After many prayers we have just recieved great news. Mercy Air has decided to start a new African Bush base on the mission. They are in the process of building their house next to ours. We have a long relationship with Mercy Air for more than 14 years. The relationship started many moons ago through Dwight and Lynn and we came to know Ron and Barb Wayner very well. They are the founders and directors of Mercy Air and are situated currently in White River.

I honestly have to say that Ron and Barb are just too good to be true. They are fantastic leaders with the most amazing and gentle spirit. We really feel honoured that they decided to join our base and network with us. As we speak the landing strip are being prepared. Mercy Air will also build a hanger for the planes that will be docked at the base. Dwight has his own Cesna (looks like a mozquito but goes like a boing I hear) and will also operate from the hanger. This gives us wings to continue God's work in areas where it was never possible in the past.

Mercy Air already helped us with a helicopter in the past to get to remote areas during the floods and hungry season. As Ron says: "It's about getting to people, doing Kingdom work and see lives change through Christ." Welcome aboard flight 707 Ron and Barb!

NEWS FLASH: 10 people die within a few days

We have had a hectic few days on the mission. We have lost dear friends which we have worked with for more than 10 years. In one family 5 people died because of the cholera epidemic in our immediate area. Last night we have lost Snr. Chimboma and this morning a blind lady which the mission supported for more than 10 years. We also had to rush one of our school kids to hospital this morning.

At this stage 10 people have lost their lives. We have just recieved some news that a South African group from Polokwane is on their way to help us fix a community pump so people can have access to clean water. People are still drinking dirty river water due to the lack of fresh water.

For those who do not know what cholera is:

What is cholera?
"Cholera is an acute illness that results in profuse watery diarrhoea," explains Professor Willem Sturm, Head of the Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases department at the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine in Durban.
What causes cholera?
Most people contract cholera through drinking water or eating food that has been fecally contaminated by the bacteria.
Symptoms of cholera
The onset of cholera is usually sudden, with incubation periods ranging from six hours to five days.
Treatment of cholera
Although cholera can be life-threatening, it's easily prevented and treated. Successful treatment requires the replacing of fluids and salts lost through diarrhoea.
Prevention of cholera
Although there is a vaccine for cholera, it offers only limited immunity and the jury is out about whether or not travellers should be vaccinated.
Risk factors of cholera
Everyone is susceptible to cholera, except nursing babies who have immunity through their mother’s milk. However, certain factors can make you more vulnerable to the disease.
Sources of cholera
Cholera is contracted when people drink water or eat food that has been fecally contaminated by the bacteria.
Complications of cholera
If not treated immediately cholera could become fatal. In the most severe cases, the quick loss of huge amounts of body fluids and electrolytes could lead to death.
Causes of cholera
Vibrio cholera, the bacterium that causes cholera has two life cycles: one in the environment and one in humans.

Soccer dreams

I have to admit the love for soccer doesn't come naturally for me but as Paul says when you are with the Romans you do what the Romans do. So I always end up being the refuree in Mozambique. That meant I had to start studying the rules.

And off course I had a great coach in Alan Rainford from England. He supports Manchester United and well I support Arsenal or Chelsea. Anyway I am a huge fan of soccer these days ...... but it seems to be European soccer. I struggle to support South African soccer because Bafana Bafana (what a name!) is really not that interested in soccer, I think. Whenever I open a newspaper it's always about struggling to get the whole team together or some other issue. (Oh boy ....now I made some South Africans really mad) I got the following picture which really made my day and the heading was:

The only way Bafana Bafana (RSA) could win the 2010 soccer world cup!

"..... my beautiful scola ....."

As you know our kids are being taught and trained in three languages. Shona is the mother tongue and the educational language in our school is Portugeuse. English is also being taught from grade 3 onwards.

Well our kids decided (many moons ago) that they would like to write their own school song in they did it in English. It was a simple song with a catchy tune and it said:

Bea-utiful schola schola

Bea-utiful schola schola

I shall never never for-get it

my bea-utiful schola schola

bea-utiful schola schola ..............

and so the song continues and it loop for about 50 times before I stop them. Well the same song rang in my ears today. The kids were so amazed on how their classrooms turned out. It was painted and decorated by a great team that visited us from Polokwane, South Africa. The kids were so astonished that they could only clap their hands and whistle. Was great to see. Anyway here is some pics as promised.

"Maningi nice"

It's Sunday! We are doing better than the Jews. We have been celebrating Easter for the last 3 weeks and I think we are not finished yet. Between all the plates of food I can hardly stand up.

It is custom in Mozambique to eat ......... and even though we are just exiting a very hungry season there is always time to eat goat, chicken and maize porridge. So during Easter festivities you have to eat ..... maningi!

maningi - a Shona slang word meaning - "very, plenty, much"

Easter is no official "holy day" in Mozambique so the churches figures out there own dates. Which off course means we have to be ready to serve and help all the churches in our area. So from one goat head to another we go. Sing, dance, shout through the drum beats. A lot of preaching, a lot of shouting and oh yes ..... take your watch off ...... ain't no time here. It goes on through the night. And then the Jesus film. One of the highlights of the evening. I usually show some culture music through dvd's. More dancing! And then the Jesus film. Everyone stands in awe - I guess because many of them sees a white Jesus with beautiful hair, bluest eyes ever ..... and oh the robe ..... so white, for the first time ever. The "ooohs" and "aaaghs" proves this. But then many cry when they meet the Saviour on the cross. Colour is forgotten - more pressing issues! Even the few drunks that always joins us ...... is quiet. As one guy said last night:

"I am drunk, I have problems ..... don't worry ..... just pray!" And I just prayed.

