Through Divine Intervention, Jeremias Found Chicuque Rural Hospital

A newborn fighting for her life. A burn victim. A caring nurse. A young man learning to walk for the first time. These are a few of the many faces of Chicuque Rural Hospital. Founded by a Methodist missionary in 1913, today the hospital provides health care to approximately 500,000 men, women and children in Mozambique, southeast Africa. Jeremias Franca's face is a familiar one at Chicuque. He is a Person in Mission (PIM) who strongly believes that God led him to Chicuque and feels very blessed to be the hospital's administrator.

It was the summer of 1990, not a safe time to be living in Mozambique, let alone traveling throughout the country. A brutal civil war that had ravaged the country for over ten years was still raging. Seeking some peace and relaxation from his government job in the capital city of Maputo, Jeremias Franca accepted an invitation from a friend to spend a weekend in Inhambane Province, some 300 miles away.

As Jeremias and his friend approached Maxixe, a mid-sized town outside of Chicuque, the brakes of their pick-up truck failed. The vehicle spun around. At that same moment, a bus traveling in the opposite direction collided with the truck. Miraculously, everyone escaped from with minor injuries. Suffering from a dislocated shoulder, Jeremias was taken to the closest hospital, which happened to be Chicuque Rural Hospital (CRH). Little did he know that his first visit to CRH would be the beginning of a new path in his life. Today, Jeremias believes that this accident was nothing less than a divine intervention; he just didn't know it at the time.

Jeremias, a member of The United Methodist Church (UMC), was friends with the United Methodist pastor in Chicuque. As he checked into the emergency room, Jeremias asked for the clergyman to be notified. The pastor came to visit Jeremias and introduced him to two women missionaries, one from Ohio and the other from Texas, who were about to return to the United States. They had been working on hospital administrative issues at CRH.

During his convalescence, Jeremias and the women became better acquainted with each another. The missionaries learned more about Jeremias, his work in the government, and his strong commitment to the UMC. A few days after their introduction, the women approached Jeremias with a life-changing proposal. They had been searching for a United Methodist who could replace them at CRH. Having felt a strong connection with Jeremias from the moment when they first met, the two missionaries truly believed that Jeremias had been brought to CRH through divine intervention. His professional experience was perfect for the position.

At first Jeremias was skeptical. He did not really believe he was qualified for the position, although he was quite interested in the idea. As the conversation progressed, Jeremias decided to give the job a try. Soon thereafter, the two missionaries met with Bishop João Somane Machado and nominated Jeremias for the position at CRH. The Bishop enthusiastically accepted the plan.

Jeremias started his position as administrator of CRH in 1991. He worked for the hospital for three years before leaving Mozambique to complete a Masters in Hospital Administration at Southwest Texas State University. Upon completion of the degree, Jeremias returned to Chicuque and resumed his position as administrator; where he remains today. Jeremias is the first and only Hospital Administrator with a Master's degree in all of Mozambique.

Today, Jeremias lives with his wife Ilda and two sons directly across the road from CRH-- the place that first helped him heal from injury and then presented him with a new calling for his life. He strongly believes that, like Jonah of the Bible, God purposely delivered him to where he is meant to be. He feels blessed to be the hospital's administrator. He wants others to know about God's work that is being done through the United Methodist hospital in Chicuque.

How to Participate in This Program

The Hospital Revitalization Program assists Methodist churches in Africa and Asia, including Chicuque Rural Hospital in Mozambique, to assess the needs of their health-care facilities. It then works with the hospitals to improve standards of care, ensuring always that the effort will be part of a larger strategy of community-based health education and development.

Contributions to Chicuque Rural Hospital may be sent through a local United Methodist church, Annual Conference or by mailing a check to: The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Room #330, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115. Call toll-free 1-800-554-8583 to make a credit card donation. Write checks out to UMCOR. Be sure to include Chicuque: Hospital Revitalization, Advance #982168 on the memo line. One hundred percent of your contribution will go to Chicuque Rural Hospital.

UMCOR's everyday expenses are funded primarily by gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS). You may give to OGHS during the annual offering in Lent or any other time of year. If you are not using the special offering envelop, be sure to mark on your check that your donation is for the OGHS.

 

Note: A Person in Mission (PIM) is a national from a country other than the United States named by their church to serve in their homeland or across national boundaries. PIMs are not named or assigned by the General Board of Global Ministries. Their direct relationship is with the church in their country.

Photos: 1. Jeremias smiles while sitting at his desk at Chicuque Rural Hospital. He feels blessed to be the hospital's administrator. 2. Jeremias and his wife Ilda. Credit: Anya Nawrocky, 2003. Click on any photo to see a larger picture.