Hello to you all who long for Jesus' coming!

Photos: You may remember our internet had been worse than dial-up. Now we have a faster connection so we've uploaded our pictures from July on out. Click here or on the link in the right margin of the site to see the pics. Hurray!

Discouragement and Prayer: Whew! It has been dry and hot. Many missionaries leave the HOT northern area during December to retreat to cooler climates. The combination of everything can be discouraging. Last week, Melissa and I especially felt a dark cloud hanging over us. It seemed so thick I began to wonder if part of it was of demonic origin. After asking our sons and daughters in the U.S. for prayer, the very next morning we were breathing fresh air again! Thank you Jesus! In addition, the Lord also blessed us with an unexpected rain and a few cooler days! Thank you for your continued prayers!

Health Seminar: This month I (Daniel) attended a two day ANAMED training for how Mozambicans without access to clinics or hospitals can treat various common illnesses here with medicines they can make from tree leaves, roots, etc... Some are very effective. It opened my eyes to what kind of training we want to provide the people here via the church planters. Pat Maddux (my Mom) is working primarily in the area of growing the key plants they'll need to treat themselves.

Melissa's work at home: Speaking of health, our daugther Chloe has encouraged us to have more veggies and fruit in our diet so Melissa has been making regular visits to the outdoor market where they are much cheaper than at the "supermarket" in town. Also, yogurt is expensive here but needed for a good digestive system since there are so many stomach infecting microbes around. Melissa and Esther just made their first home-made batch today so I can't wait to try it out. Melissa is hostessing a large gathering here for Thanksgiving and coordinating a Christmas service for the international English speaking Sunday night church. Esther and I will be joining in the fun and learning our parts to the Christmas hymns.

Trainer's Flip Chart: Our Amazing God has blessed me to have completed the translation of a 46 page Farming God's Way trainer's flip chart. It's full of excellently drawn pictures contrasting typical African practices to God's wisdom in farming along with several other pages that I added on worm banks and Bible verses on stewardship. Mike, the main trainer here from Zimbabwe with 30 years farming experience, and I are reviewing it and adding other necessary subject material such as how to do vegetable gardening for better nutrition. Lord willing it will be ready to print by the end of January or sooner.

Wonderful Truth: I discovered some incredible verses on this subject while reading the Bible the other morning. Isaiah 28:23-29, shows that _everything_ done in agriculture (or any other field for that matter) that is actually working, is so only because GOD has taught man the best way - "For he is rightly instructed; his God teaches him... This also comes from the LORD of hosts; He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom."

Touching People: We also hope to translate it into Makua. Gito, our translator, after correcting the Portuguese, wrote me a special note thanking me for this work and expressing the dire need for these things to be taught. He is SOOO excited to see God's ways touching this people, casting out the spiritual darkness, and relieving the poverty.

Antonio, the faithful evangelist: While attending a city-wide meeting of Church of Christ pastors, Antonio had a conversation with a fellow church planter. The fellow lamented that all the people in the church he helped start still went to the grave-sites to perform rituals to the ancestors - offering prayers, food, clothing, ect. Antonio showed him the dialogue questions we've written to accompany the Bible stories, especially the one dealing with this topic that goes to the heart of their culture. The man asked Antonio where in the world did he get those!? Antonio explained the vision God is giving us. The fellow then pleaded with Antonio to go back there and straighten things out for him. Antonio said, "No, you started it, so you're the one that needs to do this. I have other places God is calling me to."

UPCOMING TRIP TO CHURCHES IN THE BUSH!

Please especially be in prayer for this. Thanksgiving weekend we are headed to an area where several years ago God lit a spark with the stories of the Bible. The fifth church is now being planted and they'll be have a large baptism of new believers. We plan on showing them the Makua version of the video 'God's Story', review how their farming is going, and launch the 1st phase of a discipleship for the young churches using the dialogue questions that have been translated in MAKUA! for each key story. Praise God with us for this. Also be praying for the young convert's growth in the grace of the Lord and abundant rains for their crops.

Grace and peace,

Daniel and Melissa & Esther

Isaiah 46:10 - God's purpose will stand and He will do all that He pleases.

