Obituaries and more

A lot of people die in Mozambique. In fact, yesterday (21 October) I went to the funeral of the third person I know of who has died this month.  Since returning to Mozambique in July someone has died each month…almost like clockwork.  Even though death is the inevitable given affecting every person on the planet, I think the rate at which people die here reeks of diabolical interference.    God is revealing to me that there is a spirit of death operating and thriving in Mozambique.  Here are some reasons why I say that- life expectancy is usually about 45-50 years old.  138/1000 children die before they turn five…and Mozambique has one of the highest infant and child mortality rates in the world.  When I returned in July, someone asked me if my parents were still alive.  I said “Yes” and thought “What a strange question” Then I remembered most Mozambicans don’t live to be as old as my parents.

Although AIDS kills many in Mozambique and sub Saharan Africa, Malaria remains the leading recorded cause of death in Mozambique.  Other contributing factors include but aren’t limited to: poor sanitation, malnutrition, poor health care system, lack of resources- doctors, nurses, hospitals, clinics, medical supplies and drugs, mosquito nets, inadequate medical training and knowledge, ignorance of basic hygienic principles (like wash hands after going to the bathroom and limited use of soap), unclean water, many parasites and harmful bugs characteristic of undeveloped areas, many rats, lack of access to health facilities especially in rural areas, depression, alcohol abuse, poverty, cyclones, floods, draughts, traffic accidents, etc.

Here’s a list of the people I am aware of that died since last September- in the last 13 months:

*Thinus- South African man in his 50s, was hit by a truck while riding his bicycle.- Sept. 2011

*Maria’s son (Maria was my neighbor in Ngalumwe, when I lived a few miles outside of town).  He was in his twenties and either he was drunk or hit by a drunk driver…I just know that drinking and a vehicle were involved.  Sept. 2011

*Ismael’s mom died.  Ishmael is a church member, and his mother was in her 40s or 50s. Cause of death unknown.  Oct. 2011.

*Claudina, another neighbor in Ngalumwe, was in her last month of pregnancy when her baby stopped moving.  We prayed over her womb but the baby was lost. This was her second miscarriage and the first pregnancy also ended within a few weeks of the due date.  She feels that there’s a demon in her womb killing her children.  November 2011

*Maria’s 3 year old granddaughter (who lived with her) died of malaria.  I will never forget that day when all of a sudden we heard people whaling loudly- we knew someone had died.  January 2012

*Vovo Beka-another neighbor in Ngalumwe- her uncle Jeremias died.  He was older and sickly- the first one of the list where death was not a surprise ~March 2012.

*Clementina-I wrote a blog about her in July entitled Tangerine..July 2012  Her sister Elisa who lives in the same house is depressed and afraid that the evil spirit that got her sister will take her out too.

*Jeremias- another neighbor in Ngalumwe in his forties, who died suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving his 10 year old daughter (Arina- one of my favorites  and wife behind. He was always so joyful and friendly. Also Vovo Beka’s nephew. August 2012 

*Louisa- Vovo Beka’s sister who had a disgusting and cumbersome sore on her foot, like a huge blood blister that kept her from walking…twice she was taken to the hospital to have it removed and twice it returned.   Honestly, I thought she would outlive her sister Beka- since both were elderly, impoverished, and weak. It seems to me Vovo Beka is alive because she wants to be; she has a desire to live which is something Louisa seemed to lack. September 2012

*Philip-South African living in Maputo.  Has Mozambican wife- Bela and an active 3 year old son and a newborn.  I would usually stay with them when traveling to South Africa and back.  I always felt welcomed and taken care of with them.  He was 46, large, stereo-typically  South African enjoying  red meat, rugby and cricket.  He had gone on a diet and lost weight but that didn't ultimately matter.    He had a sudden heart attack   Oct. 2012

*An uncle of the family I’m staying with now earlier this month.

*Tina’s  22 year old cousin named Gina had cerebral malaria…she was very sick, then mentally ill (became mute and started imitating animals) for about 2 weeks and died after a few days in the hospital.   At her funeral I learned that her 8 year old sister died the year before.  Also, 6 out of 7 of Tina’s siblings have died.

Another friend of mine, Marlene is 16 and I've known her for a few months, but it wasn't ‘til last week that she told me her biological mother had died in childbirth in 2008 (with her would have been sibling) and the mother that I had met was her step mother.         

Do you see why I say there’s a spirit of death operating in Mozambique?   I know many more people in America than I do here, yet I've never known of so many deaths within 13 months.   Were all these deaths influenced by Satan and/or his minions? Probably not but I think it would be foolish to assume that none of them were.   He can’t create diseases or depression or poor health care but He is the ultimate opportunist- attaching to problems and prolonging them.

