Day 4: You Can't Get Back to Narnia the Same Way Twice
Our First Full Day in Maputo, Mozambique!!!
I’m not sure if it’s due to getting older or the recency effect of 48 hours of travel, but time seems warped to me recently. The fact that it has been two years since I was last in Mozambique is wild! The conversations with the pastors and our family across the world truly seem so natural, as if no time has passed. The roads are familiar, and the excitement has not dwindled.
The morning started off with breakfast. While a few people are staying at a hotel right around the corner, the majority of our group is being hosted by a sweet woman named Rose at Casa Koinonia! She is a faithful woman of God and an anointed scrambled egg maker!
Maggie led us through a devotion in Ephesians 6, encouraging us to put on the full armor of God. Also a faithful woman of God, yet a slightly less anointed scrambled egg maker—she is loved regardless!
After breakfast and our devotion, we piled into our two vans and headed out to a new church pastorerd by a man named Pastor Xavier that's called Praça de Adoração!
New character alert!! You likely haven’t heard of Pastor Xavier because we all just met him today! Pastor Xavier is part of the Acts 29 church planting network, which The Corners Chapel recently joined as well. Even though we had never met Pastor Xavier before today, it already felt like we were among family.
I’m not sure if it’s due to getting older or the recency effect of 48 hours of travel, but time seems warped to me recently. The fact that it has been two years since I was last in Mozambique is wild! The conversations with the pastors and our family across the world truly seem so natural, as if no time has passed. The roads are familiar, and the excitement has not dwindled.
The morning started off with breakfast. While a few people are staying at a hotel right around the corner, the majority of our group is being hosted by a sweet woman named Rose at Casa Koinonia! She is a faithful woman of God and an anointed scrambled egg maker!
Maggie led us through a devotion in Ephesians 6, encouraging us to put on the full armor of God. Also a faithful woman of God, yet a slightly less anointed scrambled egg maker—she is loved regardless!
After breakfast and our devotion, we piled into our two vans and headed out to a new church pastorerd by a man named Pastor Xavier that's called Praça de Adoração!
New character alert!! You likely haven’t heard of Pastor Xavier because we all just met him today! Pastor Xavier is part of the Acts 29 church planting network, which The Corners Chapel recently joined as well. Even though we had never met Pastor Xavier before today, it already felt like we were among family.
Pastor Chase preached the message on "What Is the Church?", which was the same message he preached a few weeks ago at The Corners. We dove into how the Church today is the 29th chapter of Acts! Although I heard this sermon a few weeks ago, there is something so special about hearing the Word of God translated and proclaimed in different corners of the world!
After the service, we got a tour of the neighborhood and shared a meal afterward, and the time of fellowship felt so special.
One final note about this church, the setup was actually pretty similar to the "Church in the Round" setup we're using this summer at TCC! Depending on where you were sitting, you could look across the room and see your brothers and sisters in Christ worshipping. It was a beautiful sight and another reminder of how similar we are amidst our differences!
After the service, we got a tour of the neighborhood and shared a meal afterward, and the time of fellowship felt so special.
One final note about this church, the setup was actually pretty similar to the "Church in the Round" setup we're using this summer at TCC! Depending on where you were sitting, you could look across the room and see your brothers and sisters in Christ worshipping. It was a beautiful sight and another reminder of how similar we are amidst our differences!
Pastor Chase here for just a second! If you attend The Corners, you may remember me mentioning the Acts 29 Church Finder which is a tool that helps you find a gospel-centered church when you're traveling. Well, it doesn't just work in the U.S.; it works all over the world! Less than a week ago, through the Church Finder and a few Acts 29 connections, I was introduced to Pastor Xavier. Today, we had the privilege of worshipping with his church, sharing a meal together, and I even had the opportunity to preach. It's a great reminder that the Church is so much bigger than our local congregation, and we're incredibly thankful to be part of a global family of churches.
Okay, back to Ari!
Okay, back to Ari!
After church, we had another new face to go meet!
However, with Adi, Michka, and myself on this trip, we were bound to find a coffee shop first! It did not disappoint!
We eventually made our way to the home of Pastor George. He is not only the father of Paulo (a worship leader here in Maputo who has been a friend our church since 2022) but Pastor George the new bishop overseeing Pastor Benedito's denomination of more than 20,000 people! The humility, kindness, and love we were greeted with could only come from the Spirit. It too was a special moment as we got to hear from our Mozambican brothers and sisters.
Today was a day of new experiences in Mozambique for all of us!
At dinner, Pastor Chase encouraged us that although many of us have been on this trip before, whether we are first-timers or returners, we shouldn't come expecting to simply recreate what God did in years past. He quoted a line from The Chronicles of Narnia:
"You cannot get back to Narnia the same way twice."
The point wasn't really about Narnia. It was that God rarely works in the exact same way twice. If we spend this trip chasing old memories, we might miss the new things God wants to do right in front of us. So we're praying with open hands, asking Him to surprise us again.
The goal on this trip is not just to replicate what we have seen or experienced, either in real time or through stories from previous years. Our prayer is for a freshness to fall over this nation as well as ours back in America.
While today was so enjoyable, the night ended with the news of Meka's grandfather passing away. Please keep her in your prayers, and pray for peace and comfort for her family during this difficult time.
We love you guys. Thank you for following along on this trip with us, believing in this mission, faithfully praying for us, and allowing us to represent our church family here in Mozambique.
We'll check back in tomorrow!
However, with Adi, Michka, and myself on this trip, we were bound to find a coffee shop first! It did not disappoint!
We eventually made our way to the home of Pastor George. He is not only the father of Paulo (a worship leader here in Maputo who has been a friend our church since 2022) but Pastor George the new bishop overseeing Pastor Benedito's denomination of more than 20,000 people! The humility, kindness, and love we were greeted with could only come from the Spirit. It too was a special moment as we got to hear from our Mozambican brothers and sisters.
Today was a day of new experiences in Mozambique for all of us!
At dinner, Pastor Chase encouraged us that although many of us have been on this trip before, whether we are first-timers or returners, we shouldn't come expecting to simply recreate what God did in years past. He quoted a line from The Chronicles of Narnia:
"You cannot get back to Narnia the same way twice."
The point wasn't really about Narnia. It was that God rarely works in the exact same way twice. If we spend this trip chasing old memories, we might miss the new things God wants to do right in front of us. So we're praying with open hands, asking Him to surprise us again.
The goal on this trip is not just to replicate what we have seen or experienced, either in real time or through stories from previous years. Our prayer is for a freshness to fall over this nation as well as ours back in America.
While today was so enjoyable, the night ended with the news of Meka's grandfather passing away. Please keep her in your prayers, and pray for peace and comfort for her family during this difficult time.
We love you guys. Thank you for following along on this trip with us, believing in this mission, faithfully praying for us, and allowing us to represent our church family here in Mozambique.
We'll check back in tomorrow!
Recent
Archive
2026
January
February
April
2025
2024
June
July
October
November
The Gift of Seeking and Finding RefugeNeeded RestThe Lord is NearLessons in the DarknessWe will not fearWhere is my identity?The Power Behind the Armor of GodBoasting in Christ AloneWhat Does It Mean To Serve?Dying to Christ DailyThe Blessing at the BottomDoing & FeelingBring Your Tears to the LordSitting in MessyCreated in Christ for Good WorksFaithful Love is God's Multitude of MerciesCan't Stop, Won't Stop
1 Comment
So grateful everyone made it safely and to hear how God is already working in and through you! Can’t wait to hear more and what God will do!!