Wednesday, November 7, 2012

SUPRISE SUPRISE!



Well, i know i haven’t updated in a long long time, and i do apologize for that. I pray this update finds everyone well! I don’t think i could possibly tell you of all the highlights in this one post for the months that i haven’t updated! God has been doing amazing things! Breakthrough and challenges... and both lead to the glory of the Lord. 

All of the boys are doing great! There are a handful that are struggling with stealing things, but we are working on that. I am really starting to see them acting more like a family in the past few months. That means so much to my heart. Where revival is .. love and family will be found. Jesus is doing so much. In the small groups that i help lead... there has been great breakthrough in worship. The kids are really stepping in. 
On a daily basis i am there just building relationship. That has been my goal this whole time. To love them and become family with them. Day after day i see them open up to me and open their hearts more and more... even if it is just a little bit. To them it is amazing progress. I believe fear will fall when perfect love crashes in... and i get to see that everyday in these boys. I also am crazy enough to believe that by the end of my time here there will not be anymore stealing in the midst of the boys. 
I am overwhelmed with joy to have this opportunity to serve, to lay down my life for love, and lift these young world changers up. 

SO! are you ready for the surprise!!! 
So i told you in previous posts that Dira and I are in need of huge financial miracles. 
WELL! God gave me His word that never fails. DIRA AND I WILL BE IN KNOXVILLE ON THE 25th OF NOVEMBER!!! 2 AND A HALF WEEKS!!!!!! HAHAHA!!!! Thank you all so much for praying! Thank you so much to the ones that leaned in to the Lord and supported me and my future wife. HAHA! It all happened so fast! Thank you Jesus for being so faithful! HAHA!! To be honest, this was completely difficult for me.. the Lord stretched my faith like never before. However, the Lord said to me when Dira and I first got engaged that He will supply everything that we want and need to make this wedding happen. The visa for Dira, the plane tickets, and all the things for the wedding. I have believed Him from the start. I have no reason to doubt Him. He has never failed me and never will. Even though i didn’t know how it would come to be... I just knew it would, because my God is that good. He is the best Dad in the whole world. He cares about what we care about. 
I just want to make myself clear... i don’t see God as a vending machine, and i will never treat Him as such. However, when His children care more about intimacy and relationship with Him more than anything or anyone else, and delight in Him with all that you are. He WILL give you the desires of your heart.

Faith is refined by risk, and by the willingness to trust in the Lord.

He is the God of the impossible. If He leads you somewhere... He doesn’t lead you in to be slaughtered and left out to dry. He loves making the impossible possible... and it is my joy to give him all the glory, honor, and praise. 

Needless to say.. I AM SO EXCITED!!! Dira and I are about to journey to the United States for her to meet my family and friends. Ultimately to get married!!! HAHA!! The date is officially Feb. 2nd! We are so excited to see you! Pray for us as we make a speedy transition. 

My boys are not at all happy about how long i will be gone, but their request is that i bring back wedding photos and videos haha! So, pray for their hearts.

Dira and I plan on coming back to Pemba around May 2013. 

Thank you all so much for your prayers, love, and support. I could not do this without you.You all are a blessing and an encouragement to my life. Words can not express my gratitude. I love you all.

Blessing and Increase, 
Andrew

Monday, September 3, 2012

Victory, Freedom, and Love



I’m really sorry that it has been awhile since I have updated you all, but I am still alive and well! haha!

(Some of the things you are going to read I know I have said before, but I am just sharing my heart; However, it is a little more detailed.)

When I was living in Redding, California, in 2010, I was pouring my heart out to the Lord one night. I told him with a face covered in tears, “God I don’t want to be a missionary without a partner. I am asking you as a son that you would give me a woman, and not just any woman. I want a woman who loves you more than life itself, who lives a life of purity, who is full of peace, who will love me and want to be with me, and who will minister with me and not just sit an watch (I did go on, but I will keep the rest to myself for the sake of the length of this blog post, because I could right a book). Then I told Him, but God I want your will... so have your way.” 
In 2011 I went to the Harvest School of Missions in Pemba in obedience, and days before I flew out to Africa the Lord spoke to me when I was just sitting reading the Bible, “Andrew, by the end of this year you will meet the woman i have prepared for you to marry.” I responded “WHAT!? ... That sounds way to much like my heart.” So I proceeded to ask the Lord for the next 10 minutes “God... was that you? was that you?” haha! Then He said, “Andrew, do you trust me?” and I said, “Yes, Lord I trust you.” then He replied, “Well, Trust me.” I laughed and pondered what He said in my heart. I have the best Daddy in the whole world! And He always keeps His promises!! So by the end of 2011 I was dating Dira, and 8 months later we are engaged and planning a wedding for 2013 in America!!! She is everything I have ever wanted in a woman and more.

