Room 3 had an absolute blast during the Afternoon Program last week, learning to spell their names with Playdough! Some got a little help but most of them did this all by themselves.
Jerome
Zequito
Pedro
Pai
Simois
Jose'
Daniel
I love their proud little faces and that obvious sense of accomplishment! Way to go boys!
Perhaps it took a little of that engineering to get all this stuff and the three people in this truck? We came upon this vehicle as we were leaving Pedro's and since I had my camera out, decided to risk feeling a little rude and took a photo, I couldn't resist!
This photo really should have gone with yesterday's post but I felt it deserved a post of it's own!
The interesting thing is, this truck has South Africa plates, Gauteng Province, which is eight hours away! They may not have come all that way, but almost certainly are coming from SA, which means at least three hours traveling like that!
Now it makes sense why people seeking a ride get so exasperated when we say we have no room!
Can you see the little girl in the middle? And is the man on the right literally thumbing his nose at us??? I hope the man on the left didn't lose his shoes!
My good friend Katrin came back to Mozambique for a too-short visit last week. She was only here in Zimpeto for four days - I feel shorted! (Not short, well technically, I do feel short but that has nothing to do with her visit!)
(On an unrelated note, I love this tablecloth and took a photo of it and would love to figure out how to use it as my header on my blog! When I tried, it was HUGE and I couldn't figure out how to resize it. Anyone???)
Katrin is from Germany, where she came from in 2003 to work with us at Iris, and where she returned a few years later to marry her man and continue her studies. This is her second visit, which I am really grateful for, for a number of reasons, not the least of which is she has no fear of driving trucks that are bigger than she is used to! So she agreed to be my "motorista" for the day when we delivered beds to my darling Pedro!
I had to sneak in a few of my most recent favorite "me and Pedro" shots - isn't he growing up handsome?
Here's the "motorista" in action! She not only knew how to drive the truck, she knew how to load it as well. So efficient!
Here's the darling Pedro unloading the beds!
I had visions of them getting set up, complete with sheets and blankets while I was there and able to take photos but I should have known that wouldn't happen! They are set up he tells me and next time I go I should be able to take photos.
L-R: Uncle Raymundo, Grandma, nephew Moises, Pedro, cousins Marina and Salvadore, in front of their home. These hedges are very common boundary markers.
Here's the mean goat who kicked me when I tried to be nice to it. Pedro's family all laugh at how much I like animals. I always have to go say hi to the piggies next door and they have named their cat Mana Laura after me! A neighbor wanted to sell me a turtle today but I draw the line! That poor turtle would never come out of it's shell with all these rambunctious boys!
After our day of hard work, driving thru horrendous traffic and the physical labor of delivering beds, (I exaggerate, except for the traffic!) we needed a good treat. We met our directors, Steve and Ros and dear friend Becky at the local Thai restaurant, a favorite of all of us!
I'm not in the photo because I was relegated to my own table because I didn't want to share my sesame chicken. Hmpf!
Oh, how the boys love a party! Who can blame them? Who doesn't love a party? No Mozambicans, I can promise you that. This is a culture that LOVES a good party!
We generally have a birthday party once a month for all those whose birthdays were during that month. Sometimes we combine two months so it's more fun - how much of a party is it with only two boys???
Can I tell you how fun it is to plan a little party when you know that ANYTHING you do, I mean ANY thing, will be fun and appreciated? Remember, these are the boys who cheered when I gave them a new pair of underwear! Knowing they'll have a good time no matter what takes all the stress out of it!
We always have a lunchtime party and have a yummy spaghetti meal with salad and sodas and jello. I always make plenty of food so they can ask for as much as they want. In the past, I've always managed to host it elsewhere so it's really special for them, going to another location. But this time I had to have it in my house - I truly don't think they even noticed!
Tia Laura had a birthday in May too so she came in to join in the fun. She's such a good sport!
Before lunch we played a couple games. The best one was a relay to dress the littlest boy while blindfolded! They are too cute trying to do things 
like that. The little ones being dressed could not seem to grasp how to call out to them so the blindfolded one knew where they were so a lot of time was spent bumbling around, the most fun part to be sure.
After the lunch came the part they look forward to the most - cleaning up! Just kidding! The presents of course! They each get a gift bag filled with a assortment of goodies. Again, they are happy with so little. (I wish I could say the same more often!) One of the biggest hits was this Darth Vadar mask even though they never seen Star Wars. They love masks of anything.
Elidio and Simois were delighted with their gifts before they even saw what it was!
What a privilege to celebrate with these precious boys they day they were born. I pray they learn they were created with a purpose, that God has a plan for their lives! And I pray that this kicks off a fantastic year ahead for them!
Happy Birthday Elidio, Ivo, Simois, Paulo, Armando, Estevao, Adilson, Joao and Tia Laura! 
PS: On the actual birthday, the special boy gets to use the much-loved Spiderman bucket, courtesy of my mom's neighbor, Marla, to give out candy to all the boys. Then he sleeps with Spiderman sheets!! Have I gone overboard with the Spiderman paraphernalia??? Here, Israel who turned 8 on Tuesday, is giving candy to a very happy Alexandre' while Dionicio looks on.
It's a question that kinda breaks your heart when you stop to think of it. Most times, too often, I don't think too much about it. What could I do even if I did? We have a lot of siblings in the center and often they don't live in the same dorm, either for age or gender reasons. Fair enough. But still, it makes me so sad that they are separated instead of in their homes, in their families as God created them to be. 
I try to remember to have my boys' siblings over often to play but before I know it, it's been a month and I think, "what in the world? where did that time go?" Today, I decided to write a note with the word "SIBLINGS!" on it and put it up on the wall so I will have something to remind me other than my good intentions.
It is so good to see them together. I had been in the center of the 
playground with Lucas, letting him play with kids from the Baby House when Julio joined me for some tickling fun. Then he began pointing at my dorm where his brother, Alexandre' lives. He then asked, "can I play with my brother?" So of course we went to my house and I had both of them in to play. They jumped on the trampoline for a bit then A said "Mana Laura, J would like to play with the little cars" that he must have remembered from his last visit. It didn't seem to matter to A what HE wanted to do, just his little brother!
These two, when A and I walked little J back to the Baby House, Alexandre' took Julio's hand as we were walking and my heart melted!
Here's Pai and his sister Eliza. She lives in the girls' dorm and asks at least once a week if she can come play - usually when I am walking somewhere so I can't invite her in at that time! Now, after several months of Pai living in my dorm, I learned that in their background story, they have set fire to a house. Sooooo, no leaving them alone while I go check on the washing, huh?
Meet our newest little addition, Jose'. He arrived just two days after I left for the US. Jose' is six years old and his parents have both passed away. He was living with his grandmother who was caring for five other children but she finds it difficult to really provide for his medical care.
Jose' is feisty! During his first month here, while I was away, he cried a lot, wanted toys for himself, provoked the other kids etc. I was forewarned so I have taken a firm stance with him from the beginning, with lots of love and hugs and kisses of course as well. But I'm trying to start with a firm message that he'll need to adapt to living with LOTS of other kids. Or it'll be a nightmare for all of us!
Jose' may be a bit headstrong but he's really loving, enjoys a good cuddle and is quite outgoing. I think he's gonna do just fine here. In fact, I believe he's going to thrive!
Please say a prayer for Jose' to quickly feel at home here. I pray he receives, really drinks in, the love of his Heavenly Father as well! If you'll say a prayer for his teeth as well, I'd appreciate it. They are really, really bad. Rotten even to the adult teeth that are coming in. I'm concerned about what kind of treatment will help him. So I'm praying God will just touch his teeth and make them perfect!
