Catching babies in the dark

Living in the bush as a so-called "missionary"  has many interesting adventures.  One of them is "cathing babies"!  Well nearly!  I wonder what is up with babies wanting to enter this world at unholy hours.  To make things just a little bit worse is the fact that in Africa expecting moms always wait until it is too late.  The baby is about to say "hi" to the world when the mother usually arrives in a wheelbarrow.  Yes, you heard right!  A wheelbarrow.

The "mother-to-be" arrives in the "bush ambulance".

 Bush paths are too small for any vehicle and I have yet to try and fit a pregnant mother on my motorbike.  And so it happened last night again.  An anxious call from the bush.  And seeing that we are the only people within a 40 km radius who has a vehicle that means playing ambulance.  Now I have once had a birth on my backseat due to the bad bush roads.  The screams of the lady behind me (already in labour) was terrifying to say the least.  I softly prayed and thanked the Lord that I am from Mars and prayed feverishly for my passenger from Venus.  She made the trip and named the baby after me (and I was thankful)!

As is the custom - the whole family is part of the "new born adventure".  There is singing, screaming, worried faces and lots of hands to help the "new mother".  By the looks of it nobody is actually calm.
Oh the joys of motherhood!

This time around though I asked my wife to come to the rescue.  She drove deep into the bush to meet the "screaming" lady (must be a woman thing) being transported on bad bush paths.  She was not the only one screaming for help as the family joined her in an opera of expectancy.  A sight to behold, my wife tells me.

Luckily again we had no baby in the car - who knows we might have called her "Ford" or "Fordie"!  They both made it in one piece to the hospital.  And praise the Lord - we survived yet another baby born in the dark!

M & M fever

In our part of the world we follow African politics very close.  It is important for various reasons as the Zimbabwean tragedy enfolded.  We were, within weeks, bombarded with thousands crossing the borders.  These tired, homeless and wonderful people of Zimbabwe was looking for a roof over their heads and something to fill their stomachs.  No jobs, families scattered and a nightmare enfolding in front of their and our eyes.  And it happened quickly.

Much like the chaos all around the world.  If CNN can hardly keep up with the latest uprising and news what makes this thought special.  Well - I have carefully observed the following which could influence us in the near future:

SOUTH AFRICA (Bordering Mozambique)

A young, arrogant leader, Julius Malema, stood up and got a stage from government to speak up on behalf of all the young, unemployed and poor people of South Africa.  In any normal setting this is applaudable.  But unfortunately that is where it ends.  Malema - a populist with a disastrous agenda has started a revolution of hate speech against all white South Africans calling them thieves and threatened to take away all land and distribute it to the poorest of the poor.  Although some ideas and thoughts have merit the nationalisation of mines and banks makes absolutely no economic sense.

He supports Mr. Robert Mugabe and both "leaders" share the same philosophy - politically as well as economically.  Most South Africans have responded with fear - with some even leaving their beloved country altogether.

Please pray for sanity!

ZIMBABWE (Bordering Mozambique)

Mr. Robert Gabriel Mugabe is still successfully clinging to power thanks to the army and police.  The police state (which means road blocks every 3-5 km's) has paid huge dividends to keep Mr. Mugabe in power (and of course the newly found rich diamond mines in the east).  Many people still live in fear, poverty and many lost loved ones due to Mugabe's criminal thugs attacking and killing young ones.

Mr. Morgan Tswangerai (Prime Minister and opposition leader) has been named an enemy of the state and one of his leader has been taken into custody and disappeared.  Mr. Mugabe is trying to call early elections to be re-elected at the age of 85.

What is sad and worrisome as I spoke to an ex-Zimbabwean who fled to Mozambique when he said:
"Mugabe is a good man,  my family has food on the table and we have fuel and maize in the country.  If we have food .... we vote Mugabe."  Trying to explain a gospel of justice to the man was impossible.  And again I realize how much prayer Africa needs.

Thank you for praying with us.

Using an effective weapon .....

It was Mark Twain who once said:  "The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter. And we go around sharing a lot of that around here.  Here is a few pictures to tell some interesting stories:

Meet little TITO for example.  He is an orphan and lives with a widow about 5 km away.  He lost both his parents when he was a baby.  Our food gardens provides food to many orphans in our Amigo program.  Through a sustainable veggie project all our orphans are provided a good diet through these gardens.  Here little Tito receives his cabbage for the house.  BIG SMILES all around.

We also grow our own banana trees in our gardens.  Stopping at the school with bananas is a big affair.  Everyone runs to help and wants to offload the produce.  Our schools feed about 250 kids every day of the week.  Fresh vegetables and fruits are part of the diet we provide daily.

