We joke about being in the middle of nowhere sometimes back home in rural Georgia, but today, we really were in the middle of nowhere... with people who have nothing... the forgotten ones. We thought we saw poverty yesterday, [and we did] but, today we saw poorer still.
The village was called Chibuto. It was 2 ½ hours into the bush from Xai-Xai. (We’re beginning to realize how wealthy Xai-Xai is for the area.) After an hour of bumpy African road, we veered off into insanely bumpy non-road trails that led us to the village. We were greeted by a receiving line and singing and dancing. Africans have such inspiring and sacrificial hospitality.
Our purpose for going to Chibuto today was World Hope’s cattle multiplication project. This long term project provides a group with cattle that they contractually raise up and multiply and then pass on to another group. Today was a day of paying foreword. One group of five families received eleven cows four years ago. They now had thirty cows, even after some had died. Rs had passed, it was time for the group to pass on their blessing to the next group - five families in the Chibuto village. They signed contracts saying that in four years, they would also pass on eleven cows the next group that World Hope picked. (Dennis said that he noticed most of the people could not write, and were only signing an “x” on the contract.)
Cattle are so important in African culture. They are basically used as savings accounts, as food, and as dowries for marriages, so a blessing like this for a village is huge. It makes it so important for World Hope to tell the people they help their motive and reason for their work.
Aside from the cattle multiplication project part of the day, we women (Tiffany, Danielle, and Danni) had a chance to the break off and talk to the women, while the men spoke with the men of the village. We had a chance to hear some of their testimonies, share songs, and stories, and we prayed with them. They expressed their need for a well and a church building. We expressed to them that though we could not personally afford to provide those things for them immediately, that we would pray for them and that they should pray for these things. We expressed the power of prayer and the faithfulness of God’s provision that we have personally seen in our lives. The women loved hearing us sing (even though it was only the three of us and Danielle was the only worship leader of us!) and said that the others who stayed at home missed out on this special day! They said that they thought they would never see Americans in their village.
The men said that they discussed various things about Christianity with the villagers. Each of the men was able to share their testimony with the men of the village, and Todd told them the story of the church we came from… 12Stone. The village men had questions about their tribal traditions and how they fit (or if they fit all) in with Christianity. There is a tradition where they sacrifice a cow to remember their passed away fathers, and some good advice about honoring your father “in the present” was given by the World Hope leader, Daniel. On the way home Daniel received a gift from the village for his service (a live chicken!!). Zac, Todd, and Danielle (not so much Danielle, mostly Zac) took turns carrying the gift along the 2 and ½ hour [bumpy] ride back to our wonderful guest house.
I (Tiffany) feel like today I made some friends with some of these women and girls that I will always remember. There was one little girl, Olivia, that Dani and I befriended. I was thinking about her on the car ride back… that this girl would probably not have any of the opportunities that I have. Healthcare, education, and comfort would never be an option for her. The only hope that she has is Christ. And that might just be the only thing that she really needs.
-Tiffany
PS: we will be more posting pictures when we get back in the states where internet is more reliable.
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