The Mozam' Beacon

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Regular recipients of The Mozam' Beacon may have thought Kevin
and Mindy disappeared with a *poof* and a cloud of smoke, there not having been an
edition put out since late March. See the second headline below for an explanation of the
long silence.]

WHIRLWIND "WHAT WE'RE DOING" TOUR BEGINS IN U.S.

On May 16, Kevin's feet landed on American soil, and his eyes fell upon Mindy for the first
time in three-and-a-half months. What followed was "The Hug Heard 'Round the World with
Assorted Smooching Noises." It was a reunion reminiscent of Forrest Gump and Jenny,
although there was no climactic background music nor throngs of Vietnam War protestors
cheering for us. (No comments, please, about the other similarities you've noticed
between Kevin and Forrest Gump.)

The rest of May saw Kevin running errands and working in a childcare center, in
anticipation of a June that would include three weeks of camp, a week of VBS, and three
Sunday morning speaking engagements. Praise God for these stateside opportunities to
report on our ministry to the people of Mozambique!

Much of the month of July is still open, should there still be churches or other groups who'd
like to have us in to share. To inquire about scheduling something, send a note to
thebecks@mail.com or call (812) 987-7557.

DANGEROUS SURGE OF ELECTRICITY SPARES KEVIN, BUT ISN'T SO KIND TO
NOTEBOOK COMPUTER

One fine day in late April, just before time to send out another Mozam' Beacon (ahem), an
Electricity of Mozambique truck (of all things) ran into a utility pole in front of the Good
News for Africa compound. The pole was bent forward, allowing wires to touch and
sending potentially murderous levels of electricity through the phone line. The phone on
which Kevin had spoken to Mindy only minutes before was toasted, as was our Compaq
Presario notebook (the surge protector was useless as the electricity came in the wrong
end).

Upon returning to the US, Kevin shipped the laptop away for repairs, and got it back just
as his non-stop travel schedule was beginning. This edition comes to you courtesy of a
little free time he had during Monday evening of Vacation Bible School at Calvary
Christian Church in Sellersburg, IN (God bless them for their continual kindness).

WE WON'T BE WHISTLING "DIXIE"

Our entire ministry on the field thus far has been spent in the southern tip of Mozambique.
When we go back, however, we'll be spending most of the next year up north in Nampula,
the third largest city in Mozambique. We'll be helping Shawn and Sarah Gardner, also
missionaries with Good News for Africa, with an evangelism and discipleship ministry
they've started which has been successful to the point of their being overwhelmed.

Nampula has a couple of Mozambican institutions of higher learning that serve the northern
part of the country, and there are an estimated 10,000 students in the city. Shawn has
been meeting with a number of them who have dropped in to visit the "hangout" he opened
up downtown. He's been unable by himself to meet the demand of all who are interested in
the Gospel and want to be taught from the Bible. Kevin will help bear this burden, teaching
groups both large and small. He'll also be able to follow up on students he's had in the past
at the center in the south, travel out to the bush for seminars and preaching, and do a lot of
visiting in churches to which he's not been before.

Kevin will return to Mozambique in mid-August to finish packing things and send them via
air freight to Nampula. If all goes well, he'll be there by the time Mindy leaves the US in
September, and she should be able to fly right into Nampula to help begin the process of
finding a furnished apartment. Please help us pray that things will fall into place nicely as
we become Mozambican "yankees," and that our ministry there will be fruitful.

With many thanks for your continued prayers and support,
Kevin and Mindy Beck