Sigh - it's so satisfying to be here for these kids whom otherwise, well, you just never know what they might encounter. I'm glad we're able to provide a safe haven and a loving home for little people like Jose'!
Do you know how many people I have met over these last six years of living in Mozambique whom, when they hear what I do, respond with "Oh, I've always wanted to do something like that! Someday . . ." I have to confess to having thought more than once, "well, why don't you?!"
I'd like to introduce you to someone who thought "I'd like to go help the kids in Mozambique" and promptly started doing something about it! Not thinking about it, not "maybe someday . . ." but took a step in the right direction. Took some action!
His name is Steven and he is 11 years old and he lives in Washington state. He sent me this delightful email that I received just a couple days ago:
"Hello, I'm steven and im an 11 year old home schooled kid from Washington (U.S.A). i stated a word press call Third World Hope for the Hopeless (visit http://3worldhope.wordpress.com/) . the reason for it is that i want to raise money for a plane ticket, a passport, supply's and e.t.c. and i want to go down to your orphanage for a month or so and help and bring supply's . please email me back
----
Steven"
Isn't that amazing? If you click on the link to his blog, and I sure hope you will, in fact, I trust you will, right?, you will learn that he heard 
about me at a concert at his church. My friend, Justin Fox is a musician and he always shares about me and my boys at his concerts. In fact, he wrote a stirring song called Whisper for them that will bring tears to your eyes and a prayer to your lips. You can check Justin out at his website, www.justinfox.com. Very good music, very cool guy, very terrific family!
Back to Steven - I am just so touched by the faith of this young man 
and his willingness to jump in and start doing something about what God put on his heart instead of waiting for "someday." I am praying that he indeed will be able to raise the funds to come (with a parent!) and meet all the boys. He told me in another email tonight (where I got his permission to post this on my blog) that he is thinking of bringing supplies to build them a skateboard ramp. From one 11 year old to another, huh!
So please head on over to Steven's blog and leave him a note to encourage him. If you'd like to support his endeavor, let him know! Help make his "someday" come sooner rather than later! (And, by the way, I'm always grateful for the people who are supporting me in my endeavor!).
Oh, and another by the way - if anyone reading this wants to act on their own "someday . . ." please let me know, I'll be at the airport with bells on to pick you up and bring you home to meet my little darlings! Don't you want to come play with these little guys?
I'd like to introduce Mr. and Mrs. John C. Anderson! Or, John and Judi, as most people call them. "Kissing your bride" is still everyone's favorite part of any wedding I think and this one was no exception!
They got married in the sands of Lido Key, Florida, at 10am on a gorgeous Monday, June 1st. About 40 friends and family gathered and about 100 or so strangers, drawn to a ceremony celebrating love and commitment, especially on the beach!
It was a simple ceremony but very personal. They chose the selection of readings, they wrote their own vows (or should say Judi wrote 
them and my dad agreed!) and Judi's grandson, Brandon, played a song he wrote especially for the occasion, "You Take My Breath Away." The woman who married them, Jackie, has been a friend of Judi's for 27 years, sharing the same timeshare there in Lido Key. That was one of the reasons they chose to marry there - the lovely beach was a huge draw but so were the friends they've made there over the years.
Judi has six children but only her daughter Cathy and her son Jon were able to be there. Cathy's husband, son and daughter were able to be there as well. I was the only one representing the Anderson's! We're all pictured above. Jon walked his mom down the aisle and I was asked to walk my dad down as well. That was unusual and fun!
They celebrated afterward with mimosas and cake, here they are toasting their happiness. A bit later, we went to a very nice lunch at their favorite nearby restaurant, Hemingways.
I know this is out of order but I like this photo of the 
three of us from the night before. When walking thru the little town square, I saw these coolie cups that said Bride and Groom and they use these all the time so I had to get them for them. I thought she needed some Bling for her wedding!
People always ask if I'm happy my dad was getting remarried or if I like Judi - as I said during a brief toast at the reception - I couldn't have hand-picked a more lovely woman for my dad! I am delighted for both of them! Congratulations Dad and Judi!
(Some smart-aleck new relative of mine corrected me in the spelling of Jon's name and charged me a dollar for it - can you believe it?! I had to make two changes, think I have to pay him two bucks?)
"Mana Laura! MANA LAURA!!!" Well, I braked and pulled over quickly when I heard that being shouted when I was in a town called Matola recently. Matola is about 40 minutes from our center and I was visiting some friends who had recently moved there. I was driving out of their neighborhood when the sound of my name being called stopped me quickly.
As it turned out, it was Albano calling me! How lovely! Albano had gone back to live with his family in September of 2007 (click on his name above to read the post I wrote about when he left) so it had been nearly two years since I'd seen him. Although he was
often naughty (what we might be tempted to call a kleptomaniac actually!) he was a delightful little boy with a big heart and a sharp mind. I have missed him and often wanted to ask one of the reintegration team to take me to his home so I could visit.
The funny thing was, as we were driving thru Matola, one of the boys in my car had told me that they thought Albano lived near there. We were talking about it at the exact time he saw my car and called out to me!
We were running late to get back to the center in time for dinner so I couldn't go visit his home then but he told me the general whereabouts and I'm sure, with the help of a friendly person on the street, I'll be able to find him next time I'm in the area.
His clothes were little more than rags and quite filthy but he looked healthy and seemed happy. I hope that is so! My little Albano - what a great joy to have reconnected with him again!
(This last photo was taken on his birthday when the boys get to sleep with the Spiderman sheet set. He's surrounded by all his artwork - Albano is very clever and always took good care of his creations!)
I was very blessed this year to be able to arrive at my mom's the day before Mother's Day, ho
w nice it was to celebrate it with her in person!
My mom is very hard to buy for her, she "has everything she needs" and doesn't even want much either. But what mom can resist a handmade gift from their child?
In my sewing class, I made an apron which turned out beautifully, if I do say so myself. So I decided to make her one as well, with a kudu, an African antelope, which she likes. I think it turned out pretty well too, even though I was doing it at the very last minute before I left! Here we are in our aprons together, pretty cool, huh?
(on a side note, I have been mulling over the idea of making some of these aprons to sell for a little fund-raising - if you or someone you know might be interested, let me know!)
I was able to be with my mom and her boyfriend Larry for two and a half weeks in New Jersey. My cousin Maureen flew out from Oregon for a week which was such a special blessing for me and my mom - thanks Maureen! The big thing we did during her visit was hit up all 
the thrift shops we could find. Good thing she was taking back a suitcase for me so she could fill it with her treasures!
We also got to spend some time with our cousin Sally and our Uncle Bobby. We even went to Atlantic City with my uncle, took the senior's bus down for $20 which was a lot of fun. Us three cousins are each daughters from a different sibling.
Larry was making a dresser for my mom which was nearly complete when I left. Here's the proud craftsman with his handiwork! He's made lots of things they have around their house. He even made me a bird feeder once!
Before I left Mozambique, one of my Tias, Tia Laura, knocked on my door and said she had a present for "her mom." She had a capulana for me to give me my mom. A capulana is a large piece of material that women use for many 
purposes, a very traditional gift. I was so touched that she wanted to give my gift. That was very sweet of her. It is such beautiful material I am tempted to keep it for myself! Instead, I think I will look for a matching one for myself! So she got two Mother's Day gifts!
Doesn't my mom look lovely in blue and her scarf?? With her full head of hair grown back?
