Jane Edwards
December 2024
Engaging pastors in justice
Dear all
Firstly, I would like to start this newsletter by wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. The Christmas trees are up, the nativity scene on a roundabout in town is being built. Even nature has contributed with red flowers on the trees.
I find I still need these things to remind me that it is actually December and coming up to Christmas. Since it's hot here at this time of year, it doesn't naturally feel like it should be coming into a time which is often characterised by cold/snow.
Pastors' conference
The Beira AMAC office held its latest conference for pastors and church leaders in November. This was the second one we've done outside Beira city itself, and was in Dondo (a town about an hour away). There were around 80 pastors and church leaders there, both from Dondo itself and the surrounding rural area, who heard teaching on a variety of topics.
These are a great way to engage pastors from local churches on justice issues within their communities, and to spread the name of AMAC so that churches know where to refer people to when they need more specialist advice.
It was also encouraging hearing of the prisons' work that some churches are doing, as we are trying to work more with local churches with our prisons' work here. From the conference, we have already received three calls from prisoners needing legal help. One of these has now been released, and we are working on the other two cases.
Post-election protests
The protests following the elections in October are continuing and have escalated. Again Beira has remained calm, although, according to civil society, throughout the country as a whole 110 people have died and over 300 been shot as a result of these protests.
The protests go in phases, each one slightly different and lasting from a few days to a week. At the time of writing this, we have just finished a week of protesters blocking roads from 8am till 4pm. One feature that has happened in a few phases lately is people banging pots and pans in their homes for an hour in the evening.
The Constitutional Council has said that it will make a decision on the validity or otherwise of the results by 23rd December. The opposition candidate calling for the protests has reaffirmed his intention for them to go on for a few months, including over the festive season.
Please pray
For the pastors and church leaders at the conference, that they would be inspired to put into practice what they heard about justice.
For Mozambique as a whole, that further violence in protests would be averted but that there would be a fair outcome to the election results.
That, despite potential protests that week, people here would be able to stop and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.
For me as I try to balance working with AMAC with all the practical things I need to do before I leave.
Thank you for all your prayers and support for Mozambique and our work here. I hope you have a peaceful and joyful Christmas.
Love Jane