ZAMBIA 2010 - Trip Across Africa DAY #3

Mfuwe, Zambia
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
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Trip Across Africa DAY #3
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Christian with Cape Buffalo skull.

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ZAMBIA 2010 - Trip Across Africa DAY #2

Mfuwe, ZambiaTuesday, June 29, 2010
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Trip Across Africa DAY #2
Had toast and coffee at 6:00am at Mama Rula’s, then headed out for Mfuwe and the South Luangwa Game Reserve. It was a grueling journey over some of the rockiest terrain we have had to travel on. We were praying that our mechanic angels were holding the rig together as we cruised all the way there, dodging the biggest rocks and maneuvering carefully around potholes.

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We finally made it to Mfuwe after a 3+ hour trip. We decided to go with what missionary friends of ours suggested as a place to stay; a place called, "Flat Dogs Camp." Let me tell you something about God’s favor…Once again, He has been so faithful to us. We got a campsite for a few dollars per/person. We had decided we would stay two nights instead of one before we arrived, and it just so happened, that we could only spend two nights at the camp anyway, as they were closing it on July 1st, the day we were already planning on leaving anyway. AND, we set our tent up in a tree and will be sleeping there for two nights (Don’t worry, I secured the tent very well and we talked to our kids already about safety). Our friends also said that they saw a lot of wildlife in the camp itself, and again, they were right. We have a lot of monkey friends who, we think, are looking for food.

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We spent the late morning and early afternoon driving around South Luangwa Game Reserve, both on the main tracks, as well as using four wheel drive on paths less traveled (which is where we saw the coolest animals). We saw elephants, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, zebras, warthogs, elands, pukus, baboons, cape buffalo and a plethora of other wildlife as well as beautiful scenery. It is by far the best game park we have been to. Since we drove in and paid at 11:00am this morning, and the ticket is good for 24 hours, we will get up and drive around another area of the park for a few hours tomorrow morning, where we hope to catch a glimpse of more of God’s handiwork. Check out all the pics. Soon to come will be a short video of our journey through the park as well.
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Christian Young

ZAMBIA 2010 - Trip Across Africa DAY #1

Chipata, Zambia
Monday, June 28, 2010.
Trip Across Africa DAY #1Made it safely to the Malawi/Zambia border, not long before sundown. When we left Lichinga this morning, we prayed for God’s favor. And we saw His favor upon us the entire journey today. When we got to the border, we changed out our Malawi Kwacha for Zambia Kwacha, and got through the Malawi side, as well as the Zambia side, only having to pay for some visas, as they saw how cute the kids are, and stamped their passports free of charge. Literally. I am being serious. That’s what happened. Jonas was proud of the fact that he snuck a picture of the border guard with his AK-47. He probably shouldn’t have, and I think won’t do it again, as we can get in trouble for doing so. But since he took the picture, I thought I would put it on here for you.

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We drove another 45 minutes from the border to Mama Rula’s Bed and Breakfast/Camp Site. We were blessed to find two double rooms for us, and once again, because of God’s favor, they didn’t charge for the girls, except for their meals, as they charge per person and not per room. What a blessing! We had a great dinner here: T-bone steaks, chicken schnitzel and lasagna. The people of this region speak Nyanja, which is close to Chichewa so we can communicate simple greetings with them. I am sure the further we go on our journey, this won’t be as easy. I am currently sitting here, completely full, listening to other tourists drinking it up at the bar next to us, and am about to jump in the shower really quick before getting some shut-eye as we are getting up a little on the early side to head to the South Luangwa Game Park.
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Christian Young

