Riots in the streets...

I'd love to ask for your prayers. Maputo, Mozambique has experienced riots today. Something quite similar happened in 2008. But this morning we awoke to mobs on the streets looting shops and burning tires. They overturned a bus in front of our center and burned it. These riots are in response to the increase in food, fuel, water, and electricity costs. Here is the information we received from the directors of our base...
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.
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.
My experience today was one of peace. You would not have known there were riots going on was it not for the noise outside and the occasional person who would stop to tell you the latest story about what was going on outside our walls. All of our children, missionaries, and workers are safe (at least those we have gotten in contact with). The kids thought it was basically a snow day as they spent the day watching movies and playing soccer! We did have many affected by the tear gas the police are using to control the rioters but no lasting damage. Honestly, our center was a place of God's peace and protection today...a miracle in the midst of tragedy.
So I'm asking for your prayers. Please pray for a breakthrough in this country. Pray for all those who are injured or have family members missing (we have one little 4 year old from out school that didn't know school was canceled so she'll stay with us until things are safe). Pray for our workers who are having trouble contacting their families. Pray for God's protection to continue over us and His love and grace to begin to seep into the hearts of those in this country and especially the government. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers and continue support of me and all I'm doing here. May God bless you abundantly as you pray for this devastated country. And may God reign sovereign in this land!

Here is my rendition of things when I wrote to Erin if you want to know any more...
All of the tots are ok tonight! We did have tear gas in the center earlier today and mainly the girls were affected. They spent most of the day hidden in one of the tiny rooms in the girls' area with wet t-shirts wrapped over their mouths and noses. Other than them, our guards, and a few missionaries getting affected by tear gas, it actually was a quiet day. I was blown away by God's peace here in the midst of the craziness outside. There was a bus overturned and set on fire outside the center walls,several people killed in the city, lots of noise and gun shots around,the Total station (gas station) down the road was burned down, NONE of our workers could get here...it is terrible out there but God's grace and peace covered us and the kids today. The kids were acting like it was a snow day...no school, movies, and playing ALL day. The affects of tear gas were quick and with no lasting affects. Seriously it was miraculous. Keep the prayers coming, especially for workers and the government. Aurora (our Mozambican BH nurse) got stranded on her way here this morning. She called in a panic because she couldn't get home and she couldn't get here...they were burning 2 cars in front of her and she was helpless. She eventually found a tia (one of our female Moz workers that cares for children) and is staying at her house until things settle down. Praise God for her safety and so many others.