Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Mozambique

We had a great visit with the Schnabel Foundation and World Relief who are working together in Mukhotwene, Mozambique. The Schnabels are friends of ours from Massillon, Ohio who started their own foundation to do aide work in Africa and partnered with World Relief on the Village Transformation Project. They are doing incredible work in a small rural village. Together with the village they are following the World Relief HEART model, Health, Education, Agriculture, Religion, and Trade. They have a holistic approach for rural development and we were honored to be asked to be a part of their team. We met them in Maputo and spent a week in Mukhotwene. This was a great Rosemark stop. We were a part of the dedication of new water sources. This community lost 37 people last year who were attacked by crocodiles while fetching water or doing laundry at the river. The solar powered water pumps in the village were a much appreciated asset for life. We also witnessed the celebration of new goats and chicken businesses, a new tractor, and breaking ground on a new school block that will add two grade levels to the village education. We also assessed the existing health care system with plans of building and staffing a new structure. This is all the work of the Schnabel Foundation with the help of World Relief as their on the ground coordinators and contacts.

Schnable Foundation and World Relief Team

Lesa and Bob Schnable with orphaned goat business owner.
Danny and Abel, World Relief translator and patient discussing health care.

Good news! Everyone had Danny go shopping in their suitcases before they left so he has new luggage and a full wardrobe again! He has upgraded in style and his medical supplies have been replaced! We are very thankful to all who donated!

After the Schnabels left we travel north 300 miles to the Chicuque United Methodist Rural Hospital. The hospital and guest house overlook the Indian Ocean. An amazing location for UMVIM teams! We spent four days visiting with the hospital administrator and a General Board of Global Ministry missionary couples. The GBGM couple is from Brazil, Claudia and Eduardo who are just beginning work here. Eduardo is one two doctors at this 280 bed, very busy, and successful hospital. Claudia is a biologist who will begin work on Community Based Health Care at the new Center of Hope here in Chicuque. We also spent some time at the Cambini Mission Site, also a UMC facility. In Cambini the second missionary couple is from Germany, Claudia, a nurse and Thomas, a German United Methodist Pastor working at the theological seminary. We spent a day with them touring the mission site including; clinic, orphanage, vocational school, seminary, church, primary and secondary schools, and agriculture training with animals and gardens. This is a very impressive facility.

Thomas and Claudia Guenther from Germany.

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