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October 2007
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A nation still on it's knees - Jonny
Mozambique is a country of massive poverty.
Millions of people here live in horrendous conditions
and face a daily fight for the barest of necessities. Desperation is everywhere.
It is virtually
impossible to leave the children's centre where we live, without being confronted with an image of hopelessness
and destitution. Of course, we grow accustomed to the scenery around us, but we have to continually make
a conscious effort to not detach ourselves from the harsh realities that so many face.
There was a morning not long ago, where I had to make a trip to the city.
Just before leaving, I stuffed 100 American dollars in my back pocket to get exchanged for local currency.
I arrived in the city and barely had I got out of my parked car, before an intoxicated young man crept
up behind me and swiped the money from my pocket.
As he scampered away, I swivelled round and tried
to grab him, managing only to rip the shirt off his back. Amazingly, most of the money was restored to me,
through the determination of a group of local men who had witnessed the incident.
Whilst I was shocked
by what happened, what has hit me harder is the desperate state that so many live in here. The man who stole
from me was just one of those in need.
Everywhere you turn here, hardship is apparent - blind old men
begging by the roadside, young men washing their clothes in puddles, young girls with little babies on their backs,
trying to scrape a living together…
The need is always overwhelming and whatever we give will not be enough.
We are learning to give where we can from the abundance of what we have, whether it be food, clothes, friendship,
family or just money.
We are privileged to be in this position, being guided by God's wisdom and discernment
to those we share our lives with.
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