Honey I'm Home

I have arrived back in the UK with a mix of feelings and emotions on it. Having said that I am so cold that to have a sense of any feeling would be nice. 

Having not been on a plane for over a year I had forgotten how much I hate landings and with nobody to hold my hand I had to be a big girl about it all. 

I almost didn't make it out of Moz as apparently there is a limit on how much cash you can take out of the country - who knew, and why didn't they tell me! I of course had all my notes in my pockets which i had to empty to go through the redicilious x - ray machine. So, both security guards were focused on me and the money issue rather than the screen and watching what others had in their carry on. T.I.M.

So off to J'bourg - now life has a funny way of repeating itself!. When I flew out to Moz over a year ago I got very distracted at the x ray machine in Heathrow and managed to leave my passport, boarding card and wallet at the security desk. It wasn't until I was standing at the gate about to board I realised what I had done!. Clearly I did not learn my lesson the first time round becuase I didn the exact same thing at Jo'bourg. In my defence I was having one of those moment where I realise how much I LOVE Africa and certain thing happen here and no where else in the world. I am refereing to the fact that as I was passing through security all the guys were singing and harmonising together and there was Joy in them,  it was was an awesome sound and like I said, you would not get that anywhere else in the world. 

I strike up a conversation with the guy who started it all off and we kept chatting about his church and how he sings there and so I say bye and walk off - My passport, boarding card and phone are still sitting in a little black container at the end of the belt. FAIL!

It wasn't until I went to txt someone that I realised what I had done and for the second time in my life. When will I learn. 

The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. I arrived back here to the cold and and still trying to thaw out. NOT fun, missing Moz a bit. 

The Famous Four have multiplied

A while ago I wrote about the Famous Four in the nursery. Since then there have been a few changes. Dionisio has now moved to the Baby House which is fantastic for him, this is a day we sometimes thought would never come. He has settled in well after taking a few weeks to adjust. 

The nursery now has 6 in it. Again we are equally matched at 3 boys 3 girls again. Please keep praying for those most in need to find their way to us. Enjoy the pictures. 

From Nursery Kids

Heartbreak Hotel

I have spent today thinking a lot about the prayer that I feel many Christians glibly pray - " break my heart with what breaks yours".I am sure I have pondered this before on blogs but I too on numerous occasions have prayed it. This week I have found myself with it answered and as a result I have seen and felt the true reality of the heartbreak of this world. 

Today I find every bone in my body fighting anger, albeit a lot of it righteous and justifiable in my mind. I have become involved in a situation at the Bocaira which from whatever side you look at it. If accusations are true then it leaves me wanting to be sick and go out looking for revenge, If accusations are false - they are horrible accusations and my mind wonders how anyone can move on from such things. For my in the middle of this I am finding a new level of strength I never knew I had, and also am in a very freeing place of leaving the situation with God because he is the only one who can bring truth to the many people involved. It doesn't mean I have not shed many tears and stuggled and felt the pain of many of those involved but I think I am finally learning I do have a soft part of my heart that I can't protect all the time and I have to give it over to God. 

This week has also been interesting as we have had our water pump stolen, along side this our wells are nearly empty so for a lot of the week our water supply has been very sporadic ironically this week has been the worst week of rain in over a year! 

My friend Jenny came for 2 weeks it was so nice having someone here as I passed the year mark of being here, and I got to see my Leopard at Kruger. 

Another hi - light was taking a new child into the nursery. His name is Francisco, he is 7 months and the cutest kid I have seen in a while, I think he beats Augustinho who IS also very cute. 

So 36 days till I fly home, tonight we have a bar b que, my first all summer. It felt really nice to see around chatting with the girls, like for a few moments I was sitting back in London just enjoying a summers night.  

Elections

So far today has gone really well. We have had no workers so for any area with small children and babies it has been a challenge to say the least. 

Have a look at this link to see photos from today. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8330191.stm

Life is a Rollercoaster

As most of the western world who follow pop culture are in shock at the sudden death of Stephen Gately, we in Zimpeto are in shock at the sudden death of one of our own. 

Paulo went to bed last night and never woke up this morning. He was one of the kids on the centre every missionary knew and most visitors would remember. He was always happy to talk to you and at times could be a little moody but still had an infectious laugh and loved to be hugged. He would always be hanging around with Inacio who stood up in church this morning and gave a testimony to Paulo. These two were inseparable. The photo below is the two of them with my friend Isaac when he was here in Feb. Paulo on the right, Inacio on the left. 

Please pray for the boys in the dorm and the educators who work with them. This is a massive shock for the whole centre and prayers to ease the pain and understand the needless loss much appreciated.  

From Isy and Jac in Moz

The Lucia "Anointing"

When kids are sick I do have a lot of sympathy and patience for them,some more than others it's true, but none the less when they are young,sick and it's a horrible hot day I do like to make sure they know someone cares.

Today Lucia has kept us on our toes. For most of the day her temp has been around 103F and she has just been having a bad day.

So being the caring soul that I am went tonight at dinner time to spend sometime with her. The Tias were busy with the other kids so I thought it would be a great idea while she was quietly sitting on my knee to give her the medication she needs.

Things were going very well and I was almost done. I was chatting to my friend Meghann who was also there saying how good it was that she was not vomiting on me and was taking the meds very well! But of course - I spoke too soon.

There was a massive projectile from the little person on my knee - I was covered while everyone else in the room looked on and reacted like you would in a slow motion movie.

We all recovered from the shock and amusement at my complacency. I then went to put her down so I could start to clean up. There was so much mess on the floor as I held her, she couldn't find her footing at all and was sliding around like a person on a frosty morning - forgive me but it really was the funniest sight. I passed her over to Meghann who also then tried to put her back down but the same thing kept happening Meghann held her while Lucias feet just kept slip sliding in sick. I could do nothing but laugh at this poor wee soul so sick but yet so comic. My compassion went right out the window as the giggles took over. Me covered all over, Lucia not able to stand and the Tias in shock at a white person covered in sick. It really was something from a comedy movie. I truly received an amazing anointing.

I still don't quite understand why no one would hug me tonight!

The Famous Four

There are some days in my life I wish all my friends could be a part of and get to see the kids here and the fun I have with them. The nursery at the moment is such a fun place to be.

