To Blog or Not to Blog

Our computer seems to have some kind of virus. It is not letting me upload photos. Anytime I try to put a photo on here the whole thing crashes. It is frustrating me. To me a blog entry is just not a good blog entry without a good photo. So I wait......for my husband to work a miracle with the computer. No computer "doctors" here so we will see how this goes and how long it takes.

The Price of Peace

I do not pretend to be a political activist or even knowledgable about politics per se...I actually don't even like to discuss politics much. Just ask my best friend, Debby. She is always up to date on the latest politics and ready to discuss (aka debate) things. Poor her has me for a friend that really is not all that interested. I am more concerned with the human suffering that I see as a result of the politics and most times think politics is one big, self-serving game that I wish wasn't being played.

This week has brought together an interesting convergence of events in my life. ZIMBABWE....is on my mind and heart heavily.

To me Zimbabwe is:

• Where we used to get all of our groceries and mail back in 1997 when Mozambique was still recovering from the horrible effects of civil war. (The border is only about 1 1/2 hours drive from us)
  
• The home of two dear African friends of mine, Liz who has gone on to be with the Lord and Ska who is now living in the USA.
  
• Where we heard of Marc's grandfathers death via fax.
• Where we welcomed our first child, Micah, into the world.
  
• Where our son Nate spent weeks recovering from his accident falling into a well.
• Where we recently were refused entry to get a visa, making it necessary for us to travel to Malawi.
  

This series of events that has got me thinking and praying all started by my attending a women's retreat last weekend at a nearby center. There were 54 women in attendance with the majority being from neighboring Zimbabwe. My heart was moved by these women that had been through so much trauma and heart ache in the last few years as they watched their home land and lives fall apart. Many of them had their lives literally stripped from them as Mugabe's government took away their homes and livelihood. Yet, in that place although their was hurt, weariness and even some bitterness there was a deep hunger for God and for His restoration in their lives. It is difficult to explain seeing a grown woman, old enough to nearly be my grandmother on her knees, pouring out her heart to God asking Him to remove her pain and deep grief over losing all she and her husband ever had in life. Seeing her beg God to remove her bitterness and bring her back to Him. It deeply moved me and inspired me. By the end of the weekend we literally saw change had come and from their faces you could see they were leaving in freedom. Hallelujah! Our God is so great!

The second part of this is a book I have been reading this week. The speaker at our women's retreat was a woman named Ellie Hein. She is a missionary here in Mozambique but is originally from Zimbabwe. In her book, Beyond the Shadow, which I brought home she tells of her and her husband's involvement in ministering in Mozambique during the civil war and their part in bringing about the peace treaty from both sides involved. It is fascinating but has caused me to take great pause in the cost of sharing the Gospel and of following God and not man. Many times freedom comes at the cost of great suffering and persecution. How do I possibly understand this?

Then finally, today it was announced on our local TV that Morgan Tsvangarai, the opposition leader is "disengaging" from the unity government in Zimbabwe. My heart fell when I heard this news. I am well aware that only God can restore that land but I also know that it is very possible that the nation of Zimbabwe will fall back into ruins. From what I have heard from friends that have visited the country, it has made progress this year and come back to at least functioning. Most people are able to obtain money and food and form somewhat of a normal life. With this current news there is cause to wonder if once again the greed of a few will bring poverty to a nation.

All of this, together has brought me to my knees for the nation and the people of Zimbabwe. May God have mercy on this land. May righteousness reign. May the believers bear up under their hardships and sufferings with great strength. May His glory be seen for all eyes. May we that take freedom and progress for granted be sensitive and prayerful for those that do not enjoy such privileges. May revival come. May God's chosen one rule and reign. May the needs of our brothers and sisters be met by His hand.

I would be honored if you would join me in praying.

A Weekend Away

This weekend I had the opportunity to go away to a women's retreat. It was lovely to spend the weekend with over 50 other ladies seeking to walk deeper with the Lord and just enjoy good teaching, fantastic worship, fellowship, laughs and good times. Many of the ladies were from over the border in Zimbabwe. I was humbled by the hardships and suffering they have endured and the pure faith and hunger that it has brought about in them. I was blessed to be a part and am grateful for the seeds planted within my own heart. In the photo above I am enjoying my "early" cup of coffee. Let's just say we were up at the crack of dawn literally and I look surprisingly awake for that time of morning.

Bush Dentistry

So, for us to get to a good dentist it is about a 3 hour drive one way to the city of Beira on the coast of Mozambique. My friend Charmain (she's from South Africa) came over last week and I did a "little dentistry" on her. She has a tooth that has a hole, doesn't want to drive all the way to Beira and I happened to have some Dentemp which is temporary filling stuff that I brought from the US. So here we are in my living room "filling" Charmain's tooth. We have photos because our husbands thought it was funny and decided to document the event. Amazingly, she said it is doing great. You never know what you might need to do on the mission field. Better come prepared!

Our October Update...

Dear Friends,
Wow, it's hard to believe October is here already and that we have been here for nearly 8 months. We are rapidly moving into summer and the rainy season here in Mozambique. The normal temps these days are mid to upper 80's. Thankfully it is a dry heat so at least until the rainy season begins, we are not smothered with humidity. We are well and even though we have had to make some tough decisions lately we are constantly amazed that the Lord goes before us in all things and has His plan perfectly laid out before we ever get there. So now it's time to share news!

