As
promised in the last post, read in this post some mission stories. While
in the car going to visit the churches; or seated at night with the pastors;
and even during the long trip by train, we asked the pastors about the beginning
of some of the new churches.
As they were telling the stories in Portuguese,
Rev. Carlos translated it to Rev. Shauen, and he took notes on his tablet. It’s
exciting to see how God works, sometimes in very strange ways, to reach people
with the Gospel of salvation, “because he
has many people in this country” (Acts
18:10). (Carlotta C. Thies went a LCMS volunteer photographer).
1. MARROMEU
Twenty
kilometers from the closest town, beyond the fields of sorghum and desolate
places where the savanna grass looks down on a man treading the path, a small
group of Christians in the village of Amambo (Maromeo Region, Mozambique) were
on their own, abandoned five years earlier by the priest who had been serving
them. Without pastoral care, their congregation remained isolated and alone,
slowly dwindling as members fell away.
Meanwhile,
eighty kilometers away, in Villa de Sena along the banks of the Zambezi River,
the Igreja Luterana da Concórdia em Moçambique - ILCM (Lutheran Church of
Concord in Mozambique) celebrated their first ordinations, ordaining eight
pastors in a ceremony attended by 1,000 joy-filled members.
The
ten congregations of the Lutheran Church came to town by the truckload for the
ordination service in June 2015. What he saw and heard at the ordination
service so impressed one of those truck drivers that he talked about it for
days and weeks afterwards. A woman traveling in his truck to Amambo heard the
story from that truck driver which she then conveyed into the village when she
arrived.
At
the story she told, the Christians in Amambo felt a renewal of hope and decided
to send two representatives to try and locate someone from this Lutheran Church
to learn more first-hand. Benjamin Vinti (on the left in the photo) and
Luis Gombegombe set out on their bicycles and rode twenty kilometers to town
where they could safely overnight and then take a truck to Villa de Sena. The
only possible route by vehicle took them through a park known for lions pulling
people right off the back of trucks as they slowly make their way along the rough
road. It took Benjamin and Luis two full days to get reach Sena, arriving on a
Saturday night and asking around town for the Lutheran Church until they were
directed to Rev. Mateus Sifa who welcomed them and directd them to the house of
the President of the ILCM, Pastor jambo, who hosted them in his home. After a
night of conversation, they accompanied Pastor Jambo and Pastor Mateus to
church on Sunday and returned home the next week to an eager assembly that
immediately confirmed the request of Benjamin and Luis to have a pastor from
the Lutheran Church visit them and begin a course of instruction.
Within a few weeks those newly ordained pastors
from the Lutheran Church did, indeed, visit. On September 6th, 2015,
members, pastors, and visitors dedicated the Lutheran Church of Amambo.
Three
weeks later they dedicated another congregation some 50km away in Maviga as the
Christians in Amambo shared the clear Gospel message they were now receiving.
Nine
months later (June 7, 2016) we traveled by truck from Villa de Sena to visit
Amambo Lutheran Church to encourage them, pray with them, and share a message
from Scripture.
110
members from Amambo welcomed us.
In
addition, Maviga Lutheran Church sent representatives to be with us for our
brief visit since their congregation was too far for us to reach that day.
While
by truck we had traveled just 3 hours to reach Amambo from Sena, Manuel Tangwe
and his wife Maria led 19 representative members from Maviga through a 14 hour
journey by foot to welcome us and hear a message from the Word. Local church
members hosted the visiting congregation for the two nights they were in
town.
The
woman who relayed the testimony of the truck driver never joined the church and
the truck driver who told her about the ordinations is unknown. Nevertheless,
through these two agents, the Gospel has gone forth into Marromeo and God’s
people rejoice in response.
2. THE CHURCH IN MARROMEU
The
Lutheran Church in Amambo (Maromeo Region, Mozambique) has endured through
years without a minister before they were brought to the Lutheran Church. Their
extended time of isolation caused some to leave the fellowship for a time and
others to fall away from the faith altogether. For those who remained, they
took up a burden of responsibility and self-sufficiency. Faced with the
challenge of finding a space sufficient for them to gather together, they
endeavored on their own initiative to build a church building that would meet
their needs.
They
fashioned mud bricks for their church with their own hands and fired them using
wood they gathered in the thin forest of their area. Out of a sense of pride,
desire for a permanent and low-maintenance structure, and to demonstrate their
conviction to the community, they committed to roofing their church building in
tin sheets rather than thatch. For the timbers, tin roofing, and mortar for
brick-laying, they cut trees and burned charcoal, walking or biking it the
twenty kilometers to the closest town where one very large bag of charcoal sells
for $1 (60 Meticals).
