Love this Time of Year!!!

I absolutely love this time of year!!! All the preparations before Christmas, decorating our home, buying gifts, planning for the "perfect" Christmas Eve (that's when we do most of the celebrating, we just eat and rest on the 25th...) and the kids anxioulsy waiting for what's behind the all that wrapping paper??? It's almost sad when it's all over...

But then when you look up and ahead we have an entire new year ahead of us!!! 2010 hasn't yet begun and we don't know what those 365 days will hold, exciting exciting!!! What we do know is that the Holy Spirit has adventures that He wants to take us to, miracles that are waiting for us in this new year and that He has promised to be with us even the days that are tough and when unexpected things happen. We have such an awesome God! He is with us every step of the way, He promised never to leave, He is the God of joy, love, peace and miracles. He is faithful, He's our deliverer and Savior! He is Jesus, the Risen One, the Mighty One, the Beautiful One! Wow, how great to enter a new year with Him!!!

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills—

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—

he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you—

the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm—

he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

Published: By: The Almqvists - 10:13 AM

A Friend For Life...

I just spent over 1,5 hour talking to one of my very best friends over skype... Marielle lives in Thailand and runs Mission SOS' base there together with her husband Per since 3 years back. Marielle is one of the sweetest, funniest, strongest and passionate women I know... She totally lives her life for Jesus, her family and the unreached in South East Asia. She planted a church inside the womens prison about 1,5 years ago and they have baptized so many women there. She constantly has stories to share how she stayed by a little sick baby boy's bed at the hospital all night since his mom couldn't be there because she was in prison, or how she took care of the abused woman that came to her door in the evening bleeding because her husband was beating her... Marielle has such passion and Christ-like love for people, she teaches me so much all the time. I haven't met her for 2 years now... oh I miss her...

My beautiful friend Marielle and her oldest son Noel

Years back we used to spend almost every waken hour together, we shared apartment, worked at the SOS office and travelled all over Sweden speaking on mission and preaching some as well. I love to listen to her! We've had so many crazy funny moment together while driving home at 2 am from a conference... Or watching our kids grow up. I love her so much and I am so blessed to have her in my life. While we were talking she had to run to get her youngest kid Melvin, a long snake had crawled into their yard so we had to end our conversation very fast!!!

/Martina

Published: By: The Almqvists - 10:42 PM

Imagine Something Worse Than Having No Water...

On this trip I have been thinking a whole lot on the situation in Same. There is such a great need of the Gospel among the Pare People. I have met with several pastors but they represent very few believers. The churches among the Pare People are very small in size. The greater part of this people adhere either to Islam, or they belong to the SDA (that is the Seventh Day Adventists, I know very little about them, think I have to do some reading up on them when I get home) or they have animistic beliefs. Statistically they are just over 600,000 in number and that just confirms the need of the Gospel to break through in their region.


That I know will happen and I also know that we, Mission SOS will be a part of that equation. God has planned something great for the Pare People and their time for salvation has come. On this I have sensed the favor of God on everything that we have worked with. Every meeting with pastors and church leaders has gone so smoothly and God has united people who have chosen to not work together in the past.

I sense history in the making as we begin to write HIS story among the Pare People.


Now back to my title for this entry. We all know that we as human beings need water to survive. We can go along time with out food but not so concerning water. Driving around Same I think I found something that in a way must be worse than not having water. In one of the suburbs, if you can even call it that, Masandare, there are three taps spread out for the public but they are only open twice a week for five hours each time. In the mean time, the tap has a pad lock. So, these people are in dire need of water and they can see the tap but is for the most part locked. That to me must be even harder than not having water at all...


Yesterday started early... We left for Same at 0600. We were scheduled to meet with a representative for the District Commissioner (DC). We arrived in Same early and were invited for tea at the house of a pastor that we had not yet met. It turned out that he is the Bishop over the region for one of the denominations. There had been some church politics in the past that had led to him not wanting to be a part of the fellowship. But after tea at his home, he gladly welcomed us to Same and vowed to be a part of the festival committee and work for the event. God just performed another miracle in front of our eyes.

Then it happened. As we arrive at the place for our meeting with the government official, Pastor Shoo's phone rings and a man at the other end asks where we are. Why are you not here at the DC's office? He has been waiting since this morning for you. (We had the evening before been told that the DC would not be available since he was out of town...)

