Recovery efforts in Mozambique after the March 13 Cyclone Idai took a major hit with the arrival of a second named storm, Cyclone Kenneth on April 21. It would seem that whatever was left standing in the wake of Cyclone Idai – the most powerful storm event ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere – was swept away by Cyclone Kenneth’s rain and wind. (Excellent New York Times video update.)
Your help through Encompass Crisis Response is providing thousands of dollars of relief supplies to a local church in Mozambique, partners of our friends at the Twin Cities Church in Minnesota.
The first of three trips was completed last week, serving over 300 families of the targeted 1,000 this project is hoping to help. On this trip:
Two regions were visited in Mozambique: Zambezia and Beira- 140 families in Zambezia received: 55 pounds of rice or cornmeal, 5 pounds of sugar, 2 pounds of salt, soap, and cooking oil
- 175 families in Beira received: 22 pouns of rice, 11 pounds of flour, and 3.3 pounds of beans
Our partner Pastor George Stagg of Twin Cities Church writes:
“They also provided some emergency construction materials and a significant amount of medicine administered by a nurse with them. There is also a need to rehabilitate family farms.
There will be two trips over the next few weeks to complete this goal (of helping 1,000 families). As you can see, it’s not a great amount or great variety of food, but it will provide a necessary supplement. With the rehabilitation of farms, the help will provide for both short and long-term needs.
Additionally, the team has identified 50 buildings — churches and homes — that need substantial work. Our help will provide essential foundations and structures, but will not be everything needed for completely rebuilding. Local efforts will fill the gap.
Many of these people are brothers and sisters who have lost most, if not all, of their possessions. Their annual food supply that they obtain from farming has been wiped out for this season. Their homes are in shambles.”
PRAISE God that the initial cholera outbreak has been contained with several measures including large-scale vaccinations.
PRAY for protection for the church in Beira as they start planning the second of three trips to distribute relief supplies.
PRAY that the church will be part of how God is redeeming such horrible loss for good.
