Every day is full of the new here. I suppose that's to be expected when arriving in a completely new nation, where each day contains yet another layer to discover. The morning was spent just hanging out with the children in the playground. It was a joy to watch them be just that- children- playing daring games on the various playground equipment which when built was guaranteed for 5 years, and was partially worn out after mere months. I imagine it was designed for lighter treatment than it received heree. And yet no-one seems to mind the lack of swings and other hanging things. There is always the plastic bottle lid and a piece of string which provide endless opportunities for creating new toys.
In the afternoon Melissa (who used to work here) and I got ready to head into the city. Despite being very white and clearly foreign, we were embracing the adventure of travelling on the local chapas, little busses that pile people in till they are bursting and provide local transportation. I must admit I was a little unsure beforehand, especially seeing the concerned faces of the Mozambicans, but I decided that if the pastor we were going to meet thought it was ok, then it would probably be fine.
And it was. After a good while standing in the chapa, seats became available, and I could really take in the scenery as we sped by in between stopping every now and then for the ticket guy to shout "museu" to see if more people wanted to join us on the journey. After safely getting off at our stop, it felt so good. Good to no longer be on the chapa, but also so good to be in the city. I am such a city girl, and I love feeling the heart of the city and take in the smells and sounds, heat, and bustling of people (there were many people). So many impressions to take in. We bought a wee snack (a chickpea thing soaked in oil which was delicious) at the side of the road, and walked to find a Vodacom shop so I could activate my sim card for here. It was great to just walk along the busy street, and get to observe the many different people who make up what is known as the people of Maputo. People ranging from the poorest street person dressed in a black plastic bad, to the more well dressed personin a suit and shiny shoes. All so beautiful and all with such infinite value.
As we had some time to kill before our appointment with some pastors, we decided to go to a cafe close to the sea. To get there we took a chopela, which is a three wheeled little thing that looks like a tuc-tuc and is probably more like a motor bike than a car. We agreed on a price and our driver drove us along the coast line, entering into the role of tourist guide as we drove along. He pointed out the port, fortress, women selling fish, and even stopped now and then for photo moments. It was a crazy drive, as there were many near misses of cars and people, but he got us to our destination safely (even if at one point we stopped in the middle of the hill next to the wall of the president's residence, and I think our driver stuffed some plastic bags into somewhere to keep us going- motor vehicles are not in the best condition in this place).
But so much more than the drive and what we saw, the highlight of that little adventure was connecting with this young Mozambican man. At 26 he was already feeling disillusioned with life and the future, and shared that driving this little chopela was just a job, and not his dream. We got to hear his heart and a little bit of his story, and before we parted ways he let us pray for him and encourage him. "I think God sent you guys to encourage me today, because this morning I was having such a bad day, wondering what the point of life was," were his words to us. I think it was more than a coincidence, and we were so thankful to have had the opportunity to strengthen one of those who are part of the future of this nation.
At Cafe Sol we were grateful for coffee and food to sustain us for what the rest of the evening would hold. They even had the famous Portuguese pastry pastel de nata which is a custard tard. One of my favourites anda little think that brought me much joy in that moment.
As it was getting dark, irmao Raimundo came to pick us up in his truck to take us to the meeting with the house of prayer in Maputo. The journey to the Bible school where the meeting was to take place gave a unique opportunity to take in the city by night, and get a feel of what the night hours hold in this place. On arrival we joined with the Wednesday evening class for the house of prayer students. Sitting there I was so encouraged to hear what was taught and I sat there thinking it was lovely to get to receive a little bit of teaching in the midst of this missions trip. And so I was very unprepared when irmao Raimundo suddenly gets up and announces that they want to give some time for the two sisters from America to share the word in their hearts. For a small second I wondered if I could get away with just letting Melissa share, but soon realised I had no idea how that would be perceived, and decided to just go for it. I am not sure what I said, but I read a Bible verse and asked them to pray for Norway, and their faces were smiling and nodding so I figure it was encouraging. The evening went on for a while and leaving took a while of hugging and greeting an amazing group of dedicated young and older Mozambican intercessors. People who are committed to seeing God break into this nation which is one of the poorest in the world and full of crises and huge challenges. Challenges that seem impossible, but are not impossible to a big God.
Arriving back at the base it was hard to sleep; so many thoughts and impressions filled my mind. And in spite of getting a glimpse of poverty and dispair that is so prevalent, I am left with a resounding feeling of hope for this nation! Hope because people are praying. And hope because there are righteous people who will bring this nation into a better future.