As the weeks go by its amazing to watch their different personalities come through

Dionisio

When he is not licking everything in his sight, he is pulling is funny smile face or demanding Agua. Yesterday was one of his funniest moments. One of the tia's is quite short and she was standing at the changing table working with another kid. D walked her to her and blew a big raspberry on her bum. Well I creased up, as did the tia. When he realised how funny he was he too started in to laugh. He was so proud of himself. A major achievement this week is that he can now stand up on his own. This is a major thing for him. When he is not doing any of the above a new found love of D's is to scream at the top of his lungs. He also have a fear of the weirdest things; a cake tin, bubbles, drums and birthday hats.

From Jo In Moz

From Nursery Kids

From Jo In Moz

Chelsea

I walk into the nursery and immediately there is a little body which crab walks towards me. Arms in the air for balance and a big smile and a new squeal which she has learnt from D (thanks mate!). Chelsea has a laugh that sounds like a cat but loves to be cuddled and also loves to eat everything in sight, including her crib.

She is into everything and misses nothing, and a great game for her is pulling her sock and shoes off. Of course bottle time is her favourite time of all, she quietly sits in the chair and bothers no one.

From Nursery Kids

From Nursery Kids

From Chris's Jo in Moz

Cleita

Being the youngest of them all you have to be quite a tough kid and she is. Cleita loves to be kissed by Lucia and laughs so much when Lucia does it. She also gets comforted a lot when she cries by Lucia which she loves too. Also when she is winded does very satisfying burps!

At 4 months old she is not smiling and pulling funny faces oh and has also discovered her voice so chatters away to herself.

From Jo In Moz

From Jo In Moz

From Jo In Moz

Lucia

I could write pages about Lucia but today she was quite the circus master. Just before bed time she was walking around getting everyone in the room to clap their hands while she danced and shuffled round the room. She is such a mother to Cleita, when her dummy falls out Lucia walks over to the cot and puts it back in and gently pats her calm her down. She smothers Cleita with kisses and loves to be the centre of my attention. I normally walk into the nursery to be met with a round of applause from Lucia. She is learning to talk and now say "Ola" and we are working hard on Sapatos (shoes). One day she will be an excellent drummer or dancer.

From Jo In Moz

From Chris's Jo in Moz

From Jo In Moz

All four can be a handful but also bring me so much laughter as the older 3 fight to get into the nappy cupboard or escape from the nursery door. Even stealing toys from each other can be a fun game (sometimes). But I also love them when they are all sleeping!

From Jo In Moz

From Jo In Moz

Joy

All the children I work with are walking miracles in one way or another and its a privilege to be part of their lives.

Angelo is one of these kids. I think he is 1.5 or 2 years old and he lives at the Bocaria. When he is not at the preschool attached to the church he is being looked after by his older brother who is 11. His mother leaves the house at 6 am and is often not back until 8pm at night. This is quite normal here. I have been to the house they live in and its a nice house, the mother clearly loves her children but has to work to provide for them.

Angelo is there most weeks on a Wednesday and loves to run over to us when we arrive. I have often given bible lessons with him in my arms as he seems to cry when he is with the Mozambicans.

He is a very cute child and an infectious giggle when he is tickled.

Today during worship he really caught my heart. We were there dancing away, clapping and doing all the actions. I look down and there he is dancing the best he can and keeping a really good rhythm it was the sweetest sight. He then got really into the dancing and the only way to describe what he looked like was a wind up toy kinda out of control. He really was the funniest sight and I stood for a few moments just laughing at this very precious miracle in front of me and thanking God Angelo is in my life. Today this little child, without knowing it, brought me the biggest amount of joy.

From Chris in Moz

What we all need is a break from the old routine

It's so nice having visitors. I can't believe that Jo leaves tomorrow and I am really not thinking about it. I have really enjoyed having her here and the kids have loved having someone else to play with and tackle.

One of the highlights was getting a break to Kruger where we managed to see 11 lions - not bad for one trip. Still no leopard. Kruger is such a good break for me as I enter a world of animal and not another of people, though I do think that God should have painted Impala pink rather than the same colour as a Lion - it can all get very exciting for a moment and then "oh its just another Impala". Jo was almost kissed on the nose by a Buffalo and we watched Lions stalking Zebra.

Staying one night at Mercy Air was also a real blessing. We were woken in the morning by the monkeys playing in the tree outside. Only in Africa. We also managed to find the stadium where the World cup is going to be played in Nelspruit, looks very impressive. In preparation for the football the town has got its first McDonalds, so yes I gave in and had to have a drive thru Big Mac. Its amazing that having been away 10 months, the taste has not changed and the beef still tastes like cardboard.

The kids here at the moment are all having colds and fevers. When something like that gets into the base its hard to get rid of for a while.

Photos from Kruger

Fogo

There are some phone calls in my life I will never forget. I have a few - my parents being called into school, the call to say my grandfather had died, another to say my dad had a heart attack and todays will be added to this list! "Chris, you need to get up here quickly - there is a fire at the nursery." 

There is nothing like it to make me shift my butt into gear. I ran the whole way (that in itself was a sight). One of the pastors said as I ran past him its ok you are too late you missed the drama. Seeing the drama was the last thing on my mind I just wanted to see if the kids and Tia's were OK! 

I got there to find all the kids fine and quite enjoying the attention they were getting from the on lookers.Thankfully, beside shock everyone was good. The building was dusty and smokey but nothing that didn't take too long to sort out.  

It could have been so much worse. The gas bottle caught on fire, the how and why I really won't bore you with but man what a day. 

Please pray for the tias it's been a real week for them. 

In times like these

These last few days I have found myself standing back and looking at the kids more. Life here can be so busy that it is possible to not spend any time with the kids. 

But the two who have stood out to me more over these last few days are Lucia and Latifo (no real surprise there). 

As you know Latifo moved up to the Baby House a while ago, and has been on and off with his health, we also discovered that his right shoulder was really bothering him. We think that one of the Tia's probably picked him up by one arm (a very cultural thing and awful to watch) and because he is heavier his joints probably couldn't take the strain. The last few weeks for him have not been great. 

The other evening I was briefly in the Baby House and he caught my eye. He was sitting watching TV with Adilson and just clowning around with him. These boys are almost the same age but in size they are very different but it was amazing to see who kids who have both come in very malnourished and need a lot of attention now playing together and growing and for the first time saw Latifo play like boys his age should. He still is not walking but now he is interacting really well with the other boys. 

