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Crisis Response

Cyclone Kenneth: Mozambique Update

The road to recovery from Cyclones Idai and Kenneth is long, but our commitment to the Mozambican people is unwavering; it is our true blessing to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Our team in Dondo has been faithfully serving their community with increased food, clothing, and basic supply distributions, and taking every opportunity to share the Gospel. The hearts of the people are very receptive and many are coming to know Jesus and the hope of everlasting life. We just completed building our 25th home and said good-bye to the last displaced person staying at the Dondo Center.

Up north in Pemba, our missionaries and local staff have shifted from the initial emergency rescue operation to a sustained program bringing food, building supplies, medical care, and more to some of the hardest hit coastal areas. What makes our service to these communities even more vital is that no other organization wanted to go there because it is very difficult to access and there are serious safety concerns. This is an area that, in the past, our outreach teams have had a hard time making connections and it seemed closed off to the Gospel. However, since Iris was the only group willing to bring in supplies, the communities were immensely grateful and welcomed us. Trust and relationships are growing and we are purposefully demonstrating Jesus’ love to everyone we encounter.

Through a robust collaborative network of partners including the Mozambican government, international relief organizations, and local businesses, we have already made a significant impact in the 3 weeks since Cyclone Kenneth ravaged the region. At last count we had:

• Served over 135,000 people two meals a day
• Focused on the 34,000 people in 7 coastal villages
• Made 112 support flights carrying food, tarps, emergency supplies, and personnel
• Distributed 2,492 tarps to temporarily repair roofs
• Provided 2,664 metal sheets to repair roofs

And the work continues with teams taking 7-day shifts to load, transport, and distribute supplies to the coastal communities still only accessible by boat. We are also building a 1,800 foot grass landing strip so the Iris Kodiak can land in the main village and speed up the process of delivering supplies - this is how we hope to rebuild the communities. Through it all, we remain totally and joyfully dependent on God!