Freedom for the Oppressed

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free

Luke 4:18

These past months, one of the young men who lives at Masana has been fighting an addiction to alcohol. He is 18 years old and has been addicted to alcohol for 10 years....that means he was 8 when he started drinking. Sadly, that is not uncommon here in Mozambique. Legally, minors can't buy alcohol but that law is never enforced and a vender would never turn someone away because of their age because that would mean less money in his pocket. Such a sad reality.

This young man finally agreed to go to the one and only rehab center located in our city....and it just happens to be Christian :-) When we first spoke to him about going to this center he was completely against it and chose instead to leave the love and comfort of the Masana house. And we had to let him go. But we didn't stop praying that the Holy Spirit would work in his heart and bring him back to us. After almost a week of wandering around the city, drinking way too much, and climbing the wall of Masana to sleep in our outdoor bedroom each night he came to his senses and returned to Masana for the help we so desperately wanted to give him.

Monday will be one week in the rehab center. One week sober. One week down in this battle for freedom from the chains of alcoholism. My prayer for this young man is that he will turn to the Lord in this time and that he will find strength to face each new day alcohol-free. Here amongst the street kids of Maputo, it is time for our God to be made known as the God who sets the oppressed free. Join me in praying....not just for this young man but for all the young boys in Mozambique who turn to alcohol at an early age for the comfort that only God can give.