Our mission may be done here, but God's mission continues...

We will see you back home in two days!

Thank you again for all of your support and prayers!

Love,

Todd, George, Chris, Daniel, Danni, Ellyce, and Logan

From Cattle to the Sea

There was a low tide at the beach this morning. Chris was able to join Todd, Danni, Logan, and Ellyce as they explored the rocks, and sat on the sand during the sunrise. Instead of going to a well dedication, we visited The Cattle Project that World Hope International has been doing for the past few years. The village we went to received the cattle from another village when their cattle had produced offspring.  It is very similar to a pyramid, as the herd grows, the villagers give a certain number to another and so one, until there are many cattle.  The villagers were so thankful and praised God along with us for the well they had received (in 2007) and the cattle they were given.  The people of the village had been taking care of both and their lives had changed so much.  We could see it in the smiles, and they could see it in ours. As a team, we were able to enjoy hot tea and boiled cassava root with the villagers. Thank you for the gift ya’ll gave us today! 

It was a shorter day out in the field today, so the team seized the opportunity to visit the local beach and do some swimming.  It could only be described as amazing!  The tide was very low and what was left before the large rock reef were large crystal clear pools of water containing everything you might see in a local aquarium store (including the colors).  Each of us took turns using the one pair of goggles to see some of the most beautiful sights. For dinner, we had kudu chili with delicious mango cobbler provided by Jason and Rachel Helm. We are ending the night with a great game of Apples to Apples. Tomorrow we look forward to visiting the orphanage. Please pray for our team as we continue our mission trip for one last day. Thank you again!

Love,

George, Daniel, Chris, Todd, Logan, Ellyce, and Danni

Cattle from the village we visited

Danni helping a lady pump their well

Ellyce, Chris, Todd, Daniel, and Logan exploring the rocks at the ocean

George enjoying the low tide

12 Stone??? More like 12 Shoes!

We had another great day today! Todd, Danni, Logan, and Ellyce started out with another beautiful sunrise at the beach, while the guys got some rest. We got to visit a village that was getting their well drilled. George, Ellyce, and Danni were able to help clean out the mud that was being pushed with the water while they were drilling the hole. Daniel helped the men by placing a large drill stem into the system. After about 30 minutes of staying in a village (that we thought we would be spending the whole day at), one of the World Hope International workers came up to us and told us we would be leaving soon to go to another well dedication. It was very unexpected, and was something we were not prepared for.

All of the villagers were excitedly standing in a group singing as we pulled into their village. Ellyce had the great privilege of cutting the ceremonial ribbon and pumping the well for this dedication. George helped a lady from the village pump the well, too. After the dedication, our group headed to the area where they used to get their water. It was a large area that had tall grass. It was also an area that had been filled with water during a flood. They told us when the land started to become dry, they would dig holes so that the water could be preserved. It was very hot while out in the sun and the insects were very prominent. It is easy to imagine the struggles they had to go through just to get water to do their normal routines of cleaning clothes, bathing, and drinking. Next, we headed back to the village to start the ceremony program. Unfortunately, when it came to doing our skit on how 12 Stone got its’ name, our sheet that we used to represent the river was left behind at the Lehman house. So, instead of using our blue sheet, we used Danni’s blue-green bandanna to represent the water. We also weren’t able to find any of the monkey fruit that we usually use for the stones. Instead, we used our shoes. The villagers greatly enjoyed our last minute choice in props.

We divided the village into men, women, and children and began speaking (or playing) with each group. Chris and Todd were leading the men and shared good discussion with them because they were believers and already had strong faith. Daniel, Logan, and George told the story of David. While George was slaying the impromptu Goliath, Logan recited the popular bible story. Danni and Ellyce sat with the women of the community and discussed how God provides us, even when we feel hopeless. The women also taught the girls some songs and dances. Even George had to join the dance class with some of his own special moves. We ended the celebration with a meal and some good laughs about the possible proposal and dowry payment of what appeared to be a lemur’s tail.

For dinner, Rachel and Jason made delicious tacos and homemade chocolate chip cookies. It wasn’t until after we had all finished the meal that Jason told us that the supposed ground “beef” was actually Kudu. We enjoyed relaxing with the Helm family. Tonight, we discussed how we are leaving God’s mark on the people we are in contact with and how we see God changing, not only our hearts, but the hearts of the villages here in Mozambique. It is simply amazing that we have been here for 7 days and will be heading back home so soon. Our time here is precious and we are so thankful for the opportunity to witness and actively participate in God’s plans for this nation. As always, please continue to pray for our team and the people of Mozambique. Your prayers are powerful and important to the heart of this mission team. Tomorrow we head out to visit a cattle project. We hope to learn more about the other project that World Hope is implementing here in Mozambique. Thank all for your support!

Love,

George, Logan, Ellyce, Chris, Daniel, Danni, and Todd

Daniel helping to put the drill stem in

George helping to clean out the mud from the water

Danni helping the women to clean out the mud

Ellyce dedicating the well

George helping a woman to pump the well

We. Are. Lost.

