Essential Survival in Mozambique

Today was like a mini Christmas for me as a received two presents from a friend here. I would also like to add to very essential presents which will ensure my survival here in Mozambique.

Firstly for those of you who are still getting to know me here’s another thing you need to know– I don’t do so well without coffee esp in the morning! I packed my small cafetiere to bring out with me. Sadly when I opened my rucksack I was met with the sound of shattered glass. I can hear the cry “Well just buy another one”. That isn’t as simple here, when you do find one which I did, the price tag was 1,500mts. Now the exchange rate isn’t good at the moment I think it’s about 40mt = £1. So you can do the math. Tempting and all as it was I couldn’t justify that so had to face reality that I would be surviving withdrawal and grabbing a cup at anyone else’s house when I could.
I had been plotting how I could get one sent out with any visitors or long termer this side of Christmas.
However a miracle happened! Look what I got. Isn't it a thing of beauty!



A friend found it in a shop for 200 mets which I was more than willing to part with. Horray…… I am sooooooooo happy and for those who have been supporting me in the plight of the shattered cafetiere can now breathe for what was broken has now been replaced.

My second essential survival present is below.


What is it: It’s a mosquito zapping racket. It electrocutes the mosquitoes. This is so much fun. I have killed 3 so far, but my pesky little friends have been biting the ankles and legs off me. So now its time for revenge and I am going to enjoy it. You see a mosquito, hit it with the racket and you can hear it fry and smell it burn. Upon killing on it also gives off a very satisfying blue flash as the mossy dies. I am sure Mosquitoes are not protected under cruelty to animals so war has begun. This new weapon will surely help me win.

Oh Smokin'

Well for those of you who have been following this will know it’s been a few days since I wrote, so sorry.

So here is a brief glimpse of the last few days.

Monday:
The main event was the Bocaria. I love this hour each Monday with the kids and yet somehow it’s quite a hard hour (for the English – there’s another hard phrase to say with a Northern Irish accent!).

I was not relishing the thought of going and the only reason for that was the heat. You can be pretty sure that if the centre is hot then the dump will be much hotter. However this Monday did have a bit of a breeze which was very welcome. What I wasn’t expecting was the thick smoke coming off the dump. I came home and had a shower and was convinced that one of the kids was having a crafty cigarette outside my window but the smell was actually my smokey clothes in the other room.

I know some people really struggle with going to the Bocaria and I can understand that. This really isn’t a place for those with delicate stomachs with the smells, smoke and also the sight of tonnes of rotting rubbish and people working on it trying to make a living. It really can be overwhelming.

I sat beside a 5yr old boy who was looking after his baby brother. He was trying unsuccessfully to get him to sleep, so the kid looked to me and offered the baby to me as if to say I don’t know what else to do, please will you. So I took the baby to get it to sleep and more importantly so that the kid could have a chance at being a kid and not have to get his baby brother to sleep. So off he went to sit with the older guys who were listening and chatting away and just being boys. The ash was thick on the kids today.

In my world life is too short to find and wear matching socks, odd socks are the way to go. Why waste time when you know that the machine has probably eaten one – so grab 2 socks and away you go. At least 5 mins saved. Today I came across a new sight. Odd shoes! An older guy in church was wearing odd shoes. Now I am not ready to run with this idea just yet.

I know I am kind of making light of this but the harsh truth is this guy had been coming to church for a long time and he has an alcohol problem. Two weeks ago Samaritans Feet were here giving out new shoes to people from the dump and this guy was given a new pair of Nike Air trainers. Today he is wearing two different shoes because I reckon he has sold and most likely undersold them to get money for booze. There is no program here to help people with a drink problem and beer is so cheap in fact I wouldn’t be surprised if water cost more.

Monday evening: Had a cockroach crawl across me…. … EUCK!!! I hate the bugs in Africa, please see below for a little friend I have in my room at the moment. Sweet.

Tues: Editing CD. I am hopeful it might even sound ok. Oh and a 30th Bday Bar B Que. Yumm…….

So on to today. At 2.30 our time it was 100F in the shade! Madness…Well what else do you do when it's that temp but head to the pool. Oh yes, we took kids from the Baby House who had not really been this summer before. Seeing my wee friend Yuran in the water was lovely, he is quite cautious of it so taking him in my arms and wading into the water was very special as he clung on for life.

Today I discovered I have another use. I make a good buoyancy aid for small kids! With 3 or 4 on my back at one stage they laughed, screamed and shouted their way round the pool. I loved it. The other funny thing of course is to hold my head underwater, I on the other hand wasn’t so much seeing the funny side as I started to turn blue! (so slight exaggeration or I wouldn’t be sitting here writing now).

Beautiful Day

To all of those who are reading in the freezing climate of the UK sorry you may want to stop reading now.

Today has been hot hot hot! Today has also been the first day since leaving the UK that I have listened to my own music. The first song to come on was Beautiful Day by U2 and I couldn’t have picked a better song.

Well church was long and loud, I think in Mozambique loudness is next to Godliness!
So was desperate for some me time, had been sweating over the sound desk for too long this morning, and somehow the equipment isn’t working. Sigh! (Oh and it was nothing to do with me sweating on it I may add!!!)

