Better News than a Lottery Win!

Imagine sitting infront of that 'one-eye-monster' (that's our TV monitors) and holding on tight to your lottery ticket.  The numbers are scrolling down the screen .... slowly.  24 - 3 - 17 ..... and you realize that you have those 3 numbers.  You squeeze that lottery ticket in desperation.  Imagine what you could do with US$ 35 Million.  ''Yes", you promise yourself .... "10 % to the church, a lot to my favorite charity, a holiday .... I deserve it .... it was a touch year."  The presenter, cold and in anticipation .... calls out the last 3 numbers: "37 - 47 .... ".  You look at your card and still the numbers match.  Your heart is beating uncontrollably - "but don't worry .... after winning this I will go for my annual checkup and pay for a year's gym ... " you think!

It was a joy to see pastors do their practical training before they were released into the community.        

The acting was even better as they tried to explain the Heart of Man evangelism chart to each other.

I've seen this kind of desperation and anticipation a week or what ago.  I was in Morrumbala.  Nobody has ever heard of a 'lottery' or what it means.  Their eyes are fixed on what I am teaching.  It's like a movie playing .... nobody moved.  The topic:  Well something many churches has forgotten about and hardly preach about these days.  'Friendship Evangelism'.  The church was packed with more than 70 pastors and leaders who travelled more than 150 km to attend the teaching.  One pastor stood up with a sad story.  He said:  'Friend, 7 years ago a 'travelling' missionary dropped of these Heart of Man Charts you are teaching about.  He never taught us .... he just left and we didn't know how to use them.  And here you are after many prayers and years to teach how to use this to help our friends understand God's love."  Sad .... but a reality in the areas we work.  Sometimes Bibles are dropped and these 'flying angels' leave not knowing that a witchdoctor got hold of all the boxes and he uses them to control communities.

  

The woman wasn't behind at all and we had some serious woman pastors attending.

Two great men explaining the chart to each other.  Brother Abel was a visiting South African missionary who joined us in the training.

When it was time to let the ladies go out into the community there was a lot of interest in what they had to share.

Anyway .... this was a joyous occasion.  There was a lot of teaching and a lot of practical learning happening in Morrumbala.  I came to Morrumbala because of a young pastor I met about 10 years ago. He died at the age of 29 but before he died he pleaded and I promised that I would visit the Zambezia Province to teach friendship evangelism.  Although somewhat emotional it was great to fulfill this promise.  Enough talking ..... I will let the pictures share the story.

  

We were literally in the middle of a busy community and pastors could hardly wait to share their news!

An older lady hears the salvation story of Jesus Christ for the first time in her mother tongue.

Pastors saying 'thank you' in a prayer at the end of the training.

The team of heroes ...... at the end of the seminar.

Independence Day - Mozambique

Our workers at the mission base participated in the activities with their own banner.

Flag ceremony with the whole community showing up for the occasion.

The political leader of our area, Chef do Posto paying homage to the memory of lost soldiers during the Civil War in Mozambique.

On a day like this there is always a lot of food ready!

Small donuts being prepared for the feast!

The day was filled with much singing, dancing and dramas showing the history of the country!

DID YOU KNOW?

The first inhabitants of what is now Mozambique were the San hunters and gatherers, ancestors of the Khoisani peoples.  Between the 1st and 5th centuries AD, waves of Bantu-speaking peoples migrated from the north through the Zambezi River valley and then gradually into the plateau and coastal areas.  The were farmers and ironworkers.

Then an old friend, Vasco de Gama, exploring for Portugal, reached the coast of Mozambique in 1498. Arab trading settlements had existed along the coast for several centuries, and political control of the coast was in the hands of some sultans.  Muslims had actually lived in the region for quite some time.  Most of the local people had embraced Islam.

SOME HISTORY

From about 1500, Portuguese trading posts and forts became regular ports of call on the new route to the east.  There is a long history of where Portugal neglected Mozambique and its people.  A Cotton concessionary system was started and Mozambicans were forced to work up to 150 days a year on their fields (1 hectare per male, 1/2 hectare per female).  Africans could only sell their cotton for African low prices, while Europeans had special high selling prices.  Mozambicans knew cotton as the "mother of all poverty" during this time, and intense periods of poverty and starvation were fairly common.

Mozambique became independent after 10 years of sporadic warfare in Mozambique and Portugal's return to democracy through a leftist military coup in Lisbon on 25 April 1974.  Frelimo took control of the territory after a transition period, as agreed in the Lusaka Accord.  Official independence from Portugal was on 25 June, 1975.

Portuguese population's rapid exodus left the Mozambican  economy in disarray.  The eruption of the Mozambican Civil War (1975 - 1992) destroyed the remaining wealth and left Mozambique in a state of absolute disrepair.

