11.5.10
Over the weekend of 10.22.10 – 10.25.10, over 4,000 pastors, worship leaders and ministry directors gathered in South Africa to hold a conference on several concerns of the Church. One topic in particular was justice. On 10.18.10, myself with members of the band Willet, Pastor Glen Willet, and Pastor Pete Green flew into Johannesburg, South Africa, however, this was not to attend the conference on justice, but rather part of a layover in route to a place where injustice dominates communities.
This trip is our 3rd visit to the continent of Africa (Ethiopia in 2007 & 2009), but our first time to Mozambique. This was a very exciting time for us to visit our new adopted community of Gorongosa, Mozambique with partner, Food for the Hungry, because it was following the launch of The Hunger Strike program. The 24-hour event was held at Uniontown Bible Church in Maryland, and over the weekend through the event, Willet concert, and presentation Sunday morning, 47 children were sponsored! Only 3 days after that event, we were able to visit those same children to give them the good news that Jesus loved them, and that they had been sponsored! More info @ www.thehungerstrike.org .
Below is a review of our trip, facts about the communities that we are working in, and ways you can help.
Facts about Mozambique:
• Millions infected with HIV/AIDS
• Over 469,000 children become orphans each year
• High adult illiteracy
• Belief in ancestral spirits / witchcraft
• Malaria is #1 killer
• Poor water sanitation
Trip review:
* Held conference call with country director of Mozambique to discuss development strategy
* Met with Child Development Program Managers in Gorongosa who are overseeing community development, education programs, medical check-ups, and sustainable agriculture programs
* Discussed water sanitation, malaria, and illiteracy issues
* Reviewed micro-financing “Savings Groups” and found tremendous results from the members. After sitting in on a meeting with the members, they presented us with gifts of sugar cane, roots, carrots and more! We were completely overwhelmed by their sacrificial giving and were later told that they didn’t give out of their “abundance”, but they gave us EVERYTHING they had! (In addition, the harvest this year was extremely slow, so many families would go without food that night because of the food they gave to us).
* Discussed the importance of sponsors sending letters to their child. It directly allows the community level staff member to open a discussion about Jesus!
* Found that WHEN YOU SPONSOR A CHILD, YOU ARE ALSO FUNDING A MISSIONARY! Each child has a community-level staff member that is overseeing the physical and spiritual development.
* Filmed a short film with children of Mozambique for upcoming Hunger Strike Video.
* Completed over 23 home visits. Met: Willet’s sponsored child, individual sponsored children, and children sponsored through the MD Hunger Strike Event. Many children lived 2-3 hours off of any main road resulting in drives with a range rover truck, dirt bikes, and long walks. Field visits resulted in long 12-hour days.
* God opened a door for us to sit and talk with a Witch Doctor (Witch doctors are very prevalent in Mozambique). We asked tough questions, told him about Jesus, and ended the discussion by praying in the name of Jesus while holding hands in a circle around the area where he practices witchcraft.
*Pastor Glen led a Pastor Conference to over 12 pastors (many of which walked over 3 hours to get there). Pastor Glen and Pastor Pete also preached at separate churches on Sunday morning.
* Visited orphan-headed households as well as a garden raised by a group of orphans to provide food for them and their siblings. Left with broken hearts as it was difficult to walk away from a young girl who would spend the next several years struggling to survive while also providing for her many siblings.
* Visited water sources and new clean-water wells that were dug by community members (with materials provided by FH). Many children in the community still walk over 1 hour each way to unclean water sources. We are working with FH to be able to provide more clean water wells in each community.
* Visited a school project. Currently 1,000 students gather daily around a mango tree for education. A partner church is working to construct a new school.
* Participated in Bible Study under a mango tree with over 50 children. Surrounding the area were pigs, women at a well, and small huts.
* Prayed for healing of hernias, malnutrition, worms, malaria and HIV/AIDS.
*Prayed for rain (hasn’t rained since March 2010) and “rainy season” was late, resulting in slow crop production. When we returned to the states, we received word that it had been raining everyday since we left! Praise God for answered prayers!
Goals / How can you help?
• 9,000 children need sponsored by 2015. So far, 1668 have been sponsored! Sponsor a child on www.fh.org/willet
• An initial 15,000 mosquito nets are needed to combat malaria. We plan to partner with Operation Net and community staff leaders on a 2011 malaria initiative.
• 15 initial clean water wells need installed. The cost for these wells is only $300 each because the drilling is done by community members! Please contact Jeremy@willetonline.com if you would like to make a donation towards these wells.
Conclusion
Upon returning to the states, we experienced many flight delays, cancelled flights and delayed bags due to a storm. In addition, when I returned to my home in the states, my wife and I discovered a major plumbing issue resulting in a $1000 repair bill to get running water in our home again. However, the travel frustrations and repair bills seemed minimal to the survival of young children to gain access to clean drinking water. I am thankful tonight for the clean water that I have access to, and will not stay silent about those that are thirsty.
November is a month for all of us on the team to reflect on the experiences that God has allowed us to be apart of this year. My wife just returned from the field after a year in Haiti, and I am still fighting off the jetlag of 27 hours of travel from Africa, but there is one thing that we have found in common everywhere we travel to; God is there. Thank you for your prayers through this ongoing journey.
It is difficult to describe everything that we experienced while in Africa in just words. Therefore, we have included a Willet Field Report (edited by Jordan Willet) below documenting the trip.
Watch the Video Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2jhSfrJcYA
In addition, starting on 11/13/10, 1 photo (by Justin Willet) from the trip will be released daily for 25 days (leading up to the “5th Annual Willet Snow On Christmas? Tour” on www.willetonline.com. Subscribe to the blog or www.twitter.com/willetonline for updates of when the photo is posted.
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