First, we want to let you know that we were able to purchase a good, reliable Nissan 4x4 in August from some other missionaries. What a blessing to have our own vehicle! Thank you to all that have given. The vehicle cost $11,000. So far, we've paid $8,000 and still need to make payments for the remaining balance of $3,000. We have made an agreement to pay $500 a month prayerfully believing God will provide those extra funds that are not in our normal budget. However, we would love to be a blessing to this other missionary couple and pay this debt off earlier if possible. If you are interested in giving towards the remaining balance we would be grateful. Donations can be given online at www.cten.org or they can be sent with a note indicating that it is for the Pavkov Vehicle Fund to:
CTEN,PO Box 291307, Kerrville, TX 78029-1307

Secondly, we want to tell you that after serving for months at the orphan center, praying and seeking counsel from our sending mission, Commission to Every Nation and our home church, Grace Capital Church, we have decided our ministry needs to move in a new direction. Our vision and ministry approach were not matching up with the Center's founders and realized it is better to move on. We still have a heart for orphans and will be ministering to them directly. While praying about the future we discovered MANY indigenous churches in our region, especially in the bush, do not have outreach ministries directed to orphans and widows (the primary care givers of orphans). Pastor's and churches are overwhelmed and feel unequipped to help. That is where we come in. Our new ministry focus is going to be encouraging and working along side Pastor's and churches to start orphan and widow ministries to those that are most needy in their own communities. We feel a burden to help these Pastor's and churches see that if they will reach out as servants and meet practical needs they will be powerfully displaying the Gospel to their communities. To begin with, we are partnering with another missionary in town named Rosane, who is from Brazil, and has been here working with indigenous churches for the past four years. Together we will be building relationships with the Pastor's and helping them to initiate and sustain ministries in their communities focusing on orphans and widows. Our ministry will also be spending the majority of our time visiting and getting to know the local orphans and widows in order to build relationships with them and discover their most pressing needs. We will then be able to determine which outreaches to focus on and what needs to address first. We see the work primarily being in the areas of agriculture, education, animal breeding, and nutrition. Our prayer is that through this ministry the orphans and widows we build relationships with will receive dignity, become able to care for themselves and be introduced to God and the need to fully rely on Him.

We appreciate all of your prayers, words of encouragement, care packages, and support so we can be here. We are grateful that you have chosen to work alongside us as part of a team reaching out to those in need here in Mozambique. We will keep you updated on how this ministry is developing and the impact it is having in the local community. We are excited to see God transform the lives of the orphans and widows that we will be coming into contact with over the following weeks and months. Please keep this work in your prayers.

Blessings,
Marc, Andrea, Micah & Nate Pavkov

Give Your Life Away

I have so much. Too much. Compared to the world some would say maybe not since our life here in Africa is "simple" and not "very trendy" with the latest gadgets or conveniences. But when I compare myself to thousands of Mozambicans it is too much.

I have three pairs of shoes, many will never even own one. I have a house to live in that is made of block, most will only have a mud hut with a grass or tin roof. I have a bed and mattress to sleep on, most only have a grass mat or mattress they must share with their entire family. I have good, nutritious food on my table, most will only eat 1-2 times a day and suffer hunger on a regular basis or dig through trash heaps for today's food. I was given a good education, most will not complete school because of lack of funds or needing to provide for their families or if they are fortunate to stay in school only achieve a 6th grade education.

I am blessed, that is obvious. But aren't Mozambicans blessed as well. Do we not have the same God? How does opportunity and lack of poverty change the course of ones life?? I contemplate this all the time. Some would say TOO much is relative yet I don't think it should be. The Bible speaks of God meeting our needs; food, clothing and shelter. My heart is longing and crying out to lay it all down for the sake of others. What an impact the body of Christ could have on the world if we were willing to do without for the sake of the Gospel and for the sake of loving others. I need you Lord to show me what to do without...

Growing Up Too Fast

You know I always heard from other mother's when the boys were younger, "Enjoy them because they grow up too fast and soon they will be gone." I guess like most I heard that but didn't really believe it or sense it. I was too busy moving from day to day, moment to moment caring for them. When they are young you are constantly running around meeting their needs and somedays it seems you never stop and often wonder when do I get some "me" time?? When they are young we spend our time preparing them and waiting for the "next" big step. When they lay on the floor we can't wait for them to crawl, when they crawl we can't wait for them to walk, when they walk we can't wait for them to run. Sometimes I found myself so busy looking to the next moment that I didn't savor the current moment. How sad.....Now that the boys are older and they are maturing it seems that time has sped up and they are growing and changing too quickly. I am excited to see the young men God has them to be but I want to enjoy them now and treasure the moments and memories now. I don't want to have to look back and wonder where the days went?? So many days I blow it. I, being absorbed in my self-centeredness miss great opportunities to cherish the moments. I feel like God has opened my eyes and is drawing me to a place where I ENJOY my children and just being with them. My prayer is that God will help me to savor the time, seize the opportunities, and treasure the memories with my two little men. My youngest Nate still calls me "Mommy" most of the time and Micah, my oldest still snuggles up to me needing a hug. I hold my breath knowing that those days are soon coming to an end but while I have them I will love them. So to my two little men I say "Be who you are and know that Mom loves you forever and is so grateful she gets to be your mommy." What's NOT to love about these faces???