I'm really just trying out some photo editing, inpsired by my friend Farrah Fox and her cool photos. So I thought I'd take a look to see how this simple effect looks on the blog. Pai, or as I call him most often "piece of pie Pai" looks cool on the board no matter how I style it!
Uh - "I don't know?" "This could be my last year? (that's what people here have heard me say for six years now!)" "Not really sure?"
Oh, wait, I think I know.
When God tells me to.
It's as simple - and difficult - as that.
How will he tell me, you ask? Well, when you walk with God (as I try to do, imperfect as I am), He is faithful to order your steps, faithful to lead you in the path you should take when you trust in Him and lean not on your own understanding.
Just as He made it clear when it was time for me to move here to Mozambique, He will make it clear when it is time for me to return to the US. "They shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace" the Bible says and that's how it will be for me.
Although when the time comes to drive down the driveway for the last time, I cannot even imagine how hard that will be or how devastated I will feel, I know I will be filled with His peace and His joy as well. It's a mystery but it's true.
My mother's health - having had cancer for five years now - is probably the biggest natural factor that would determine how long I stay. It's been a great blessing to have the flexibility to visit her as much as I have, something that, ironically, I wouldn't have been able to do so much if I was living in California working a 9-5 job.
Indeed, I can't quite believe I've been here as long as I have, I never quite expected that. Some things are challenging but overall, I love it. And I love my boys!!!
I appreciate your prayers, comments, support and encouragement!
Come visit, why don'tcha??? See these gorgeous pumpkins for yourself and why I don't want to leave them!
Thanks for reading this submission of More Information Mondays!
A final thought - I wrote this email a few days ago in preparation to post on Monday but I'm a day late. Well, this morning, one of our toddlers in the Baby House died. His name was Dino and he was three years old. He came to us directly from the hospital where he was abandoned by his mother at birth. His death today and the re-reading this post tonight kind of tie it together for me. Although I don't know that I'll live the rest of my life here, it certainly puts in all in perspective. What I am doing here with these boys is life-changing, for them and for me. And that's not meant to be blowing my own horn, it is simply the 
truth. Every day that I am here to care for them is precious. Every sacrifice I make is worth it. Every inconvenience I experience is no price to pay. Every boy whom I can pour my heart and love into is a precious gift from God and my privilege is to serve them.
SEVEN!!!! Seven boys in one day!!!! What was I thinking???
Well, in spite of the fact that they all arrived at once, these little lovelies are wonderful additions to our dorm! They bring my numbers right back up to 32, the number I was at before some moved up and some moved home.
I'll admit, it's been a little stressful. It probably wasn't the brightest idea to bring them in all at once but some other considerations made it the best decision. It's tricky for the boys already in the dorm to absorb seven new personalities at once.
And these seven have come from within our center. The ladies on either end, Tracey on the left and Vella on the right, both live in "transition" dorms with very small numbers. So these boys came from houses of eight and six respectively. Into a dorm of 32! So, they've been used to a lot of control and attention and they simply won't receive as much of that in my dorm.
But we will love them and care for them and they (and I!) will adapt - kids always do! Please just keep us in your prayers!!
Some of you may know that blogging has become an increasingly popular means of communication in today's world. I am so glad that I discovered it as a means of letting our little world come alive for those of you who might be interested!
I am always amazed at how many strangers visit my blog and keep coming back to read more. Their comments, gifts, encouragement, prayers and occasional financial support have been such a blessing - and something I could never have imagined!
Marcia Francois is a time management and business organising coach who helps small business owners break out of overwhelm, make the most of their time and get important projects done. She also happens to be one of my faithful readers and commenters, although we have never personally met.
She is doing something amazing this month. She is offering one of her e-courses, Organise Your Home, at a 10% discount for the month of January. AND, she is donating 25% of the proceeds to MY BOYS!!!
Could I, in a million years, dreamed up that method of provision for me and my boys? Obviously not! But God, who is able to do abundantly more than we can ask or imagine, did dream it up. And he laid it on Marcia's heart who allowed it to become her dream.
And I am so blessed. I know my loving Heavenly Father cares for me and my boys. I know He, who clothes the birds of the air, will even more so clothe us! He chooses to use people to do it!
Thank you Marcia for wanting to bless us! For sacrificing some of your income for the sake of my boys.
Friends, Marcia has clients ALL over the world! You don't have to be in South Africa to benefit from one of her courses. Check out her blog and her website and see if this is something you could use in your life. Or at least leave her a comment to encourage her in being creative in how she can bless others! I think most of us could use some help in getting organized and this might be the perfect time to try out some help in the process. Think about it!
By the way, if you go to Marcia's blog or site, you'll discover she has newborn TWINS! They are cute patoots! I thought to put their photo here but it's really not my place to do that so you'll have to go to her site to see them!
Thanks for reading and keep leaving comments so I know you're out there! I'd love to meet all, or any!, of you someday! You never know!
Here's my little group (several have gone to visit family) with Rebecca who is helping me in the dorm now, with our little guys, waiting for the festivities to start.
Pai has enjoyed the decorating activities!
This is the whole group, with my boys in the forefront, the girls next and the rest of the boys to the far right, all watching a movie.
Pedro, with his bag of sweets, tired but determined to stay awake!
Five fell asleep but woke up in time to watch the fireworks display down on the soccer field.
Happy New Year everyone!
I pray God's richest blessings poured out on you in 2010. May you find Him faithful as you are faithful to Him!
. . . the time I barely made it to the soccer stadium in time to cheer a group of our boys on when they won the tournament's first place trophy!
Can I tell you I cried???
Look at their proud, smiling faces! (DeAnna, that's your David carrying the trophy!) This photo was taken in church the next day.
All the boys except one have lived in my dorm previously, most of them moved up last year, see this post, and some moved up the year before. I kept telling them they should thank me for all that I taught them (not to mention all those soccer balls I've bought) but somehow they didn't think I'd taught them all that many skills. Hmmm.
A city league organized a two week tournament since it is school summer holidays here and our center was invited to arrange a team to participate. All of this happened while I was gone except for the last game which was held during our Christmas celebration on the 18th. It broke my heart that I couldn't go to cheer them on, especially when they won and took first place for the whole thing!
The next day, one of the other young boys came to tell me "Mana Laura! The boys are having their ceremony today! They left at 7 this morning." It was 9:30 but we hopped in the car as fast as we could (which mean at least 30 minutes as the boys who wanted to go with me had to be rounded up and tell their Educator, etc.) and took off for the stadium. The problem was, the boy who was SURE he knew how to get there ended up taking us on a 30 minute detour before we found someone who could tell us where it was.
When we walked into the stadium, the boys were down on the field with all the other teams. I tell you again, my eyes welled up with tears when they saw us. Their faces broke into huge grins, they waved and called us down on the field with them which we gladly went.