Meet Rosa (thanks Rick & Bob) who has lost her husband during the long civil war in Mozambique.  She stood on a landmine as she was working on the fields.  Her right foot was amputated at the shin.  To keep herself alive and her kids she kept working on her fields on her knees.  Through so many kind people on the base she was provided good quality crutches to help her move along.  The only crutch she was using was a wooden stick.  I love the SMILE again!

SOCIAL PEDAGOGUE BRINGS MORE SMILES

Visiting our school clinic with our first aid officer, Ernesto Abudu.

Urs is a Swiss social pedagogue.  He specialises in youth struggling to adapt to social life.  Very interesting guy and listening to his stories makes you salute the man.  He climbed the Alps and once led a group of teenagers from Switzerland to the coast of Italy .... across mountains, valleys and rivers (on foot of course!).  Believe it or not he speaks Japanese and lived in Japan for 10 months.

He is currently serving us for 2 months and visited our bush schools.  Although the biggest trouble our kids have in the bush is not wanting to wash the pots for their parents ..... we still learn a lot from people like Urs.  

Saturday Night Fever

Just could not resist this photo!  A bit more dusty where we are .... but about the same moves
here in the bush ....!  We danced for different reasons though .... oh yes ... and the white
suit would not work here!

If John Travolta was ever in Mozambique he would have loved the "Saturday Night Fever" moves I witnessed yesterday in a small village called Macadeira.  Imagine leaders getting together for an "evangelism seminar" on a Saturday (can't see that happening in the western hemisphere where church is limited to about an hour if you're lucky).  But that's how I found them.  Dancing, screaming and loud shouts of excitement as I arrived with their materials.  And the moves ..... in the dust .... coughingly priceless.

Even ladies who struggled to read and write was taught how to effectively share the Gospel with their friends through friendship evangelism.

The ladies who passed their practical couldn't believe when they too received their kits.

There is no tango, samba, ramba or a salza but pure African beat and "tampa" as we call it here.  All because they were getting ready to receive evangelism materials.  What made it special and exciting was the fact that we had training for our first women evangelists ever.  A sight to behold as they appeared from everywhere to do their first training session.

And yes ... of course the men were there too.  In their serious suits and ties too!  The day ended with practical lessons and everyone had to pass the practical exams before receiving their "package".  We concentrate on friendship evangelism where building relationships with neighbours is the focus point.

Graduate students  - some more serious than others.

Like everywhere we train .... their is always smiling kids nearby!

The Church in Macadeira arriving in full force on Saturday for a day's training!

God's Investment Bank (Inc. UnLmtd)

Banking with God has amazing advantages.  And for the average Christian ..... they would probably nod in acceptance!  But I have seen yet again how interesting the economics work when you bank with God.  Before I share the bank policies ....... a story about a pastor who visited me a few days ago on the base and shared his "investment story".

Past. Gonsalves (left) sharing his story and receiving even more Bibles to take to the mountain people of Gorongoza.

His name is Pastor Gonsalves.  I met him more than 10 years ago when he heard that new missionaries arrived in the bush who would probably be able to help him to acquire much needed Bibles.  I liked him.  His smile and extremely humble personality impressed me, I remember fondly.  The outreach to Gorongoza was a difficult one from the start.  The community on the Gorongoza mountain was nearly impossible to get to.  I remember leaving the vehicle behind due to the terrain.  Many smiling faces and willing hands were available to carry the heavy generator, speaker system, fuel and Bibles up the mountain for another 15 km.  It was the community's first visit ever by a "foreigner".  I remember showing the Jesus film and even after we finished at 23:30 in the late cold evening people still arrived after the movie.  The need and hunger was tremendous!  It was like sheep without a Shepherd!  I was sad when I left as I always felt that I could and should have done even more.

Past. Gonsalves arrived this morning with such a smile that I wondered what was so good on this cold morning.  He shared how after the Jesus film we shared "Jesus stories" and testimonies.  These stories travelled amongst the communities and small groups were established  all around the mountain.  It took ten years to complete and cover the entire mountain with small groups and churches.  Church not only grew but new buildings were erected everywhere.  God has changed a total community on the mountain.  The seeds sown 10 years ago was harvested and the harvest is plenty.  He nearly danced as I committed to visit the mountain people of the Gorongoza again with a stash of Bibles.

Past. Paulo Escova from Honde receiving his "investment seed".

