First thing after breakfast off to the gift market and out for lunch.
On the road into Maputo we had heavy police and army presence. Not just police but POLICE – machine guns pointing, gas masks and riding in the back of an open truck – it reminded me a lot of driving in Belfast years ago.
I asked one of the Long Term missionaries about Tino and my worst fears were confirmed. He is in hospital pretty much battling end stage HIV. The rest of the journey to the market was spent trying to get my head around it and also being here without getting to see him and hold him. In one way this is the rough side of Africa I wanted to see, the harsh way of life but why Tino? Why this small child who never hurt anyone? If I do come back long term, how do you work with kids and not let them into your heart or in fact is there anything wrong with letting them in and showing them love and getting attached to them. Tino is the one very special child to me from the last trip. He is the one I thought about everyday when I was at home – who would be feeding him and now he is probably mostly alone in a hospital.
It poured last night so some of the streets of Maputo were very badly flooded and some were inaccessible. If one night of rain could do this damage what does heavy rain do?
The other thing I saw today which I have never seen before in the flesh are people with Machetes. Given the recent images of Kenya and how violence against kinsman spirals Mozambicans with Machetes make me feel a little uneasy. I think I have watched too many films like Blood Diamond or Hotel Rwanda.
The market was good. I got a few things. Can’t work out if I have been fleeced or not. Lunch was nice, a half chicken and chips then back to the centre.
3pm – Baby House time! It would be so easy for me to spend all my time there.
Olga is back from the hospital and I do think she remembers me. I got a massive hug from her, it was lovely.
There is no sign of Zillio or John yet. I saw Pia and other John (Andy’s friend). That was excellent.
The baby house- I got mauled.
I don’t know if the Tia’s (house aunts) mind me being there but Paulito was making a racket screaming the house down and no one seemed to be caring. I do find it very hard, I walked over and comforted him and within minutes he had stopped crying. It’s hard to know if that is the right think to do or not but I figure while I am here I will do what I would normally for a kid who is crying. Finally got to connect with Tracey who came into the Baby House when I was there.
One of the new intake is Daniel, he is so lovely but very clingy as is Sam. I got to ask Tracey about the new kids which was nice so I could understand a little more about them and how long they had been there. Before I knew is I was being tackled to the ground by 2 year olds and so we had a pile on! Boy they don’t have kill you – hair pulled, stood upon and generally used as a trampoline – but I loved it. I felt so alive hearing them laughing at my expense. There are more photos!
Tracey asked me to hers for a cuppa. This was my first cuppa since arriving and it tasted so good. I finally asked her about Tino. It’s not good and the prospects are not good either.
The plan is that tomorrow I go and see him with her and the kids from her house and then take the kids to KFC for a treat.
I know there is talk of a brain infection and his “sickness” does not help him fight infection. He is on a feed tube and I think struggling with bedsores. With all my heart I want to see him and do remember saying to a friend before I left how hard I would find it if Tino would not be here. Out of all the kids he is the one I expected not to be here – so none of this has come as a massive shock yet I think the shock will come tomorrow when hopefully I see him. I don’t think any mental image will prepare me for that, but this is the real Africa and life here I wanted to see and I think that is ok. Should be die while I am here – well!
It would be a privilege to be at his funeral but I will see what tomorrow brings.
After chattin’ to Tracey I headed back to the baby house to help with feeding and putting to bed. It was so nice. Yuran and Sina just make me laugh.
The two older babies are twin brothers, one is pleasant and the other cries pretty constantly, I do think he is teething. I also think I will end up with head lice this time, but I don’t really care.
Went tonight to the girls’ dorm – no milk as Nancy is not here to do it. They keep trying to braid my hair! I arrived in as they were watching the end of Home Alone and then went on to watch what can only be described as a Bollywood version of High School Musical – truly awful but they seem to love it.
And now I am sitting here catching up my journal, hoping to see Tino tomorrow and yet apprehensive as to how that will leave me feeling. I don’t want to shy away because it may be hard, I want to see the hard things here and especially I want to see Tino.