Through
these efforts the Lutheran Church in Amambo today worships in a brick building
with a tin roof.
While
they eagerly desire to continue the work and put in a concrete floor, doors,
windows, and to plaster the interior of the church, they’ve stalled in
construction because of the drought and violent political conflict which has
further depressed the economy of the area, significantly reducing the market
for charcoal and increasing the cost of building materials.
Nevertheless,
the Lutherans in Amambo know that in time, stewarding what God has entrusted to
their care - small as it may seem - and perhaps with the assistance of friends
in the faith, they will continue to develop their worship space as they gather
around Word and Sacrament.
Praise
the Lord for His people in Amambo and their eagerness for the best possible
space set aside to gather together in His name.
3. CADO
The
Christians of Cado, Mozambique, paid dearly for pastoral services, struggling
under the tyranny of a pastor who mandated a substantial cash payment for each
visit. Their community was remote, some 45km from the nearest town, and it
wasn’t until villagers started going to town to find a market for their goods
that they realized that not all churches operate in the same way. When the
possibility of life together under a different model came to light, the
congregation took action to learn more. Two youth were sent by bicycle the 45km
to Villa de Sena to make inquiries of the churches there. In Villa de Sena on
the banks of the Zambezi River, those two youths met Pastor Mateus Sifa and
Pastor Manuel Jambo and eagerly began to interrogate them about the Lutheran
Church’s beliefs and practice. Pastor Jambo hosted them in his home as they
continued in discussion. Of particular interest to these Cado villagers were
the teachings on stewardship, offerings, and the matters of financial
administration in the church. Through these avenues, Pastor Jambo shared with
them the clear Gospel proclamation and the church’s focus on the Word and
Sacraments that convey that Gospel. On Sunday, the youth from Cado attended São
Paulo Lutheran Church in Villa de Sena and saw those things of which Pastor
Jambo had spoken. By the end of the worship service their path was clear.
They
stood when invited and introduced themselves as visitors to Villa de Sena who
had a single task of finding a parent church body for their congregation. In
what they had seen and heard they were convicted that this Lutheran Church is
the very church they had come to find. Knowing the challenge of reaching Cado
and that for São Paulo to share their pastor would mean they would go without
their pastor some Sundays, the Cado representatives requested the blessing of
the São Paulo congregation to send a pastor to support a Lutheran Church in
Cado. The Christians of São Paulo affirmed the request unequivocally for the
sake of God’s people in Cado and the Gospel.
A
few weeks later, three Lutheran Pastors traveled to Cado. The first Lutheran
Service in Cado was attended by 50 villagers meeting under a tree.
Within
the year the congregation had grown to 80.
4. CADO-NHACHIVA
Pastor
Mateus Sifa of the Igreja Luterana da Concórdia em Moçambique (Lutheran Church
of Concord in Mozambique) was returning from ministering in the village of
Cado. The 45-kilometer one-way ride by bicycle would be taxing in the best of
circumstances and even more so on one of Africa’s typical heavy one-speed
bicycles on rough dirt roads. About 10km into his ride home, Pastor Mateus
stopped at a trading center for some refreshment. While resting, a teacher,
Rogerio, approached this stranger in the trading center. Gesturing to Pastor
Mateus’ clerical shirt, Rogerio asked if he was a priest. In explaining that he
was a pastor of the Lutheran Church, they began to discuss the history and
doctrine that is distinct to Lutherans. Very interested in what this bicycling
pastor had to say, the teacher wanted to know, "Why don't you start a
church here?" To which Pastor Mateus replied, "You have to help me
plant the church here!"
Several
weeks later Pastor Mateus again came into the trading center on his way to Cado
to find that the teacher and a collection of villagers were waiting for him,
gathered to hear more. Pastor Mateus spoke to them briefly and then said,
“Come, and see!” That day they continued on to the church in Cado together. In Cadfo-Nachiva,
the first worship service was attended by 80 people. Today 150 members
regularly attend services where the Gospel is clearly proclaimed.
5. SUERO
Across
Mozambique, villagers gather together in the shade of the thatched roof
covering the bicycle repair kiosk, the covered porch of the trading center
shop, or each other’s homes to listen. Community radio stations give a lifeline
to these remote and rural hard-working farmers and entrepreneurs, connecting
them to Mozambique and the rest of the world through FM broadcast. As they all
do, community radio station host Sinalo Christiano gave airtime to the local
pastors in Chemba, Mozambique.