As I was making this list one thing stood out to me: no Jesus for Africa church member has died.   God’s protection?

You know what the best part of this blog is?  You can actually make a difference and pray for life and healing in Jesus Name over Mozambique.

Here’s my list of people rescued from death:

1 1.     Tomas- a 4 year old boy who could have been the poster child for starvation and malnourishment.  I've never seen anyone so skeletal in my life.  No one wanted him.  His parents separated and one parent went to a witch doctor to help him/put a curse on him (depending who is telling the story) and then left him for the other’s family to take care of (the other parent is in South Africa).   He was terribly sick and couldn't really eat…but that changed.  After getting parental permission demons were cast out, he was hospitalized to get medical attention necessary, and now the child actually has cheeks on his face.  July/August 2012

2 2.    Julia.  When I left for Maputo and South Africa I wondered if she would survive the next three weeks and how I would hate to miss her funeral.  She was so weak and pathetic.  Lying on her mat in the shade, with little strength to do anything else.  Her husband had stopped working to stay home and take care of her.  She was connected to an organization that distributes medication and food, but it was obvious she would need an act of God to survive.   Hopeless AIDS victim.   But God did answer prayer and in His mercy healed her body.  When I visited last week it was like seeing a brand new person.  She greeted me loudly from a distance…I had heard she improved but that’s when I knew it was true.  She wasn't sickly and confined to her mat- she was up and moving and cooking and it was obvious she had been working in the machamba (field) and was preparing to plant peanuts after the next rain.  She couldn't stop smiling and she knew that God had healed her. This week her blood test came back positive- so she still has AIDS. But that fact that she’s not dead and is physically active and energetic –and able to do normal things again is definitely from the Lord  October 2012

33.      Elias - A Mozambican friend living in Beira was in a terrible accident last month. He was on a motorcycle and was hit by a car…apparently it was a very ugly scene in which he lost a substantial amount of blood and was expected to die. I talked with him on the phone today and I don’t think I've ever heard someone so excited to be alive.  Despite going through this difficulty  he knows God spared his life and is so grateful.  He said even doctors commented “You have a great God because you’re still alive…you should have died”

Do you know what the best part of this blog is?  You can actually make a difference and pray for LIFE and HEALING in Jesus Name over Mozambique.

We need more stories like Tomas, Elias, and Julia’s.

 Jesus came to bring abundant life, not premature death. God alone can bring supernatural healing in so many hopeless hearts and circumstances.

Please pray for healing, life, hope and the opposite of everything listed in the second paragraph.  Also pray for those mourning the loss of their loved ones.  And encouragement for Elisa and Vovo Beka- both are alone and have lost dear ones.

Prayer is so powerful.  If you are a born again follower of Christ you have the privilege and responsibility to bring Life and Truth to the dying world around you.  God could snap his fingers and instantly heal all diseases, feed all the hungry, shelter the homeless, save all the lost, etc.  but instead  God uses us.  We are seated with Christ in the heavenly realm (Eph. 2:6), above powers and principalities.  We inherit all power and authority through Christ- and because He has already died- we now have that inheritance- all we have to do is believe it and claim it.  He wants us to share in His authority!  He wants us to make a difference- in the physical and in the spiritual realm.  So boldly and authoritatively pray in Jesus Name (the Name above all names, the ultimate authority) for LIFE and HEALING knowing that you are his ambassadors on the earth.  Your words have the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21)…use them wisely. 

Jesus loves the little children...

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.    James 1:27

Once again I found myself in South Africa in need of a new visa.    But coming to a developed nation with more choices, variety, and hospitable English speaking friends, which happens to be the land of my birth is always a welcome and refreshing break.

 Recently I've been blessed to be part of a different type of ministry: taking care of orphans.  I've visited two Iris Ministries Children’s Homes in the last few weeks.  Zimpeto Children’s Home is in Maputo (Mozambique’s capital) and is home to 270 kids.  It’s a very well-run operation with more than 30 missionaries from all over the world, many Mozambican staff and over 700 visitors annually.  There were about 20 visitors when I visited at the end of September.  It has a very peaceful and laid-back feel in which visitors are encouraged to minister to the kids, participate in various ministries around town, but also to connect with God and rest.  In Zimpeto I did get to know some children and help out but, really I see my time there as a gift from God because He used it to refresh me.  I was blessed by new friendships with my roommates from California and other visitors; it was so nice to have an edifying community.  What was most memorable however, was the night some of the Iris Missionaries prayed for me and then a healing conversation that followed.  It’s like they just prayed away all this crap that I had been carrying- some things I was aware of, others I wasn't.