Oh, my heart flooded with joy at being here, serving these children who don't have family members to cheer them on in their accomplishments and dreams. What a great privilege to be there for them, proud of them. All the other kids had family members who were supportive. Who do our kids have? They have us and the Lord Jesus!
When you wonder why I left my family and friends and comfortable life in America to come here . . . when you wonder why I'm STILL here after almost seven years . . . think of those boys on that field, winning the first place trophy, having no one there who is proud of them . . . and then having someone arrive in the knick of time to celebrate with them.
It only takes a second to put yourself in their soccer cleats and realize what it must have meant for them.
Long after I'm gone from Mozambique, when people ask me what some of the most special moments were, I'll tell them about this one.
Once again, thanks to all my readers who help make it possible for me to be here!
Psalm 68:6: God sets the lonely in families!
Welcome back to More Information Mondays! Sorry, I've taken a few weeks off with all the craziness of coming back to Mozambique and jumping right into Christmas festivities and lots of little boys.
So to pick up where we left off, I'm answering some Frequently Asked Questions that I'll be able to save in the margin of this blog so first time visitors will know who and what they are reading about.
A question I get asked a lot is about finances, both for me and the boys. People want to know where I get money to live on and how I have money to do things for the boys as well. 
Well the simple answer to both of those questions is this same - God provides! And he provides thru people!
When I first made plans to come to Mozambique in 2003, many people made one time donations that helped with start-up expenses. At the same time, many people committed to supporting me monthly, each with a different amount, whatever they felt led to give. In the following years, some of those people have had to stop giving regularly but God has always put it on someone else's heart to start!
And even now, I get occasional gifts from unexpected sources, sometimes even people I have never met before! They send financial support or practical donations for the boys - it blows me away how generous and kind people can be. And how faithful God is to provide every good things we need to serve him and others.
So no, "they" don't pay me to be here, whoever "they" are - the kids?? The ministry I work with is completely faith-based, meaning all of it's support also comes from trusting God to provide thru individuals and churches. So, they don't have extra money to pay us missionaries, all the money they receive goes into helping the people here in Mozambique.
I am supported by the generous and sacrificial giving of family, friends and my church and I am so grateful for that support. I am so grateful to God for how He always provides just what I need. I am grateful I am able to help meet physical needs in my boys and my community thru the generous giving of others.
I tell people who support my work that they are an integral part of it - they are part of this ministry! Without them, I wouldn't be here caring for my boys as I'm able to do. It's not just a saying, it's the absolute truth.
So thank you to all of you who have supported me personally. And even to those of you who give to other missionaries or your favorite ministries or causes - you are changing lives with your sacrificial giving!
"He who is kind to the poor, lends to the Lord and He will reward him for what he has done!" Proverbs 19:17
No, they don't - we do, this year! Because a number of staff will be away on Christmas day this year, we decided to celebrate a week early so today was the big day. And I am appropriately tired for someone who arrived two nights ago, slept poorly with jet lag and arranged Christmas for 34 boys and ten ladies! Whew! I am so glad for the help I had in Rebecca and Meghann, without whom it would have been an underdecorated dorm and I would still be filling gift bags and crossing our names on new clothes!
The day begins with peanut butter for the breakfast bread, always a welcome treat.
We gathered them all up at 9am to give them their new clothes and can I give you an example of how easy they are to please? They cheered when I mentioned the new underwear!!! They are so easy to love and bless! They all went into their 
respective rooms where they got matching outfits. Followed up with our annual room photos which you can delight in here.
After lots of photos, we eagerly awaited Pai Natal (Father Christmas), complete with a song to 
welcome him into the dorm. This year, Pai Natal was our center Pastor Nico, along with our director, Papa Steve. We're a packed house with lots of visitors coming to enjoy the fun too.
NORMALLY, I would give 
out the dorm presents first - this year a seesaw for the garden, a plastic bike, soccer balls for each room and skateboards for each room. I FORGOT!!!!! I guess I was a little overwhelmed after all. Here they are on my bed, ready to hand out - sad! So we progressed directly to the boys' gifts.
Oh, the joy and delight and exclamations when they receive their gifts and dig to their depths to see what treasure lie therein! They knew we were assembling them in my house the day before and were SO excited!
Squeals of delight over a kids' meal toy, a bouncy ball, a lollypop! Showing all their friends, tearing open their biscuits, calling out
Here, Feliciano wastes no time trying out his new coloring book, one of his favorite things ever!
to everyone who will look - it's joyful madness and it lasts for almost an hour before they calm down, comparatively. What little lovelies!
Shondino looks pretty happy with his present too!
Pai agrees! After enjoying their presents for awhile, the boys eagerly await the center bell which calls them to the church for the last special event of the day - LUNCH! A big plate of rice and salad and fries and beef and CHICKEN!!! And a SODA POP! Oh, they're so thrilled!
Here's a shot of the whole church set up for the festivities. We had dramas and singing and dancing while the tables were being prepared. I just found out we served about 500 people and had enough for 7 plates leftover! That's amazing! I'm so glad we didn't run out, God always provides when we give generously!
Speaking of, thanks so much to all of you who give generously to me and my boys, making times like this possible! God will indeed always provide as we submit ourselves to Him and his plans for us!
I'm so thankful I can be here with my boys, blessing them, caring for them, enjoying a hug and an impromptu game of catch with a new ball. What a delight to be able to pour out love and blessing on them when they can give nothing in return. Except of course their love!
I am the blessed one! Merry Christmas!
Oh, well, you should know that I give them express orders that they are NOT to grow up, even to squashing down their little heads when I think they are getting too tall!
But, these darlings don't always obey and this is one of those times - they grow up in spite of my commands!
Each year, usually in January, we have a big dorm shift in the center. This usually coincides with what we call "reintegration," when families have been identified
Joao leaving to be reunited with his mom!
with whom the children can be reunited. This happens often when the kids are older and can fend for themselves a little. Or, we sometimes find accommodation for the older youth, off the center. So a trickle-down effect occurs, opening up spaces in each of the dorms, so kids move up from each of the dorms as well.
Usually around nine years old, my oldest boys move up to the next dorm. One year though, I had them til 11 and 12, just due to space issues!
This year, the boys moved a bit earlier than usual, last week in fact, so i will return to a very different dorm. It will be hard to not have the seven boys from Room 2 who were there when I left! Even thought they are only about 50 yards away, I will miss them!
I guess I can kinda answered both elements of this question - what happens when they grow out of my dorm and what happens when they grow out of our center.
Either way, transition is hard! For them and for me!
Here's a post I wrote earlier in the year when last years group moved up to the next dorm:
Well, when I see how big they are, I am amazed they were with 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!
