The start of 2014

Before I post anything about 2014, I should really close 2013 with a few photos of November/December. We spent a considerable amount of the time traveling between Mozambique and South Africa as well as quite a bit of time being in South Africa on business. We also got hung up for awhile checking up on health issues. I hadn't been feeling well for several weeks and my Dr. wasn't happy with the results of some routine tests, so I was sent for not-so-routine tests/procedures to rule out anything terribly nasty. Preliminary results seem to indicate nothing too nasty, likely "just" a respiratory virus. Just a virus that made me sick for about 2 months--right through our annual holiday and Christmas--nasty enough for me.

One of our stops on one of our trips between SA and Moz was at Messina just south of Zimbabwe. We "climbed" a rock. As you can see, I did it in flip flops so probably can't officially be classified as climbing. It's a unique part of the country and is full of Baobabs and rock outcrops. It's also HOT there.

 

   We received a container of mostly medical supplies from Sweden, among the items were some wonderful cupboards. Here the health workers and Tome deliver a cupboard to the one health post. I don't know about them, but I smile when I see this picture because I know it meant we could finally take health records/forms/etc. out of the paper boxes we've used for years and put them in a cupboard. Talk about civilized! 

 

One of the big items to tend to in South Africa (at Mercy Air) was the Cessna's annual maintenance. This doesn't mean just checking under the hood and changing the oil--it  means pulling just about every moving part of the plane off, or open, and looking inside its cavities, examining the wiring, testing this, testing that. I don't even know what all they do but it's a pretty big job. It is absolutely essential though since it's fairly impossible to take a pit stop if something goes wrong when you're 7000 something feet in the air over dense bush.

When the maintenance is done, the plane has to do a test flight or two to make sure everything's working well. Officials from Moz also came through to check the facility and do an aircraft inspection since the Cessna is now Mozambique registered. It was a busy time for the guys, and we were very thankful that everything worked out so we could fly home in time for Christmas.

We stick to as many Christmas traditions as possible out here where there is no snow or other things that are normal signals (for us) that it's Christmas time. And every year, I dutifully pull out one of my old puzzles that I've done and redone many times. This particular scene is a snowy church scene of some place in Germany. Doing this puzzle helped me pass quite a few hours of not-feeling-so-great-but-don't-want to-waste-time-in-bed. But apparently what you define as "bed" depends on whether you're a human or a cat.

To add to our Christmas and New Year's celebrations, we also celebrated the first landing of the Cessna on the mission airstrip. This was the culmination of quite a few years of hard work, money spent, document processing, inspection passing, and so on. So it was truly a joyous event! The plane has already made several "work flights" from this airstrip, one being to take essential supplies to pastors in a remote region north of us.

Moving along here. 2014 so far has been pretty busy and we're not at the end of January yet. There's been gearing up for the beginning of school for the over 300 students in our sponsorship program, making progress on construction projects, preparing budgets for the new year, reports for our AGM in February, etc. And then there's been addressing the crises that seem to pop up regularly.

At lunchtime one day last week, we heard a huge BOOM in the distance. We weren't sure what it was but in short order received a phone call saying there had been an accident between two big trucks on the highway right in front of the mission property. Could we please come quickly! The scene didn't look good, but surprisingly there was only one casualty and he was alive. The health workers who live and work nearby had already made it to the scene and bandaged up the guy's head and checked him over. As quickly as we could, we got him loaded into the mission vehicle (which we have also nicknamed our local ambulance) and took him to hospital.

I'll try to wind things up with one last photo that everyone will be fine with. But this is your heads up that the ones to follow are the "bug section" which I always try to put at the end of my posts so the more sensitive readers can stop scrolling down in time :)

We currently have a group of students from Prairie who are spending a few weeks at the mission ministering to needs and relating cross culturally. Last Sunday after an animated church service, we were all invited to the pastor's home (above) to enjoy a lunch of Massa & Caril (stiff maize porridge that you dip into a stewed chicken sauce). This is served hot off the stove and eaten with the fingers. We north Americans know how to eat with our fingers, but handling piping hot food that way takes a bit of practice and a very light touch. It was delicious though!