I'm so glad I had an opportunity to visit my mom again. She hasn't been feeling well lately and my visit perked her up a little although it obviously doesn't make her cancer go away :( Please keep my mom in prayer, for her to not lose hope as well as for physical comfort and healing. Thanks so much!
I'm now at my dad's in Florida which will be the subject of another post! I head back to Mozambique on June 4th - I'm looking forward to seeing my boys again.
It's been a bit too long since I've shown everyone a group shot of my little pumpkins! So here they are, in their school "uniforms", getting ready to eat lunch which you can just barely see in the bottom of the photo.
The boys in front are Room 1, the middle age boys. The second row is Room 2, my oldest boys, followed by Room 3, the littlies, in the back. Not all of my Tias are represented here, as this is just one shift. And, missing, is Fiona, my cool British helper in the dorm.
I believe if you just click on this photo (or any for that matter) it will open it up a bit bigger so you can see their beautiful faces!
There are 28 of us right now, after seven moved last January. We are meant to be a getting a new little six year old any day now that we look forward to helping when he arrives.
Let me take a moment to thank all my readers for your interest in my work in Mozambique and stopping by to read about what we're up to. Some of you leave encouraging comments (which I LOVE, keep 'em coming!), some of you send us gifts or financial support, some of you pray for us. . . all of you are a blessing as you invest in us in some way and I thank God for you!
What a super fun weekend I had! Friday was Pedro's 13th birthday so he's a teenager now, I can't believe it! I've known him half his life now. That's him in the black shirt with the white stripes. It's always so fun to arrive at his house to get him, greet his family and see his happy, smiling, handsome face!
I took five of his friends with me to pick him up from home and then we had a fun lunch at a restaurant called Mundo's. It has a play area for kids and TVs so that was fun for them. We were in a little room with AC so that was fun for me!
The boys each had a "half chicken and chips," chips being fries. Their absolute favorite meal! (I had a Thai chicken wrap which was chock full of unusual-for-here veggies like broccoli and cauliflower and was very yummy!) We all left full and happy.
When we got home, we set right to making a cake. One by one, lots of Pedro's friends trickled in (all boys who used to live in my dorm) until at one point we had 19 boys in here! Everyone got cake and juice and even popcorn.
It was so fun watching boys be boys, moving from one toy to another, the biggest draw as always was the trampoline. I must have taken 50 photos of them doing flips! Here's the birthday boy doing one of his flips.
At one point, after making pots of popcorn and the cake was eaten and the photos were taken and the juice dranken, I sat on my chair in my room, looking thru the door to the chaos a mere five feet away. Then I proceeded to check my Facebook and totally drown them out! I was surprised how thoroughly I could focus and ignore them, yet still hear something that was amiss and address it. After six years here, I guess I've honed some mom skills!
What a joy to celebrate Pedro's birthday with him. He is such a lovely young man! I'm really enjoying seeing him mature and grow in God's love and kindness. I pray it continues! My heart is so full of love for him and I am so thankful God has made him the son of my heart!
Well, when I see how big they are, I am amazed they were with me in my dorm as long as they were! In January (so, I'm a little behind on my blogging!), my oldest boys moved up to the next dorm. As always, it was a sad day for me as I said "ate logo" or, "see you later" to: Antonio, Tome, Silavio, Fauso, Marcos, Fabiao and Joao (l-r, above and the same order for the following individual shots).
The last year with the boys of Room Two were definitely challenging. They were the oldest group I've ever had in my dorm (due to space limitations in older dorms) and were entering adolescence, a trying time, no? My age range was from 4-12 and it sometimes felt impossible. There were 
times I thought I would be cheering as they left rather than crying! But we survived and pressed on and there were many, many more wonderful times.
This time of year is always hard for me, I hate to lose my boys to the next dorm, even though it's only about 100 yards away. It changes everything.
Moving of the dorms always reminds me that try as we do, we are not a real family. I know there are age-related transitions in all families so I try and take great comfort in that. But 
my biggest comfort comes from the Lord who alone knows how to console me when I am weeping on my bed after sending the boys off with their bags of belongings. (Oh, the backpacks were presents, the bags of belongings aren't pictured!)
This year was especially hard as these are the last of the boys who were already living in the dorm when I moved in in 2004. They were the littlest ones then. So it's the end of a complete cycle for me. Most of them have been living in my dorm for 7-8 years so it was a bit traumatic for them as well.
But, as in most things, the lead up to the event was worse than the actual living it out. The boys have adjusted well to their new dorm. One of them 
wisely told me that although he misses our dorm, he's now glad he moved because it signifies that he is growing up! Most of them come over to the dorm nearly every day and a few have become helpers for the little ones. Come to think of it, even boys that moved out four years ago still pop round most days to say hello or, let's face it, have a jump on the trampoline!
Transition times always bring out the potential for great regret in me. Did I do enough? Hug enough? Talk, teach, impart enough? Shouldn't I 
have had them in to play rather than read that afternoon? Did I tell them the right Bible stories that they will carry with them? Did I teach them to read??? Have I been a good steward of the responsibility the Lord has given me over their lives? 
Well, certainly I did not do ALL that I COULD have. But God is gracious and knows I'm not perfect! It's a good thing that these boys are his precious sons and he has all they could ever need and knows how to impart that to them. I thank God that he has allowed me to be a part of their lives and will continue to be as well!
Indeed, though, I do miss them in our dorm so much! Famba nai Jesu my little darlings!
One of the realities of living on a ministry center in a foreign country 
is that you say a lot of hellos and a lot of goodbyes. Iris Ministries has always had a heart to invite visitors to come and have their heart broken for the poor and our location in Zimpeto has several hundred visitors a year. So that's a lot of goodbyes if you spend any time with the visitors and make a connection.
But we also have "long-term" missionaries who come for a year or more. (I know that's not considered long-term in a lot of places!) They are the hardest to say goodbye to, people we have lived and worked with so closely in such an intense environment - we really become much of a family. 
So farewells for our missionaries are especially poignant. We know that God is leading them on to something new but we will feel their loss keenly.
In the last six weeks, we've said goodbye to four very special people in Zimpeto. 
Liz and Betinho and their daughter, Lena-Joy (top, with Liz's parents, our Directors, Steve and Ros), Erin (middle) and Anna (below) have been such an important part of our team, as well as my friends, and they will be sorely missed!
I'm thankful to have known and worked along side of them and look forward to seeing what God unfolds for them in the future!
I love having my little darling Pedro over for a visit! He is such a delightful boy and I love his company, I really enjoy being with him! He broke a tooth recently so I took him to the dentist, discovering he had another tooth that had broken some time ago as well! So he needs two teeth removed, the first of which we'll do next week. School is out for two weeks right now so this is a good time to take care of things like this.
We ran into TONS of traffic on the way home as it was Good Friday so most people got off work mid-day. It took twice as long to get home as it normally does.
So I took that opportunity to teach him a game I used to play with my nephew Sean when he lived with me. It's quite simple - you choose four or five letters to give a person and they have to choose words that make some sort of sense as a sentence. For example he gave me the letters T B N Q and I thought for a minute and chose "Tall Boys Never Quit." Well, he did amazingly well considering he's still learning English and doesn't know how to read English fluently so there's loads of words he doesn't know how they're spelled.
