I cannot tell you how saddened both Laura and I were to hear about No Matter’s death.  Life just isn’t fair at all.  Please give Rebecca our sincere condolences.  I think of her with admiration on a daily basis and pray for her.  I will be praying for her to have strength in the coming days and for her own continued good health.  I am attaching a couple of pictures of Rebecca with No Matter from our trip.  Please tell her that her friends here in America are surrounding her with our love.

Rebecca took the child into her home.  I have spent time with the child over the last seven months and have danced with him at church.  He would frequently come sit with me at church.  He fell ill several weeks ago, and Doctors were trying to change his medication.  Rebecca is 63 and has AIDS.  She is one of the most active people at Vida Humana. Her commitment to the child is enough to touch the hardest of hearts.  The cause of death:  HIV/AIDS!

– 4 hours later –

Death is in the air this week…

It has been a busy morning.  I just came back from purchasing a casket for “Doesn’t Matter”.  That was a nickname given to the child by Rebecca.  The child’s mother (Rebecca’s daughter) and the husband did not want the child.  Rebecca told them “it ‘doesn’t matter’; I will take care of the child.”  And she did.  For seven loving years, she took care of this child along with several other grandchildren and orphans.  The biological mother finally came to see the child last week.  She too, has HIV/AIDS, and has the reputation for being a whore/prostitute.  She really doesn’t even know the child.  People (including me) reluctantly gave her condolences knowing full well she was totally absent in this child’s life.

Caskets here are hand-made of cheap wood.  It is then covered with black cloth and a white lace cross on top (assuming you can afford the cloth and lace).  I have paid for the casket, the trucks to take people to the gravesite, for people to dig the grave, and for the fellowship that follows. This is my gift to Rebecca.  It is a weight off her shoulders knowing that she does not have to worry about where the money is coming from.  Grace, Mrs. Ruwa and Margareta have been with Rebecca all morning.  They sing songs and accept visitors offering condolences.

Misheck, Felizardo, and I then went to the hospital to get the death certificate and a release for the body.  While we were there the doctor was frantically trying to save a three-year old girl.  It did not work, and she died right in front of us.  The mother was distraught and fell into my arms with tears.  She stated she had no husband and no family and that her daughter was the only reason she wanted to live.  Her grief brought us to our knees.  She is from Zimbabwe and spoke excellent English.  Death is everywhere and commonplace here.  This woman is now without her child and is alone.  The child died of Malaria.

Earlier in the week a 29 father of two died of HIV/AIDS but did not tell anyone he was infected until the day before he died.  He heard about Misheck and I from within the community and asked a friend of his if we could visit him.  We asked how serious he was and were told that he is fine, but wanted some advice.  Misheck spoke with him that day, but by then it was too late.  The next day, Felizardo, Rebecca and I were going to visit with him to talk about how to survive the disease.  When we started to go visit him we learned he died during the night.

HIV/AIDS used to be the “C” word (i.e., Cancer) that we felt thirty years ago.  Today, people say with pride that they are a cancer survivor.  I pray that we do not have to wait thirty years before people say, “I have HIV/AIDS.  I am alive, and know that if I take my medicine and take care of myself, I will live a long life.”

The average life expectancy in Mozambique is 40 years old.  Felizardo is 59 and Rebecca is 63.  Both have HIV/AIDS.  Both are in better shape than most of us.  Both attribute their living to following Christ and taking there medicine when they are supposed to.

The funeral is tomorrow morning.  The heat essentially makes it necessary to have the funeral in the morning before the heat really sets in.  I respectfully asked Rebecca if I could take a few pictures tomorrow to let you know what a funeral looks like in Mozambique.

Pray for strength for Rebecca.  Her vigil at the hospital has taken a toll on her physically and mentally.  Also, remember this:  Love is something that you give as a gift.  Give it freely knowing that people gain strength knowing you care about them!  Period!

I ask that people say a prayer for strength for Rebecca over the next several months.  She is still taking care of five other grandchildren.  I have to go to Vida Humana now, so I will leave it at this:  In all things we will glorify God!  Like with Job, we must praise God in times of suffering as well as times of prosperity!

