Mozambique 2011

We have had five days with Bishop Machado and his family in Mozambique.  As many of you know Mozambique and our friends there are very special to me.  One of the gifts of our global church is developing friendships and relationships with persons in the United Methodist Church around the world.  My colleague Bishop Machado and I had the opportunity to strenghtened the tie between churches and pastors in Mozambique and Missouri over a period of 12 years.  Several hundred people from Missouri went to Mozambique on VIM and relationship building trips and dozens of Mozambicans came to Missouri.  We learned from one another and shared what we had with one another.  One of the many blessings of this connection was the opportunity to get to  know Bishop Joao Somane Machado and his wife Nocia and their four children Thyrza, Sergio, Beth, and Jorge.  We have visited many times in each other's homes and all the children were educated here in the States and made my Missouri home headquarters in between times.  We are family to one another.  Several years ago I went to Mozambique to preform Thyrza's wedding to Ricardo Person and on this trip I was able to get acquainted with their two little sons Tevin and Glen and visit in their home and in the home of Ricardo's grandmother. What fun we had. We also spent time with Beth and her little baby Melody and Jorge and his girlfriend. Krissy and Max, Wayne's daughter and my grandson, had no trouble crossing the language barrier.  There was lots of playing ball, running, dancing and even playing UNO together.  One yells Azur and the other blue.  It does not take long.  Bishop Machado remarked while watching the younger children play, "If only the world could relate as these children relate, violence and misunderstandings would end."  It is such a hopeful experience to watch the children.