Sunday, September 30, 2007

Getting Things Fixed

(Here's a shot of a beautiful Jacaranda tree. They're in bloom now in South Africa. Apparently they're considered a weed, but most people like them.)

Well, our week in South Africa has been a busy one. Our vehicle needed some urgent attention and apparently it's 'very tired'! After over 250,000 km of bad roads and being used to haul just about everything imaginable...I'd be tired too! We repaired what we could so it can take us a little further, but I'm afraid its days are numbered. We will need to look at a replacement for it in the near future. Mozambique is no place for 'sick' vehicles!

The day we arrived here, it began to rain. Apparently it had been very hot the day before...up to +40 or so. But then the wind began to blow and cold, rainy, dreary weather settled in and stayed for the entire week we were here! It warmed up briefly one day mid-week, then promptly clouded over and poured rain the next. I only packed 2 thin jackets and brought NO closed shoes. This is hot spring in Africa after all! Well, I survived the experience, but certainly drank my fair share of hot tea with a warm cat on my lap.

I was the other one who needed some fixing while we were here. Tylenol had become part of my daily diet for the previous 3 months due to a tooth that was ailing. Oh the joys of growing older...it seems that between Dr. and dentist visits, I keep pretty busy (when we're here at least)! Anyway, I had another root canal done and it was a particularly sore one. I told the dentist I have very unhappy teeth. He just chuckled. I wasn't laughing though. I think the only place in the world where I would rather not be in the reclining chair is in a dentist's office!
All in all it's been a productive week. The vehicle has had its 'face lift', I'm now off Tylenol, and we've been able to pick up some much needed items for the work in Moz. It's been great to see our Mercy Air family again too. So yes, tomorrow we cross the border into Mozambique again. We'll produce those same very official travel documents that the nice immigration official gave us. Then, once back in Chimoio, we have to face the music (begin the process of getting those important stickers in our resident's permits). Oh, we heard of another fellow-missionary couple who also missed the announcement to go through the expatriate census process. They're Canadian too. Hmmm.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Border Adventure...as per usual

This trip started out just like any other. “Do we have our passports? DIRE’s (foreigner residence permits)? Details of any parts we need to source? Charge cords for computer/cell phone/etc? “ When we were pretty sure we had it taped, we headed out on our usual 2 day road trip to South Africa. Not soon after we left, we realized we had left a few things behind. That seems to be the norm with us (are we the only ones??). But by then we were too far to turn back. None of the items were TOP priority anyway. We stopped at our usual little place to overnight near Maxixe.
The 2nd day of this trip is a good 9 hour one and this trip was no different. By the time we had cleared many kilometres of bad patches of road, we were thankful to finally hit the smooth stretch of toll road close to the border. The border is always a bit of a challenge with its long line-ups and chaos, but that’s old hat to us now. Then amid all the familiar routine, we ran into something new. After I handed the immigration officer our passports, resident’s permits (DIRE’s) and forms, she flipped through them quickly and announced, “They haven’t been ‘census certified’”. Oh? What now? She passed our documents to another immigration officer. Apparently it was his job to deal with such issues. “You don’t have the sticker to prove that you’ve been through the census procedure. Your home may have been included (which it was), but there is a separate census for resident foreigners. You’ll have to go back to Maputo (40 min. Drive) and go to the main immigration office first thing tomorrow morning. Don’t worry, it’s a simple thing...” He said this rather apologetically and then smiled weakly. “It’s simple”, when it comes to immigration issues, usually means there are long, dark days ahead! This registration of foreigners had been included in the recent nation-wide census, but since we’re rather isolated out in the bush, we hadn’t received any clear information about it. We were long overdue, and we wondered what we would be told back in Maputo.
We over nighted in our usual Maputo-sleep-over spot, ‘The Oasis’. The missionary lady who runs the place and who has been in Mozambique since before the war, listened to us sympathetically as we explained what had happened. “Well, I hope they’re lenient with you” she said as she went on to describe their own ordeal. We hoped so too. At best Dwight hoped to be breathing at the end of the it all. Seriously, we expected at least to pay a heavy fine and possibly be sent back home. At worst we imagined ourselves handcuffed and deported, involved with our mission from afar! Dwight called our family and asked them to pray.
In the morning we were at the immigration department early. We followed the signs that read something like “Foreigners’ census registration”. When we spoke to another foreigner (who also missed the deadline) and the office secretary, we learned that we would have to produce our working contract plus a letter from the local entity confirming the nature of our work here. Hm, We were on a short time frame on this trip, and this was starting to sound like a fair bit of red tape. Our official working contract was sitting in our house...a 2 day drive away! We were told we would have to see the Sector Head. When we explained our plight to him, he said, “We cannot process your paperwork here since you were originally registered in Chimoio. You can only do it there.” We were at a loss, and then he referred us to the department Director.
The woman in the Director’s office was dressed in a crisp uniform and was very stoic. She meant business! Once again, we went through our story of how we missed the national summons to all foreigners because we live a remote region, etc., etc. Her face was like stone as she listened. Then suddenly she said, “Do you live near Vanduzi?” “Yes!” we said. “It’s a stone’s throw from there to where we are. We’re on the old ADPP farm.” Her eyes lit up and she said, “Oh! My husband is from Vanduzi. His brothers still live there. You’re my family. Come, let me help you!” With that she made a quick call to her superior and told him of our predicament. Her embellished version had the desired effect. When she hung up she said, “We’ll do up a letter for you so you can get through the border this time. It’ll be good for 90 days. You don’t have to pay anything for this service since we are the ones at fault here. If you have problems at the border, just call me and I’ll sort it out for you.” You could have pushed us over with a tooth pick. Thank you God! We quickly exchanged names and phone numbers with her and were out of there so fast you couldn’t see us for the dust (AFTER we got the letters that is).
The border still exacted its toll, but this time only in the form of the sea of humanity=eternally long line-ups. In terms of the paperwork though, it went through without a hitch. Just as if it were usual fare! This is just the first chapter in this whole process of course, we still have to face the process of getting that little sticker on our permits...but for now, we feel as free as birds!

