A team of volunteers led by Brazilian missionary Rafaela Chaves found four young boys cooking slugs in a pot over an improvised fire to relieve hunger in Mozambique. The group from Missions Ministry carried out the emergency relief on Thursday, 12, outside a thatched-roof house in the African country, where the children live with their grandmother.
As quatro crianças estavam passando fome. (Foto: Reprodução/Instagram/Missrafaelachaves). Photo: Guiame
Children found without food in thatched-roof home
Upon arriving at the house, the team found one of the boys lying on the ground, crying from hunger. and provided immediate relief by offering water and washing the boys' faces. When speaking with the volunteers, the children explained that they have no parents and rely entirely on their grandmother.
Volunteers instructed the siblings to stop preparing the slugs
The grandmother had left early in the morning to work in the fields to try to provide for the household. Chaves described the situation in a video posted online. "They are all grandchildren of a single grandmother who woke up very early to work in the plantation to bring food to these children. And having nothing, they are eating this," the missionary stated.
To address the immediate crisis, the team delivered a basic food basket to the family and cooked a full meal on site. The team's action aligns with the biblical passage in 1 John 3:17-18, which calls on Christians to demonstrate love through tangible acts of care.
Why does the mission team share video of hardship?
Addressing comments regarding video recordings in impoverished communities, Chaves explained that publicizing the situation aims to generate donations for relief work in Mozambique. She emphasized that sharing the footage is meant to raise awareness and secure necessary funds to deliver aid, rather than exploit the children.
"When we post these things here in Mozambique, it is not to exploit the children; it is showing a reality. Because if we do not show it, we cannot get resources to help them," Chaves said. She also rejected arguments that eating slugs due to lack of food should be considered normal. "We are not trying to speak badly of their culture. Some say they find it normal. To me, this will never be normal," she added.
Ongoing care for orphaned children in the region
In addition to emergency relief efforts in rural villages, Missions Ministry maintains an orphanage in Mozambique. The ministry provides shelter, daily meals, schooling, recreational activities, and medical care for orphaned children in the region.
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