The history of Our Saviour’s Mozambique Mission dates back more than 12 years, following the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mozambique’s founding of a school for students whose families were refugees from Zimbabwe. Because Zimbabwean students spoke English and Mozambique schools conducted classes in Portuguese, a language barrier prevented refugee students from being able to attend regular schools in their new home.

The Aka Power School for Zimbabwean refugees in Chimoio addressed that urgent need. While space for the school was provided by the local Lutheran church, the school receives no government funding—not for rent, for supplies or for teacher salaries. Contributions from OSLC are a critical part of filling this gap.

Every Mozambique Mission pie purchased and every ticket bought for favorite annual events such as the Family Fun Hot Wheels Event (happening Jan. 11) and the Sweetheart Dance (Feb. 8) helps provide vital support for children and families in need in Mozambique. Proceeds from these fundraisers help fund the purchase of e’Pap nutrition packets, school supplies and more.

Aka Power School (the name means “the power to create through words”) has more than 350 students enrolled in preschool through 9th grade. Students are taught in both English and Portuguese; many teachers work on a volunteer or semi-volunteer basis.

This February, Pastor Newton Matienga, who serves as school principal, and his wife, Gertrude Matienga, a credentialed teacher who has taught preschool and kindergarten on an unpaid basis since the school’s opening, will visit Our Saviour’s and be special guests at the 2025 Mozambique Dinner, happening Saturday, Feb. 22, at 6 p.m. at Celebration Campus.

Dinner attendees will have the opportunity to hear from Pastor Newton and Gertrude about the work of the school and the wider Vida Humana mission, which provides healthcare and education services to those in and around Chimoio. More details and tickets are coming soon! Interested in learning more or getting involved? Contact Susan Ferguson at susanferguson@comcast.net.

With a host of musical ensembles rehearsing and performing at the Our Saviour’s Campus, from Sanctuary Choir and the Women’s Chorale to Bach Ringers, Cantata choir and more, the OS building stores a lot of sheet music—a lot.

Over the years, it hasn’t been the easiest process to find copies of all of that music or to know whether a specific piece or arrangement has been performed. Enter a team of dedicated OSLC volunteers.

Filling the Gaps

First, relates music director Rick Sowers, Linda Sosnowski “took on the task of creating a database of all the music we have.” With most of the library of choral and handbell music now catalogued, the project should be complete later this year.

Explains Rick: “Our Saviour’s choral music was stored in the manner that was common many years ago—alphabetical order by title. This created a challenge of running out of space in each drawer as the collection grew. Now, the plan is to move the choral music to a new space where the music will be stored using a file number unique to each piece, which will make it easy to locate using the database. Part of the process also will include deleting music that is not likely to be used again.”

The former choir robe room, located adjacent to Luther Court, was decided as the new home for all of Our Saviour’s sheet music.

DIY Team to the Rescue

Members of Our Saviour’s long-serving, dedicated DIY team, as well as Sanctuary Choir members (including some who are members of both!) worked over several weeks this fall to prepare the space and assemble and secure shelving (see photo).

“This was a great DIY Team project, with a clear and defined need,” says team member Lee Thomsen. “Mission, friendship and teamwork are what motivate us. We’re excited to see this music shelving filled up.”

The project, expected to be complete by late summer, also will see handbell and instrumental music relocated to wooden file drawers in the Bach Room, with metal file cabinets eliminated to make room for music stands and other equipment.