After the dentist,(and don't his teeth look great in THIS photo!) before going home, we had stopped at a little park 
with a cafe called Surf. That little stop is what put us in the heaviest traffic leaving the city. So, I kept teasing him that he had made me take him to Surf and that's why we had to drive so slow, etc. So, at one point, I gave him W D P M M T H T S? And he exclaimed, "Nine letters! You can't do that!" And I told him the first word was "why" because he has trouble with "w" words because no words start with that in Portuguese (don't quote me on that!) and I encouraged him to think about it a minute. Well, it didn't take him long to figure out, "Why Did Pedro Make Me Take Him To Surf?" and he laughed and laughed and was so proud of himself! All the while exclaiming that HE didn't make me take him to Surf!
We had a yummy crockpot chicken meal for dinner which is always a hit. We'll have leftovers for lunch tomorrow and whatever we don't eat, I'll give my Tias to enjoy. I wonder if Pedro will in fact leave them anything? He IS a growing boy!
Please say a prayer for Pedro's teeth and dental care - he will need two broken teeth out via operation because they're so decayed that they would likely come out in pieces if they were just pulled. I'll have him with me for two nights afterward but am concerned about follow-up care when he goes home. He had two nights of excruciating pain that I was able to help with baking soda, vanilla and chewing gum - all thanks to an internet search for "home remedies for toothaches!" But they don't have those things at his home, he would have had to just endure. When he went home this week though, I loaded him up with a bit of all of the above so if he gets a toothache before he has it removed, he'll have something to try.
By the way "Pass-e-ar-ing" means going out or hanging out kind of, there is no exact translation for such a great word. And since I don't know my "ing" form well in Portuguese, I have gotten into the VERY unfortunate habit of adding "ing" on to every verb! I actually forgot that Passearing wasn't the actual word! I'm in trouble!
This is what the looks on my Tias' faces were asking as well as quite a few of the boys when I proposed coloring eggs tonight after dinner. Food coloring is not something people are familiar with here, except perhaps people who make frosting for cakes. When I thought to use that as an example of how it's safe to eat things with food coloring, they understood and it put them at ease. Before that, I'm not sure they were going for it!
The boys thought it was so cool to see the shells such pretty colors. And once they got over their hesitation, they loved seeing the little bits of color that had seeped onto their egg. One brave soul dunked his shelled egg right into the red water!
I LOVE helping the boys experience things for the first time! Sometimes I struggle a bit when I introduce something different from what is cultural for them. But I also think, in the US for example, 
most people want their kids exposed to things outside their culture (and comfort zone) as well so isn't that just a fairly normal thing? Anyway, I think it's fun for them to learn and discover things they've never known of before. Honestly, it happens nearly as often for the Tias as well, which is just as fun.
Little Joao was just thrilled with how his egg turned out. He didn't want to open it in fact! But eventually the yummy-ness of the egg won out over it's beauty!
If you haven't dyed eggs in a while, I suggest you pull out some food coloring and have some fun! You might be surprised how much fun you have!
You might remember Lucas, our little Christmas Eve present! Isn't he adorable? Somehow, we got a donation of a Darth Vadar helmet which I think is completely incongruous but still tons of fun! The boys enjoy it and want to ride the skateboard with it.
Lucas is still quite underweight but he is growing. I think, although he's 6, he fits better in 1-2 year old clothes now rather than the 6-12 months he was wearing when he arrived. Yay! 
I make extra food for he and Domingos to receive on top of their normal food that the rest of the dorm is eating. I thought I'd show you a few photos . . .
Here's Feliciano (who is obsessed with food!) helping me stir the pot of chicken/potato/peas. I did give him a bit!
Here's the chicken all done and the ground beef ready to be made. Spiderman has left his quad - perhaps he is sneaking around for a bite himself!
The finished product! Lots of little baggies of dinner supplements all ready for the freezer. The ground beef made this many baggies as well.
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!!!"
I'll write that again, just because I can -
"I am the one who was missing,
I am Micas who was lost a long time ago!!!"
I've heard this story three times now and even as I write this, I never fail to cry. I am moved to tears of joy and wonder as I think of what a miracle this story is and the wonder of God's ways! To think, a young boy just thought that his VOICE sounded like his uncles!!! How amazing is that! And that after all these years, family ended up living in the same small area, that just happened to have been given to the ministry as a gift. And that the ministry happened to decide to bless Micas with a home there!
Well, I know that none of this just happened! The Lord "directs our steps" according to Proverbs 16:9 and also He knows the plans he has for us and he knew the plans he had and has for Micas.
As I've pondered "why did he have to wait so long to be reunited?" I've been reminded me of something very important. God is interested primarily in building his Kingdom for all eternity. While He cares for our life on this earth, He is much more interested in calling people into his kingdom who will be with him forever, not for the relatively short time here on earth.
So perhaps Micas would never have come to know him as his loving heavenly father and savior had he not come to live in our Christian center. Perhaps if he'd lived here a short time, he might be familiar with God but not intimate with him. Perhaps God allowed him to be here for this exact time to bring him to a place a maturity and faith that will Micas will carry with him into eternity. And perhaps his whole family will join him there thru the power of his testimony! It's certainly not for me to know why things happen the way they do, I am just pondering!
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 this week and our whole center is rejoicing with him at the miracle of his finding his family! I am honored to share this amazing work of the Lord with my friends and readers so you can rejoice with him as well!
Let us give thanks to our God and Father for He is good and his love endures forever!!!
I know this has been a LONG post but it isn't complete without asking you to pray for these four boys who have lived in my dorm until this January when they moved to the older dorm. Each one of them came from another children's center with absolutely NO known family. Imagine how awful that would feel - not a cousin or aunt or sibling let alone parents. That would be hard in any country but in this family-oriented country is would be very difficult for their future not to have anyone. Please pray that God does a miracle in his perfect timing for each one of them as well!
Betinho Orlando,
about 14 years old.
He thinks his mother's name is Maria.
Joao Albertino,
about 12 years old.
Found begging at the airport when he was about five years old.
Joao Macamo,
about 15 years old.
Joao is developmentally delayed. He won't ever be able to live independently.
Nelson Machava,
about 13 years old.
Even his last name is likely not his own - it is the name of the town he was found in.
Thank you for praying for these precious boys and for your generous support which allows us to be here, providing the family for them until theirs can be found!
Wow, I can't believe that this year marks six years of being here with Iris Ministries in Zimpeto, Maputo, Mozambique! (This photo, with Francisco, Samito and Pedro, was taken in December 2003.)
Little did I know when I got on that first plane from SFO, nearly bursting into tears over who got to the trolley stand first, that I would still be here six years later. I don't think I could have imagined making that kind of commitment so the Lord was good and allowed me to come for a year at a time!
People often ask me how much longer I'll be here and the simple truth is, "I don't know." I trust that God will show me when it is time to go back to the USA. Until then, I try and live here as though I'm not going anywhere, giving it all I've got. The last thing I want to do is think "oh, who knows how long I'll be here so I shouldn't start that new project . . ."
I'm so grateful that the Lord continues to give me "divine strategies" as I call them, ideas that pop out of "nowhere" (ahem!) that make my job easier and my ministry more fruitful.
In honor of six years, a list of sixes:
Six Boys Who Stand Out Over the Years:
1. Selso - my little one who ran away to the street and continues to live there over a year later. My heart breaks still when I think of all the love and care he is rejecting out of his own rejection. It hurts to see him filthy and skinny and almost wild on the street corners, begging for money from passing cars. It hurts worse when he runs away when he sees me or others from Iris. How I'd love to give him a hug.