We packed up late last night ...... my car died more than 10 times on my way back to the base about 20 km away. I am no mechanic ...... but strangely enough I made my way back after nearly being hit by a truck.... twice. (It is Saturday night after all - and many truck drivers are not aware that I just came back from another Easter weekend.) And this is life on Easter weekend.

You usually find 3 groups of people at a Jesus Film:

(a) The kids .... always full of fun, laughter and dancing

(b) The support group - inquisitive gang with church members

(c) ..... and the seekers. To afraid to come close and always hiding behind a tree ..... and those with the kids off course, are the ones I love.

And .... Africa is thrilling. I always say I am an African by birth and by choice ..... and oh yes .... I still so dearly love its people. Bless ya all for praying and caring for us.

Peacefully busy!

I thought of giving ya all and all ya all(Texas version) a quick update of what is happening around us in the bush.

After my malaria subsided it was my wife's turn. Marriage is a wonderful thing - that's why God created it in the first place. But my goodness ..... when your wife is sick, out and down it is so difficult getting things done. I mean ..... I know how to make tea, but where is she hiding the teabags. Washing dishes ...... well .... I always dry so I only broke one teacup. Washing clothing and ironing - these are strange activities I think only women can master. Oh yeah and then the dogs. They worship my wife and they treated me as a total stranger. Difficult times these!

EASTER

We had a busy Easter with outreaches to churches. During our Jesus film outreach we had more than 700 people showing up. The great thing was that mostly community people came from everywhere to share the experience. A great time. After all the hard work we had a great day with Rick and Heather and an even greater special Easter lunch.

CHOLERA

We had 2 Mozambicans die because of drinking dirty river water. Our community pump is broken and although we tried almost everything we could not fix it. Our community is in dire straights. Please pray that it would be possible very soon to get a new borehole.

SPREADING SEED OF HOPE

We are still spreading seeds to communities close and far away. Our latest seed was send to Sinjal in Northern Mozambique. This seed will be used to set up orphan veggie gardens so they can not just look after themselves but also procure their own seed. Our churches in the northern provinces have taken the responsibility to look after orphans in their immediate areas. This has resulted in helping more than 800 orphans across northern Mozambique.

Our building projects are going fullsteam ahead and everyone is as busy as a bee. Check our updates coming soon on our huge outreach to the north and our million lights project which will change thousands of lives around us! Oops-a-daisy ...... I forgot to show you the latest pics on how our school looks like - it had a new facelift (sorry Mr. Jackson) and it looks amazing. Will update soon!

Happy Easter to all!

It is interesting when you start searching on Easter. I got 70 600 000 direct hits and my bet is that about 70 599 000 of them would be an Easter bunny. I laughed when I searched and found the most amazing hits .... like:

Eco Bunny

Easter choclate

Bunny Funny

Easter egg hunt

Easter crafts

Easter humour

.... and so the list goes on! Hey .... let's face it .... it is a searching Easter world out there. Thanks for helping us to help those who are searching for the true meaning of Easter. And I have to say this .... so glad we don't have to rely on a bunny to be my best buddy! Easter is not an official holiday in Mozambique as we are still under "Marxism law" ....... but we still had the freedom to proclaim the great Message of Easter today wherever we went. Bless ya all and have a fabulous day!

Great job ..... and even greater people!

Feels like our hectic season started. We have just had our first outreach team visiting (what a team!) and I came down with malaria - so hectic in that sense.

I still feel though that I have the best job in the universe. I love seeing people change - from hopeless to hopeful, from discouraged beings to courageous giants. From sad to happy. From lost to found.

If you are in the people business you very often have the privilege to meet exceptional people. I feel that I just had such a group of people around me. It must have been some of the most serving human beings I have met. They have travelled about 900 km to get here ..... loaded with just about anything you can hope for on the mission field. They went through the most demanding (excluding Afghanistan off course) border posts in Africa - Zimbabwe!

Photo 1: Meet the team from Polokwane, South Africa visiting on my veranda for a quick drink!

Photo 2: The ladies of Polokwane with Alta. They brought 2 humongous big pots for our school feeding program.Photo 3: The pots were so big we could easily fit in 3 kids ..... no we did not cook any of them. Photo 4: The lid could easily go on as Francois demonstrated to all the school kids present.

While the group was here they achieved to paint schools and fix the community water pump which was out of order for the last 4 months. We had a great and busy time. I have seen many tears of happiness in the last few days ..... and I realize again that we all have the ability to do good. Really good!

Photo 5: Even our permanent staff on the base got some overalls.

Photo 6: Fixing the community pump was a big deal. Our community was without water for the last 4 months. Here is an action photo of what it took to fix the water well!

Photo 7: Soon enough the whole community arrived to see the "miracle workers" help them to fix the water well and the pump.

Photo 8: Ian literally saved our lives as one of my wheels on my truck loosened and was in the process of falling out. Ian is an engineer and quickly serviced all our vehicles and motorbikes.