Jason and I are always eager to return to Mozambique, where our team have become family. This summer, Jason embarked on a 10-week journey, while mine spanned 9 weeks, taking him to Uganda and us both to Zambia. Unfortunately, a flight cancellation left me stranded in Atlanta for a week, while Jason was stuck in Johannesburg awaiting my arrival. Despite this hiccup, we made the most of our 7 weeks in Mozambique, achieving much together. Below is a glimpse of our activities while we were there.
The Farm
One of the standout moments of this trip was witnessing the incredible progress on our farm and meeting, in person, all the newer members of our dedicated farm team, along with some enthusiastic interns. As we’ve shared before, the farm is fundamental to Hope of a Nation’s vision. It’s not just about generating revenue or teaching agriculture and animal husbandry; its purpose is to introduce people to Jesus!
Our farm manager and supervisor have been mentoring and discipling their team into a greater knowledge of Christ's love for them. Every visitor to the farm—whether they come to tour and learn, or to buy produce, a chicken, or soon, a fish—becomes an opportunity to share Christ’s love. We've even had a young man accept Christ because of his exposure to our team. He noticed there was something different about them, which led him to being introduced to Christ. He began attending church with a member of the team and is continuing to receive discipling through the church and his new friend.
Our farm manager also told us that people are naturally drawn to the farm. Public authorities, village chiefs, pastors, and many others have visited, leaving inspired by what they see. Several pastors have expressed a desire to return to use the farm as a serene place for prayer and reflection. What a blessing! In just two years, the farm has grown beyond our wildest dreams. It was also the perfect venue to celebrate our ministry’s 5th anniversary with our team.
We were thrilled to see the farm flourishing with beautiful crops, especially the pigeon peas, which had grown so quickly! We tasted the first harvest of rice, pigeon peas, and carrots, and Jason also had a memorable 50th birthday teaching some innovative composting methods. They even surprised him with heartfelt singing and a custom-made African shirt. It was a special moment to remember!
Thanks to the generosity of one of our partnering families, we were able to pour a concrete slab and build a canopy-style structure, known locally as a "machessa," complete with beautiful wooden tables and some chairs. This space not only offers shade for the team's breaks and meetings, but it's also perfect for hosting visitors and future events! Our farm manager recently shared plans to start hosting Christian discipleship training and spiritual encouragement sessions. We can’t wait to see all God has in store for this beautiful land!
Children’s Ministry
Our visit to our weekly children’s ministry program was equally heartwarming, where over a hundred children gather, sing songs about Jesus, and learn Bible stories and other lessons. It was inspiring to see our children’s director mentoring two of our orphan teens who are eager to help with the work of this ongoing ministry. We watched them serve plates of food to eager faces behind extended hands. Each Saturday the mother and sister of our children’s director rise early to cook rice, beans, and more over an open fire at their tiny home. Their dedication is a true labor of love, serving both the Lord and the community.
Sadly, we also saw the challenges of running the program without an adequate facility. Managing the number of children on the small property was difficult, and with limited resources, the food ran out before every child was served. It was heartbreaking to see some children in tears, having looked forward to that meal all week. For many, it’s the best meal they receive for days.
We discussed potential changes, but what we really need is a dedicated facility with tables, chairs, a serving area, and a larger space for cooking and cleanup. This would require finding land and building a block structure, which naturally requires funding to accomplish.
General Ministry
The children are not the only ones who were ministered to. Preaching, teaching, and discipling are always a highlight of our trips, and this time was no exception! Jason spoke every Sunday across five different churches, emphasizing the importance of unity in the body of Christ and working together as “one shoulder.” Some churches we visited were in remote areas where very few churches exist. To read more about one of these times of ministry, visit: In Unity, Bear One Another’s Burdens: Be “One Shoulder.”
Team Interviews
We also spent quality time with our team leaders and other teammates, listening to their ideas, their challenges, and planning for the future of the programs they operate. This year, we also did something new—we recorded video interviews with our leadership team and others so that we can share with you their personal testimonies and how God is moving through the programs in which they serve. We can’t wait to share these inspiring testimonies with you in the near future!