But
when Pastor Julio Castomo of the Igreja Luterana da Concórdia em Moçambique
(Lutheran Church of Concord in Mozambique) had his first moment on air, the
host was intrigued. Here was a message quite different from the other preachers
who came for their 5 minutes of proclamation. Sinalo talked to Pastor Julio
extensively after the broadcast about the message and about the church. The
next day, Sinalo came to Pastor Julio’s home to continue the discussion. On
Sunday, the radio host came to church and saw for himself. Immediately, Sinalo
traveled to his home village of Suero to tell his extended family about Jesus
Christ’s amazing love for us to which the people mandated that Sinalo go back
to Chemba, collect Pastor Julio, and bring him to tell them himself. After a
few evangelistic visits, the people of Suero organized into a church and
invited Pastor Julio to come to their first Sunday morning time together. Sixty
people were gathered to hear him. The next week there were 80. Today God’s
people in Suero rejoice in Word and Sacrament alongside God’s people around the
world.
6. CHRISTIAN LOVE AND MISSION
Drought
had stricken Southeastern Africa. In Mozambique, God’s people in Villa de Sena
cried out to their friends and partners with a request for food aid.
In
compassion, the partners of the Igreja Luterana da Concórdia em Moçambique
(Lutheran Church of Concord in Mozambique) (especially the LCMS through a
special project sent to Emergency and Relief Fund) responded in February 2016.
With
the food aid came an acknowledgment that although the provision was meager, the
members of the church with whom rice had been shared were requested to also
share with those in their communities.
Over
the years, Domingos and his wife Beauty had a pleasant relationship with Pastor
Mateus and Angelina but were not interested in the church. The gift of a bag of
rice and 5 liters of cooking oil, though, piqued their interest - why would
someone do such a thing, particularly in difficult and hungry times like these?
Pastor Mateus appreciated the opportunity to talk about the love of Christ and
how we are compelled to respond, even in love towards our literal neighbors.
Domingos, hard working and well educated did what any reasonable person would
do. Domingo searched Google for the Lutheran Church. He read about baptism. He
read about the scope of the church - reaching across the world. As is often the
case, Domingos’ research on the Lutheran Church raised even more questions.
Meanwhile,
Beauty had also been doing research of a different kind. As she visited in the
home of Pastor Mateus and Angelina she was observing how they interacted with
each other and with their children. That love, the living out of the testimony
she heard, was compelling to her. But when Pastor Mateus and Angelina invited
Domingos and Beauty to church to see for themselves, Domingos declined on
behalf of the family.
But the next Sunday, when invited again, Beauty came with Domingos’ approval although he still would not join them for worship. Instead of attending church, though, Domingos is still biding his time but now eagerly and willingly spending time with the pastors and members of the church.
Domingos
began to repair and provide routine maintenance for Pastor Mateus’ motorcycle.
When the monthly church leadership meeting came around at the church office at
Pastor Mateus’ home, Domingos brought out his tools and tuned up all their
motorcycles. When the leadership of the church gather for a week and a half at
Pousada Luterana guesthouse and training center seven kilometers from town,
Domingos made himself available to provide on-site support for the electrical,
solar, generator, and motorcycle repairs that would be necessary throughout the
week. He spent a full week with those pastors, theology students, and visitors
from South Africa, Brazil, and the United States. Some sense of fear, though,
still keeps Domingos from attending worship - a fear, he thinks, that he might
not like it. Domingos is still uncertain about coming to the church and hasn't
yet stepped through the doors.
But
on Sunday, June 5, 2016, I baptized Domingo’s wife, Beauty. That Sunday,
Beauty, along with 58 other men, women, and children, celebrated new life in
the waters of baptism at São Paulo Lutheran Church in Villa de Sena. Praise the
Lord for the faith he has worked in Beauty and the seeds of faith that are
planted in the heart of Domingos.
7. MUTARARA-INHAGOMA
During
the first week of June, 2016, two leaders from an independent church in
Mutarara (Inhangoma region), Mozambique, came the 40km to Villa de Sena in
search of a church body with substance. Through relatives, these two leaders
from the Christ Forever Church had heard about the Igreja Luterana da Concórdia
em Moçambique (Lutheran Church of Concord in Mozambique) and traveled to Sena
to learn more. They came to Pastor Mateus Sifa’s home twice in that week
looking for someone to tell them about the Lutheran Church to find that only
Pastor Mateus’ wife Angelina was home. But, Angelina told them, I know if you
go to Pousada Luterana, seven kilometers outside of town, they will receive you
well and be happy to visit with you. Much to the joy of those visitors, that
week the pastors of the Lutheran Church were engaged in a continuing education
course - just the kind of well-trained pastors they were looking for.
After
visiting with the pastors and receiving a meal, they asked if the Lutheran
Church would please send a pastor to Mutarara to take over responsibility for
their congregation. That visit should be made in the weeks ahead with the
dedication of yet another Lutheran Congregation to come shortly
thereafter. Praise the Lord for drawing His people to Himself through the
church.
