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| Todd Green on a Mozambican Walk-about |
"How did I get here?" I asked myself as I wrote in my tent, by the bluishwhite light of an LED headlamp. It was after "Missionary Midnight" - 9 p.m., the time when the generator gets turned off. Somehow, I found myself working as an automotive instructor on a short-term mission project in the middle of rural Mozambique...
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Mechanics+Mozambique/5740052/story.html#ixzz1eTWvOSi9
So begins Todd Green's recent article in the Calgary Herald newspaper (November 20th) as he describes his recent trip to Mozambique with Mercy Tech Mission.
It's a question I ask myself: How did we get here? Since January 2010, I have been to Mozambique three times, and each trip has been unique. Different challenges, different members on the team, yet what I remember the most are the people we go to serve, people like Jacobo.
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| Jacobo & Tome |
Jacobo is ASAM's driver. He is in charge of the large Hino truck that hauls all of the building supplies from town, brings loads of sand and gravel from the river banks, and ferries orphan food and school supplies to wherever they are needed.
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| Hino Truck loaded with a new water tank |
When I first met Jacobo in January of 2010, he was in danger of losing his job. Recently hired, it soon became obvious that his driving skills were very weak, to the point where the farm truck was sustaining heavy damage. I started by giving him some simple driving lessons on a Saturday morning. After I left, the other missionaries spent time working with him on those skills. During our last visit, Jacobo was also one of the automotive students in Todd Green's class. Today he is one of the mission's most valuable employees, a young man with character, a deep sense of commitment, and just as importantly, a Mozambican who does his job well and is able to provide for his family. Listen to his own words:
"The vocational training was awesome. It's helped me a lot to better understand how an engine, the electrics, and brakes work on vehicles. I also learned the importance of regular maintenance. A few weeks ago, two of us who attended the course managed to fix some electrical problems on our truck. This saved the mission a lengthy and costly repair job in town."
So thanks again to all who have contributed over the past year to help guys like Todd, Ed, Bob, and myself go to places like Mozambique, where a simple thing like teaching a trade in Jesus' name is changing lives.
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| Ed Hyslip & Todd Green |
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| Bob Denesiuk & Rick Cogbill (photo by Lynn Lagore) |
For those who are able to make it, the Mercy Tech Mission Information and Dessert night is now rescheduled for the evening of Sunday, January 8th, 2012 at Summerland Baptist Church. Our hope is that Dwight and Lynn Lagore, Field Directors for ASAM will be able to join us for that night of information and photos of the work in Mozambique. Hope you can join us!
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