As christians, we therefore are co-reigning with him. Sometimes we can get in this pattern of asking God “What’s your will, what’s your will?”, and we don’t listen to Him asking us, “What do you want? What do you want?” 
When our delight is in the Lord, He wants to give us our hearts desires (I am not just talking about finding a spouse). When we obey His commands we move out of being slaves and position ourselves as friends of God.

Dira and I are aiming to get married on February 2nd in Knoxville, Tennessee. We want to leave Pemba and go to Knoxville on December 10th of this year, then get married in Feb., then go on our honeymoon (we want to go to Hawaii), then we want to spend a few months in the states to just be with each other before we rush back to Africa, and then we need to get back to Pemba.
The funny thing is we don’t have any money to do any of this haha! However, Our Daddy in heaven does, and we believe He wants this to happen more than we do. We will see what He does. If you would like to pray for us and for all if this please please do. Our immediate needs are two plane tickets to the states, but before that Dira needs to get her visa to the states in Maputo (the capital of Mozambique). This whole thing together is a perfect recipe for God to work the biggest financial miracle Dira and I have ever experienced. Feel free to jump on board and be apart of this wild ride.

Moving on to current life in Pemba.

I have recently transitioned to work more with Casa Chover (the boys ages 12-15), but i am still helping out with Jimmy. I am just emphasizing on Chover. (Chover means rain in portuguese). That transition has been quite difficult, so i am trying to do it as slow and as smooth as possible. At the same time relationships with all of the boys in general are growing stronger. Some people might agree with the approach of coming in with rules, rules, and more rules. I however, am taking the approach of building relationships and then out of a place of love and understanding for each other we will see the practical things get dealt with. The problem isn’t a messy room, dirty clothes, or lazyness. The problems are heart problems, and those are dealt with by love, attention, and relationship. If I make rules because of the physical symptoms (I.E, A dirty room) than I am only medicating the issues and prolonging real healing from happening, and I believe real healing comes through love. God is love. God is the healer. 
I am going to be honest and tell you that it is ridiculously challenging, and it is easy to get discouraged. However, I have the Author of all things going before me and backing me up, so that is encouraging haha! 

Now, I want to tell some stories!

One of the Mozambican staff here at Iris Ministries has a daughter that is very sick with AIDS. One week 3 others and I went into the village to pray for her. We arrived at the house and met all the family. We went in the house to the room where the daughter, whose name is Victoria, was laying on a bed. She is so skinny, I won’t go into detail, but it is a heart wrenching sight. Her veins have shrunk so small that she can’t receive the medical drip that was given to her, so that is why she was extra weak and sick. We began with praising Jesus in the local tribal language, Makua. It was beautiful. Then we started to pray furiously over Victoria, furious at the disease that has afflicted her too long. (I want to pause and just say... her name means Victory. I believe she will have victory over AIDS.) I was overwhelmed with compassion for this girl. I was kneeling in a puddle of tears by the end. After we finished we sat down, and that is when the mom had told us about her veins being too small to receive the drip. After she said that I said out loud not really giving to much thought to it, “Well, I command her veins to get bigger in the name of Jesus.” Then we left. A week later I was informed that the next morning she received the drip!!! That means HER VEINS GOT BIGGER! HAHA! JESUS!!!
We went back to past week to pray again. After we prayed and left... we were told that her dad took her outside and she was able to sit up in a chair by herself!!! haha!! We will see AIDS dealt with, and we will see Victoria healed!!!

One more! 

