BEIRA, Mozambique — In 1987, Chico Tomo Antonio Mapenda was sent from his homeland of Mozambique to study in East Germany, where he was introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ, along with his brother, Gimo Tomo Mapenda, and their friend, Jose Eduardo Lerenco Mubobo. Their introduction to the Church has blessed a nation.
"The truth was manifested to us by the Holy Ghost," Chico Mapenda recently said, recalling his conversion. "God had a work to be done by us."
The three returned home in 1991. "We three together asked for the guidance of the Lord in how to begin the work of the Church in Beira, as well as in all of Mozambique. In 1996, the Church was officially recognized by the government of Mozambique. We continued firm in the faith in Jesus Christ, fulfilling our callings and contributing to the growth of the Church in various ways."
And the Church has, indeed, grown here. On April 13, 2003, some 650 members gathered for the creation of the Beira Mozambique District — the first in that country — organized by South Africa Johannesburg Mission President James Fitch. And sustained as second counselor in the newly created district during the meeting was Chico Mapenda. He will serve with new district President Augusto Cherequejanhe and first counselor Rufino Ferreira Jr. The Beira Mozambique District includes the Beira 1st, Beira 2nd, Manga, Inhamizua and Marromeu branches.
President Cherequejanhe was once called a "firecracker for the Lord" by Jim Dewey of Boise, Idaho, who served in Beira as a missionary several years ago. He was introduced to the gospel in 1991 in Beira through Rita Francisco Dique Souza, the young woman who would later become his wife. Her family was being taught by three young men who had been introduced to the Church in East Germany. In 1993, he began attending meetings with Chico Mapenda, who had returned from East Germany with a Book of Mormon, and they studied from that and from "The Principles of the Gospel," which was their only Church literature resource. He fell in love with both the young lady and the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is said that Church membership in the Beira area at that time could be counted on the fingers of one hand.
In January 1999, President Cherequejanhe was called as president of the Beira Branch, one of the first branches organized in Mozambique.
President Ferreira fled as a young boy with his family from war-torn Angola to settle in Portugal. There, he came in contact with the missionaries and was converted to the Church. He later served a mission in Portugal. At the end of his mission, as he and his beloved mission president, President R. Perry Ficklin, said their farewells, the young Rufino Ferreira clasped his hand and said, "Some day, President, we will serve together again, in Mozambique."
After his mission, he finished college, married and received a master's degree before starting a successful business career. But through the years, the Spirit continued to prompt him of the need to be of service in Mozambique. About six years ago, he and his wife sold their business, packed up their young family and moved to Mozambique.
Life in Mozambique has been very difficult but they have diligently continued to do missionary work, to strengthen the Church and to bless members and missionaries alike with their zeal and fervent testimonies of the Gospel. Then one day he was driving down the road in Beira, and a car approached from behind. President Ferreira recognized the driver as Elder Ficklin, who with his wife, LaVaun, had recently been called to serve as senior missionaries in Mozambique. They quickly pulled to the side of the road, exited their cars and with tears streaming down their faces, embraced each other. What joy they later said they felt in seeing that their prayers had been answered and they would now be helping each other to accomplish the Lord's work in Mozambique, after all these years.
Elder Ficklin, a counselor in the mission presidency, is serving with Sister Ficklin in Maupto. They and President Ferreira have frequent contact with each other.
The Church continues to grow in this southeastern coastal African country. In 2002, there were 330 convert baptisms; with 106 from January to April of this year. There are six returned missionaries in the country, and 30 serving and six awaiting their calls.