Today began with an amazing sunrise viewed by Todd, Danni, Logan, and Ellyce while George, Daniel, and Christian got a little more rest.  When the World Hope staff member (Daniel) arrived to pick us up he told us that today we were going to do 2 well dedications. Some of us knew that we were in for a special day.  As we drove to the village of Mangone’ north of Xai-Xai, we picked up two “officials” (one Chief, and her assistant) our anticipation greatened.  The Lord had a special event for us and we were ready as a team to receive the gift.  Shortly after we arrived, Chris cut the ceremonial ribbon off the first well with his Swiss army knife. Todd was invited to pump the well also. Soon after, we headed “in the truck” to see where the villagers used to gather their water. We saw the swamp that they used to get their water, they also took baths there. Insects that lived in the swamp would bite the villagers frequently.  It was while we were headed towards the old water hole that we stopped at a local house to get directions.  Our driver, Daniel said, “We. Are. Lost.” Those of us in the truck started laughing and someone said, “Yes, we are.” It took us awhile, but we were able to get directions from a local.

After a long down-hill hike, the old water hole they used to use for life can only be described as something that would be an old drainage pipe. The hike to the old water source was quite difficult (without 5 gallons of water on our heads). Insects swarmed the area and the air was filled with the indescribable smell of stagnant water.  Over and over the people of the village thanked us for helping change their lives.  As we walked away from the well,  it was difficult to comprehend what a gift the people of  12stone have given these villagers. 

When we finally got to our next well dedication, Daniel was given the honor of cutting the ceremonial ribbon and pumping the well. As well as an important time for the village, today was also Mozambique’s Independence Day. So, there was a large number of people in attendance (at least 300) to celebrate both the dedication of the wells, and Mozambique’s Independence.  We were able to witness the two communities from both well dedications coming together to celebrate not only the wells, but also their independence from the Portuguese. They had a grass star  with a stone altar in the middle to honor their independence.  At the monument, all of the villagers sang their National Anthem, and afterwards, a few of them put flowers on the stone altar in the center to represent the lives that were given up for their independence. Then, we were moved to another area to celebrate the well dedication.

Under a large “shade tree” all of the leaders, dignitaries, and our team sat facing the smiling faces of those living in the village.  Singing, dancing, local skits of village stories, and skits of  the independence began the celebration.  A most moving moment happened when an elderly woman spoke to the team and said thank you, by explaining that “our tears became our water” as they waited for clean water.  During the celebration, we were given the opportunity to introduce ourselves, and afterwards Todd explained the story of  Joshua and how 12stone chose its’ name. This was then followed by a silent skit explaining the story.  When the time of introductions was over we all shared in some wonderful food and bottled cola. 

On the way home, we all realized the gift we just received, and would like to thank each of you for helping us along the way. For dinner tonight we ate “crock-pot-cooked” chicken, and had some wonderful peanut butter pie prepared for us by Jason and Rachel . The night winded down with a game of “Scatagories” and journaling. Please pray for us and the village we go to tomorrow. We will be witnessing the drilling process, and planting more of the Lord’s love to everyone we encounter.

Love,

George, Todd, Ellyce, Danni, Daniel, Logan, and Christian

Swamp where villagers used to bathe and get water

Independence Day Celebration

Chris dedicating a well

Performing our skit on how 12 Stone got its' name

Daniel after dedicating a well

Todd dedicating a well

Feel the earth shake

Today, we went to church here in Xai-Xai.  It was a gathering of the districts in Xai-Xai, so there were several hundred people in the new church located at the Wesleyan College.  We each had a chance to introduce ourselves and while Todd was speaking about his family, the translator mis-spoke and stated to the congregation that he was married to 2 wives and had 1 son.  It brought laughter in the church that could most likely be heard around town.  Daniel remarked after the service that during the “open prayer” part of the service, he had seldom (if ever) felt the presence of the Holy Spirit like he had.  After church the team was treated to a lunch at a local restaurant that overlooked the Indian Ocean. We all enjoyed some of the finest food we’d ever eaten. An unexpected treat was the pair of kitten cervils (miniature cheetahs) that the owner was trying to domesticate. We followed up lunch with a trip to the beach where Ellyce, Daniel and Todd swam, Christian, Logan and Danni explored the surf, and George enjoyed some time with the dogs back at the Lehman’s. For dinner, we went to Jason and Rachel’s for sandwiches, popcorn, and laughs about the day we had just experienced.

            Love,

            George, Logan, Ellyce, Danni, Todd, Chris, and Daniel  

Sunrise on the beach this morning

Church Choir

Our new friend from the restaurant

After lunch in front of the Indian ocean

Daniel and Ellyce exploring on the rocks

OoooEH!

