Missionary update

From: "Brenda Lange"


Subject: Blog, June 2, 2012

Date: June 2, 2012 9:57:29 PM CDT





CORN ROLLING IN BY THE TON

June 1 found us in the Naccaca village weighing and loading a total of 21 tons of corn in 7 hours.

There are another 225+ tons waiting to be picked up in the next 2 weeks.

Our barn team processers and sackers consists of Dave VanderGriend, Don, Kaylan, David, Bryce, and Leona. They did a fantastic job of getting 110 tons of beans into the barn in 3.5 days! Linda Stanley kept us all fed using her extensive hotel cooking experience to whip up many different goat dishes for our team of 9 that week.



Because of this wonderful help, we are able to use 3 processing chutes for sacking the corn this year instead of just 2. With 2 chutes we can move 25 tons a day with an 80 man team. We hope to move over 32 tons/day with 3 chutes and our 2 trucks (one 6 and one 7 ton).

The objective is to get the job done as quickly as possible, cutting labor costs, and so we can get on with evangelism and construction projects that had to be put on hold to get the food in the barn.



NATIONAL CHILDREN’S DAY

June 1 was National Children’s Day and our huge family of 100+ orphans were given their annual Birthday Party. Because many don’t know their birthdate, we give everyone a big party on this day with games, candy, cookies, and a festive meal of goat and rice. (No we did not butcher one of our goats.) I bought an goat from a villager.



GOAT PROJECT GROWING



With the 2nd barn finished, we have started the 2nd herd of goats.

First barn now contains 37 and the 2nd barn 15. We plan to buy 5 more for the new barn, then wait a bit because all of them are pregnant. Our herd will double in the next few months, so I want to prevent overcrowding in the barns.



CRIME INCREASING IN PEMBA AT RAPID RATE

Due to the natural gas “boom” with 3 Houston companies moving into Pemba over the last 8 months, our quiet little peninsula town has become a traffic jammed, full blown crime center. When I picked up our last 3 visitors on May 19th, we stayed overnight in a missionaries home. Wanting to be at church, we packed the truck at 4a.m. and gave the order for the guard to open the gate. (ALL HOMES in Pemba are brick walled with security gates for privacy and safety.)

The guard was busy texting on his phone and delayed opening the gate. Unknown to us, he was working with a gang of thieves. When he opened the gate, in drove a car with blacked out windows so we couldn’t see who was inside. Blocking the gate, they left us no escape. I immediately realized this was a robbery attempt, and began yelling at them in the NAME OF JESUS to get out! I was waving my arms, yelling, and locking the truck doors at the same time.

They probably thought I was a mad woman, but not a one of them got out of the car.

I had Pastor Fred, plus David and Bryce with me (both strapping young men). They obviously were not expecting us to match their numbers, so they backed out of the gate, but waited for us out on the road. They began to follow but when we stopped at the home owners house down the street, they backed off, knowing there were additional guards inside that gate.

We went to the hotel were we picked up Dave Vander Griend, and left town without further incident.



We realize that increased security measures must be taken each time we go to Pemba, and overnight stays avoided when possible.

Your prayers for our safety are much appreciated. I’m sure those thieves got an eye full of something besides us 4 unarmed people when they backed off.

My next trip to Pemba is this Friday as 3 of the visitors are due for visa renewals at immigration.



Please keep us covered with prayers for BIG ANGELS with LARGE FLAMING SWORDS! Both Bryce and David as well as the strongest guy on our staff will travel with me on our “in and out” trip that day. Leaving at 4a.m., we should be home by 5pm.



As you wake up this beautiful Sunday, we will have just returned from starting a new church under a Mango Tree in Namara Village. There are 18 new believers in this massive village of 5000+, so Don, David, Bryce, and I will take them the story of Creation today, showing them WHO created their world and why he sent his Son Jesus.



Love and Hugs,

Bush Bunny Brenda and the Balama Team