2. Edson - I've not written much about Edson but he was (
and is!) a delightful boy! So smart, so funny, so joyful and helpful. Everyone loves Edson. His parents were killed in a car accident but thankfully, we were able to reintegrate him last year to live with both sets of grandparents who take great care of him. I just miss him!
3. 
Thabo - my honey! The first child I have personally loved and cared for and then lost to death. The first child I have personally known to suffer horribly from the terrible illness that is HIV/AIDS. The first child I have seen who had to fight so hard for the smallest pleasures, yet he enjoyed life so much. I'm so glad he isn't suffering and is in the arms of Jesus yet I would dearly love to hold him in my arms again.
4. Betinho - what a lovely young man! Betinho is still living with us but moved up to the next dorm last year. Betinho is quiet and easy-
going and never the center of attention. But he is just a delight! He is smart, kind, generous, thoughtful - he doesn't seek his own gain and he never fights with the other boys. Sadly, Betinho came from another center with no information and is one of our few kids who has no known family. For six years, I have been praying to find his family and it will be very difficult to find anyone or what happened to them as he was separated from his family when still a toddler. But be looking for a later post that will share a story that you will have a hard time believing, but gives me confidence that in God's timing, we WILL find Betinho's family. And won't they be proud of the young man he is!
5. 
Tome' - oh, Tome'! He has been the source of a lot of frustration and a lot of rejoicing! Tome' and his three brothers came to our center when he was barely older than a baby. He used to just sit in the dirt and cry out of sorrow. He still carries with him such hurts and sorrow and rejection. But it has been my privilege and joy to watch him grow as well over these six years, to see him learn to control his anger, to see him forgive and ask forgiveness, to see him accept a hug and love. . . He is a boy desperate for love and affection, yet afraid of wanting it as well. Some of my greatest disappointments in my own ability (or lack thereof) have been with Tome' and some of my most fulfilling moments have come thru achieving milestones with him. He lives in the next dorm now, as of last month, and I am curious to see how our relationship evolves.
6. My darling Pedro - the son of my heart. He is the boy I came to Africa to find. He is the boy I had on my heart for years to come and love and hug and pour my life into, to see him loved to life, to see 
him come to know how precious he is and how he was created with a purpose by the God who loves him and calls him by name. It has been my greatest joy in life these last six years to have the privilege of loving and raising Pedro. Although we found his family and he lives with them now, I am still very much a part of his life. It's different and I miss him all the time. Honestly, I have asked God on occasion why he can't be "mine" but I trust in God's plan for both of us. I will be forever grateful for having the opportunity to know and love my darling Pedro!
Six Things I Have "Sacrificed" To Be Here:
1. Day to day closeness with my mom. Although 
we can email and talk on the phone every week, it is nothing like the ease and frequency with which we can communicate in the US. I serve here with the knowledge that it hurts my mom that I am gone and that is without question the biggest sacrifice of all.
2. 
Living life with the rest of my family as well, my dad, sister, nephews and cousins. I miss a lot of big and small milestones and I am not there for the day to day interaction that makes up a growing relationship. It sometimes hurts to think of the parts of their lives I have missed out on these last six years.
3. Current, growing, intimate friendships. Friendships aren't just about the big things, they're about the details of one another's lives. I'm missing out on those details. A laptop is a poor substitute for a shoulder if a friend needs one to cry on. I 
have missed weddings, births, celebrations, challenges . . . my friendships are solid and they aren't going anywhere but they often don't feel current.
4. Comforts and ease - although I miss things like smooth roads and relatively clean public restrooms, it's really the ease of life in the US in general that I have given up. Now before everyone reading this starts protesting in their heads (or in comments!), "hey, life is hard here too sometimes!" will you trust me when I tell you that it is nothing like Africa??? I'll suffice with one example - how many times have you ever gone to an ATM in America and not been able to withdraw any money (and I don't mean because you don't have enough in your account!)?? Once? Once a year? Once a month? How 'bout once a week or so? How 'bout a 50-50 chance?? That's what I'm talking about! Let that one example stand in for the myriad of ways that things simply don't function very well here and you end up with not very much "ease" in life!
5. Anonymity - oh how I sometimes miss just being one of the crowd. How I long to be able to walk out my front door without 40 little people asking me where I'm going. How I long to drive down the street without someone at nearly every corner thinking I can give them something they want - money, my shoes, a ride, a job . . . How I would love to go for a walk in the morning without people calling out "Mulungu!" as I pass by. How I'd love to buy cabbage (tomatoes, clothespins, buckets, you name it!) at the market and be given the normal price and not the Mulungu (white person) price. There are times I feel desperate to be just like everyone else or at least known for who I am and not for being the white person/stranger/missionary.
6. Variety and Options - I think this is a bigger issue than I realize sometimes. Although during my six years here I have had a WEALTH of experiences that I wouldn't have had otherwise, simple day to day variety that I always just took for granted, never even realized I had, is lacking. Variety in food, restaurants, people, entertainment, books, learning, conversations, etc., is sorely lacking. I am so thankful for how much of the above I DO have (after all, I don't live in the remote bush and am 40 minutes away from the capital city and my favorite Thai restaurant!), but it is nothing compared to the US. I'm a girl who likes my options! I don't even go to the beach without three books because who knows what I'll feel like reading when I get there? My life is nearly the same every day and sometimes that is just draining. At the very least, it isn't energizing. I look for ways to keep growing and learning new things, for adding variety but let me tell you, it is an EFFORT. I miss having so many options and such variety at my fingertips without much effort at all.
(Disclaimer - I realize that most of the above "sacrifices" come with an intrinsic benefit as well and I spend a great deal of time focusing on those positives!)
Six Unusual Things About My Life in Mozambique:
1. I can smash a cockroach, big or small, with my bare hand without blinking an eye.
2. Two nights ago, I bought a small, hanging drying rack, a three-function knife and two Portuguese children's Bibles while pulled over on the side of the road waiting for friends to find an ATM they could use. I love the sidewalk shopping! (but don't like being harassed!)
3. At 72 degrees, with long pants, a hoodie and two cats on my lap, I am freezing!
4. I've had nearly every one of my pairs of Reef flip-flops repaired over the years for about .50 cents each! Much better than $20 for new ones!
5. I can buy soft tortillas here - for about $8 a package!
6. I live in a dorm with currently 28 but has been as many as 50 boys! I think that in itself is fairly unusual!
Six Things I Love about Mozambique:
1. 
Driving! Although there are rules and there are police, I can do just about whatever I want when I'm driving, including drive on the wrong side of the road, or up on the median or thru a red light. Of course I hate when other people do this! (I only do the above when absolutely necessary - tons of people do it as a matter of course and that's what I don't like!)
2. The friendly and helpful people. Relationships are totally important here and people will drop nearly anything to help you and are more than willing to strike up conversations. When in the US, I often wonder at the grocery store why people look at me so strange if I strike up a conversation in the produce section! (This positiv
e is in contrast to the desire for anonymity above - no one is really anonymous here!)
3. The beaches and natural beauty. Mozambique is a lovely country and the beaches (coastline nearly twice as long as California) are stunning! And undeveloped! With whales!
4. People's ability to be joyful with very little. Although people do indeed suffer here, the majority of people have very little and yet are very happy. Because they eat rice at every meal, they wouldn't consider a meal without it so
they don't long for the variety that this spoiled American does. Children are just as happy with a stick and an old can to play drums with as they are plastic garden toys. Case in point - Elias with old fabric softener balls for ears! People are happy talking together by candlelight, late into the night with loud music and lots of dancing and don't seek to be entertained. When I am at my best and not complaining, I can learn SO much about contentment here. The philosophical challenge is pondering the difference between contentment and complacency but that's a different story!