Twice today Lucia really melted my heart. When she decides to be, she can be so compassionate. One of her favourite things at the moment is getting to give Da-ba's (kiss) to Cleita. She will land big kisses on her face, watching her often reminds me of how I was when my sister arrived. Today Cleita was in the swing chair and was starting to get quite unsettled so Lucia crawls over there and starts pushing the swing to try and settle Cleita, it was one of those moments. Later today Dionisio was bawling and so she moved over to him and started to pat his back (well more like pound) to help pacify him. Where does a child at 15 months learn this. My prayer is that she never looses it and grows into a woman of God who always has a soft heart. 

This ones for the Children

There is a lot to be said about living here - the highs and the lows but today I think goes in the Highs. I am helping look after another dorm at the moment. It has 8 children between 4-8 living in it. They really are a hoot. All with their own little personalities and life stories they make up a merry bunch to take out for an afternoon. 

We headed to a park in the city for a plate of chips and a drink oh and of course a tall climbing frame and swing. They were so happy, socks and shoes came flying off as each got more excited about the days adventure. 

What makes it more funny for me is that the site of a "Grande Barco" (large boat) cause the most screams of delight. If I had know that would be the most exciting thing for them, I would have saved the money and sat them down at the docks. 

From the dirt to a Princess

One of the joys being here is getting to dress the kids. 

Yesterday I was able to put Chelsea our girl from the Bocaira into a beautiful navy chord Ralph Lauren dress. She looked lovely. It was a moment when you look at a kid who was living in the filth and rubbish of the bocaria and was now sitting in a lovely dress and she hasn't got a clue about any of it. It really made me smile. 

All quiet on the Eastern Front

T.I.M - This is Mozambique. 

Where can I start to tell you about the last few weeks. The pace here certainly seems to be picking up. Thank goodness we are in the winter season where its only low 20's. 

Next week there is a conference happening for the Nation. There is a real level of expectancy with this, so will be interesting to see what will happen. 

Last week I took the biggest group yet to the Bocaria, we had almost 40 people there. It was quite a site, a violin and 2 guitars also helped make a joyful noise.  

Today I got up a stupid o'clock to take kids for their BCG. As we waited sitting opposite us was a row of women with their day old babies having their vaccines, then of course once that is one they get to go home!. A lot of these women were still having massive trouble walking. The mind does boggle at this thought, then the other side of me thinks, well if they were born in the community the women would continue with life anyway.There is something to be said for having the kids vaccinated at birth as it took 3 people to hold down one of the girls we took today!. 

Also this week I have had the pleasure of buy a kid their first pair of decent shoes now I feel like a proper grown up!. 

There are no words

It's fair to say that I have found today in my top 5 days that leave you emotionally wrecked.

One of the boys we have been close too at the dump stole a phone at the weekend, so local vigilantes are now looking for him. This means he has run to the streets rather than have them find him. It's hard to imagine him living on the streets. Sadly, he will survive only too well there. I am praying that our street team find him soon.

Today the mother of a family we are close to at the Bocaria andspoke to me at the end of church and said she really needed prayer. She went on to tell me that yesterday a girl was raped in the bathroom of her (the mothers) house. The suspects are her young teenage son, who I know, and his friend.

I fought hard to bury my own emotions and feelings on this and held her tight in my arms as she wept sore...She is scared her son will go to jail.

The police are involved and the mother said "the Girl was OK, She had no marks on her!!!" OK?.... OK?.... how can anybody be ok after that? I was SO angry with this mind set, as were a few other females around. I had to fight to not jump on the judgmental bandwagon and be calm and pray for her.

This woman has been though a lot - her "husband" has not been around for a long time. He has many women in many places and she knows it!!!! She has been faithful to the church and to her kids.....now she has to try and get the truth from her son - she is so scared he will go to jail. I held back from saying what I think should happen!

But today has taken every ounce of compassion I have to try and remain un-judgemental...... and show love to this broken woman while everything inside me wants to react to this appalling act and find the guys.....

Old Friends

When I arrived back in Moz, there were a few people I was really looking forward to seeing. One of them was Olga - since my first visit here I have always taken an interest in her. I started to ask around to find out where she was and found out she had been reintegrated with a family member.

One my first trip here she was sick with a fever so I went to her room to pray for her, then a few days later I got sick with Malaria and she came and prayed for me in the dining room. I really valued her heart of compassion that day.

Then on my next trip here we got to hang out more and share the Saturday evening milk and cookies.

To it was a real joy to be able to go and visit her yesterday in her house where she is living with her brother and other family members. The ministry still helps them with food and clothes. Sadly she doesn't have a lot of clothes so yesterday we were able to give her a lot. I pray the other family members let her have them and don't sell them.

She gave me a big smile when I spoke to her yesterday. It was amazing to be able to spend a little time with her.

Olga and I yesterday.

With her brother.

Wearing the some of the new clothes we brought her.

Funeral for a friend

Yet another day here I hope I don't have too many of.

Today was Jamie's funeral. As I stood and looked at the small white box it suddenly hit me that the last funeral I was at was also that of a child, in London just over 2 years ago. Now here I am today at another child’s one. In fact today there were two children being buried and the coffins sat side by side. Jamie's tiny one and another slightly larger one which was that of the other child whose funeral was going on at the same time as ours. The women and men stood on different sides of them.

It was all in Shangann (local language) and the only parts I got were the very loud AMENs that occasionally broke up the very fervent preacher.

So when the preacher was finished what felt to me like a heartless talk (but as I didn't understand a word he said I could be wrong) the coffins were opened for the mourners to go and look at......

Today I have seen a dead baby and the dead child of someone I never knew. Just felt bizarre.

The coffin was then carried to the end of the grave, the other funeral went to their grave, but both groups keep singing together across the graveyard, and there and then Jamie's body was put into the ground and covered in by the father and other helpers.

What I also find sad is that I am sure his wife/Jamies mother was the mound beside his. She died a month ago. So he stood alone looking at what should have been a happy family with a 1 month old but is now a man alone with nothing really.

Today there was very little emotion, very little personal about the funeral. Men don't cry here, or if they do it's for a very short time because you have to keep finding a way to survive. At least the body was found and he was able to bury his son properly.

A life that I knew for a very short time, but had the chance to love and care for along with others, is gone. Here death is too much a part of life. People dying is never easy and sometimes hard to understand but I do struggle so much more with the death of a child. In the time it has taken me to write this and you to read, so may more children have died though out the world. I don't think I will ever be ok on children dying.

'Cause it's a Bittersweet Symphony this life.

It's that time of life again here on the centre. We are able to re-integrate some of the youth back with family members we have been able to track down, or who are now in a position to care for them.

