Mozambique (MNN) — Mozambique
says it will reverse the increase in the price of bread that sparked deadly
riots at the beginning of September, while also restoring some of the subsidies
for the utilities.
The price hikes were partly
caused by a decline in the value of the Mozambican currency against the South
African rand, analysts say, which means imports grow more expensive.
Tom
Dudenhofer with
Audio Scripture Ministries explains, "The reason that the price of bread was going up was that
they import their flour. The country could raise its own flour if they chose
to take the steps of initial investment into that kind of infrastructure. The money in the country has devalued, which
means the price of bread has to go up."
About 90 percent of Mozambicans
live on less than two dollars a day, according to the World Bank, even though
the economy is one of Africa's fastest-growing. In a way, the rebuilding at the end of the civil war in 1992
acted as a catalyst.
Hardship birthed hardy souls. Even so, Dudenhofer says, the recent violence was unsettling. "The riots bring about millions of dollars of
damage, and people get caught up in this. But I honestly think that because of the civil war and all the tough
times that the Christians have had in that country, they're going to do just
fine. They are simply trusting God to provide what they need."
The situation also gave Dudenhofer a
bead on the spiritual pulse of the country. The ASM team visited their partner in Xai Xai, a Bible College that
allowed ASM the top two floors for recording studios. "There is such a tremendous hunger and
thirst for God's Word. They're coming
because they recognize it as a source of ultimate comfort. Coming to know Jesus
Christ as Savior really resonates with them right now."
Dudenhofer continues, "The ministry has
started to grow so much, that we believe it's time to move off that immediate
property, and God provided us with property next door to the Bible College."
Although ASM does not usually get
involved with building projects, the believers have been active in evangelizing
and church planting. As a result, ASM
will get behind the new facility because they see it as a tool to help them get
the Gospel out.
The building they hope to begin
will house a new recording studio. There's more. "Access to the Bible College is significant because young
people come to this Bible College from all over the country of Mozambique, so
it provides exposure to all of the language groups."
Even better, a side benefit of
being next to the Bible College is that because they have a group of people
being educated for ministry, the odds of finding good readers for the recording
projects are much higher.
Keep praying for open doors,
funding, and the advance of Christ. “When things grow as rapidly as they do,
and with the openness that’s in the country right now, everything else can come
into the country, too. Occults and
everything are trying to come in and take advantage of this spiritual vacuum,
so just pray for the church.”
Mozambique is at a
crossroads, and there are many opportunities
for positive change. ASM is keenly aware of the clamor for more Digital
Scripture audio players so that people can hear the Gospel. It costs $40 to place
one in someone’s hands in Mozambique. You can also help ASM with efforts to launch their own studio in
Mozambique. Click here.
