Floods in Mozambique

Hopefully most of you know about the floods in Mozambique, probably through Rolland and Heidi's email. If you didn't get the email, the pictures or you have no idea what i'm talking about, you can go to www.irismin.org.

but here's my friend Jessie's update. I'll try and write about my little London life tomorrow.

There has been serious flooding in one of our southern regions because of all the rain we’ve been having in this part of Africa. It has affected not just Mozambique but Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia as well. But, with the rain in those nations, because of the river systems, a lot of their excess water comes to Mozambique and adds to our flooding problems here. It has washed away over 4,500 homes as well as a lot of crops. There are people even now still isolated because of the swollen rivers and thousands of displaced people living in temporary camps until they can rebuild.

Iris sent a team down to Zambezia, the province that was hit the hardest. I was so happy that I got to go! I found out Thursday night before and left 12 hours later. (There were issues because I was the only girl, but Josham went so they said I could.) There were 8 of us with 1 Land Rover and 1 camiao/truck. On the way we stopped in Nampula, a large city, and bought rolls of plastic, rice, sugar, salt, soap and cookies for the kids. Going down we had no idea what we would find or even what we would be doing. It took us two long days to drive down to our center there. We worked with the provincial pastor in talking to the Governor and getting approval by the government, as well as actually visiting the camps where the people were.
We got permission to visit 12 camps where people had set up temporary residence. Since their houses were made of mud, with all the wind and rain they either melted or blew away/apart. They had built temporary ‘houses’ out of bamboo and the grass that grows everywhere. The conditions in the camps were so bad. Some of the people had lost everything as their houses were carried away in the flood, they didn’t even have a way to cook food. Some had more than that, but still it wasn’t much at all. We tried to visit about 7 camps, though we couldn’t get in to all of them. Even though we had the blessing of the head of the province, we still had trouble with the local governments leaders. They wanted us to leave the food we brought with them instead of giving it directly to the people. If we did that, food would disappear before it got to the people, or the corrupt officials would turn around and sell it to the people. Who, by the way, had just lost everything and had no way to buy the food they needed to survive. It was heartbreaking. In one place we ended up driving 3 hours back home with the food still in our truck. That was one of our worst days.
At the camps we visited we always gave food, and in a lot of them one of our team was able to preach. Even though we brought them food, it wasn’t much for all the people that had been displaced. But they were so thankful, there was always clapping and cheering African style. We visited some of our churches and were able to give them food as well. We also bought some supplies for them to start rebuilding some of the churches that were washed away by the rain. Even though we couldn’t do much, the people were so encouraged that we had come all that way to help them. We were the first people in a lot of places, even though there were other world aid organizations there and aware of the problem. They were still in the planning stage while people were starving. So when we came with what food we had, they were encouraged that they weren’t forgotten and that more help was on the way. Even though we gave out food everywhere we went, our main purpose was to share the love of God with the people there. He’s the only way they can get through the next few months or even year of trying to rebuild their lives.
I’m still trying to process what I saw down there.I’m still trying to process what I saw down there.
I’ve never been faced with such poverty, devastation or overwhelming need. I still cry when I think of the conditions down there. Even with the realization that God is the only way that the people can get through the process of rebuilding their lives, I’ve realized that He is the only way I can get through it too. How do you see things like that and keep going on? Even with what we could do, it seemed like so little in the face of such great need. But then I think back to the face of one of the children as they received a roll, or the face of a mother as she’s able to give a roll to her crying child and that alone makes it worth it. To be able to help the one if front of you, it makes a difference in one life. I don’t have to do it all, I can’t do it all, but I can be the hands, feet, smile of Jesus to that one person in front of me. So on I go with Jesus holding my hand as I embrace the heart of Iris Ministries and stop for the one in front of me.