This news, both for the dorm parent and the individual, is very much bitter sweet time. There is happiness that family has been found, but there is also a lot of uncertainly about the future. A number of the boys get quite scared and so stealing can go through the roof at this time as they take what they can. They have made a lot of friends here and for a lot all they have know is living here and this is family. Going back to a new community can be overwhelming. Please remember these guys and the dorm parents, I know there is a name on the list that I am really miss, a kid that one day I hope will be an international speaker.

Ooh Heaven is a place on earth.

There are some nights that will stay with me all my life. I think one of those nights will be last Thursday.

We have a few good worship leaders here but one stands far above the others in this season - Vovote. At the moment he has a real anointing for worship. Each week I stand amazed as I watch God doing a new thing in him as each week as he takes us deeper in worship.

On Thursday we had a real buzz about the church service = we had a great time before the service and at the moment we have a team from SA here who are very gifted. Anyway, we were deep in worship and singing "Open the flood gates of Heaven, let it Rain, let it Rain" and out of no where, unaided and very quietly to begin with the younger girls at the front broke out in Song. Not only song but in perfect English!. Singing " Jesus, you are Holy Holy, send your fire, holy fire". Just out of no where it started really softly and then it grew in volume and the whole place joined in this song from heaven.

I felt I was experiencing a little of what Rolland's Grandfather did in "Visions beyond the Vail". A real moment of heaven touching earth.

There's One More Angel in Heaven!

Jamie went home on Wedneday.

What is crazy is that the hospital did not ring to tell us he had died. His father arrived with us yesterday to "tell us".

I don't understand why they couldn't have even texted us........

Anyway, second baby into the hospital from the nursery, second one not to come back to us.

Jamie

This is Jamie.
He is 3 weeks old but he was born 7 week prem so I guess that really makes him -4 weeks old. He arrived with us on Tuesday. His weight is 1.5kg.

We don't have an incubator here for someone so small so with the help of hot water bottles and the sun we do what we can.

This photo was taken this morning as he lay on my lap while we gave him his 10mins in the sun to try and keep him warm and help the jaundice.

Sadly not long after this photo the medical team decided to take him to hospital as he had lost 200gms over night and his temp was 104.

Please pray for him tongiht that this small life will survive and the hospital take good care of him. This is the second child from the nursery that has been sent to the hospital. I am praying we see Jamie coming back here soon. His mother died last week and he has a father who loves him dearly.

At the same time one of the Tia's here had her baby on Tues and is in the same place as Jamie. The tia's baby weighted 1.1kg.

Pray for both these young lives.

You give and take away......and take some more

Some kids here we love back to life, others we love into the arms of Jesus. This is the case with Ade.

Adelide died on June 1st about 11pm. 1st June here is Children's Day and when all the kids were in the middle of getting presents etc I did stop for a moment and think about her and pray she was having a good day and would soon be better. In a weird way my prayer was answered, at least her suffering has stopped, but it doesn't make it any easier to understand. "You give and take away".

You give and take away......

The line from Matt Redman’s song did not leave my head all day yesterday. Yesterday was meant to be in the top three happiest days of my year so far with the arrival of my parents but sadly yesterday turned out to be probably the hardest day I have ever gone though here. Don’t get me wrong – my parents have arrived safely and it’s so great to have them here, but yesterday also turned into the day I was praying would never come.

Yesterday I got a phone call to say the twins were being given back to their “family”. Now in most cases when children go back to their family it’s a good thing and we are happy but in this instance the whole family circumstances around the twins are very complicated. There have been a lot of lies told and a lot of wrong information given and in my opinion the whole thing is a mess. In the middle of it all there are two very young fragile lives and all they are asking for is to be loved which was never a hard thing to do. So, just as I was about to step out to the airport I got the phone call and had to go and quickly get their stuff together and send them off. This brought back many memories and raised a few questions because I knew some people who had to give a child back when they were almost ready to sign the adoption papers. What about the lovely couple who were ready to adopt the twins – how are they in all this?

“You give and take away. You give and take away, my heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be your name.” When I stop and think about this, this has to be one of the hardest things to say. When things are going bad around me, I have to choose to believe God is a good God and his plan is perfect and he has the best in store for me and others around. Some days this is really not easy and I think would test the greatest saints and in case you hadn’t noticed – I am no saint! I do know that there have been circumstances which have been painful but where in time I can look back and see God in it all - but today I just have to choice to believe God is good after the events with the twins yesterday.

Live and Let Die

You may have forgotten what I sound like as its been a while since I have written anything! I hope you are sitting comfortably and have a cup of something good in your hand because here’s what's been going on!.

Adelide – I saw her today……………………she now has had her head badly shaved and has an IV put into a vein in her head, which is a very scary thought, but not as bad as the thought of when they put an IV in her neck! Anyway, finally they have started her on TB treatment, but because it's gone untreated/undiagnosed for such a long time the chances of survival are in question. Also being in the hospital for so long now she has picked up another infection or “something” and honestly is a very sad sight, she is pale, fighting for breath and has eyes that look into yours and say “please get me out of here”.

New Arrival – We have twins now in the nursery! Mario and Carolina. They are 4 weeks old. The family history is very scary and also very sad, but there is a strong possibility that these two will be adopted quite quickly.


Deaths – We have had two this week. Pastor Andre and Pedro one of our drivers, both quite a shock for many here.

Accidents- I have seen the aftermath of two fatal accidents this weekend. Some of the images which will remain with me for the rest of my life. This is the side of life here I hate. To people here death is such a part of life but it doesn’t need to be – there are so many needless deaths.

Punishment – when kids don’t do what they are told to here, or are rude, the “best” way to punish them is to beat them. This week I saw a kid who has been beaten by his mother, culture says this is how you discipline a child – as white people what do we know, except I have not experienced anything like that before.

Visitors- My Uncle made it to Mozambique. It was great having a familiar face and someone to show around! He was an easy guest – we went to Swaziland which was a pleasant trip.
This week sees the arrival of two more guests, I am very very excited about these ones coming and am praying for safety in their travel and the luggage arrives.

June 1st is Children’s Day here. Children’s Day is a little like Christmas Day -presents and chicken dinners and fun. Dorm Parents have been getting ready with gifts for all their kids, and I have been helping put together gift bags for the kids at the Bocaria.

This week seems to have been a week of firsts – and honestly a lot of them are first’s I would rather not have seen.

These are the days of our lives

It’s been one of those days, where you think it’s going to be nice and quiet, I will get some reading done, relaxing, watching some Prison Break – you know the typical things a “missionary” does. Well the above is so far from what my day has been.

