Mozambique, Africa
Challenges and Hope
Mozambique is situated along the south eastern coast of Africa, and is a complicated land of many contradictions.
It is rich in natural resources, yet the average person struggles to survive.
It has beautiful scenery, yet the land is continuously damaged through exploitation.
It has people who are brilliantly creative, yet just can't get ahead no matter how hard they try.
There is no denying the challenges that this nation faces, but many still dare to hope for a better tomorrow.
Human Development Index
About the HDI
The Human Development Index is a statistic generated by combining a nation’s health, education, and average income to determine how “developed” a country is. On the UN website, out of 189 nations on this list Mozambique falls at number 181, one of the bottom 10 in the world. Here are some of Mozambique’s specific stats that contribute to underdevelopment:
- Life expectancy – 60
- Average years of school – 3.5
- Gross National Income per capita – $1,250
Poverty is holistic, affecting every area of life. Therefore, the solutions also must be holistic and far-reaching to have a lasting impact.
History of Mozambique
Land of More War than Peace
Mozambique is a former Portuguese colony located in the Southeast of Africa along the Indian Ocean. After a war for independence from 1964-1975, Mozambique was left with a decently strong infrastructure and an abundance of natural resources. As a result, the country was poised to be one of the greatest nations in Africa. They made the mistake of adopting a communist government with help from the USSR, a decision which was violently opposed by the surrounding countries who funded rebel factions within Mozambique and led to the country being ravished by 18 years of devastating civil war. To this day, tensions run high in certain parts of the country, yet a fragile peace has been in place since 1992.
War has been such a way of life for the nation that even the flag features a machine gun.
War has been such a way of life for the nation that even the flag features a machine gun.
Religion in Mozambique
Land of Many Faiths
The religious history of Mozambique is varied. From time immemorial the majority of the people have believed in witchcraft and ancestor worship, and this undercurrent still runs very deep in the culture to this day. Muslim traders brought Islam to the area as early as the 700s AD, and the Portuguese colonists established the Roman Catholic church when they took over in the 1500s. A few Protestant missionaries were able to come in the following centuries, but all religions faced some persecution under Communist rule from the 1970s to the 1990s.
Today all these religions are still present, with Catholicism and Islam having the strongest followings. The Protestant church is steadily growing, but unfortunately so are many syncretistic cults that mix Christianity and witchcraft. No matter what their background, new believers desperately need strong guidance and discipleship to understand how to follow Christ, and unfortunately this discipleship has not been the focus of many mission efforts. The result is many churches and converts with shallow faith and untransformed lives–still following traditional witchcraft and living in habitual sin and demonic bondage even while consistently attending church on Sundays.
Today all these religions are still present, with Catholicism and Islam having the strongest followings. The Protestant church is steadily growing, but unfortunately so are many syncretistic cults that mix Christianity and witchcraft. No matter what their background, new believers desperately need strong guidance and discipleship to understand how to follow Christ, and unfortunately this discipleship has not been the focus of many mission efforts. The result is many churches and converts with shallow faith and untransformed lives–still following traditional witchcraft and living in habitual sin and demonic bondage even while consistently attending church on Sundays.
People of Mozambique
Land of unquenchable spirits
The people of Mozambique are very warm, friendly, and hospitable. They may not be wealthy, but they are generous. They spend hours sitting outside their homes, chatting with the neighbors, listening to music, and watching the seasons change. Life is simple, relationships are important, and change comes slowly. There is usually a much greater focus on the present than the future, which can make progress and development difficult at times. Many are willing to work hard, but struggle to put that effort toward long-term improvement. Some are happy with the way things are, but others are discontent and long to see change but don’t know how to achieve it.
We believe that with time, God can change their hearts and education and opportunities can change their futures, so we seek to bring both spiritual and practical help to empower the Mozambicans to bring their nation into a brighter tomorrow.
We believe that with time, God can change their hearts and education and opportunities can change their futures, so we seek to bring both spiritual and practical help to empower the Mozambicans to bring their nation into a brighter tomorrow.
Land of Mozambique
Land of possibilities
Mozambique has a gorgeous shoreline of crystal-clear beaches, national parks full of wildlife, resources like precious stones and natural gas, and plenty of fertile farmland to sustain the population.
However, all of these and other natural resources are often exploited by foreigners instead of preserved and used wisely by the national people, and much land is left to lie farrow instead of cultivated. Rapid deforestation has made the country more vulnerable to floods and other natural disasters, and harms the delicate ecosystem.
However, all of these and other natural resources are often exploited by foreigners instead of preserved and used wisely by the national people, and much land is left to lie farrow instead of cultivated. Rapid deforestation has made the country more vulnerable to floods and other natural disasters, and harms the delicate ecosystem.
