We’d like to invite you to participate in a journey with us. We will be spending the month of April in Mozambique in various villages in and around Maputu. Marlene will arrive March 29, Kara will arrive April 15, and we’ll return on May 2. There are several things we hope to accomplish and/or get started during this time. First of all, we will be working in at least three orphanages, all of which are in great need of vaccinations for the kids. Our understanding is that vaccinations are available; there is just no one qualified to give them in this area at this time. We also plan to provide needed community education on HIV, which is a huge issue in this area, hygiene, infant care, infection control, and general health and sanitation.
Our biggest task will be to establish a long-term medical clinic in the Center for Leadership Development in Maputu that can be staffed by medical professionals on an itinerate basis until permanent providers are found. We plan to bring a significant amount of medical equipment, medications and antibiotics to leave at the clinic to facilitate future medical missions. There are several medical professionals at our church who are open to travel-ing to Mozambique for a few weeks out of the year to provide medical care; until now there has been nothing in place to enable this vision. If possible, we hope to establish mobile clinics in Djuba and Umbeluze in the future. LMCC has already had church planting efforts in these two villages over the last two years. We are also hoping to meet with the Ministry of Health in Mozambique to offer our help in providing immunizations, education and ongoing medical care through our clinics.
Please keep us in prayer during the month of April. There are still many details that have not been worked out. There are no medical professionals in the area to plan with, and communication as a whole has been difficult, as it usually is. We are still purchasing and gathering equipment, as well as trying to get a feel for what will be most beneficial to bring with us. Getting there with all of our equipment will be a feat, especially since the airline has recently lowered its baggage allowance. Some equipment is best to buy there if it is available so it can be serviced as necessary. We’re hoping to sleep in the orphanages to cut costs, but we’re not sure if that is possible. We also need to establish reliable transportation, which will probably mean renting a van and hiring a driver. And of course, as we have experienced in past trips, seeing the poverty and sickness in these areas first hand can be completely overwhelming. I know the Lord will give us the strength we need, and I’m confident He will allow us the opportunity to bring hope and healing through His Gospel. This trip, like the others, will be a mix of uncertainty and dependence, feeling sad and helpless, fun and adventure, awe at God’s grace and work in people’s lives, and hoping we’ve blessed others as much as they’ve blessed us.

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