The Good, the Odd and the Timely

It's funny how odd things catch our attention, and we out here in the bush sure saw some odd sights this week! Thankfully most of the odd sights were good too.

We incorporated our week's work with introducing our guests to the various mission programs (since their time here was short), so here's a bit of what we did and what we came across. (And yes, this next photo fits into the "odd" category!)

Steve and Dwight fumigating

The orphan/widow and student homes got fumigated this week for mosquitoes and ants. The ants were small, but there were gazillions of them and they were everywhere. Poor kids could hardly sleep, they said! Let's hope things have settled down for them.

Painting inside walls at Chitundo Health Post. The socorristas go for their training over the next few weeks, so the final touches need to get done.

While we were busy painting, a bunch of kids gathered outside and peered in through the windows. They were bored, and we were an odd sight to them I suppose, so they hung around and watched us paint while they chattered away at each other and at us. At one point, when they were getting rather noisy, I asked them to sing. They sang us a very nice song about their "beautiful school" (in Portuguese). Little did we know that as we worked away, they were dabbing their fingers in paint and smearing it on their faces. Good thing it washes off easily!

Chitundo kids pose for photo

We had a chance to visit one of the women's literacy/craft groups. They sang and danced so nicely for us, then busied themselves with their crafts while their babies toddled around them.

And older kids hung out by the windows peering in at the odd visitors inside!

Lauralee sharing a moment with the kids outside

The bush fires have been raging, as they always do at this time of year. We decided to visit the home of a widow who lost a hut in the fire. It was a bit of a walk to her place.

She told the story of what happened and what help she needs.

While she and the men talked, her grandson and his friends chatted with the ladies and got some sweets.

I'll lump the next photo into the "timely" category. Here, some pastors receive a plow (a Unique Christmas Gift item) which they'll use to plow their fields. Our weather is warming up nicely now and it's time to get those fields ready. Usually all the field work is done by hand, so they were very pleased to see these plows right now, indeed!

I came across this child's toy guitar, carved out of wood, laying in the yard.

We made quite a few health related home visits too. Bero needed his dressings changed, one of the staff needed treatment for pneumonia, and there were other needs as well.

Here, Lauralee (a labor and delivery nurse), checks a newborn. He's healthy! Beautiful too.

Tamara hands this young man a new set of clothes and a coloring book. Later, we went back with some medicine that he and the family needed.

We got to pop in at the school and check on progress at the health post there too. It's looking good! So I guess this photo goes to the "good" category.

While in Vanduzi on one of our home visits, we stopped in to visit the hospital. The staff there were welcoming and friendly, as usual, but were faced with the challenge of having recently run out of rubber gloves and needles. Turns out, we've had plenty of those donated this year, so we promptly went home and sorted through our supply so we could deliver some to them later in the week. They were very happy about that!

Sorting through supplies. Many hands make light work!

I'll wrap up this post with our visit to a church and orphan program in Honde today.

Kids playing on the playground equipment the pastor made and put up for them.

And playing ball with a locally made soccer ball. (A balloon covered with plastic bags and string.)

Turns out, our visitors brought some balls along with them...how good, and timely!

Posing for the photo while the balls are new, fresh and shiny! But not for long...since balls are made to be played with

sat on

and handled, as much as possible.

Now here's the odd part of the day: a north american football was given out too. Hmmm. What WERE they thinking, to make a ball with pointy ends?

The kids soon got the hang of throwing the odd shaped ball.

But soon resorted to volleying it back and forth! Turns out, an american football can be used for many different games.

Then it was lunch time for us: salad sandwiches along with Mozambique's favorite drink, Coca Cola.

Mmm, good. Timely. And not all that odd either :)

ttyl