Dancing, singing, and simply being together.  Today began with an overwhelming welcome from the village of about 200 people singing us songs of praise and thanks!  They had some of the most awesome dancing that any of us have ever seen. (check out the pics!)  As the villagers explained to Todd, George, and Daniel, each song told a story about strengthening community.  The children played games with Logan and Christian with smiles and laughter that can only be explained as perfect.  The ceremony began with Todd telling the villagers about how 12 Stone got its’ name, followed by the entire team doing a skit that explained the story.  Danni and Ellyce shared what life was like in America for young women, and followed it up by teaching the ladies of the village how to do the “Macarena”.  After our meeting with our groups, we were able to share a meal that the villagers had prepared. We had some REALLY good chicken, Casava, with some Fanta/Coke in the bottle. As the amazing day came to an end the villagers thanked us repeatedly for sharing the word of God with them, and for being people of such faith.  One man stated, “ we must all face ourselves at least once in our lives” . 
When we got back to the Lehman house, some of the local salesmen were waiting outside the gate ready to sell us oil/wax paintings, bracelets, carved wooden jewelry boxes, and much more hand made things that they or family members had made. For dinner, we went to Jason and Rachel Helms’ home about 1 mile away. They made us a grilled dinner with salad, beans, and kudu/wart hog sausages. As, Ellyce was about to take a bite of the wart hog sausage, she wished Pumba a warm farewell. We were also introduced us to a delicious vanilla custard from a box to go on top of our fruit cocktail dessert.

Tomorrow, we look forward to a sunrise on the beach, and church in the morning. We would all like you to know the face that the people of Xai-Xai saw from us today was that of Jesus. Thank you all for giving us this wonderfulgift.

Love,

Todd, Daniel, Ellyce, Danni, George, and Christian

Dancers from the village

Wart hog (Pumba) we had for dinner

Kudu we had for dinner

We found the ducks and whales!

Our 2-day travel to Xai-Xai went so well! No luggage went missing, and the duck design fabric that we tied to the bags definitely helped. Although, when we arrived in Johannesburg, none of our bags were to be found on the carousel. However, the nice guy working the baggage claim informed us that it was safe in cage ready to go on the plane to Maputo. This morning we left from the Johannesburg airport where we discovered that it is indeed winter here in the southern hemisphere. We were picked up by two of our fearless guides: Daniel and Andrés. We ate sandwiches and had fresh cashews along the four hour car ride to Xai-Xai.  As we drove through the Maputo area heading out to Xai-Xai, anticipation of what was to come was filling each of our thoughts (and dreams….as several team members caught a quick nap). 

Excitement is almost tangible among the team. We have already explored the beach here in Xai-Xai. Some of the team swam and played in the surf, while others watched whales and the sunset from the shore. A total sense of peace and belongingness has been our constant companion these last few days. It is apparent that our faith will be tested, but we know that we serve a great God. With many busy days ahead of us, we will need that same joy and laid-back nature that have been so beneficial on this trip.

We have had an awesome two days of travel and all of us are ready to go to our first well dedication tomorrow.  Tomorrow we are going to meet the people of Xai-Xai for the first time.  The dedication of the well is in an area of the Gaza Province. Your thoughts and prayers are so important to the strength of our team. Please continue to pray for our team and the people of Mozambique. Thank you for your love and prayers and support!

Love,

Todd, Logan, George, Christian, Danni, Daniel, and Ellyce

The boys at the ATL airport

The girls at the ATL airport

In Johannesburg airport at Indian Restaurant

On the drive to Xai-Xai

From the beach. Goodnight!

In less than 24 hours.....

Hello everyone! This is the start of the blog for the College @ 12 Stone(Water's Edge) team!! All 7 of us are so very excited to be going to Mozambique, Africa, where we will be part of the 100 wells project that 12 Stone Church and World Hope International have partnered up on. This has been an on going project that began in 2010. For those who don't know, the goal of this project is to build 100 wells in a span of 3 years to provide safe, drinkable water for many people in the different communities/villages. Along with providing wells, 12 Stone has also sent different teams of people throughout the past 2 1/2 years to celebrate and share the love of our eternal well of life, Jesus Christ. THIS, friends and family, is what we get to accomplish for the next week and a half. So, we need your help! God can move mountains, but PRAYERS move God. So, if you could, please pray for the success and safety of this team so that we are able to glorify the name of Jesus in Mozambique!

We are just so thrilled to be taking off to serve the Lord! In less than 24 hours, we will be on a 16 hour plane ride to Johannesburg, Africa. From there, we will arrive Thursday evening(Africa time), stay over night at a hotel, and wake up early in the morning to take a one hour flight to Maputo, Mozambique. Once we arrive in Maputo, drivers from World Hope International will be waiting to pick us up, and drive 3 hours to Xai-Xai, where we will be staying in the wonderful home of Mr. and Mrs. Lehman. Yes, that's two days worth of travel!! Again, please pray for our safety. Unfortunately, we will not have any access to call or text friends or family to update you all on our trip(except for emergencies). So, THIS blog is our communication to YOU! Be sure to check daily for any updates. So, without any further ado, here is your College @ 12 Stone(Water's Edge) team!!

Our Leader: Todd Sheppard
The Team: Danni Estanislao, Daniel Hunter, Chris Parsons, Ellyce Payne, Logan Seckinger, and George Zimmerman

Please note that there is a possibility that we MAY not be able to post a blog every night, but we will keep you updated with our journey when we can! Thank you all for your support, love, and prayers throughout the last several months to get us here!!! We love you all!!

