[Beens Prayer Partners] we've arrived

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Dear friends,

Thank you so much for praying for us during our travels south through
Mozambique and into S. Africa. All and all travel went very well & we
arrived safely yesterday.

I do not yet have great internet access so this won't be a long note
but I did at least want to get word to you. Next Monday we'll travel
on from Nelspruit to Johannesburg where we'll have better internet
availability and will write more at that time.

Thanks and blessings,
Robin & Dan

[Beens Prayer Partners] we're off to travel

Hello to all,

 

We are heading out to South Africa Sunday morning at 6am our time about 10pm on Saturday night your time. We ask that you would pay for us as we will be driving for 4 days.  We have divided up the driving so that it is more managable.  In all we will be driving (one direction) the equivalent to about 1 and 3/4th length of California.  The road conditions will be poor in many areas and many places we will be on dirt, crater- filled roads, reaching perhaps a maximum of 25-30 mph for quite a distance.  There will be great distances where we will not be close to any person, no cell phone coverage, no gas stations, etc.. We are driving with two other families, they too have small kids so we are hoping we have built into our plan some kid friendly things (like manditory bathroom breaks). 

 

Please pray

1. That all three trucks will funtion well and we will have no mechanical problems.
2. That we would not run out of gas (we are taking extra gasoline and will stop at any fuel station we see even if we don't need gas at that point). 
3. That the kids would do well (this is an important one)!!!!!!
4. For good road conditoins, especially if it is raining. 
5. For a safe river crossing (we will be crossing by ferry). 
6. That no people or animals would run out in front of our trucks  (I am very serious, a lady ran out in front of Dan two days ago and he had to swerve off the road to avoid hitting her, this is very common) . 
7. For protection, that our trucks would not be broken into (they are loaded with luggage, fuel, food) at the various "hotels" we will stay in as we drive down. 

After sending this we will most likely be off-line until we reach S. Africa on Wed, but will try and check e-mails at that point.  Then throughout our time in S. Africa we will have occasional e-mail access.

 

Thanks and blessings,

Robin

 

[Beens Prayer Partners] Nov/Dec prayer letter

Dear friends,                                                                             November/December 2006

 

We pray you are doing well.  We are good, despite October having several stressful points.  Please note that this prayer report is for two months.  We have a full month of ministry ahead of us and then we’ll be heading to S. Africa at the end of the month for necessary doctor visits and a then a bit of a rest.

 

Praises:

• All our Nampula teammates are back!!!!  Shawn and Sarah arrived back in Nampula on Oct 9^th.  Jacob who was traveling back via car (and having car problems) ended up arriving by plane on Oct. 13^th.  He then left on the 23^rd via plane to go pick up his car and finish his travels home arriving once again on the 26^th.  His wife, Jaynie arrived back from the States on Friday the 27^th!  How nice it is to have a full team and we’re enjoying slowly being able to catch up with what has happened during their absence.  Also all our teammates who work in other cities managed to make it back safely from their furloughs as well.
• Weekend classes, 2 day per month classes and individual discipleship times are going well.  Several new people have come by and we pray they will be faithful in attendance.
• No illness!!  We’ve all been staying healthy!
• Karunia’s loud screams and Asher’s safety!!  For those who haven’t heard the story, we were enjoying a day at a local restaurant which has a swimming pool.  Well Asher managed to get back into the pool without his lifejacket and without any of the 9 adults around seeing him.  Karunia was screaming loudly and as Dan turned to ask her to stop screaming he realized why she was – Asher’s hair was the only thing that could be seen at water level.  Praise God with us that Karunia saw Asher and that he was completely okay!!!
• The other day Dan was waiting at the bank and had to ask to speak to the manager.  Later as he came back the manager had left a note wanting to see him.  Turns out the manager had walked by where Dan was preaching on Sunday and after talking with Dan a bit asked if he’d please come speak/help with a Bible study the man has started in his home on Tuesday nights.  He didn’t make it that day but we both plan to go next wk.  What a neat encounter and we are thankful for this new contact.
• October was a fun month of celebrating birthdays and eating lots of cake!

 

Requests:

• Neither of our two Mozambican friends delivered their babies this past month so please continue to pray for them.  Please pray all would go well during the end of their pregnancies and that the babies would be healthy and arrive without any complications.  Life here is so fragile and death is all around – many families won’t even name a baby until it is a month old because the infant mortality rate is so high.
• Pray for Domingos that he would truly repent and turn back to God.  Pray for the wife he abandoned, for the church in Muesiha who’s been orphaned and for the baby Christians there.  Pray that those in the community who’d been observing the Church and the Christians there would not be completely put off but that a door or window would remain open so that the message of Christ could be shared and accepted!
• Pray for Joaquin (one of Dan’s disciples) and his family as they’ve recently had a “bread oven” constructed in their yard and are starting a “business” so that they can be self-sustaining while doing ministry.  Also they are involved in a new church which is set to begin next Sunday, the 6^th.  Pray for this new church – that God would be glorified in it all.
• Pray for Dan as he preaches several Sundays this month
• Pray for Dan’s class as it finishes up this month – 3 Saturdays left!
• Russell and Shannon Vaughn are currently in route for Mozambique to do an internship with our team here in Nampula as well as the team in Montepuez.  Pray for safety in travel, for a great internship and for God’s guidance as they seek where he’d like to them to serve full-time
• Pray for our travel:  that we and the people we’re caravanning with wouldn’t have any car problems.  Pray for content children (11 kids ages 9 and down between the 3 families).  Pray for safety on route - each day will have quite a bit of driving on mostly terrible roads and for much of that there will be no one around and no cellular service.  Below is our “planned” itinerary.
• Nov. 26^th leave Nampula for Mocuba – 6 hrs
• Nov 27^th leave for Inchope – 8 hrs plus the river crossing
• Nov 28^th – leave for Xai-Xai – 11 hrs
• Nov 29^th – leave for Nelspruit, S. Africa – 6 hrs plus border crossing
• Dec 4^th – drive to Jo’burg for time of rest (great roads – 4 hrs)
• Dec 16^th or 17^th – drive to Maputo, Moz – (great roads - 6 hrs plus border crossing)
• Dec. 18^th leave for Vilanculos – 6 or 7 hrs
• Dec 19^th – leave for Inchope – 8 hrs
• Dec 20^th – leave for Mocuba – 8 hrs
• Dec 21^st – leave for Nampula – 6 hrs
• Pray all our doctor/dentist visits would go well during our time in Nelspruit
• Pray for rest and relaxation and renewal during our time in Johannesburg

 

We will try to communicate some while gone, however most of our internet connection will be done through web-mail at an internet café.  I do promise to let you know when we arrive safely in S. Africa.  In case we forget – have a great Thanksgiving!!!

 

Thanks for your support.

 

Robin & Dan

 

 

PS – Just as I was sending this we received word that Viloria is in labor and Dan will be taking her to the hospital in about 30 minutes!!!!