I thought I would get some domestic chores done – sorry to all of you who don’t like the fact that I had to do washing on the Sabbath but really it was a necessity and also the machine WAS working. So two loads later I headed out to the kids.

The baby house has just made it to the play ground. Yeah, sitting in the sand with the sun blazing down - just bliss. Some of the kids were having a treat and got to play in the paddling pool, so I thought I would go see how it was going.

Today I had intended to get my washing done, but what I hadn’t intended was to wash the clothes while wearing them.

The kids thought it would be great to have a water fight. Well for those of you who know me, know I am really not one for a water fight and do my very best NOT to start one or get everyone around me soaked. Well I did all I could. But, somehow and I really don't know how, I got totally soaked!! Mama Chris, Mama Chris Agua!!!!! The laughs and screams of all the kids in the pool, it just seemed unfair not to join in.

It really has been a Beautiful Day.

Nao, Obrigada!

It doesn’t matter how many times you say it, the street sellers they still don’t take No for an answer. Today I could have bought: a pair of jeans, some cashew nuts, a delightful musical keyboard, perfume, belts, sunglasses, socket adapters and a windscreen wiper (cause I have so much use for that). This is the joy of shopping in the city. I went in today to get off base for a bit and see more of Maputo. I still can’t believe that as I am driven along the coastline it’s the Indian Ocean I am looking at with Palm Trees.

I went today with a friend and we took 2 of the boys from her house. It’s amazing to be out with 2 boys who don’t complain that all we were doing was shopping. They are just happy to be out seeing the city. Today felt like a day shopping with a friend in London for church events. We started at the cash and carry which was an experience, then headed to the Maputo Mall which is a very western place. Then back to Shoprite. Of course there was lunch in between. Hummmm a burger and chips! The simple things make a girl very happy.

There was also a Graduation from the University so lots of people walking around in gowns and mortar boards and today was extremely hot.

Just in case you have forgotten what I look like as it is 1.5 weeks since I left here is a photo. This is one of the girls from my friend's House. She has been on the centre a few months. Oh and of course a Pato (Duck).

All you need is Sound.

Tonight I feel so alive. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would get to mix live sound in Africa let alone for a session like tonight. I honestly think there was dusk falling from the speakers. It was kinda loud. This is all in the hope that from this we will have enough stuff for the CD. It will be raw but it will be the real heart of Zimpeto on a Thursday night. Having dreaded opening the studio door this morning for what I thought would be another day of frustration I am going to bed now with a sense of excitement and wonder as to how much fun the editing will be.

So on this note of joy I thought I would share another very special story. If you can be bothered, scroll down and read the entry on Dino from the 15th Feb. I have been waiting to see how he is doing 9 months after I left. Iris here has a great number of stories of kids who have come in severely malnourished and are now blooming. Well as it turns out it’s the same story of hope for Dino.

This pic is when he arrived aged 17 months.

The below was taken this week. Dino is just thriving.

Election Day

So today is Election Day. Not nearly as big as an event as the US 2 weeks ago but still a public holiday none the less. Like all public holidays in the UK the bar out side the compound was rammed with people well men to be exact. No I wasn’t joining them (nor was I even tempted!) but merely out buying credit for my phone.

The hairdresser was open which for a holiday seems strange but after all this is Mozambique and there are no rules. Women sitting under those massive blow dryers in the heat I felt ready to pass out just thinking about their core temperature.

So off I toddle to the studio for my days editing and mixing… when will I learn that this is Africa and never expect to get done what you want to do in a day. I get there and the boys have borrowed half the computer over night. I am left with the main computer but no power cables and only a keyboard…. Deep sigh and a looming deadline. Hunting them down was impossible.

It seems I never learn and I like to give myself a challenge. I trained as a sound engineer in a time when it really wasn’t “appropriate” for women to be in the sound industry I do think in the last 10 years that has changed slightly. (Hence the soundgirl name – I got fed up with all the lads talking about soundmen in my presence). Anyway it seems that there is a similar way of thinking about women in Mozambique, so I am going to have to gently convince the lads that this sound girl does actually know what she is doing…well within reason. Hopefully tomorrow evening at church we can get things in place.

So that left me with a day which I had to fill. Not too hard really head to the baby house and nursery for feeding time. I really need the washing machine working again as this feeding thing is NO joke. Today I am on my 3 t-shirt. 2 of the kids refuse to eat and so spit it back at you. Well there is more of their food on me than went into the stomachs. At one point it took 3 adults to feed one baby. I was exhausted.

For those of you who know about my nappy changing “skills” you will be glad to know that I have successfully completed my first nappy change this morning. I am glad to report baby, I and surrounding furniture have survived.

I seem to have reached new levels with my language today. I confidently walked up to one of the boys and spoke to him in Portuguese only to have him answer me back in English! This type of game I don’t get. It felt a little like being in Paris when the French waiters reply in the opposite language to the one you have made the effort to speak to them in. It is weird to have the babies I fed on my first visit now talking to me and say Bye Bye as I leave. Bless them is all that can be said.

Well tonight for the first time I got to see the stars. No rain tonight and a lovely African star filled sky. So I am off to bed hoping to be sleeping alone tonight and no little creatures in the mossy net with me.