And I realized .... God's banking is very unique:

• The interest will sometimes only pay out after 10 years - and although short term investments do pay off it is really the long term investments that is worth considering!
• God's Bank works exactly the opposite of any earthly bank.
• There is no bank charges.
• The Bank Manager is always available and you need no credit record.
• There is no financial collapse or Greece who needs a bailout.
• It's open 24-7!

Thank you all for playing such a big part in making great investments in Mozambique.  May God bless you all.  Thank you GOD - all the honour belongs to you!

When an African women cries

I have been so deeply moved this weekend as I visited yet another bush church in the community.  Church services in the bush has a Western taste as they try to introduce a very "formal" liturgy through the secretary of the church.  It's formal .... but never too serious.  Through the rhythmic songs and the drums beating faster than your heart rate you seriously try to follow the words which after many years in the bush still seems to evade me.

I am cordially invited (as usual) to bring a message of hope in an area that can really do with hope!  "It's Pentecost Sunday" the preacher introduces the topic .... "we are expecting many things from God" ..... and as I stand up to take my place and look over the crowd I again realize that even after preparing the message .... my words are few!

It is when I call the people forward for prayer that the scene again touches me unexpectedly.  Voluntarily people started praying.  It starts as soft rain ..... like wind picking up the showers and it continues as thunder as the many lift op their heads and cry to God.  I see many women cry!  Tears in the bush is not a common sight.  The hardships, deaths, diseases has hardened many hearts.  There is no time to cry .... and women mostly carries many burdens and here in the bush they show very little emotion.  BUT today .... they cry.  I stand and listen to their cries ..... and realize GOD must be listening.  And softly I see God touching people.  Old women with many scars and crooked backs look at me with tears running from there faces, they smile and disappear back to their grass huts!  And I realize .... they have been touched by their Saviour.  Another day in an African church!

GOOD NEWS


We were also able the last few weeks to distribute Bibles to many believers in churches from every denomination.  The thirst for Bibles is so huge here in Central and Northern Mozambique that I always wonder if we would ever be able to quench the thirst.  But partners like Taberna Dei (Polokwane) and Bellville Congregation understands this thirst and his currently helping us in a big way!  Thank you!  We have great news on new developments on the Bible front and is starting a project called:  "Lotz" of Good News (named after a partner who is helping us to establish an audio Bible project)!  But more on that later.

SOME HIGHLIGHTS

The choir leader on the right can hardly keep up as the kids gets into the worship part of the service!

There is not a lot of sophisticated music instruments in the African church in the bush and this boy is the only staff member in the church music department.

Church leaders receiving their first Bibles in their mother tongue.

I was privileged enough to have had great company from Mercy Air who
joined us in the celebration.

Pastor Mabuleza (blue jacket) and the district and national leadership was invited
to participate in the Bible miracle (as they described it!)

Dust storms

A lot of dust this morning as everyone is working around the base this morning!  A few highlights here and there to show how great the team is working in the various departments on the base.  Nice to see!

SCHOOL "SPRING-CLEAN"

Ready?  Action ..... cleaning the school yard.

Lost in the dust!

Everyone partakes in the fun.  Here is one of our girls carrying water to the kitchen after the big "spring clean".

"To serve" is such a frightening few words that we quickly tend to get out of the way when it's mentioned.   Humans are wired to sustain themselves and serving doesn't come  natural - we would rather sit and watch someone else do what we are suppose to do!  Rather sit back and see someone else stand up and fight for justice or rather with a shrug of the shoulder say:  "that's just the way it is"!  So glad this morning for everyone around me taking up whatever tool they are using and say:  "I choose to do this - I am here - use me."  Very cool indeed.

Photo left:  Ron Wayner (Mercy Air) working the "Scorpion" to fill up foundations at the newly build Training Centre.

Photos below taken by our base journalist (she is everywhere ... lol):  Lynn Lagore

Photo left:  The Training Centre is quickly taking shape thanks to all the equipment that is currently available and working.

The Training Centre will serve not only the mission base but the broader population with various training modules planned.  A program for teachers and older orphan kids includes modules in computer literacy, mechanics, teaching, language studies, carpentry etc.

Photo left:  The roof going up at the training centre.  The wonderful part of the construction is that so many took part in the process and many skills were taught to our local workers which are all from the surrounding community.

Meet the "rest" of the family

PHOTO:  A colorful noise!  I was greeted this morning by a lot of dancing and singing
on Children's Day - 1 June 2011

I was thinking of the Hollywood version of "meet the kids" if ya know what I mean but decided to rather "Africanize" the topic a little.  Anyway .... looking at pictures makes our world come a little bit closer to your world perhaps.  But if there is one thing I have learned from a few visits to Rwanda .... it's not just about the photos - it's about the names and personalities behind those photos that brings people very close in your face.

