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Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
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Friday, January 28, 2011
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Friday, December 3, 2010
Hello Dear Friends,
Merry Christmas! Christmas music via radio is fantastic! We missed it in Mozambique. We're looking forward to our first sledding event too, once we get our first big storm. We're looking forward to spending this season with our kids, with 2006 being our last Christmas together here.
As we're already planning for our return to Mozambique mid 2011, we have a specific need that we'd like you to pray about with us. Mission Training International is hosting a week-long 'Debriefing and Renewal' time for cross-cultural workers that we'd like to participate in. Read more about it at: http://www.mti.org/dar.htm. We believe this will greatly benefit our continuing ministry in Mozambique, as we've faced significant cross-cultural hurdles. One aspect of that is that Mozambique ranks 5th from the bottom of all 169 countries on the 'Human Development Index' - http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/. The debriefing and renewal is scheduled for the week of February 27th - March 4th near Colorado Springs, CO. If you are considering giving a Christmas gift, this is how we'd like to use it.
Also, please pray now for Antonio, the lead evangelist in Nampula. Within the 8 or so churches of Christ in Nampula, one fellow is doing everything to be the boss. He doesn't like the fact that Antonio is freely spreading the gospel of grace and planting rural churches not coming under his umbrella. He has ordered Antonio to stop this work and to pastor the church Antonio is a part of in the city. Antonio has explained that God has gifted him and called him to this work, but his answer is unacceptable to the leader, so they asked him to defend his case before at the upcoming monthly Sunday conference of the all the city churches. Please pray that God would give Antonio peace in his heart and courage to speak the truth in love.
For some time I've felt a great need to connect with other men for mutual prayer and personal encouragement. Last night, the Lord worked it out to get together with Greg Sarenson from our home church, and Dave Coleman & John McKnight from Wallula Christian Church near us. What a wonderful gift to be able to open up, share, and feel close to fellow warriors of Christ. How are you? Are you, by the grace of God, striving to be a light in this dark world? Certainly, and you're a target for the enemy. Who might God bless you to connect with today?
We're so thankful for you and your prayers!
May God bless you,
Daniel and Melissa & Esther Maddux
www.beatoday.org
913-240-0433
Friday, October 29, 2010
We are now rushing up to Des Moines, Iowa, to be with family, as Melissa brother, Kem, just passed on this morning.
The rest of this was written a few days ago.
Thank you for praying for us in our time of setting up in our Leavenworth home. We are close to the end of major repairs and are so grateful for those who came to help in various ways.
What a treat to see the beautiful changing of the seasons while we are traveling to visit supporting churches.
People have asked us what it is like being back in the U.S. again. There are so many contrasts to the American and Mozambican culture that it is difficult to give a simple answer. One aspect that is so shockingly different is the easily accessible books and “knowledge” resources here, including our public library system, Christrian radio and book stores...
The Makua however have been struggling to educate their rural populations since their civil war ended in 1992. Most of students do not have access to a library and computer resources are few. Their lack of knowledge leaves them vulnerable to superstition.
Please pray that the knowledge of God would spread all over northern Mozambique through the Bible materials Daniel and others are preparing and teaching.
We pray that the church in the U.S. would boldly speak the Truth of the Gospel while there is still time to do so.
Hugs,
Daniel (913-240-0433) & Melissa (913-240-0448)
Friday, September 3, 2010
Hello Dear Friends,
Our missionary colleague, Don Hulsey, in the capital of Mozambique, just sent us this urgent request for prayer for the country. Also, catch other important news of ours at the end.
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Don F. Hulsey
Sent: Fri, September 3, 2010 1:29:28 AM
Subject: Riots in Mozambique
Urgent Prayer Request: Please pray for peace in Mozambique. By now
perhaps you have heard through CNN or another news agency that
Mozambique has had two days of protests against the rising cost of
living (bread, water, electricity, fuel, and basic food staples) that
turned violent and left more than a dozen dead and hundreds arrested
and injured, mass looting, burned vehicles, and general unrest.
Although the government called for peace and an end to the violence,
the words were not received well by the people as they heard no plan
of action to alleviate the current situation. Instead the government
has said that the price increases are irreversible.
We had heard rumors of potential protests Wednesday but were assured by
our embassy that the planned protests were postponed until next week.
So Wednesday I drove Aleta and Zac to school in Maputo city and it was
obvious from the lack of vehicles on the road that tension was in the
air and the public transport vehicles were for the most part staying
off the road. We began to hear of rioting in the outlying areas of
town and police shooting at protestors and decided to leave
immediately for home. As we drove home we did encounter two locations
where tires were being positioned in the roads to block traffic which
is then followed by rocks being thrown by any vehicles attempting to
continue forward. We also met a huge crowd of youth who were blocking
the road and forcing a public transport bus to back up. Fortunately
this blockade was coming at the place where we turned off the main
road to head home. Throughout the night we continued to hear gunfire
and shouting around our neighborhood which is located 10 miles outside
the capital city of Maputo.
