In 2013, there was a devastating flood in Guija, Mozambique. A dam in the Limpopo River broke and water quickly engulfed the area, destroying everything in its path.
Hundreds of people died from the flood, which was the result of inadequate upkeep of the dam by the government. The government denied responsibility for deaths and property damage so they could avoid having to pay the families. They blamed other causes for the deaths that resulted. If someone was driving a car when the flood happened, the government declared that person died from a car accident.
Our host, Tienie, was one of the fortunate ones that survived the flood. When the water began rising, he swam to his roof with his dogs. He lived on his tin roof for 3 days, painfully enduring the scorching African sun and living off the reservoir of water that was conveniently on top of the roof.
Since the flood, Tienie and the surrounding community have managed to pull themselves back on their feet, but the extreme poverty in the area is a constant reminder of the hardship and injustices the people in Guija face on a daily basis.
Part of my prayer for the race was that God would open my eyes to the injustices that surround this world. My eyes were opened in Mozambique and my heart broke for the people who call this life.
These are the stories and the lives of people I met in Mozambique:
We met a young woman with a severe limp when we visited a refugee camp for people displaced by the flood. She told us men had broken into her house at night, murdered her mother in front of her, and beat her with a cement block, leaving her for dead. The men were never pursued and she never received medical care for her injuries.
Most of the houses in Guija are mud huts that can only provide protection from so much. We met a woman with a deformed arm and hand who had been woken up in the middle of the night to something moving next to her. She was bit by a spitting cobra trying to keep the rest of her family safe.
Every evening and into the night, sounds of drums would fill the air. Witchcraft is common in Mozambique, and at night they beat their drums while practicing spells. A pastor at church spoke against witchcraft during a service, and the government forced him to publicly apologize.
Most families can’t afford to buy food so they rely on their homegrown crops for provision. Droughts are common in Mozambique, so many families go without eating when their crops don’t produce food.
We worked with a sweet, elderly man that translated and assisted our host in running his ministry. We learned that he had lost his wife several years ago in the civil war. They were swimming across the river to escape the fighting, and his wife was shot in the back while swimming and died in the water.
HIV/AIDS is a reality that plagues the nation. People can get medicine from the hospital, but there are so many people who need medicine and not enough of it. Most people with HIV/AIDS live a short life because there’s simply not adequate treatment available.
We met a woman (who we built a mud hut for) who has been living and sleeping under a tarp. After her husband died, she moved in with her son and his wife. Her son passed away and her daughter-in-law kicked her out and left her to live outside.
Another man that worked with our host asked us to pray for a baby for him. He and his wife have had children, but none of them have lived past the age of 1.
After meeting these people, seeing their situations and hearing their stories, my eyes were opened to the suffering that permeates Mozambique. Things that would devastate any American family are every day occurrences for the people in Guija. This is their life. They live out poverty every day and suffering is the norm. The hardships that they face daily are more than anything I’ve faced in my life – and that brings me to tears.
Because of the quality of life the people here live, I realized the gravity of what we were doing in bringing the gospel to this area. I realized how important the love and the prayers we brought as we walked from hut to hut were. I realized how it important it was to sit on a bamboo mat with a widow and tell her that she is seen and she is oh so loved. I realized how important it was to hold a baby and love her as if she were my own. The love that we brought to this country was so crucial because without the love that is only found in Jesus, the people in Mozambique have no hope. But through Him, they can fix their eyes on the unseen and find a new life, full of joy and hope, in Him.
Here are ways you can pray for Tienie and for the people in Mozambique:
- Pray for Tienie as he pours into the people around him. Pray for physical, emotional, and spiritual strength as he visits people in the community, praying for them and bringing medication they need.
- Pray for hope for the people in the community as they face the challenges of poverty.
- Pray for health and healing for the people who battle deadly illnesses and devastating injuries.
- Pray for growing education on HIV/AIDS and that the epidemic would slow.
- Pray against witchcraft in the area and the lies that people believe.
- Pray for the government – that godly leaders would hold positions of power and elicit a change in the nation.
I’m still fundraising and I’m only $2,700 away from being fully funded! Please consider partnering with me – through prayer or donation – so that I may continue to share the love and hope of Christ with the people who need it most!