Friends Old and New

It’s amazing in less than a week I have lots of new friends. I can’t quite believe it. They love to come and see me at night and after a while they like to come and sit on me and try and suck the blood from me. Yes you have guessed it Mosquitoes. I have a few bites and am trying desperately not to scratch and yes mum I am remembering to take my tablets every day. But they are relentless. The slightest opportunity and they are there. Though it nice to feel loved by such “special” little bugs!.

The new nursery opened on Monday the official grand opening is Friday. It’s a lovely room where we can house up to 8 babies up to 6 months old. It could be a very busy room. We have moved two from the Baby House into the nursery at the moment with the expectation once word is out it will fill up very quickly.

Was back the garbage dump today for Kids Church. It was so busy possibly because it is school holidays here or maybe because there were a team here last week giving away shoes and so those that didn’t come came in the hope there would be extra. What ever the reason it was brilliant. We are teaching the armour of God at the moment and seeing the kids stand up putting real armour on (ok so was its plastic) reminded me of walking across Clapham Common in the mornings taking my wee friend to school and us both putting our Armour on each morning. It’s great to see the same thing in Mozambique and London and yet made me realise I kinda miss the wee monkey back home.

Really what is with the thunderstorms here? It’s not funny anymore, I know that the last time I was here I conquered my fear a lot but tonight found me under my sheet again…. Ok one day I will stay up through it all.
Well the audio is getting edited. The brain cells are really being used at the moment it’s been a while since I have used Protools. My Portuguese is now almost fluent and so it now lets me talk to 2-3 yr olds. I am thinking what more will I need to know. This level of conversation seems ok with me. Will maybe still try and increase my vocab in case I need to talk to the police down the road.

Sunbathing Swiming and Sand.

Finally a day with Sun….. I was beginning to think I was still in the UK with all the rain of the last few days.

So my first Saturday here. Well how else do you spend it but sunbathing and swimming and yes I swam (sorry to any of you who are not traumatised by the thought of me in a swim suit…get over it). Today I have gone further north into Mozambique than I have ever been before, granted only 15mins drive more but still. The reason for this was a Bridal Shower at a private resort. One of the Long Termers is getting wed to a Mozambican so all very exciting.

As I write I have a few patches on my legs where I seems to have missed the sunscreen and yes I did apply more than once to all you out there who know how brown I get.

It was just bliss to stop and lay by a pool and take in the fact that I am in Mozambique.

Last night saw the worst electrical storms I have ever watched flash though the sky, and driving home from dinner it really was a drive of faith. Whatever you do don’t rely on the car in front to guide you they don’t have a clue what they are doing any more than we did.

Back on base today and out playing with the some of the kids in the sand. What a blast. The stories of some of these kids is heartbreaking and yet so full of hope knowing that they are here on the centre where love and help can and will be given.

Dino who I have previously written about on my last trip is one such example. I spent a day with him on the Malnutrition ward in the Central Hospital. That day nearly killed me emotionally. However it was all worth it when you see him today. A thriving vibrant 2 year old boy who is alive because people cared for him. I hope to post photos later.

So now… no rain today lots of laughing and the joy of editing sound. What more could a girl want. Maybe a good nights sleep.

Happy as a kid at Christmas

So after a long and reasonably uneventful journey (nearly leaving my passport at securtity in Heathrow, a delay of 3.5 hours in Kenyatta Airport…. So the place you want that to happen, £40 for excess baggage, 4 movies under my belt and landing in rain). I arrived in Mozambique. A guy at the carousel when he saw my luggage asked me if I was coming home after being away which I found myself kinda thinking yes was the answer. Whether that is the same answer after a few weeks only time will tell.


It was lovely to be picked up at the airport. What I mean is it was nice to see familiar faces rather than the men hitting on me. Now whether it’s an educated guess (as I am a white westerner) but they said you come to work at Zimpeto you know Mama Heidi! Mama Heidi is Muito bom. I found it slightly strange that they could see what I was coming to do.

Anyways, after a quick Shoprite trip and a drive round the city I was back on base. Stepping out of the car the first kid I saw was Pai. He looked at me and said you kept your promise. The promise being I would be back in a year and there I was. A number of the other kids remember me. Quite frankly who could forget but it’s nice to be back with them.

Tonight I feel like a kid at Christmas. The centre director sat me down and said Chris here is my vision and what I want you to concentrate on for the next 3 weeks. I want you to record and produce a CD!!!!!! And then maybe get another on out before Christmas. How amazing is that. I can’t believe it.

Its been a while since I have done studio work but the guys who left for America have brought back about 10,000 dollars worth of gear with them. It’s just amazing that they have their own studio here….

So that’s what I am going to be working hard on for the next 3 weeks I can’t believe I have had to come to Africa to get to do something like this. Granted I have not seen the studio yet but I am so up for the challenge and a small hot sweaty room….. Woah Who!!!
It feels like a real gift from God to be given something so exciting to ease me into life here.

Anyway, for those of you who like to know about the weather. It’s very humid and its rainy season.

