From Charlotte in Pemba

I fell in love with Pemba almost instantly. Highlights included living in a tiny hut in the red dirt with eight other women, feeding 6400 children to celebrate children's day (this was as confronting as it was joyous), the riotous celebration of dance and song that is church in Pemba, riding in the backs of trucks and spending my afternoons in the "baby house" learning Portuguese and Makua from the children. I absolutely loved getting to know the Mozambican Bible School students, who leave their families for two months a year and travel days to reach Pemba with essentially just the clothes on their backs to be trained as pastors. We were one cohort, with a few differing classes, which made having to leave unbearably heartbreaking.

As I am sure you know, the government decided not to renew our visas - having 250 students from 31 different nations around during a streak of terrorist attacks was not their jam. However, we all felt so totally safe. God is so good, and the base was so covered by intercession, and chose joy and love over fear :)

And so the Harvest students have been moved over to Nelspruit, South Africa. I've gone from bucket showers using a 1L water bottle, to cold showers and a dorm room of 70 women! Glory! We have the same sort of structure as in Mozambique - class from Monday to Thursday, with outreaches and practical missions over the weekend.

It is intense, fast-paced and I love it - the highs and the lows.

Anyway, learning heaps. It is such a replenishing time of receiving and drawing close to Jesus! Feel free to share any of this stuff with the church.

My love to all,

Charlotte