5. The lack of focus on appearances. Please don't misunderstand, Mozambicans can take great pride in their appearance but in general, it is not a focus of culture. Last years free calendar with a pretty flower on it will continue to be a perfectly good part of the decor! Clothes are clean but it doesn't matter if they are worn every day or nearly every day. Dishes are clean but it doesn't matter if they match
or not. The dirt in the garden is swept indicating pride in one's home but a water jug functions just as effectively as a seat as a chair does. The event or the people are more important than the look. (For example, a simple but pretty preparation for a wedding.) I'm not saying people wouldn't like to have nice things. Simply that the way things look is not of the utmost value here. The longer I'm here, the more I realized how completely ingrained this value of appearances is in the US. I like nice things as much as anyone else but I've really enjoyed the loosening grasp of the trap of appearances. 
6. My boys! They are far and away the best part of being here! I love my little darlings!
Six Unimportant Things I Miss About Life in America:
1. Taco Bell
2. Tortilla chips
3. Dollar Stores, Thrift Shops and Yard Sales
4. The Library (well, that is kinda important)
5. Jeopardy
6. Free refills on fountain soft drinks
Six Words to Describe the Last Six Years:
1. Adventurous
2. Lonely
3. Freeing
4. Challenging
5. Loud
6. Loving
Six Verses God Has Blessed Me With on This Journey:
1. James 1:27 - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this - to look after orphans and widows in their distress.
2. Proverbs 19:17 - He who is kind to the poor, lends to the Lord and he will repay him for what he has done.
3. Micah 6:8 - He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
4. Jeremiah 9:24 - "but let him who boasts boast about this; that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord.
5. Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
6. Psalm 91:2 - I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
Well, technically, it didn't go anywhere! We got a new one. Each mat lasts about a year or so, between the heat and all the use it gets, and the occasional sharp object, in spite of the threat of being punished with permanent expulsion for the trampoline if they take a sharp object on it!
A lovely family (the daughter visited us a couple years ago with a team from Vanguard University) gave us a Christmas donation which was more than enough to cover a new one.
It really should have been set up Christmas Eve but instead I just had to show it to them. Our fence had blown down on 
Christmas Eve day and so it wasn't worth putting up a new trampoline when anyone could waltz right in and use it. So, we had to wait until late January! Bummer. But still, they love it!
Adilson is the first to use it and gives it two thumbs up!
I think I was meant to give it two thumbs and gave it to hands instead!
Between that and the skateboard, the garden is once again the favorite place for the kids to play!
The instructions SPECIFICALLY say NOT to do this!
Or THIS!
I'm so grateful for the generosity and gifts of so many kind people, friends and strangers alike, who invest in me and my boys! Your sacrifices, big and small, make it possible for me to be here and for the boys to be well cared for! May God bless you richly in return for your giving!
Yesterday, I had the wonderful opportunity of taking 11 of my boys (my oldest room plus one helper) to tour on board the USS Robert G. Bradley, the US Navy frigate that was stationed here for one week.
What a special treat that was for us! 
First, the boys have never been on anything like that ship and may never be again! Second, my dad was a Navy sailor, achieving E8, Senior Chief Petty Officer ranking before retiring after 20 years. But I don't recall ever touring a ship. If I did, I was too young to 
remember it. So it was really special for me to be on board and see an example of where he spent much of his working life.
Many thanks to Chaplain Andre' and anyone else who helped arrange this tour! It was an honor for me and a great opportunity to show my boys something so out of their norm! 
The US Navy is partnering with the "rather" small Mozambican Navy while they are here, assisting with some training and building relationship. So immediately as we went on board, we passed a row of about 20 Mozambican sailors - I think that was really cool for my boys to see!
I had spent some time the day before practicing a little march and good military posture and saluting with the boys but I think they got overwhelmed on board and rarely remembered it! Joao Macamo, my special boy and the biggest of the bunch, got excited at one point and hugged one of the senior chiefs! He got some ribbing from his men asking for hugs too after that!
But every so often they did remember to salute and were very pleased with themselves when they did!
But, kids are kids wherever you go - when I asked one of them what his favorite part of the visit was he said "ummm, - the candy!"
Later in the evening, my director Steve and I went back to the ship to collect the Chaplain and two of his buddies, Sam and John, part of his lay leadership, to go out to dinner. It was so nice hearing about their lives and experience. When I told them about my dad, they gave me a lot of wonderful feedback, saying my dad had obviously had a very successful career, achieving a lot and that I had much to be proud of in him. They actually gave me a lot of insight into my dad's work, as 
they explained more to me of what a Senior Chief does than my dad ever has. It is obviously a position held in very high regard. One of them asked me to thank my dad for his service!
We had a great dinner of steak and Mozambique's famous prawns, with lots of swapping stories. When we took them 
back to the ship, Sam quickly went to get me a ship's cap as a gift. He returned with a medallion that honors Chief Petty Officers! I think it's a very special gift that he gave me. It does say the name of his ship, which my dad never served on, but he said he wanted to give it to me in honor of my dad and again, to thank my dad for his service to the Navy and his country. Thanks Sam for that very thoughtful gift that I'll be honored to share with my dad, US Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer John C. Anderson, Ret.
I have been a bit neglectful in introducing you to the newest group of little lovelies to join our dorm! In all my years, I have never had so many new kids at once so perhaps that explains a little of my blogging tardiness! All the kids you'll meet below came in January! And don't forget Lucas who came in late December. That makes 9 in one month!
There are two categories of new boys and they are split down the middle: four from within the center and four brand new to Iris and our dorm.
Here they are!
Joao: he joins us from the Baby House! 
I remember when Joao came to the center several years ago, so sick and frail and needing round the clock care. He was very precious to one of our nurses, Sheri, whom he practically lived with. He is so healthy and happy, what a blessing! Joao is five years old.
Daniel: he also came from the Baby House. His older brother, 
Simois, already lives with us. Daniel, 4, probably would have stayed longer in the BH but they got several new kids around about the same time so we thought he could come live with us. He's kinda small but not easily pushed around!
Dionisio: he was living in our Toddler House, also known as the 
Transition Dorm. We started that over a year ago, with kids too old for the Baby House but too young for my dorm or the girls' dorm. So Dionisio spent a year living there. You can sure tell the difference in maturity and behavior coming from that dorm rather than directly from the BH! Dionisio, 6, ADORES the older boys and is so happy to be living here!
Salamao: also from the Toddler House, Salamao and Dioniso are 
best buds and their friendship has carried over to our dorm. Salamao, 6, is a little more introverted than Dionisio but still enjoys all the other kids. These boys are so smart and can write their names and know the whole alphabet!
Pedro: this six year old joins us from a nearby center from where we've received 
many children previously (Domingos and Feliciano in my dorm). They have struggled to provide proper care for the kids so it has been our privilege to partner with them in a number of ways, including taking some of their children when necessary. Pedro has been a delight, opening up after being here a couple weeks, he's so much more confident and outgoing now!
Zequito: this five year old came to us because he was living on the
streets with his father who is homeless. I am very interested to learn more about his situation as he doesn't have the typical mannerisms of a child who's been on the streets, perhaps he just wasn't there very long. He can color inside the lines which is a pretty remarkable feat for a child his age who presumably would never have had much experience with coloring. (coloring books and crayons do not typically exist in poor Mozambican homes).