Many people wonder where our children come from and often ask if they are all "true' orphans. They are not. In fact, we prefer to call ourselves a Children's Center rather than an Orphanage. But the name still conjurs up children with no parents at all.
The reality is, our center encompasses a wide range of children who would be in the Social Services system in the United States. But because countries like Mozambique rarely have a foster care system or a very developed adoption system, children most often end up in children's centers.
Our children come to live with us for a large variety of reasons.
*Full orphans with no known parents or family.
*Parents are deceased or unknown and the extended family can't or won't provide for them.
*One or both parents are known and "in the picture" but can't or won't provide for them.
*One or both parents are "in the picture" but the children have been removed from the home by the police or social welfare. This can be for as many reasons as you can imagine: sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, alcoholism, mental illness, prostitution, abandonment, etc.
One of the saddest scenarios of how our children arrive is when the mother meets a new man and he doesn't want another man's children. That can result in the children being kicked out of the house outright or in neglect or abuse until the children leave on their own or someone contacts the authorities and the children are removed. This is heartbreaking. Obviously, it is hard to imagine how a mother can allow this but often women feel like they have no choice and often have children with the new partner that they need to care for as well.
This scenario also sheds some light on why we have so many more boys than girls, about 3-1. The girls in Mozambican culture do all of the housework, the cooking, cleaning, carrying water, collecting wood, gardening, etc. So females are handy to have around. And, they are not as threatening to a man as another man's sons are. Also, boys are more likely to leave home to try and make it on their own at a younger age than girls are.
As I write these things, they seem so stark and harsh. And they are. But they are also complex and shaded and have a lot more elements to them than I could hope to communicate here, or even understand.
So if you are stirred as you read this, take it as motivation to pray with compassion that parents hearts would be returned to their children. The vast majority of Mozambicans love their children with the same love and commitment as you would find anywhere in the world. It's simply that the population that we interact with are broken and lost and their children pay the price, just as they do anywhere in the world.
By the way, we have a very aggressive Reintegration Program, 
actively trying to find family members who will take responsibility for their children. We strongly believe that the best place for these kids is with their families, in their communities and their own culture. Every year, many children are able to be reunited with their families and although it's hard to say goodbye, it's almost always with great joy and rejoicing that they leave!
I will always count my time in Mozambique as one of the greatest privileges of my life. The opportunity to obey God in trying to live out James 1:27 - "looking after orphans . . . in their distress" is such an amazing adventure that I wouldn't trade for anything.
As long as He calls me here, I will continue to trying to love and care for "the least of these" with my whole heart. Someone once prayed for me that God would use me to be a bridge between what these boys "should" have had (loving parents who provide for all of their needs) and the reality of what they have (abandoned, abused, rejected) and I love trying to live that prayer out.
The good news is that our Lord is the Father to the Fatherless and the Lord also promises He will set the lonely into families. What wonderful news! Please pray with me that this scripture will be fulfilled in our ministry!
Thanks for reading this edition of More Information Mondays! This and other Frequently Asked Questions will be saved on the right margin for new readers of my blog!
Even though I'm in the US of A, life carries on in Mozambique. Hmm, who decided that? Anyway, one of my little darlings, Zecca, went home to live with his mom this week. Although I will miss him - he is a doll! - I am delighted for them both!
Really, it was kind of a mix-up that he came in the first place. He was brought in with his little sister and his twin nieces, who are only a couple years younger than him. The twins are definitely malnourished and weren't being cared for properly but when I saw Zecca, I couldn't figure out why he had come to live with us as well because he looked (and was determined to be) very healthy and well taken care of.
Because he'd already changed schools and all, it was decided to keep him with us until summer holidays which began in the beginning of November. 
So now he will go back to live with his mom. Who knows the purposes of God in allowing him to come live with us for a few months? I pray that he has come to know in his heart that God loves him with an amazing Father's heart - so much that he sent his son Jesus to be his Savior and Lord. As I write this, I am reminded that I first accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior when I was nine, not much older than Zecca is. So I pray that God has captured Zecca's heart, never to let go!
Please pray for him with me, for this and for his reintegration into his family life and away from us and our center. I will sure miss him!
Nope, I'm not a teacher! 
I'm a mom. Or, I should say, I try to be a mom to my boys. Naturally, with between 26 to 50 boys over the years, it's a little impossible to really be a mom to that many boys. But that is what God has put on my heart for these darling little boys that He has entrusted to my care.
Those of you who read this blog who are moms will then be able to identify with me when I say how difficult it is to answer the follow-up question - "So, what do you do all day?"
Here's my attempt to answer that question:
1. Provide peanut butter and milk powder for Paulo and the other boys with special nutrition needs.
2. Give Lucas his cup of fortified water - which takes about 20 minutes! Lots of chatting and cuddles are involved.
3. Read books with Feliciano (and hand out books in the evening after dinner).
4. Greet Shondino with a big hug after school (the first of about 100 more hugs thru the day!)
5. Look at Pedro's schoolwork (and all the other boys thrusting their worksheets into my hands!).
6. Have a long, involved conversation with Aurelio about where his underwear is (thrown away because of embarrassment due to an accident instead of brought home to clean). The first of about 35 other conversations about naughty behavior.
7. Talk with Afonso about why he is angry with Gasper (he took his car) and how he can make other choices besides hitting.
8. Notice Israel is distant and upset again and pray that God will touch his hard and angry heart (one of about 50 other prayers for the boys thru the day).
9. Choose Elidio and Armandinho to set up the chairs and tables for the Afternoon Program.
10. Prepare for the Afternoon program. Do the Afternoon Program.
11. Give the skateboard to Zequito with Room 3 playing in the garden.
12. Put a band aid on Narciso's wound (one of about 10 band aids I will put on thru the day).
13. Take Shelton to the clinic to check on his skin fungus (one of many trips to the clinic during the week).
14. Ask Lito to help Armandino learn how to write his name (one of many efforts to help my boys write their names as well as learning to read and write).
15. Chat with Ivo's mom who has stopped by for a visit. Pray for the 1000th time that they will be reunited someday. (one of a few visits by family during the month).
16. Look for ways to encourage Alfiado, the new boy, to join in with the other boys rather than stay off on the sidelines.
17. Invite Dioniso in to help me sharpen pencils when he is having trouble regulating his mood with his friends.
18. Inflate a soccer ball for Salamao (one of at least five a day!).
19. Have a chat with Estevao about why he cannot A. ask visitors for money, B. take toys from other boys, C. stay out a half hour past shower time or any of another 50 things I routinely have to confront him on. (By the way, he is delightful as well, just naughty - a lot!).
20. Invite Pai in to play with his sister, Fatima (one of several times a week I invite siblings in to play to keep their connections strong).