One of the areas they want me to work in is the nursery which is a real chore….the nursery is going to house 0-6mth olds…. It just seems like a real hard area to be working in, babies, poo….crying….. cuddling…loving…caring….snot.. dribbling..cooing….I don’t know how I will do it.!!!!! Good job the Lord gave me Oscar J to prepare me.

After last night I am also thinking of starting a cockroach count. Killed 3 in my first night. Not bad. Now to the very loud frogs outside my door. Any suggestions much appreciated.

Fri 22nd Feb. Milk Cookies and Popcorn.

No Bocaria today as I was the only one signed up really but more importantly Tracey had to go to the hospital in the hope that she today would speak to the Doctor. The Doctor didn’t have time yesterday. They are hoping to take the girl on Monday. So if she comes and Tino gets home next week it’s going to be a very busy week/month.

That left me with an unexpected free morning. I started a water fight with Tracey’s dorm. How much fun was that? It has been so nice going out to the park and 8 voices in unison short Mama Chris. It took them a few days to get their tongues around the difference between saying Mama Tracey and Mama Chris and quite often I think have been called Tracey. They are such a merry bunch and a joy to be around. Last night Vella left with her dorm and seeing Paulito growing and leaving with them was amazing.

Then a little but of time in the Baby House and a nap before Shoprite. I only really wanted to use the internet but no! Tracey came and brought Filishmina and Sina. It was such a riot. Sina sitting in the front row and me in the back making faces at each other. We laughed so much. Bought bananas for the baby house as they only get fruit once a week at the start of the weeks so fruit this late in the week much appreciated. I also got some candy for Tracey and Vela’s dorms.

I thought I would treat myself to some chicken and chips from the chicken palace. Well as a warning to others please don’t go there, not so good!

Joined the kids for dinner tonight. It was fish – head and eyes still all there. I really don’t think I have been as happy to receive help with this meal. The kids were eating it all including the bones!

The plan for tonight is to give the girls cookies along with milk. So Nancy has been away for two months and in that time I found it so hard to get my head around. Milk only happens once a week because it is so expensive. The reception Nancy received was incredible when they saw her arrive with milk.

So tonight was a treat, milk cookies and popcorn. They loved it. Watching Paulito’s drink his was almost heartbreaking. He had obviously really missed getting it and also he knew that the cup was not finished. I think they really touched Nancy. Tonight she told me about one of the girls who had stopped eating because they were teasing her she was fat. You think it’s a western thing but definitely not. Being with the girls has just been amazing.

Thurs 21st Feb. Seeing Tino for the last time.

More bombs in distance feels a little heard to get used to. Gill left this morning. It seemed weird saying bye to her. We gave got on very well and have really enjoyed this humour we share.

This morning I took Domingoes from Laura’s dorm for a walk. He is blind and lacks a lot in education. Most of his day is spent waiting and sitting and not much else. So I got his Sapatos on him and took him to the playground. He is lovely. Laura told me about him on Monday. He actually has no eyes. They actually think some removed them rather than being born without them and so is obviously just a burden to people. We sat for ages on the swing together, he just kept hugging me. It was so nice. Then over to the baby house. Was pleasantly surprised to see Louisa there for a change. Got go give Irene her bottle. That took ages! I have also learnt how to tie capalanas round heads! I really think that to say I am a natural is pushing it way to far.

The Tia's were laughing at me. This is a really good team on at the moment. Vasco just is clinging to me the whole time and today I wonder if he actually is partially if not full deaf. I know Tracey has said he is sick a lot of the time and has lost a kilo in recent weeks and so there is a question over his HIV status and will probably get tested.

I rested over lunch time and felt the better for it. 3pm and I left for the hospital with Domingoes. Travelling in a Sharpa really is a step of faith. The seats I would not recommend getting (mind you if you get a seat you are doing well) 1) Directly behind the driver 2) Directly above the wheel! Heading down into Maputo I had full view of the dash. The speedometer didn’t even work! My mother would have been having kittens had she been there. So many minutes later and also prayers we arrive at the hospital. There were three kids to see, Alfredo, Dino and Tino. This would be the last time I would see Tino and unless by some miracle from God which is possible, the last time ever.

Dino looked a whole lot better today. His eyes are not as sunken and his diarrhoea is slowing down. The feeding tube is still in and will be for a while but I was amazed as to in just 24 hours how much better he looked. Domingoes was sweet with him. Holding Dino you feel if you put too much pressure on his ribs when you lift him he will break. The cry is still there but not to the same extent. Today he fell asleep in my arms. That just felt the most amazing thing. The babies have done it before but to have Dino felt quite an honour especially as he has not slept really since the centre for him. Leaving him was a little hard but yet there is so much hope surrounds him and the situation. I feel and also knowing the track record which Tracey and Zimpeto has re malnourished children and recovery I feel that when I am back Dino will be running around.

Headed down to see Alfredo. He has been moved the other way round in his bed. That is pretty amazing, also discovered he gets another visitor I think her name is Elise. She is Portuguese and working with a mission with sports and schools. It was a real pleasure t meet and talk with her but I some how don’t think Domingoes was happy. I did as him but I think he was putting a good face on things. What the future is for Alfredo only the Lord knows. Elise was going to talk to the hospital to see it they thought some medical thing could be done, will keep praying. Then onto see Tino.

