Bonifácio Agostinho and his family are grateful to God for their livelihood as farmers. Last year the family produced a large crop of cassava and 150 kg of rice on their fields in Nampila, Mozambique. But God’s work in Bonifácio’s life does not stop there— Bonifácio has also had a central role in blessing his church and entire community.
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Bonifácio Agostinho and his family are grateful to God for their livelihood as farmers. Last year the family produced a large crop of cassava and 150 kg of rice on their fields in Nampila, Mozambique. But God’s work in Bonifácio’s life does not stop there— Bonifácio has also had a central role in blessing his church and entire community.
For several years, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) has been working with the Anglican Diocese of Niassa (DoN) in communities such as Nampila. In 2009, with encouragement from CRWRC, DoN asked Father Diniz Mbenuca, a visiting Anglican priest, to train local church leaders to help those affected by HIV live happier and more hopeful lives. Soon afterwards The Equipa da Vida (Teams of Life) became active in the area. These teams—made up of local volunteers chosen by the community and trained by DoN staff—were sent out into the community to respond to challenges related to HIV and AIDS.
The Equipa de Vida teams began their ministry by visiting sick and frail people in their homes and helping them with basic household chores, such as hauling fire wood and fetching water. In 2010 the group started supporting orphaned children with their school work.
Bonifácio is an active member of his church, and has been serving as the local leader since the lay pastor left in 2007. His dedication to the Equipa de Vida cause led the team to choose him as their coordinator.
Although DoN originally designed Equipa de Vida teams to focus on AIDS issues, the church and community members began to expand their vision of what needed to be done. As a result, Bonifácio and other team members received training in agriculture, small business, literacy, and group dynamics to enable them to help their own communities respond to the issues they faced.
In July 2011, Bonifacio’s community determined that a health centre was a priority. At the time, the nearest heath centre was 8 km away, in the town’s centre. While a basic community health care provider had been trained by the government, he had no place to work. The school director let the provider keep government medicines in her office, but there was no convenient, properly-equipped building in to serve the community’s medical needs.
Bonifácio led the community’s health centre projects. Not only did he help to mobilize Christian leaders in the task, but he also worked alongside local Muslim leaders. Some of the leaders worried that building the process simply wouldn’t be possible—each would require approximately 25,000 bricks! But together the leaders mobilized three mosques and four churches into brigades. These community members—men and women—then made the bricks and carried the completed bricks to the construction site.
The building was constructed by professional bricklayers. They worked voluntarily, but were later thanked by the community with a gift of chickens. People worked together to clear the area of brush.
After a lot of prayer, hard work, and cooperation, the building was complete. Nampila finally had a health centre of its own! The community now has access to the medication and tools they need to give residents—from their newborns to their seniors—healthier and happier lives.
For Bonifácio, the project was a way to help provide for his local community—his brothers and sisters in Christ. Although he only finished fifth grade, God has given him above average reading and writing skills and a talent for community mobilization. He is now one of the Diocese of Niassa’s newest employees, and will have a chance to share his vision and passion throughout his region as a fieldworker. He is also thrilled to have recently received a bicycle to help him travel longer distances!
“Because of my involvement in the Equipa de Vida, I learned that I need to promote unity, and help break down the divisions that exist between people,” Bonifácio said. “I wanted to become a fieldworker so I could help people both inside and outside the church— whoever is in need.”
CRWRC is continuing to support DoN as they train church leaders and community members in transformational development issues. May God continue to bless and equip these brothers and sisters as they work for unity, sustainability, and health in Mozambique!