Church Visit in the Bush

Two weeks ago, the whole family drove about 45 minutes outside of town to visit a little church in "the bush". Of course, 45 minutes isn't much, but it really is the bush! People live in little huts and grow crops to feed themselves. There is no electricity or running water, and the nearest health post is quite a distance away. The quiet and beauty of the area is so nice to see, though for those living there of course it is nothing new.

This little church was started by some of Kevin's students, who walk every Sunday from their homes about 30 minutes away to pastor the little group of believers. Kevin received a warm welcome there last year, and he wanted us to come and meet them this year. I really wish we could take each of you along to visit, as it is impossible to convey the whole experience in a short post here. So, I'll just give a few details.

We picked up the evangelist along the road so he could guide us to the spot, and after bumping for about another 30 minutes along dirt roads, we came to the church. Made of stick and daub, with a straw roof, the inside has mud benches and was decorated with bits of paper and flowers (from nearby bushes) hanging from the low ceiling. We were about 30 minutes early for the service, and we settled near the car to wait. Every few minutes, someone would come over to greet us as they arrived, while the boys ran around exploring and the elders met inside the church to decide on the program for that morning.

When it was time for church, we all assembled inside and the singing began. We all sang together for a little while, and the drum beat the rhythm, then there were several special presentations of little choirs. Each had prepared two or three songs. Then it was time for announcements, which were given in Makua and in Portuguese, then for the preaching. Kevin gave a sermon of 45 minutes or so, translated into Makua by the evangelist. Afterward, there was a time to pray for various people, then the offering. This is often an exciting event, and this was no different. While the singing got louder and louder, people dance up to the person holding the offering plate and put their money in. Then, each of us was grabbed and brought up to the altar as an "offering". A few seconds after you arrive, someone comes along and takes you back to the arm and leads you back to your seat. Quite fun, if you know what is going on! Neither Toby or Ben did and they started to panic a bit until we helped the "grabbers" to reassure the boys.

After the service, which lasted about 3 hours, we sat and chatted with a few people while our lunch was prepared. A chicken had been killed when we arrived that morning, and this was prepared in an oily sauce with tomatoes and onions. A big plate of white rice was also ready for us, and this was put on a table inside the church with two cokes and a fanta for us. A salad with lettuce and tomatoes was put out for us too. It is always interesting to see who will eat with us, and this time it was just us. I'm not sure why the pastor eats with us sometimes, and sometimes not - perhaps it has something to do with how much food is available. But this time, it was just for our family. We used to feel really bad about this, but now accept the gift for what it is and eat heartily and with thanksgiving. The boys have adjusted and usually eat the chicken happily, along of course with the rice.

After we finished eating, we came outside and thanked them for the meal, then it was time to go. A couple of church members piled in our car to take advantage of the ride, and we bumped off again toward home. We had left home at 7:30 that morning, and returned at 2:30 that afternoon. You can see why the boys and I don't go every Sunday! But we enjoyed this trip out to see these lovely believers and encourage them. Kevin wrote about this over at his blog as well, but I wanted to put up some more photos. - Cami

Baptism

Last week, we had the privilege of attending a baptism for believers from my church. This is the little church that the kids and I attend weekly, since Kevin is "on the circuit" most Sundays, visiting his students' churches and encouraging pastors. There are quite a few new believers in the church, which was started by a couple who have lived in Nampula about 7 years. He is Mozambican and she is South African, and we are so happy to be part of this church that they started (one of three).

There were about 15 people who attended, the maximum that Pastor Moses' truck could hold, and we convoyed with them in our truck. We bumped down the road past our house for about 30 minutes to reach a river that has a good amount of water (hard to find now in dry season) and there Kevin was able to help a bit with getting people in and out of the water and assisting the pastor. Toby, of course, was right in the middle of whatever he could get in the middle of. Always wants to be part of the action! Ben fell down into the cold water (after numerous warnings to stay out of the water) and had to have his clothes changed. Of course, since I know Ben, I had anticipated this particular outcome and was prepared with dry clothes.

