Recently I travelled with a group of volunteers to Nampula in Mozambique. We were on an outreach with Mozhub and our goal was to provide some practical pampering for the missionaries attending a conference, which was also organized by Mozhub. The services we were to provide ranged from child care to dentistry to vetinary services to computer service and support. I joined the team as the computer support specialist. This is our story.

Travel

Any outreach, no matter if it’s near or far, involves travel. Rather than being separate from the outreach, the travel is actually part of the outreach. A time for team members to bond and get to know one another. This is most true when travelling across borders as you’re bound to spend a lot of time in close proximity to the rest of your team during the trip.

Travelling to Mozambique is like this. Especially when travelling to the north of the country. You are sure to get to know your team members very well. For this trip we were fortunate to be able to travel with MAF (the Mission Aviation Fellowship) in one of their Cessna Caravans. This turned the trip into a real experience for the whole team as only a few of the team members had ever flown in a small plane before. It also meant that instead of taking 3 days to get to Nampula – as it would by car – it only took us 12 hours. We were all grateful for the shorter, more relaxing journey.

Part of a Team

It is very seldom that we will travel on an outreach alone. Mostly we work in teams. For the Mozhub conference I was part of a team of specialists who were invited to ‘pamper’ the missionaries by providing some basic services. In our team were Ferreira (Vet), Jacques (Dentist), Annette (Teacher), Bertus (Electrician) and myself (Computers). Gerrie and Eddie joined us from Witrivier as the main speakers for the marriage enrichment course to be presented to the missionaries attending. Also joining us on the plane were Malcolm (our organizer) and Mark (the pilot, of course…). This was the team that flew up with me to Nampula for the conference. We then joined with other team members who had flown up earlier and were presenting the first part of the conference and apparently doing hairdressing, facials and manicures.

About the Conference

Every year Mozhub arranges a conference for missionaries in Mozambique. The idea is to help the missionaries to be more effective in their ministry. We also feel that it is important to give the missionaries as much practical assistance as possible. Many of the missionaries live in very remote regions without access to phones, electricity, doctors or dentists. A simple haircut or manicure goes down really well when you’ve been in the bush for a year.

So the Mozhub conference aims to be a spiritual retreat for the missionaries. It gives them a chance to relax and be spiritually restored through teachings given in the 2 weeks. It’s also time for the missionaries from different areas in Mozambique to come together, fellowship, share ideas and plan mutual ministries. On top of that they can take the time to get prescription medication, visit the dentist for a check-up, have their pets seen to, their computer problems solved and their cars and electrical equipment serviced and repaired. Also, during the week their children are entertained by our attending teacher! All this without cost, as a gift to them for the sacrifices they are making to be missionaries.

My Role

My role, as the computer support person, was to help the missionaries to solve their computer problems. Almost all the missionaries today have laptop computers. Computers have become a vital tool in staying connected to their supporters. Computers have also become a valuable tool for entertainment purposes. Missionaries also need to watch movies every now and then!

Of course the harsh environment of the African bush is not kind to delicate computer equipment. So many of the missionaries had computer issues that needed resolving. For some it was as simple as cleaning the ever present dust out of the computer, to help it run cooler. For others it was getting their anti-virus software up to date so they can be protected for another year. And always there are people looking for advice on what is the best solution for them; for a computer, for Internet access, for communication, or just for watching movies!

It is hard to describe to people who live in big cities with all modern conveniences, the impact something small, like a computer clean-up, can have on someone’s life. Especially when that person is sacrificing so much of their own life in the belief that the world needs to hear about Jesus. Most times all it needs is a willing volunteer to just ‘Be There!’

Return Home

All things must eventually come to an end and in the end we had to say our goodbyes and head for home. One final quick stop was made on our way home to take care of a broken tooth and spay the pet of a missionary couple who could not attend the conference and then we were on our way back to South Africa.

It has been said often, but I’ll say it again: “We go on an outreach to help change people’s lives, but end up having our lives changed instead.” So true! As usual it was a privilege for me to share with the missionaries in Mozambique. To be involved with people who are real with God; who believe so fully in his salvation that they will sacrifice comfort and security to get the word out. Every time I am involved in ministry like this it reminds me how important our message of salvation is for the world. We all need to be taking it out.

It was a blessing for me to be involved, also, with such a team of willing volunteers who would give up their time and money to make a trip to Mozambique to give something back to those who are giving so much.

If you would like to be involved in short-term outreach like this. If you have a gift or skill you would like to make available to missionaries in the field on similar experiences, then please let us know so that we may help you to get involved!

Filed Under: News and Stories
Associated Tags: 3D Outreach, Mozhub Conference