We are safe. We have armed guards at our property. The gates are
locked and although more protests expected throughout the weekend,
currently we do not hear anything outside. We thank you for your
prayers and partnership in ministry. Mozambicans are loving and
generous people but as is true anywhere, there are opportunists who
will take advantage of unrest and use it as an excuse to rob and
commit acts of violence. The poverty is very real here and people are
barely surviving. The rising costs of basic essentials has led some
to acts of desperation, including rioting and stealing.
Together in Christ, Don
From: Don F. Hulsey
Sent: Fri, September 3, 2010 1:29:28 AM
Subject: Riots in Mozambique
Urgent Prayer Request: Please pray for peace in Mozambique. By now
perhaps you have heard through CNN or another news agency that
Mozambique has had two days of protests against the rising cost of
living (bread, water, electricity, fuel, and basic food staples) that
turned violent and left more than a dozen dead and hundreds arrested
and injured, mass looting, burned vehicles, and general unrest.
Although the government called for peace and an end to the violence,
the words were not received well by the people as they heard no plan
of action to alleviate the current situation. Instead the government
has said that the price increases are irreversible.
We had heard rumors of potential protests Wednesday but were assured by
our embassy that the planned protests were postponed until next week.
So Wednesday I drove Aleta and Zac to school in Maputo city and it was
obvious from the lack of vehicles on the road that tension was in the
air and the public transport vehicles were for the most part staying
off the road. We began to hear of rioting in the outlying areas of
town and police shooting at protestors and decided to leave
immediately for home. As we drove home we did encounter two locations
where tires were being positioned in the roads to block traffic which
is then followed by rocks being thrown by any vehicles attempting to
continue forward. We also met a huge crowd of youth who were blocking
the road and forcing a public transport bus to back up. Fortunately
this blockade was coming at the place where we turned off the main
road to head home. Throughout the night we continued to hear gunfire
and shouting around our neighborhood which is located 10 miles outside
the capital city of Maputo.
We are safe. We have armed guards at our property. The gates are
locked and although more protests expected throughout the weekend,
currently we do not hear anything outside. We thank you for your
prayers and partnership in ministry. Mozambicans are loving and
generous people but as is true anywhere, there are opportunists who
will take advantage of unrest and use it as an excuse to rob and
commit acts of violence. The poverty is very real here and people are
barely surviving. The rising costs of basic essentials has led some
to acts of desperation, including rioting and stealing.
Together in Christ, Don
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel & Melissa continue...
We are SO grateful for God's provision for us these last three years. Our fellow colleagues in Mozambique recently informed us that the government is increasing the yearly visa renewal charge from $100 to $1000 per person. This increase as well as others is certainly affecting the missionaries in Mozambique and will be an additional cost we need to begin saving for. This exemplifies one of the reasons that we need to continue with God's truth in Mozambique - to break the spirit of dependency and poverty with the message of the abundance we have in Christ. Also, the foundations for farming is a practical way that they can see God's blessing on those who trust Him and take responsibility to put His ways into practice.
Love you all,
Daniel & Melissa and Esther Madux
913-240-0433 - Daniel
913-240-0448 - Melissa
Friday, August 6, 2010
Hello Family... This is the latest newsletter we sent out to friends and supporters
We're back! We SURPRISED many with our early arrival for a family reunion. How wonderful it is to see family again and to hug and play with our granddaughter!
Now for another SURPRISE... After all the moving and fixing we did to transition to Mozambique and then much more in the country, we didn't realize how unsettling it would be to get back and not have a "home" to settle into. Not wanting to repeat that, along with house setup each time we return from Mozambique, we looked at over 30 homes in the Leavenworth, KS area where Daniel, Hannah, & Adonia live. God blessed us to find a house and to have the bid accepted! Originally listed at $59,900, we bid 50,000 and the next day the price dropped to 49,900. We left the bid as is to eliminate competition. The address is:
1003 N 8th St, Leavenworth, KS 66048:
See house pics if they're still showing from the agent:
We'll soon be looking on Craig's List for a myriad of things like furniture and appliances.
Pray that find good deals so as to minimize move-in expenses and that the upcoming inspection and appraisal will yield good results and allow us to move in.
While we'll be attending our home church, Hope Family Fellowship, we're excited that one of our main supporting churches is here near Leavenworth too - Wallula Christian Church. Wow! And we're very blessed for their VBS with matching funds to have raised $4700 to bring safe & clean water to Mozambicans.
If you would like to schedule a time for us to update you on the work in Mozambique, please request a date available in October on out. This is what we have so far:
October 10th - Milford
24th - Crocker
November 7th - Northland CC in KC, MO
January 9th - Forum
Thanksgiving!
* We're back and with family again.
* It appears god is blessing us with a house.
* For all our wonderful supporters and our home church!
Prayer for God's blessing:
* On our time with family
* On our time discussing and writing the training resources for church planters and pastors in Mozambique.
God bless you,
Daniel and Melissa & Esther Maddux
913-240-0433 - Daniel mobile
913-240-0448 - Melissa mobile
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