21. Call the head educator over to deal with Salamone's out of control behavior, when he doesn't respond to me or any of the Tias.
22. Tell Jerome he is one of the cutest boys I've ever seen (one of about 100 comments like this I will make thru the day!).
23. Marvel at God's transformative power in Antonio's life after digging tens and tens of little wormy eggs out of his fingers and toes when he first arrived, malnourished and neglected (one of about 100 times a day I will marvel at what God is able to do).
24. Jump on the trampoline with brothers Daniel and Simois (one of many times thru out the day I will spontaneously join the boys in whatever play they are involved in at the moment).
25. Ask Joao' not to mess up my "very carefully arranged" ponytail, (one of about 100 times a day I will have to ask HIM to stop that!).
26. Have a heart to heart with Marcos or Manito or Chico or any of about 50 boys who used to live in the dorm but have moved up but still stop in regularly to touch base.
27. Throw a party for Zecca to send him off with lots of love and prayer as he is reunited with his family.
28. Give Joao Macamo the extra food for Lucas and Domingos that they get every lunch and dinner to help put some weight on their tiny bodies.
29. Cuddle with Domingos, my blind and developmentally delayed boy who loves him some snuggling!
30. Kiss Jose' goodnight (the last of about 100 kisses thru the day!).
Thrown into the mix: plan monthly birthday parties, shop for the extra food I give out 3-5 times a week in the dorm, pop some popcorn for the Friday night movie, give out the candy on a birthday, attend 
staff meetings and church services galore, take kids off the center for a walk to the market or to play in the park, clothes handouts, shoe handouts, present arranging for Christmas and birthdays, "physical therapy" sorts of interactions for Lucas and Domingos, conversations with Tias about how to handle some situation . . .
The list could go on and on but I think you get the idea - I do Mom stuff!
And that wraps up this week's "More Info Mondays!"
Ever since I was a teenager, I have been wanting to work "someday" at an orphanage. I just always had a heart for kids who were abandoned, abused or neglected. It certainly seemed a far-off dream.
(me with Francisco, Samito and Pedro my first Christmas in 2003)
Somewhere in the years after I was a teen, I heard a few times that "every Christian should give at least a year of their life to missions." Whether or not that is true for everyone, it made sense to me and I thought "someday I'd like to spend a year at an orphanage!"
In 2000, I was working at Vanguard University, a Christian university in Southern California. I spoke with our missions coordinator and shared that I wanted to lead a team of students to an orphanage. Our school had already gone two years to an orphanage in Mozambique so he suggested I go there or find one of my choosing. Mozambique was fine with me, it wasn't the where - it was the WHO!
So in June of 2000, I led a team of 16 college students to Mozambique. From the moment I arrived, my heart was captured! I fell in love with the kids and knew I wanted to return someday. I knew that the time was near when God would be taking me away from all that was comfortable and familiar to being a new adventure of faith.
That "someday" arrived in 2003 when I left my job and apartment, family and friends for "a year!" Well, it's been almost seven years now and my heart is more captured than ever!
Well, this is where I end the first installment of a new feature called "More Info Mondays" where I answer Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) which I will save to the right margin for when new readers discover my blog. I know, it's not Monday, but I haven't had internet access!
What dream of yours might God want to fulfill if you trust him enough to allow him??? Just some food for thought!
It's been so nice to have a visit with my mom and she is looking fantastic! She's doing quite well too, after a brief stay in the hospital last week which gave me a scare. She had a temperature so they admitted her to keep an eye on it. They never did determine the exact cause but she didn't have the flu or pneumonia so we were grateful for that.
Since being released, she hasn't felt quite her normal self but a doctor's visit confirmed our suspicion that it was the extra meds as well as the flu shot that was to blame. Since stopping the meds, she has felt fine again.
One new troubling concern is she has felt quite wobbly this week, as well as having what she calls "brain pain", different from a headache, which she's had for months now. An MRI has ruled out any spread of the cancer and so they have referred her to a neurologist to see about neuropathy, a possible side-effect of the chemo.
So, in spite of all those things, I think she is doing fantastic! Please 
keep her in your prayers thru this winter. The cold and flu season is no good for her lowered immune system and the gloomy weather just makes it harder to get out and about. The winter can be long and boring for her.
Good thing she'll have me to pester her with daily phone calls til December at least!
Love you so much Mom! Thanks for being my biggest cheerleader!
Almost every time I talk with someone about food, I tell them about my yummy Black Bean soup! I haven't tried any other recipes, there might well be others even better but I love the one I make. If I make a big batch, I eat it every day 'til it's gone and never get tired of it!
It can be served hot with lots of cilantro and sour cream or it can be served cold with some yogurt and a dash of cumin, perfect for hot weather days - I can still get my soup fix!
Since I've told so many people about it - and often promised to provide the recipe but then forget - I thought I'd write it out here. Try it sometime, it's so easy and so yummy!
It comes from a fantastic little book I found at a thrift shop for a buck and am so glad I did. It's called "More Home Cooking" by Laurie Colwin. (I guess there must be a "Home Cooking" then which I would love to find!") It's not really a cookbook, it's a book of essays about food with lots of tips and recipes thrown in. I love it! I've made several things from it and never been disappointed! It's just a pleasure to read if you like food!
I'm going to write it as she has!
Black Bean Soup
For Black Bean Soup, however, beef broth from a can is fine. Soak 2 cups of dried beans in cold water to cover for one hour and drain them. Combine them in a large pot with two 12 ounce cans of beef broth and one 28 ounce can of peeled tomatoes. People in a hurry often open up the can, drain the juice into the pot, and then slice up the tomatoes with a knife while they are still in the can. I would never let anyone catch me doing this but I do it all the time. Add one cup of water, two big cloves of garlic, chopped up fine, one minced onion and two or three smallish potatoes, cut into pieces. Cover the pot, put it on a flame tamer over very low heat and get lost. (I am on record in my belief that the flame tamer, a widely available metal disk that reduces a flame's intensity, can be the source of much domestic tranquility, but it is a somewhat controversial piece of equipment, because many people would never dream of leaving the house with the stove on. I, however, do it all the time.)
On a flame tamer, a good black bean soup takes at least five hours to cook, hours in which you could be writing a novel, composing a brief, arguing with your dry cleaner or playing catch with your child and her friends. You might yak on the telephone, balance your checkbook, or go thru piles of work. You might even go shopping for yourself, remembering to stop afterward to buy some bread and cheese. But whatever you do, while your soup is cooking, you are not!
Once the five hours are up, stir in the juice of one lime. Then you can decide what texture you want your soup to have. You can puree' part if it or the whole thing or leave it as is.
