Dear friends,

today I want to report about a church visit we had just yesterday in Matimule, a little village in the bush about 30 km north of XaiXai. This visit was part of the study travel program for a group of our friends from Austrian churches. The church there is still celebrating the services under a big mango tree, but we had our meeting in the shell of the temple they are just constructing. The building is already structurally completed, and for the main part the roofing is closed.

After a good time of singing and praying and sharing, the local pastor explained a little about the construction history of the new building. The bricklayer, an old man and church member, did very solid work and obviously sees the way he does the construction work as his part of worship. We also learned, that currently the construction is interrupted due to lack of budget as EBM hat to cut the financial support during the last year. Related to this information there is one reason for this report. But not the one I had expected at that point. There was no complaining about the cut in budget, there was no question when or if the rest of the support would come. Instead, as they looked at me as EBM representative, I got a big hug by the local pastor as an expression of thanks for the support up to now, and the same got pastor Cossa as local representative of the Mocambican Baptist Convention. For the continuation of the temple construction, the pastor as well as church members shared their trust in God that He will care for everything that is needed. A little side scene confirming that came during the following conversation, when pastor Cossa was asked by church members why he had not visited them for a very long time. As he is responsible for the local distribution of the support budget, he answered that he had not dared to visit them as he did not have the possibility to give them the primarily planned support. In accordance with the experience before, they made him promise to visit them regardless of such questions.

Of course, thinking about it my still very European head said: good psychology to treat representatives of the donors. But looking and feeling back it simply was different. It was a meeting under the presence of Gods spirit, and there was a big true hug for you who have made possible what could be done up to now. And for the continuation there was a deep and clear trust in God expressed in prayers and contributions, that He will give what is further necessary. Combined with the blessings for the hands which have helped and for the hands which will help.

So this is what I have to pass to you: a big grateful hug and blessings from the people here in Africa, and I guess this is representative for all of our partner churches here.

Günther Schwarzinger, Feb. 2003

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