Here are some pictures ….

I spent a lot of time with these two girls in Zimpeto. 

These are two of the cooks at Zimpeto, part of the team that feeds about 300 people each day.  They are sorting finely ground peanuts that will be added to a sauce with finely ground leaves and other ingredients.  This is a very common way for Mozambicans to eat peanuts.  I had a good conversation with Joyce, on the left. 

Vamos jogar basquet (Let's play basketball). It made me smile to find a girls basketball team practicing.  After soccer, basketball is the second most popular sport in Mozambique. 

The day after I left the Zimpeto Base I met a Mozambican on the bus to Johannesburg who had grown up in Zimpeto.  He invited me to another Iris Base outside of Johannesburg called Footprints PLAY (participating the lives of Africa’s youth).  This Children’s Home has a “homey” or family-like feel and  has about 30 kids.  The director (who the kids call “Mommy”) explained that giving kids the necessities of food, clothing, a bed etc. is good but she desires to personally know the kids, counsel them, and build strong, confident kids. To do this, it must stay relatively small.  There’s about 10 full time staff- South Africans and foreigners and they benefit from the help of visitors as well.   I enjoyed connecting with these kids.

I spent most of my time at the "Baby House" filled with kids ages 3 and under. They were a lot of fun, very energetic...and sometimes got into trouble too. 

My Next Step

There are two things I’ve been praying for regularly.  One is a husband.  The other is my next step.

 

I came to Vilanculos more than one year ago because the Holy Spirit told me to come.  When I first visited Vilanculos in 2009, I specifically remember sensing the Lord’s leading to come back and reach out to the women here.  So since July 2011  (excluding my sojourn to America in May and June)I have been living in Vilanculos, building relationships with people, telling Bible stories to locals, praying a lot too.  Most people claim Christianity and may go to church but have minimal understanding of Christ and the Scriptures.  My heart is to see people grow and mature in their faith, because the majority of believers are “baby Christians”.   Leading Christians into spiritual maturity is my primary focus and purpose in ministry here in Vilanculos. 

I’ve built relationships with people here, taught them the Word, and prayed like crazy (with more frequency, passion, and authority).  God has also taught me more about my dependence on Him and as well as my authority in Christ to battle the evils I encounter. But to be honest my time here has been very trying and testing.  Personally, the most difficult thing has been the lack of community; I am and feel very alone in what I do. I don’t have co-laborers: people that I actually work with.  Even though right now there are two South African families that I “work with” in theory, I don’t really work with them.  This and many other factors have caused me to ask the Lord “how long I should be here?”  In March I started questioning and asking the Lord about being here and staying here, and in May He gave me peace about being here through December. My thoughts of leaving are not new or sudden but rather a gradual process that has developed over many months.  Therefore I plan to leave Vilanculos in December, and trust the Lord to guide me into the next step.  If you have questions about me leaving, feel free to ask.

However, one thing I know is that the Lord has called me to missions with my life. He has called me to the nations; my heart longs to be overseas.  Exactly what shape or form that will take is uncertain and may change.  I am looking for an organization that would be a good fit for me to partner with long term.  I would like to partner with an organization that has been established for a while that has already learned from years of experience.  Other characteristics I’m looking for include: a solid biblical foundation and values, integrity,  good leadership, accountability, community, goal- oriented, emphasis on discipleship and training local leaders, takes care of their missionaries, prepares and trains missionaries, expect and promote spiritual growth, dependence on the Holy Spirit, and lovers of God .

I’m looking into various mission organizations and opportunities.  On Saturday I’m planning to visit Iris Ministries’ children’s home in Maputo (Mozambique’s capital).    I’m also considering working with YWAM and have met the Brazilian YWAM staff that runs the base in Maputo.  Cru is another organization as well that has potential as I worked with them before.  So I am looking and am open to suggestions. I’ve also thought about studying theology and/or counseling.  I also know whatever I do, I’ll probably have to raise funds to do it as well.

I feel like the Lord has released me from being here and I’m in a weird period of transitioning out.  I deeply care for those I have grown close to but often I feel ready to leave.  I’m not planning to come back to Vilanculos- and depending on what the Lord has in store- I may not come back to Mozambique, but I think I will return to Africa at some point.  I’ve also been thinking about California, Argentina, and my curiosity about Brazil has been stirred as I’ve learned more about Brazil just being here- through Brazilians and media. Nothing is certain at this point, but it’s all in God’s hands.  Please pray that the Lord would make obvious His path for me and give me patience in the process.