Today was the first day of Bocaira being on a Wednesday morning. It went well I think. My friend was telling the story of the Prodigal Son – just as she started in the pigs that live next door started to grunt loudly – just to remind me of the image of the son eating the pigs food. It made me smile inside.

I get back to the centre to discover that we are having to admit Adelide to hospital. Since she arrived about 3 weeks ago, most days she has been having a fever of 102-103.7 and has been in a lot of distress.

So she is in hospital tonight with an IV drip of anti biotics. We are almost certain she has TB and is very sick with that but also there is talk of a lumbar puncture as we suspect she maybe also has meningitis........ these two things together are very bad.

I held her for a while today before she left and prayed but its hard seeing someone so little suffer a lot. There was a few minutes where she just keep looking into my eyes as if she knew something was up and something was going to happen to her. All I could do was pour love into her, and trust her to God. Some days here are a lot of fun and then there are the others when you have to admit a very young baby into the hospital. That kinda feels tough.

One of the older girls is also in hospital having collapsed yesterday at lunch. She is 13. She is on an adult ward because she is 13 and no one is allowed to stay with her. She is allowed a visit for one hour a day.

Please pray for both our girls.

Everything changes but you

Things in Moz change all the time- just when you get used to something or someone being around they go.

At the moment here we seem to be going though a lot of change, people coming, going etc. I used to think I was someone who loves change but am discovering that letting people in to your life to have them leave again is very hard and can be quite emotionally draining, but I do know that I would much rather have them in my life for a short season than not at all.

I have enjoyed a very relaxing weekend in South Africa. My friend Erin and I went to stay at Mercy Air’s base. They are a charity who fly into remote villages in Southern Africa bringing humanitarian aid. Beautiful scenery, peace, and monkeys and other things we can do in SA that we can’t do here in Maputo – what more can a girl ask for. It was lovely driving through the mountains and seeing some autumn colours on the trees a sight not seen in Mozambique.

Being in SA is nice for a few days… of course being stopped for speeding NOT so much fun especially when you think you will have to drive half way back on the road just travelled to pay a stupid fine, then in the end I was let off and paid a bribe. As it was the last Fri of the month all the speed cops were out to try and get a little extra take home for the weekend.

Being away for a few days in what in places feels like a first world country has a strange effect. The mall is very western which I am grateful for – the shops (at a price) keep sweets from the UK. It really is possible to buy anything you wanted for a comfortable existence. What did strike me were the people on the corner of the road hitching a ride. When you see a mother with her baby strapped to her back it's hard not to pull in. The trouble is so often there is a gang waiting in the bushes to hijack the car. It is a sad world we live in. I know these things happen all over and not just in SA.

I had a sense of hitting “home” when we crossed back into Mozambique. It always takes me a little time to re adjust to speaking Portuguese again.

This month sees my uncle and parents making their way for the first time to Mozambique, I am very excited but have to confess my room is going to need some work before they get here.

Finger Lickin' Good

What a week - I have been to my first Mozambican wedding! Brooke one of our ex-long term missionaries married Valdemar yesterday. The church looked lovely. Weddings here last 2 days. I didn’t go to the community ceremony at the grooms house today. The family provided chicken dinners and coke for all the kids here. I for once sat down and was served my lunch. I have to say that I really love eating with my fingers and having the grease dripping off my elbows!

Thursday night also saw Bible School graduation – it was great to be a part of that and see my students graduate. I will not be teaching next term but have really enjoyed the chance to teach this one. I do get such a buzz from teaching leadership and watching these guys realise that they can be world changers.

This week we said goodbye to an amazing team who came from St Aldates Oxford. I think this in part added to the struggle I have faced this week with real homesickness. It has suddenly hit me that I have never gone 5 months before without seeing my family. Also this week has been one of those where I miss London, the chance to go to the theatre and hear live music.

I do love being here but there is a little materialistic struggle going on inside me for a really good gig – having an Indian delivered or just hanging out with friends. Probably if I was back in London for a day I would want to run a mile – I would be struggling with reverse culture shock and wishing I was back here.

We have a new baby in the nursery. Adelide. She is 10 weeks old and her mother died about 4 weeks ago. She has not been very well since she arrived. Do pray for her. We have had a lot of sickness recently both children and long termers. I don’t know if it’s the change of season. It’s cold here now - its only 25 degrees during the day. I am wearing a jumper and sleeping with a blanket at night!

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

This week has felt like it is in the top 5 longest weeks of my life. Little sleep and other things going on - I reached this morning and wanted to stay in bed. But as I sit and type here I am extremely glad I didn’t. Just now as I write this there is an all night prayer meeting going on in the church…. Here all night means ALL NIGHT. Music, preaching, music, dancing, preaching, dancing, music, music, praying, music. Maybe I forgot to mention LOUD music….

So feeling that sleep is not imminently round the corner I think this gives me the time needed to gather my thoughts and emotions from this morning.

I got to go the Bocaria on a Friday morning - I have been teaching every other one. With today being Good Friday I thought there would be more people around, not sure that really was the case. Anyway. this is the first time since coming here long term that I have walked over the top of the dump and, like all the times before, it leaves me ruined in a good way and I come away having seen God on the top of the dump. I still can not get used to kids fighting for bread and having to stop them robbing it off each other.

This morning there was something really unpleasant burning all over the dump creating a lot of smoke and a smell that stuck in the back of my throat.We did have rain this week so there were parts where the pools of rancid water were just sitting swarming with flies. The glass is still bad, and the ground beneath my feet less than secure.

Today I had the chance to pray with a few people, but for a long time I was just able to observe from not very far away the carnage and bedlam that ensues when a dump truck arrives, and also what happens when it gets stuck in the trash on the top. There is also a digger which comes to try and push the rubbish flatter – when that happens there is a new area of “goods” released to be picked through. I spoke to some women who had found a massive box of scrap food probably thrown out by a hotel and were picking thought it and eating what was ok – anything that was good was being saved to take home later but the flies swarming round were awful.

I stood for what felt like ages watching all this going on. Then caught a glimpse of what I must look like to them – a white person observing them work and so I began to feel very uncomfortable just standing there watching. As I turned to walk away seeing one guy stopped me dead in my tracks.

He had collected what he wanted, and was heading off somewhere. What ever he had got he had put over his shoulder to carry away. But what stopped me was that what he was carrying was in the shape of a cross. It was flung over his shoulder just as I imagine Jesus would have had to carry his today.