An example of Graca’s commitment and impact occurred two weeks ago when Vida Humana received a generous gift (a $5,000 gift) of porridge that arrived in sixty pound packages that will help to feed our patients for the next three to five months.  The men began to unload them when Graca then stood in line to carry a number of the sixty packages.  The other women (probably more out of guilt than desire) followed her lead, and it became a team effort that was filled with joy and laughter knowing we could provide food to our patients and enforcing the “team” concept.  Keep in mind, she delivered the baby one week later but carried probably five to ten of the heavy packages!  Her commitment is steadfast and has served to make her husband – Lolo – more committed to Vida Humana as a result.

She had the baby two weeks ago, but I did not have access to the internet to share the news with you until now (with the exception of one hour when the internet worked earlier in the week – then shut down)!  Even now, I am not sure how long it will be working.  The inconsistency with the internet is by far the most frustrating part of living here, but that is a different story.

Getting back to the main purpose of this message, here is what I can tell you about the baby:  It is a GIRL! I do not know the weight or height, other than it was a smooth delivery that happened around 11:00 A.M. two weeks ago on a Friday.  At my church in the states (i.e., Our Saviours Lutheran Church in Naperville, IL) several of the people who visited Mozambique last month offered a baby’s crib to Lolo (the husband) and Graca (the wife).  We do not have ready-made cribs as in the states, so I had one made.  We also included a Mosquito net for the crib.

Presenting the gift was enough to bring you to tears.  A cab driver (Edgard) that I frequently use has become a friend of mine.  He attends church with me occasionally and has helped us at Vida Humana on several occasions by taking a few of our patients to the hospital without charge.  He is a committed Christian and has seen how much progress we have made in the community over the last few months.  I consider Edgard an activist based on what he is willing to do during the day “in kind”.  It is hard to describe it in words, but it is a tough life here.  Gas and food is expensive, and in a country riddled with poverty, Edgar’s willingness to help us with a few of our patients is testament to his character.  I am fortunate and honored to call him my friend.  Here is a picture of Edgar, his girlfriend, Grace (someone who helps me manage my house and helps interprets for me) and Lolo (far right).

After church on Sunday (a few weeks ago) Edgar agreed to borrow a trailer from a friend to take the crib to Lolo and Graca’s house.  Their house is not a shack, but certainly not the type of home we are accustomed to.  Also, the location of the home was not easily accessible by road so that added to the complexity of delivering the crib.

Fortunately, Edgar was at church that day (while Graca was still getting her strength back and tending to the newborn baby).  Lolo and Graca had no idea what was going on when I asked if several of us could come see the baby and Graca.  When we gave them the gift, let me just say this – they were touched beyond words.  The tear in Lolo’s eyes told the whole story and the impact of the generous gift was augmented by Graca’s loving smile!  Her smile lit up their darkened room.  Powerful stuff – truly!

The next day, Lolo came to Vida Humana to thank everyone.  He stated that in his and Graca’s life, no one in their family ever had a crib or mosquito net; and that this was the only baby gift they had received!  He said neighbors from all around his house were coming over to – certainly look at the baby – but also to see the crib and mosquito net.  He mentioned that he and Graca had never felt such love before and asked me to thank each of the “Team Africa” members for the heartfelt gift.  This was truly a “made for TV tear-jerker” show.  It reinforces why we need to help our friends in this part of the world.

I told both of them that the crib was a gift from Team Africa, and the mosquito net was from the women activists at Vida Humana.

Keeping in mind that this is a culture that generally does not hug openly, Lolo hugged each man at Vida Humana that day, and gave a subservient handshake to each of the women.  Again, another powerful moment!

So here is the message:  Never (never, never, never!!!) underestimate what a simple gift can mean!  Whether it is a material gift – like the crib – or an act of kindness, letting someone knows you care about them; it can change a life, and make people stand taller in a country ravaged with hunger and poverty!  Everyone at Vida Humana that day left with nourishment in their soul, a smile on their face, and warmth in their heart for Lolo, Grace, and the baby!

Now here is where it becomes even more special – The baby’s name! Many of the activists were in tears when Lolo shared the name with us.  Before I share the name, let me give you a bit of background:  Last month, eight people from Our Saviours Lutheran Church came to visit and discover more about Mozambique and Vida Humana.  One of the attendees was a teenager who came over with her father (he also came here last year and is a major factor of why I chose to come here).  His daughter is a bright, talented teenager who had never really seen this type of environment before.  She was deeply moved by the many facets of life and worship in Mozambique.  In the same tone, many of the people of Vida Humana were deeply touched by her presence and attitude (e.g., the genuine warmth she showed to others, along with her dancing, tenderness, smile, and her overall gentle demeanor).