For Church Bulletin Boards, the pdf is available for printing - Click Here.

God is giving us a vision that every story-teller will also train communities how to Farm God’s Way. The mission property has at least 2 ½ acres to farm. Corn yields per acre for the average farmer are 400 lbs or less! (8-9 bushels) Learning how to do everything God’s way: With Excellence, On Time, Without Waste, and with Joy, is bringing yields in Africa up to 5,000 lbs (105 bushels) per acre within just a few years! This year they will plant corn, beans, peanuts, & veggies here.

The goal is that this will be a training center and an example of many possibilities, and done by the Makua themselves!

See: www.farming-gods-way.org

Superstition is powerful and often leads people to the witchdoctor for a solution. The father of our worker Antonio, told him as a boy that if he EVER saw a beautiful white-stripped rare snake, to know that soon a very bad thing would happen, likely even death! Last week as he walked home, he saw this type of snake for the second time in his life! Now knowing Jesus, he took his machete and said, “In the Name of Jesus, I kill you!” Here are the snake’s remains.

“Did Noah deserve to be saved by God?”, we asked during our Bible storying. They answered, “Yes!” Wow! Turning to my fellow teacher, I said, “Even after all the beginning stories, do you see why it is so important to ask this again?” Works salvation is running through their bloodstream. The stories continue and God is working in their hearts.

We have the dialogue questions for 16 stories in Portuguese and have now begun translation into Makua. Yahoo!!! Our goal is to complete 30 stories by January when we hope to begin training more story-tellers.

Yesterday we went out of town to buy grass to protect the soil from the sun. Those who sold us the grass stalks, begged the Story Teller to come teach them the Bible. He’s praying about the timing. The fields are ripe for HARVEST. Pray for many faithful laborers.

If you desire to designate additional funds to a certain area, here are some possibilities:

• Farm Well at Training Center - Already Rec`d $3000 of $5000 - Thanks!
• Laminated Bible Story Pictures - Large - $125/set; Small - $50/set
• Makua Bibles - $10 each
• Makua Audio New Testament Players - $50 each

God bless you!

Daniel, Melissa & Esther

www.beatoday.org

Check out our photos! (Click the added links in this msg and in the top right margin.)

First! What a wonderful mother and wife Melissa is! She is always thinking of others - giving away food, clothing, and other items to Mozambicans who need it more. It's amazing how the house is cleaner and more organized without that extra stuff around. (I guess I didn't really need that extra shirt..:) We're glad she is feeling better after having some kind of flue, as today she and Esther are planning a very exciting sleep over party for some single missionary women (school teachers) here in Nampula. She is also a wonderful prayer partner and supplier of wisdom for the ministry!

Blessed Repairs: We're also very excited that most of the repairs on our house are done - a very leaky roof, cracked walls, screened in porch to protect from mosquitoes during Macua language lessons, false ceiling in our bedroom to protect from the vicious summer heat, new paint, more re-bar on windows for security... What a relief and blessing!!!

Psalm 125:1-2

Cancer: Please pray for our forwarding agents, Tom and Linda Ledford, as Linda is undergoing cancer treatment. They are so faithful and giving, serving our Lord Jesus!

Greenhouse: In addition to her outdoor herbal garden, Mom/Grandma Pat has completed her screened in greenhouse. This is an important step to getting preventative health to the villages. The challenge now is to get all her fruit and plant seedlings to grow, especially Artemesia. Artemesia has the proven drug to combat Malaria. She will also be writting materials to standardize training for clean water, sanitation, nutrition, and preventative health which will be combined with our training of bible story tellers.

Conference and Farming God's Way Training: Thanks for your prayers! The training went very well and we hear that the churches are already implementing it! Their first large compost piles are complete. Click here to see the Macua/Portuguese steps. We've also started the large task of implementing this on our property, with about 2 1/2 acres to farm by hand. The brothers are overjoyed about this better feeding their own families and also serving to train others. The principles of "Farming God's Way" (see site) are to do everything 1) With Excellence, 2) On Time, 3) Without Waste, & 4) With Joy. Sounds simple, but you'd be amazed at how much discipling is needed in each of those areas. I was surprised to find out that the three families who will farm this land don't even have a calendar at home, so this morning when we measured out the land for each, I supplied them with a calendar so that everything can be scheduled and done *On Time*. They were so enthusiastic about just having a color printed picture of themselves.

