March 24th, 2019
Many of you are aware of the cyclone that ravaged part of Mozambique a little more than a week ago. The following is a copy of the letter that we sent our prayer partners a few days ago, with minor updates. The photos are of the storm just before the cyclone in areas near the Wheresoever Tete Mission Base, which was not flooded.
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Dear ones,
Danny and I have returned to Raleigh a few days ago. We had hoped by now to greet you and tell some delightful God stories of our last 9 months. But we are caught up by the storm that has hit and devastated a large area of our beloved Mozambique, just a few weeks after we left there. A countless number of people have lost their lives or their homes and their families are in trouble. This is being called the worst humanitarian disaster in Mozambique’s history.
It is now in the news and we can only call on you to pray, pray, pray. There is what they are referring to as an inland ocean, covering hundreds of square miles where villages and towns stood. And the rains are still falling heavily making the situation worse. The people are desperate, hundreds of them have been waiting days in rooftops and on trees. We hear reports that the ones stranded on the trees have found that many snakes have found refuge there ahead of them, but the choice between drowning and snakes is clear. They have not had any food for nearly a week, making it difficult for aid workers to bring the little they can without being mobbed.
Our pastor Tony who grew up with us and has attended Bible School in South Africa is in Beira to plant a church and start up Wheresoever Ministries there. The US team attended his wedding last September. We now know he is alright, though it took him several days to be able to communicate. The house he stays in still stands, but the shelter he built for his services has been destroyed – we thank God that his situation was not much worse. He tells us that now even when he can find food, the prices are so high that it creates a huge problem. He is such a caring person, the very nature of a pastor. We are praying he can find food and that God will multiply it to give away. Also that the Lord will keep him and his congregation well so that they can keep serving the heartbroken people around him.
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| Casualties |
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| Floods near Tete |
A storm hit the city of Tete where our new Wheresoever base is. It overflowed the river to the east and there were fatalities. Thank you Lord that all in our team are ok. Four families from Kenneth’s congregation that attend the Wheresoever meetings have lost their homes and are sheltering in a school with about 100 other families.
THIS WAS DAYS BEFORE THE CYCLONE HIT.
That low pressure moved out to sea, to the channel between Mozambique and Madagascar, and came back as a Cyclone Idai (hurricane). Warnings were sent out to people to leave low lying areas near the coast, even if that news reached the people, most only have legs for transport, how far can they go in bare feet?
Joe on our Wheresoever Board is a Foursquare Disaster Relief first responder (as are several pastors connected to Wheresoever). Through him, we are now connecting with a Foursquare team that is now in South Africa and need to find a base to operate from. We have given them some contacts that they are speaking with now, and offered our Tete base and other suggestions.
We are thankful that you will be praying as the Lord leads to relieve the suffering. Please pray without ceasing. We are very aware that there are also severe floods here in the MidWest USA. Let us pray for our Faithful God to redeem lives and somehow turn this to good in these difficult circumstances. Lord, let there be revival out of all this pain.
All for Jesus. We bless you and thank you.
Lindy and Danny