We quickly drove up to his office and waited for the meeting he was in to end. When it did we were welcomed in. There was the DC himself along with the DED - the District Executive Director, the Administrative Director, the Intelligence Officer and a technical water engineer. Until the day before these people had all been unavailable. But again, God turned things in our favor.

The DC welcomed us and said that they would support us in any way possible and that we should just let his office know and he would take of business for us. WOW! It was an intense morning but it is always interesting to walk with God!

C U soon! Published: By: The Almqvists - 7:09 AM

An African Experience and Jesus as the Healer...

Yes, this weekend I had a great African experience. I was invited to attend a wedding. It was two of Pastor Glorious co-workers, one pastor and one accountant, that were to be wedded. When we got to the church there was another wedding taking place and then before the one we were to attend, there was one more scheduled... so I got to see three ceremonies in one afternoon. It turned out to be a loooonnnnggg afternoon that ended sometime at night after a great reception dinner.


Then on Sunday I was invited first to preach at Pastor Glorious church International Christian Community (ICC) Church. Their first service is at 7am and usually has the highest attendance. This Sunday morning they suffered badly due to the wedding the previous evening. But God had given me a word for the church and His Spirit ministered to the people that had gathered.

After a cup of morning tea, I was taken to El-Shaddai church where I was to preach for the second time this morning (keep in mind that it is not 10am yet). There were no non-believers present and when I made my second invitation an elderly man, probably in his seventies came to the front. I asked him what his need was and he said that he had suffered from very bad eyesight for almost a year. I laid my hands on him and command life to return and a healing to take place. He then said that something happened and that he now could see some light. I continued with my translator to pray a second time and when asked, he was shining like a sun because now he could see. HALLELUJAH!


King Jesus still has one more move left. It doesn't matter what life throughs at you or where you may find yourself, it may even seem like you are at check mate and that the devil has you squared away in a corner. But please remember that the King still has one more move...

This morning me and Pastor Glorious met with the regional church leaders here in Moshi and shared the vision collectively with them. After talking for about an hour and a half the chairman for the Pentecostal pastors in Kilimanjaro Region turns to me and says that we will now make this our mission and in whatever way that they can be of assistance that we should let them know through Pastor Glorious.

I tell you my friend that God is up to something great here in Tanzania and specifically in Same next year. I can sense it in everything that we do. The favor of God is here is such an awesome way.

Thanks for praying for me...

God is so GOOD!

C U soon again! Published: By: The Almqvists - 10:22 AM

Writing Church History...

Back in Moshi, I now have access to the Internet again. The past couple of days have been so interesting. Just sitting back in the midst of activity, to watch God at work is phenomenal. On Wednesday we, Pastor Glorious Shoo and myself drove down to Same to meet some pastors to simply share the vision of what we want to achieve in Same next year.

One of the local pastors in Same, Pastor Charles Hangi had invited pastors from all the denominations and gathered were 18 pastors. Pastor Shoo and myself shared how God had connected us and how He had spoken about Same. They were all excited to hear our plans and invited us to their region.

We also had time to drive around in Same to get acquainted with the town and the surrounding areas. We found a football (soccer) pitch that will be a great site for the festival. It is located next to a market place and close to the main road that passes through Same. This will make it easily accessible and a well known place that people will find with ease.




When then had to return to Moshi for the night since we had an early morning meeting with the Regional Commissioner (read Governor). She is a Member of Parliament and appointed to this position by the President. Madame Mbega was very happy to hear our plans of both bringing the Gospel to Same as well as bring water to the people. She confirmed that there is a great need of water in the Same region. Again we saw the favor of God ahead of us.

More than once on this trip, Pastor Shoo and myself have looked at each other in amazement if how God's favor is working on our behalf. After lunch we headed back to Same for a meeting with the Lutheran Bishop in the region. We meet him over dinner and he was at first a bit hesitant and wanted to meet again to discuss this and try to create unity among the leaders before making this public. But then it happened... the Holy Spirit took over and worked in his heart. All of a sudden he says several times: "I am convinced that this is a good thing" and in doing so welcomed us to the region and opened up his churches to be a part of the event. God is so faithful...

