The purpose of this trip to Northern Mozambique was two-fold, first to visit and encourage the believers of the three fellowships in Nampula, confirming them in the foundation and secondly to travel further North to Mossuril, to accomplish the same purpose in the believers there.
Our journey began with a day’s lay-over in Johannesburg where we were hosted by the Botha family; Sean, Peta, Helen and Estelle (please forgive me any miss-spelling) who’s warm hospitality and rich fellowship stirred our hearts and in no small measure contributed to our readiness for the task ahead.
Nampula City is one of the larger and more populous of the cities in Mozambiqueand like much of the country is sadly lacking in basic infrastructure, sanitation and a good lick of paint! The roads are honey combed with pot-holes that require serious driving skills, made more dangerous by what seems like thousands of crazed motorbike taxis who pull out in front of oncoming traffic without a care, zigzagging between obstacles at breakneck, kidney jolting speeds.
We began our stay visiting the first fruits of the work in Nampula, a fellowship in the suburb of Namekope 1. Approximately 18 months previously Rupert and Kurt had visited Namekope 1 at which time a wonderful outpouring of the Spirit resulted in many being transferred out of the darkness and into the light. Gloriously in the interim young people full of the Holy Ghost began evangelizing the local area founding two more fellowships, one in Namekope 2 and the other at Saua- Saua.
The Lord is saving and using young men and woman to build His church in Mozambique. They demonstrate a wonderful eagerness and desire to evangelize their communities. It was a privilege to witness the book of Acts in action “… and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth”.
Elias reports that through-out the work in Mozambiqueyoung people are standing up and getting involved, proving their ministries and sharing the Gospel at every opportunity. The work as a result has become self-sustaining and self–perpetuating to a far greater degree than ever before.
Before visiting Namekope 2 and Saua–Saua we traveled two and a half hours north to the historic town of Mossuril. The national Highways are usually in good repair but the drivers are a law unto themselves. En-route a large horse and trailer overtook our vehicle passing us in the lane for oncoming traffic and continued in that lane around a blind corner. Two blind corners later the truck collided head on with a minibus full of passengers. We arrived moments later a midst scattered debris and a large dust cloud, expecting the worst type of carnage!
Miraculously no one was killed; the driver pictured with Elias does not know how he escaped death with only the odd scrape! It is a reminder of the keeping hand of God upon us as we travel. The roads hold many dangers and considering the large distances traveled over the many years on these missions with very few incidents, give witness to the Lords goodness and keeping power.
Much of Northern Mozambiqueis heavily influenced by the Muslim faith and Mossuril was exclusively Muslim until a young man named Paive moved there. Paive along with another young man began to evangelize the local community. Mossuril is the seat of the district governor and has a hospital and a school; as a result there are a large number of young educated men and woman who are teachers, nurses and government administrators.
It is among these people that Paive found good ground for the seed of the Gospel. This was the only Christian Church in the town, perhaps in the whole district. This is the first time Elias had been able to visit them. We were warmly received, they anticipated our every need, gladly extending themselves to ensure we were comfortable and lacked nothing. This generous spirit enriched our entire stay with them and was evident in both the men and the woman.
Having such a large group of well educated people in the congregation provided the opportunity for more in-depth ministry. The Lord has begun a good work and we have every confidence that He will finish it! Like Nampula the church in Mossuril has begun evangelizing in the local area and a second fellowship is in it’s infancy a few kilometers out of town.
The Sunday morning meeting provided opportunity for the Gospel and over 40 people responded with heartfelt and sincere cries to God for transference out of darkness and into light! With great joy we were able to conclude our stay with an afternoon baptismal service in the very waters where once Arabs and then the Portuguese loaded the enslaved onto ships.
Traveling back to Nampula on the Monday, Elias received news that some men had tried to break into his home the previous night. Fortunately his wife heard them and screamed, alerting neighbors and frightening the intruders off! It was quickly settled that two young men from the Chimoio fellowship would sleep over at Elias’s house until his return.
With every blessing and advance there is an attempt by principalities and powers to undermine the work through attacks on the Lord’s laborers. We must never stop praying for each other as we labour together and I ask we specially remember Elias and his family before the Lord as often as possible, they need much grace.
Tuesday found us traveling along a very sandy gully masquerading as a road to Saua- Saua before crossing the river via a “rock” bridge, often on three wheels. This area is being evangelized by a young man from Namekope 1 named Jucinto. He walks this road twice a week, a 60km round trip.
The people in this area are predominantly involved in ancestor worship and have proved to be very resistant toward the Gospel. Jucinto faithfully used of the Lord has however established a small fellowship of believers. Land has been obtained for a church and they have begun making the 1000 bricks they will need. Preaching here provided new challenges, requiring 3 languages (English, Portuguese and the local Makuwa language) and two interpreters! The Lord was gracious and the word was warmly received and much was achieved in the short time we could be there.
Our last day of ministry took us to Namekope 2, a wonderfully joyous group of believers with a good understanding of the Gospel. A sister named Sara having moved from Namekope 1 began evangelizing in this area. At first, among her family but later the community at large. She has a wonderful spirit, full of the joy of the Lord and has demonstrated a gift for evangelism. She is supported by another young man who oversees the fellowship named Olivia. This young fellowship meets under a tree but is looking to the Lord for ground for a building.
Believers from SA donated funds to assist the work in Nampula and this was put to good use through the purchase of a bicycle. This bicycle was duly presented to Jucinto so that he could travel more readily the long distance from Namekope 1 to Saua-Saua. The bicycle was joyously received and will be put to good use in furthering the Gospel in the area.
What became so obvious during this trip is how much the work in Mozambiquehas grown and become more established. Young people have made strong commitments to the Lord and are at the forefront of the work, displaying a great fervor and capacity for evangelism. It was evident that sisters are very active and have a liberty in Christ Jesus.
It was wonderful to renew fellowship with our Brother Elias and it was amazing to see how hard he works and with what passion he applies himself. Pray the Lord continues to restore his body to full health, keep his family and give him wisdom. We also pray for the work in Mozambiquetrusting the Lord to establish each believer on that one true foundation, the Rock Christ Jesus and for the many brethren who labour with the Lord, together building His Church. Amen.
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Elizabeth Mattheetestified that she had recently become a believer and was excited about her new found faith and even though she had just had an operation on her right arm and was all bandaged up, she was not going to let that stop her from being baptised.