On the positive he looked more peaceful than I have seen him for a while but the negative he is now deaf. His hearing has gone and the convulsions are not lessening. What or how do you begin to pray? I know he couldn’t hear me but I hoped he knew I was there. He is SO him. Walking away from the ward I did my best to hold it together, which was hard. I can’t wait to get home to realise how I feel about this with people I feel comfortable doing that with. It just seems too hard to understand and before I came away I knew I may not see him. He was the one I said to Jac, I hope I see all the kids but with Tino I just don’t know. I remember so strongly saying it. It was as if I knew or I was being prepared not to see him. Today he has a very high fever. But on his nappy it says God bless you. It's written all over it in very tiny writing.

Tracey has been a rock through this. Coming back we made it in time for church but some how celebration was not on my heart. I sat at the back of church and really struggled to hold it together with the emotion of the last few days. Church was hard for a number of reasons.

We were asked to pray for Rolland as he is meant to be coming for the international conference but isn’t well enough to be at Zimpeto.

After church was over tonight I went to Tracey’s house to pick up a few parcels and stayed for a cuppa tea …. An hour and a bit later I was leaving. Talking to Tracey is just lovely. She is such a nice women and so approachable. I feel having spoken to her these last few days about various things I would have such a better feeling about coming back. It really has been a blessing sharing these weeks with her. I do hope that her adoptions come through soon. So here I am at 10.30pm cooking my first proper meal of the day. Hamburgers – if its not donkey!

I also don’t think adopting Vasco and Lucy will be possible. They have a father! He has remarried but at the moment it living next to an open sewer and obviously Iris would not let kids go back to that. I am happy they are not total orphans and one day should go back into the family.

Tino today is really in a vegetative state and tomorrow it will have been a month since he went in first of all. He was out for a few nights before I went it but went back in on this Thursday when it was safer to travel. In a place where we have seen miracles and people raised from the dead it’s hard to understand why not Tino. Heidi will be here for the international conference. Tracey really wants her to pray for Tino not because she think he will be healed by Heidi does have a gifting there. I hope it’s a private thing.

Wed 20th Feb. Beatings, Bombs and Bread fights

Today I headed off to Kongo late again. Becky’s father and brother came. It was lovely being back. Some things have changed. The main being running water. The pump has gone. Seeing the pastor was nice.

Back in time for lunch and I had a chance to sit and chat to Gill then the booming started. The munitions dump bombs again. Gill and Anna seemed panicked but that honestly didn’t bother me. Some of them were controlled!

Had a chance to catch up with Nancy. That was so nice. It did feel a little weird being here without her. It feels more like home! Now that Nancy is back and there are bombs going off. Gill was ill again this afternoon.

Spent some time outside and at the baby house before street ministry. Jentrode was outside with her kite. Well it’s a black bag on some string but it works well. Vela has now got Paulito living in her dorm. I thought he had escaped from the baby house but its amazing seeing him move on. Vasco not in good form. I wish I knew what was wrong.

So street ministry…………………..

I feel emotionally wrecked after this and probably a little amount of fear for the first time. We got dropped in the ‘posh part’ of town and walked a minute and were standing on a mini bocaria in the middle of the city. Tonight I was wearing flip flops and walking over only God knows what. I had been to this site before but on the opposite side of the street praying outside the jail as the guys who lived on the rubbish has been arrested earlier in the day for making too much noise – but now we were back with them on the rubbish praising God!

One guy had a massive bandage on his shoulder to cover a wound he got when someone stabbed him last week. It is evident a lot of guys suffer from alcohol. I felt like a day tonight as one of them kissed me on the back of the hand! Of course he wanted one back so an air kiss had to do him I’m afraid. An older Christian woman came to join us. She lives in the house next door and so each week when the team arrive she shows up. In the back of my mind I’m also thinking does she comes for the free bead each week, even so if that is the case she has the courtesy to listen to them preach. Maybe the bread is the reason why each of the kids/men comes back week after week but my prayer is that one day they will fall on good soil.

The guys from Iris protected us quite a lot on this site so I don’t know if something happened and they have been told to look out for us. The other thing I discovered later is most of the guys are packing a gun!
The bus came back for us and took us to another location, this one seemed to be a busy road and at what looked like an unused bus stop beside a church were some guys and a girl sitting on the bench waiting for the bus to arrive. I preached for a bit then the guys took over. As we spoke the crowd grew bigger. Mostly older men. Then the time for the bread to be given out and among some of the older guys they started to fight with Dinis and Ernesto who were giving out the bread. No matter how many times you see people fighting for bread is very hard to watch. As this was going on the police were gathering being with one of the guys was quite drunk and started to provoke the police. First he ran away and one of the police went to get a baton so when he came back and gave them more agro the police started to chase him and beat the life out of him. The police are carrying guns and for the first time I felt fear. These guys are waving the guns around like they are scarves and also standing very close to me. I felt so unsafe.

Watching real life Maputo is not at all easy. We waited for the bus for hours. Well at that point it seemed like it, but it gave me a chance to talk to the guy who translated for me. He used to live at the dump for two years and then the streets for three before one night Heidi found him and brought him back.
The testimony to what one woman has done in so many lives is amazing. Seeing the police chase this guy really has freaked me and also the bread fights. This trip to Moz is not at all what I fought and that is a good day. Each day brings new experiences and adventures.

