Mozambique (MNN) — Civil unrest has riddled the country of Mozambique for over 15 years. Now that the country has enjoyed relative peace recently, people are starting to get back on their feet.
A major part of this rehabilitation is in the changes of religion across the country. Catholicism was mandated for decades in Mozambique, but many practiced animism behind the scenes in an attempt to protect tribal beliefs. As a result of these influences, strange mixes of Christianity and animism have popped up across the country as people seek the truth.
But people are, in fact, seeking. Tom Dudenhofer of Audio Scripture Ministries says over the past few years since civil war has died down, people have finally begun to feel total freedom to choose their religion. This hunger for truth has brought a rapidly growing number of Mozambicans in search of the Gospel.
"There's no opposition at all anywhere to Scripture distribution," says Dudenhofer. "In [the U.S.], we have so much of God's Word available to us that we have to figure out creative ways to get people to listen to it. But out there, people are just really anxious to hear it."
ASM saw proof of this when they sent digital players loaded with audio Scriptures to Mozambique. Less than 50 percent of the population can read, so listening to the Word is the only way for them to receive it. People traveled for miles when they heard that they might get the chance to own one of these audio Bibles.
"[There have been] churches that were actually started just because people started listening to these Scripture players," says Dudenhofer. "The Gospel of Jesus Christ seems to be having an impact in the life and in the culture of this country right now."
Recognizing their opportunity to present thousands with the Gospel, ASM has decided to make their work in Mozambique a little more permanent.
"Audio Scripture Ministries is on the verge of building a separate studio production center and ministry offices in Mozambique, and our goal is to set this up as an independent operation within the country," explains Dudenhofer. The center will not only help spread the Good News to people as it produces godly music, audio Scriptures, and other audio media, but it will also provide some income for those running it: extra office space can be rented out.
Dudenhofer says the goal for this center is to make it completely self-sufficient, but ASM is helping with the original construction and production costs. While ASM is still waiting to start and complete the center, there remains a large need for audio Scriptures in Mozambique. Each digital player costs $40–a small price to pay for the many people who will hear the message of Christ as a result. Click here to sponsor a digital Scripture player for the spiritually thirsty in Mozambique.