Take care and God Bless,
Danni

Cows say "Mooooo"

07 June 2012—

                While it’s important for me to paint a picture of life here that is accurate in regards to the level of poverty that the people of Mozambique experience, I worry that I do not say enough about the positive side of the strides they’ve been able to make over the last few years to improve their current situation.

                While World Hope International is obviously involved in well drilling in several African nations, they also have other projects which benefit the communities where they work.  While some of their ventures prove to be more successful than others, due to both cultural and monetary constraints, their cattle program, which began in 2006, has grown exponentially over the last six years.  This program, which helps communities expand their wealth through cattle breeding, started with 3 projects that benefitted 15 families and is now supporting 78 projects for approximately 375 families.  In essence, World Hope donates 10 cows to one village and they are split between 5 families.  Each family gets two heifers and 1/5 of a bull with the agreement that they have four years to increase their herd by sharing the bull for breeding.  At the end of four years, after having increased their cattle numbers, the original families donate two cows to the next project with includes another 5 families.  These new families are selected by the original committee and will be trained to care for the health needs of their new cattle, which continues the cycle for the next four years.

Historically, Mozambique used to have a large cattle farming population; however, after their independence from Portugal in the mid 70’s and their subsequent civil war which ended in the mid 90’s, most of the country’s cows were wiped out for food by the warring factions.  Additionally, prior to the war, Mozambique was actually considered an extremely strong economic force in this part of Africa, with the closest sea port to Johannesburg being in Maputo.  Because of this, South Africa lent covert support in weapons and training to the northern Mozambican rebels on the condition that they would destroy the country’s infrastructure while trying to overthrow the new independent government. 

Today, the success of their quest to damage Mozambique’s economic power is evident in the poverty throughout their land.  With this in mind, while it is hard to comprehend the levels of need that the people in this country face, it is also important to remember that they have only been functioning as an independent nation for less than two decades.  Animals other than goats, pigs, chickens and wild dogs are rarely seen away from the national parks, and since the Gorongosa preserve was used by the rebel army as their headquarters during the war, game reintroduction is still under way since virtually all of the elephants, lions, zebra, cheetah, rhino and other typical African animals were used as food. 

                Therefore, if we try not to view this nation in a vacuum and attempt to understand its recent history, we can see how something as simple as World Hope’s cattle project could bring hope to many communities.

                The leaders in the village we spoke to were in the 1^st year of their second project, meaning the first 10 cows had already been bred and another 10 were turned over to 5 new families.  So far, their stock appeared to be flourishing and their cattle looked extremely well cared for.  Several of the men and three of the women from the program were kind enough to sit down with us and answer our questions, and it was wonderful to hear the pride in their voices when they spoke about how much progress they had made thus far. 

                Interestingly enough, the topic of education came up again when they stated that money they receive from selling their cattle once they’ve expanded their herd often goes to put children in the community through school.  What I found encouraging and amazing about their statement was that they did not say anything about putting the children in their family to school, but children in the village as a whole.  I may be wrong, but that is not something we would necessarily find too often in the U.S., so it definitely shed some light on the cultural differences and strengths that exist within this society.

                With this, I began thinking about the way we tend to view people in third world counties and it made me take a long look at myself as well.  Similar to the way we view our homeless community in the United States, I think that we are all guilty of assuming that those who live in extreme poverty are in some way not only lazy, but completely to blame for the conditions under which they labor.  We may not even realize that we hold those beliefs in our heart because we often refuse to voice them; however, the truth is that there is nothing lazy about the people here.  The amount of love that they demonstrate for one another and the back-breaking labor that they stand strong under every day is inspiring to watch.  Their ingenuity and use of land and resources is something most of us would never be able to comprehend because the conditions under which they live would never sustain most of us for more than a few weeks. 

                Watching them, I can’t help but think, “We have so much to learn.”

If Children Resemble Plants...

06 June 2012—

                We got an earlier start than usual today and as we were traveling into the familiar crush of morning traffic in Xai-Xai, I couldn’t help but notice that the more time I spend here, the more this way of life seems completely normal to me.  There is a comforting feeling about the way that people on the streets greet one another as they pass by, and the hustle of the markets opening for the day resembles something of a gathering of friends.

                Staying among these people leaves me feeling that I am missing out on a huge portion of life because relationships here trump everything.  Fields have no boundaries because families don’t need contracts to understand where their land ends and their neighbor’s land begins.  I asked one of the men working with us from World Hope about what’s to stop someone from taking the crops from another person’s field, and after looking somewhat confused at my question, he simply stated, “That would never happen.  Land is passed down from generation-to-generation and we don’t need to sign anything to make sure someone doesn’t try to steal it.  The crime is very low here.  Small incidents are handled within the villages, and you wouldn’t want to mistreat your neighbors when you have to see them every day.” 

                Consequently, because of their strong collectivist nature, children in Mozambique are extremely well-behaved.  Today, I tried to explain to our translator, Isa, the fact that it is considered extremely rude to discipline other people’s children in America.  Her quick, surprised response was, “Really?!  So, you can’t tell someone’s child to stop what they’re doing if you don’t know them?”  I told her that if I attempted to do that out in public, or even if it was simply the child of a friend, that I would most likely get yelled at by their mother or father. 