Tues 19th Feb. Malnutrition & Answered Prayers

What a day – so hard but so beautiful. The plan for today was to spend a reasonably relaxed day, hangout with Tracey – going to see Tino, a bite of lunch, spot of shopping, then home. What today kinda felt like but in a good way was work experience or shadowing. The following is a day in the life of Tracey. Not typical I am sure but none the less.

It started quite easily for her. A shift change meeting for the Tia’s. Then the realisation that with two kids in the hospital someone needed to do a shift change with them – that took a little working out. In fact the truth is Iris has three kids in the hospital. Two in the children’s ward and a third 11 year old, who they have put on the men’s ward, He has no one with him at all. He is HIV positive, so all three kids who are in hospital are HIV positive.

Eventually we get to leave. The plan is to go to Shoprite, go see Tino and Dino – grab some lunch, do a little more shopping, and go to the bible store. We hit Shoprite for a long shop. The biggest and most urgent thing on the list was fraldas – nappies. With two kids in hospital with diarrhoea these are quite urgent.

As this is Africa/Mozambique things change the whole time. On our way to Shoprite, Tracey’s phone rang to say that the doctor was waiting for her and she had to come urgently to the Malnutrition ward. So we abandoned shopping and headed straight to the hospital. I wasn’t sure if I could get to the ward but Tracey got us both in. So at least I had seen Dino at the centre and knew the shape he was in. Tracey had not seen him until now. Dino was in hospital before and now weighs 5 kgs. He lost about 3 kgs while he was in the hospital. That apparently is common, kids go into this malnutrition ward and loose lots of weight– go figure that!

Dino has not kept any food down for a few weeks. He cries constantly with hunger. That is very hard to listen to. Bu if they give him what he wants too much uncontrolled food will make him sicker. The doctor was there for a bit but didn’t really say anything to Tracey except we have done an Aids test and its positive. Then she disappeared for ages but told us to wait, so wait he did! A lot.

From my observation of other Doctors and his training he seemed to do a through job. The children on this ward were so malnourished. It’s hard to understand how parents let their kids get to this state. Tracey says it happens all the time. I don’t know if there is any sort of education classes on how to spot malnutrition. This ward for me has been a heart breaking, eye opening insight to Mozambique. Tracey just held Dino. The one encouraging thing about him is his will. He is strong enough to push her away and stretch his arms out for food. Tracey reckons it’s his will which is keeping him alive; he would be dead by now if not. We reckon his story goes something like this.

He has been a healthy baby and then starts to get sick (his HIV kicks in); mother eventually takes him to the hospital. They do an Aids test which comes back positive so the mother freaks and just leaves the baby and never comes back. In my mind my heart thinks who is with the mother. How desperate is she that her only answer is to leave her son.

So after about an eternity the Doctor comes back. Now it must take ages here to become qualified so this Doctor looks so old. Tracey speaks to her and she then escorts Tracey to another room. The thing I forgot to mention. Tracey spoke to a man for a little bit. White, looked a little but like Father Christmas. She said, I’ll tell you later about him so I will come back to that.

Anyway Tracey finally emerges and says too me, come here and see. There are two more children they want us to take! So a fury of phone calls to the center to try and get Liz who deals with the new intakes and integrates and home visits and a conversation or two with more Doctors, she takes me to another room where there is a boy and a girl.

Maria, she was brought in and couldn’t walk and was so malnourished. Now she is feeding herself and walking and if they get the go ahead could take her home soon. There is a father somewhere but her not seen her for ages. Preferably Irish would like to find the father, talk to him before they take her in or see if there is a way they could help the father look after her through the programme.

The other boy we don’t know if he can see and is in a very bad state. He will be in for a long time; Iris has no issue and has a good track record at looking after malnourished children. Sina, Joao and Yuran, the twins now also.

The hospital is very keen that Iris takes these kids as they don’t want them going to Padre Andre’s orphanage.

To my astonishment the man Tracey was talking to is Padre Andre. Yuran came from his orphanage and the time I was there the Australians went to see it and came back wrecked. So this orphanage is not good news. He is paying a woman to look after these two kids and I think as I said to Tracey he was touting for trade. Like an ambulance chaser almost. I felt quite sick at the thought of this.

The hospital also now refuses to give him any kids anymore because they know what his place are life. It was amazing to be there and see what and be part of all this happening. All my frustration at waiting for this doctor to come back soon past when I realise Tracey was being asked to take two more kids.

So Tracey rang Liz and talked to her. Liz was over the moon. We discovered that Liz and Ros have been trying for months to make contact with that doctor. Tracey has written to her but no response and now three mins with Tracey a door they have been praying for, for months is beginning to open and I get to see it! How cool!

Talking later to Tracey I discover that she and Ros have been praying for a door to open into the hospitals and the last few months a glint of light has begun to show but only last night as she was praying about her involvement with the baby house and with hospitals and the next phrase, and today it would appear a significant step forward has been made. It’s amazing to see prayers answered and in front of you. She had to go back in Thursday to have a proper chat with the doctor.