BUG SECTION:
It's summer here which means it's very hot, humid and rainy. This weather summons creatures of all varieties and sizes out from hiding (or wherever they were) and into our house. I'm sure they go other places too, but I especially notice the ones that come inside. Especially when they're oversized.

 This first one is a huge centipede. These guys pack a nasty sting, though I've never been on the receiving end. Thank goodness!

 The fork's sole purpose here is for comparison. Just clarifying.

Next is a cute chameleon. This one didn't come inside because they hate being inside, but we often find them in our yard busy hunting and eating insects. Good! :)

The one below came inside and even went so far as to crawl up and get  all snuggled into a fold in our mosquito net.  A scorpion in one's mosquito net is not a nice visual to wake up to. Thankfully he didn't decide to come snuggle in our sheets instead.

 He's semi-lifeless here. I have since discovered 2 others in the house :O

The stick on the wall below is actually a stick bug. It is rather disconcerting to spot a live and moving stick on the wall outside one's bathroom! Although they don't bite people, obviously they can bite and eat their prey (smaller insects...good!). I think this is the largest stick bug we've seen to date. This is a KAOS radio station pen from Fort McMurray, btw, where it's -28C right now.

And then there's the tarantula type spider. Actually, we've spotted several of these, one of which was crawling up a big window in our front room.  I should have taken a photo of it but I was too distracted at the time.

And to everyone's great relief, that's all I will post for now. All the best to you this 2014!

PS: There's lots more news at samministries.org.

Change

Some people love change but for me, it doesn't always come easy. Change for the better is usually easier, but just plain old change can be hard work. Either way, both take getting used to.

A big change for me that comes to mind was when we got married and both my name and status changed. I went overnight from being Miss Trekofski to Mrs. Lagore. The reality hit really hard while we were jetting over the ocean toward Hawaii on our honeymoon and the airline stewardess addressed me as "Mrs. Lagore". I probably gave her a blank look initially and remember thinking, "...that's my mother-in-law". I wondered how I'd ever get used to a new name, never mind signing it, but in time I did.

Another major life-changing event was becoming a mom. I went from being able to just grab my purse and dash out the door on a moment's notice to having to engage in a major get-baby-and-baby-paraphernalia-ready event. When I think of it now, it was a bit like getting ready to go camping except you don't need the matches.

When we moved to the African bush and lived camp-style and in tents for a year, that was a huge change that took adjustment too. It was like packing for the major outing-with-baby-event, times 10 or 100 or 1000, and this time you definitely did need the matches.

There was more change on the way when the kids grew up and left home to pursue their education and careers. I was suddenly more foot-loose and fancy-free again, the house was quieter, and meals needed to be smaller. That all took adjusting to as well. And although there was a self re-definition of sorts, I didn't change my name again (thankfully).

So where am I going with this? Well, change is in the air once again. Thankfully it's not major and I'm especially thankful it doesn't involve camping, matches, or any of that stuff. What it does involve is a small re-definition of this blog--where I have spent many a fine hour trying to put thoughts and recent mission developments "on paper".

Finally this last week, after a lot of teamwork with writing, layout, photo contributions, and website development, the new SAM Ministries' site went "live". And with it, a new blogging platform for posting mission news. It will be updated regularly, so for those interested in the latest developments at the mission in Mozambique, make sure you check it out. For those of you interested in the curious things this blog, I'll still be here plonking away when things come to mind.

I think I can classify this change as one of the "easier" ones. Now, just to get used to it.

I'll close with a few photos:

Me and Amanda (our daughter) working.

Here she's pondering job applications since she's nearly finished her after-degree in Education and is now scouting teaching jobs in Edmonton. And I'm busy with website details, no doubt.

(The only justification for me wearing a yellow and green striped sweater is that it has BRASIL plastered across the front.)

Dwight adding a few more finishing touches to the presentation.

We received a wonderful donation last week from--a box full of reading glasses. I was handed a fairly long list of requests for glasses prescriptions for pastors in rural Mozambique in November. When they gave it to me, I told them to pray. See what happens when you pray? There a few ladies colors and styles in here as well, so the ladies will be smiling too.
(Thank you Blessman Ministries!)