                Here, the adage that it takes a village to raise a child is extremely pertinent because children are literally raised by everyone.  If they are misbehaving, they can be disciplined by any of the adults present, which creates extremely obedient children.  While there are instances where they act-out like young children do, the temper tantrums we experience in the U.S. simply do not happen.  Many of the photos I have taken during my last two trips often depict children sitting quietly and it is not a fluke.  Honestly, it’s an amazing and somewhat foreign thing to behold!

                With this, while the children here are disciplined and expected to learn strong work ethics at an early age, Mozambicans clearly cherish their youth.  The well ceremony we attended was once again in front of a school; however, unlike the educational facility we visited yesterday, the school building here had reed walls, a straw roof, and dirt floors.  Nothing about the structure resembled what we would think of as a conventional school, but one of the local men pointed out that they’ve used all native materials because it is all they have.  One day, this elder spoke about his certainty that their prayers would be answered for cinderblock walls that won’t collapse when there’s wind, even if it takes 100 years for those blessings to come to fruition.  In poetic terms, one of the school teachers stated that, “If every one of our students represents a plant, we are so thankful for this well because we are now able to water our plants.”

                While this ceremony was very similar to the others we’ve seen thus far, it was by far our favorite because their graciousness was incredibly evident.  As a community, they appeared to have an extremely strong foundation and they planned a wonderful celebration, complete with an entire presentation from the village children.  Their smiles and songs were incredibly touching and it was clear that they were the pride and joy of the entire community. 

                After their initial welcome was given and we were asked to plant two trees for the well dedication, we were taken further into the bush to the new drilling sight where water had only been found that morning.  When I speak of the bush, the writer in me has to wonder whether I’m actually painting a picture of what it really means to be that far off the main road.

                For starters, paved roads in this part of the world are few and far between; therefore, anything that has not been funded by the government is made of nothing but sand or orange clay.  For this reason, it’s not surprising that most of the vehicles you see on the road have 4-wheel drive because getting to some of the villages requires you to deal with deep sand paths through the jungle that would barely fit a bicycle, let alone an SUV. 

                These “roads” and their extreme distance from anything resembling civilization, serves as a reminder of why clean water is so important to the villagers here; however, it seems only natural to wonder why they wouldn’t simply move to an area that is closer to the things they so desperately need, such as hospitals and schools.  Still, while it appears to be a small issue to move their straw houses and reed chicken pens to different areas, it’s important that we remember the things that make us similar to them.

                For starters, many, many people in the U.S. seem to live off the grid in rural parts of the country; however, while it might seem odd and restrictive to those of us used to having everything we need a only a short drive away, they live there because they prefer to be a good distance from the bustle of the cities.  Life in Mozambique is not really much different.  Many of the villagers who live in the bush prefer the simple way of life there, even if change is slow to come to their area, especially when their land has been passed down through their family for years.  According to Dulah, one of our translators, his father worked the land and could smell different plants before he got near them because he was so in tune with his environment.  When I asked what exactly he meant, he said that, for example, “if he was standing in the bush and was hoping to find tomatoes, he could simply use his nose to pinpoint where they were hiding.  That’s how many villagers find food in the wild or are even able to tell what the weather will be.  They are in line with nature in a way that people from the cities do not understand.  They can sense it all around them.”

                Still, life is hard living off the beaten path, but it was uplifting to see how much this village has been able to accomplish on their own.  They have not waited for others to come and build them a school so they can teach—they have created their own school and accepted that one day they will have the funds and materials to build something better.  Their faith in this is something to behold because it seems to be something so many of us lack.  As one woman put it, “God is the one who gives me courage every day.”  She said that she understood that belief takes time, but that they have hope just the same because prayers aren’t always answered overnight. 

                Perhaps we could all use a little more of their wisdom.

How the "Hokey Pokey" Came to Mozambique...

05 June 2012—

                Our day began much like yesterday, with a busy ride through Xai-Xai which led us out to a local school about 90 minutes away.  This well dedication, which consisted of several groups, was even attended by community members from other villages who had heard that we were going to be in attendance. 

                While they were clearly appreciative for their new access to the clean water the well provides, they shared much of the same sentiments that we heard yesterday about the fact that they are still in dire need of a hospital.  In this regard, when speaking to several of the women, they expressed their dismay about the fact that it is extremely common for many young mothers to die during child birth because they cannot reach adequate medical care.  Still, they shared with us the fact that only a year ago they had been hoping for a well to be installed near their school, and now they cannot believe that their prayers have actually been answered.  Because of this, they can see that there is help out there. 

                After their initial greetings, the local villagers were welcomed to share their feelings with us, and at one point, one of the leaders stood to tell us the importance of school for their children.  While we were celebrating at a very nice facility, education that is actually funded by the government only goes to 4^th grade, so he expressed his belief that men need to be scholarly.  If they can earn an adequate education, then they would be able to more effectively serve their community.  As he said this, I couldn’t help but notice the look of agreement that passed over the faces of all the men, and it almost seemed as if they were thirsting for something to be prideful about.

