We’ve been in Mozambique for about a week now, and have had some exciting ministry opportunities arise. I know you’re all waiting to hear about how we are camping all month, how the huts at our compound are made from bamboo, or how we’ve loved on the local children, shared Jesus with the community in a nearby village, and seen God perform a miracle of healing (giving a crippled woman the use of her legs). But instead of sharing these experiences with you, I need to tell you about Rodinha.
Rodinha is one of the women who is helping to host my team this month. We are staying in a compound that is part of Africa on Fire in Chibuto, where a safe place is provided for local children to play. Every morning at 5 AM, Rodinha wakes up to start her work for the day. She spends all day cooking, cleaning, washing, buying food, prepping meals, literally everything that’s required to meet our basic needs. There are two teams staying at the compound this month, totaling 12 people. This does not include the 8-10 other people who are working here with Africa on Fire. And Rodinha provides for us all.
A few of the girls and I have spent time helping Rodinha cook, wash dishes, and clean. These essential tasks that come so easily to us in America take so much time and effort to accomplish here. The cooking is done outside under a tin roof with an open flame, and food is made completely from scratch. The laundry is hand washed in tubs, taking a lot of effort to scrub the African dirt out of clothing. The dishes are all hand washed in tubs on a table behind the shed where we cook. Everything is done outside, despite what the weather is like.
Rodinha does all of these tasks, not only without complaint, but with a genuine smile on her face. Every morning she is the first person to greet me when I clamber out of my tent with a cheerful “Bon dia!” (good morning!). She is quick to laugh at our silly jokes and her robust laughter is one of the most beautiful sounds I think I’ve ever heard.
Rodinha is also a kind and patient teacher. She taught us how to do laundry, jokingly saying “tsk tsk, your grandmother should have taught you how to do this before you came here.” She taught us how to crush garlic and chop vegetables without having a table to use. She taught us how to wrap capulanas, the type of skirt African women wear, and patiently rewrapped them multiple times for us when we forgot how to wrap them ourselves.
Rodinha is quick to come to our rescue when we have questions or don’t understand something. She learned how to speak English from watching TV, and it is flawless. She does not sit down until everyone has been taken care of first. Before coming to Mozambique, I thought I understood what a Proverbs 31 woman was, but Rodinha has completely shattered any preconceived notions of this idea. She fully exemplifies and embraces what a woman of God is, not because of her work ethic or service, but because of her heart and the love she shares with us. If anyone at home was concerned about my wellbeing on this trip, just rest in the fact that my team and I are being so well loved here by our hosts.
I want to challenge anyone who reads this to take a minute to think about all of the things we have at home to make our daily lives easy. Electricity, washing machines, dishwashers, microwaves, Lysol, homes that keep insect outside, personal transportation, stores. Now imagine what your life would look like without them. After being in Mozambique for a week, I find myself asking, “What is it at home that keeps me so busy? If all of my basic needs are so readily met, how am I really spending my time? Is it fruitful?” I’m asking you to reflect on the attitude you have when you are serving, because we are called to serve with joyful hearts in the name of the Lord. My time here so far has really placed in my heart the desire to serve all of God’s creation alongside my teammates with a cheerful heart and attitude, and I hope you feel inspired to do the same.
Thank you to everyone for the continual prayers for my team and me throughout this journey. I look forward to sharing more with you as our ministry continues!