Yesterday, 3 others and I went to eat with a lady and her family in a village next to the base, this lady works and provides for 9 people... she is the only one who works. It is a sad story. We came in and had lunch together, talked, and laughed. Then we prayed over a boy who had asthma. I am believing he is healed. (I have seen God heal 2 people with asthma in the past.) Then I noticed that the baby there had something on his wrist that looked like witchcraft (A black chord with a stone attatched). We asked the mom about it and she said it was from the witch doctor to make sure the baby doesn’t get asthma. We explained why needed to cut it off the baby, and why we as christians don’t need to go to the witch doctor. She agreed that we should cut it off, so we did. Then I had them burn it, just like the people in Acts 19:19 did! HAHA! It was so fun!!!! Lunch and freedom is always good!

Thank you all so much for your continuing prayers and support!!! You all are amazing and none of this could happen without you. Words cannot describe my deep gratitude.
I pray that you all experience the love of the Father in news ways, and grow to deeper levels of intimacy with the King. Blessing and Increase.

Love,
Andrew

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Qualified

These past 2 months have been very humbling. It is a process to learn
how to do life here, and the past 2 months have been full of learning.

Learning how to rest and learning how to work and do life out of a
position of rest.

Learning when to say yes to something and when to say no.

Learning how to do family with everyone here and keep unity even when
there are disagreements.

Ultimately learning how to LOVE in every situation.

Even to do the daily tasks I am having to completely lean on the Lord,
because honestly a lot of the time I have no idea what I am doing,
so my aim is to do only what i see my Daddy in heaven doing, just like
Jesus did... and I think it is safe to say He turned out alright haha!

Colossians 1:12 says that my Father in heaven has QUALIFIED me to
share in the heavenly inheritance of the saints in light.

So no matter if I feel like i know or i don’t know what i am doing...
I am qualified.

SO many things have been happening in these 2 months!!

First of all... I AM ENGAGED!! WOOHOO!! I am engaged and completely in
love with Dira Karo Karo. Maybe if I say it enough times it will seem
real. I am engaged ... I am engaged .. I am engaged ... nope it still
feels like I am dreaming! We are going to have the wedding in the
states!!! haha! I am so excited about that! and the hilarious thing is
.. we have no money to do so.. HA!! We will see what God does, because
I believe that he wants us to have an amazing wedding!

I will give you some more amazing stories.

On Friday nights I am leading a home group with just Casa Jimmy boys.
I set them up in prayer groups with 3 people in one group. I explained
that at some time every day they need to get together and pray. Two
out of the three groups are actually doing it!!! (they are doing this
on their own... with out me initiating it) 2/3 groups for the first
couple of weeks isn’t bad at all haha!! I believe as the time goes by
more and more groups will be formed!

One morning one of my boys, Daudo, brought bread to my house so that I
could have breakfast without me asking him or even mentioning that I
needed more bread. When he brought it I was still sleeping, so he gave
it to my housemate. When he gave it to my house mate he said, “When i
lived with my father I used to bring him bread every morning, so I
want to do this for AndrĂ© now.” ... When I heard this .. I was
speechless. I am truly humbled by this story.
You all might have noticed that I had successfully filled up my days
to the point where I was literally working from the moment I woke up
to the moment I went to sleep. Well, during my 3 month evaluation here
the base director realized this and she told me that I am doing way
too much. She said that I would not last a year here if I continued
doing as much as I was doing. She said that she wanted to see a change
in my schedule in the next 3 weeks.
The meeting was hard, but very good. I have recently cut out some
things that i have been doing. I have stopped helping lead the small group on Monday nights and I am still keeping an eye on the computer lab from time to time during the day, but I am just letting the two of my boys who work in there run it (they know more about MacBooks than I do anyway haha!); Therefore, I have more time for my boys. Since then I have been able to rest a
bit more. Just being honest... when ever I do rest I sometimes
struggle with feeling guilty (which I know should I not feel guilty).
I am just being honest so you all know how to pray for me.
Other than that things are going absolutely amazing!!!

Thank you all so much for praying for me because it truly makes a
difference. I could not do what I am doing here without you all
backing me up.
Also pray that all of the provisions for the wedding to come in, and
that all the papers that need to be sorted out get sorted smoothly
with no complications.

