I arrived safely in Mumba, Tanzania after an overnight bus ride from Mongu to Lusaka, then I flew to Kamama in the northern province of Zambia, bussed to Mbala and took an $11 taxi ride 21 kilometers on a bumpy road to the border.
At the border there was no guard, just an empty guard house, so I went through the gap in the fence and walked about a half mile to the other side of “no man’s land” to Tanzania. It was a warm day so I got a bit warm myself, not dripping though as the altitude is pretty high and it was not humid. I stamped in (the passport) on the other side and met my new friend, coworker Jeff Friesen (interesting Menno connection here with his great grandparents having come out of the Ukraine through China and India, at one point serving as pastoral missionaries in India for several years). His grandmother was born two weeks after the family left China and crossed the Himalayas. Sounds like a Joseph and Mary story.
The trip to Mumba was uneventful with the exception of a bumpy road. We had a late supper of chicken, peanut sauce and rice. After having an omelet for breakfast, chips and juice on the plane for snack, one hardboiled egg and water for lunch, it was delicious. I will teach them how to make maize meal porridge and oatmeal pancakes before the week is up. My cooking skills are coming in real handy! Ha.
The view out my window is more like Switzerland, than Mozambique or Zambia. There are lots of pine trees here on the Bible school campus and the wind blowing through them with the cool clean air make me think of Heidi in the Alps, we are only missing the milk goats. Only the clay brick walls and thatched roof on the little shed give it away. It is pretty amazing though, to have internet and be online with a little phone like device and wireless to the computer. The house has solar energy and batteries. This will change within the year as the reason for this couple to be here is to install a hydro electric generator for the campus and nearby village. It will be a separate, off-the-grid electrical system.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Visitors and Village Visits
It's been a busy but fun couple of weeks since we last wrote. Tim and Joan from our church came to visit and arrived on my birthday. I was surprised with a cake and singing by my co-workers plus other surprises that came in the days ahead - flowers from the kids, a meal out with Tim and Joan, gifts and well-wishes.
We spent a couple of days in Maputo getting organized to go to the villages and meeting a team of two ladies who were also going out. We bought lots of capulanas for their sewing project and some for Joan's rag rug project. We also visited our friends at the orphanage in Rio Matola. Here we are with Yudel looking at pictures of Dondo where Tim and Joan spent their first week.
The heat and humidy in the villages was intense - 100+F. We hadn't had it like that since last December. Now I understand why in some countries people sit in the shade and take it easy, especially in the middle of the day!
We did a kid's club with Sybil and found a little energy to jump and sing.
Then we passed out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on big rolls and sodas ("cool drinks" in Shangaan) to all the kids. What a treat for them!
After a couple of days we moved on to Mukhotwene. We did the rag rug project. It takes a lot of material to make a small item! But at least they learned quickly and hopefully they can find more scrap material to continue on their own.
We also met with the agriculture leaders in the village, visited the field, talked about faithfulness, told Bible stories, and listened in on a Spiritual Transformation Group meeting. That was a highlight to see Atalia leading the group and to see the eagerness of the members to learn what the Bible really has to say. They have been taught many things and are now finding out that the Biblical truths are different.
In the village Steve had an encounter with a small scorpion. He felt it under his shirt and brushed it off. He jumped up and said "I felt a scorpion!" We searched on the floor until we found it and promptly stepped on it. Wow, two scorpions in less than a month when we have never seen one in 7 years.
It was also a week for power outages. In the villages we used candles and went to bed early. In Maputo the challenge at our house is that when the electricity goes, the water pump also stops! Thankfully the first outage was short. The next one was 24hrs but most of the time we were away from home. Our guard called to tell us that the transformer just outside our gate was on fire. I guess people were running and in a bit of a panic. Thankfully they replaced it with another one fairly soon.
After getting everyone to the airport we made a flying trip to South Africa then had a church leadership retreat over the weekend. Sunday afternoon Steve got on his first flight of many as he visits four countries in the next weeks. Sunday night I caught my breath and enjoyed the quietness of the house. Thanks for your prayers!
We spent a couple of days in Maputo getting organized to go to the villages and meeting a team of two ladies who were also going out. We bought lots of capulanas for their sewing project and some for Joan's rag rug project. We also visited our friends at the orphanage in Rio Matola. Here we are with Yudel looking at pictures of Dondo where Tim and Joan spent their first week.
