Upon our return to Mozambique, our top priority was to submit our passports to immigration to receive long-term work visas so we can stay and work as missionaries. It took us 10 days to compile and complete all the required documents with the help of the Mozambique Union Mission. While in Maputo, we stayed in an inexpensive Airbnb rental house, which was cleaned daily by a maid named Edna.

We got to know Edna as she arrived punctually at 7:30 every morning, letting herself in through the back door without knocking or ringing the doorbell. Often, we would just be completing our breakfast in the dining room when she would begin sweeping and mopping the floor. We would always greet her with, “Bom Dia,” which is “Good morning” in Portuguese.

Edie began to talk with her and found out that she was quite young. She hadn’t completed high school yet and already had a three-year-old daughter. The baby’s father abandoned them, so she lives with her sister. When Edie offered to pray with her, she happily accepted. And when Edie gave her a witnessing book in Portuguese called Hope for Families, she wanted to exchange phone numbers. She asked Edie to send her a Bible verse every day. Now Edie is receiving cheerful messages in response to the Bible verses, ending with words like “Thank you, Mama.”

Sometimes we wonder why it takes 10 days to complete a simple work visa document, or why we have delays in opening a bank account, or why we must wait three hours in line. Could it be so that we can have opportunities to share our faith? Please pray with us for Edna’s future conversion.

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