This morning we drove out to one of the wards outside the town, where the need of water is very real. They have taps on a government pipe line but they are pad locked and only opened for five hours twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays from 7am - 1pm. We saw people come with their buckets to buy water at the tap. This morning however there were less people than usual because it had rained some the past few days. The people gather the rain water so that they do not have to buy water. Even if the water is cheap, for someone that has no money, they choose to drink the not so clean rain water.

We then returned to Same to meet with the District Executive Director (DED). We managed to set up a meeting with the District Commissioner, DED, and the Water Engineer for Tuesday next week. God is really using this water well project to open up doors. Everyone that we have talked to so far all confirm that water is the greatest need in the Same district.

We will bring in water but then like Jesus we will offer them the water of Life that will be like a fountain of life, rushing forth on the inside and they will thirst no more. Jesus meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well speaks to strongly into this region. THE WATER OF LIFE THAT QUENCHES ALL THIRST IS ABOUT TO BE POURED OUT IN A DRY LAND.

Before returning to Moshi, we again met with the pastors and formed an organizing committee that will work with the preparations for the festival. They have never been part of a project of this size and magnitude so please PRAY FOR THEM. We will also make sure that we bring in some leaders that Pastor Shoo recommends. They will bring in wisdom and well needed guidance.



WOW what a week so far... Tomorrow I get to attend a Tanzania wedding, perhaps three...

Check back soon for more from the Field General...

C U soon! Published: By: The Almqvists - 1:59 PM

Spectacular morning view...

I arrived in Tanzania late last night and it was pitch black, just the way Africa is after sunset. My friend Pastor Glorious Shoo and his wife Josephine met me at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drove me to my hotel in Moshi. So I knew where I was, but when driving in pitch black darkness it is hard to keep your directions straight all the time. So when I went to bed after traveling for over 24 hours, I crash quickly. Then this morning it happened. I woke up with sun rays filling my room through the gaps in the drapes. As I pull the drapes apart I am met by this spectacular view. I see Mt Kilimanjaro in all is splendor and stand in awe of God's creation. (Yes, I took this photo myself...)


God had given me a word this morning for Pastor Glorious staff: depend on the Anointing! Be like the wise virgins in Matt 25 who brought extra oil. Carry the anointing into every situation!

Today has been full of miracles and Divine encounters. I have today had the privilege to sit down with regional leaders from the main denominations in Tanzania and after briefly sharing God's vision for Same, they all welcomed us with open hands and wished us peace in our preparations. They all echoed the fact that Same is a dry place - both spiritually and physically. So when I mentioned that we are not only bring the Gospel of Jesus to the Pare people but that we are planning to dig water wells, they all got excited.

I strongly believe that God is up to something great in this region! I sense his favor in a strong way over the preparations, that have barely begun...

Tomorrow morning I will get up early and together with Pastor Glorious drive down to Same... I can not wait!

C U soon again! Published: By: The Almqvists - 2:14 PM

Open Your Eyes

Last week was a busy week, but oh so great! I met so many new, wonderful people, moms at Josefina's friends birthday party, people at the outreach down at Southside here in Pittsburgh etc... have you noticed that if we just take a moment and open our eyes there are so many great people all around us!!! I absolutely fell in love with a very special group of people last week... Our students at MCM Ministry School - oh they are so wonderful, fun, eager to learn, passionate, so in love with Jesus and the list could go on... When I was teaching them on Friday I just felt that they entered into my heart like never before. I just know that so many of them will do great things for Jesus!

So, Peter left for Tanzania yesterday and should be landing at Kilmajaro Airport anytime now. He will be in the town of Same for 10 days to koordinate our Signs & Wonders Festival that Mission SOS is arranging there in May next year. I am so proud of him!!! Michael and Josefina asked me yesterday; "is he gonna be there all alone? No one there to help him?" And I said, "Yes, isn't your daddy the best, that he can do that all alone???" (Well, he's not alone, the Holy Spirit is with him, but not any human being...) And they were very proud of their dad. They can't wait to go there in May!

I have to run now, have to wake Lucas up and go pick up Josefina at school. Remember; open your eyes today and see all the incredible people around you!

/Martina

Published: By: The Almqvists - 9:27 PM