The heat and humidy in the villages was intense - 100+F. We hadn't had it like that since last December. Now I understand why in some countries people sit in the shade and take it easy, especially in the middle of the day!
We did a kid's club with Sybil and found a little energy to jump and sing.
Then we passed out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on big rolls and sodas ("cool drinks" in Shangaan) to all the kids. What a treat for them!
After a couple of days we moved on to Mukhotwene. We did the rag rug project. It takes a lot of material to make a small item! But at least they learned quickly and hopefully they can find more scrap material to continue on their own.
We also met with the agriculture leaders in the village, visited the field, talked about faithfulness, told Bible stories, and listened in on a Spiritual Transformation Group meeting. That was a highlight to see Atalia leading the group and to see the eagerness of the members to learn what the Bible really has to say. They have been taught many things and are now finding out that the Biblical truths are different.
In the village Steve had an encounter with a small scorpion. He felt it under his shirt and brushed it off. He jumped up and said "I felt a scorpion!" We searched on the floor until we found it and promptly stepped on it. Wow, two scorpions in less than a month when we have never seen one in 7 years.
It was also a week for power outages. In the villages we used candles and went to bed early. In Maputo the challenge at our house is that when the electricity goes, the water pump also stops! Thankfully the first outage was short. The next one was 24hrs but most of the time we were away from home. Our guard called to tell us that the transformer just outside our gate was on fire. I guess people were running and in a bit of a panic. Thankfully they replaced it with another one fairly soon.
After getting everyone to the airport we made a flying trip to South Africa then had a church leadership retreat over the weekend. Sunday afternoon Steve got on his first flight of many as he visits four countries in the next weeks. Sunday night I caught my breath and enjoyed the quietness of the house. Thanks for your prayers!
Monday, November 07, 2011
Mabuda
This past week we were busy with Ancient Paths seminars. Four afternoons we were with seminary leaders. We were excited that they want to continue with Level II and then on to facilitator training so they can train their own students. We also want to get other seminaries involved.
Friday we went to Swaziland to help facilitate a seminar with our friends that we mentored there. People traveled to a B&B whose owners are also very excited about AP. They allowed us to use their house which looks like an English Manor and is filled with antiques. I appreciated their low key approach to their wealth (much of it inherited). The B&B is part of a working farm and we enjoyed some long walks around the property.
It would be a great set for a movie!
I was so sorry that we left the camera at home. There was a row of gorgeous orange trees like I've never seen before. I need to find out what they are.
The small roundavel we stayed in was very quaint and nice. The only problem is that the creepy critters thought so to. Steve killed 4 big spiders, 1 scorpion, 1 centipede, a beetle and two worms. The second night I decided to sleep under the mosquito net in case anything decided to venture into the bedroom. During the seminar one of the facilitators had to jump in and kill a tic that was climbing someone's leg. Better an interruption than African tic bite fever!
The seminar went very well and some people were healed deeply by God. Sorry I can't share specifics as it is confidential. Let me just say that it leaves us with a deep joy at the end to see what God can do.
Friday we went to Swaziland to help facilitate a seminar with our friends that we mentored there. People traveled to a B&B whose owners are also very excited about AP. They allowed us to use their house which looks like an English Manor and is filled with antiques. I appreciated their low key approach to their wealth (much of it inherited). The B&B is part of a working farm and we enjoyed some long walks around the property.
It would be a great set for a movie!
I was so sorry that we left the camera at home. There was a row of gorgeous orange trees like I've never seen before. I need to find out what they are.
The small roundavel we stayed in was very quaint and nice. The only problem is that the creepy critters thought so to. Steve killed 4 big spiders, 1 scorpion, 1 centipede, a beetle and two worms. The second night I decided to sleep under the mosquito net in case anything decided to venture into the bedroom. During the seminar one of the facilitators had to jump in and kill a tic that was climbing someone's leg. Better an interruption than African tic bite fever!
The seminar went very well and some people were healed deeply by God. Sorry I can't share specifics as it is confidential. Let me just say that it leaves us with a deep joy at the end to see what God can do.