We went to Mimos for lunch and had an excellent chat and really good time together. She truly is an amazing person.

Sadly the bible shop did not have the ones I wanted; hopefully Tracey will get me one and send it back via someone.

We talked about the car accident she was in. The driver was going to fast and the breaks were not working correctly and when you see the truck it’s a miracle no one died. Chatting life in Moz through with Tracey has been so helpful. We went back to the new hypermarket. Seeing Tetley tea in Moz does not seem right. The western influence in this shop is madness. But something’s are cheaper here so that’s why we came.

Headed back to hospital with all the things we needed and also food for the Tia’s. I just love having time with Tracey and seeing her heart.

At the hospital Tracey’s phone rang to say that a woman had turned up at the centre looking to adopt a three year old, so things are never dull. They tried to feed Tino without the tube, but no way, he has lost the ability to swallow.

Tracey and I talked about Vasco – there is a large part of me wants to adopt him but know there is no way and also I could take Vasco without Lucy and I would be happy to do that, but there is just no way. So it was shoprite and then home.

I am wrecked but very excited for Tracey – gutted, well gutted is not right, but saddened by the malnutrition ward and seeing sights of malnourished kids – yet this is the Moz I asked to see and it has been a blessing yet so hard.

Sun 17th Feb. Bocaria Kids, Hospital and Dancing

Had the worse dream ever last night. Didn’t sleep well. So I got up early for bread. Bread and black tea was the breakfast option. The girls were tucking into it. Just dry bread.

Church was amazing. I sat with the baby house kids and Tracey’s dorm. I have danced and sweated so much this morning. Then the best part being brought up to be prayed for. It was so amazing. I felt because of building relationship's with some of the kids they wanted to pray for me because they know me. The sound in church was doing my head in and one the mic cables has a loose connection so I found it hard to stay seated and not walk over to help.

Church was eventually over and I am out of my skirt! Headed back to church where I knew the older ladies would be waiting and the kids from the Bocaria.

I sat with the kids while we waited for lunch and we played around and laughed with them. Then lunch time. I can honestly say I don’t think I have ever had better company for my Sunday dinner. It really was an honour to spend time and share food. Lunch was rise with some sort of pasta soup given to us on a plate. So for the first time I ate a little with my hands. Ok! This stuff is so hot my fingers are burning just lifting a little rice and pasta. This possible was the only substantial meal they will get all week and they are lifting this hot food like its nothing an enjoying every bite, I just could not sit and watch them without giving them mine. So as much as I could I divided it up among 12 very hungry mouths.


Kids from the Bocaria
Good Grub.

The oldest women are the last to be fed. I saw a lady walking up with the aid of a walking stick and she really needed it but once she was on her way back she had both hands on the plate and wasn’t able to walk. No one was helping her. I just couldn’t get over that so I don’t know if it was culturally insensitive but I got up and carried her soup. They looked at me like I was strange. Anyway having lunch with these guys was amazing.

So from that straight to hospital ministry. Travelling in a Sharpa is a very hairy experience. These trucks are meant to seat about 15 people, so 45 people later they think they are full! Standing in a sharpa is not as much fun as the back of a cameo truck. Seeing Domingoes again has been excellent. He is such a warm loving caring guy who wants to be a Dr. We chatted in the bus and he hasn’t seen his family in over 7-8 years. He prays for them but says he doesn’t know with the floats if they are still alive. This guy has faithfully visited and become family to Alfredo.

We started at the hospital. Domingoes had no money to buy bananas so it just seemed wrong to go to hospital without bananas, so the cost of bananas if so cheap.

First stop was Tino. Why? I can’t or maybe don’t know how to write how this has effected me and this is only one boy out of how many each day die from Aids.

We then went round the ward, what I can only assume was a respiration ward. I went to pray for a mother and her 2 month baby. This child was so malnourished. The skin was hanging off her bones. She really was just boned. I think she maybe had TB as well as she was coughing, it was only blood that was coming out. Her mother looked very ill also. Before I started to pray I noticed a witch doctor Charm around her wrists. I don’t think I have ever felt as angry.

Through Domingoes translating I preached to the mother that the witch doctors would not be able to save her child and prayer and belief in Jesus was the only true way. I then preached today to cut the charms off the kid. I was so angry and was binding and loosing this that and the other. The sad thing was that this was not the only child like this. Every room we went into had one or two children with witch doctors things on them. Between Domingoes and me we cleared everything and renounced what we could.

This felt like real warfare and pretty heave really stuff. I do wonder what if any of the stuff gets attacked to you, any way I covered myself also! This did feel heavy stuff. We headed on to see Alfredo on the burns unit. I had forgotten how awful the burns unit is. There was a baby there who had obviously fallen bum first onto a fire. This kid couldn’t even have a nappy. How he will ever walk again only God knows.

Alfredo’s head is so much bigger. Domingoes is so good with him. Alfredo is a lovely boy. Sadly Zimpeto don’t have the medical capacity to deal with him.

The offer of KFC was greatly received was very hungry as I didn’t manage to eat lunch and heat was sapping me.