Anyway, I'd best run for now.

ttyl

Getting There

There was a bit of a panic one morning last week. We were just finishing our routine morning meeting with staff when I caught a quick movement out of the corner of my eye. One of the guys had something on the end of a stick that he held stretched w-a-a-ay out in front of him, as far as possible, and he was rushing to dispose of whatever it was. It must have been pretty dangerous, so my curiosity was piqued.

“Wait, wait! What is it? Let me see!”

The guy stopped mid-step and turned around ever so carefully. There, on the end of the stick, was no snake, no furry, ogley-eyed spider, nor anything too horrid at all for that matter. It was a plain old chameleon. A fairly frightened one at that who was moving as quickly as possible toward safety!

Unfortunately for the chameleon, his species are programmed for disguise, not speed. And so his attempts to “scurry” were quite pathetic. At best, he swayed backwards and forwards repeatedly, in super slow motion, as his front foot reached forward, poised for eventual touchdown.

It’s pretty safe to blink, even several times, when watching chameleons walk. You won’t miss much.

They're quite harmless, but many here believe they’re deadly poisonous. I reached for the stick to rescue the little fellow and to relieve the guy holding him. As I did this, an animated discussion broke out as we shared our differing ideas about chameleons and the possible danger they pose. Some voiced concern that chameleon eggs on cassava leaves could easily be eaten by accident and poison a person. I was more concerned about the level of cyanide poisoning in the leaves themselves. They thought I was funny. I thought they were funny. We all had a good laugh.

The chameleon thought it wasn't so funny at the time but it could be later, after he’d reached safety. If he could just put that foot down and actually get there.

I think Raimundo (holding the stick) and I have similar thoughts about chameleons.
He doesn't seem too worried.

While we were having some fun but also challenging moments at home base this week, Dwight, Rick, Joao and Pastor Ricardo spent just shy of 2 weeks picking their way over dangerous highways and bad dirt roads to visit, teach, and encourage pastors and people in remote areas. I traced their path as best I could (below). The round trip covers approximately 1200 km.


Need I say why I don't accompany my husband on these trips? Conditions are rustic and besides, there are dangers along the way too. Who knows, maybe one day I'll muster the needed sense of adventure and go along. But not yet. Thankfully, Andy and Dwight took some great photos which I'll share here.

Rick, Heather & Co. hauling a trailer load of orphan gift packs for Chiriza and Chueza.
Good thing they were well wrapped on the bad, dusty road!

Crossing the Chiri River on the "ferry".
These bigger rivers are know for both hippo and croc attacks.

While Dwight drove, Pastor Ricardo "manned" the phones.
Dwight's phone is a busy one. Apparently Pastor Ricardo's is too.

Graduating pastors in Guro

Lunch with the Community Leader in Mutarara

Unique Christmas Gift packs, carefully shopped for and put together by Rick, Heather, Pastor Mariano and others, were distributed to orphans in programs in Chueza and Chiriza.

Awaiting gifts and lunch.

Gifts are so fun!

Grannies and elderly women who also receive help.


The Chueza church runs a garden to provide vegetables for orphans in its orphan feeding program. The walk there is several kilometers long.



Desperately needed pots for cooking were delivered on this trip as well.


Fresh produce from church garden in another area called Baue.

Follow up for the women's literacy program is also provided on these trips. Here, one of the remote women's class teachers receives supplies.

Here, a woman receives a certificate for completing a course in leadership training.
I love seeing the women involved like this.

"Work-for-food" project in Sinjal.
Bricks made will be sold to generate income to purchase more grain.

Checking out a possible remote base in Sinjal for the mission.
A place to call home while so far away from home would be ideal on these remote location visits.

Who knows...maybe I could be lured off on one of these crazy trips after all? There may be a few dangers and some adventure, but it would be a great experience. Maybe one day I'll get there.

Awareness

Here he is, the no-name-buck (‘cause so far no names have stuck), all eyes, ears, sniffing, and ready to bolt. We’re glad he’s made it this far considering he was orphaned likely within a week of his birth. He provides a fair share of entertainment and we marvel at his ability to hear us sneaking up on him (I know, I know...that doesn’t require a terribly high degree of skill), see in the dead dark of night, and the speed and agility with which he races around our yard, always stopping on the top of some rock--any rock, regardless of its size or height, to take a fresh inventory of his surroundings.

