Update on riots

I got 2 emails from missionaries on the base where I lived for the last 2 years...one from the director and one from a nurse that helped with all the Baby House tots....excerpts below in regards to the effects of the riots, God's protection, and prayer needs!

All of the tots are ok tonight! We did have tear gas in the center earlier today and mainly
the girls were affected. They spent most of the day hidden in one of the tiny rooms in the girls' area with wet t-shirts wrapped over their mouths and noses. Other than them, our guards, and a few missionaries getting affected by tear gas, it actually was a quiet day. I was
blown away by God's peace here in the midst of the craziness outside. There was a bus overturned and set on fire outside the center walls,several people killed in the city, lots of noise and gun shots around,the Total station (gas station) down the road was burned down, NONE of our workers could get here...it is terrible out there but God's grace and peace covered us and the kids today. The kids were acting like it was a snow day...no school, movies, and playing ALL day. The affects of tear gas were quick and with no lasting affects. Seriously it was
miraculous. Keep the prayers coming, especially for workers and the government. Aurora (our Mozambican BH nurse) got stranded on her way here this morning. She called in a panic because she couldn't get home and she couldn't get here...they were burning 2 cars in front of her and she was helpless. She eventually found a tia (one of our female Moz workers that cares for children) and is staying at her house until things settle down. Praise God for her safety and so many others.


Today is September 1 and we are in the midst of riots in Maputo. In July this year the price of passports (for Mozambicans) rose 600%, visitor visas 500% and our annual permanent resident documents (for non-nationals claiming residency in Moz) went from $80 to $700 each. Today September 1 the price of a bus ride doubled, bread rose by 30% and the price of a 50 kg bag of rice is more than half a months salary for an average Mozambican (if he is one of the 18% of people that has a job). So today the people rioted -upturned buses and burned them right
outside our base, looted shops, burnt tires, petrol stations and threw rocks and bricks. The city was closed down as were schools and the airport and the official figure is 6 dead.
The police and army are controlling the rioters and streets with tear gas. It is now 4pm (in Moz) and it is quiet. We will wait and see what happens tonight and again in the morning. We are all safe and sound in our compound here -except for runny eyes from tear gas. No workers here
today but the missionaries, educators and children prayed and played together -no school today.
This is Mozambique -still the 6th poorest country in the world and living in such difficult circumstances. Please pray with us for a miraculous breakthrough.

Praise God for His protection so far, but continue praying for them overnight and into the day tomorrow as they see if this will continue! With over 300 children living in the center, continue praying for a hedge of protection surrounding the center!

click on these 2 links for pics taken right outside of our center and reports from 2 of the missionary girls living there: Meghann http://nurseinmozambique.blogspot.com/2010/09/riots-in-streets.html and Emily http://mozambiquetwentyten.blogspot.com/2010/09/riots.html