Week 2

Friday evening.

The day finished with a bonfire and toasted marshmallows. I found a very odd looking packet in my kitchen cupboard, still in date, but nevertheless odd looking.  Toddled off to bed, only to be woken by a very loud party. Decided to investigate but was stopped in my tracks by a largish lizard running across the floor.  Apparently they’re ok because they eat the mosquitos. Another creature I might come across is the a lizard but it’s head is blue and like a chameleon it can change colour.

Saturday

Today we went into the city to a craft market which was interesting. Some of the pictures I’ve uploaded today are from that visit. There’s a lot of poverty and living conditions are very poor. You will notice that there are a lot of half built walls or stacks of bricks outside the homes. Bank accounts and savings are unusual here, mainly because people just don’t have any money, it’s very much subsistence living. However, when they do have extra money, they buy bricks which they save to use to build their house or toilet etc. So bricks are like savings.

In addition to going to the market we also went into a shopping mall, it was noticeable just how empty it was and the few people who were there were white. The pictures of the rubbish are typical of what you see everywhere.

 It was good to get off the compound because you can become a little isolated here. The new building is ready to receive students and they’re due to start here next week. I can see how easy it would be to live and work here without any real need to leave the site.

The sandy road is also quite typical of what you face when you leave the main roads. This picture was taken on the way back to the compound. I’ve also included some pictures of transport. It’s not unusual see open back trucks packed with people, all standing up. We even saw one truck that was packed with wedding guests.

There are also a lot of people with missing limbs. Some are as a consequence of the civil war and some are from contracting Polio. For some this will mean that they can’t work and so can’t earn. One of the visions for OMS is to use part of the school for teaching adults new skills so that they can make things to sell. Another is for wheelchairs, to supply and/or repair wheelchairs. Again this could be part of the skills workshops.

The windows are in the computer suite now and the office equipment has been moved from the old school to here. Hopefully, work can start on the network. I have done most of the resources for the high school kids, just the younger ones to do next. It’s hard because the American Curriculum  is quite different from the English Curriculum and their understanding of “computers” is very different to what we teach in ICT. The expectations are quite different. Plus on top of that I’ve still to find out exactly what the students can and can’t do.

Sunday

Went to a church in Kongalate which is about half an hour’s drive away – mixture of tarmac and sandy roads. It’s an interesting church because it was a church plant supported by OMS. Most of the people living in Kongalate moved there after the floods of 2000 and OMS helped giving practical support. They have a large site with a church, a preschool, a kitchen and a well! The church leadership is mainly Mozambican and they’re now starting to reach out to the community. The preschool and the kitchen help to serve the local people and the well is a source of income because they charge people to hook up to the water supply. It’s quite a lively church with a small group (about 15) children. As I sat there I couldn’t help wishing that I could spend more time in the church. Lots of “if onlys”. If only I spoke the language better, if only I had more time. Do you know the first song I would teach them, complete with actions? “My God is a great big God”. Followed by “My God is so big, so strong and so mighty”.  With that in mind, I really pray that Holiday Club goes well. Kind of wish I was part of it this year, but having it here instead. I think next time that’s the kind of mission I would like to do, amongst the people.

the church

the kitchen

The service was in Portuguese and translated into Shang an (a local language) so I didn’t understand much. I got the Bible readings, so pretty much had to meditate on the word myself. I had to do a brief introduction again. It’s common in churches here for them to invite all newcomers to the front where they have to say a little something and then everyone waves at them saying something which I think means welcome – (hopefully not go away).

One of the pictures has a great line of people standing at the front. They’re all people who wanted prayer. That was before the message. The other thing that is interesting is how they view the collection. I knew that they danced to the front with it but they also count it during the service and announce how much was collected. To which everyone then gives a loud shout and claps.

We drove past a school – the equivalent of our primary school. It was huge, but it was row upon row of what looked like rusty barracks, like a prison camp. I found it hard; I could have wept, it's the poverty of opportunity. I guess it’s the desire for all children to be valued and be able to have an education. It must be the teacher in me. 

Something funny – Philip (one of the missionaries) teaching one of the guards to play golf. Unfortunately we don’t have much of a green, but plenty of rough and sandy bunkers.

Tonight, had tea with Sharon, Melvin and the twins. I’ve been kicked off tea making. The first time I used the wrong teabags and the second time right teabags but the wrong orders and too milky. This is why I don’t do tea in church.

I’ve also included a picture for Trevor, the weaver bird. It’s bright yellow and its nest hangs down from the branch much like a Christmas decoration.

Quite a long blog because the Internet has been down and communication has been difficult. However, the powercut seemed to fix it!!