Masana In Mozambique

This month our team served at Masana Ministry in the capital city of Maputo, Mozambique. Masana is a day center for boys living on the streets of Maputo. The boys come to the center Monday through Thursday where they eat breakfast and lunch, take showers, attend school, and worship. The majority of the boys who come to the center have good families at home, however they chose to live life on the streets. Some have run away from home either to avoid punishment or they prefer the life of freedom on the streets. One of the street boys who came to Masana was 9 year old Pi. He had a friend who invited him to try life on the streets. Pie left a good family who loves him to live on the streets. He enjoys the freedom and makes good money begging. Once the children start living on the streets, they often do not want to go back home. Masana has a reintegration process where they will assist a child in reintegrating with their families if they desire to move back home. They provide counsel to both the child and the family. The staff at Masana would love to see all the boys chose to go back home, however they do not force them in making that decision.

Living on the streets of Maputo is a very dangerous life where the boys are at risk for being beaten or worse by police or other members in the community. They are also at a high risk for human trafficking. We were told of a story how one of the boys woke up groggy in a car that was speeding though town at night. He managed to escape and walk 15 hours back to the center. The center teaches the boys what to do in these type of life threatening situations. The boys are also taught discipline, responsibility, and respect for authority. The most important thing taught at the center is the Word of God. The boys experience the love of Jesus through the staff. I learned the power of God’s love through these boys this month. I saw His love melting these boys hearts as they are less prone to violence and more apt to reach out in love.