Northern Synod has partnered with the Presbyterian Church in Mozambique, the Igreja Presbiteriana de Moçambique (IPM) since 2004.

Northern Synod has a special partnership with the IPM and knowing that so many of us are keeping the church and the situation there in our prayers, it seemed a good idea to launch a Synod Appeal to help the IPM in their humanitarian work. This gives the opportunity for others in the Synod to contribute to this work, helping those who are in the most desperate of needs.

Several representatives from our Synod, both ordained and lay, have visited the IPM in Maputo and the surrounding areas over the past few years.

In June 2019, I was privileged, along with our Moderator Revd David Herbert, to visit too.  Whilst there, we visited many churches and saw some of the wonderful LUMOKO Community Projects, enabled through the IPM.

Those who keep an eye on world news will be aware, that since 2017, there has been conflict in northern Mozambique, in the Province of Cabo Delgrado and surrounding provinces, an area rich in natural gas reserves.  Violence by non-governmental extremists has been escalating and has left many thousands of people dead or injured.  More than a million people have been forcibly displaced in the provinces there.  Reading about the attacks on the people is truly horrific and heartbreaking. Many of those displaced and living in refugee camps are women and children, including thousands of unaccompanied children, all of whom are desperate for their basic human needs to be met and are also suffering immense physical and mental trauma.

The IPM has been working along with the Red Cross, to offer help and support to those affected.  The numbers are huge and the needs are many.  Refugee camps are overwhelmed with the numbers of people coming through and generally conditions are very poor and the risk of disease is high.

To compound all of this they have the added challenges that COVID 19 brings, making the situation even more severe.

I have continued to keep in contact with leaders in the church in Maputo.

Here is the most recent update from Isaias, IPM Lead for Planning and Development Work, which gives details of the church’s involvement in supporting refugees in the Province of Cabo Delgrado.

“At the beginning of June, our leader, Reverend Mondlane was in the Province of Cabo Delgado’s capital Pemba, to support and give hope to those people, and those offering aid.  Our Church is engaged contributing clothing, shoes, blankets, food consisting of rice, maize flour, beans, cooking oil and salt, also clothing for adults and children, school uniform and teaching materials (notebooks, books, pens, pencils, erasers) for children who go to school. The donation was given to 250 refugee families.  But there are still many families who have nothing to eat or wear.

The desire is to continue providing assistance, mainly in the spiritual and psychosocial recovery component of the victims of terrorism, but also to continue to distribute food and supplies for survival.

With more emphasis on the following actions:

• Counselling, especially for children and women victims of terrorism;
• Comfort of people through educational and biblical messages, sending Pastors and activists trained for this purpose;
• Distribution of various food resources, clothing, beds and kitchen utensils;
• Distribution of uniforms and school supplies for school-age children;
• Distribution of agricultural tools and seeds to resettled families.”

Isais Muiambo
29th June 2021

The launch of this appeal has been discussed and agreed with Mission Committee. You can donate by BACs transfer and donations can be gift aided.  Details below.

Please continue to keep the people of Mozambique in your prayers, especially those who are caught up in the desperate humanitarian crisis in the north of the country.  Thinking of our partner church, IPM, those in other churches and also other agencies, who are seeking to help those in need.

Mary Davidson, Elder St Mark’s URC, Amble

Making Donations to the URC Northern Synod:

Mozambique Appeal
Donations to the Mozambique appeal should be sent to the following bank account.

Sort code: 12-09-19
Account: 06040411

Name: The United Reformed Church (Northern Province) Trust Ltd

Reference: MZAppeal

Please send details of the donation and consent to claim gift aid (if applicable)
to helen.hogg@urc-northernsynod.org

Donations to be received into the Trust’s bank account by 18 August 2021.