I went to
Igreja Luterana São Paulo, Sena, for the Service on Sunday morning, where I
preached and performed baptisms and Holy Communion. Mateus Domingos Sifa, one
of the TEE students, is in charge of this congregation.
On the way
walking to the church with Mateus, I saw an advertisement: “Traditional Doctor… heals every
kind of illness… expels demons… helps to get job…” – The Old Testament reading
for that Sunday was from Isaiah 55:6-13: “Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man
his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to
our God, for he will freely pardon…” After the reading by a layman, I asked if
I could say a few words (it was not the sermon). I used this text of the OT to
call people back to the True God, and not to the spirits of their ancestors,
following traditional doctors and witches. Our God is the Only One who forgives
our sins and who loves us. People should
not go back to the evil ways of their forefathers, but God is near and invites
to come to Him by faith in Jesus. – People clapped hands several times while I
was speaking and agreed that they had left the work of darkness and are now
walking in the light of Jesus.
The youth
group performed very nice songs during the Service…
...
and they had
a nice moment of prayers.
16 children
were brought to the Holy Baptism.
Parents are waiting eagerly for an ordained pastor to come and to
baptize their children.
The eight
future pastors received a Certificate of Deacons of the Lutheran Church
Mozambique this year and are now authorized to perform the Baptism. (Read more
in the Newsletter).
God works in marvellous ways in Mozambique!
After the Service, the mothers with their baptized children posed for a
picture in front of the church.
Pastor André
went this same Sunday to Kapasseni. He got a lift by motorcycle with Manuel
Jone Jambo, one of the TEE students.
They passed through the village of Mpango, where a new church has been
built and should be ready this year.
Paulo Ernesto Mineses, one of the TEE students, is the leader of this
church.
Kapasseni is where Pastor Alfazema was born in 1950, and where he began
the mission of the Lutheran Church in 2006.
The boy and the drum: this is the common instrument played at the
churches.
They also mark
the rhythm of the songs with two pieces of wood, which makes a loud clap sound.
Dancing while
singing is a “must”. They cannot sing without dancing… and this is their way to
praise the Lord!
Baptisms were
performed in Kapasseni as well and the Lord’s Supper was offered to the
communicants.
After the
Service, they went a little further to visit the village of Zambezi. This is
the church that was built last year, and they desperately need a better church
to worship during the rainy season (summer).
Julio Mineses
Nhapigode (Jolinho) is the TEE student in charge of this congregation.
Pastor
Alfazema preached in Chemba this Sunday morning. He performed Baptisms and Holy
Communion, and also gave a wedding blessing to Júlio Albano Castomo and his
wife, and to João Luis Nota and his wife, two of the TEE students who have
already finished their documents and are now legally married (and not only
according to the tribe tradition). (Just to remind you: Brazil sent a special
donation last year for the wedding expenses of the eight students.)
In the
afternoon, Pastor Alfazema and his wife visited the church in Sena. The whole
congregation came together again and the church was packed. All were happy to
see their first spiritual leader again.
Mrs. Perpétua
Marcos Alfazema spoke to the people as well. They are loved by their fellow Mozambique
people!
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