“Something as simple as colouring in pages, it filled them with so much joy, it was priceless when they brought back last week’s pictures to show me.”
My journey to Mozambique began I was 7 or 8 years old when I saw the news reports on the famine in Ethiopia. It was always on at mealtimes and being confronted with these tiny, starving children covered in flies; I just wanted to bring them back to our house where they could have a bath, clean clothes and a meal.
“My first visit to a developing nation was visiting friends in the Philippines in 2000 but in 2003, at a Christian conference, a speaker called Heidi Baker from Iris Global told us stories about her work in Mozambique. I saw the same tiny, starving children and my heart changed from that weekend on. I had my own personal struggles but in 2014 I was able to go to Maputo in Southern Mozambique to visit the Zimpeto Children’s Centre.
“The visit changed me forever. I received more from the people than I could ever give back, deep personal, spiritual healing despite the heart-breaking sights. One such sight was the garbage dump, a desperate looking place where I found people full of joy who welcomed us like royalty. I met a mother and baby living in a tiny shelter of little more than plastic and tarpaulin; we prayed for patients in the hospital. It still cuts deep but I flew back to the UK knowing Maputo was my home.
“In 2016 I visited Pemba, a port city in Mozambique, for a missionary training school. It was one of the most intense yet primitive experiences of my life, very immersive and designed to mimic the missionary life. I stayed in a basic tent in the village, used latrines, lived communally with restricted water supplies in a small house and caught a tropical illness amongst many other challenges! It was an incredible time and where I realised I need to go back to Maputo long term, something I did in 2017 where it was a true honour and privilege to become part of the ‘Bocaria’ garbage dump ministry, as well as many other ministry opportunities.
“The dump floods in the wet season and in February 2018 it rained so heavily there was a landslide that destroyed three houses and buried people as they slept. Many people lost their lives. Houses and our Church were destroyed; we needed to find new land. People were scattered all over the city in relief camps that were eventually closed but it was in the same area of Hulene where we found the perfect spot! Borrowed finances were used to buy the land and, during a visit back to the UK, I was given a significant donation, most of which I was able to donate to this ministry; a true blessing!
“For me time with these people is truly so precious, they are so very open and welcoming. I led a 'Sunday school' type programme with the children telling a different Bible story every week and the adorable bunch of kiddies always managed to bless me more than I could ever bless them every week. Something as simple as colouring in pages, it filled them with so much joy, it was priceless when they brought back last week’s pictures to show me.
“I’m a person of faith, God is the centre of my life, and it really has been a remarkable experience, spiritual, fulfilling and life changing both for me and the people of Maputo. It will always be my home from home and the connection I have with the people and church that I helped to build will always be there.”