What a joy it was to see the happiness on these folks' faces as they publicly proclaimed their love for Jesus! We really enjoy knowing them and encouraging them and I hope to be able to help them in some way as we go along.

It was a good day. After the baptism, we all went back to the elder's house for a little party with beans and rice and the cookies that Catarina and I had made at my house the day before. The boys played with the kids and I sat and chatted with this lady and that, asking them to give me their testimonies. Some had attended church as children but just recently come to know what it really means to know Jesus, others had no knowledge of God at all before coming to know him. God has been working so much in the ministry of Moises and his wife Connie, and we feel very fortunate to know them! - Cami

Welcoming the New Arrival

After my ladies' meeting this morning, we all walked about 15 minutes further into the "bairro", which is the "slums" to visit one of our group members who had just had a baby. As we skirted around people's well-swept yards and stepped over old plastic bags, fruit peelings, and rags, I was (as always) the subject of great interest. Benjamin, who was with me, excites even more interest. Luckily he usually doesn't mind too much unless children try to talk to him and for some reason this bothers him. We finally came around the back of the stick and mud home of our friend. This house, like many of the others in the bairro, is constructed of rough-cut poles tied into a waffle-like frame and plastered with mud. They don't last very long, these houses, and often are in some stage of falling down. If the walls get very wet, down they come. The roof is a frame of poles with plastic laid over top, and straw laid on top of that. This is supposed to keep the rain off, but the numerous holes in the plastic don't tend to deter it that much. The house was about 10 feet long and 8 feet wide, the usual size, and next to the front door was a pot bubbling with beans. Likely the entirely of the day's meals. Inside, the young mother sat on a straw mat, leaning against the mud wall, the baby laid beside her, wrapped in a cloth. As I looked at the baby, I asked how far along the mother had been when it was born and was shocked that they said 9 months, since this baby looked extremely tiny and a bit drawn. I've seen other babies like this here, and don't know if they come out like this because they actually are premature (people don't tend to be very accurate in their counting of the months) or because the mother is ill. She looked well enough, but tired out with caring for this 10 day old infant. I am hoping there is someone there to help her with the handwashing of all the clothes, carrying of the water, carrying of the wood and building of the fire and cooking from scratch whatever they have available.

Inside the house, there was no furniture except a handmade table that had a cloth over it and a few odd items on it, like a large avocado seed and an empty bottle. The holes in the roof let in a little light, but otherwise it was very dark and I'm sure very cold at night (we are in cold season). Anyone who came from America would be absolutely horrified at the poverty in which this woman was living, but here unfortunately it is pretty normal.

Our little group of ladies went in, and the most senior held the baby while we sang a few choruses, with gusto. Most are in Makua, so I just hum along and clap, but was able to join in for the Portuguese songs. We sang songs like "God gives and God takes away" and "To follow Jesus is Good", things like that. Then we all prayed for her (at the same time), and a plastic bag of gifts was opened. These were purchased from the weekly offering that is taken at the ladies' meeting. There were two foot-long bars of homemade soap (purchased in the market), a capulana (a 5-foot length of colorful cloth used for a skirt, for a shawl, to carry a baby around in like a sling, a floor mat, to wrap your purchases in, for just about anything!), a package of sugar and three used shirts for the new mother. These were not displayed. No questions were asked about the baby like weight, name, or sex. I didn't dare ask because some people have some beliefs about sharing details about a baby, that I'm not completely familiar with yet. Having to do with the spirits and ancestors.

Anyway, so after doing all this, we went outside and sang another song, then departed. The mother didn't look very happy that we had come, just smiled a little. No thank you for the gifts, no little speech. This is totally appropriate in their culture, but I am not yet sure why! And no, there are not baby showers here either. As I gazed at the tiny baby, and exhausted mother, I could only pray that somehow God spares both of them. Infant death is so common here, and to try to get medical care is exhausting, involving a long walk to the hospital and a long wait. Many Mozambican babies do grow up and thrive, and I hope this little mite is one of them. - Cami