MALAWI 2010 - Trip Across Africa DAY #1

Lilongwe, Malawi
Monday, June 28, 2010
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Trip Across Africa DAY #1
At 4:15am this morning, we set off on our trip across Africa from our home in Lichinga, Mozambique. We left as early as we did today because we wanted to make it to Zambia before sundown. It was a good thing, too, because as usual, things take longer than usual. Our trip to the Mozambique/Malawi border was the normal 2 1/2 hour drive over dirt and gravel roads. They have graded that particular road since rainy season, so it was a nicer, less-bumpy ride than it has been in the past.
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We got through the Mozambique/Malawi border by 9:00am and headed across Malawi. When we have driven into Malawi in the past, we have always headed south toward the city of Blantyre. Today’s journey took us northeast through the capital city of Lilongwe. It was a beautiful drive, hugging Lake Malawi for part of the way, right up near Monkey Bay, as you can see from our GPS map. There was one part of the journey that was especially exciting. It was through some mountains not too many kilometers from Lilongwe. There were steep switchbacks that wound us up and down mountains. There were sporadic villages hidden within this mountain range which was an awesome sight. We also drove right by a group of very confident baboons. Normally, in Mozambique, when we have driven near baboons they have taken off in the other direction. Not these baboons. They boldly approached our Nissan Terrano with no fear of man. This enabled Jonas to get some good close-up pictures of them.
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There are quite a lot of police check points in Malawi. About half of the time they just wave us through without stopping. The other half of the time they stop and ask us various questions, which we usually answer to their liking. On previous trips to Malawi we are often asked for "gifts" from the police, from money, to beer, to Fanta soft drinks. We didn’t get much of that today, but I was stopped and told I was speeding, doing 60 kilometers per hour in a 50 kilometer per hour construction zone. They had their radar out and all. But I know I wasn’t going that fast I was watching the speedometer the entire way, as I have gotten a speeding ticket in Malawi on a previous trip. I first asked him to show me the radar with how fast I was going, which he wouldn’t. Then I simply apologized for my "transgression" and asked for forgiveness, which never worked in the past. He insisted I pay 5,000 Malawi Kwacha (about $28 U.S.), which I insisted was too much. He saw I was drinking a Red Bull. I asked him if he wanted one. He took my "gift" of the Red Bull, which cost me only $1 U.S. He then let me go without having to pay the fine, which is amazing for the police here in Malawi

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We ate lunch and fueled up in Lilongwe and headed for the Zambia border. At lunch, we had Jonas and the girls save seats at a table in the crowded fast food restaurant, so that I could order for everyone. Two Malawian women and one man, in plain sight, told the girls to move out of their way so they could have a table, and took their seats. These were very nicely dressed business man and women. I told the women that what they did was not right, that our children were saving those seats for our family, and that they should give the seats back to our children. They just looked at us with fake smiles refusing to do so. Usually I would let this type of thing go. But we were trying to hurry up and get back on the road. So right or wrong, I got the manager and told him what happened. Only when the manager came out did they get up and leave. No big deal. I wasn’t too upset. I just couldn’t believe the audacity of them, and was actually glad in the end that they knew what they did was wrong and that maybe they would think twice about doing it again. Who knows? I was friendly, yet firm the entire time. We didn’t let this dampen our spirits, and continued to enjoy the rest of our journey to the Malawi/Zambia border.
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Christian Young

MOZAMBIQUE 2010 - Building the Assumane Church Sign

Assumane, MozambiqueWednesday, June 23, 2010
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Building the Assumane Church SignDAY #1:

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DAY #2: Got up this morning to a cold, windy day. Yesterday we had finished most of the planter-bed walls, so today, it was just a matter of finishing the back wall, building the pillars, and fixing the three different signs (that I had previously hand-carved and painted) in between the cinderblocks and cement. We ran out of cinderblocks, so we had Xavier bring another 125 of them before we got there this morning.

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Within four or five hours, we were finished. It turned out somewhat level and plumb in most places, but because of its’ lack of perfection, it quite easily fits in with the rest of the surrounding architecture (the very not-level mud Yao houses). It has been so fun building this sign for the church in Assumane, which is the first church we have planted among the Yao villages north of Lichinga. Condela and Luciano helped us these last two days, and are very excited about the sign. Many people stop and comment on it as they pass by on the Assumane road.
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Christian Young

MOZAMBIQUE 2010 - The Road To Tanzania FILM!

It's finally here! Our full-length film, "The Road to Tanzania" covers the last year of work among the Yao villages here in the Northern Niassa province of Mozambique. ENJOY!

MOZAMBIQUE 2010 - Five New Churches Planted

Lichinga, Mozambique
Saturday, June 12, 2010
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Five New Churches Planted
Over the past six weeks we, the staff and students of Great Harvest School of Ministry, have been praying for God to place on our hearts Yao villages that we have evangelized in and that have asked for a church. We have been asking the Lord how we can personally be involved in church planting teams sent out to these villages.
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Yesterday, at the graduation from the first semester of the Bible School, we commissioned three teams which will being going to five different villages every Sunday to plant churches. Many of these villages are quite a distance away, so some of the teams will be coming to the Bible School and Mission House every Sunday morning to get motorbikes and bicycles that we have purchased with our financial support to travel to these villages. I have also recently purchased backpacks for each motorbike and bicycle which each have in them all the tools necessary for any repairs needed, the proper documentation for each motorbike and bicycle, as well as tracts in the Yao and Portuguese languages and Bibles. We are currently working on a strategy to get our evangelism and church planting teams self-sufficient, where they will no longer need to rely on our outside financial support for providing gasoline and the occasional repairs and maintenance needed to make these journeys every week.