Well, Well!: We really need a well on this property to make the Community Health Evangelism and Farming God's Way trainings what they need to be on this farm. This will get us through the very dry periods and times when the city lacks water. We estimate we need about $5,000 to do this. Just designate checks as "Farm Well" to give toward this project. Praise God!

Storying Dialogue: Please pray for Antonio's and my ongoing work of preparing dialog questions for each of the key evangelistic and discipling bible stories. Each time we teach these lessons we are amazed at how God opens hearts! We hope to have the 1st draft completed by the end this year.

We belong to such an amazing God!

Daniel & Melissa with Esther (we're missing you - Elijah!)

Beloved,

As always, your prayers are vital to this ministry to the Makua people. This next week, Tuesday afternoon through Friday (9th - 12th), there is a marriage conference here in Nampula for pastors and their wives. The two main speakers are Wayne Mack and his wife and a Brazilian missionary. We are helping to host 20 people from out in the villages. They have never been exposed to such rich teaching from God's Word. Please pray for their spiritual growth, comprehension of the messages, health, and safe travel.

We are also launching the a training for 'Farming God's Way' shortly after they arrive on Monday. (There will be more on this in our next update.) Please pray that all will go well for that. Also, a hardened and unbelieving government official for our neighborhood may be observing this initial training. Please pray that God softens his heart toward us and our presence here.

Your servants,

Daniel & Melissa Maddux

Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified. The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation; I am the LORD; in its time I will hasten it. (Isaiah 60: 21-22)

Tune in to some amazing tales of God's grace in Mozambique...

Thief  #1:  Augusto, one of our workers who is part of the Church of Christ that meets on this property, forgot to lock the door of his humble clay-brick house.  His cell phone and 1/2 of his monthly salary were in his pants on top of the TV.  A thief entered that night.  A neighbor woman saw the robber, but fearing her own safety, she alerted noone.  The next day Augusto requested us to pray for him as he felt a great temptation to call a witch-doctor to curse the thief.  He notified his wife, Gracinda, to return home from their small farm out in the country.  When his wife returned, she brought a "healer" witch-doctor with his magic potion of leaves to put in the house and a guarantee that the stolen goods would be returned in a couple days.  (This is a common practice here.)  By the fifth day, Augusto threw the potion out of the house, but sat with his secret.  In March, he confessed what his wife had done, without taking responsibility for his own part in it, so we had a chance to share some of the Gospel with him.  Recently, he and his wife finally came to a church leader & I, convicted of his false profession of faith and now really wanting to hear God's message.  His wife, while she attends church with him, is still very stuck in her beliefs.  She has much to loose if she becomes a Christian.  Her mother won't get a proper burial to send her successfully "into the invisible world of ancestors who live among us and who would then persecute her by causing a myriad of worse things to happen."  Now that Augusto is eager to hear God's message; we're praying that Gracinda will be also .  These opportunities in the city help us better prepare our training for rural church leaders.

Thief  #2:   A sneaky thief cut a hole through the thick and thorny brush fence in the back of this 5+ acre property a few weeks ago and targeted the missionary's home next to ours.  He reached through a window and stole two laptops and a camera.  Yikes!!!   Our dogs did bark and alert the guard but the thief must have stayed hiding in the grass.  We have realized our vulnerablility and are adding more re bar to windows, lights around the houses, and hoping to buy a German Shepherd puppy to train as another guard dog.   How relieved we all were that no one was hurt.  

Plethora of Thieves:  After 35+ years as a missionary in Brazil, Mom is quite a trooper here in Mozambique.  She recently had both side mirrors stolen off her truck and this weekend at the city market, her cell phone disappeared.  Every time we get groceries, many crowd around wanting to "help" unload the food into the car, but Mom has learned not to allow this, as she has had bags of food disappear.   We also keep very alert to make sure they don't re-open our car doors to take food.   We do praise God that there are some very honest people in this country!  (We just haven't met them yet.  Just kidding!)  May they reach the rest...  

