Holistic Evangelism in Tete Province, Mozambique - June 2018 Trip Report
Dear friends and supporters of Tete Province,
We had a wonderful trip to Tete Province. Our six-person team sponsored by The Outreach Foundation departed on Monday, June 11. After three flights, we arrived in Blantyre, Malawi on Wednesday, June 13. We were met at the airport by Nedson and his daughter, Esther. We enjoyed a lunch at Nedson’s home prepared by his wife Sarah. After unpacking the medical supplies donated by our home congregations, we drove about three hours to the Malawi town of Ntcheu near the Mozambique border in the northeast portion of Tete Province. On Thursday we had a full day of visiting remote congregations in the Angonia District of Tete Province – places we had never visited. We were welcomed warmly with singing and dancing. We saw newly constructed church buildings at Melenyangu and Mtangowatsanja. Members of the congregation at Nansato walked a great distance to meet with us and invited us to journey to their church on a future visit. They said, “This is the beginning of the beginning. Thanks for coming so far and next time, please come to see us.” A constant theme we heard everywhere we stopped was their joy that brothers and sisters in Christ from America would travel so far to visit and encourage them. Our team felt that we were the ones encouraged by their warm welcome, gifts, hospitality, and faith!
The next day, Friday, we drove to the village of Madzimaera where the construction of a new health clinic sponsored by North Lake Presbyterian Church is about to start. We were met by a crowd of over two hundred including three chiefs. They were so grateful for what The Outreach Foundation is doing to improve the health and medical care of their people. They promised support and as much land as would be needed for the health clinic and the workers’ housing. We were showered with gifts of sugar cane, yams, bananas, and chickens. The stones for the foundation were already on site and a load of sand was delivered as we were leaving.
We left there and went to the village of Caphinimbule where the new school and well sponsored by Rebekah and Anna Long are located. Again we were met by a huge crowd that included three different chiefs, one of whom was a lady! Sebber’s talented drama team performed and afterwards we were welcomed with speeches, gifts, and a meal. Their appreciation for the opportunity for education and clean water was off the chart. We drove to the Leadership Training Center where we received another warm welcome and spent the night.
On Saturday, we visited a newly constructed well in the village of Liziye, visited a feeding program in the village of Capirizanji, and met with congregation leaders of the Matundo church near Tete City.
On Sunday we had a remarkable worship service at the rural village of Mameme 2. We were impressed with their joyful singing and dancing. We were given more gifts, including a goat, and toured the church’s beautiful garden of tomatoes, lettuce, and sweet potatoes located to take advantage of the run-off from the nearby well we helped to fund some years ago. Several leaders from the church learned sustainable development practices, including gardening, from Nedson and Sebber’s leadership training workshops.
We were greatly blessed with our visit to Tete Province. It was wonderful to have face-to-face time with Nedson, Sebber, Sarah, Carlos, and the many church leaders we met. The Holistic Evangelism Project continues to bear much fruit. We are extremely grateful for your prayers, support, and gifts for this Kingdom work. There is still much to achieve in Tete Province. There is a “waiting list” of congregations needing assistance with new church construction. There is an ongoing need for wells and teacher housing. We need desks for the new school in Caphinimbule. Raising personnel support for Nedson, Sebber, and Carlos remains a priority. Gifts of all sizes for these needs are welcome. Thank you for the “home team” prayers for our visit – we felt them. Please continue to lift Nedson, Sebber, Carlos, and their families in prayer. Your support is greatly appreciated! All praise and honor to our gracious and loving heavenly Father!!
Zikomo kwambiri (Thank you very much),
Berry Long, Trustee, The Outreach Foundation
Read more about Holistic Evangelism in Tete Province, Mozambique HERE.