Mozambique

Coat of Arms
AK47

Last Sunday when I was at the "last supper" for Pascoal & Valdimar I received a text saying that there were a bunch of police around our street but that everything was fine & not to be alarmed. I texted back asking if my ride should drop me off on another street due to the situation & she said no don't walk. SO..I did not think much about it. I was dropped off about 9pm. There were policemen standing at the corner talking and a truck pulled up right when we did full of a swat team. I soon learned that there had been a shooting 3 doors down from us. Around 6pm a car pulled up and some guys got out and fired shots at the guards. One of the guards was killed. The driver and the shooters got away. I was actually not very alarmed by the news...because they said that it was the house of a government official-the Minister of Transportation- so I just assumed it was political. Well...we found out the next day from our guard that the shooters were after the guns. It had nothing to do w/ the gov't official, but the cop that guarded his house had an AK47 that the men wanted. Apparently they told the guards what they wanted & were not going to shoot them, but something happened and shots were fired...i'm not sure who shot the first bullet. The guard that was shot and killed was not even the guard of that house. He was just talking to the other guards. Two kids that go to CAM live about 5 doors down from us and it was their guard who was killed. And I also found out that in August there was a car-jacking at the their house and there was about 40 rounds of bullets shot at their family while in their car!!!! No one was hurt (miraculously!) So these boys have had some traumatic things happen to them since August. They are not sleeping well (& who would!?) One of the Mozambican teachers at school told me that alot of crimes happen around this time (the end of the year). Don't ask me why, he just said that alot of banks are robbed and people want weapons/guns. He said that the crime is getting worse in Moz...and that it has not always been like that. He did not know what the deal was, but said that there is not much justice when it comes to crimes like murder/assault. He said everything has a price and its about who you are, who you know, and how much money you have. Despite the horrible things that happened on my street in the past 4 months, I feel relatively safe. I know God is protecting me, and that things happen-even in the States. I am sad that people go to such extreme measures to get a gun. Alot of the guards here carry AK47's. They are always twirling them around...along with their machetes. I pray for peace and stability in Moz. That is a rare thing to have and keep in Africa. Mozambique is making huge strides and I know God has big plans for this country. Keep MOZ in your prayers.


Flag of Mozambique

Meaning of Flag:
Green: The riches of the soil
Black: The African continent
Yellow: The mineral riches
White: The peace
Red: The country’s struggle for independence

Meaning of The Emblem:
Yellow star: The solidarity of the people and the socialistic beliefs of the country
Book: Education
Hoe: Peasants and agriculture
AK-47: The nation’s determination to protect its freedom