What our 'new normal' in Moz. looks like...

What our 'New Normal'

in MOZ Looks Like!

Newsletter from Anna Capener, Missionary to iReachAfrica in Mozambique

‘So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten…You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied…’

After a year of our school programs being closed, and after a rather stressful and intense inspection-day had passed, on the 22nd of March we once again threw open our gates and welcomed back the pitter patter of tiny feet into our classrooms. We prayed for peace over our students as they began classes and had hardly any tears or distressed children as they left their carers at the gate, we prayed that Covid would not have stolen anything from our children’s education and witnessed children who had remembered things previously taught and were ready to soak up each new lesson. We prayed that the teachers would take all the new regulations and restrictions in their stride and have seen exemplary attitudes and enthusiasm from our staff. It has been crazily busy but wonderfully refreshing to have our schools full again.

Please join me in praying that nothing will have been stolen from our children's development from the school closures and that all that was lost will be restored.

Pray that there would be no Covid outbreaks at our school sites and that our children would be healthy - free from malaria, TB and sickness.

Record Number of Students

We have record numbers of students this year across our two sites and all of our classes are full! In total we have 150 students and this doesn’t include those attending our ‘graduate program’. I have had to make some changes to our timetable, curriculum and class sizes - which at times has felt like a bit of a logistical challenge, but I’m seeing benefits even in these changes. The smaller class groups at our Mussunsa site mean that the children are getting a lot more one on one adult attention, the new seating arrangements are making it easier for the students to focus on the teacher and this is having a great impact on their learning.

Please pray for our teachers who are having to repeat the same lesson four times a week because of the smaller classes.

Pray that each time they teach they would be filled with enthusiasm and teach it as if it was the first time!

Thanking God for Two New Teachers

During the school closure I was able to spend time training up two extra teachers to work in the preschool. The training has made a big difference and both teachers have been like a duck to water since the schools reopened…a great addition to our team. We now have nine full time teachers and many other part time staff. I daily thank God for the team that I get to lead and work with each day. Of course, there are always little issues and problems that need to be ironed out, but I am so blessed to be working with men and women who have a heart to serve each of the children in their care and in turn reflect so much of the Father’s heart every single day.

Pray for our new staff members, particularly a young man named Jose - pray for integrity and godly character to be formed in him and that he would teach and care for the children well.

Thanking God for Provision

During the school closure you may remember that there was lots of work going on at our Chipindaumwe site. With funds raised in the UK we were able to help upgrade the government primary school that is next to our preschool and also build an extra classroom at our preschool (you can see it in the background of this photo). This extra classroom has enabled us to have 60 preschool students this year. If we hadn’t built it we would have been limited to 30 and would have had to turn many children away. With all the development that has gone on here it is causing a bit of confusion to people travelling along the road. A few have stopped and asked if they’ve arrived in Chipindaumwe (we are around 2km before Chipindaumwe itself) - confused by the beautiful buildings! We’re thinking of putting up a sign, ‘This is NOT Chipindaumwe - keep going’!!! Join with me in thanking God for the provision of this new building and for the incredible growth in our numbers in Chipindaumwe. When we built there we were planning on around 15 preschool students a year!!! God had other plans!

Thanking God for New Office Space

In March a long-awaited dream of mine came to pass!….To have a school office! As our programs and staff have grown over the years, so has the administration! Doing administration has meant leaving the school site and working at a desk in my little house. The exercise is great (!), but not being at the school isn’t ideal. A few days ago the builders completed the building of a school office right in the heart of the school at our Mussunsa site (see photo above). It’s not quite ready to move into yet but in a few weeks I will be able to do admin with the sound of ABCs in the background! This will be a real blessing and make a big difference to the daily running of the schools.

Please pray that as Abi and I work in this office - ensuring the smooth daily running of the programs and dreaming for the future, that we would have ears to hear what the Lord is saying, eyes to see what he is doing and hearts ready to willingly follow.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this news and for remembering the work here in Mozambique in your prayers! x

My work here in Mozambique is voluntary and I am so grateful for the financial support of friends and family that makes it possible for me to serve here. If you would be interested in supporting my work in Mozambique through a one-off gift or monthly sponsorship then you can do so by clicking the links below.

UK/Donations

USA/Donation

Visit our website