During this last visit to Mozambique I visited a few congregations and participated in one World vision conference with Hope for Africa. In all the visit can be summarized in a focus on what is real and true. The Identity of this truth is love and is demonstrated through acts of service. The consequences of these acts of service is transformation of communities to be more like Christ. Through God's blessings on the communities we visited, we had the privilage to see signs of this happening.

VISIT MARONGANI MAWILINE ZANGA NAMITIMBA AND LIAZI CONGREGATIONS

Rudolf and I camped outside the house of pastor Samuel Pedro. Because of finances he could not take his wife to the clinic and was forced to get a certain injection for his wife through someone who wanted to help. The injection caused inflamation and a lot of suffering. He could not take his wife for help, because that helper will then be in trouble. She realy suffered and I were worried. We could only pray and give panados.

We also had a meeting with the elders to talk about the congregation. The need was identified to grow because we know of 372 villages in the northen part of the Mozambique, where there is no church or any knowledge of the gospel.

The elders identified the need to have more training and accused the pastor that there is not enough training. He reminded them that there were a few times that he organized training but they did not arrive. As in other congregations the expectations was that all the work and responsability is with the pastor. They were very surprised to discover that the members have an calling and responsability just as important as the pastor. They are much more than te pastor and therefore more time should be spent to support and encourage them. The elders need to encourage them and the pastor to do the work. The pastor will also encourage them. I think that in some places it was the first time to talk about our calling this way and for many elders this was a total new way of thinking.

The other change of mind was about the way that we teach. The traditional way in the IRM is to tell people what they should do. In one congregation when I asked what are the work of an member of the church they said: "He needs to listen". Some others were laughing because they knew it should not be like that, but could not tell what else. If church is only on a Sunday the only reponsibility is to attend the services. If the members are the main force through which the community and Mozambique will know Christ, the situation change and they needs to be equiped to do the work. The style of training is just as important as the training self. The old style of telling them what to do, they discovered must be replaced by leaders sharing the lives of the members and sitting with them giving away your status and be a servant. After asking them they decided that the servant attitude is much more effective than telling them.

We practised the servant attitude by visiting some houses where there were people in need. It seems as if the experience touched the hearts of the leaders but also the community. 

In most cases there are very little of an understanding of what should be the aim of the congregation other than the normal program of services youth choirs etc. The idea that giving and sacrificing yourself as well as serving the community can make the community a place where even the people of town would like to come and stay, is still strange, but some leaders start to understand it. The big change of mind was more to the side where they took it to heart that you should give yourself away. The power of knowledge that is in you traditionally you keep for yourself because that gives you your status. Now the church leader should sacrifice this power. Position in the tradition is the most valueable thing that you can have, and now you need to give it away so that you can gain another most valueable thing in life and that is Jesus. In the discussions we talked about the nearly impossibility of this, because people will misuse this attitude and some will be against it. The leaders will have to give away their only security. It is like dying. And exactly that is what it is. 

Then the second step was how will we encourage one another to grow in this attitude. It was a big mindshift for quite a few of the leaders. The custom was to discipline anyone that make an mistake. Now suddenly the Bible say that you should not judge or condemn. The one that make a mistake are in need and is in fear. Go and help him up in stead of pushing him out. In one congregation this is what they said they have learned: "We must go back to those people we disciplined and demonstrate our concern for them in stead of leaving them to die". The question also came, but what about the one that do not want to listen and the one that attack you and humiliate you. Again one of the biggest fears is to be humiliated. Then there were some examples of people who did not allow this humiliation to touch them and just continued to try and help. What an surprise, that such an attitude is possible. Yes there is a time of discipline and it is criticly important for the church, but as a way of helping not a way of judging someone.

MONEY MATTERS IN CONGREGATIONS

In the 6 congregations it was possible to talk openly about help for their pastors. This was a very big step forward. In the past there was only 2 congregations where the pastor gave me the permission and asked me to talk about these sensitive matters. This gave me the indication that the Lord is realy moving. I also believe that this openess came after the vision conferences of the past and after the pastors meeting earlier this year. Some of the pastors that I visited did not receive any help from RSA because of administration problems. They struggle to have something to eat. They felt very ashamed to give me only two meals a day consisting of porridge and beans or porridge and leaves. One told me about the illness of his child and how he did not have money to take the child to the clinic. The child is with fever and the whole body is full of blisters. They saw God's hand in it that a nurse met him on the road and asked about his welbeing and after telling him that his child is ill, he asked them about it. The pastor explained about illness and the nurse asked why he do not go to the clinic. He had to admit that he can not. Then the nurse came to his house the next day and helped them with medicine. Now the child is improving a bit. He is serving in an congregation with 16 churches some nearly 50km away also a mission area with 11 churches a 100km away. Then he has to look after a congregations with 14 churches because of the lack of pastors. He lives 65km from town regularly for meetings. This he do with a bicyle or sometimes he borrow a small motorbike. 

Within this financial struggle the pastor is not giving up his calling to serve the congregation. His calling is more valueable than the struggles and most of the time he is smiling. He and three other pastors are in this dilemma. 

I took the opportunity and helped the elders through an exercise of mathematics to understand the total costs of an motorbike. Starting with the distances and working out more or less how far the pastor needs to travel. Then asking the elders how many times do they want him to visit the churches and what way of transport they want him to use. Then after about two hours of mathematics came to the conclusion that he needs more or less R450 a month for this alone. Then I could tell them about people in RSA or congregations who are ready to be partners with them. The people in RSA also wants to see that the 372 towns in Mozambique will receive the message of God and that it should happen through them as the local church. But the partner need to know that if they help with the transport, what is the pastor eating and how do he send his children to school or pay for medical needs etc. They have the choice. The pastor is ready to create his own income with his garden, but the garden must be bigger than theirs, because of the bigger expenditure. If they do not help much they need to give him more time to work in his garden and then he will have less time to work in the congregation. Then I gave them a opportunity to answer to the supporters by video. As they give the answer I translate.

One congregation said that they gave the pastor 6 bags of maize but promise to give this year 15 and will also work in his garden and will give a certain amount of money. Others did not give much and on the video some atmitted that they are still weak, but is asking the partner to pray for them so that they can grow. 

Well I know that some of these things are only because they discovered what they need to say, but some must be real. The reactions afterwards gave me hope that God is busy with His work.