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

When Friends Come Calling

This week, Ron Wayner and co-pilot Nate from Mercy Air came to spend a week with us. They flew a short term group out to visit a mission that’s about 2 hours from us. And although they could have stayed with the group, they decided to come spend time with us and help cut wood. Our chain saw had been repaired in South Africa, so they flew it up in the plane. Nice! They also brought our mail (including birthday cards from my parents/in-laws that arrived in the bush, in Mozambique ON MY birthday. How do you like that? One would never even hope for such a thing. Anyway, Ron and Nate have been very busy making lots of noise, sawdust and wonderful progress cutting some huge trees into usable wood for all our building needs. Thanks guys! Bonus for them...they ‘get to’ stay in our many stars, mobile accommodation (read ‘tents).
Here’s someone else who came calling:
This is a Mozambique spitting cobra. ‘Spitting’ because they prefer to spit their opponent in the eyes before resorting to biting. I’m not sure which I prefer, not that I would prefer either! They have deadly aim and can spit a length of a few meters (yards). See the bands on his underside? Those are his identifying marks. So this isn’t the kind of snake you want to hanging around nearby. Anyway, our little dog started acting odd, barking alarmingly at tin roof sheeting that was leaning up against the wall outside. I immediately knew it must be a snake. So I got a broom stick and slowly pulled the roof sheets away. And sure enough, when I had flipped the last one over, an olive coloured snake, about 2 feet long or so, slithered very quickly, around the corner to the front of the house. Although I wanted to follow him to see where he went, I knew I had to first get the dog inside. If he saw the snake, he’d be after him like a shot and I would be nursing seriously sore eyes for a week. I called two of the staff who were nearby and they came charging over, sticks in hand, at the word ‘cobra’ (Portuguese for ‘snake’). We searched and searched...very carefully...but couldn’t find him. Hm. Then I noticed the drainage pipe that runs under our sidewalk. I know they like to hide. So I got the water hose and started flushing from one end. Sure enough, that motivated him to come out of hiding. Then the whole scene was a blur of sticks flinging through the air and bits of bark, grass and dust flying in every direction. I think the first blow pretty much guaranteed his ‘exit ticket’, but they guys like to make sure. So after about the 5th blow I stopped them. I needed to get a picture, after all! Then before I could scoop him up with a stick, the dogs grabbed him and gave him a real good angry shaking. Like, ‘take that you bad snake!’. ‘ Okay dogs, everyone, we’re good now.’ I expect but don’t hope to see more snakes this season. Haha.
Other friends we’ve had hanging around of late, likely because we’re the only island of unburned land for miles around, is some Guinea Fowl, Bush Babies and Vervet Monkeys.
Here’s a Guinea Fowl feather. Intricate, hey? I wonder if there are other birds with polkadots on their feathers. God thought of everything didn’t He?
The monkeys are smart and keep a good distance from us (not from our garden though). The Bush Babies are very cute and curious. There are a few that hang around in our trees at dusk. Their silhouette against the grey sky is really quite comical since they have long bushy tails and round, goofy, Mickey mouse ears. With features like that, you KNOW when they’re looking at you! I like to talk to them. So far they haven’t been brave enough to come down closer.
Otherwise, the routine friends we can always find around are bats and owls. Oh, and insects of course. Now that our days are warming up, we’re seeing more and more of them. Soon we’ll have to move our dining room table inside so we have some peace at mealtimes!
We’re making a trip to South Africa next week. A bit of business to tend to plus a sore tooth of mine. I’ve been on Tylenol for 2 months now, so it’s time to go see Mr. Dentist again. Yay. My favourite trip!