To see the sight of this cross being carried over one man’s shoulder at the Bocaria today, in the stench and the filth and the mess that is there, made me see why all that Jesus did on Good Friday was so important. He did it for the least of these, he did it for the widow, the orphan, the lost, the broken, the hungry, the rejected, the robbers, the junkies, the drunks. He did it for me. I found myself thinking of U2’s words “Carried the cross of my shame….but I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”

This image today will never leave me. This is what Easter is all about.

Wedding, Wedding, anyone for a Wedding?

I could have been married yesterday! Before you get too excited and run out and buy pretty dresses, it didn't happen. There was a plea at church for anyone who wants to get married to come forward and be married – OK!!!! I know Vegas has got drive thru options- never did I think I would experience something similar in Moz. But there is always a first time for it. It also has to be said not one person went forward!

Church yesterday was an experience. We had strings breaking on guitars and drummers putting the pedal through the skin of the bass drum. Oh just wait till I run to the shop and buy a new one – oh – no wait- we are in Mozambique, where it has taken us a year to get the one that is on there at the moment – what’s that you say – it's only 6 weeks old!. So the challenges yesterday in the heat were all starting to get to me a little! Gaffer tape comes in handy now to fix broken drum skins.

The Bocaria today was yet again something very exciting. First of all becuase I got to ride in the back of a flat bed truck. That is the best way to travel in Maputo especially when all the locals shout "White person" at you. It really is a novelty to see us in the back of a truck.

The Easter holidays are here so we had 160 kids. As we were telling the Easter story, thought it would be a good idea to boil eggs for the kids. Our thinking was 100 would be more than enough- oops. It was lovely today there. There was a real presence in the church. I was also taken back to my childhood as we taught them "God's not dead". They loved in espcially the punching the air as they shouted NO!. That mixed with me doing the full actions today to "Father Abraham" the singing today was great.

I also got to walk to the top of the dump and just look over the vast expanse of rubbish again and remember why I love being here. Holding the babies, and being able to love these kids so much. It was smokey, it was smelly, I was really really dirty but we had a blast.

Fire

You have to give it here to some kids here for their thinking. One of our guys last week wanted a cup of tea. So what else do you do but go out to the back of the centre and with the aid of a box of matches light a little fire to boil some water for tea! Great idea really – except it hasn’t rained for weeks here, everything is dry and ready to go up. So needless to say it didn’t take long for the little fire he started to spread very quickly. See the link below for the damage done.


http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=88244&id=713197018&l=b188ccf1f7

There can be miracles, when you believe.

Below is the story of hope, joy, and a family reunited. The text has come from a friend but I sat in the room and heard it first hand as Michas told us it. I have never seen anyone guy as happy in my life. I have mentioned the story on a previous blog but here is the journey.

Do You Believe In Miracles???
If you didn't before, I have a story to tell you that just might make you believe! It's not my story, it's Micas' . . .

Micas (pronounced mee-cush) is one of our older youth. He has lived in our center since about 2000. Before that, well, let's go way back.

Micas grew up with his parents with several older and one younger brother in Inhambane, about 8 hours north of here. When Micas was a three years old, his parents decided to separate and his father took him with him to go live with another woman. I can't recall all of the ins and outs that followed but after his father went to look for work in South Africa, his step-mother didn't want him to continue living with her so he lived with a series of different people. At one point, he was a young boy living on the street when a kind woman brought him to live with her family because she saw he was desperate and alone. I think he wound up living in four or five different homes, each one taking him further and further from his family. He was living on the streets of Maputo, eight hours from home, when he came to live in our center in 2000, when he was about 12 years old.

In 2002, he and some of our staff traveled the eight hours to Inhambane to look for his family. The home he could remember was of his step-mother but they discovered she had died so they returned with no information.

Just last year, in 2008, he returned again to look for them but since he was only three when he left his mother, he couldn't remember enough to find anyone. He decided that he needed to quit looking and just accept that he will not know his family and will just walk thru life with God and the "family" he has made at our center. Micas has grown up to be a very responsible, kind and smart young man. He loves the Lord and is growing in his faith, he has served as a Chefe in the dorms (an assistant to the Educator in charge of the dorm) and he has never given the leadership any trouble.

He currently takes a course in the mornings, works here in our gardens in the afternoon and goes to school to finish high school at night.About a year or so ago, our ministry was given a gift of some property by the government about 30 minutes from here. It was a large plot of undeveloped land in a fairly rural area. There were other people living in the area but it's not densely populated by any means. Our ministry decided to build some homes for our older youth who have no family they can live with as well as some pastors and form a small community there. It is often difficult for our older youth to leave the closeness of our center to live on their own so living with others nearby has been much more effective for them. Micas was blessed with one homes there.

Last month, Micas went to the local kiosk that sells cold drinks and small snacks. He asked the young boy who was there with his mother for a cold drink. The boy asked him, "would you like me to open that for you?" Micas replied, "yes, as I haven't brought a bottle to exchange for it so I have to drink it here." He stepped to the side to drink his soda and overheard the boy talking with his mother."Mama, this man sounds just like Tio Arone. He has the same voice!" Well this caught Micas' attention because he has a brother named Arone and it isn't a common name. So he began to listen more closely. The boy kept saying to his mother how much Micas sounded like his uncle.

Finally, Micas asked the boy, "what are you saying young boy?" And the boy replied, "your voice sounds just like my Uncle Arone." Micas asked, "do you have other uncles?" and the boy replied, "yes," and Micas asked, "what are their names?" and the boy replied "Antonio", "Fernando", etc. . ." (I've forgotten these names so I inserted common Mozambican names.)
And Micas, undoubtedly with head spinning, thought "Those are my brothers names!"
He then asked the name of their father and the name of their mother and, well you've guessed it by now - they were his parents names!!!Then the young boy said, "There is just one uncle missing, he disappeared long ago and has never been found."
And Micas was able to reply - "I am the one who was missing, I am Micas who was lost a long time ago!!!"

Shortly after Micas met this boy and discovered his family, he made the journey to Inhambane to meet his mother and the rest of his family. Oh, wouldn't you have loved to be there to see the rejoicing and celebrating that lasted for days?!? Micas discovered that at every family event or gathering his mother would say "but there is one that is missing, we are not complete without my son Micas." She never stopped hoping to find her son but had no idea where to look. Well, she doesn't need to hope anymore, she has found him!

And next week, she is coming here to see where he has grown up!!!Last week, Micas also went to the city, Maputo, to meet one of his brothers and another relative who have been living there, only 40 minutes away, for years!

