31 Oct 2019
This year, our MSC mission in Mozambique marked the Feast of St Matthew with a wonderful day of baptisms in the community of Ravia.
On September 21st, the people of Ravia and beyond joined together to mark St Matthew’s feast day. It was a joyous day indeed, as 80% of the members of the community who had not already been baptised celebrated the sacrament together.
“It was a great celebration,” the MSC Mozambique Facebook page posted on the day. “Now, the faithful people of Ravia have been baptised.”
The Mozambique mission began in March 2018, with MSCs from Brazil ministering in the Pemba diocese – an area of extreme poverty and hardship, where up until that point, local families had no access to church infrastructure or pastoral ministry.
Despite challenging setbacks, our MSCs have been tireless in their work to bring about positive changes for local communities – the most pressing being the two cyclones that hit north-eastern Mozambique over the space of six weeks earlier this year. Hundreds lost their lives, and over 21,000 people were left homeless by the disasters. Homes, crops, and livestock were destroyed by floods and mudslides, while wells were contaminated, leaving the local drinking water unsafe for consumption, with the threat of cholera and malaria a real danger.
Our MSC missionaries have been helping local families to rebuild their lives following this catastrophe, while also continuing in their mission to share the message of God’s love in this area of real need. The baptism day in Ravia has been a great triumph for the local community and our MSC mission in the region. Blessings and best wishes to all who took part!
Images via the MSC Mozambique Facebook page.