A Pig in a What and She Bought What?

Life in Africa has been more about travels these last 3 months than about being in one place, which has been Maputo.  We hope that this does not represent a trend that continues for too long into the future.  That said, Steve will be traveling extensively until we go on home leave starting June 20.  After April 7, he will be in Zambia twice, Eastern DRC, Rwanda (just passing through) Kenya and South Sudan.

While our previous blog focused on N. America visits, this one is for Mozambique.  The week after Rachel got back from the US, she went to the village and Steve went to Maxixe to visit the coconut oil factory.  On the way home, I, Steve took a bus that was not too full of people, but was certainly packed with goods.  One of those items was a live pig.  You have probably heard of people transporting live chickens on the bus, where the old lady had one in her basket, or there is a crate of them you have to climb over in the aisle. 

Well this was a pig.  Ok, granted I did not know it was on the bus because they had stowed it down below in a separate compartment.  Its legs were tied and it stayed quiet until they picked it up to toss in onto the side of the road.  You might imagine the pig squeals that the handling and tossing of a trussed up pig can elicit.  Well it certainly got my attention in the middle of Maputo. 

 

Rachel in the meantime, was having her own adventure.  She decided to buy a bunch of bananas from the agriculture association in Mohambe. Ok, I said, no problem.  No, she said, a whole bunch, like the whole thing that hangs on the tree!.  Really? Who is going to eat them since I am traveling next week.  Oh, they are green so it will take them a while to ripen.  Yes, but they will all ripen at once!  Now for the true African, Oh-o-O-o-O! (the 5 syllable, drawn out version meaning “really?”, or “I see, so that is how it is!”)  

The solution was obviously to cut them off the stalk and offer them to our work mates at a reasonable price.  Now Rachel only has about 20 bananas to eat (but they will still all get ripe around the same time).  Bananas, anyone?

 

Rachel here - Actually I was just trying to help my friend Rosalia (below) with some sales. So I brought a crate and a half of tomatoes, and some huge, delicious papayas that you cannot find in the city. Our friends at work would have liked even more produce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

While we're talking about trees and fruit - has anyone ever seen anything like this fruit below?

 I certainly haven't!

 

 



Visit to the U.S. to Meet the New Grandbabies

Last year when we learned that two of our children would have children within a month of each other we decided it would be a good time to use our Delta miles. It was a very special family time and we are grateful that we could go.


On our first stop we met Oliver who was just getting out of the hospital for the second time since birth. He had RSV and was in NICU on oxygen for more than a week. We are so thankful that he is healthy again.

It was great to spend time with Oliver's older sister, Sophia. She loves books, her babies, and she has learned some signs to communicate, such as "more" with a pleading look in her eyes!

 

 

From their house we drove 1.5 hours to our daughter's home. (Isn't it nice that they live close together? It made it very convenient for us.) Joanna was due in about a week but I assumed she would be early since I always was. Wrong. Miss Evelyn decided to wait for another week and a day after her due date. But she came at just the right time and it was a privilege to be with Joanna and Keith during her labor and delivery. Keith did a great job of telling Joanna vivid stories every time she had a contraction to distract her from the pain. The nurses were all talking about this natural birth and how beautiful it was. Evy is an answer to prayer and we thank God for her.

 

 

 

 

 


Before I came back to Moz I visited Janelle and David at their new home which I hadn't seen yet. They live in a winter wonderland on a wooded lot. This year the snowfall record was broken so you know they have had a wild winter! Thankfully it was fairly calm when I was there.

When I landed in Maputo it was a bit of a shock to breathe the warm, humid air. But I've adapted and now the seasons are starting to change as we head toward Fall.

Thank you, God, for a time to be with our growing family at such an important time. Thank you for our two homes and the ability to travel fairly quickly between them and for your provision.

"For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." Ps. 100:5