How to Move a Mountain

1. First, believe it's possible (have faith)
2. Grab your tool(s)
3. Go to mountain
4. Start digging. One shovel-full at a time.
Note* Steps 1-4 repeated many times multiplied by many people who simply WON’T quit = change to the seemingly immovable.

Now, I’m not talking about moving Chitundo “Mountain” (pictured above). Who would want to do that? It’s much too beautiful where it is, although that could be done using the above formula. Ok, so we’d have to add some extra steps like: use dynamite. My son would be here in a flash!

No, I’m referring to mountains that can seem equally (very, very) large and permanent, like poverty, hunger, inadequate health care and education, etc. Oddly enough, the steps for moving these mountains are the same as for moving the rock-type, although you’d have to add different extra steps here like (instead of dynamite): use love

This week, we here at the mission received some great help from others who arrived, tools in hand, to help with the digging and moving, so to speak.

First, a group from the U.S. (through Mercy Air) came to work on several projects like roofing a few important buildings like a community clinic at Chitundo:

Glad to see Tome wearing eye protection. :)

Day 2, I believe?, and nearly done.

Dwight and I (behind camera) with community leaders, discussing staffing of the clinic.

It's ALWAYS fun to watch people work :P

At the same time, another crew worked on roofing the garage:

Beautiful! And cool in this heat. AND, if you ever run out of tin foil,

you know where to go grab a piece.

Somewhere amid roofing projects, there was some helping to dish up food during lunchtime at the mission school




Handing out soccer of balls...yay!

A few games with short termers:

Much needed orphan home painting took place with the ladies (and helpers):

You can't help but love little helpers.

Joao, caught by surprise, watching as inside his home turns bright with white paint.

Craft/activity/lesson time with the orphans:

Keren’s uncle and cousin arrived as well this week and soon got to work. Rick (her uncle, not the other Rick here :P) had barely arrived before being called on to tackle repairing a small generator.


Then there were all those mission vehicles at various stages of disrepair...

The old Isuzu is definitely a faith (+hard work) project!

She sort of got gutted.

After some TLC by these guys, the doors were soon opening and shutting, automatic locks were working, and the windows were working again! (Rick is also an author and blogger so click here to check his sites out.)

Below: This week Mateus (a student who is blind) received a talking watch so he could keep track of time. Matthew and Carey took some time teaching him how to use it and teaching him his numbers in English!

Thus wraps up a week of mountain moving. Phew! Thanks everyone--both big and small--for believing, grabbing a tool, digging, and of course, loving.

PS: The team flies back to South Africa on Sunday and will take Bero with them. His surgery is booked for Wednesday.

PPS: Thanks Barb, Rick and Carey for most of the photos on here!