1 more beautiful baby! My Elephant “Bangee”
Ebony Art
Traditional Dancers
The Mozambique Team has been arriving home in small groups. The first group came home the end of August. Those of us who stayed for a Holiday in Zimbabwe got home before Labor Day. We are still waiting for the return of Brooke and Ashley, maybe today?
Corinne and her girls, Brooke, Rachel and Ashley
Giant King Fisher
I just wanted to post this final BLOG with some pictures and reflections about this amazing adventure and the discovery of my new love ~ AFRICA!
Jim and Corinne Emily and Ashley
Dana @ Victoria Falls,Wes @ the Portuquese Fort
We spent months planning and preparing for the trip of a lifetime. Seriously, we deliberated all aspects of travel from cultural considerations and having the appropriate documents to personal necessities. I of course packed as much as my luggage could bear within weight and size restrictions. Much of what I took I left there. Clothing (including nursing scrubs), snacks/gum, kleenex/TP, pens/pencils notebooks, towelettes, soaps, insect repellent, first aid supplies, sewing kit, and much more, even duct tape! Corinne was happy to receive all we left behind. She and Jim are excellent stewards and I am confident they will put every useful item in the right hands for the perfect need!
Doing the Laundry A young entrepreneur
Getting daily water To market, to market…
Most of our transportation was uneventful. We did have one aborted flight, as the Pilot was concerned about one of the engines. We skidded to a sudden halt on the runway. Then we were shuttled (on our own two feet) across the airport to a waiting room for a couple of hours. There we ate little triangular sandwiches, cheese, crackers and cookies. We had access to all we wanted to drink…including alcoholic beverage…,which I am happy to report the team exercised much restraint! I was just getting the hang of my first game of SCUM (which I have since learned is called something else in other countries) I the Queen had overthrown the King when they announced our flight was ready.
Emily reaching out~
We invested time and energy in learning about AFRICA, especially Mozambique. We studied the language of Portuguese but discovered most of Maputo spoke Shangaan (also called Tsonga) or one of the many other tribal languages first, Portuguese secondary. Many of the younger generation are multilingual and were accommodating to their elders in translating. When we arrived in South Africa and Zimbabwe English was the primary language. However, their dialect and parlance was challenging at times. Someone, even asked me to repeat myself because my “accent is too thick.” I had never been told that before and could only think to myself, “He thinks I have a thick accent? ….he should hear himself!”
When we arrived in Maputo, Jim Thorp gave us an orientation and introduction to many historical facts about Mozambique. He emphasized the spiritual condition of the country. About half the people practice traditional African religions. Many believe that everything in nature has a soul. Others worship the spirits of their ancestors and about 25% are Roman Catholic. Muslims comprise 15% and their practice is evident with the symbolic Mosques creating a divine presence in the city.
Mozambique has only experienced religious freedom since 1988. Prior to that time, under the Marxist rule Christians were persecuted. Missionaries were imprisoned or expelled. Bibles were burned and people were forced to eat pages from “the Bread of Life”. Today the Evangelical Christian Church is growing rapidly. In the last 5 years from 5% to 12% now profess to be followers of Jesus. Praise the Lord!
One of our drivers and adventure guide,”Emanuel” in Zimbabwe.
Now of importance is to train the Pastors and church leaders. They are eager for formal Bible training and education about AIDS/HIV. AFRICA is afflicted with a pandemic of disease and death from AIDS. Every day of the week the Mortuaries are full and Funeral Homes provide assembly line services to the families and friends of the departed.
There are many emergency aid and relief outreach programs providing medical, nutritional, educational, literacy and vocational training. None will be as effective as those whom are taught by their own people. And those who are entrenched and committed to the discipleship and training of the congregations of men and women of Mozambique Africa.
Wes and Seth the Electricians
Barb and Pastor M. at Manisca
Roger, Naomi, Jen and Ben surveying…
AFRICA accounts for the 25 million out of the estimated 38 million across the world infected with HIV. The vast majority being women the age of 20-39 and men 30-44. HIV in pregnant women has increased 17% in the last 10 years. Five million are living with AIDS and only 180,000 get the “antiretroviral” treatment. The average duration from initial HIV infection to death is 8-10 years. This is why there are over one million Orphans in South Africa.
We witnessed Compassion Fatigue in the Orphanages. The physical, emotional and spiritual exhaustion evident in the caregivers caused my heart to ache. As a RN for over 20 years I have experienced that “burn out” on occasion. I can only hope our presence and willingness to work beside them was an encouragement and a respite. The children are precious, mischievious, dear and naughty just like children anywhere. But somehow they have a unique sweetness, an unspoiled genuine innocence. Many adults seemed playful and content with an essence of meekness or humility. At times they spoke with gusto and zeal, embracing one another(and us) with their words and stories of exuberance for life. I saw such an eagerness to engage and exchange smiles and words that seemed to come effortlessly. It was how I imagine life might have been decades ago before the distractions and demands we have put upon ourselves.
Dr. Livingstone Memorial affectionately preserved by the people of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