Putting together backpacks for evangelism and church planting teams

.Map of Yao villages numbered with which teams are planting churches

The three teams are: (1) Condeila, his wife Anita and Jaime will be planting churches in the villages of Tchekelanje and Majiga. (2) Myself, Kaisi, his wife Teresa and Lino will be planting churches in the villages Lussenhando and Matemangue. (3) Chanito, Luciano, his wife Lucia, Joao and Pedro will be planting a church in the village of Micoco.

TEAM (1) - Anita, Condela and Jaime planting churches in Tchekelanje and Majiga

TEAM (2) Christian, Teresa, Kaisi and Lino planting churches in Lussenhando and Matemangue

TEAM (3) - Chanito, Joao, Pedro, Luciano and Lucia planting a church in Micoco

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In planting these churches, our plan is to raise up other pastors and church leaders, probably from those very villages, who we will eventually hand the churches off to in order to be able to continue on to other works God has called us to. For example, I will be training and mentoring Kaisi every week who I believe not long from now will be able to continue pastoring the two churches we are planting.
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Sometimes I hate to even use the words “planting churches” when I talk about this. Basically, there are new converts in all of these villages who are hungry to know Jesus more. We want to see communities of faith established in all such villages, where God’s praises are being lifted up and the people are being taught in the ways of Christ. It’s not about church buildings. Although we have been given land in some of these villages to construct simple church buildings, all of our teams are starting the church plants in a courtyard of one of the new converts, or a “man of peace” as we have talked about before. Church planting is not complicated…it is simply “wherever two or three are gathered together” in Jesus’ name.
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Please pray for these new church plants and for each team. God is bringing such acceleration to the process of reaching the entire Northern Niassa province for Christ. It is so exciting to be in the front row watching all of this unfold. We want all of this bathed in prayer, as we have a real enemy who will try to stop these works at any cost. Thank you for standing with us.
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Christian Young

MOZAMBIQUE 2010 - First Semester Graduation from Bible School

Lichinga, Mozambique
Friday, June 11, 2010
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First Semester Graduation from Bible School
There was a party at the Great Harvest School of Ministry today as 24 students graduated the first semester of “Bible Basics” and the gospel of Mark. All graduates received certificates of graduation as well as a photo of the first semester students and staff (which you can see below). God is so good. These students are so excited about graduating and using what God has revealed to them during their time at school in their own villages and beyond. We commissioned the new church planting teams and prayed for them. We also ran the generator and watched slide shows of pictures and videos of the students. It was a glorious time.
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Christian Young

First semester Bible School students and staff

GHSoM Directors: Christian Jung, Jesse Gellatly, Kevin Bubna

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Bible School staff handing out certificates.....Commissioning church planting teams
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List of First Semester graduates which is up on the wall at the Bible School

Personal certificates of graduation handed out to graduating students

MOZAMBIQUE 2010 - Trip to Itepela

Itepela, Mozambique
Sunday, June 6, 2010
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Trip to Itepela
Today we got a chance to bring a friend of mine, Salomao, and his family to the town of Itepela today, where he will be staffing the YWAM School of Frontier Missions there for the next three months. We hired Salomao to oversee the construction of our two new church facilities at the beginning of the year and he has done a wonderful job. The foundations of both buildings are now complete.
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More than just a hired hand, Salomao is an awesome man of God, with a real heart to make disciples. I have had many good times of talking with him about God’s word and praying and ministering to him and his family over these past six months. I truly believe that we will be able to continue to labor together in the Kingdom of God someday after the YWAM school has finished.
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The drive to Itepela is about a 3 hour drive south from Lichinga. It was a bumpy road with many stops for my friends to vomit from car-sickness. We got a chance to see the beautiful YWAM base there, as well as fellowship with the pastor, Pedro and his Brazilian wife, sharing a meal with them. He was also with YWAM in Lichinga and is three years into the church plant there in Itepela, which is the only existing church there. We had a lovely time together today.
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Christian Young

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Christian with Salomao and family in Itepela......Me and our kids with Pedro and his wife