Several Activities (C) - 6 - Mozambique

Mozambique

This a tipical village in the rural area of Mozambique. We saw several when we traveled to the North of Maputo (3 hours by car). But Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, is a modern city, in the cost of the Indian Ocean.
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The delegation

Invited by some leaders of the Ev.Luth.Church in Mozambique - ELCM, representatives of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod - World Mission visited Mozambique from 7 to 12 September 2007. The goal of the visit was to know one another and to offer to the ELCM partnership in some areas, as Theological Education, Health, and others. As Mozambique is a Portuguese speaking country, and as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brazil - ELCB (IELB) sent some representatives in 2005 for first contacts, Pastor Carlos was invited to be there too, representing the ELCB and to help in translation Portuguese-English and vice-versa.

In the pictures: Rev. Joseph Alfazema, Rev. Carlos W. Winterle, Dr. Paul Müller, LCMS WM Area Director for Africa, and Bishop David Tswaedi, from the Lutheran Church South Africa - LCSA (Plus: Mrs. Joy Müller, in the next pictures, part of the delegation).

Rev. Alfazema was born in Mozambique and flew as refugee during the war, when he was 15 years old. In Tanzania, he had contact with the Lutheran Church. After this, he came to Kenya, where he studied in the Matongo Seminary as Evangelist, in the same time Pastor Omodhi was studying there too. Then he went to Canada, where he graduated as pastor at the Lutheran Seminary in St. Catharines last year, coming back to the village where he was born as a missionary. In one year, he planted four congregations. All his work is done by bicycle. He is working 1700km (more or less) North of Maputo, Mozambique's capital, in a very poor area, sponsored by some congregations of the Lutheran Church Canada.

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After the Service

Bishop David Tswaedi - LCSA, Rev. José Mabasso - President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mozambique, Mrs. Joy Müller - LCMS WM+WR Project Manager, and Dr. Paul Müller - LCMS WM Africa Director, after the service in Maxaquene.

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The Lutheran Churches in Maputo

The "MARTINHO LUTERO" congregation in the city of Maputo, capital of Mozambique; and the church in Maxaquene, one of the suburbs of Maputo. The service on Sunday was in Maxaquene.

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The Lutheran World Federation

We had a meeting with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) staff in Maputo, and another meeting with the LWF staff in Chokwé, Gaza. The LWF played a very important role during and after the independence war and the civil war that followed the independence, helping the refugees. Now, the LWF has important projects helping people in the areas of agriculture, health, development, etc.

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The leaders in Lione

The people from Lione were waiting for us. We gathered under a tree. The work is lead by Martina, a catechist. Pastor Mabasso visits the congregation every two months to celebrate the Lord's Supper.

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