4 October 2009
Dear family and friends,
We have been reflecting that since March, we have had at least one and at times three visitors living with us up until yesterday. So, for a total of two days, we are empty-nesters. Feels kinda quiet around the house. But that will change again tomorrow when Pastor Alfy Austin from World Gospel Church, Terre Haute, IN visits us in country for five days. We are very excited as we have not met Pastor Alfy, and he is the first pastor from any of our supporting churches to visit us in Mozambique. It will be a busy week of showing him our various ministries and meeting our team and staff.
Yesterday we had to say goodbye (sadly) to Christina Folchi, (beside Susan in photo) a student teacher from Connecticut that attends Philidelphia Biblical University. She has been living with us the past two months and doing her student teaching with Patricia, our K-1 teacher. Chris has been wonderful to have around and was a great blessing to Patricia and her 11 students. We wish Chris a wonderful transition back to the USA and as she begins her final student teaching assignment in a public school. Pray for Chris as she is seeking the Lord's will for her future when she graduates this December.
We have wonderful news and an amazing answer to prayer regarding our seminary program. Many of you have followed the saga of not having a director to run the program in our new seminary building, then the good news that Mike and Sarah Thiessen joined the team in may 2008 and Mike was preparing the school to begin this year, only to have that vision end when their son, Gabriel (just 2 1/2 then) was diagnosed with liver cancer and they had to return to Canada for treatment. So, for the past six months, it was back to seeking the Lord's will and searching for a new director. We PTL that a good friend of ours and of OMS Mozambique has accepted the position. Don Hulsey and his wife Aleta, have served in Mozambique since the mid- 1990s (as long as we have) and he is already working with our Dean of Students, Daniel Maduel and Registrar, Xavier Massingue. The next few months will be busy as they work on the final curricuulm details, interview perspective students, and prepare for a February 2010 launch date. We do have two classes going right now, but those will be incorporated and expanded upon with the new program. Pray for Don and our team as we too seek the Lord's will for the seminary program.
One serious prayer concern is for some of our evangelism trainers. Sadly we have had to release three trainers recently due to family issues. These three positions leave major gaps in the training and church planting efforts in Northern Mozambique. We need the seminary program running and producing effective and well-trained pastors and teachers to send to these rural areas, which will provide solid Biblical foundations and teachings to these new churches. Currently we have over 100 churches in the country, with the majority up in the Zambezia and Nampula provinces.
CAM school (Christian Academy in Mozambique) is running well and we are coming up to the end of the first quarter this Friday. Thus, this week is full of quizzes and exams for the students. Space is an ever-present problem, and we are working with a contractor about adding on an offic and three small classrooms to the front of our building. Currently, plans are being prepared to submit to the government for approval. This is a big prayer request as we are asking for permission to build to our boundary wall, and that usually isn't granted. Secondly, we need sufficient funds to cover the construction cost. It isn't confirmed but although the construction is extimated at around $60,000, that is still a huge amount for our little school. But God is good and in control.
Personally, we both are doing well, and my back (Larry) is giving me no pain, which I PTL for. We are encouraged as we have several teams coming in the next two months in which there are some people that may be considering working with OMS at CAM and possibly the seminary. Pray for God's leading in their lives. We are also looking forward 
to our mission retreat in early November.
to our mission retreat in early November. (see photo: us celebrating our 28th wedding anniversary on Augst 29th)
Thank you each one for your continued prayers and support.
Larry & Susan