                In this kind of work, pride is an extremely powerful thing because it’s incredibly hard to lift communities up when the people within them feel as if they are constantly failing.  At one point, after we split the men and women apart, one of the females asked Angela, Julie and I how she can be successful.  In her words, she felt as if she tries so many things, but always seems to fall short.  Her words touched me because it seemed strange that she would assume we had some secret to becoming wealthy; however, she nodded with understanding after we told her that we also struggle through trails on a daily basis and often fail just as much. 

                From here, the women began to sing and dance, and after grabbing each of us to join in the fun, they requested that we sing them one of our songs so they can see what we dance to.  Obviously, in our culture this is not something that is a huge part of our lives, so we struggled with thinking of a song we all knew that would have an upbeat tempo.  After going back and forth for a bit and accepting the fact that none of us were in any way fantastic singers, we decided that the “Hokey-pokey” might be something fun and easy to learn.  So, there we were with a large group of grown women who didn’t speak English, dancing to “put your right arm in…” and giggling like school children the whole time.  I think I almost laughed harder at that moment than I have all week.

                From there, we were fed lunch and were given a final thanks from the chief of the village who stated that, “remember after today, that you are leaving with new friends and family in Mozambique”—such simple words, yet so true. 

                Our drive home was long, but we arrived early enough that there was still a bit of time before dinner, so Angela, Aaron and I headed out for a run along the road outside our lodging and retired to the beach for run along the surf.  Although the water is much calmer than it was the other day, the waves were still a decent size, so we decided to make our way into the water.  Poor Wayne was sitting on the beach attempting to journal in peace, while the three of us loudly splashed around through peals of laughter and put up a hard fight against the extremely strong undertow that runs along the shore in that area.  Between the running and the swimming, I think we might have burned off a ¼ of the calories we consumed during lunch alone!  The food in the villages here will stick to your ribs!

                At the current moment, we have just finished breakfast and I am running behind on posting this for the day.  Our ride is supposed to pick us up in about 7 minutes and I have apparently done a little too much procrastinating.  The beach called to me this morning at sunrise when I should have been writing! 

                I usually feel as if I have something important to say or that I have come to some sort of conclusion about the day by the end of my writing, but I’m having trouble articulating a lot of my thoughts into something worthwhile.  Therefore, I will simply end my writing of the day with one of my favorite Gandhi quotes that we discussed at breakfast just a few moments ago. 

                “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”  

First Day in the Villages

04 June 2012—

                We awoke to a gorgeous morning and set off early to begin our first day of work in the villages. As we headed into the heart of Xai-Xai to tour the World Hope office, the city was alive with bustling traffic and women in colorful wraps heading to the markets with large bags of grain balanced on their heads, while passenger-filled buses crawled through the crowded streets.  The smell of diesel hung in the air from the trucks and motorbikes chaotically pushing to reach their destinations, but there was a pleasing essence to the chaos of life that was so vibrant and tangible, that you couldn’t help but be fascinated by the churning world around you.

The children here in Mozambique go to school in three shifts (morning, afternoon, and evening), so by 8 a.m., the school yards are already filled with scampering, giggling little ones and teachers continually followed by trails of young students.  Still, receiving an education is considered a luxury in this country, so children remain a staple on the roadsides as they travel long distances to either work in the fields, sell goods to passing cars, or to get water.

Our drive to the village of Macia, where we spent the duration of the day, was about an hour drive on the main road, before turning off down a small sand path which led us about 40 minutes into the bush.  We were taken to two wells that were installed by 12stone in April, where we participated in a short dedication for each area; however, at the third well we were treated to a village celebration, complete with singing and dancing upon our arrival.

Music is something done with an abundance of joy here for all manner of occasions and I have missed the harmony of voices in these villages for a year now.  Even during the church offering on Sunday morning, when most people in the U.S. begrudgingly tithe, the people here sing and dance as they part with their hard-earned money and it remains a wonder for me that I wish more people felt was normal in America.

After the well dedication was complete, the entire community gathered around us to speak about what their lives looked like before and after they had access to clean water, and their gracious appreciation and obvious excitement was touching.  However, it is not uncommon for their thanks to be laced with “buts,” as in “thank you so much for bringing us clean water.  I don’t have the words to express how grateful I am for your kindness, but…”  What follows is usually something pertaining to the fact that they now need a hospital, a school, or a road.  In many instances, they simply ask us to remember that there are many other villages that need our consideration because they too are thirsting for clean water, but their pleas for “more” has always left me a little uneasy. 

Perhaps it is simply because it’s considered rude and ungrateful in our culture to state that something is good, but not enough; however, after first understanding that it is normal in their culture to give thanks in this manner, I tried to step outside my Western upbringing to find a bit more empathy. 

At one point, a man stated that, “If a baby doesn’t cry, how is his mother supposed to know that he’s in pain?”  His question seemed so simple, yet so poignant at the same time because no truer words could be spoken. 

