Mozambique: is located in Southern Africa with an area of 872,000 square kilometers and a population of 16,000,000 inhabitants.
It shares its boarder on the North with Tanzania and Malawi and on the West with Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa and on the East with Indian Ocean. The capital is called Maputo.
The first sisters reached this place in 1961 after studying Portuguese in Lisbon;
Lucia Saenz de Ugarte, Milagros, Gabriela and Marta Prieto.
They were assigned to the Diocese of Tete which covers up an area of 100 715 square kilometers and a population of 1,400,000 inhabitants, 110,000 were Catholics. The Provincial city which is Episcopal had a number of 55,000 inhabitants displaced during the period of war.
Mozambique was a colony of Portugal, there was much social injustice and armed groups were fighting to win independence.
The sisters worked at the Hospital, each was responsible for a sector and they worked so well.
After the Second Vatican Council more sisters were sent to Mozambique, they worked together with S.M.I priests and opened new missions at St. Peter, Mucumbura, Matisse, Songo.
The main activities were social work, health services, empowerment of women, education, catechesis, formation of small Christian communities and home visits.
Mozambique gained the independence in 1975, but war continued for 15 years. The priests who were working in Mucumbura were prisoned for six years, while our sisters, some priests and some missionaries were expelled from the country.
During this time of civil war, the sisters worked day and night in the hospital; the Government authorities of that period wanted them to work under civil regulations and not under the Church laws but the sisters did not accept it . Due to this problem, they were being given less salary than the rest and were forced to seek new residence.