I have a flame tamer myself and also leave the house with the stove on. My flame tamer resembles the old Jiffy Pop popcorn thing and I love it. I usually puree' most of mine with a hand immersion blender.
Let me know if you give this soup a try. Bon Appetite!
"Hmm, who's that boy walking in the door, with his hoodie up and backlit from the light of the door?" I turn to Tia Marta beside me and ask in near slow motion - "Is that Albano???" He takes down his hood and we all erupt in cheers of delight to see our little buddy Albano again!
This is the first time he has visited since he left two years ago, in September 2007. He said he just felt like coming so he and his little friend hopped in a chapa and came for the day.
We loaded them up with good food, two changes of clothes (theirs had seen better days to put it mildly), toothpaste and brushes and lots of hugs and love. They sure enjoyed the trampoline and scooter and Albano was a bit of a star around the center seeing all his old friends.
I had seen Albano once while driving through Matola, where he lives, which I wrote about here, but this was the first time getting to spend some time with him. He's finishing fourth grade right now, is looking well-fed but hasn't grown too much, he's still our little Albano.
Please keep him in your prayers, he has a lot of potential but also a bit of a rascal streak!! We love him dearly and hope he visits again soon!
Alfiado, Narciso and Clotilde arrived in late September after one of our pastors told us about the difficult situation they were living in nearby in Marracuene.
They were living with their mother and auntie (picture in the photo with the mother at left and the auntie with her son at right). You can of course see that they are both albinos although none of the children are. Albinism is VERY common here in Mozambique (and perhaps throughout Africa but I could not say that for sure). I probably see an albino every day that I am off the center. Life is incredibly difficult for them as the sun is so hot here and burns strongly for so many months of our hot season. Many skin disorders plague the person who is an albino. There is some social ostracism as well but not as much as there used to be when albino babies were often killed because they were believed to be cursed. Although that may still occur, many if not most albinos are integrated normally into a society that recently ostracized them. Please don't quote me, I am not an albino expert! I am going on impressions and the occasional conversation with a Mozambican about the subject!
Back to our precious pumpkins!
This family had been living in Inhambane, about eight hours north of here, until their father died and his family did not permit them to stay. This is always a tragic situation, I will NEVER get used to it although we hear of it all the time. So they came back to the Maputo area but only found a place to stay but no work. Their kinesu (like bamboo) home had gaps you could not only see thru but put your hand thru. The home wasn't very sanitary and so all three children had skin disorders and health problems.
So, it was decided to bring them here to help them get well and until we can help the mom (and auntie) get suitable housing and some source of income. We hope that is soon as all three children were crying when their mom and auntie left, it was heartbreaking!
Please pray for wisdom for us in this situation. We don't want to just create people dependent on handouts but there is likely very little this mother is qualified to do that would earn any income. The auntie is missing a leg as well which makes physical work not impossible but very challenging for her.
I am so grateful to be able to be here living out one of my favorite verses in the Bible - looking after orphans and widows in their distress! Thanks for all of you who are praying, supporting and encouraging me in this incredible journey!
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Santa Cruz Earthquake, which I lived right thru, about ten miles from the epicenter! (Wait, am I old enough to have adult memories from twenty years ago?!?)
That was a monumental day to have experienced so I wanted to share my memory of it, just for fun!
I was a student at Bethany Bible College in Scotts Valley, California on October 17th, 1989. I also had a little job down in town at the Book Bank which I loved! It was a small bookstore which had a little cafe in the back, where we served coffees, espressos, the best chai tea I've ever had, lasagne and amazing soups! My favorites were the potato leek and potato cheese soup, wow they were good! We also had scrumptious cakes, triple layer chocolate from - oh no! My twenty year memory is failing me, I can't remember the name of the famous bakery that provided our cakes! Well, anyway, there was a mint one too. Pamela, remember eating that slice of Mile High cake in the Miracle bathroom late one night as we talked about, what else, boys???
On the 17th, I had started work at 4:30 and headed straight for the cafe as it was always a busy time for us. There was a counter that people could sit at to order, then a space about wide enough to walk thru, then the counter against the wall. That's where we took orders and served from. Up on the wall, above the walkthru, was a refrigerator unit with our bottled drinks and assorted goodies. Kinda like those pie cases at a diner would be. Well, I never left that work space once in the first half hour I was there, making espressos, washing glasses (twist on those built in scrubbers, rinse in treated hot water, rinse in scalding hot water, no wonder I have an addiction to hand lotion to this day!), serving slices of delicious cake.
It must have been just 5:01 or 5:02 or so that a customer came in and ordered a flavored coffee. We kept the flavored coffee beans in glass jars lined on shelves going high up the wall, just around the corner of the counter. So I stepped away from my post to get the beans and grind them up for a fresh cuppa. The clock ticked over to 5:04 and that's when our 7.1 earthquake struck!
Dodging falling jars of coffee beans, I ran to the front of the store for the nearest doorframe. My most distinct memory? Seeing the light poles in the parking lot sway from side to side, must have been about 15 feet in either direction. To my mind, cement poles were not supposed to do that!
After the shaking stopped and we went back into the store to check out the damage, I saw something that also shook me up! The overhead refrigerator unit had fallen from the wall and crashed down, filling the spot where I had been standing until that blessed customer had ordered their speciality coffee! Whew! I was so thankful I was not standing there for that to come crashing down on my head!
Right next to our store was a Radio Shack and one of the employees was listening to the news on a battery radio. The most shocking moment of the whole earthquake was when he said "they've just reported that the Bay Bridge has fallen into the Bay!!!" Of course, we imagined the whole 
bridge just collapsing and not existing anymore! Although it was incredible that a portion of the bridge did collapse, sending cars crashing to the level below, I was still so thankful when I learned the whole bridge hadn't collapsed!
Bethany decided to close for a week so I headed home to Oakland. Except that Highway 17 over The Hill (the north-south route connecting Santa Cruz to the Bay Area thru the Santa Cruz mountains where the epicenter was located) was closed as well. I don't remember my exact route home but I know I went up Highway One along the coast and had to cut over thru the bay towns. It was a LONG drive!
There were remarkably few deaths in Santa Cruz, but one was a woman named Laura who worked at a coffee shop! Imagine my friends' fear when they heard that on the news in the days before cell phones and all our regular phone lines were down. Needless to say, we were all grateful that wasn't me!
Of course, there was a lot of damage throughout the Bay Area, terrible destruction in the Marina district in San Francisco and the collapse of the Nimitz freeway in Oakland, both over 40 miles away. The Battle of the Bay had started as the Oakland A's were playing the San Francisco Giants in the World Series at Candlestick Park in SF. So all eyes were already on the Bay Area when the earthquake hit.
I thanked God for his protection over me that day 20 years ago and I thank him again today! He knows the plans he has for me!