On the road into Maputo we had heavy police and army presence. Not just police but POLICE – machine guns pointing, gas masks and riding in the back of an open truck – it reminded me a lot of driving in Belfast years ago.
I asked one of the Long Term missionaries about Tino and my worst fears were confirmed. He is in hospital pretty much battling end stage HIV. The rest of the journey to the market was spent trying to get my head around it and also being here without getting to see him and hold him. In one way this is the rough side of Africa I wanted to see, the harsh way of life but why Tino? Why this small child who never hurt anyone? If I do come back long term, how do you work with kids and not let them into your heart or in fact is there anything wrong with letting them in and showing them love and getting attached to them. Tino is the one very special child to me from the last trip. He is the one I thought about everyday when I was at home – who would be feeding him and now he is probably mostly alone in a hospital.
It poured last night so some of the streets of Maputo were very badly flooded and some were inaccessible. If one night of rain could do this damage what does heavy rain do?
The other thing I saw today which I have never seen before in the flesh are people with Machetes. Given the recent images of Kenya and how violence against kinsman spirals Mozambicans with Machetes make me feel a little uneasy. I think I have watched too many films like Blood Diamond or Hotel Rwanda.
The market was good. I got a few things. Can’t work out if I have been fleeced or not. Lunch was nice, a half chicken and chips then back to the centre.
3pm – Baby House time! It would be so easy for me to spend all my time there.
Olga is back from the hospital and I do think she remembers me. I got a massive hug from her, it was lovely.
There is no sign of Zillio or John yet. I saw Pia and other John (Andy’s friend). That was excellent.
The baby house- I got mauled.I don’t know if the Tia’s (house aunts) mind me being there but Paulito was making a racket screaming the house down and no one seemed to be caring. I do find it very hard, I walked over and comforted him and within minutes he had stopped crying. It’s hard to know if that is the right think to do or not but I figure while I am here I will do what I would normally for a kid who is crying. Finally got to connect with Tracey who came into the Baby House when I was there.
One of the new intake is Daniel, he is so lovely but very clingy as is Sam. I got to ask Tracey about the new kids which was nice so I could understand a little more about them and how long they had been there. Before I knew is I was being tackled to the ground by 2 year olds and so we had a pile on! Boy they don’t have kill you – hair pulled, stood upon and generally used as a trampoline – but I loved it. I felt so alive hearing them laughing at my expense. There are more photos!
Tracey asked me to hers for a cuppa. This was my first cuppa since arriving and it tasted so good. I finally asked her about Tino. It’s not good and the prospects are not good either.
The plan is that tomorrow I go and see him with her and the kids from her house and then take the kids to KFC for a treat.
I know there is talk of a brain infection and his “sickness” does not help him fight infection. He is on a feed tube and I think struggling with bedsores. With all my heart I want to see him and do remember saying to a friend before I left how hard I would find it if Tino would not be here. Out of all the kids he is the one I expected not to be here – so none of this has come as a massive shock yet I think the shock will come tomorrow when hopefully I see him. I don’t think any mental image will prepare me for that, but this is the real Africa and life here I wanted to see and I think that is ok. Should be die while I am here – well!
It would be a privilege to be at his funeral but I will see what tomorrow brings.
After chattin’ to Tracey I headed back to the baby house to help with feeding and putting to bed. It was so nice. Yuran and Sina just make me laugh.
The two older babies are twin brothers, one is pleasant and the other cries pretty constantly, I do think he is teething. I also think I will end up with head lice this time, but I don’t really care.
Went tonight to the girls’ dorm – no milk as Nancy is not here to do it. They keep trying to braid my hair! I arrived in as they were watching the end of Home Alone and then went on to watch what can only be described as a Bollywood version of High School Musical – truly awful but they seem to love it.
And now I am sitting here catching up my journal, hoping to see Tino tomorrow and yet apprehensive as to how that will leave me feeling. I don’t want to shy away because it may be hard, I want to see the hard things here and especially I want to see Tino.
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