Micas shared his testimony in church and our whole center is rejoicing with him at the miracle of his finding his family!

So there still are miracles today. My thanks to Laura for typing the story up.

Photos and Videos

I have been promising for a while photos and videos. Well here they are. They are a mixture of when my friends were here and videos/photos I have created. The links below should take you to each of them. Hope you enjoy.

Isaac in Moz Photos

Isaac in Moz Video

Kruger National Park

My first visitors

Visiting in the Community

Children of Mozambique Video

Don't stop me now

What a week/weekend.

The embassy on St. Patrick’s Day was a lot of fun - there are a few Irish people here you will be glad to know. I am not the only one. The rugby on Saturday - WHAT A GAME! For those of you who like me didn't see it and maybe haven't heard. IRELAND WON THE 6 NATIONS. Not only did they do that but they also got the Grand Slam - a feat which hasn't been achieved in the last 61 years. OK so I am feeling very patriotic tonight.

The First Lady's visit by all accounts (for those who saw her) went well. I think I saw the top of her head and then went back to bed as I wasn't feeling that well.

Speak to those who did the catering: 40 extra guests, not enough plates, knives or forks. The Tias and one of the long termers cooked the day before only to discover that morning the Prima Dama (First Lady in Portuguese) was bringing her own food! It's OK breathe. Her food showed up late so she had to eat our food anyway. (The Lord is gracious and compassionate........)

So - Friday night saw me somewhere I never thought I would be. At an "Anne of Green Gables" party. Yes there were pretty dresses and bonnets and there are even pictures but not of me in any of this silly get up. Some of the girls did go to town. We were throwing a surprise birthday party for one of the other girls. Well there were a few too many bonnets for my liking. Anyway I survived and have not been turned into a girly girl yet. Try and pray as hard as you might I don't ever see it happening!!

And so to today. My bible school class on Leadership.

Someone remind me when I have a good idea to try a new teaching method here NOT to do it. My class is 1 hour 30 mins. Today I thought it would be "fun" to do a quiz on the gifts leaders have. I thought what better material to use than John Maxwell’s leadship teaching.

First mistake - they don't get senario or logic type questions.
Second mistake - anything other than a yes or no answer - forget it especially when it requires them to kind of agree, disagree or not have an opinion.
Third mistake- doing something never tried before.

25 minutes into the class and we were still on question 1, debating how to write down the answer they needed and if they needed to write down the question. Working out what the phrase "behind the scenes" meant. I could see there was no way we were going to get thought all 72 questions. I shall write to John Maxwell and ask for an African version of the questionnaire.

Oh the joys of teaching - when all else fails start drawing on the blackboard and illustrating points with stick men. Works a treat here.

Updates on the boys

For those who have been asking I tought I would give an update of Latifo and Ni-ke the baby from the Bocaria.

Latifo came home on Thursday and is now in the nursery where we can monitor his eating and health. Today he is doing really well. Laughing, smiling, and happy to be left. Previously he had cried each time he was put down. It's good to have him back on the centre. What the future holds only time will tell. He has put on weight which is excellent. Do continue to pray for him.

Ni-ke (Nicky) the baby from the Bocaria sadly died last Tuesday. We visited with the mother yesterday who was remarkably good. He was the 3rd baby she had who died. Death is so much a part of life here that I don't think they realise what it is that has happened. A mother back home having lost 3 infants would certainly not be as strong as the mother I saw yesterday, a week after her child died.

What a wonderful world?

Not tonight…….obviously Louis Armstrong was not in Mozambique when he sang that. After these last 36 hours somehow tonight I feel a little battered by it all. Tonight I know of 2 kids who are in the hospital fighting for their lives.

Firstly Latifou. He was doing ok, eating, smiling and a joy to hold and show love to. On Saturday he started to get a little sick and got worse on Saturday evening. Yesterday morning we knew there was no time to wait to take him to the hospital because of the V and D he has been having. So he is now in hospital on the malnutrition ward. He is on a drip and we thought would probably be in hospital 3 weeks minimum. As of tonight the news is not good. The diarrhoea has not stopped and he was weighing 4.5 kgs yesterday. Seeing him deteriorate quickly has been quite hard. What we not know is that he has end stage AIDS.I just pray that he doesn’t have to suffer long with this, he is too light at the minute to get ARV’s and maybe it’s too late for him to start.

Then today - today was Bocaria.

We went down with the team who are here just now. At the moment the number of kids we get is very sporadic, and today was one of those days where we only had 8 kids. Rather than do children’s church today I felt it was right to go and walk through the community to try and connect with the kids there, see what time would suit better to have church for them and also to pray for any sick children we met. As we were leaving the church to start walking a father came up to us and said, “Please will you come and pray for my sick child?”

We set off to the house and it wasn’t long before we got there. Stepping through the gate it was all too familiar for me. This was the house I had been to before to pray with this same family when their daughter went missing. How could they be facing something traumatic again?

Walking into the house and seeing the kid lying on the floor was something I had not prepared myself for. He was hardly breathing, his eyes were rolled back in his head and the whites of his eyes were yellow. His breathing had a death rattle like I have not heard in a long time. This family had already lost a baby 2 years ago - to be standing here with the same prospect facing them was really more than I knew how to process. This bit of it really is NOT a wonderful world.

It was really guidance today not to do our usual program, this child needed treatment and to go to hospital immediately. Thankfully with the help of the medical team here and Tracey who has a connection with the family we were able to get the ambulance down to the dump and take him and the parents to the hospital. Tonight, he has been admitted and is on oxygen, but the Doctors don’t really know what they are treating.

The hospital here is mad, there are no GP’s here so the hospital is the place to bring sick kids. There are normally 2 to a bed and no food is provided for them. The care giver must provide it all.

So after today, I know that there are days where this is a wonderful world, but not this evening. Tonight I just have a lot of thoughts about the two very fragile little lives in the hospital, and am praying they are stronger in the morning or taken tonight so they don’t have to suffer.

Come on Over, Come on In, pull up a seat and take a load of your feet

Being invited out into the community to a Mozambican’s house to really experience the culture felt like an opportunity not to miss. What a day.

I went with Tracey and her dorm to visit. What a blast. We were picked up and taken in the back of a small flat bed truck over sand roads, good job I am well padded. This was a real treat for the kids. I also think it was a real treat for the people in the community to see two white girls travel in the back of the truck and being thrown around.

