Just this past week, we lost a member of one of the key families from which the OMS work here in Mozambique began. So often in church planting work, as it was in Jesus’ day, it starts with a family, brothers, sisters and the circles of influence spin out from there.
One such family is located in a squatter’s tenement housing areas on the very edges of Maputo. The particular area is spiritually dark and not somewhere we go at night alone. The roads are narrow and many alleyways go through this area where two people cannot easily pass without squeezing against the opposing sides of the alley. It is crowded, litter clogs the street, and open sewers run through the area on their way to drainage ditches leading to the sea. The area is known for its witchcraft to the point, the very name of the area includes the Shanghanna name for 'witch doctor'.
It is in the midst of this place that a place of light goes forth. Up one of those narrow alley-ways is a house where the father and mother were discipled and loved by OMS missionaries who came before us. They were members of the same family where the initial work was started in the T-3 area, and from this family came pastors, pastor’s wives, evangelists, and church leaders. But it has not been without challenge. The husband died suddenly, leaving a widow with young children but the church continued in the home. Many visitors worshipped in this small church that met in a lean-two attached to the house, but later set up in the small yard under metal sheets affixed to eight thin poles that still contain the bark from the trees. Bible studies were held, children’s programs administered, and the church continued for the better part of a decade.
For the last few weeks, Helena (the mother) has not been feeling well. We visited and talked with the family and both Aimee (our OMS colleague) and Ann and I took her to the hospital on separate occasions. After much testing, the doctors here concluded she had acute renal failure with only about 10% kidney function remaining. She got worse and worse and even in the States, the diagnosis would not be good. The doctors changed some medicine and wanted to try it for a month, and then see about dialysis and at Ann’s encouragement, the family was starting the process to obtain government medical assistance through South Africa (when certain treatments are not available in Mozambique but are in South Africa, the government will help pay for treatment in South Africa). This was in anticipation of potentially a transplant operation although we aren’t sure she was truly a candidate for this.
Under the new medicine, she was doing better and went to visit family near here in an area known for natural medicine treatment. Suddenly she took a turn for the worse, and died a couple of days later. We fear she took natural remedies that conflicted with the medicine that was working, and with limited renal function, that would be all it would take. But, God knew and she has moved from time into eternity.
So, today, we attended the funeral. We have been to many since we have been here but probably never one with such a wide-reaching impact. She was known by all in our churches in the Maputo area.
The service in the home started at six in the morning. At the same time, key family members and church leadership went to hospital to retrieve the body and through cell phones, the service and movement of the mourners was carefully coordinated. Our part was to transport the elderly ladies to the cemetery, which was about a 20 minute walk from the home.
It was a beautiful day today and as we approached the large cemetery on the major north-south road in Mozambique, the crowds were breath-taking large. We were directed to parking and in fields across the highway and we slowly walked up a walkway that went over the four-lane highway. On the other side, we passed the flower vendors and made our way through the entry way. There were four gates large enough for a car to pass through that were necessary to handle the pedestrian traffic, although cars were not allowed into the area. A high concrete wall surrounds this huge cemetery and there are large concrete mausoleums and most graves are marked by concrete that covers the grave site – roughly like a lid where the casket was buried, but just concrete with simple designs on top, some crosses, and other designs. There is no grass – just a few weeds because it is so dry. The place seemed nearly full to me relative to gravesites but there were many many different funerals in process.
We met as a group near the front at the designated time and gather around the simple wooden gasket. Two flower arrangements, which remained in their cardboard and plastic wrapping the entire service. I estimated about 250 to 300 people surrounding the gasket and we began the slow walk to the back of the cemetery, singing songs as we walked together behind the hand carried casket. At the gravesite, the casket was placed on a special portable stand. As the sun beat down on us, we sang more songs and Pastor Daniel and Pastor Berto gave words of encouragement.
Bodies are not embalmed here and the smell of death was strong and we were thankful for the slight breeze. The casket was opened and people passed by to pay their last respects, spraying a little perfume or shaking a little baby powder into the casket. For many family members, this was the first time they had seen their mother or sister for some time and there was much demonstrative grief. The mourners moved the casket into the hole as is the custom here and various people took turns covering the casket and making a small raised area of sand above the gasket where flowers were stuck into the sand. Hands were washed over the flowers, wetting the sand and cleaning the hands of the mourners many of whom helped cover the gasket using their hands. We then returned to the house.
One of the family members was especially overcome by both the heat and grief and Ann tried to help with that but it seemed to be a part of the process. Ann was horrified to see them do mouth-to-mouth respiration on a breathing person, filling their stomach with air, knowing that vomiting was around the corner. But she was fanned and comforted, given water, but was unable to walk. We went and got the car and received special permission to drive deep into the cemetery to obtain her and take her back to the house.
We returned to the house to a church service and the small yard and house was overflowing into the alleyway with mourners. Many people spoke but it was all in Shangannha so my Portuguese was not much help. As is the custom, you sing a song before you speak, and I’ve become more bold in this. I had a good translator to help me and I just started singing “oh how he loves you and me” not knowing where it came from. I gave a message that was evangelistic and I hope comforting as there were both churched and unchurched people in this gathering and funerals are certainly a time for people to examine where they stand before an eternal God. We often live like we don’t think it (death) can possibly happen to us; yet none of us get out of this life alive. People need to face into this and know the peace that can only come through a personal relationship with Christ. And in this dear family’s case, there was great hope and peace for Helena knew from where her salvation came.
After the service, a simple but wonderful meal was served and no one went without. We were encouraged because when we first came, we would sit at these affairs and depend upon translators, if available, to help us, but now we can understand and speak although many of the older women did not know Portuguese.
We returned home about three in the afternoon.
I asked about the children who remained and how that works. There were eight children, with several still living at home. In the culture, the house and land will go to the youngest child. The oldest male child will assume guardianship of the family. So, it is likely our friend Jorge will assume leadership in the home but under the authority of his older brother. I was relieved to know that they will not be out in the street as sometimes happens. There will be more difficult days for this family as Helena held it all together relative to caring for the family.
We returned home about 3 in the afternoon to work on our Portuguese homework, in anticipation of our team returning from the north on Monday and a full Sunday ahead of us. Juka and Elina (daughter of Helena) came back for the funeral and we arranged to connect with them next week after a time of mourning. I did get to hold little Milca today at the funeral and it thrilled my heart that she was glad to see me.
The photo is of Helena in happier times; she is holding her grand daughter Milca. Helena will be missed but we will see her again.
Pray for this precious family who have lost both parents now and for the young children who remain behind, orphans but under the care of their older siblings.
Dave & Ann
“And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:43
“We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Co 5:8