8. KAPASSENI NEW FOUR DAUGHTERS
Kapasseni
pastor, Rui Jalene Souza, after his ordination, went to visit other nearby
villages to share the gospel. When people hear the Gospel, they say please come
and plant a church here. There are now four congregations in the Kapasseni
area.
9. MUTARARA
Mutamara
across the pedestrian bridge was founded by the President's brother. He came to
visit and they went to church and Jambo took the leaders of the congregation in
Sena across the bridge (which is a different province). They helped the
interested folks identify a leader among them. Then the congregation leaders
came back and gave a report to São Paulo who encouraged the pastor to start the
congregation there.
10. TWO ACCOUNTS OF BEIRA
2012
President Jambo had a very bad accident when returning from visiting family in
Beira. There is no public transportation to Sena, no bus, no taxis. Most people
travel in the bed of a cargo truck. The fuel truck he was traveling in
(carrying barrels of petrol) lost control on the road and he was thrown from
the truck as it rolled over. None of the barrels were ruptured but the 15 people
in the truck were hurt, some killed in the accident. President Jambo cut his
neck and broke his arm. He was sent back to Beira for treatment and had a long
recovery, eventually regaining use of his arm. Both his family and the people
who helped him when recovering are part of the Lutheran Church in Beira
now.
Beira
congregation started because faithful Lutherans from Sena area moved to Beira.
They called the president and asked what to do. He told them to come together
for Bible Study and start to meet together on Sunday. President Jambo went the
first time to organize them
and
then Pastor Mateus was assigned to be responsible for the church.
11. THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE MISSION
The very first congregations were founded by Pastor Alfazema who was born here and was a refugee who left when he was 14 or 15 years old via Malawi, Tanzania, and finally Kenya. He studied with Pastor Omodhi in Nairobi. From Kenya he got a refugee card for Canada. Since he was a strong leader in Canada and gathered other refugees from Mozambique in Canada. The congregation offered to send him to seminary with the intent that he would go back to Mozambique. He studied at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St Catherines, Ontario, and then was sent back to Mozambique for the first time in 2004. He found his mother still alive in Kapasseni.
The
village chief asked him to help build a school and clinic. One of the donor
organizations supporting the social work is Caia Connection. Pastor Alfazema
founded the first congregation in Kapasseni in 2006
He
sought to found the next church in a larger town and headed towards Sena.
Along
the way he planted three more churches.
12. CHURCH BUILDINGS
The
first permanent structure church building erected was in Villa de Sena.
The
second was in Morrema where Ernest is pastor.
Next
was Chemba.
Then,
Kapasseni.
Then
M’Pango. These had all been built by Canada.
Then
Brazil began to help with Cado
and
Três de Fevereiro (3rd of February).
No
raising funds for Zambezi and Sabonete (where bricks are already ready).
Then
the property was brought in Sena village by Brazil and the USA
as
a special project by the Lutheran Laymen's League (Men's league) in Brazil.
The
guesthouse where we're staying was bought by FELSISA
Rev.
Shauen Trump
Area Director for Eastern and Southern Africa
Office of International Mission
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
+254-20-3882145 +254-700-931367
Shauen.Trump@LCMSintl.org
http://www.LCMS.org/
Credits:
The pictures I am using in this Blog were taken by Carlotta C. Thies, Shauen
Trump, Rony Marquardt, Mateus Sifa, André Plamer, Paulo Brum and myself. Thank
you all.
Donations
can be sent to:
USA: The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
PO Box 66861
St. Louis, MO 63166-6861 – USA (Designate:
Winterle – 60606)
OR:
LCMS– Mission Central - C/O Gary
Thies 40718
Hwy. E16
Mapleton,
IA 51034 - USA (Designate: Winterle 60606)
OR: GERMANY: Bleckmarer Mission: Volksbank
Sudheide e.G. (BLZ 257 916 35), Konto 100 423 900 BIC: GENODEF1HMN; IBAN: DE09 2579 1635
0100 4239 00
Or: SOUTH AFRICA: Mission of the Lutheran
Churches (MLC) Nr. 1913-137-538, NEDBANK LTD., Cresta/Randburg, Swiftaddresse: NEDSZAJJ
OR: Igreja
Evangélica Luterana do Brasil – IELB Banco do Brasil, Ag 0010-8, Conta 4206-4
Bradesco, Ag 0324-7, Conta 108288-4
Banrisul, Ag 0100, Conta 06.150713.0-0 Itaú, Ag 0159, Conta 33581-9
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(Comunicar à Tesouraria da IELB o destino da oferta: tesouraria@ielb.org.br)
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