We drove up hills, through “streets” marked by bushes and I know my sense of direction is normally good but today I wouldn’t have a clue. Sand, green bushes and grey block houses…..

So we get there. I am expecting to hang out for a couple of hours and then come home – but no. This was a massive party for us. A festa! The neighbours were there, and friends and some other kids from the centre who go there at weekends, the father in law – you name it… and of course what do the white gals do but turn up without skirts! No one said anything, so we think we got away with it.

Well what an afternoon. The house is still being built, so has two rooms, kitchen and an outside toilet – probably a long drop – for once I didn’t inspect them and am thankful I didn’t need to go as I am not really built to squat.

The interesting thing for me, is the fact that there is a massive speaker there something I would love to have!

I took great comfort in the fact that the kids bedroom was probably as messy as mine was when growing up. I love the fact that whatever the culture, as a teenager – a messy bedroom is ok.

The house has electricity and running water so that’s quite advanced. The kids played all afternoon, and used the parts of the house still being built as walls to jump off and leap over. There was great excitement when a hen ran through the garden – maybe that was me rather than the kids. It was great for them to experience what life is like living in family and community and for them to see where the Tia who works for them lives.

So the women must have been cooking most of the morning. We ate a royal feast. The kids had chicken, chips, rice and beans and what I thought at one point was Gabritto (Goat), we later discovered it was Bull.

We were then served. Now my fear is having to eat something I really just can’t. I think that happened today. We were served similar to the kids, but then on our plate was another piece of meat. At first I thought it was a mushroom, which I would have eaten.

However, what was on my plate, was a piece of the bull’s tongue! Very clearly defined! Darker underneath and red on top with taste buds still showing - it had curled up a little at the edged becuase it had obviously been boiled after it was cut straight from the bulls mouth.

I am sorry for those who think I have been culturally offensive, but sometimes you have to weigh up eating it then perhaps throwing up, or just politely passing. Marlita (the Tia) knows me so I felt it was ok not to eat it. The other thing I also didn’t quite manage to do was clean my chicken bones to the same standard as Mozambicans do. That really is a sight to behold.

So a lovely afternoon. A new cultural experience for me and something I am really glad I have done.

A crazy week

This week has had its joys, sadness, frustrations, challenges, moments of grossness, and interesting invitations.

On Monday we took in a new boy. Latifou. He is 2 and a half and weighs 5.3kg, I don’t think I have ever seen a more malnourished 2 and a half. He is lovely. Do pray that he settles into an eating pattern and gains weight. Please see the photo.

As one life arrives on the centre here - to try and give a future too, another life is lost somewhere else in the world. Child death I will never understand. We have found out this week also one more of the kids here is HIV positive.

This week I have seen kids entertain themselves by using a piece of cardboard as a sledge and sliding down the concrete bank, a plastic bag and string as a kite and just be really thrilled to see it float in the air. Driving in the city I have seen a Porsche (granted the plates were from South Africa), but I have also seen a convertible in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the city.

For a moment or two on Fri eve I could have been anywhere in the world. A group of us had gone out for a leaving meal for one of the girls here. We went to a Thai restaurant which was lovely. Then driving back in the car we were singing along to Elton John – it just felt like I free and it was a normal thing to do in Africa. For a few moments last night it was the best feeling in the world. I miss listening to music while driving.

The other really strange thing about Friday was going into a bookstore to find that they stock Sound on Sound!. It’s the magazine for sound engineers that over the years I have had many subscriptions too. I couldn’t get over that in Mozambique – one of the countries among the 10 poorest in the world had this on its shelves.

I have been invited to the Irish Embassy to celebrate St. Patricks day on Tues… what is a girl to do but go, its tough living in high society!. What really is interesting is that I was in a shop last week and a lady came up to me and said – “What part of Ireland are you from?” My first thought – Is it that obvious, then I remembered that I was wearing my Ulster rugby shirt which had Bank of Ireland printed large over the front of it. Kinda gives it away! She was from Galway and has been living here for years – so it would appear there is a real nice community of Irish people here.

My other invite was to go out this afternoon to visit one of the worker’s houses’ in the community. When you have nothing else in your diary on a Saturday afternoon it feels like a nice thing to do. I will write a separate blog about it.

Warning – gross part coming up – DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE A SENSITIVE STOMACH

Tonight I get to the baby house to be told that they had pulled a worm out of Adilson’s head. Now the nurse went to look at it – it wasn’t a worm so much as it was a maggot, which had somehow got into his head and they found this morning, so the nurse this morning thought she would leave it for Erin tonight. So she kindly brought the maggot in for us to see. THE THING WAS STILL ALIVE AND MOVING. I was almost sick knowing that it had been in his head moving around.

When life seems a little hard to understand

Today Lucia is like a new girl! It’s amazing. She is full of life and trying to walk with her hands and feet on the ground and bum straight in the air, a very cute sight!

Today has been yet another one of those interesting days in Mozambique.
Bible school was great, I do love teaching on Leadership.

I have not been feeling too great for a few days and so as a precaution I went to get a Malaria test (it’s ok Mum its negative). On my way there the baby house kids had just come out of Pre-school and ran up to me to show me the work they had done. They were so proud of the small amount of crayon they had put to the paper, and inside me there was that proud parental moment of seeing their work. I know only lasts the first few seconds and then the work gets tossed into the fire to keep the house heated – no wait maybe that was just me, and all my friends had theirs displayed on the walls for years after. Mum – Dad – we should talk! – Following comment from mum and dad! [a total slander!! We never burned your work, it WAS displayed and there is still some of it in my filing cabinet! We could afford coal in those days!]

The part of my day which I am still trying to process follows. I was waiting for my test results at the clinic here when a mother arrived with her baby in a capalana. I did think it was a little strange to have a community baby at that time of the day. At first I thought it was one of the kids from our centre with a Tia. The child obviously had severe learning and developmental problems, anyway, I sat for a moment, smiling at the mother, exchanging a few pleasantries, got my test results and left. Later tonight I discovered that the mother who I had chatted to was not there to take the child to see a doctor but had in fact abandoned her at the clinic not long after I saw her.

Part of me feels sick, angry, numb at this thought. Could I have seen this coming, could I have done something? Could other people not have stopped her, chased her, done something? What must the mother have been feeling to have to do this. The girl must be about 6 years old, she is blind and severely mentally disabled, but can crawl and if you put food in her hand she will put it to her mouth. We are going to try and search for the mother over the next few days, please pray that we get some light on this and that we find the best care for this child.