Anyone who went thru the Loma Prieta earthquake care to share your memories? Or, anyone who's been in another earthquake for that matter, why not!
With everything happening with Paulo's death, I didn't have a chance to write a post saying that my newest boy, Shelton had gone to the hospital the same day that Paulo died. Talk about a fright! When someone dies, you become quite aware of the frailty of life. It's amazing how resilient yet tenacious we humans are at the same time!
Little Shelton arrived just over two weeks ago. Sunday morning, about an hour after learning Paulo had died, my Tia pointed out to me that Shelton had very labored breathing, a high fever and he had vomited in the night. I felt so bad for having to call the nurse on call who was only just finishing with arranging Paulo's body going to the morgue!
She gave him paracetemol to bring down his fever which didn't help at all. An hour later, she gave him 
ibuprofen which did take it away, thankfully. She was also trying him on a nebulizer (which helps clear the airways) but after that had little effect, she decided he needed to go to the hospital.
He was admitted on Sunday and just came home on Wednesday afternoon. He came home with a diagnosis of pneumonia which we knew he had. They didn't say he has asthma which we were suspecting but I don't know if they've ruled that out 100%. They also took a TB test which came back negative, thankfully!
His breathing is still a little labored which is from the fluid on his lungs but not a thing as bad as it was on Sunday. He hasn't had a fever since then either.
His grandmother went to the hospital with me to visit him. This photo is of her with Shelton and his little sister, Thursday the day after he came home from the hospital. She came when Shelton did and is staying in our girls' dorm.
Two "small" words about the hospital and why I'm so glad he's home now:
1. Monday morning, the doctor was seeing Shelton at breakfast time. So, he didn't get to eat breakfast!!!! He couldn't get down to the dining room because it was closed by the time the doctor was gone and they wouldn't make an exception. And, the tia had asked to bring the bowl of porridge to the room for when the doctor was gone but they said No. Why? Because the doctor was there!!! (what, is he allergic to porridge?!?) I was FURIOUS! The twist of the knife was that while I was visiting, at 4:30pm, she was able to bring his snack (a bowl of porridge!) into the room to feed him!!! Hello! This is a hospital where people are supposed to get well! A sick, five year old taking about five different meds doesn't need to eat for 18 hours straight - because "the doctor was there???"
2. The person who stays with the child/patient, isn't allowed to keep ANYthing in the room. Not an extra capulana (the piece of material they use for a skirt, wrap, towel, blanket, etc.), not their purse, not a diaper (if the child is using them), not a set of clothes, a toothbrush, nothing. And, not food! They can eat when their visitors bring them food (because the hospital only provides the basics for the patient), but they can't keep any of the food in the room. Where must they keep it? In the BATHROOM! In an open cubbie!!! For the sake of decorum, can I suffice to say that the bathrooms in the hospital are not clean? I've been in them, please trust me on this, I won't go into detail but you've not likely been in a gas station, beach bathroom or reststop that holds a candle to these bathrooms! Do you know ANYone who stores food in their bathroom? And we aren't talking about canned goods here. Not only do I wonder "are they trying to drum up more business here?" but many, many of the things left in the bathroom are stolen as well. It's terrible and so unnecessary.
In case you think I was ranting just there, trust me, those were my "small" words about the hospital!
I am SO glad Shelton is home!
What a terrible title for a blog post. One I hope to never have to write again.
Paulo, the boy in the red shirt making the funny faces in the group photos, died on Saturday night, some time in his sleep. He wasn't feeling well on Saturday and on Sunday he just didn't wake up. They found him with his hands tucked under his chin, a very peaceful looking position which has comforted us all that he wasn't suffering. He was twelve.
Paulo was such a 
sweetheart! He came to our center two years ago, leaving his family an hour and a half away so he could be closer to the city (as well as our clinic) for good medical care. He was very sickly when he came but had improved so much, you'd hardly know it! In fact, he was so much improved, he was set to return home to his mother and family in about two weeks time after school is out for summer holidays.
Paulo quickly became one of the boys and his closest buddies were the boys who moved out of my dorm last year, including all of these in the group photos. Naturally, they are missing him, grieving his loss and not sure what to think of it at all.
His funeral was yesterday. I'm sure most of my readers have never been, nor ever will go, to an African funeral. The grief is palpable and very visible. There is no attempt at stoicism, the family usually weeps until physically laying on the ground and Paulo's funeral was no exception. It' heart-wrenching to see. And devastating to watch that little casket lowered into the ground with utter finality. I will certainly miss him and cannot imagine how his family is feeling.
His death has also caused a bit of fear to creep into my heart, for all my boys, but especially those who are HIV+ and whose health is more fragile than appears to the eye. I have seven HIV+ boys in my dorm currently and although you would never know which was which because they look so healthy, I'm reminded that even a cold could be life-threatening when their immune system is so compromised. So although I don't want to be fearful, I want to be always vigilant about looking after these boys extra carefully, as well as all the others.
Tchau meu amigo Paulo. Tem saudades de ti. Ate' logo!
(Goodbye my friend Paulo, I miss you. See you soon!)
Pedro Pai
Simois Daniel
Armando Lito
Ivo Adilson
Tia Laura Tia Bilena
Tia Anna Mana Laura
Shelton Alfiado
We begin with four cute-as-a-button littlies from Room 3, the youngest boys in the dorm. The second two, Simois and Daniel, are brothers! But you can only vote for one!
Room 1, the middle age, was conspicuously absent from the photo shoot. Could it be they are overly self-conscious of their missing front teeth? Nah, simply they were playing in the back garden, rather than down by the soccer field!
The next group of four are from the biggest and most handsome boys in the dorm, Room 2!
The Ladies are included here simply for consideration for the "best sport" award. The blurry one, Mana Laura won't win it for sure - she didn't even jump down from the tree as everyone else did!
And lastly, honorable mention goes to our very serious newest entrants. Shelton and Alfiado arrived last week and were still getting a feel for things during our photo shoot.
Let me know who YOU would choose for Mozambique's Next Top Male Model!!!
And remember, there are 22 more boys in consideration for runner-up! (Actually, they either weren't there, Room 1, or their photos were too blurry. Less is more anyway, huh?)
Well, what happens around here when one goes away for three days? Apparently one returns home to three new boys, one for each day! Although, in truth, two brothers arrived the same day!
While in South Africa last week for my dental implant (which I will have to return for this Monday as the screw fell out. No jokes here about me having a screw loose please!), I got an email from Ros saying that a new little one had arrived, a small six year old named Shelton. His sister had arrived in the girls' dorm as well.
He is slightly malnourished so would I be able to give him the same morning porridge that I give Lucas and Domingos, a vitamin-fortified cereal? Of course, so I threw several more bags of it into my trolley at the grocery store where I stock up. Everything is cheaper in South Africa!