On one hand, the problem that presents itself to us in this country, as well as virtually every other third world nation, is that it is very difficult for Western aid not to become a catch-22.  Yes, they are in dire need of basic, basic needs; however, simply providing them with those needs hampers their ability to form productive economies.  For example, when we simply ship our used clothes to them, while it provides something they need, it also stops the local villagers from producing their own clothing; thereby damaging the local capital.

With this in mind, it is hard to listen to the villagers pleading for simple things like medical centers after sitting with their children who have visible signs of malnourishment and flies in their eyes.  Who in their right mind WOULDN’T want to do everything in their power to provide them with these necessities?  Furthermore, I can’t help but think, “How would I ever think that they shouldn’t be asking for help?”  Plain and simple, how can we hold them to our cultural standards of what we think is polite when they need so much?

Still, the very idea of Western aid is a controversial and highly debated topic because it is hard to address without taking note of our own personal feelings of empathy and compassion, so I don’t think any of us leaves a village without considering our feelings about it.  The situation is so much more than simply asking and receiving—it’s addressing human life at its most vulnerable.

At some point whenever we visit any village, we attempt to split the men and women into separate groups so that we can work with them in an atmosphere which will encourage an open discourse.  Culturally, the women remain very submissive around the men, which is why we separate them; however, it is interesting to note that in many families, it is the women who do all of the work.  While a large portion of Mozambican men live in South Africa to work in the mines so they can send money home to their families, there are still mouths to feed and fields to run.  Therefore, it is absolutely normal to see a young mother turning the earth in her fields by hand with a newborn strapped to her back.  Actually, it is not even uncommon to see a woman who is 9 months along leave for the day still pregnant and return home with a baby because she has had it while harvesting.

Still, through AIDS and work in other countries, many women become single parents at an early age and they found it surprising when we told them that women in the U.S. are single mothers as well.  To them, America is a blessed land that resembles something of a paradise, and they seemed pleased to learn that we’re not completely unlike them.  At one point, a woman even remarked, “we’re actually very similar.  I don’t think there’s a whole lot of difference between us.”  That comment and many similar to it sparked a conversation between about 200 of their women and the three of us that was filled with laughter over our commonalities and the way we all seem to feel about the life as a female.  Like many women in the U.S., they remarked that they were all simply looking for a good man who will treat them right and we laughed because we understood.

At some point our groups joined together again to sit down for the meal they had prepared for us, which included Mozambican staples such as roasted chicken, several types of beans, rice, sheema (corn meal that’s a thicker type of grits), beef, cassava root and of course, Coke.  Content chatter and laughter emanated around the long tables as we enjoyed our food, while Aaron, Angela and I awkwardly discovered that one of our hosts spoke fluent English…after we’d been in stitches while openly discussing the effect beans has on your digestive system.  We’ve decided that we will need to be more careful in the future!

After lunch, while speaking with the women, we had been curious about how they farm their cashews since it draws in a lot of money for the families here.  With pride, they gathered us around the fire and showed us how they roast the nuts while in their shells and crack them open with sticks on the ground.  The tediousness of the work gives me a new appreciation of how highly priced they are in the U.S., but I have to say that there is nothing like a hot, fresh cashew straight off the fire.  They tasted incredible!

Finally, our day ended with balloons for the children, which caused squeals of laughter and I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of their excitement over what we all take horribly for granted.  Their happy faces serve as a reminder of the things we all seem to miss within our own lives and every village I’ve entered in this country, I’ve left continually thinking that they truly have life figured out in a way that I never will.  They live in communities where they enter life together and die together, always knowing that there’s someone behind them to fall back on.  Their wisdom feeds the soul and I wonder which one of us is really off track.  We can learn a lot from this third world nation.  Perhaps we’re teaching them about water, but they’re teaching us about life.

Posted By: Tanna Krewson

Sunday Service

03 June 2012—

                We awoke to rain today, which was a little disappointing since most of us had planned to wake around 5 a.m. to catch the sunrise over the Indian Ocean.  While those of us in the U.S. are used to seasons which seem to sprint towards the summer during this part of the year, the people in Mozambique are preparing for their winter, which is generally marked by a period of dry months and tepid weather.  Today, however, brought about conditions with a strong breeze and random bouts of sunshine-laced rain, leaving me thinking more of spring in Georgia than any winter I have ever known.

                However, most of the rain began to clear with the sunrise and we gathered for an early breakfast with our hosts, Linda and Orai Lehman, before setting off to a local village for Sunday services.

                This church, which is home to Daniel, one of our colleagues from World Hope International, is the same one we visited last year and I found it exciting to see the progress that has been made on the building addition the congregation was starting to fund this past June.  It is only about 50% finished; however, its completion will allow the ever-growing congregation room to breathe since the current cinderblock walls and tin roof have become too small.

                As is sometimes customary for visitors, Wayne was asked to give a guest sermon during the service, in which he spoke about faith because oftentimes, it is all that sustains the people here.  Most of us in the Western world will never have to understand the type of belief that motivates people here because their lives often resemble a way of living that only our ancestors have known.  Here, having faith isn’t only about trusting God and believing that he is leading through love; it is about having a conviction that the rains will come to nourish the fields and rivers, and that they will have simple healthcare through common colds and disease.  Without the needs which we consider basic, such as food (including water), clothing, and shelter, the people here will cease to exist.  In short, Mozambique ranks on the UN’s “50 Least Developed Nations” list because it accommodates 0.61% of the world’s population living below the global poverty line of $1 per day. 

