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Melinda's Mozambique Mission Momento's
(The following account comes from my journal.)
People ask God why He doesn't do something about the orphans, the
homeless, the hurting people of the world. Don't they realize God
is asking them the same question? He has clearly told us what He wants
us to do. - Robert Ross
Last Friday while ministering at the garbage dump in Maputo, Mozambique's
capital, I witnessed a sight not soon to be forgotten.
I was sitting on a dirty concrete floor in a burnt out, rusted, delapitated
room, surrounded by more than a hundred children, as well as adults.
Since the room had no walls nor roof, I had a good view of the surroundings.
Actually, 'a good view' is a complete misnomer, as my eyes and nostrils
were assaulted by the smoldering remains of the rubbish of a couple
hundred thousand people. Worse than this though, was the sight of
fellow human beings rummaging through this stinking refuse. The tattered
rags they pretended were clothes, exposed more skin than they covered.
The sight that brought tears to my eyes occurred as the Gospel was
being shared. Other than the dazed, drugged-out man next to me, everyone
was exceptionally attentative. Most managed to avoid the temptation
to bolt towards each new rubbish truck entering the property. You
see, usually every truck gets mobbed by the dump residents who are
desperately hoping to find something edible amidst its decaying load.
Occasionally, one or two kids would race out of our open-air 'room',
frantically trying to clutch onto some piece of the speeding truck.
If they did manage to grab hold and clench tightly enough, they'd
get the privilege of digging into this refuse first. Did you realize
that there is a place in this world where fighting for survival means
competing for garbage?!
The above sights sickened my soul, but my tears really didn t start
flowing freely until one-third of the crowd around me jumped up and
rushed off to compete for the waste in a particulary heavy-laden truck.
So many people climbed onto this truck that it was forced to stop.
In Africa, you often see thirty-five people crammed in the back of
pick-up trucks, so you can imagine how many people it takes to bring
a garbage truck to a halt.
Jesus, Jesus, what a wretched condition this world is in when
you are abandoned for a piece of garbage. When one must choose between
hearing your Word, worshipping You in song and prayer, or chasing
a rubbish truck for food, something has gone terribly wrong .This
isn't the way you meant it to be, is it? Do you really mean for us
to do something about this?
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his
life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but
has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children,
let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
I Jn 3:16-18
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty
and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited
me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked
after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me....I tell you the
truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of
mine, you did for me. Matt 25:35,40
You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation....
II Corinthians 1:11
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