My heart has been heavy this weekend as the Iris Chimoio team sent us pictures of damage from a terrible storm. As I poured out my heart to God, I was overcome with different emotions.

I was so unbelievably thankful for the safety of our beautiful children during the storm. Some of them were afraid to die as they heard sounds of the metal roof lifting off the room next to their bedrooms. All of them are safe and sound. This relieved my anguish. But their home is damaged, and their meeting room is unusable. The children, staff, and missionary volunteers had already been busy planning a special church service in the newly remodeled meeting room. Our place of worship is open to the elements with electrical wires hanging from wooden beams over head.

Worship for resurrection Sunday will move to the little study/tv room; and each Sunday afterwards until a heavier material roof can be bought to cover the meeting room.

This roof being repaired is one concern among many. Our hearts are devastated for the poor around the city of Chimoio who suffered damage to their houses during the same storm. We know that they are already facing a harvest season without a harvest. Some families whose houses fell over in the rain have lost what little food stores they had saved. The burden is overwhelming. As we sit at God's feet, we remind Him that these are His children: Hungry, and now without shelter!
It's too much. It's far too heavy a burden.

We pray and wonder what will happen to them without help? I feel like the words of the Bible about facing famines, destruction, and rumors of war explain our present reality, not some 'end times' distant prophecy.

My husband and I have spent hours communicating with our staff, children, and team this weekend. We were so tired. We just finally closed our eyes past midnight, but I couldn't even sleep. The real pressing needs of our children and neighbors weighed heavy on my heart.

Then my husband thought that I might be delirious with emotion, when I asked him if he could smell the smell of fresh bread. In the middle of the night wafts of hot fresh bread filled my nostrils. I kept asking Joao, "Can you smell fresh hot bread?" I repeated, "Can you smell the sweet smell of fresh baked bread?"

I would take long deep breaths of sweet fragrant air. I felt like Jesus filled me, and I wasn't sad or overwhelmed as I breathed in the fragrance of freshly baked bread. I was breathing in the sweet, cleansing presence of God and exhaling worry and sadness.
I knew it was Jesus in my room. Holy Spirit sent me comfort and rest. I remembered that God promises food for the hungry. The verse from Isaiah 55:1 came to mind as I savored the sweet smell of fresh bread and I was satisfied. We can never go hungry when we feast on bread from Heaven! We are transformed from the inside out as we eat of Jesus flesh and drink the blood from his side. Like Mama Heidi's vision of Jesus, we see Jesus as the sacrificial lamb who pours out his blood for us. We take His extended hand, and trust that he died so that there will always be enough.

We don't cry out only for their physical needs to be met, but that their lives will be continually transformed as they live for Jesus. We long to see the church transformed as we trust God for His abundance.

Jesus. My beautiful bridegroom Jesus. Our beautiful bridegroom- King Jesus! He is abundance! We are dead to sinful nature and made alive in Him, Christ lives in us.
Joao and I are asking for prayer for Iris Chimoio and the surrounding area. As I mentioned above, terrible weather has torn through the roof of the Iris Chimoio meeting room- directly adjacent to the boy's bedrooms - where we have church. Thankfully no one was injured - the children were afraid, but their rooms are secure. Thank you Jesus for keeping the children safe. Iris Chimoio needs a strong heavy roof over the boy's house. The workers are busy salvaging material and fixing what they can. Friends are praying and helping in many ways.

Please pray for Chimoio. Lots of homes were damaged, and many roofs were destroyed this weekend. The Iris Chimoio team is concerned about poor families' mud and traditional houses that have lost their roof during the storm. Many families with little resources will need to cover their weather damaged houses.
The Iris Chimoio family understands the vulnerability of having your home damaged in bad weather.
The team at Iris Chimoio wants to adopt a family in need and give plastic to cover their mud house- please pray for the team to be able to respond to these needs with courage, faith, and generosity.

The team is also concerned that many families in Chimoio and the Provence of Manica will be facing hunger this year because there has been a terrible drought. They won't have food to harvest because the rains came far too late and far to heavy - destroying any hope of a meager harvest this season.Some families have lost everything. Food prices are already expensive and rising. The Iris Chimoio team along with the 35 Iris Global churches in Manica Provence want to help provide food for the most needy families in their communities in the Manica Provence throughout this year. We would like to help these pastors reach out to approximately 2000 people.

Lets build them up with prayers, resources, and encouragement as the workers keep stepping out in faith to encourage the body of Christ in Chimoio and Manica.
The team is thanking God in all things and going forward with Jesus. We are so blessed to be among family. We know the arm of the Lord is not to short! We recognize our weakness and cry out to God as his children who he has given a covenant promise. Isaiah 59:20, 21. We trust Jesus to smush our enemies!

My husband and I felt like king David in anguish, so did our team. The words from the poet Malcolm Guite were too true, "It's hard to see through tears, but sometimes it's the only way to see."....but we grow weary from crying. David trumps this beautiful thought by crying out to God, and proclaiming Papa God is our shelter! 2 Samuel 22. The whole chapter trumpets God's banner over his children who cry out to Him.

We love each dear friend who takes our case up to Jesus! Jesus, who never stops interceding for us. We pray Jesus' richest blessing fills your heart, and spirit, and overwhelms your body as you are filled with fresh bread from heaven!

Lots of Love,
Jennifer and Joao Wenningkamp