So here is how much you can make a difference in someone’s life:  Lolo and Grace were so touched with this young teenager, they named the baby after her! So ladies and gentleman, allow me to introduce to you Graca and Lolo’s daughter – Valarie (Valéria) Edgar Loló Semente - Daughter of Graca Francisco Maconha Semente and Edgar “Lolo” Semente.  How cool is that!!!!!!!!!!

The message here:  Never underestimate how much your smile and attitude can impact the lives of others!

Peace and blessings, James.

Wow! what a morning! I am still shaking from an incident that occurred this morning.  Around 2:30 A.M. I heard a number of  people trying to break into my home at both the front door and back door and at two different windows in the house. One was yelling “give us your money or we will kill you”. He kept repeating that phrase. 

I am sure they knew an american lives in this house as they asked for the money in English. I went and turned on all the outside lights in hopes of scaring them off (you know, not wanting to be recognized).

Armando (my gaurd) grabbed his machete and an axe and came out of his gaurd house. One of the men yelled “we know you do not have money, we want his! Go back into your gaurd house.” He did not, and moments later they fled. He and I stayed inside my house for the rest of the morning having coffee, tea and bread/butter - he with his mechete and axe – and me with a couple of big kitchen knvies at the ready.

Neither of us have a gun, and this incident was so intense that I ask you to say a prayer for my safety, Armondo’s saftey, and Grace’s safety when she is here during the day and evening when she is here by herself. 

Grace was the victim of a robbery at her  her brother’s house last year where they threatened to kill everybody unless they were satisfied with the loot.  It was the third time the same robbers came to the house with the first two being failed attempts to get in (as neighbors helped to scare them away on those occassions).

I have to admit, it is the first time since I got here that I was genuinly in fear for my life; and will probably have a lousy night’s sleep tonight in fear of a repeat performance. The riots were one thing, but that was country wide. I was such a basket case, I could not even go to church today (which is something that does not occur often.  

Again, keep me in your thoughts.

James C. Baker http://bakerinafrica.com/ p: ++258.84.82.77077 Mozambique (GMT+2)

Today, we gave an activist a shirt. He has come from time-to-time, but for the last two weeks he has come every day. The team (all of us, decided he was deserving of the shirt – believe me when I say that the shirts are something MANY in the community would like). We gathered together and said a prayer. My contribution is that I ask all members present to gather in Misheck’s office for a moment of prayer before giving the shirt. Thereafter, I hand the shirt to the person next to me, who hands it next to him/her, etc. When it finally gets to the intended person, the joy he/she feels is one of warmth, acceptance, love, and true testament to what we are about. I shed few tears in life, but I have cried more in the last five months knowing what Our Saviours is doing for others than I have in my lifetime.

The riots started in Maputo on Sept. 1, then spread to other places after people sent text messages urging Mozambicans to strike against price increases. The government announced plans to raise water and electricity rates by 30 percent starting on Sept. 1 and the price of bread by 25 percent on Sept. 6. Fuel and cement prices have also risen.

Police in Chimoio fired rubber bullets at protesters who barricaded roads and arrested more than 50 of them. Seven people died in Maputo in the first two days of street clashes and the final toll is placed at ten.  Supposodly three people have died in Chimoio whilst rioting occurred in the local market.

A strong police presence, including units of the riot police, is evident at a number of flashpoints in Chimoio. A heavy police presence exists and is patrolling on foot and in vehicles. I have been impressed by the professionalism, restraint, and unity of the police force.  In the last several days it is evident that the police are here to protect and serve.  The riot gear they have seems current and they did look unified in how to quell a situation. 

But most banks and shops remain closed for fear of looting. Large crowds gather at the bus stops – but the small number of buses on the roads cannot transport them all. This is frustrating for all as tensions are quite high.  It is also hot outside with very little wind, so this simply fuels tempers as you almost have to gasp for air.  Most of the privately owned minibuses (known as chapas) are still off the roads, since their owners clearly believe that the riots could resume at any moment.  Many taxis have stopped since yesterday people were throwing stones and bricks at passing cars.

On Thursday the rail and port company, CFM suspended all rail services in or out of Maputo.  While people are saying things are back to normal, I do not consider things as back to normal as of yet.  Some here think this is a bit of calm before the storm.  Bread prices go up on Monday, so we will see then, or within a few days of that.  When a staple like bread and/or rice prices increase you are simply taking the only items of food many can afford and struggle to pay for it even at today’s price.

