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.