Barely had I processed that when I got an email the next day saying two brothers had arrived! Alfiado is 9, as of July 1, and his little brother, Narciso, will turn 7 on October 17! They look exactly alike, these two cuties!
Alfiado in particular has little scars all over his body from what looks like chicken pox gone very wrong. He has a fungal condition all over his head that is quite bad. But, although they seem neglected, they seem to be in fairly good health. They'll have an in-depth check-up this week and we'll see how they are.
I arrived back from South Africa on Friday night and met them for the first time. Shelton, the cutest thing ever, hasn't made a peep the whole time he's been here, and barely acknowledges me. But the brothers, after watching from the sidelines as I hugged and kissed the boys hello, shyly worked their way close to me and received my kisses and hugs with silly grins. They have warmed up completely and are delightful!
Please pray that these precious boys will quickly feel at home here, that we can help them get healthy and fill them with love and care, straight from the Father's heart!
(The Courtship of Domingos' Father went thru my mind as a title, for all you old people like me, but I thought it might give the wrong impression!)
One of my precious little pumpkins is Domingos! He's been living with us for two years now! (Wow, can I insert here "where has the time gone?!?")
I've written about Domingos before but just a reminder, he came to us from another center where he wasn't really being cared for properly. He is blind from birth, actually has no eyes, and also is developmentally delayed. When he arrived, at nine years old, he weighed about 27 pounds! His poor eating habits had him losing most of his food out of his nose or vomiting it up and the remainder, he would regurgitate for hours on end. I have a theory that at the other center, he wasn't fed, he just stuck his face in his plate and ate as fast as he could before other kids could steal his food.
Well since being with us, he still has lots of challenges but he has put on quite a bit of weight, he never vomits or has food out of his nose and he rarely regurgitates! He's about a quarter of the way to feeding himself but needs lots of help with it.
Although Domingos can walk, he doesn't walk by himself. Except about once a month or so, he'll get a bee in his bonnet and suddenly stand up and walk across the room, but that's usually the extent of it! I am hopeful though that we can help him gain some independence in walking and eating.
The photos above are from when Domingos' father visited last week. Domingos' mother abandoned the family before he was one year old, forcing the father to put him in a children's center because he could not provide the 24 hour care he needed and work as well. So, his son has been in a center for ten years now! And yet, this man still often visits Domingos. He is, in fact, one of our most frequent family visitors. His faithfulness is so touching to me, made all the more so by the fact that Domingos doesn't seem to know him and can't really give him much love or attention in return. He loves a big cuddle but other than that, he gives no feedback or attention to his father who visits him so often.
It is a precious thing to me.
In this land of too-absent fathers and so many unwanted children, tossed to the side and seemingly easily forgotten, here is a man who loves his son, just as he is. Who hasn't forgotten him. He simply can't care for him in his home.
Domingos' dad cried on his last visit when he was telling me more about when Domingos was born and the difficult time he had when his mother left. And when he said "I don't know why my son was born this way." His pain was evident and that again is a rare thing where people stoically bear their many burdens and tears are a rare luxury, reserved for the most horrible of circumstances of death and loss.
I was proud of Domingos' dad in that moment, as I have been many times. Proud, but hurting for him at the same time. How I wish I could make everything better for both of them!
In the meantime, I do what I can to care for his son, providing a safe, loving, healthy home for Domingos to grow and thrive in. And welcoming his father whenever he wants to come and visit!
Always. With 29 boys, no matter how many of the boys I invite into my home (unless it was all 29, not likely!), there is another little hopeful face, wishing I would invite them in too.
You see my home is part of the dorm, one of the four rooms off of the main room. And most of the time, my door is indeed shut or it would be chaos from morning til night and I try to do all I can do to minimize the chaos in my chaotic life!
Shortly after moving into the dorm, over five years ago!, I felt the Lord give me the idea of having around four kids in at a time for various activities. For example, Sun-Tues evenings after dinner, the boys either read books, color or play. Well, I used to try and sit in the main room and color or read with them. Remember, I have only 29 
now but have had up to 50 over the years! Anyway, after about 3 1/2 minutes of incessant "Mana Laura, Mana Laura, Mana Laura, look at this, look at this, look at this" I had had enough and would escape to my house, annoyed with them and annoyed with myself for being annoyed with them.
That's when I first had the idea to invite four or so in at a time and read or color with them. Ah, thank you Lord for that wonderful idea. It soon turned into inviting a few boys in at a time throughout the day, to do things together or for them just to play if I am otherwise occupied.
They absolutely love it! And I have a list of their names that I put a checkmark next to so I don't invite the same boys over and over. And, they know if they ASK me to come in, I will invite someone else. That has put an end to 29 boys asking all day every day if they can come in!
But you know what? No matter how many or how often I have boys in, there is still someone standing on the other side, wishing I had chosen him as I close the door as gently as I can in their sweet little faces.
And it breaks my heart.
After all these years.
People sometimes ask why I enjoy going to South Africa so much. There are a number of reasons but the first one that always springs to mine is ANONYMITY!!! With 30 little people around, not to mention the whole rest of the center, I really enjoy some time on my own to just be me without all the expectations.
A close second would be PEACE and QUIET! And that's what I find in abundance at Mercy Air! It's an aviation ministry located on a large, working farm. One aspect of their ministry is to provide a peaceful respite for missionaries and that they do VERY well!!
Here I am upon arrival in my favorite suite, The Eagle's Nest! It's upstairs in the main house and just feels like a hideaway.
My favorite part of my favorite place is, of course, the bathtub!!! With enough candles to read by and Harry Connick, Jr. providing the soundtrack, it's bliss!
I sleep in the big bed! And I love the African decor!
I take my breakfast here on the porch.
A daytime view of the bath and kitchenette.
Upon arrival . . .
Springtime in September!
A shot of a couple of their planes.
See the little doggie? He so wanted me to follow him down that path!
The pool is a fantastic perk in the heat!
The place is full of friendly dogs!
And it's so lush, I just love all the greenery.
Another Springtime shot.
And to leave you with, one of the local monkeys!
It's so fun to do things with the boys just one or two at a time. During one of Pedro's visits, we made oatmeal-cranberry cookies for the dorm! He loves learning how to cook new things!
Just this week I had a Jose' grande' and Salamao in to make spaghetti sauce too which they loved. Their favorite part was the sizzle of the mince as it hit the pan! I decided to risk letting them use the can opener for the chopped tomatoes. With only one mishap (big splatter all over the counter and wall!) which we had a good laugh about, all went well and they were delighted.
"Anema!" they declared! Which means something like "Yummy!"
But, I forgot to take photos! Oops!
