Richard & Bianca Reeve - Mozambique |
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Prayer Letter April 2008
Richard writes:
We have been very much enjoying our time in the UK, since our return at the end of last year.
Our third child, Oscar, was born on January 24, and has been developing well since that time. Myles has settled well in a local school where we have been living in London, and Anabel is enjoying nursery 3 mornings a week.
Bianca’s mum was with us from Brazil for two months, around the time of Oscar’s birth. This was a great help as I was travelling to Edinburgh at that time to undertake research at the School of Divinity.
My research is looking at what it is that – on the rare occasions it happens – triggers churches in the developing world (I am think especially Mozambique) to take the necessary steps to become self-reliant, economically.
Since February, I have been visiting some of the churches in England and Ireland who partner us in the work in Mozambique. In case you are able to make one of the remaining scheduled visits, I have listed those below. It would be a good idea to confirm the dates with me, or the local church, before attending one of those.
As I write, we are going through a lengthy application process to work with (i.e. be seconded to) an organisation in Mozambique called One Challenge (OC). We believe OC can facilitate us in taking some of the work we have been involved with previously, beyond the city of Maputo, into areas that receive very little in terms of training for pastors and other church leaders.
OC collaborate with churches in remote areas of Mozambique to provide workshops on themes in two categories. Firstly, OC teach on areas that the national Church leadership have identified as important to them, which might include – for example – stewardship, or evangelism, or from a particular book of the bible. Secondly, OC also aim to teach to the “blind spots” of local churches as OC sees them. Personally, as well as teaching on any aspect of mission that the local church requests, I am keen to encourage a group bible-study model I have been using in Maputo (the capital). I would also like to bring bible teaching that lends itself to the controlling of family finances (an area we identified as problematic through the small business training we provided, previously). Lastly, in a culture of dependency, I am keen to encourage churches that want to become economically independent. If we go ahead with this work, we would like to be back in Mozambique during the (UK) summer of 2008. If you would like to see a map of where OC works in Mozambique please e-mail me to say so. I’ll send a PDF highlighting the areas OC is working with church leaders.
Amongst a number of other factors, vastly increased travel and setting up an office with OC means that this proposed work would raise our budget significantly. We are looking at ways to reduce current costs and to raise increased costs. It may be that the funds can be raised, and that we can go ahead with this work, or that it is not realistic and practicable, and that we will not return to Mozambique. Please pray with us that we will have God’s leading one way or another as we consider the future.
If you would like to know more about the proposed work do contact me. If you would like to know more about the finance please contact Jo Sayer at Crosslinks (Telephone: 020 8691 6111).
As always, we thank you for your prayers in partnership with us and the Church in Mozambique.
With love from,
Richard, Bianca, Myles, Anabel and Oscar.
Dates for church visits:
Southfields Baptist Church, SW London, Feb 17;
St John’s Woking, Feb 24;
St Mary’s, Donnybrook, Dublin, S. Ireland, March 9;
Christchurch, Blackburn, March 16;
St John’s, Knutsford, April 6;
St Thomas’, Blackpool, April 20;
Christchurch, Ecclestone, Wirral, April 27;
St Comgall, Bangor Parish, N. Ireland, May 4;
St James the Great, Audley, May 11;
St Andrews’, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, May 18.