——– Note from Feb 6, 2013 ———-

We would like to update you on the situation regarding entering into Mozambique to assess the flood damage and the possible need for food relief.

William, our Missions Pastor, received word late on Friday afternoon that we had been given permission to travel to the Pafuri border post. Due to ministry responsibilities on the weekend it was decided that a team would travel to Mozambique yesterday, Tuesday 5 February, and try to find out what the conditions and needs are.

It was a wet journey and William reported that the roads were very muddy and wet, with a lot of water lying on the side of the roads. A short distance from the Pafuri Border Post the team was flagged down by the Captain in charge of the Border Post and he informed them that they could not go through the border as it had not officially reopened, when William explained that they had been given permission by Kruger Park he allowed them to continue and gave them permission to try to get to the Chief of the Post at Pafuri.

Chief Khoza (The Chief of the Post) told them that food had been donated for the relief effort, but they did not have any vehicles to get it to the 3 villages that are the distribution points and then the 2nd biggest need was to get food to Makondezulu – a village approximately 180km from Pafuri Border Post. This village is quite a big village but very remote and they are in dire need of food relief right now. (William is not sure why this village does not qualify to receive some of the donated food, but he assumes that it is because there is simply not enough for everyone).

William, Sean and Derrick returned to Polokwane late yesterday afternoon to get the Mission’s 4×4 trucks and returned to Pafuri this morning (they were on the road by 4:30). (The Hixon’s and The Crawford’s waited overnight at the Punda Maria Camp in Kruger.) Their aim is to get the food delivered to Xitsutsweni, Salani and Matsilele (food distribution points) within the next 3 days. Unfortunately, we are not sure of the condition of the roads – they have heard 2 stories, the one version is a guy went in with his vehicle and walked back in knee-deep mud and then the Chief of the Post said that vehicles have gone in and come back… so we will wait and see who was right?

Please pray for William, Sean, Derrick, Brad & Jill and Doug & Debbie as they will be working to get the food delivered – muddy roads can be treacherous and with the promise of more rain in Mozambique as well as in the catchment area of the Limpopo River – things could become quite “hair-raising”.

Please join us in praying for the following immediate needs…
1. Finances to cover the fuel costs to get the donated food delivered.
2. Finances for food for Mokondezulu – we are not sure how many families this entails.

Thank You for joining us in praying for this need. (we attached some photos that William took yesterday on the way to the border)

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