Our time at Iris Ministries
Hello from Cape Town, South Africa! After 30 plus hours of traveling by bus from Iris Ministries in Maputo, Mozambique, we have arrived. We’re here for a much needed time of R&R with our good friend Jeff Burkholder, who will be with us for a good portion of our time. We’re looking forward to it, and let me say, it’s beautiful! From our room we have a view of Table Mountain, which we definitely plan on ascending while we’re here. A huge thanks to the Shenks for letting us crash at their place while we’re here.
So, backing up, what did we do at Iris Ministries? As I mentioned in the last update, they have many different opportunities for visitors there. There are around 300 kids and teens housed at the ministry, as well as a school for them and others living in the community. It’s a big compound and a growing ministry. We spent a lot of time with some of the kids as well as participating in a lot of the local outreaches they have. They made for some very unique, growing experiences.
We were able to pray for the sick in a hospital, go to a massive garbage dump to pray for individuals “working” there, do some street ministry (which also involved visiting a jail), do a weekend outreach at another small children’s center as well as short visits to a few others, and of course spend some time with some of the kids and teens living at the center itself. All of these proved to be challenging, eye opening, and rewarding.
The hospital touched me. Death and hopelessness was in the air. Many people just basically lay there all day, suffering. Some of them have visitors, some of them don’t, and some of them have been there for months. The hospitals of course aren’t nearly as advanced or modern as the states, so it’s a bit hard to ignore the conditions. We went from room to room, praying for men, women and children, which is all we could really offer. I felt such a love and compassion for them, something that definitely came from the Great Healer. You feel helpless in your flesh but just trust that God will move on behalf of what little faith you and the person you’re praying for have. The best thing is seeing someone improved the next time you come back to visit them. God heals!
Bocaria, the massive garbage dump, was also quite an experience. I could try to describe to you the sights, smells, thoughts, and feelings of it all, but it wouldn’t do it justice. They (Iris) wouldn’t allow us to bring cameras there, so I don’t have any pictures to share, but the image will always be with me in my mind. Dozens of people are rummaging through the countless mounds of trash to try and find something of value, maybe to sell or use in the making of only God knows what. Iris Ministries has a small church there, and on Fridays we go and sing some songs and pray with the kids and a few adults, then either go into the community or on the dump to pray for people. I had the opportunity to do both on two separate occasions, both with mixed responses. Some people want nothing to do with you, others gladly receive prayer, and some even make the choice to follow to Jesus. It’s hard to know how to act sometimes being a white outsider on “their turf”, although by this point they’re used to seeing us “mulungus” (the word for whites). After we walk around and pray for people, we go back down to the small church, sing some more songs and pray, then hand out bread before leaving. This is something I admire about Iris – they always share the Word and always share food. It’s never one without the other. But yes, Bocaria, an experience I won’t be forgetting.
Another great experience was street ministry. Twice a week they take a small group into the city to minister either in a jail, to some street kids and/or some homeless men. We had the opportunity to participate twice. The first time we went to a jail for a short time, then to the street. We sang some songs, prayed, shared the word, and then handed out bread at both places. Once again, due to the language barrier and being on “their turf” you can feel a bit helpless, but rely on the Holy Spirit and prayer. You do what you can and trust that God will sow seeds in the hearts of these individuals. The second time, we were able to go to a park to meet with some kids and young adults, and then the street to meet some homeless men. This also was a touching experience. After we ministered to the homeless men, one of them came up and asked me specifically for prayer; for this I felt honored. I believe he was a Christian, so I prayed from my heart for his needs and his requests. If I can impact just one man through a simple prayer, I feel like all of this is worth it. I was very thankful for the opportunity.
Our second weekend here we were able to spend the night at a small children’s center about an hour away. After getting a night’s rest, we spent a few hours the next day going through the small “bush” community with the pastor/papa of the center. We stopped to visit and pray for some families along the way. Devon and I weren’t able to interact all that much due to language, but we were able to say some short prayers for people. Upon coming back we had the opportunity to have a short teaching and game session with the kids, which was a lot of fun. Before leaving we sang some songs together and prayed, and it was a beautiful experience.
