Dear Friends and Family,

I am writing to you today with a heavy heart and tear filled eyes while in flight thousands of miles above the earth. Due to a rapidly deteriorating situation where I was working in Mozambique, the leadership has decided to evacuate all the foreign staff and relocate us to our International office in Thailand. The former country manager who was recently let go for gross misconduct has been stirring up problems for the last several weeks. We sought to bring about an amicable resolution, but were met in turn with a list of demands that stood in stark contrast to the very heart of our work and the mission of our organization. Tuesday he served myself and the other full time volunteer with papers terminating our contracts, ordering us out within 10 days and officially severing all connection to the International Office.

False accusations brought against myself and the other full time worker, with talk of involving the police in addition to the increasing unpredictability of his actions towards us and the international office, created a potential threat to our safety so great that the International management of our organization decided the only course of action was to immediately remove us. To ensure our safe exit, we were prohibited from informing any one of our departure, were limited in what we could take with us and given just 24 hours notice. Thus I have walked out on all my friends and the life I have built over the course of the last year without being able to offer a proper goodbye.

I am shattered. I rung my best friend after departing the country to inform her of the situation and she summed up my actions in one word, abandonment. How could I leave the country without even saying goodbye to my best friend?! She has been a godsend in what has been a truly challenging year, I have trusted her with everything else, how could I not trust her with this?! She was absolutely right. It is my deepest regret in what is easily the hardest situation I have endured thus far in my life. Her exact sentiments were echoed by the national staff who were left reeling from our abrupt departure.  Then there are the kids, the beautiful boys and girls whom I have laughed with, danced with and shared life with for the past 13 months. Children who have known more loss, hurt and difficulty in their few years then I am sure I ever will.

The two beautiful girls Chila (pronounced Sheila) and Joana whom I have been living with me for most of this year and together had formed a unique type of family filled with language barriers, culture clashes and enough teenage drama to script a TV series from. Then there were the nights filled singing Just Beiber songs, dancing to Beyonce, multi-lingual prayers at dinner, sitting on our front step with all the neighborhood children discussing life and joking around. I have abandoned them as well, without even as much as a hug goodbye. While I know the circumstances that led up to this situation and am taking every effort to express my love to them all and explain why I had to go, I know that they will all still be left with more pain then comfort, more hurt then understanding and more questions than answers. With time and God’s loving comfort, I know they will heal and move forward, but I am afraid some of the relationship which have so traumatically been severed may not. This knowledge has left me devastated.

Please hold in your thoughts and prayers those who remain in Mozambique.  That they would find comfort and understanding, even in the face of abandonment. That they would know a greater love and peace in this troubling and traumatic time.

That Chila and Joana would feel love filling them from around the world, being comforted and held in this time of sorrow and loss. That they would remember the good memories, the words of truth that have been spoken into their lives and believe in what could be. That they would strive for greatness and not be brought down by the lies others might speak to them. That they would know they were created and made beautiful with a plan and purpose being placed over their lives.

That the children at the children’s center, many of whom are orphans, would not feel orphaned again by our leaving, but instead remember that they are loved and treasured just as they are, even if we cannot remain with them.

That our national staff would be united and strengthened by this experiences, rallying up to come against those still in leadership who have developed a love a money and power over the children. That a change of heart and a shift towards transparency, honesty and accountability would truly take place. That they would know that they too are loved, treasured and valued both as co-workers and friends.

That the friends whom I have made during my time in Mozambique would understand why I could not say goodbye and that they would be comforted in this time of grieving all that was and was being hoped for. That in time all would rest in a level of understanding and forgiveness.

That the other foreign staff would be comforted, consoled and held in this time as well. We have walked away from our lives, friends and children we so dearly loved all with only a few hours notice.

Please also join with me in thought and prayer for our former country manager whose actions brought this about and those who have stood with him bringing these accusations, threats and decisions. That their eyes would be opened to the effects of their actions and the true motivations driving them. This has been traumatic for us all.

Despite our sudden withdrawal, we are still hoping to return to Mozambique and resume our work there, rising up and rebuilding together. I would like to think we could return quickly, that the necessary changes to the national management team and the association board will be made with haste, but it is too early to determine a timetable or even a probable outcome. Our international office is looking into every option for us to continue our work, but right now the current leadership in country is blocking these efforts.

Thank you for your love, your encouragement, your support, your understanding, your kind thoughts and your prayers.

Always,

Christina   ‘Nina’