I am content to go wherever He sends me. 

What do you do?

What do you do when you find out that one of your friends has AIDS?

Yes AIDS- the disease that kills millions of sub-Saharan Africans annually.

http://www.thisissierraleone.com/2012-world-hiv-report-sub-saharan-africa-hardest-hit-by-hiv-with-23-5-million-hiv-positive-people-in-2011-about-69-percent-of-the-global-total/

The link above has quick stats about AIDS around the world.  1.4 million or 11.5% of Mozambicans have AIDS.  If this is accurate, I know several people with AIDS (1/10 people I meet)- I just don't know that they have it.

So what do you do when AIDS is no longer that terrible disease that happens to "others", but someone you know and love has it?

Pray? Cry? 

Do what you can to connect them to a program distributing food and medication but still feel hopeless as you leave.

Trust God and walk away? 

Question God and walk away?

Curse God and walk away?

 (You must walk away at some point- you can’t stay forever)

Do I fully believe the words I utter, that God loves you?   

 Yes I do- but there’s so much I don’t understand.  God, don’t you see how much it hurts?

 But now I see why you, who has been sick on and off since I returned in July, have a hard time believing and accepting God’s love.

In this I’ve seen sacrificial love. Self-less love.  They’re “married”.  By that I mean they live together and called themselves married, without a formal or legal covenant (which by the way, is how most marriages are defined here (in Vilanculos), except there’s usually children too).  She has AIDS.  Apparently she had it before they “got married” and she told him.  So they’ve never actually been intimate…which explains why he is healthy and she is weak.  He hasn’t been working the last few weeks. He’s stayed home to take care of her.   It’s obvious that he loves her….his actions demonstrate affection in a way words cannot.  Few Mozambican men would do this.  Few men from any culture would do this.  He aches and weeps for her.

Will God heal?

A Mozambican Prayer.

I was recently in Maputo, the largest city and also the capital of Mozambique.   On September first there was large meeting in which many churches and other Christian organizations gathered to pray for Mozambique and hear from the Lord.  It was really powerful seeing them confess their personal as well as their country's sins, repent and believe God for renewal, hope and change.

One of the pastors speaking that day...there must have been at least 10 and they were rotating Scripture readings. 

 For me the most moving thing was one of the pastors standing up and publicly apologizing to his wife, on behalf of all Mozambican men who have wronged their wives in one way or another. He apologized for adultery, abandonment, laziness and several other vices.  He had only said a few words and many women around me started crying and then I started crying too.  It made a strong impact on me because I've seen how poorly women are treated here- and its hard to combat because there are historical and cultural roots with this problem.

Everyone prayed this prayer.  I think it gives a good general understanding of where Mozambique is in their relationship to God:

A day to bow before our God.  Mozambique bows before God. 1 September 2012

Let’s pray together: (everyone kneels)

O Lord, God Most High, Creator and Possessor of heaven and earth, we, the people of Mozambique acknowledge that we and our country have sinned against You in several ways, especially, but not limited to idol worship.  Instead of looking to You to satisfy our needs, at different points we have sought help from Satan.

We look to evil spirits for: rain, abundant harvests, children, health, progress, protection, direction, guidance, wealth, victory in war, and other innumerable blessings .  You have blessed us in more ways than we can count but we have not thanked you as God.  Countless times when we dedicate new buildings, bridges, roads, schools, etc. instead of thanking You, the Provider of all things, we look to priests of idols to mediate and make blood sacrifices to Satan and dedicate buildings to Satan. We dedicate ourselves, our wives and our children to the enemy in several ways, including but not limited to ceremonies such as welcoming a newborn, rites of passage, weddings, funerals, etc. We fear evil spirits, curses, witchcraft and dead family members more than we fear You. 

Instead of looking for Your direction, we regularly consult the dead and different evil spirits.  We enter into alliances with Satan through various methods and we turn our backs on You.  In arrogance our land declared, “There is no God.” 

  We have sinned against You in these and many other ways. Our sins include, but are not limited to the following:  Idolatry, the spilling of blood,  bribery,  corruption, atheism, assassinations, love of money, violence, rape, prostitution, bitterness, witchcraft, occultism, consulting dead ancestors, sexual sins, broken marriages, lack of the fear of God, sensuality, loving pleasure rather than loving God, disunity within the church, idolatry within the church, sins of occult in our lives, oppressing the poor and underprivileged, human sacrifice, human trafficking, slavery in modern day forms, drug abuse, selling of drugs, respect for tribal customs above the word of God,  lies, hypocrisy, false religion, illegality; etc.