The center alone offers so many opportunities itself. They have some 1 and under children in a nursery, and we really enjoyed spending time holding them and playing with them. Then there’s the baby house which houses toddlers, and they’re crazy! They have so much energy, which makes playing with them very fun (unless you get peed on) and tiring. Then there are kids and teens of all ages; being so many it’s hard to remember names and to know who to spend time with, and (sometimes unfortunately) I assume the outgoing ones are usually the ones all the visitors gravitate towards. But we were able to makes some friends of kids and teens of all ages, which has been fun.
Thankfully the center has a visitor’s compound, which is where we stayed. At times breaks and silence and alone time were much needed, so it was really nice that they had this area reserved for visitors and staff only when you need to just get away for a little. We were able to spend a lot of time getting to know staff and other visitors while being there. It also proves to be a perfect place to pray, read, meditate, and come before God, which is essential for every single day. One always needs time to process and sort out what is being learned and seen and felt. But a special shout out to some of the awesome “long-termers” serving there: Laura, Sharon, Emily, Rebecca, Fiona, and everyone else – you girls (or ladies I should say) are the best!
In a moment of honesty (and blunt transition) I’ll now say that I’ve realized it becomes easier and easier to, over time, become numb in your heart and spirit to what is being seen and witnessed every day. You almost begin to accept what you see as “it’s just the way it is”. Preceding this type of trip and experience, you think to yourself, “Oh I am going to have so much love and compassion and brokenness for everyone I meet.” Sometimes this is true, sometimes it is not. There is not much glamour in “missions” (I really dislike using that word due to the misuse of it), and after a while every ounce of your own supposed love and compassion and brokenness starts to fade away due to the excessive immersion in this other world and way of living. Our own good intentions must be stripped away and replaced with something deeper that can only come from God Himself. What we have of ourselves isn’t good enough, and it just won’t last. It’s so important to become immersed in the love and compassion of God in brokenness so that we can use His to pour out to others. Jesus is the only answer, in every sense of the phrase. In the midst of this poverty, AIDS, sickness, and death, there are normal people living from day to day, not knowing anything different. It’s almost disrespectful to treat them with gross pity – they deserve to be treated with respect and decency. They’re just like you and me, just living in completely different circumstances, surrounded by more pain and suffering than most of us will ever experience. I must be broken in love and compassion for them as the Father is for them. And what I’ve also realized is that I must be equally broken in love and compassion for my family, friends, enemies, adversaries, and fellow Americans, rich and poor (just to name a few). You can’t pick and choose. We all have an equal need for Jesus, for redemption, for love, for grace, for mercy. I am such a hypocrite if I can come half way across the world to “love and minister” to those in need in Mozambique but fail to treat friends and family, needy and suffering, at home in the same manner. Not everyone has to live like an American; the most important thing is that everyone has the chance to believe in and follow Jesus, and has all of their basic needs provided for. That is what I’m realizing. If I’m wrong, I should hope God or someone will correct me. Also, just to throw out another little fact, the average person makes only $2-$4 a day in Mozambique. That should make you and me think twice about how we spend our money.
It really was an incredible experience there. As I said, we have recently arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, and after our time here we will be traveling to India. I ask that you please keep India in your prayers, as we don’t really have a definite plan or mission yet. We’re trusting God to place on our hearts His perfect will and desire, and that He will connect with the right people in the right places. He has been faithful in every way, and will not fail to be the same now.
Thanks to those who continue to read and support. If it be many or few, it does not matter, we just say thank you. This trip is not for you or us, it is for the Lord.
We miss all of you, our friends and family in America.
God bless.
With Love,
Nielsen and Devon
P.S. For more info on Iris Ministries, visit their website: www.irismin.org/p/home.php
Also, I just posted some new pictures on facebook. Visit my site to view them: facebook.com/negreiner (Around the World Pt. 2 photo album).
