Most Mozambicans travel to and from work by walking or by riding in a chapa (public van). These local vans travel around picking people up and dropping them off on the side of the road. The cost to ride is about 25 cents one-way. Unfortunately, these chapas are dangerous to ride in due to poor maintenance, crowded conditions and risky drivers.

Marciano, one of the young men writing Bible study lessons in Mozambican Portuguese, was traveling home from work in a chapa when another chapa hit it on the side of the road. The collision caused the van to roll with Marciano inside. None of the passengers were wearing seatbelts. Some were killed instantly, and a co-worker friend of Marciano breathed her last as he tried to revive her. Marciano was taken to the hospital, where they fitted him with a neck brace and put his left arm in a sling before sending him home.

Being laid-up with a stiff and painful neck has kept Marciano from returning to work teaching English in a public school. Unfortunately, there are no insurance pay-outs or lawsuits to compensate for his injury and trauma. And he needs to pay for his own medicine. I have massaged his neck and loaned him an electric massager to help loosen his tight muscles.

Recently, Marciano testified that he believes that God spared his life and has a special work for him to do. We don’t know yet what God has in mind for Marciano. But we are thankful that the angel of the Lord protected our Bible study writer. He is so helpful to our work. We wonder if Satan had intended to kill him. Please pray that Marciano’s neck will continue to heal so he can return to work and continue serving the Lord.

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