KUTWANANA – Maputo, Mozambique.

What a day or two here! On the ride from the bus, sitting next to Pastor Patrick ___ we were just chit chatting away the ride, when I asked him what brought him to Moz (he is from Zambia). It startled him and it took him a while to really divulge it all. In fact he said that no one had ever asked him before (this amazed me). But he is one of those people whom God calls and gives a vision and passion when he is too young to be taken seriously. His passion was Mozambique and India. One day God spoke to him in a vision that he must go. He told no one, but he quietly prayed and prepared for the open door. When that day came he and his young family (wife and 3 kids) sold all they had and moved to Mozambique. They knew one other missionary from their Brethren Church who lived in Mozambique, but no one else. They did not speak the language at all, so to even get groceries they had to do sign language or read from a dictionary. They were constantly in prayer, hearing the Father’s affirmation that they were on the right track. The first time Patrick felt inclined to preach to some people he still knew so little Portuguese – but he started speaking out, things that he could not even understand, but they did understand. “From then on” he said, “I could speak it freely”. They suffered greatly – without finances, all their brethren from home seemed to disengage from them (they have never yet in 17 years had one visitor from their home place), and falsely accused.

But God has blessed them in their faithful service.
Today they have a growing church of 150 or so (in the 3 hour service today I am sure there were 250 crammed in, but it was inflated because of our presence and it was a special school program that possibly grannies and parents who don’t normally attend were there). The buildings are nice, but unfinished. The people I have seen a bit of seem to have been well discipled. He told me stories of people who came from utter sinfulness who are now holy. He pointed out a woman whose husband and daughter died of AIDS, she then came to Christ. Since then two more daughters died the same way. She has one remaining daughter, a beautiful, godly 13 year old.
They operate a home health organization with numerous care givers trained to minister to AIDS patients (as well as other diseases for the poor), take care of burial arrangements, and care for orphans. We heard numerous stories of people who they met who were at the point of death and thru prayer, care, and ARV’s have recovered, found Christ, and are now living normal transformed lives. One lady gave an emotional testimony today of her recovery and then held up a beautiful 2 year old who is a child of grace – given after her new lease on life. Another man who came for help, nearly dead with AIDS, is now a deacon in their church, and the one he trusts to care for the money of the church.
Part of this home health organization is caring for the orphans. They oversee 250 orphans in theory, but practically only about 80. I’m sure we saw all 250 today! This is one of the most impressive parts of their story. We saw so many orphans and poor kids of the community who after years of involvement with the church, are bright and disciplined and full of life with hope of a future. One is now in college and the church hopes to raise enough to get him thru 3 more years ($1000 per year!). And there are more that have a hope that perhaps they could go to college too! That is a hope that a few years ago would not have even been dreamed of.
They have a Christian school of 50 orphans and 20 community kids that seems to be well run if understaffed.
They have a community water project. A church had a well dug and a pump installed for them, and another church donated a generator and a large tank for the roof. They have several spigots on the side of the church building and every day they sell water to the community. This is a service to them, as they do not need to walk so far; and the money goes to the orphans; and the very sick and orphan homes get it free. The community knows they care.
They had a project of making cement blocks, then installing them as well built outhouses for a minimum cost to home owners in the area. This would be a great service for the community because the normal poorly constructed toilets are a health problem. The project would employ a few workers and some profit given to the orphan work.
They are training foster parents for the orphans. Since the ministry provides food for the orphans it is incentive for people to take a few in. But they must also learn to be good parents to them.
They have a “wood shop” and a “sewing industry” of sorts to try to train a few in trades. This is only helping a few now, but could grow.
OH is talking with them about funding a chicken industry – again employment for a few and some of the proceeds going to orphans.

Pray for us. Tomorrow we start building the orphan home. I bought 500 block, rock and sand yesterday for $300. We will see if $1000 will finish it.

I already found another family I want to build a house for – single mom with 5 kids in a bamboo stick shack 10x15 or so. All but one of the kids are mentally and physically handicapped – one severely. Can a church raise $1500 to build for them? What about a Crispy Kreme sale? We will do it when we get back perhaps.

Love you all. It is getting hot! – 95 and very humid.
Bye. In Him. Dan.