for Taken, for example) I'd never had the chance to visit the Smoky Mountains. So instead, I did tons of research. Which is actually one of my favorite things to do. I love research and the chance to discover places I don't know much about. The Appalachian Trail was one of these fun discoveries for me. I was blown away by some of the stories I read about people who walked the entire, 2000+ mile trek. Let me just say that at first, the idea of walking the Appalachian trail seemed completely glamorous and romantic, but let's face it. . .2000+ miles isn't easy. At all. And it isn't for the faint at heart. . .uh. . .me.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. Vendetta is written, edits, are done, and the books is about to be printed. We were staying at a missionary cabin in Tennessee, and when I realized just how close we were to the Smoky Mountains, and my wonderful husband agreed to take me there!

It was so much fun to finally visit the place I'd researched as I wrote Nikki's story. I ended up being the tour guide who know my way around even though I'd never actually visited! This area was even far more beautiful than I ever imagined. I was also able to visit some of the actual scenes from where the book takes place. And as crazy as it sounds, I kept expecting to run into Nikki! But my one goal for the trip-- since I couldn't see Nikki--was to see a bear. And we did! We saw a mama and a couple of cubs which was so amazing, but unfortunately those photos didn't turn out.

My son and I next to the Appalachian Trail.

Hope you enjoyed the photos! They're stunning, aren't they! Check back in a week or so for Behind the Scenes Part Two and a special giveaway!

Happy reading,

Lisa

Cover Reveal!

I'm so excited to share with you the cover of my next Love Inspired Suspense! Coming this September is Desperate Escape.

When Dr. Maddie Gilbert is kidnapped by rebel forces in West Africa, special ops agent Grant Reese races to rescue her. But the ruthless drug traffickers holding Maddie hostage have powerful connections--maybe even inside the US government. And they'll go to any lengths to silence her--permanently. Grant knows that getting Maddie free and safe is just the first step of this mission. Because he's fallen for the spirited beauty, and as her enemies pursue them, Grand must face a second battle--the one to win her heart.

Desperate Escape is available now for pre-order on line along with Vendetta, book one in another brand new series coming in October!

Happy Reading!

Lisa