Thank you so much for all of you who support me financially. You are
bringing the Kingdom in such amazing ways to so many people. Your
generosity amazes me all the time. I learn so much from you.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Bacar

I met him on the streets of Pemba, Mozambique. Selling sweets, masking
his problems with a fake smile, and hopefully making a dollar a day.
“What goes on in his mind everyday?”...“What troubles him?”... “Does
he get to be a kid?”... “Does he get to have fun?”... “Does he go to
school?”... “Has he eaten?”... “What is his name?”... “How old is
he?”... These are questions I kept asking myself when I first met him.
His name is Bacar, and he is 14 years old. He goes to school in the
morning until 1 o’ clock in the afternoon, and he works from 3 o’
clock to 8 o’ clock everyday after school. He frequents the local
arcade (like any young boy would do) which is in a restaurant by day
and a night club by night. He lives in a hut made of mud, rocks,
bamboo, and a little cement with his mother, brother, and sister. He
doesn’t know his father. He works for his uncle. In Bacar's eyes his uncle
is a good boss, but when Bacar comes home with one of his sweets
stolen he gets smacked across the face. He doesn't have a choice, so he takes it and try's again the next day. He rejoices every time the
mission school is in session because that means he gets to sell more
and receive more money (we like to joke about how white people eat a lot of chocolate haha!!!) On a December day in 2011 Jesus came for
Bacar, and Bacar received Jesus into his life. I got to be there to
pray over and watch a lost boy become a son of God. I left to the
U.S soon after, and Bacar went on doing his daily routine; However, he
doesn’t fake his smile anymore, because he can’t contain the joy and
the life that he has been given from Jesus.
I arrived in Pemba on April 10, 2012. I walked the streets praying I
see him. The first day went by and then the second, still no Bacar.
Then the 3rd night I unexpectedly heard a familiar yell “AndrĂ©!” In
that moment my mind was flooded with past memories, as I was reunited
with Bacar. We laughed and leaped for joy together. Jesus provides
opportunity after opportunity for us to divinely cross each other’s
paths almost every day. Bacar and I had the opportunity to lead one of
his best friends to accept Jesus into his life, it was so beautiful.
Bacar has since then led his mother and brother to receive Jesus. One
day soon I will baptize him in the Indian Ocean. Bacar is enthralled
with reading the bible and learning more about his Savior. We often
talk about and share scriptures over a plate of rice and fish. I make
sure he has eaten when ever I see him, and if he hasn’t had anything
to eat that day I go buy him a meal. He has saved up his money on his
own to help me buy him a phone, so we can stay in touch. He doesn’t
want me to buy it without his help. Bacar never ceases to amaze me.
His smile and laughter brings so much life to my soul. His eyes are
full of wonder and excitement. His life is full of the glory of Jesus.
Bacar is my friend and my brother. Thank you Jesus for the privilege
and the honor to know Bacar, and may his voice be heard.
Now I can’t help but to think about all the street vendors in this
world who slave a way day in and day out selling sweets and souvenirs.
Each vendor has a name and a story to tell. Each waiter and waitress
has a name and a story to tell. Who will listen? Who will love?

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Has it really been 1 month?

Wow it has it really been a month already?

First, I want to say thank you to all of you who support me ... I seriously could not do this if it wasn't for your efforts and generosity.

Wow.. ok where do I start?
Things have been absolutely amazing with the boys!! I am celebrating so many victories! From when the boys actually go to school and work on time (which is actually a huge victory) to boys telling me their dreams about what they want to be when they get older (for them to have vision and hope for the future is huge! .. because in this country it is very hard to get the people to dream and to have a vision for the future when they have so little.)

One boy, Albertino, told me the other day, "I want to finish school and then I want to go to Bible School (it is a school that equips men and women of Mozambique to become pastors and missionaries) and then become a missionary." He is already dreaming of going to either Brazil or the U.S.A to be a missionary!!! I immediately leaped and shouted for joy! He then asked me if I would pray over him, so that he might receive more vision for the future!! haha!! Thank you Jesus!

Of course there has been difficulties... I have them everyday, but the victories out weigh the difficulties and Jesus's grace is sufficient for all of it. My biggest prayer that I am praying for myself at the moment is that God would give me more wisdom. I am so so so desperate for more of His wisdom and His presence. I am receiving both very much haha! I definitely need more... much much more.

My weeks are very very full and busy, but I can't complain whatsoever. I am living my dreams! And no one ever said it would be easy haha!... but God's grace so so good and He is so faithful. The peace that passes all understanding is so so sweet.