A new season for Elijah:   We knew in coming here, we would have some sadness in being separated from our kids.  We hadn't anticipated it coming so soon for Elijah.  He experienced two severe cases of malaria in the month of April, along with a whopper flu virus.  He became anemic and lost over 10 pounds, leaving him very weak.  He is seriously considering enlistment in the Marine Corps. Becoming ill again could make his goal impossible.  Therefore, God willing, Elijah will be returning to the U.S. before the end of the month.  Initially, he'll be spending time with his married sisters, then moving in with a family from our home church in Kansas City where he'll complete his homeschooling studies.  It feels like a cannonball wound to our hearts.  It's gaping...but we know  our son is in the hands of the great I AM, so we have nothing to fear.  Elijah's strength is slowly resuming and for this we are truly thankful.

Thank you for your prayers,

Daniel & Melissa with Elijah & Esther

www.beatoday.org

He is risen. He is risen indeed!!!

Happy Resurrection Day to each of you.

From Melissa - Macua Language Training Shift

These last couple months have been quite difficult but we are learning a lot.  Five weeks into the Macua language course at Anchilo it became quite obvious that it was time for a change.  The intense pace was not allowing our family's needs to be met; in particular, I did not have time to devote to Elijah & Esther's homeschooling.  So, we have transitioned back here to our Nampula home.  We are taking some time to reflect and pray about our goals.    We plan to continue learning Macua with Gito (who was my Portuguese teacher) tutoring us.  We are so grateful for your continued prayers as we have sensed "the cloud" lifting and God leading our way (Numbers 10:34). 

Malaria, Flu & Overnight "Hospital" stay

These last several weeks we have experienced a severe flu virus that put each of us down (Esther was spared).  Elijah contracted Malaria at the same time so he was feeling pretty bad on the inside (homesick) as well as on the outside.  Daniel has done a fantastic job keeping us stocked with medicines and taking us for Malaria tests at the first signs.  Daniel's Mom (Pat) caught the flu this week, along with asthma.   She was having difficulty breathing so Daniel took her to the clinic and stayed with her overnight.  He slept on the floor under her bed because that's about all the room you pay for (a little cubby).   I took them water, food, kleenex's... not provided there.  It was another cultural experience that made us so grateful and more aware of needs here.

Daniel - Return to Nampula Mission

Now that we are back in Nampula, please pray for God's leading as we continue language training, and as I seek to develop training for rural church leaders.  In a new area, a group of 65 people are now asking to hear the stories of the Bible.  How exciting to see what God is doing.

Enjoy more news in our pictures! (see the link on the top right side)

Praise

- We believers are receiving the goal of our faith, the salvation of our souls.

- This month we celebrate God's grace, completing our first year here.

- God has provided sufficient rains and the Mozambicans are now enjoying their harvest.

- Our family is in good health once again.

- Simple joys, like getting to wear long sleeve shirts.  "Winter" has set in here now and we are rarely sweating in the 75-85 degree weather.  

Prayer Requests

- Wisdom and direction for the church that meets on the front of this large GNFA property.  Moniz & Antonio ( 2 of our property workers) are leading it but see the legalism and lack of commitment, many of whom are probably not born again.

- Wisdom for our family as we pray about our goals and plans for the next 2 years (before our furlough in mid 2011).

- God's Holy Spirit to convict the hearts of the villagers of their sins, making them hungry and prepared for the Glorious Gospel of the One and only Savior, Jesus Christ.