On the bus ride back we pulled in somewhere and I was sitting at the window and a Mozambican said “Hey my friend wants to marry you”. So if nothing else ever comes up I know I have a man in Moz who wants to marry me!

I still can’t get used to women just breast feeding anywhere. Today in church and then on the Sharpa! Just seems too weird. Well I tried to go find some space this afternoon or early evening when we got back and so I got some photos of the wall which has been rebuilt and met a new kid who I gave a met too so he could buy some cabosa.

Evelyn then tracked me down to go and have a drink with Mateus, He has an amazing story. He is one of Heidi’s original boys and was there in the car the tine of the tree story. I want to get an email of his testimony. Meeting him has blown me away and helps restore your faith in humanity.

The girls are back from the conference. Gill has not been well at all.

Headed outside for a little but tonight and some people were under the tree worshipping. So Pai came over and we were talking about dancing in church in London. I said to him people don’t dance. I want everyone to see his face! It was so shocked – this led him to teach me to dance so I could teach the church how to dance – this was hilarious. Well Pai and me dancing. I LOVED IT.

It has to be said that today has been such a mix of emotion. But an amazing day.

Sat 16th. Market Shopping.

Had a good night’s sleep and this morning headed off souvenir shopping (again!) honestly? I think I just wanted out for lunch. Today on the trip Pai and Rosa came with us. Pia had got dressed up for the occasion. He had his Timberland boots on. So I planned to go and buy nothing! Have come back with a table 300mts, 2 pairs of trousers 250mts, a bag 300mts – that was a hard bargain and some cards, I think I paid too much but don’t care. I love the market. John also came with us. It seems odd seeing him without Andy. He has apparently gone back to some family members. Oh I also got a pair of very fake Havana’s for about 50mts - £1.

John

Pia.

Lunch was good. Travelling through this city I found myself wandering how much it would cost to buy a house here.

I sat beside Jennie on the way back and chatting to her is a lot of fun. Her heart is really to work in the communities and help them with medicine. She was telling me that in Moz most bodies are buried inside 24 hours. A rotting corpse in 45 degrees is not what any person wants around. Also meds are meant to be kept at 25 degrees – so working in communities without a fridge to store them in is very hard.

Over lunch Pai had a sip of one of the other guy’s milk shakes – you want to have seen his face! Them some ordered a second round of drinks and he ordered his own! Pia with his first ever chocolate milkshakes! Chatting to him today I discovered that actually his real name is ……..

So how he got Pia is anybody’s guess. I think he maybe picked it u on the street and it stuck.

Coming back I spent some time with Paulo in the girl’s room. He is growing well and it seems however he has no use of his left side. How this has happened is quite sad. The back to my favourite place of the baby house.

Dino has been taken into hospital. His vomiting and diarrhoea would not stop. Everything they put inside him came back out in someway. His eyes were more sunken into his head and they just don’t know what the main problem is.

Nemias was back! He had gone to his father over night. His father is Raphael, one of the Pastors here. His wife/girlfriend died in childbirth leaving him with Nemias. He was very sick as a baby and Raphael didn’t really know how to look after him so brought him to the center on the agreement that he would start to look after him when the time was right. Now seems to be that time but the pattern looks like Raphael takes him and passes him onto another family member and then he returns him the next day. They are bonding which is great but if he will ever be able to look after him is another question.

I went for a walk to fine some ‘space’ as I seem to have a shadow here, it’s hard to shake. On a compound of 350 kids, finding a quiet spot is not at all easy. But as it was Saturday I reckoned the school rooms were a safeish bet. So I sat journaling for a little bit but soon enough I had a new friend Mercia. She is 8 and came and sat with me and drew me pictures. She then drew a picture of her and her ‘brother’. In fact her sister Olga, the younger Olga. They are very sweet together. We had a lovely time together counting, drawing etc.

Mercia

A relative of Fransico and Lorenzo came today and from what we could make out wanted to take them back. At least they put their foot down and would not let take them.

So I wandered down to the girl’s dorm tonight. The TV is broken so no DVD or milk tonight. But was impressed that they were eating all together. Rose tells me that each Saturday night the girls cook and learn how to cooks and then eat together. She shows me how she kills a chicken and chops its head off. Something I have never done! And can honestly say I have no plans to in the near future.

She told me Ailsa was at the woman’s conference. Its moments like this I wish I had gone. I then took a walk to see what the boys were watching, basketball. Hummmmm

Sitting outside was one of the boys. Just sitting in the sand with crisp packets and an empty soap box. He called me over to help him. All this boy wanted was someone to sit in the dirt with him and fill a few plastic crisp packets or pieces of plastic with sand so he could them for what ever he wanted to build. 20 minutes I sat just doing this and being instructed by him, as to what would be good and what would not. He was so happy to have someone help him. How many kids at home would be happy to sit and lift handfuls of sand into empty walker’s bags!

This evening has been lovely, am finding not getting any space really hard and still feel quite numb from some of the emotions going on inside and tonight I do feel quite lonely which is quite strange. I keep looking around and thinking I want to lift so many of these kids and raise them as my own. Feels very weird.

John said today my Portuguese was very good! Compared to what I don’t know. But I felt pleased. Today has been amazing. To be able to spend time with two kids just giving them love and time has been incredible.