Riots in Moz

The following is a letter from my friends in Maputo. Things have settled down a bit but it does cause waves of trouble to reach HoB. Higher risk of corruption and stealing. Please pray for Moz. The fear of it becoming like Zimbabwe is in the hearts of many people as well as myself. God knows what they need though to cry out to Him, and He will answer them when they do.
Dear praying friends of Iris,

Today is September 1 and we are in the midst of riots in Maputo. In July this year the price of passports rose 600%, visitor visas 500% and our annual permanent resident documents went from $80 to $700 each.

Today September 1 the price of a bus ride doubled, bread rose by 30% and the price of a 50kg bag of rice is more than half a months salary for an average Mozambican (if he is one of the 18% of people that has a job)

So today the people rioted -upturned buses and burned them right outside our base, looted shops, burnt tires, petrol stations and threw rocks and bricks. The city was closed down as were schools and the airport and the official figure is 6 dead.

The police and army are controlling the rioters and streets with tear gas. It is now 4pm and it is quiet. We will wait and see what happens tonight and again in the morning. We are all safe and sound in our compound here -except for runny eyes from tear gas. No workers here today but the missionaries, educators and children prayed and played

together -no school today.

This is Mozambique -still the 6th poorest country in the world and living in such difficult circumstances. Please pray with us for a miraculous breakthrough.

Steve and Ros Lazar