Because He Lives,

Daniel & Melissa

with Elijah and Esther

Just before we move out to the language training place in a couple hours, we wanted to let you know some great news! After several Sunday messages and visits in homes, several families are seeing more of the light of the good news! One pastor, near and dear to us, has had a wife who has been pretty resistant. Missionaries have worked with them over the years but to little avail. This is the Moniz who along with Antonio planted 1 rural church that planted another and now 5 churches have resulted. The wife comes to church but has had a wall up to any real conversation. She grew up with a mother who was a witch-doctor and as a young woman had many problems with spiritual attacks and threats. God tremendously blessed the messages. Most believe they are a Christian but are not. She wanted to hear more. Melissa and I met with both of them, yet the wall was still up. Enough had been given for her to understand that there would be no way for her to understand Christ's great love for her on the cross until she understand her sin - the reason he had to died. We prayed and prayed. One morning they called us to come talk with them. Wow! That morning I had awakened with an accusatory dream where pastor Jeff Klick of our home church was questioning me as to who I thought I was to be helping them. So, I started to praying for them. When we met, they said she had had a bad dream of being taken to prison which scared her and that they had been up for hours talking about her condition before God and the good news through various Bible stories. They both also confessed a sin they had committed together that made them feel as guilty as a criminal. After hours of conversation with her, she understood, turned from sin, and trusted Christ! She and her husband thought it best for her to be re-baptized, since the one 12 years ago only had been with no understanding and just to follow the group. What a change we see in her! Now she is not afraid to have eye contact with us. She is joyful. She is asking questions about the Bible now for the first time. The Light is on inside! She's free. Now, there are more families where the same gospel needs to be presented, either personally or in a group (teaching chronologically through). Our time is very short, being here only partially on the weekends, so please pray for God's wisdom on how to proceed, and pray for a continued harvest! Thank you for your prayers,

We’re so glad we’re able to get our December update out on time - Mozambican time, that is! 

First of all, our deepest gratitude to you for your sentiments and blessings that made our holiday season so memorable.  You are our joy!   Some of you may have tried to call us over the holiday season on our skype-in phone number 913-871-6490.  Thanks!  We apologize that our internet service is often unreliable or unavailable.  We'll be traveling out of town to see some missionaries next week; otherwise, feel free to call us this month.  The best time to reach us from Missouri/Kansas is between 9 a.m. and noon your time.  

*** Check out our pictures with captions via the link in the right margin.  They almost say it all! 

Also, check out The Times December 27^th article (http://tinyurl.com/8awby2), titled:  As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God

Elijah:  Tuesday, I was sitting at the computer when I realized a storm had moved in.   Lightning hit quite closely twice and the third one was a biggie.  It came through my ear-bud that was blown out of my ear, making my whole body jolt.  Thankfully my guts didn’t blow out.  I checked under my shirt and all was ok!  Whew!!!   That same day I fell out of a mango tree (Ouch!) but landed on my feet. 

   Right now I’m enjoying exercising, memorizing 1 Peter, practicing the drums, and hanging out with MK buddies.  Miss everybody!

 

Esther:  I miss my family in the U.S.!... 

We have a huge mango tree here I love to climb.  Also,  I’ve been playing the piano a lot!

 

Melissa:  I appreciate your prayers so very much!  God is giving us peace in the midst of our challenges.  I’ve had a few “doozie” days when I submitted myself to the family for counseling.  Of course, God has refreshed me from His Word and communication from some of you, our loved ones.  I sure do miss you and am so thankful for you. 

 

Daniel:    I have been working on a series of three messages in Portuguese, giving the second one this coming Sunday to a nearby church.  Friday and Saturday, I’ll be visiting some of them in their homes to be a friend and to better understand where they’re coming from.   Most believe they are saved because they’ve done the right religious things and are leading a good/friendly life.  Pray that the conviction of sin and the Glory of Christ would break through to their hearts.

  I’m also very excited that the first week of February I may be able to attend a “world-view” shifting seminar by a missionary and cognitive anthropologist who has lived for decades here in Africa.  I’m praying this will also help us bridge the gap from Christ to their culture.

 

Starting Macua Training – Disappearing for awhile!:  On February 8^th, we begin the Macua language training course – full time!  We uproot here and move to a nearby village into a true dorm/camp house.  This training is Monday through Friday.  Breakfast is at 7:00 a.m.. Classes go from 8:00 to Noon, and 2:30 to 5:00 p.m., with supper at 7:00 p.m.  As you can understand, with all the things we still need to take care when we return each weekend to our home here, we will as much time for correspondence, as we attempt to put our focus on getting the most out of this language training.  There is a three week Easter break in April when we will brief you on our progress for the first quarter.   This course will end August 21^st.  At that time we will continue language learning through private tutors in our home.

   Please pray for Elijah and Esther during this time of significant isolation.  Pray they’d be able to maintain a sense of focus in their independent studies.