Quick update: When I was first accepted to Iris for the summer, I also applied for thier Israel outreach. But I never heard back for them so I assumed that I didn't get accepted. When I arrived here, the leader said..."Hello Brianna Nordstrom. O yes, you are on my Israel team." I was really taken back because since I had never heard about my acceptance, I shut my heart down to it. But I was accepted. So I am currently praying and working out the possibility of going on the Israel outreach. So please pray for me.

Also... pray because I am really going through a little dark section of my trip here, feeling overdone and lethargic and sick. I think it's a little bit of culture shock. We have had no water for 4 or 5 days and I am really feeling it. But strangly enough, at the same time of my culture shock, I am experiencing deeper and deeper heartbreak for Mozambique. I spent the night with the little girls the other night and more than I could love on them, they just loved on me. I am falling in love with this country.

Please excuse my terrible writing. I have Portugues and Makua and english running through my head and my words are coming out funny...

It has been about two weeks since I settled myself down in Pemba. Two weeks of offering myself up to God for His work in this place. Two weeks of seeking His face and coming out raw from every class. Class, by the way, is like going to the Harvest Rock Conference in Pasedina. It’s crazy. We have had amazing speakers and crazy testimonies and crazy impartation.

But all I hear is “What does good news look like, Brianna? What does it look like to the little girl who has been raped over 100 times since she was four, has no parents, has lice, scabies and is malnourished? What does good news look like to the teenage boy who’s parents were murdered in front of his very eyes, has no home and was blackmailed into gang violence that he can never escape lest it cost him his life?” What does good news look like?

I come before my God every morning at 4:45am. I draw in His strength and His affection. I re-engage in His beauty and promise for my life… I pledge my allegiance once again to him and then I go out to my crowding beautiful chocolate children calling out, “Brianna Brianna! Bom Dia!” I see Antonio, Ezekiel, Imamu Alexi, Alima, Joao, Sarah, Victorino... I am loved. And yet I am hit with a rush of revelation that tells me I am helpless. I have nothing. I cannot love… apart from Him.

It’s an incredible thing to realize how helpless we actually are. One of my school mates went out on one of the village outreaches. Heidi, before hand, had just been talking about Poverty of Spirit. O, God, impart this to us! It’s an incredible concept that we just don’t understand in the West at all… To be THAT DESPERATE for Jesus? These people are. A whole Muslim village came to Jesus through the Jesus film. They are animistic Muslims who work with witchcraft and shamans to get what they need in terms of healing and favor. They only came to Jesus because they saw how He healed people in that movie. They wanted healing… they were so desperate for restoration. So they brought their deaf and blind and sick and dying to our people. The school mate of mine said that a woman brought her sick baby to him to be healed. As he put his hand on this burning baby’s back, he had the incredible realization of his helplessness. Suddenly, HE was desperate for Jesus. He cried out to Him and said, “It’s all you, God. I have nothing.” And the baby was healed on the spot. The whole village, as I said, came to Jesus and not one of them was left untouched that weekend. They were ALL HEALED!!! Hallelujah!

So far, I have seen several healings. A crippled man walked right in front of me. One woman had internal bleeding and was healed. Another woman was barren and became pregnant. I still haven’t gone on my outreach but I can only imagine how God will rock my heart.

But all of this is just a byproduct. What does good news look like? We have to show the power of God to these people because they live by the power of darkness right now. But for me, the transformation taking place in my heart is more valuable than anything.

I cry everyday, brokenhearted for the world… brokenhearted for Mozambique. What do I do with this heart, God? I am helpless. I have nothing. I cannot love… apart from you. But with You, I really can do anything!
I pray for a spirit of poverty, and a spirit of meekness. God make me humble… and yet I take that back. What a scary prayer. But that’s what it takes here. I have to be a baby here. I am realizing that I NEED the MOZAMBICANS more than they need me. Wow.

Pray for me family… I am dreaming again and am craving taking flight….  Pray that I will come home… haha

I made it. My Visa is not exactly what I wanted but I have one! Obrigado Jesus!
God you have been so faithful to keep me within your protection while I have been traveling. In almost every scary transition, He has reminded me that this is His trip and that I am coming with Him. There were several pictures before I left of Jesus with me in the terminal at the airport. He was carrying one suitcase and my red backpack and I was carrying the other one. In the picture He said, “Brianna, I am with you. Thank you for coming with me to Mozambique.” Later when I arrived at the airport, a man was talking to me and asking me where I was going and what I was doing. I told him that I was going to ministry school. Later his friend came over and was hitting on me and the first guy said, “Man, no. Can’t you see she is with Jesus?” (first confirmation! J ) Thank you, my friend for protecting me.
After that I was on my first plane headed for Heathrow London and there was no one sitting next to me. I imagined Jesus sitting there next to me but then some other man came and sat next to me. It wasn’t his seat but he said the flight attendant said he could move. My heart was aggravated by this. He sat on my Jesus! But then the flight attendant came over to him and told him to move. He said he can’t sit there because it’s for me. I thought that was strange because I was already sitting in my seat. But the flight attendant insisted and I felt the presence of the Lord immediately. (second confirmation! J)
Then I was at the airport in London and I wanted to buy a juice. As I was paying for my juice the man said, “Do you want just one? You don’t want two?” What a strange question. I told him I just wanted one. But for the third time, I was reminded of His presence with me.
I was in line to get on the plane to Johannesburg. The man checked my ticket and let me go through. Then he pulled me back and said, “Wait, are you traveling with someone else?” I told him no. He said, “Are you sure?” I said “yes its just me.” And he said, “That’s funny. It says you are traveling with someone. O well, go ahead.” Incredible! My Jesus was with me! And again on the plane, no one sat next to me except for Him. I safely arrive in Johannesburg and Joshua Seal’s friend, Liesl came to pick me up and take care of me and my Visa!
I am safe and kept in His protection and grace. Father, you are good and you are faithful. This is your trip. Thank you for taking me with you.