Cement is nowhere to be found so construction has come to a stop. Lines for gasoline are long and that creates a level of anxiety Businesses that shut down (and all did yesterday) send their workers home and do not get paid (e.g., no work, no pay).  It is sad to see a city with potential at a stand-still; but it is good to see that there is order and unity of purpose within the police force.

In closing here is what I can say (as witnessed by those who have visited my home):  I am safe inside these gates; and feel relatively comfortable today walking outside.  I have two fortified gates; locks on all the doors; heavy iron security coverings on all windows and doors; and enough neighborhood guards that take extra notice on my property because of how nice I am to them (e.g., I always say hello and frequently give them a bottle of water or Gatorade – they are always grateful for that act alone as bottled water and Gatorade is a luxury few can afford).  As such, I have a higher level of protection because they know the level of respect I have for them and I am confident it is being reciprocated by them keeping an extra eye on my house as well.  While I have a guard, he does not carry a gun, so the only real protection that he is such a nice guy and has such a warm heart with a genuine smile, that I feel he could defuse a situation.  That was sort of a joke!

So all is good for now, and let’s hope it stays that way.  I tried to insert a few pictures, but it just does not work that easily here!

Peace for now, James.

After our morning devotion, we could all sense that something did not feel right so we did not see patients.  Misheck, Willard and I get together every Friday at my house to discuss our progress and the following weeks’ activity.  It was a dramatic trip home as people were running in fear.  Virtually all shops are closed. Cabs stopped running so we had to walk home.  We saw people lighting tires on fire and people shooting guns.  We truly ran for cover.

Very real stuff that you normally see only in movies.

While Misheck and I were in my yard having a private conversation outside, multiple gun shots were fired less than two blocks from my house.  The shots came from the grocery store called Shop-Rite.  People are throwing bricks at cars, and the city is virtually shut down.  Banks and all stores are locked up and police are out in force.  Riot police are in full gear and I have shut down the house for the day (e.g., curtains closed, gates locked, lights off, etc.

Just be glad you came when you did, because today is not a day to be out, or to be here.  Two people were killed in the market you visited about two weeks ago and people are acting with no regard to law and order.  We are now huddled in my house until the storm calms.

So, welcome to my world.  Stay tuned, but today is not pretty!

Katie is mature beyond her years and was so touched by the suffering here, she took it upon herself to raise money to buy a certain type of watch that has four alarms and speaks the hour every hour on the hour.

Misheck and I distributed the watches last week and set the time according to each activist and patient’s wishes.

Without question, I can tell you this for certain:  Katie has helped to change lives.  A ten-year old child, who has the desire to help others, allows our patients to take the medicine when they are supposed to.  We have prayed for Katie on several occasions, and in almost every circumstance, there is not a dry eye in the room.  The love, compassion, and genuine warmth of a child is actually helping to save lives.

Katie has a web-site.  It is katiekares.org

Katie, and behalf of everyone at Vida Humana (HUMAN LIFE) THANK YOU!!!  Who knows, maybe next year you can come see the difference you are making in the lives of others.

There is still so much to do, and if you want to give in the same manner as Katie, I can assure you every penny you give will go to the good of saving others.

Peace and blessings, James.

That was two years ago. On Monday as we prepared to walk the wards of a local hospital I heard God whisper, “Now I will answer your prayer. I will show you what breaks my heart.”

No words can describe what I saw. No words can describe what I felt.

A mother asked me to pray for her four year old daughter who was suffering from Malaria and diagnosed with HIV. I started to chicken out and say I would pray “in silence.” This would have given me the chance to silently yell and inquire of God “Why!?” But seeing the look of disappointment I tried to find words that just were not there. I started to lose my composure. I knew I needed to take a deep breath but would not allow myself to fill my lungs. I was scared what foreign body I would breathe in. Just no words to describe what I saw and what I felt.

I saw a hospital room where the only one wearing a mask was the painter to protect him from the harmful toxic oil paint fumes. Oh yeah, and the room was filled with about 25 people and patients. Just no words.

Two babies to every incubator. Yes, we were allowed into the neo natal room with no masks, no precautionary gowns or hand washing. I saw post surgical patients crowded into a room lying on mattresses on a floor.  A child with a disfigured face. Pills on the floor. The sights … the smells. Just no words.

And then I found just one word … a word that is both question and condemnation … “why?”

Grace and Peace

Pastor Mark