DEMOCRACY

Mozambique held elections in 1994.  By mid-1995 over 1.7 million refugees who had sought asylum in neighboring countries had returned to Mozambique, part of the largest repatriation witnessed in sub-Saharan Africa.  An additional 4 million internally displaced persons had returned to their homes.  In December 1999,  Mozambique held elections for a 2nd time since the civil war, which were again won by Frelimo.

Much of the economic recovery which has followed the end of the Mozambican Civil War (1975-1992) is being led by investors and tourists from neighbor South Africa and from East Asia.  An number of returning Portuguese nationals have also invested in  the country as well as some Italian organizations.  However, the country reamins as one of the poorest in the word.  (Facts from www.wikipedia.org)

(Photos taken by Heather Neufeld on 25 June 2012)

Woman in Northern Mozambique - a tough specie!

As I come closer to climb a hill with my Nissan my co-passengers anxiously ask me if I think it's wise to climb the steep embankment  to the church.  "No problem", I replied putting my small faith into action.  We did climb the steep hill successfully but not without a lot of dust and burning rubber.  My wife as usual just lifted her eyes towards heaven .... and I think I heard her say quietly "Thank you Lord" but I might have heard wrong.  I think.  Anyway ... my ego was still in place!

The church on a hill

Thirteen woman came running from the small church on a hill.  Singing, clapping hands and making those unique African sounds with their tongue.  We are serious about serving the woman of Africa too. "I had 6 children but only have 2 left", the one lady said with a shaky voice.  The other woman echoed her comment and we all felt extremely emotional listening to their stories.  "POVERTY KILLS" I though quietly.  Their stories where the same.  They have never been visited or cared for by anyone ever!  Alta Rauch decided to start a woman school where ladies would have the opportunity to learn how to read and write by using the Bible as tool.  Men allows this (which is truly amazing in this culture) because the Bible is being used.

Alta in serious mood as she teaches the ladies to persevere and continue their studies.

What was so sad about all of these ladies in a village near Chemba was that each one of them has lost children due to diseases.

Literacy is not the only project uplifting the woman.  Vegetable gardens, seed production and even a water pump is in the pipeline to help woman to look after themselves, their families and even play an economic role in their communities.

Alta handing out stationary for the ladies school.  Each school has 2 teachers with manuals written in their mother tongue so they can learn to read and write.

While sitting at this school I couldn't help to shed a tear.  There were very little food available - and they were living next to the mighty Zambezi river.  Due to a lack of water their crops failed!!!!  Our solar waterpump project has just started and gaining momentum to help these communities.

It's all about these wonderful women from Mozambique.  They seem to survive extreme poverty in ways I have not yet seen anywhere else.  True heroes!!

One of the most interesting visits even further north of the town Morrumbala was a woman group from the LOLO tribe.  They have never ever had a book or any writing in their mother tongue.  A program was also started in this isolated community to help them to read and eventually understand the BIBLE.

The women from the LOLO tribe in Northern Mozambique.

It took me forever to get these kids from the LOLO tribe to trust me with my camera.  I succeeded after about an hour.

Alta received so many chickens she could probably start a chicken farm.  This was a way for the community to say 'thank you - we appreciate the visit'.  And many times it would be the last chicken for someone.

The proud women school of the LOLO people.  It is the first school for ladies ever in the area.  They too will have their own manual in their mother tongue and will soon also be able to read the Bible and understand the Message!

The trip north deep into Mozambique showed us one thing again:  There are wonderful people and strong women who wants to change their world, who wants to change the effects of POVERTY ... if someone would just come and show the way!  Would you?

Another happy ladies group in Morrumbala.

Ladies came from everywhere.  By the time we reached this ladies school in Morrumbala it was late and raining.  

A lighter moment with wonderful kids in rural northern Mozambique.

I could just not resist when passing the small town of Chawawa.  It reminded me of my wife ... just like a Chawawa - small but heart of a lion.  (Hope my wife don't see this one!!)  A Chawawa is a very small dog if you didn't know - a dog with an attitude.  (Now I really pray my wife don't scroll down in this posting ... lol!!)

When a leader cries!

Libraries full of books have been written on the centuries old topic of  Leadership.  Is it just natural talent or a science that can be studied?  There are probably thousands of definitions on what leadership might mean.  The closest definition in my mind must be:  Being someone with influence.  Or as I usually tell bush leaders in Africa:  "When, in  your daily walk,  people follow you .... you're  probably a leader.

Our National Co-ordinator of our Bible Program, Ricardo Oliveira teaching the leaders from Chemba in their "see-through-church"!