So let me share a few of your family members to you which you have not personally met (yet).  They are all seeking Christ in their own way and I have no doubt that they all will become phenomenal human beings changing the lives around them with not just social answers to difficult problems but also with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Here is a few I caught this morning by surprising them with a LOT of food for their Children's Day party:

NAME:  "Scotcha" - Eliza

AGE:  5

PERSONALITY:  Dynamite - very alive, great leader abilities

LIKES:  To sing, dance, play .... loves milk

NAME:  Naomi

AGE:  5

PERSONALITY:  Very friendly, small heart (Wants to be a teacher!)

LIKES:  Sweats, cool drink and friends

NAME:  Anna-Lynn Abudu

AGE:  3

PERSONALITY:  Shy, sweet

LIKES:  Sweats, playing

NAME:  Regina

AGE:  5

PERSONALITY:  Very friendly, playful - a good friend (Wants to be a nurse!)

LIKES:  Chocolate, biscuits, milk.  Don't like boys that makes fun of her.

NAME:  Lingizai
AGE:  6
PERSONALITY:  A team player, friendly (Wants to fly a Deca Helicopter one day!)
LIKES:  Soccer, friends, and satza (local maize meal)

NAME:  Paulo

AGE:  13

PERSONALITY:  Mr. Cool, kind, warm and friendly (for a teenager that is!)  (Wants to be a RAP star)

LIKES:  Music, soccer and friends.  Very social!

NAME:  Unknown (I met him on the road this morning on his way to school!)
AGE:  12
PERSONALITY:  Friendly, shy and caring  (Wants to be a truck driver)
LIKES:  Soccer, family, friends .... and lots of fish!

Children's Day in Mozambique

I think you know how I feel about kids!  And maybe you share the same emotions as I do when I look at children.  They are all such unique gifts to mankind!  Their smiles, personalities are as unique as every star that shines.

We take kids very seriously where we labour in the Kingdom (of Mozambique).  And we start early.  Our two pre-schools are a small testimony to the fact that we want to be part of the lives of our kids here in the bush from the beginning.  Pre-Schools are not common in Mozambique and to say the least even government schools are overcrowded and does not always create a good teaching environment.  Lynn Lagore (our Health guru on the base) just sent me a very interesting article which reads:

PHOTO:  Here is one of the classrooms we transformed in our community.  Once a dark
and dirty place where no one had a smile!  A bit of paint and ..... VOILA .... smiles and fun!

Poor school performance in Mozambique may be due in large measure to the fact that most Mozambican children have had no access to pre-school education.

According to statistics quoted on Monday by Education Minister Zeferino Martins, only four per cent of children aged five and under have had access to crèches or other forms of pre-school education.

“We all know how important it is for children to go through pre-school education before they enter primary school”, said Martins, “since it is in the pre-school institutions that children acquire the assumptions necessary for learning”.

He was speaking to a group of 40 children from to Maputo crèches, who visited him as part of the celebrations of International Children’s Day, 1 June.

Martins stressed that they children who visited him were from a fortunate minority, since the great majority of their peers are quite unable to attend pre-school education.

Pre-school education does not yet form part of the National Education System. Creches, mostly privately owned, exist in the cities – but the cost of sending a child there puts them out of reach of most parents. In rural areas crèches barely exist.

It was in pre-school education, Martins said, that children came to know such instruments as pencils and rulers, and had their first contact with reading and writing, which would stand them in good stead when they entered primary school.

“So we can state that much of the poor school performance is partly because the children did not undergo any phase of pre-school education”, he added.

The Ministry of Education is now studying the possibility of re-introducing standardized pre-primary education into the National Education System.

(SOURCE: AIM NEWS)

PHOTO:  In a place where there is very little .... I keep on realizing that it is the small things
and the quality time you spend with kids that makes ALL the difference.

With our pre-schools we seriously try to make the time the kids spend with us their happiest of their day!  In includes a lot of games, a lot of Bible stories and fun - and some teaching in the more basic things.  Playing while learning is a primary emphasis in the process.    Our prayer time with the kids is something to behold and when they start praying at the age of 5 for their own families we know that God is listening.

AS A LAST NOTE:

I want to dedicate this space to all the kids who never made it because there was no doctor, no hospital and no medicine.  I dedicate this to all the kids who never tasted the joys of life or marriage and to the parents who had to let a young kid go!

BUT a big high five also to all of those who are fighting with us to brighten up the day of every kid we come in contact with.  Thank you to every sponsor - whether it is helping us with text books, Children Bibles or just a packet of sweats .... THIS IS TO YOU!  VIVA!