SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST
MISSION OF MALAWI
PO BOX 60150 BT. 6 BLANTYRE MALAWI AFRICA
TEL. 265-9-741-007/ or 265-8-751140 (mobile)
Missionary / Evangelist: Peter A. Halliman
Email: brothersinthebush@yahoo.com
Website: www.sgbm-malawi-africa.com
Date: 09th August 2013
Dear Pastor, Church, and All Supporters;
(Isa 6:8) “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
In this report I want to share with you some of the achievements, delays, and challenges I have faced, and continue to face whilst I am here in this part of the world. Our priority in being “sent” by the local church as “missionaries” is simply to preach the Gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ to any and all creatures. This means along the journey, in the way, by the wayside, in the markets, the street corner, in the homes, and of course during the assembled time of worship. I feel compelled that no matter where I am, or whom I speak with, the Gospel should become a focal point in the timetable I have with whomever.
At times it becomes no more then sharing what great things GOD Jehovah has done in our lives, in government offices it is not always convenient to share the Gospel, however there are other ways to preach the Gospel, and the one simple method that I have found over the years is to simply tell my own testimony of how the LORD saved me.
I know that the LORD’S Word will do what HE has ordained for it to do – “Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Many times in my life on the mission field, I often sit and replay the events, the trips, the energy, the work and sometimes the (human) side of me try’s to make sense out of it all, but then I am reminded of the above verse and many other verses and I simply have to resign to the fact that it is the LORD who buildeth the city…
For many years I have been called upon to preach funerals, of which I have preached many, to multitudes of folks who never come to a church service. This has presented a great opportunity for the Gospel to be sowed upon undegenerated hearts, and only the LORD knows where it will go and to whom it will produce fruit.
The crossing of borders has not been physically easy, there are governments to satisfy, documentation, visas, border fees, Customs, Immigration, Interpol, local Police all looking for a ‘pay off ‘. Satan will use anyone, and anything he can to halt the preaching of the Gospel. I have been detained at borders for no other reason other then I just would not give in to the corruptness of an officer. However, it is in the midst of the sea of troubles that we see GOD’S hand at work the greatest.
When we feel the stormy sea tossing us to and fro in the LORD’S work, I know that the LORD is using these stormy gales to simply wash us ashore.
Just recently my wife and I prepared to go into Mozambique, where I have been going since 2001. There is a work established about two hundred miles from our residence here in Blantyre, Malawi across the border into Mozambique and every time I have geared up to go there, I have faced fierce opposition. Either from the Authorities, to mechanical problems, to health issues there always seemed to be some issue.
This time was no different; we went to apply for our visas and were told that we would not be issued any until we had a letter from the local pastors stating they would be legally and financially responsible for us. This is simply another way for them to dupe one out of money (legally) of course. After having explained multiple times over our interaction with the people of Mozambique and our working relationship with them all these years we were then directed to speak with the Counsellor, and we did. He explained to us that the government of Mozambique has changed its rulings since I have been going and coming (this seems to be the norm). He agreed to grant us multiple visas for six months, pending on me stopping in at the D.C. nearest the village where we have a work established. The D.C. would need to verify the pastor as to his identity and type up a legal document in Portuguese bearing the D.C. stamp – showing that we indeed are doing just what it is that we are saying that we do.
I assured him I would attend to this and on my return I would bring into him the document, which he has requested.
Another issue, there is no office in Blantyre city which provides vehicle Ins for Mozambique, which means prior to your entry you must have this secured. Therefore I have to drive in the opposite direction to the other border of Malawi/Mozambique in order to secure the vehicle Ins. This may sound like a lot of dong just to get into Mozambique, but then again the LORD said, “Who shall go for us…?” When the LORD sent the disciples out two by two, HE never promised it would be easy or convenient, but HE did promise that they would have HIS blessings.
We had all things in order, then the packing and vehicle check list… I have done this many times over and it becomes second nature as though it were, didn’t say it was easy, nor any less troublesome. I had just finished servicing the Land Rover and it was ready to go. With the vehicle packed up, we managed to get a couple hours sleep and then we were off the next morning at 0400 hrs. The drive would become long after the first fifty miles, simply because the tarmac road ends and then the dusty, potholed, corrugated conditions begin. Speed decreases to about twenty to thirty mph and tyres are deflated to soften the ride.
After nearly nine hours of travel we arrived at the pastor’s residence, the distance is right at two hundred miles so you can figure what speed we average out at.
One of the first things we do is start setting up camp, the kitchen area, the tents, bathing facilities are secured and the toilet area is always an issue but one does what one has to do in these ‘bush type’ conditions. With camp set up the cooking starts for the afternoon as nightfall will soon be upon us.
I usually spend quality time with the pastors who have come in to fellowship and discuss biblical issues. The nights are long, simply because we are in the winter season being in the Southern hemisphere (opposite) from the Northern hemisphere. After a long day we retire for the evening in our tent, our home away from home.
On Sunday the following day there was a good crowd for church services and having been over a year since we had visited this side of the work, I wanted to encourage them with a message that I felt would help and encourage them. I preached on “Where do you put the Devil?” I cannot answer for the people, but the LORD preached to me the message first and I was encouraged by it.
Monday we packed up and with the local government informed about our document they sent us onward to the D.C. to have the documents officially stamped. Departing Pastor Garaffa’s residence we set off and after a couple hours we arrived. Cut a long story short, that part of Mozambique was expecting to receive the President in a few days and all the offices were busy with their own legal prep work. They took my email and stated they would send the document via email after being stamped. I somehow did not put a lot of stock in this promise but did not argue. I spoke with Pastor Garaffa and asked him if he would be willing to come back to Blantyre with me and together we would go in to see the Mozambique Counsellor and verify that the document was pending with the D.C. office etc.…
He agreed and we set off for Blantyre, the long drive was before us, and mile after mile we drove to the border. Passing through one border, and then the other, for the next several hours the road noise, with the diesel engine of the vehicle entertained us until we arrived where the tarmac started. After a short stop we carried on until we reached home that evening around 2100 hrs.
A hot shower and dinner on the kitchen table with cold fridge water just cannot be explained properly. For my wife, I suppose the bed rates close to the shower if not more, at any rate we were home and it felt good. It is not so much that we spent a long time in the bush, as it was the pounding of the roads and the dusty conditions we had to endure.
The next day I spent time with the two men who went with us (Eric and Edwin) both of which I have written much about. We translated the examination questions for Pastor Garaffa for him to study in preparation for his ordination later this year.
The second day he was here, we went in to see the Mozambique Counsellor, but were unable to meet with him due to his being in a meeting. I explained to the secretary about the procedure which we had followed and where things had been tabled until the emailing of the documents.
With that, we took Pastor Garaffa to the bus stage and from there he would set off on the long journey back to his home. It would take him two days, as with public transport it is not a straight shot. We ask that you remember Bro. Garaffa in your prayers when you remember to pray, not only for his ordination scheduled in late October but also for the work that he leads amongst his own people. He is a faithful man, dedicated to the LORD’S work, never complains, never ask for anything though he has many needs.
I will LORD willing be going into Mozambique from the opposite side of Malawi, from this last trip, which I just made. I plan to spend about a week in the bush when I go, therefore I am trying to take care of all the ‘home duties’ before setting off the week of the 18th .
To be continued…
In His Name,
Missionary Peter A Halliman