All Nations Mozambique

When I saw America the first time I knew he had AIDS. His auntie started to tell his story, that his mother died and that his father is dead. He is only a year and seven months old and are already using anti retroviral. His auntie have three other children and she can not care for him. His weight dropped alarmingly the last few months, he is literally skin and bones, and also dehydrated. We offer him some food and drink and you can see that he had nothing to eat and drink for days. We knew that we have to take him in, knowing that he would die if he did not receive any help. It must be so hard losing your parents so early in your life and then having to fight AIDS at such a young stage in your life. He came to sit next to me on the couch, and I looked at his frail body, as I play with him I realize how hard life must be for him. There is no smile on his face, his eyes have no life, but I know that Jesus will change his life. We know the love of Jesus will give him new life.

Please have a look at our new website at http://www.allnationsmozambique.org

Rosalina one of the twins.

It is now four years ago, Rika and I packed our small Opel Astra with everything we owned and moved to Mozambique. We arrived to an empty rented house which was not in the best of conditions. We slept on the wooden floor for a few nights with our children, it was the start of an amazing journey where we discovered the love of Jesus for the orphan.

Today we care for 22 children in two different homes, and we are so blessed to see them grow. It is our dream that one day they will serve Jesus passionately have a real influence in the communities they live. We dream about their futures and we know through Jesus all things are possible. It is such a blessing to hear Dudu sing some of the worship songs we sing in house church before he falls a sleep.

Telma came to us malnourished and her CD4 count below a hundred. Last month they did a blood test on her and her CD4 count doubled to over a 1000. It is such a miracle to see how much healing Jesus is doing in they lives of the children. We want to thank all of you who came and hold a child, loved them played with them and changed their diapers. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus.

Today Social Welfare Maputo came to us, asking if we can take in a two month old abandoned baby boy. We work in the city of Matola and our children comes from Social Welfare in Matola. Maputo is a much bigger city than Matola, it is the capitol of Mozambique and right now Social Welfare in Maputo have nowhere to go with babies. Our two homes are full, our staff are stretched and our budget. How do you say no when a two month old baby do not have a home? We believe it is Jesus who are bringing these children to us. By faith in Jesus, Rika and I replied yes immediately, they can bring the baby boy. The words of Jesus where ringing in my ears “bring the children to me…” We know Jesus will make n difference in the life of each child and that He will provide everything they need. Our faith are really challenged and we know a few months with little sleep lie ahead, but we know one day each child will make a difference.

Social Welfare brought the abandoned baby to our house here in Matola. Our middle son Pietro took the new baby boy from Rika into his lap asking what is his name. Rika replied that the baby have no name. Pietro very excitedly replied that we should name him Josef, so today two month old baby Josef joined our family here in Mozambique.

Thank you so much for supporting us, making it possible for us to care for these children. Please continue to pray for us and our small community here in Mozambique, we are really encouraged with everything Jesus is doing in our midst. (Photo of Josef)

The last few months Social Welfare brought four new babies to us. Rosalina and Aly are twins, their mother died of a caesarian. They are 8 months old. Baby Josef were found abandoned and are two months old. Today another two week old baby were brought to us. He has no name and were abandoned next to the road. We still have to give him a name. We are currently caring for twenty three children in two homes. Photo of Marcelino who is living with us now for almost four years. It is such a blessing to see him develop and next year he will start school.

Gercio is a three-month-old baby that was abandoned by his mother. The chief of the area in which he was abandoned came to ask our help. So today little Gercio joined our growing family here in Mozambique. We bought everything he needs and he will be joining Daniel and Nicols in the new house for babies. Please pray for him, we still have to do a HIV test on him.

Allison Scarlett joined our team here in Mozambique. Allison did the All Nations, CPx experience in Kansas City. She has a heart to work with young women and to disciple them. Please pray for her as she seeks to build relationships with young women in our community.

We have a new project that we are starting shortly; we want to train five young women to make jewelry from beads. It will be an opportunity for them to earn an income and also for Allison to spend time with them. We hope to train even more woman in the future and create jobs for them.

 God has really challenged us to improve the homes of our educators; some of them have to walk many miles for water. We would love to provide all their homes with running water and electricity.

Rika and I also spent some time in Cape Town during an All Nations gathering. It was a time of encouragement for us and also to dream some new dreams. Rika are also doing much better and are finally walking without crutches. Thank you so much for your prayers and support in this time.

For those of you who have sowed into our project for making new beds for the “babies”, thank you so much. Soon we will start making the first beds. 

Dulce was only 14 when she gave birth to Jessica. Now she is twenty years old and lives with AIDS. Her father and family kicked her out and her father say’s that she is not his child. She had to live on the streets with Jessica and later at a government center, from which she ran away. Eight months ago she and Jessica came to live with us. Jessica is a beautiful six-year-old girl and she enjoyed living here. She started to go to school and you can see the healing Jesus was doing in her life. Dulce were also doing much better and a huge blessing in helping with the babies. She had a real yearning in her heart to find a husband, a home for her and Jessica.

Dulce met a man at the AIDS clinic she attends and where she receives her anti retroviral medicine. He is married and also lives with AIDS. So three weeks ago while Rika and I were in South Africa, she went to do her hair and later meet the man. He promised to take her to South Africa and take care of her. She stayed with him for the night and the next day came and took Jessica with her. Monday she came to our house, visibly she lost weight and she looked very ill. The man never took her to South Africa, promising her all types of things. Jessica has not going to school for almost three weeks now. She was also without her medicine for a few days. She had to move in with her uncle and he is extremely poor and not able to give food to her or Jessica. She came to ask us if she could come home. Dulce longs to have a man, but the reality is that she is a single mother with AIDS. She has maybe a few more years to live, leaving Jessica as an orphan. Her whole life she has been called a failure and is completely rejected by her family.

Yesterday Rika and I found a house we want to use as a second house for babies, it is a very small house with very nice outside rooms with it’s own bathrooms. We want to employ Dulce as one of our educators at the new house. She will have a lovely new room with her own bathroom for Jessica. It is also one of her dreams to have a job and receive a salary. We love her and Jessica; it was so hard for us when she ran away. Please pray for her and Jessica, God can do a miracle and heal her of AIDS. With Jesus in our hearts there are always hope.

God has been talking to me about providing counseling to people living with AIDS, please pray with us for this. We need people that will come and train people to council people living with AIDS. It is a real need here in Mozambique; there are so many Dulce’s here in Mozambique. There are also no houses for single mothers with AIDS in Mozambique. Daily we experience new needs and we really need, a nurse, a councilor and some long-term missionaries. Please consider laying down your life for a mother with AIDS, an AIDS orphan or an abandoned child.
(Photo’s Dulce with Philip and Jessica)

Timoteo is smiling from ear to ear as we are walking to his home, the first plants are starting to appear in his greenhouse. Proudly he shows me all the little plants that soon will be full of vegetables. I am so excited for Timoteo and to see his commitment to his work.

Thelma is settling into our house and we enjoy having her with us. At the moment she is covered with chicken pox. She will also be going for blood tests at the end of the week to determine her CD4 count. I am almost sure that se needs the anti retroviral medicine, she is extremely malnourished. Holding her little body you can feel every single bone.

Please pray for Luis (big Luis), he took his younger sister for a AIDS test on Saturday and she tested positive. Today he took her to hospital so that she could be registered at the hospital as a patient.

Baby Luis and Marcelino continues to entertain us, they manage to always surprise us with the things they do. God is continuing to bless our small family here in Mozambique and we are so grateful to serve Him on this way.

(Photo of Quiteria by Jason White)