Greetings to friends of Grace Missions, Grace Medical Mozambique, Charles and Julie Woodrow.
Here is the latest news from Nampula, Mozambique.
Grace Missions
Bookshop: Our literature ministry, Biblioteca Fiel, has been operating in Nampula for 15 years. We buy quantities of Christian books from Brazilian publishers at half their retail price and pay almost the same amount to ship the books to Mozambique. We then sell the books at a subsidized rate in order to make them accessible to Mozambicans. The public is also invited to read our books on-site without charge.
A shortage of funds recently compelled us to temporarily halt sales, but we are happy to report that Biblioteca Fiel is once again open for business. At present, though, the books are sold at their actual replacement cost, a source of distress for clients who saved funds during our closure to make purchases at prices they had previously noted. We should be able to reinstate the subsidy during our conference and perhaps afterwards as well.
Employee Spotlight: Bonifácio Alberto, pictured here with his family, is our senior employee, an able manager of our other workers and of major projects for the mission.
Matters currently on his agenda include purchases for our upcoming pastors’ conference, construction of kitchen and laundry facilities for the hospital, and the many repairs our aging vehicles need. Bonifácio is active in ministry outside of Grace Missions as well: he leads his church’s choir and youth group, and has established a Christian preschool to which unbelieving parents eagerly send their children. He requests your prayers for his leadership of these ministries, for financial provision to sustain them, and for his relatives’ salvation.
Grace Medical Mozambique
Hospital Progress: If you think opening a hospital is a simple matter, you should think again! The process is slow and the steps are many, yet we continue to move forward toward that goal. Don Dickey, our Special Operations Coordinator, has devoted countless hours to meticulously preparing our 40-foot container of medical equipment (pictured below) for shipment from Texas. Please pray that the documentation would be accepted, that customs charges would be minimum, and that all its contents will safely reach Nampula. Please also pray that our new electrical transformer for the hospital will arrive from South Africa in good working order, and that the defective transformer from our Quinta Graça property will be repaired in South Africa at a low cost.
Board Meeting: Grace Medical Mozambique is directed by four Godly men who care deeply about the spread of the gospel through medical outreach: Rick Houk, Don Hamilton, David Harris, and Joe Sahl. They are taking advantage of Dr. Charles’ presence in the US to gather in San Antonio this weekend for their annual in-person board meeting. Please pray for wisdom as they make important decisions regarding the hospital ministry.
Woodrow Family
Charles and Julie thank God for safety as they traveled around the US in May, and for His blessing on their time with many friends and family members along the way. The highlight of the trip was their son Andrew’s wedding to Jennifer Vo (pictured here with him) on May 26.
Please pray that God’s protection will continue as Charles and Julie fly to South Africa on June 4, and Julie from there directly to Nampula, while Charles makes purchases in South Africa before returning home later in June.
Thank you for your interest in our ministry!