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Since 2017, the northern province of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique has been torn apart by a brutal Islamist insurgency. The insurgency has seen over 3,000 people killed and has displaced around one million.
Francisco Faustino Francisco, known to his friends as Chico, is a 52-year-old Catholic father of five from Muidumbe in Cabo Delgado. Chico has suffered greatly because of the insurgency. The insurgents caught Chico’s 24-year-old son during an attack. Chico desperately searched for his son, only to find his decapitated body. Chico’s friends helped him bury his son’s body.
On top of this, Chico’s 95-year-old mother went missing during the attack without a trace. Chico quickly realised that he would never see his mother again.
Chico travelled to Pemba, the regional capital. There he was reunited with his wife. The couple was allowed by a woman to sleep in her garden. The children were sent to stay in different homes as there was not enough room for the four surviving children in the garden. Chico has a simple dream of one day living together with his wife and children under one roof.
The garden Chico and his wife sleep in. Aid to the Church in Need.
Chico had already lived a difficult life. He told ACN about his struggles before the insurgency. Like so many parents around the world, he worked hard so his children could have a better life than he did. He farmed to support his family. Having been forced to flee from his farm, Chico no longer had a way to support his family.
Father Edegard Silva of the Missionaries of La Salette was able to help Chico and his family find a source of income through a microproject scheme funded by ACN. The project helped Chico set up a small street stall to sell products to support himself and his family. The booth not only helps Chico with income, but it has also helped him have respect and dignity by giving him work that benefits the local community.
Photo: Francisco Faustino (called Chico) with Fr. Edegard Silva Junior. Aid to the Church in Need.
Chico has suffered a lot. He has lost one of his sons and his mother and has been forced to flee with the rest of his family. The microprojects scheme has helped to give him hope. ACN is supporting the local Church to assist Christian refugees like Chico, not only in Mozambique but all over the world. Click here to learn more about how you can share hope this Christmas.
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