Since I am working with 27 boys every day is different! I never know what to expect haha! To tell you what I do in short  ... I do anything that a dad would do for his kids everyday. Anything from fixing their  things to loving them, praying for them, believing in them, and showing them that they matter.

I also am helping lead Bible Studies/ Small Groups for the older kids on Monday nights, Wednesday nights, and Friday nights. On the past nights I have taught I have talked about "Walking in Integrity" and "Hearing God's Voice." God has been giving me so many opportunities to lead worship! Some meetings I sing in english and other meetings I sing in portuguese or makua, but most of the time I sing in all three languages haha! (not that the same time ... that would be difficult.) God has been just downloading portuguese to me. I am learning so fast! It is all His supernatural grace.

On June 1st we have our annual "Children's Day" here at Iris Ministries. That is a VERY big day. The preparations for that day are MASSIVE! Getting new clothes and presents for about 400 kids is not an easy task. So... PLEASE PRAY for me and the rest of the Children's Ministry Staff, and also for the actual event itself.

I ask for prayers for me to receive more and more SUPERNATURAL WISDOM and HEALTH. (I have only been sick once and that only lasted a day, cause Jesus fixed that real quick)

Thank you all so much for your love, prayer, and support!!!! If you want to take action in giving to me financially, partner with me in bringing the Kingdom of God to the people of Mozambique and to the youth of Iris Ministries and click the donate button which you will see on the right side of my blog.. it will directly go into my paypal account.. and then it will enable me to stay here and do the things that I am doing now and things I will be doing. If you don't want to do it through paypal, just email me and I will give you more options. I greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much to all that have already given to me financially!!! You all are world changers!!!!

asoreano91@gmail.com

I have posted a short short clip of the wednesday night small group. In this group there are 7 boys and 3 girls. They are truly leaders among all of the kids that live here. They were hand picked to be in this group because these 10 are really ready for the deeper things of God. When other kids start stepping up as leaders we will bring more in.

This clip shows them hearing God and writing down what He is telling them. Probably half of them want to go and bring Jesus to the nations!







(I am working on getting a longer video for you all, but uploading a video here is not that easy.)



Here is a list of my boy's names so you can help me pray for them by name :)

Adelino
Afate
Albertino
Albertino
Benny
Alifo
Artur
Augustinho
Baluti
Cassimo
Daudo
Duk
Eliseu
Genisio
Jackson
Jamal
Jerson
Joao
Jordao
Jose
Juma
Justino
Luis
Maquivelo
Mario
Rodrigues
Tenente

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Casa Jimmy

I woke up this morning to the sound of construction workers talking, mixed with birds chirping, and children laughing. At first I wanted to go back to sleep, but as I lay there I thought .. How blessed am I to be sleeping under a mosquito net, hearing Mozambique breathe.

I started to praise and talk to Jesus so that He can prepare me for the day.

Today was a big day. I had my first formal meeting with the Casa Jimmy boys. With much prayer before the meeting.. The meeting went amazing! All the boys started to cheer when I told them that I am not here for just 1 or 2 years, but I am here for 5 or more. If there was any doubt in me that my sacrifices weren't worth it.. That moment crushed them all. For whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for the Lord's sake he will find it. I have no regrets. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. I gladly offer myself to the King of kings for all eternity, and I will gladly offer years of my life to see these boys transform into mighty MEN of God. I confidently stand as their spiritual father, so that they may know their heavenly Father more and more each day.

This journey has just begun. I need your prayers and support, so you and I can see these boys grow into godly world changers.

So for now I will set my gaze to the one who is the One. Jesus. With His breath in my lungs and His strength in my body. I will see heaven come powerfully to the hearts God Himself, Jesus, has entrusted me with.

Thank you all for everything. I could not do this without you. Your hands are touching the lives of not only 26 boys of Casa Jimmy, but the nation of Mozambique through your prayers for me and support of me.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

I have arrived

I have arrived here in Pemba, Mozambique!! All of my flights went more than amazing! On three planes I had the row completely to myself which allowed me to rest comfortably... Thank you Jesus! Thank you all for your prayers! Being back feels so surreal and amazing! I am so excited for what God is doing and is about to do! Hopefully I will post a video soon but this post will have to do for now. Sorry this post isn't long or very detailed, but I am half asleep at the moment haha! Thank you all so much! Your support means more than you know. Peace to you in the name of Jesus. And much love!