Pai: this three year old came to us when Social Services brought him and his sister for us to care for. Their father was abusive to them and has been put in jail. Their mother had previously abandoned the family. he hasn't been with us long and it may be possible that we will find other family members who can care for them. If he's three, he's on the end of it! (Oh no! I don't yet have an individual photo of Pai. I'll get right on that!)
Lito: this seven year old turned eight actually two days ago! He 
came along with his three siblings, two girls and one boy. He is the oldest and was caring for the others (6, 4 and 2) while his father was working, often overnight. His mother passed away last year. All of these children came in good health and Lito is very smart, reads and writes well. So we are hoping that some other solution can be worked out so they can remain together as a family with their father.
Please pray for these boys, for them to feel at home here, loved and safe and well cared for. Please pray as well for God's will to be done in their lives so that we can find family solutions for them if at all possible!
Just an addition to my last post, I had the opportunity to join the sailors for a potluck in their honor at the US Marine Guard house in the city on Sunday night.
It was a little intimidating to go by myself but I do know the captain of the Marine guard and his wife and they were hosting it. And my friends Sarah and Betsy were coming after 7 so I decided to go.
I quickly got pulled into a game of dominos at the central table and you know, I didn't move from that spot all night except to get a plate of food. Rodney, aka, the Dominologist, was the pro and I was feebly trying to learn. I'm just not that good at math to figure out all the odds that quickly. Anyway, I met a lot of fun people and it was so nice to be out of the center with totally new people talking about totally different things. There was even some line dancing going on!
Now if I could just find someone to play dominos with me so I can practice my new skills . . .
So I was really excited to learn the US Navy was docking in Maputo for the first time on over 30 years! AND, that their community relations program included coming to our center at Iris for two days of work projects!!
Now, I am very patriotic and can get very emotional about things like this. I was so honored and proud they were coming to work in our center. I am glad the military gets involved in the communities they visit and was happy for my kids to see them. (although they weren't in uniform so i don't think the kids really got that they were in the military!)
I agreed to host one of the snack times. Which, true to form here, quickly morphed into something bigger. Turns out it wasn't just a snack for the guys working. The Admiral (sorry, he's behind the pole!) and our US Ambassador were coming to do a presentation as well! (The Admiral WAS in uniform, as was his entourage!).
This is a photo of the Admiral giving our director, Steve, a photo of their ship, the USS Robert G. Bradley based out of Florida.
Good thing I always make more than enough food! And Linda jumped in with brownies and someone else a cake so we were set. I had wanted to give them a taste of our local tropical fruit. And I ahd to add fresh roasted cashews as they are one of Mozambique's top exports.
During their first day of working, only an hour or so into it, they had a mishap that could have ben much worse. They were working on our church roof and one of the sailors fell thru it! From the highest point. After taking him to the city (45 minutes away) on a backboard, thankfully they found he had "only" fractured his wrist. One of the medics who looked at the scene declared "that fall would normally be fatal." Thank God is wasn't! But that was it for working on the roof.
The next morning, wouldn't you know it, it rained! So, in addition to the man-sized whole in our roof, we were low on jobs for 20-30 guys to do. I had a room I had wanted painted and so a group of the guys came and took 
care of that. I love it when what seems like a big job gets taken care of in a snap. By the time they were done, the rain was gone and we were back to our normal hot, humid weather. I'm still not sure if all the paint is dry!
Since yesterday was Sunday, we invited all the guys to join us in the service during worship to be prayed for and given a capulana, the traditional women's material for a skirt. (Yes, we know it is for women but we give it to all visitors!) That was really touching for some of the sailors to be prayed for by our kids.
Their chaplain (being prayed for, right) was part of the group working here so he was invited to preach yesterday! I didn't end up getting to stay in the service since the guys were painting in my dorm but I know the chaplain had fun!
It was a fun couple of days with the guys here. I'm proud of our military! I'm proud to be an American! (I offered to sing but no one took me up on it!)
The Navy
It's Not Just A Job. It's An Adventure!
Every so often during summer holidays (which we're "enjoying" right now), the boys all pile into the flatbed truck to head for the beach! It's usually my dorm and the age just above mine. They leave after lunch, take a bumpy, hot 45 minute ride there, swim and play for an hour and a half then take the bumpy, hot ride back to the center!
They love it!
This is actually Maputo Bay so the water is calm and quite safe for a big group. Let me clarify that - it's safe from big waves or undertow. It is not safe from garbage, pollution, broken bottles, etc.
Nor is it safe from the occasional BlueBottle - a strange looking creature I think is part of the jellyfish family. It is blue and transparent, it has a little cap with a long tail that wraps around you in contact. They are fairly harmless - I've been stung and it hurt enough to get out and sit down but the pain and swelling went down within an hour. I do have a friend who had a severe reaction who was starting to go numb throughout her body but that receded as well and that reaction is rare.
I always feel a bit on edge while the kids are there, concerned about the above, but this is where we live and this is what people have to enjoy so I'm not going to prevent them from going.
I just wish they could go more often to enjoy getting out of the center and a respite from the heat!
We all love Lucas here in the dorm, me, Fiona, the kids and the Tias. But especially Tia Bilena - she adores him!
In yet another example of God's loving answer to prayer, he arrived the night before my Tias switched (they work four days on, four days off). I lay in bed really praying that when Tia Bilena arrived in the morning, she would have such a mother's heart for Lucas, who will need a lot of care. Well, God fulfilled that prayer richly!! Bilena delights in Lucas and is rarely away from him.
One evening, she had taken a shower and was in her room and the kids were in the main room. She heard him make a small cry and came rushing out, asking "what's wrong with my son?!?" I went in my house and cried a few tears of joy while giving thanks to God!
Lucas is SO easy to love! He doesn't speak but he laughs and smiles and giggles. He loves to copy what others do. like patting his face if we pat ours. He loves when we give him something, then he gives it to whoever else is near. I think he is going to learn lots, quickly and shoot ahead in development!
We really want him to develop physically as well. Although he is six years old, he is wearing size 6-12 months clothes! Can you imagine? Please pray for him if you think of it, that he will be the little boy God created him to be, with nothing interfering from his full potential!
Well, Rafin didn't go home for a discipline. I'm not sure what he got 
instead but he's still here. Please pray for him if you think of it - this is a boy who needs to know that in life, there are consequences for our actions! And thankfully, there is much grace to be found in Jesus as well!
My three boys arrived home on Wednesday. I was in South Africa til Friday night late so haven't had a decent chance to talk with them about what they have or haven't learned but will today. They each greeted me with giant hugs and said they are glad to be back!
I've received some encouraging feedback about our "tough love" - thanks for your prayers and comments!
I'm always aware of the drawbacks to "institutional living" as compared to being raised in a family - difficulty in following through and proper consequences is one of those. Another aspect I often ponder is that I rarely see much in the way of remorse in the boys. It's as if the behavior has passed so everything is over. I don't often see the kids trying to "make up for" their behavior or smooth over things with someone they've hurt.
One wise person (my director Ros!) commented that in a family, you are always together - you are in the same (relatively) small house, eat at the same table, sit on the same couch, drive in the same car, etc. So if you've had a conflict, you can't just go off to play with one of 300 other people, you have to pretty much work it out and make things better or everyone is miserable. Here, it's easy for the kids to avoid problems rather than work through them.
Another thing to ask my readers to keep in prayer - wisdom and discernment in all of these areas so that we raise Godly, mature, wise, kind, loving, responsible young men! (and women, there are girls in this center too, I just don't work with them!)
