Dec. 15th

It is Saturday and we do not have a full day of classes planned but choir practice is still in session. We had a great time and the children are eager to learn each new song Lorraine is willing to teach them. After practice she kept the children 12 and over and I took the little ones outside. It is time for the teenagers to be told of their responsibility in this country to rise up and set a standard and live as Daniel did. He did now bow to fear and he did not bow to a king other than God. The time is now for youth of this center to learn that Mozambique is filled with many temptations and they must rise above and stay strong.

As for the little children, we did not have an interpreter so I taught them how to dance with the ribbons and then we played hopscotch in the sand, I even taught them how to play tic-tac-toe. We had a blast !

Upon leaving the church we went to a youth concert at another church here in Marracuene. There were about 50 people total in the building mostly young adults I would guess ages 16 to mid twenties. The celebration was the anniversary of a youth group who were all dressed in matching clothing. The women in black and white robes with the men in gray polo shirts and black pants.

There are no words to describe the number of harmonies that I heard during the singing. The hosting choir was so powerful that I was speechless and then there were other choirs in the audience that came forward to sing their songs as well. At some point I grabbed my phone and began to tape the singing because I cannot leave this country or continent without a piece of it with me. Today the Lord was in Marracuene and He was dancing! Unbelievable is the only word I can come up with.

Finally – they asked the visiting Americans to contribute something. I looked at Lorraine and thought in my mind…. what can you add to that? Then, to my amazement she took the microphone with Ernesto interpreting and Richard on keyboards and taught them “Celebrate Jesus” in Portuguese. The Holy Spirit was so heavy and Lorraine was leading all of the beautiful voices while I just danced ! I wish you could have been here to share with us, it was a powerful time of Praise and Worship.

Sylvia