Today we are guilty before You.

Today we declare the following:  We confess that we have established many altars to Satan throughout our country.  We repent for these altars.  We renounce all the altars of Satan established in our land.  We renounce all the evil alliances that we, our leaders and our country has made with Satan.  We renounce and we withdraw our submission to evil spirits to whom we were bound through these altars and alliances.

Today, we dedicate to You, our lives, our families, and the generations that have yet to come, forever.  To You we dedicate our nation and all of its resources.  By faith we form a New Alliance with You sealed by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We declare, “God is.”

Now and forever, we acknowledge you as our Creator, we honor you as our Father, we adore you as our God, we submit to you as our Lord and Savior, and we proclaim you our King.

Please forgive us our sins and heal our land according to your word. Please accept us and be our God.  Destroy all satanic foundations in our lives and nation.  Together we pray, “Our Father in heaven, Holy is Your name.  Your kingdom come and Your will be done in Mozambique as it is in heaven.  We declare that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the God of Mozambique now and forever more.  Govern every area of our lives and our nation.  Let the knowledge of Your word cover our nation as waters cover the sea.  Open up the heavens above our land and bless us.” Amen. 

Watch your mouth!

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

James  1:26

I had two long bus rides on my way to Johannesburg, South Africa.  I had to go for my visa.

On the first from Vilanculos to Maputo I met a South African girl who lives in Tofu, another area on the Mozambican coast.  We chatted quite a bit about our lives and shared frustrations about living in Mozambique. 

The following night I was on a bus to Johannesburg, and as I tried to fall asleep I heard the (Portuguese) conversation around me.  They were talking about me and general frustrations they have with white people.  I felt hurt and judged before I was even given an opportunity to prove myself.  As I crossed the border I prayed, telling God I was upset by what had happened.

His response to me was hearing them complain about white people was no different than the night before when two girls were complaining about Mozambicans.

This surprised me.  It wasn’t until that moment that I even considered that our conversation could have been offensive to any hearers.  After thinking about this for 2 seconds I realized any Mozambican who understood our conversation would probably have been offended.

So turns out, when you ask God to reveal sin in your life to you, He does it.          

   

Over the last five years or so -one tiny step at a time- the Lord has taught me more about the importance of words and the power that they carry- to bless or curse- to bring life or death, to heal or to destroy.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  Matthew 12:34

These types of verses make me glad I’m naturally not too talkative…but it still doesn’t mean that I am exempt from this problem.  As Matthew 12:34 points out, the hurtful things that come out of our mouths are really a reflection of our hearts.

A Time for Everything

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven:

 A time to be born and a time to die….a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…

He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men…” Ecclesiastes 3:1-2,4,11.

I get to see many births and many deaths in Mozambique and I would bet there’s a higher percentage birth rate and death rate in Mozambique than in the States.  Somehow, here death is less shocking as it is more common, but it is still difficult and painful.

This morning (August 7^th) I found out that Jeremias died, and I went to his funeral this afternoon.   He was one of my neighbors during the first 8 months that I lived here. I know his wife, mother, brother, in- laws, nieces, nephews, aunts, etc.  I sat and cried with his daughter (9 or 10 years old) at the funeral.

He died on Monday.  Cause of death?  Maybe I can figure that out later.   He was in his late 30s or 40s.  He was friendly, good guy and I distinctly remember my last conversation with him.  It was in July and he greeted me warmly as I had recently returned from the States…it made me glad to be back.

Also, Carlota- the woman I wrote the “tangerine” blog about died last Wednesday when I was in South Africa.  I saw her a few times since I wrote the blog and she was hopeless. She had no will to live.  I think she briefly wanted to be better and then it was back to the same old “better dead” mentality. I’m telling you, she was a different woman the day she ate the tangerine.  She had hope.  I gave her another tangerine…she ate maybe one third of it…and hid the rest.  She refused to eat other food as well. 

From the first time I entered her house, I wondered if there were other factors (not just physical) contributing to her illness. Something just didn’t seem right. Her neighbor (my friend Tina) told me that prior to getting sick, she would walk around paranoid and would frequently try to hide though no one was chasing her.   I agree with locals who conclude that she was harassed by a bad spirit.

So lately it hasn’t been happy go lucky around here.  But you know what’s interesting; the Lord has reminded me of this since I started writing.  I know that the Lord wants me to spread his love to nations, and just in the last week He re-iterated being a heart- mender…and death often brings broken hearts and it’s in times of sorrow like death where I can embody the compassion of the Lord.