In his words during the sermon, Wayne said that “faith is a confidence that what we hope for will actually happen,” and it got me thinking about the fact that, although our lives in the U.S. remain free of many of the hardships that define everyday existence here in multiple parts of Africa, the core of having faith remains the same.

                At the end of the day, the things we all hope for are really not so different.  Perhaps I will never know what it’s like to pray for precipitation so that I can feed my family or even access to a school so I can learn to read; however, faith seems to extend across nations when we look to God in our quest for a new and better day, for health for our loved ones, and for a road in which we’re supposed to follow.  It’s easy to get lost in life and culture knows no bounds when it comes to missing the path we’ve been asked to take, but if we have faith and understand that as human beings we’re all striving to find compassion and love, then it’s easy to see how similar we all are.  If faith truly is having a confidence that what we hope for will actually happen, then it is hope which has brought us all here, and it is faith that will lead us home.

Posted By: Tanna Krewson

OUR ARRIVAL

02 June 2012--  

As the wheels on our plane touched down in Maputo, Mozambique this afternoon, I felt a familiar warmth well up within me because I was returning to a country that I’ve thought about and missed every day since I left it almost a year ago.  I’m not completely sure whether I expected to be as overwhelmed by the conditions in this 3^rd-world nation as I was on my first trip; however, our 4-hour drive to Xai-Xai (where we will reside for the duration of our stay) allowed me the time to contemplate my surroundings without the initial sense of awe I experienced last June.

                Initially, I simply found myself thankful for the lingering smell of smoke that seemed to float upon the breeze from the farmers clearing their land.  During my time in the U.S. this past year, every time I’ve caught scent of a campfire or wood burning, my thoughts have felt as if they were being forcibly pulled back to the people here and I’ve ached to eat the food cooked over their fires and to hear their voices raised in song.  Part of me feels as if I’ve come back to where I’m supposed to be.

                Still, if living here were simple—if it wasn’t about life and death in many ways—we wouldn’t be here and the minute we left the airport gates, it became very apparent. 

                For starters, like most things in the world, life here seems to exist in groups of dichotomies.  As we passed into Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, which is a rough mix of jumbled tarp and cinderblock huts, tin roofs, and trash filled walks, touches of our Western influence seemed to jump off the page in the form of painted Coke and Huggies advertisements that have been broadcast along the crumbling walls of the ghetto.  While Coke is an extremely popular product here in Mozambique, I couldn’t help but find the irony in the fact that a product toting slogans such as, “Drink Life In” and “Enjoy,” should be scrawled along the dwellings of people who have never known what it feels like to sleep in a bed or even go to school.

                In addition, while less common in the vast rural areas outside the city, billboards show advertisements depicting either white, or extremely light-skinned men and women who are smiling and laughing, while the real life existing on the streets below them paints a picture of dirty, bare-footed children and young, pregnant mothers heading into the fields for the day. 

The paradox which exists within the fabric of their lives is perplexing yet, while it is easy to look at these people with pity, I can’t help but feel that, more important than sympathy, should be our ability to understand that they don’t necessarily feel sorry for themselves.  While we may have feelings about the hardships we see as the essence of their lives, we need to remember that they might not see it the same way.  Much like marveling at a school of fish or a flight of birds, perhaps there is a system to the chaos that our Western minds have yet to understand. 

With this, at one point towards the end of our drive, Aaron leaned forward to tell our driver, Andre, that he thought this was one of the most beautiful places he’d ever seen.  At first I assumed he was speaking about the vast, green plains dotted with palm trees and riverbeds, or even the blue sky marbled with rolling clouds along the horizon.  In my mind, as my eyes swept along the decrepit buildings and seemingly destitute people around us, I couldn’t imagine that he could be speaking of anything other than the lush nature in our periphery.  However, as he continued on to say, “I love these buildings, they’re so colorful and alive,” I started to think about the way we all choose what we want to focus on in life—the beauty or the squalor.  Clearly, I had missed something because at that moment, I was obviously failing to see the scope of this country as anything more than insolvent.  Aaron had picked up on a way of viewing things that many of us are incapable of realizing, even in our own lives; perhaps that the world around us is truly of our own making. 

With those thoughts, I sat through the end of our drive attempting to give some shape to our short day, and I found myself amazed at how quickly this country teaches us about ourselves.  It’s almost as if it opens spaces within us where we often keep our hearts and humility locked behind impenetrable walls.  If nothing else, it is a reminder to us that our opinions and our ethnocentric notions about what is normal, and even what is beautiful, should have no bearing on how we approach the people and our time here.  To us, they should never be numbers in an advertising campaign, faces next to a billboard, or even pawns on our journey to become more worldly individuals—they are our brothers, sisters and children, and our job this week, aside from bringing them hope, is to simply love them because of it.     

Posted By: Tanna Krewson