It always pays to be aware.

I'll give a quick heads up here, for those of you who are more sensitive, that this blog post is backwards from my usual where I would normally put the “ewww” things at the end. This time, “eww” is coming, well, right away here. So if you’re looking for more important news and would really rather give the bugs a miss, you’ll have to close your eyes momentarily and toggle further down.

This time of year is the season for many things: heat, fire, and bugs, primarily. This is our dry-heat season, before the rains come. It can get up to 40C or more, and if you don’t use Celsius, 50C is half way to boiling point. So yeah, hot! This semi-torching of the land by the sun seems to bring about the inevitable in nature: new life. From tender new leaves budding on all the trees to bugs and more bugs. That these events happen simultaneously is very convenient for the bugs because they emerge from whatever crevice, cocoon, or shell they’ve been holed up in

Cidada shell

Cicada (after emerging from a shell)

and, voila! a fresh, tasty green harvest awaits them and the chomping begins in earnest. Thankfully the trees produce new leaves prolifically otherwise they'd go completely bald.

And as if the volume of leaves being devoured isn’t bad enough, some bugs use the leaves for other things, like to wrap stuff in.

Is nature not amazing?

I found these outside the other morning on the ground under one of the trees. There were hundreds but I only brought in this handful of them, all neatly wrapped like a cute little gifts with the ends all sealed down. Curious sort that I am, I had to open one up to investigate.

Nada?

I found nothing. Or so I thought, until I took a closer look and noticed 2 wee tiny yellow things. I took a close-up shot and discovered they were eggs. Moth eggs, maybe, but I have no clue.

The klipspringer discovered them too and figured they must have been prepared just for him. ☺His favorite leaves all wrapped up, just like cabbage rolls.

That same morning, I stepped onto the veranda to find hundreds, maybe even thousands, of worms on the floor. They were dropping from the trees and being blown onto the veranda with the wind, on fine strands of silk.

I (and they) don’t know where they were going but I wasn’t too impressed at the sight of them—especially those that were wiggling under my doors into the house. It was the sort of sight one wakes up from relieved to find that it was just a dream. But no such luck here. It made for lots of repeated floor sweeping and washing. Thankfully their numbers diminished after 24 hours.

This is the last “eww” picture, although chameleons aren’t really gross.

This is a baby flap necked chameleon who was making his way across our yard. Seems like a very dangerous thing to do when one is so small and slow-paced, so he was “rescued” and brought inside for a few hours to hang out with us. His choice spot to hang out? The top of Dwight’s head.

Invariably, the season of heat and bugs is accompanied by widespread and uncontrolled brush fires. The fires are started intentionally for several reasons, including land clearing (preparation for planting season) and easier game viewing for hunting.

Snares and traps used to catch wild game. These were found on the mission's land.

Although we try our hardest to protect the mission from these fires, it’s difficult to be on the watch out everywhere, all the time. Last week a fire raged across most of the mission property and destroyed many hectares of grazing for cattle and sheep, and singed the outermost trees in the litchi orchard.


On a more positive note, the guys finished putting the roof on the mission school’s clinic this week…no mishaps either, so that was nice :).

Community members watch while the guys work.

Now all that needs done is to finish plastering, putting glass in the windows, putting doors and shelves in, and painting. I guess that’s still quite a bit of work, but with the walls and roof up it always feels like it’s almost ready to use.

The Mercy Air house roof is coming along nicely too...

With the health department’s current tuberculosis (TB) awareness campaign and freshly painted clinic walls in mind, I’ve been busy this week making stencils, posters and signs to help promote health and decorate walls. Since education about not spitting or how to spit “more safely” is incorporated in the prevention aspect of the TB poster, finding appropriate visuals has been an amusing activity. I went online and found many possibilities. I rather liked this one. Seems obvious enough.

I also found a picture of a well-known soccer player...spitting at the time of the photo. So I took a picture of a tin can with sand in it, as it should be, and pasted it below him so it looks as if he’s spitting into the can. I hope he doesn't mind, though he'll likely never know anyway, but I think I just earned him a new reputation as part of the TB awareness campaign in Africa.

Sometimes, and at least in his case, what you don't know won't hurt you. And it may even help someone else.