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Back to School

September and January mark the times when kids nearly everywhere in the world ‘go back to school’. Generally speaking, in the Northern Hemisphere, September is the beginning of the school year. But for us way down under, it’s mid-term reports time. Today the mission’s primary school held a meeting where general announcements were made and students received their mid-term final grades. Some did well while others...need to try harder.

As with most school meetings when you’re a kid, there were some times when it was fun
And times when it was boring!
Another event that took place today was the official first-time production of our own blocks with the newly donated block-making-machine. Over the past month or so, there was quite a bit of gathering of soil samples and mud-cake-making in order to find just the right type of soil for making blocks. Once the right soil was found, it then had to be watered down to loosen it up so it could be dug out, hauled to the block-making site and spread out to dry out a bit (tip #1: Soil that is too moist = muddy bricks once compressed). By mid-afternoon the soil was about just right, so two guys went to work shovelling the dirt into the hopper. The machine pumps out 1 brick every 2 seconds, so there isn’t much time for standing around...just a bit! These unbaked mud bricks will be used for construction of main walls. Once up you tack chicken wire onto them then plaster, and voila! (Apparently) For foundations, we need to use these locally made baked bricks. They’re much stronger. You may notice the charred background in this picture. A few days ago we came home from town late in the afternoon to find fire scattered along the mission farm’s one boundary. It had been discovered at 1 p.m. or so and the staff and Nat and Salena had spent until 5 p.m. working to beat it out with water and green leafy branches. Although the fire came close to some of the mission’s buildings, nothing major was damaged and it was otherwise successfully diverted to a safer area to burn itself out at nightfall. It seems the fire crossed through the dry river bed (which has reeds). But now that the fire has burned there, it seems as though all our boundaries are now clear fire breaks. Even if they had to be cleared by burning themselves!

Friday, August 31, 2007

Bush Tech, not High Tech

Somehow, when you live in the bush like we do, it tends to feel like you got stuck in a time warp (at times I figure we must be somewhere near the ‘Iron Age’). At least as far as technology goes. During our whole rock-breaking adventure, I’m sure I read somewhere about use of pulsed lasers to break rock. Now THAT would be easier!

Take THAT you tough old rock! Actually, we’re just about finished rock smashing. One more fire ought to do it. I believe that will bring the total of fires required up to 5 or 6. All that banging takes a toll on the tools though.

Before we can start pouring concrete for the house foundation, all the iron rods for the pillars have to be prepared. The iron rods are sort of like one’s skeletal system. They make sure things that get raised…stay standing! The first step is to find the right size iron rods in Chimoio (45 minute drive) and purchase them. Then the truck goes to town to pick them up. Next, the bricklayers measure and cut them into the prescribed sizes (just like our engineer-friend told us to). Then, find a comfy spot ‘cause all that bending…

And tying the pieces together is going to take a LONG time!

Below, a widow with her orphaned grandchild stands by mud bricks she has had to make herself. She carries the water 20 litres at a time from a well that is far away (besides the water she needs for cooking/washing each day). She has dug a hole in her yard and this is where she mixes the water with the soil to make mud bricks. Then she pats the mud into a mould, two bricks at a time! That’s quite the assembly line. And with 2 small kids to care for, she certainly doesn’t have the luxury of ‘sick days’. Her old home made out of sticks burned down in a recent brush fire. The mission is pitching in to help her rebuild her home and raise her 2 grandkids.

Here’s another widow who cares for her orphaned grandkids and who has been helped by the mission for about 4 years now. Recently she requested to have a latrine built. We hired a young man from another needy family, and Voila! She’s very happy with the end result. She even got busy and found an old cement latrine cover which we purchased for her. We had to pay a local guy to haul it to her home by ox cart. It was too heavy and it was too far for even several men to try to carry. I’m sure she is now the envy of the neighbourhood!

Is it any wonder why, when we come back home, we walk around building supply stores with eyes wide with wonder and mouths agape? After much drooling and dreaming of just how much we could get done with such wonderful tools though, comes the thought, “How could we get this to fit inside a suitcase? Maybe we could dismantle it…, or not.” Or, “God, how about a very long bridge that spans the gap (ie half the world)? Then we could send our truck!” *Sigh* I guess we’ll just have to stick with Bush Technology!

Our life-saving truck...can you see the mission name above the windshield? Mushu always chases it and but when it’s standing still he’s not sure WHAT to do with it! He looks like he expects it to jump out and bite him here.

Oh yes, and these kids. They come by the house everyday while their mom is at work, to ask for cookies. They call me “grandma”. It’s rather cute.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Home Alone

(We're still burning the rock. Here's a night shot and if you look closely you can see the spark trails.)

