This past April, two weeks before we started our furlough, we attended a weekend-long Women’s Ministry campout in the yard of one of the rural churches outside of Maxixe. Many Adventist ladies slept in tents or made shelters out of tarps. All were enjoying uplifting worship talks, prayers and fellowship. The singing was especially enthusiastic because many women had not seen each other in months.

On Sabbath afternoon, Sister Maria received a phone call from her neighbor informing her that her house was on fire, and everything was burning up! Her house had a metal roof, but the walls were made of dry reeds. It only took about five minutes for the whole house to burn to the ground. The fire destroyed her family’s clothes, bedding, furniture, dishes and valuables; nothing but charcoal remained. Thankfully, no lives were lost, but how would Maria’s husband and three children live now?

The Monday after the fire, church members from around the city came to support the family. Although a reed house is valued at $600 to $700, that is years of savings for them. The church ladies each gave Sister Maria something they could spare from their homes: a plate, cup, piece of clothing, or another item. Edie also brought some of her clothes. And we used funds from the Tonga Project (which you, our donors, gave) to purchase a new mattress with linens, a woven mat, and a couple of weeks’ worth of food. Sister Maria immediately put the woven mat under her remaining lemon tree and had a praise session; the men opened their Bibles and conducted a worship service of thanksgiving. This outpouring of support has been an incredible witness to Sister Maria’s neighbors. We uplift Jesus by helping others.

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