Yes indeed, they certainly did. Here's the funny thing - Tuesday evening I bought 10 chairs while I was in the city. As I was loading them in my car, which has no trunk, I thought "I wonder if these plastic chairs will be worth someone breaking into my car?" (Well, they cost about $120 so in fact, they really might be worth it to someone!) I was spending the night at my friend Sarah's (whose roommate's name is also Sarah!) so there wasn't much I could do.
So, Wednesday morning, when one of the Sarah's left for work, I raised my sleepy head off the couch and said goodbye. Moments later, she was back. "Uh, Laura? I'm sorry to have to tell you this but someone has stolen your windshield." "What?!?!" "Are you serious?" Sadly, she was quite serious.
I threw on normal clothes and ran downstairs and sure enough, this was what I saw. What a shocker! You can tell when a theft is out of the norm when all the people passing by do a double take and stare! That was kinda entertaining to watch actually!
But you wanna know what is amazing??? They didn't take one single thing from the car! They didn't even enter the car! And the doors were still locked! What amazes me is that not only did the windshield thieves not steal anything inside but after the fact, no one else did either. Perhaps they thought I'd had enough for one day?
I had an ashtray full of money, a pair of shoes on the passenger floor, an unopened parcel (with who knows what treasures inside?!), a couple cans of Coke Light (I might have been tempted by those!), my IPOD adapter even! Not to mention the CHAIRS! They weren't stolen!! So even though I'd had that thought, that's not what they broke into my car to steal! So bizarre. I'm actually REALLY glad they didn't steal anything inside. They cold have taken all the things we're required to have like a jack, cables, reflective triangles, reflective vest, etc., not to mention the flashlights, umbrellas, etc. All that sure would have added up to replace. I really am amazed and so grateful nothing else was taken.
I'm also very fortunate they didn't take that black rubber seal you see hanging out the window. My mechanic couldn't find another one! Which is a bit of a bummer because the way they cut mine, it would be better to replace rather than have to glue it as he will have to do. But, at least I have it!
Another little bummer is, the tax payment proof is on the windshield. So now I will have to deal with getting that anew. I really have no idea if I will have to pay again or if my receipt will be proof enough. That's just an inconvenience.
As it is, it will cost about $250 to replace it, as well as fix some rust spots around the windshield while he's at it. That's a bummer.
But, it wasn't my car that was stolen! And it wasn't anything in it. So I am counting my blessings! And having a good laugh at such a bizarre event!
I'm also laughing as I remember driving the 40 minutes home without a windshield - it was quite amusing to people passing by! Thank God it didn't rain as it looked like it could open up and pour at any minute! I made it home without even one policeman on the road looking my way, so I didn't have to stop and explain myself. Yay!
Now, my cute little Venture is in the trusty hands of my mechanic and I will soon be the proud owner of a brand new baby windshield!
In my July birthday post, I mentioned sticker shock in an American grocery store when I wanted to buy salad for my birthday dinner. A small bunch of red leaf lettuce was $2.99! A head of iceburg wasn't much better at about $2.50!! I didn't end up buying the lettuce in the end, I just couldn't pay that much when I know the price of salad here, at least part of the year. I think you'll understand why when you see the photos below!
It's the height of lettuce and tomato season so right now, I can buy lettuce, tomato and onion enough for 35 people (that's 35!!!) for 40 mets, which is about $1.50!!!! And not just a little salad either. Take a look at these photos and you'll see, we all ate salada in abundance!
Mind you, that's not the price all year round but while it is, we're eating it like it's going out of style!
I was driving home this morning and just as I came to a part of the road that had a bit of an incline, I saw a man in a wheelchair laboring to get up the road. It's not very steep but it is uphill and the "sidewalk" is practically non-existent, crumbling away to sand and rubble in many places. He was moving forward using kind of a wheelie movement that looked kinda awkward and very difficult. (Photo #1, the good part of the sidewalk.)
As I passed him, I was filled with compassion for him. Life in a wheelchair anywhere I can only imagine is, to say the least, tricky, but here in Mozambique? I cannot even imagine. As my eyes filled with tears I thought, "I will never complain again." Which I did stick with until at least four hours later by the way! But then I remembered how seeing him had made me realize how little I have to complain about really and gave myself a quick attitude adjustment. (Photo #2, a strip in the middle of the sidewalk gone and a roadside stand just barely visible to the left.)
After I passed the man, a minute or so ahead, there was a car parked up on the "sidewalk!" And then another! It's a busy, narrow road and I thought, "what will he do?" I wanted to stop and help but as I said, it's narrow and busy. (Photo #3, the sidewalk disappears and only sand is left against the curb.)
As I turned the corner onto the next road I decided, "Right, I'm going to stop and go back and see if I can help. I can offer a push or a ride." Then I thought this scary thought: "Or I could pray for him."
Uh, what kind of prayer? The "Lord bless this man" prayer or the "Get out of your wheelchair and walk" kind of prayer. After all, that is how Jesus often healed people. And I do believe he still heals today. And he promises us we will do greater things in his name than he did. But I have to confess, that made me quite nervous.
So as I was walking back to him (it would have taken me ages in the traffic to get my car turned around and back to him) I said "Lord, I don't really know what I'm doing here, please show me!" I was willing, or thought I was, to pray for him even.
When I got to him, he was nearly at the top of the incline. I asked where he was going, was it far, and could I help and he said he was going to church which was just up ahead on the other side of the traffic signal. He thanked me for the offer of a push but had reached the level part by then and didn't need it.
Well folks, perhaps I would have chickened out of praying for him anyway but something about him going to church just stopped me in my tracks. For some reason it made it harder to offer to pray for him rather than easier.
So, I chickened out. I said "God bless you" and "have a good day" and walked back to my car. I will pray for him now instead of with him. I'm not proud of that. And I'm not sure what made it more intimidating because he was on his way to church. I can assume he would have welcomed prayer. It's giving me something to think about.
And pray about: Lord Jesus, make me more like you!
(It just occurred to me that many readers might find it strange that I would offer to help a disabled stranger on the street, perhaps offensive. But here in this culture, strangers do help each other with things all the time. It's one of the most beautiful parts of this culture and one I am still learning to incorporate into my life.)
(Another paranthetical thought: these photos are of the actual street, the flat part of it, but were taken some time ago. So they just serve to give a small idea, not the whole picture!)
This is one of my cats, Puss Puss, whom I didn't name by the way. I always give that disclaimer. I even tried to start calling her CousCous but I've never managed to get in the habit!
It's quite warm here during the day usually but still chilly at night so I've got these throw blankets on my bed. I left them rumpled today because I didn't want to disturb my kitty from her cat naps! I did however want to join her. Sadly, I wasn't able to. Another day perhaps!
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