This week I’ve been a ‘grass widow’. That’s what my mom-in-law would call it when Dwight’s dad had to travel to churches for weeks at a time while she stayed home. This week Dwight is traveling north to Tete as well as other places I won't bother to list. I could have gone of course. But somehow the idea of not knowing where I’d lay my head at night then spending all day in seminars with only men...didn’t exactly appeal to me. I told Dwight I’d go with him. Just not THIS time J. You could say I’m home alone in our house if you don’t count 2 dogs, a cat, and a few mice that the first 3 are after! Work-wise, the mission staff, Nat, Salena and I have been holding the fort down. Things started out with a bang on our first day as the generator began to make a ‘funny sound’ about the time Dwight was heading out. Great. Our lives revolve around the generator so this was not a good start! Then we hit a few bumps with the river pump pipes bursting. Thankfully we’ve got good help and they’re great at patching things up. We also had a fire cross our boundary onto the farm so had to summon all staff to go put out the fire for the better part of an afternoon. After those initial bigger crises, I basically rotated from one work site to the next checking on progress and trying to solve problems. I really don’t like trying to solve problems that I don’t have a clue about, like cow shots and finding engine bearing numbers. But I’m learning. Hopefully I’ll never need this information again!



This week we also were supposed to get the health post spiffed up for the Health Dept’s Vice-Minister’s visit . The whole community got to work cleaning up around the school and central water well too. We were busy as bees. We painted our health post’s bed white (upon request), repainted the walls (white as well since that was what we had), put in shelves and painted them, hung new curtains and even got some crisp new linen from the district hospital!


Wow. The place looked real snazzy by the time we were done. Then on the appointed day, we sat and waited for our VIP visit. While we waited, we treated the sick. And treated the sick some more. At one point 3 little boys came in and sat on our freshly painted white cement bench. They were very dirty and I cringed as they sat down and squirmed around as little boys do. But a health post is for treating the sick, not for staying spotlessly white. Especially here where we live in the dirt! Our important visitor never did come that day, or on the following 2 days. I guess he got busy elsewhere. Who knows, maybe he’ll come yet. In the meantime, we’re enjoying the new look!



I had to get a shot of these brothers. Their mom has just moved into the area and arrived basically with the clothes on her back. She has a piece of land, but is starting her life anew from scratch. We’ve been giving her odd jobs here (below: in the garden) and there so she can earn some cash. She works half days and while she works, they stroll around and play in the shade. I give them cookies or cupcakes when I have them and their faces always light up at the sight of treats, of course! Now even the little one greets me with a smile.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Breaking Rock

This week we’ve run into some ‘interesting’ snags while working on our house foundation. First, we discovered that due to the degree of slope we’re building on, if the back corner of the house is level with the ground, the front end veranda would be about 2 meters off the ground! Yikes! There will be several levels in the house anyway, but rather than add even more, we decided to sink the whole house plus 5 meters of the back yard. This means we now have to build a retention wall. We’ve never built one of those before, so here goes another learning curve.

There are a lot of rocks in this area, and as luck would have it, there are some large ones right where we need to dig our foundation. At first the guys tackled it with sledge hammers and picks (we don’t have a rock-crusher or jackhammer out here). But the rock was steadfast and they only managed to pulverise surface. The rock stood its ground! One of the workers suggested we light a fire on it to heat it up, then, pour water over it. So we did. We built a nice bonfire, let it burn several hours, then sprayed it out with a garden hose. The guys went to work pounding again, but to no avail. They wailed and smashed with all their might, but the hammers just bounced off. That rock was invincible! Then a structural engineer told us we had done the right thing, but we have to light a VERY HOT FIRE on it (a whole lot hotter-than-hot-has-got type fire). Then dump LOTS of cold water on it. “It’ll crack every time…” So at 8:00 the next morning, we made the hottest fire we could with special flammable materials only we in the African bush have (very hard wood), and let it burn all day. Next, we were to DOUSE it with water, lots. Forget the garden hose sprinkle. So we got five 25 litre buckets and filled them with water. At 4 p.m. the logs were pulled off and the guys dumped water on the rock as quickly as they could. Well, the first 5 buckets were quick. After that it we were back down to sprinkley hose speed.




After a lot of sizzling, hissing and thick clouds of smoke and steam, it was time to check things out…first with a hammer of course, then a shovel. Sure enough, the rock had cracked under pressure! Just the top few inches could be chiselled away, but hey, it was a victory nonetheless! So, what do we do with the remaining rock? We’ll build another VERY HOT FIRE, douse, and pound some more. This could take awhile.

BTW, I found some old pictures yesterday that should have gone in the blog post (July) about our Toyota bakkie.
Fixing it again. This was on our move to Mozambique, about the time our engine troubles started.

Hauling precious cargo on one of our many moves in Maputo, Mozambique. Cute kids!















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