We have been in a language training transition the last couple of weeks. That along with frequent internet outages and vehicle repair projects, it has been difficult to post an update. Sadly, our language instructor’s boss has reassigned him to teach a new couple that has come to Mozambique with their organization. Sad because we have developed a good trust relationship with him and have been making great progress in language training. An example of that relationship is the focus of today’s post.
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| Alberto, Dave, and Abel after their flight to Mueda |
In about our 3rd week with Alberto, who is also a pastor of a local church, we learned that he is a primary contact for the Jesus Film project here in northern Mozambique. During a break one day, Alberto was asking us how much it would cost to transport him by airplane so that he could show the Jesus Film in a remote village. We told him that we could introduce him to our program manger and find out about the possibilities. A couple of days later Jill had a visit with the spouses of our pilots. One of them mentioned that it would be a great ministry opportunity if MAF could find a Mozambican pastor that we could fly to show the Jesus Film. Jill shared that Alberto is already involved with the Jesus Film and has expressed interest in flying transportation.
Once the idea was born, we asked Alberto if there was a particular place he would like to go that had an airstrip nearby. He said that for a very long time he has tried to travel north to Mueda to show the film, but because of the cost and difficulties of travel, it has not materialized. He said that when the roads are good, it is at least a 10 hour drive from Nampula to Mueda. He said to make the trip on a bus (with all of his equipment) would also be expensive and the cost of meals and lodging would create a difficulty. He explained that the costs associated with traveling to Mueda and showing the film would be about twice the amount he receives each month to show the film. We mentioned to our manger about Mueda, and arranged a meeting between him and Alberto. Because we do some commercial flights to subsidize the cost of mission flying, MAF has a special rate for flying national pastors. When Alberto asked our program manager how much a round trip flight to show the film would be, he pulled out a calculator and figured out an estimate. The cost? Exactly the amount budgeted to him! For this specific flight to Mueda, MAF was able to cover the costs completely.
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| Alberto's first flight on an airplane |
So on Good Friday, April 6th, Alberto, another pastor, Conrad (the pilot), and I, flew to Mueda. Mueda is a small town in northern Mozambique, about 50 miles from the border with the country of Tanzania. The tribal language in the region is Makonde, which is what the Jesus Film was shown in. Mueda is historically significant to Mozambique as the location of the first battle in the war of independence from Portugal. The airstrip is a remnant of the Portuguese military post where several battles occurred. It is somewhat out of place in rural Mozambique, as an almost 8,000 ft long (long enough for smaller jumbo jets) well paved runway. We were told that we were the first plane to land there in over a year. Even though there was a nice big runway, the flying was not without challenges…a goat ran out across the runway and the takeoff had to be aborted!
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| Ride in the pick-up to the film location |
Goat on the runway!
We were greeted at the airstrip by some of the members of the small church in Mueda. We loaded our supplies along with about 16 of us into the bed of a small Toyota Pickup (totally African style!). Our first stop was the Mueda church, where we held a short prayer service for the showing of the film. After the service, we loaded back into the pickup to travel about 10 miles to the village of M’peme (also called Makondo). The Mueda church has planted a small sister church in M’peme, and their desire was to use the Jesus Film to share the Gospel of Jesus with the village, in their mother tongue. The Jesus Film is based on the Gospel of Luke and has been translated in over 1000 languages.
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| Mueda church that organized the efforts in M'peme (don't tell me your church isn't big enough to help another!) |
Alberto’s supplies consist of a portable screen with aluminum pole frames, a small portable generator, a projector, a compact amplifier and speaker, and a DVD player. His equipment has some bumps and bruises, which is easy to understand operating in the challenging African environment, but it is all functional. Alberto is proud that he has kept his equipment going because several years ago the Jesus Film project sent equipment for seven teams, and his is the only set that is still operational. It took Alberto about 30 minutes to get everything setup, and it was obvious he had done it many times before. We setup in the front yard of a local church members house, which is on the main street in town. As the equipment was setup, a crowd began to gather out of curiosity. Shortly after, when the sun set, there were several hundred gathered around to see the film.
Video of the arrival and set up for the film
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| Alberto setting up the projector to show the Jesus Film |
Since the film site was on a main street, there were several distractions during the film, but the impact was obvious when the crowd hushed multiple times when one of the miracles described in the Bible or an angel was depicted on the screen. It is difficult to know true results from an event like this, but unquestionably the story of what Jesus did for us all, as told in the Bible, was shared. Seeds were planted and it is up to the Lord to harvest!
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| Hands raised to indicate a decision for Jesus |
Alberto is already planning his next trip by plane to show the Jesus film. Jill and I are excited that the Lord put us in Alberto’s path, and we are looking forward to being a part of his ministry here in Mozambique. Alberto is also interested in having us partner with him, outside of our duties with MAF, to show the Jesus Film within driving distance of Nampula.
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