Thursday went along easily enough until around 9pm. That's when I left my house to go to a friend's house and while walking across the playground, heard a terrible shouting and crying. I detoured and came across one of the boys who used to live in my dorm, Rafin, throwing a terrible tantrum with his Educator. He was essentially like a wild animal, thrashing around, hitting, kicking, biting and shouting. And he's 12. I tried to calm him down but nothing I said helped either.
He finally calmed down and the Educator asked me if I had any ideas about discipline for him. I said I did but he wouldn't like it! (he was one of the men the day before who thought we were too harsh to take our boys home.) But I told him the Educators should not have to put up with that behavior from the boys, they shouldn't be physically threatened. And, all the other boys were watching that happen and needed to see a swift and firm response. So I suggested that he too go home for at least a week. He decided to take him to our Head Educator Friday morning and let him make a discipline for him, as he has had other issues recently as well.
I spent a long time talking with Rafin, who refused to admit he had done anything wrong and 1 1/2 hours later, I was finally at my friend's but it was already 10:30 by then!
The second difficult conversation occurred this afternoon when Antonio's brother, Chico, came to see me to talk about his brother being taken to the other center. As it turns out, Chico had walked to the center to visit him, which is over a mile each way. (And it was about 100-105 today!) He was crying when telling me his brother is "not good" and how he wants to come back and will be better. It was so tough to see this 13 year old cry, hurting over his brother. He's the one who was praying for him in church last night too. He hadn't told anyone he was going, and didn't ask anyone for money for a chapa, the public transport. His heart for his brother is so precious!
It was tough, but I explained to him why we think this is best for his brother. He had been there last night when Rafin had his tantrum - I was able to use that as an example of what we don't want to see in Antonio in two years! I also complemented him on coming to talk with me and Eliza Julieta instead of just being angry and staying away from us. He's come three times to talk about it with me. And he's watching a movie in my house as I type this with some of my other boys. I'm very proud of him!
Whew, it's been a tough few days around here! But I keep trying to run the race for the joy set before me! The joy of serving the Lord as he has called me and the joy of seeing these boys mature and grow and become wonderful young men! That's my hope and goal and why I hang in there!
There was great weeping and wailing going on in my dorm on Wednesday and I'm still not sure how I survived it. My head Educator, Eliza Julieta, was very proud of me that I didn't break down and cry when my boys did when they heard what their discipline was - being sent home for an unspecified amount of time.
Directly after Tuesday's incident when they ganged up on a new boy, I told them I would look into taking them home the next morning but I don't think they believed me. But when Eliza Julieta arrived and I told her what happened, she agreed completely.
So, Wednesday was spent taking two of the boys home. Almost. We took one of the boys home with no trouble. His aunt was surprised to see him back so soon - he had only just returned to our center the day he fought with the boy. So he was only back with us overnight before having to go home. His visit went fairly well, he cried a little and the aunt was disappointed but overall he was ok.
The next boy was trickier - he hasn't had any family visit in over five years. Two years ago we tried to find the family and found the family home but no one living in it. So we returned to the same place (getting a little bit lost added an hour walking around in the blazing hot sun!) but again found no one home. We did make telephone contact with the uncle so we hope to make a connection there for the future.
Because this boy has no known family, he has actually said to my Tias, "I'm not afraid, you can't do anything to me because I don't have a home"!" That is a terribly disrespectful attitude! So I had said to him "don't you worry, we'll find a place to send you - perhaps to the center where the new boys came from!" Which is exactly what we did. When we couldn't find any family to leave him with, we went to the center the new boys had come from and asked the Padre if we could leave him there for a bit. The Padre whole-heartedly agreed it was a great idea. This particular boy has been having recurring problems with lying, disrespect and outright defiance, in addition to the hitting incident, so he really needs a wake-up call.
Leaving him was very hard as he as absolutely sobbing. He was very afraid of being in a totally unknown place. He doesn't know for how long it's for but we are planning for a week. One of the hardest parts of his situation for me was coming back to our center and meeting up with his older brother who is 13. He said he understood why we were disciplining him (he himself has often talked with him about his behavior) but he began to cry and that was so hard. He's the only family he has and they're very close and he is naturally so upset his brother is gone. tonight in church, I noticed this brother up at the front praying for a very long time. Afterward he told me he was praying for his brother. I was too.
Today, Thursday, we took the last boy home. (It had gotten too late last night.) This one was particularly difficult because he is SUCH a good boy, absolutely never a problem. His behavior came right out of the blue. But he was hitting with all the rest, and then very disrespectful to the Tio as well. We didn't feel we could impose different disciplines. So we made sure to tell him and his cousin, whom he will stay with, how proud we normally are of him and how we are concerned with this behavior and just want him back on the right track.
I am pretty spent after all this. Definitely heavy-hearted. I didn't sleep too well last night, kept waking up and praying for the boys. They will be moving to the next dorm in two weeks so this is one of the last major interactions we'll have and that makes me so sad. I had looked forward to many fun times these next two weeks! I am praying they will realize what they've done wrong and feel repentant, not become angry and hard-hearted because we've sent them home.
I really believe in consequences and I take to heart the Scripture that says God disciplines those whom he loves." I believe that is true and the only way to raise children as well. It's just the walking out of it that can be a bit tough! But I've seen too many of our older kids get into serious trouble with much greater consequences - this needs to be nipped in the bud now!
Again, please pray for my boys and for me! We want to be led by the Spirit in the ways of God!!
Tonight I was greatly disappointed in some of my boys. You might call me naive or unrealistic and perhaps I am. But I was so heavy-hearted at their behavior. I still am!
This week we've received several new children, 16 to be exact, throughout the center. The two oldest are around 10 or 11, a tough age to make a transition like that. They've come from a neglected center nearby. Well, I was out in the main playground area of the center, well past when I should have been, 9ish, when I/we heard a great wailing commence. (I was out there because I had just discovered one of our other boys had broken into our visitor compound and was getting ready to steal things so I was bringing him to his Educator.)
Lo and behold, my precious darlings have beaten up one of the new boys. Four against one. THAT was enough to make my blood BOIL!!! On top of that, their demeanor with the male Educator who I was with was horrible, they were so disrespectful! I couldn't believe it. Then, they had the audacity to sass ME!!!
The whole incident just made me so angry. Here's where I become unrealistic - why couldn't they have thought "Oh I want to bless this new boy and invite him to play with me?" Or, how's about "I'm a Christian at a Christian center - I don't beat up new boys!" I'm quite sure these boys have heard of our center, we're very close by. I'm quite sure they've heard we're Christians and have church several times a week. Perhaps, just maybe, they encouraged each other and said "we don't have to be afraid, they're a Christian center so we'll be ok there. . ."
So for one of them to get beaten up, four against one, just breaks my heart. I can still remember when I was 9 and had started at a new school. One day shortly after school started, as I was walking home, I came upon a group of about 5 or 6 girls who had gathered for the sole purpose of beating me up! I can still remember the shirt I was wearing! And I remember how I felt. I could just imagine how this boy felt. We want to provide him with a safe, loving haven and instead my boys are awful to him.
At times like these, it's all I can do to not feel like such a failure. I know they're responsible for their choices but I think, if only I'd taught them better this wouldn't have happened.
This compounds a few other issues we've been having with them, the oldest boys, and I really need wisdom for how to deal with them. I do so want the Holy Spirit to work in them! I do so want them to be delightful young men that I can be proud of. It's hard to love them so much and yet be so disappointed. Please pray for us if you think of it! And say a prayer for our new kids too! Thanks!
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