Moving in… Moving on…

On Monday, we dumped several loads of stuff at our new house. Living room, kitchen, 2 bedrooms and bathroom stacked with boxes packed one and a half years ago. How do you start? Tomorrow… or the next day.

So on Tuesday, I put the kids in the car with Adriana… a friend needing a break from the hectic Tete heat. Mikael wanted to stay and work on Exodus, put beds together, and meet with the translators. We were off to the Bible College in the mountains for another load of stuff. 3.5 hours away. Cooler climate… quiet area… no noisy neighbors. 2 nights away, good conversation, kids excited about seeing the kittens and excited to be heading back to Tete… a new home… again.

Wednesday night there was a storm with power cuts normal for this time of the year. Midnight brought what I’ve always been able to avoid: a break-in. I quickly found out what I’d do if someone tried to break into my house and I was there… and awake (I’ve always prayed that if it happened, I’d stay asleep). I grabbed a flashlight and looked out the window. I yelled, “get out of here… you can’t come in!” I prayed. I ran to the phone and found no one to answer. I woke Adriane.

We stood together praying, telling 3 guys with a gun that we didn’t have much money… we don’t live there, we are just visiting. They never touched us. Demanding cell phones and money and rummaging for more in every room, they found what they wanted and left.

The kids had heard the noise and woke up. John and Jake saw the guys dumping drawers, but didn’t understand the Portuguese. Katie called from the bedroom they never entered, stuck on the top bunk in the very dark darkness. Later, we stood together, all 5 in a hallway without windows and thanked God for His protection. We prayed for God to send them far away and keep us safe. We prayed for the power to come back. Then… we sat down to wait… listening to the steady rain on the tin roof… hoping that “they” would not come back. Wondering what was missing, but not wanting to lead them to anything they missed in case they were waiting.

No phones… no neighbors… no watchmen showing up to find out what happened. At 4am, power came on and I looked out the window. Our car was gone. They had found the keys! They wouldn’t be coming back, and that alone was a relief! Wandering through the mess they left, I just wanted to put my things together and get home. I wanted to call Mikael and tell him what happened. I wanted the police, but in the darkness and rain, neither of us thought it wise to walk to the station!

Sunrise. Kids dozing on the mattresses we shoved together in one room. The watchman comes. I explain. He goes to the police. 6am. Pastors and teachers and their wives come by to see how we are and say that they are sorry. 8am, I’m explaining to the police what happened and asking them to help. By 10 am, I’m back home with the kids and the police come to look things over. I can sign the statement in the afternoon.

Things work out and we get a ride with a dear friend who was passing through and glad to be of help. Once again I’ve been blessed by friends in ways I cannot begin to repay. Thanks. God bless you back! Back in Tete our family is reunited. Our house is still disorganized. It is so hot you sweat constantly. We shower about 3 times a day just to cool off. But, we are together where we somehow know that God has placed us here for His glory. Our struggle brings out the best in our friends. Very slowly things are working out. BUT the police report is still delayed, so we can’t do anything about getting the insurance worked out. Finding a car won’t be easy either.

Thanks for your prayers. A week has gone by and we still have a lot to work out. Just glad we don’t have to do it alone!