Looking at Africa this seems far off sometimes.  The dictators around us with their strange political and economical leadership tends to show more of the dark side of leadership.  I have travelled north last week.  800 Km's to be exact.  The purpose of the visit was to encourage church and community leaders in 4 provinces - mostly in Northern Mozambique.  The topic of discussion was:  "Servant Leadership" - and it was actually something the 'true leaders' of Africa could couch me on.  I was again taken away by the special grace and leadership abilities of these quiet leaders of Africa.  They are like precious diamonds hiding deep in the soil of Africa.  You don't see them until you find them leading a church or community and the fruit of their leadership shines in the projects they lead.  Great men and women!

A pastor from Capanga touched by leadership issues!

Something that really stood out on my visit last week to Capanga (really in the middle of absolutely nowhere) while I was teaching on 'Leaders that serve' my eye caught a very emotional leader in the group.  He was crying.  In Africa I have hardly seen a man cry.  Maybe at the grave of his child .... but it is something you don't see often.  He cried.  I felt very emotional myself at the time ... not understanding why he too felt so emotional.  It was when I called him closer during a recess that he said: "I have been trying to teach Servant Leadership to my church ... but somehow never found the words.  You brought WORDS which I can now teach to my people who don't understand what leadership is truly about.  I cry for the lack of understanding and leadership in my community."  WOW.  Here is a man in the middle of nowhere who understood more about leadership than many men who wrote books about it.

This pastor reminded me of our ex-president of South Africa - Thabo Mbeki.  Making notes diligently. 

TIA - This is Africa!  Many use it as an excuse.  I, on the other hand see great men and women who not just understands leadership but are living true servant leadership.  VIVA!

CEREMONIES

One of the purposes of my visit to the various areas was to hand out certificates on behalf of ASAM for students successfully completing their studies.

Some of the students in Chemba receiving their certificates.

People were cramped into buildings to attend leadership classes.  Again the hunger was phenomenal.

More happy students from Capanga - glad that they too have not been forgotten.  I always believed we could go were Coca-Cola goes ... and further.  This was one of those places where Coca-Cola has not reached them yet.

PROJECTS

Students who cannot afford to study in our program start associations and agri projects like these next to the Zambezi river to pay for their studies.  It also feeds communities in the process.

Pastor Timoteo proudly waters his huge veggie garden.

TEACHING

Teaching leadership in a small church setting in rural Muracca.

Yet another church .... dark and cold inside .... but this doesn't stop the people to attend.

CARING

In the meantime ... outside the church ... women are preparing wonderful food for us to eat.

It's the WAY we travel that matters!

Traveling is part of our daily lives.  One can hardly think back and imagine how our forefathers (and mothers!) travelled in previous centuries.  Imagine that .... taking the donkey cart out for a quick drive to the Brady Family 90 miles away.  Could take you a week to visit and come back.  And somehow traveling in Mozambique makes me feel the same way - although I am traveling a bit faster on horrendous roads.  We just visited some remote areas next to the Zambezi river in central and northern Mozambique.  And when I say remote ... I mean extremely remote.  We even found a tribe north of the town Murrombala who speaks a very scarse dialect LOLO.  No Bible or written books available in this dialect.  Imagine that .... 21st century and no book or written material ever published!  Sad!

Anyway ... the purpose of our trip was mainly to encourage the leadership of our Bible Seminary Program.  We have about 700 pastors participating in our program and we annually visit all of them to motivate the team and teach on various topics.  I taught mainly on leadership and evangelism.  My wife tackled the Women Ministry programs that are being run in the various areas.

We covered 4 provinces (Manica, Tete, Sofala, Zambezia) during our travels.  Traveling on extremely bad and pothole covered roads takes the life out of you.  BUT ... the WAY you travel makes all the difference.  So the long 1800 km journey all over was filled with a lot of fun (and food) and a lot of praying as we covered northern Mozambique.

A few moments on the road:

Plenty good things on the plate to eat! And never forget the hard boiled egg - a camper's favorite.

The faces should say it all ..... picnic on the road!

Sooooooo glad my wife accompanied us on this trip - that meant good food all around!

he bush around us as we are traveling.

Always time on the road to make new friends - and invite someone for lunch! 

And soon...... the road got bumpy and dusty!

Washing in the bush .... well should be optional. This toilet and shower where we stayed was not very hygienic (or so my wife says!) The toilet must be flushed by using the green container and the force of usage would depend ... eish .... on however way nature would call you!

Breakfast on the road to Capanga. Capanga was truly in the middle of absolute NOWHERE. We drove in faith .... literally.

Eating is what we do best here ... while traveling.

After hiding Matthew's (our interpreter) suitcase in the bush he was a bit 'out of control' thinking he it fell off the truck!  So happy (after he found it) .... and ready for a lift!

Capanga and its people waiting for us in anticipation.

Gotto love the bush during autumn season.

Finding a clean and secluded spot on the highway to enjoy yet another breakfast on the long road!!

Mathew Hurekure decided to camp out in the tall grass. "No snake" he said after every rusk. He looked jittery to me though.