Hello all you wonderful family members and supporters of our Mozambique team. I'm Danielle writing to you from the church offices in Lawrenceville. Wylene, Dennis's wife has contacted me with a message from the team.
It seems they have lost access to the blog. It may have something to do with a pretty big soccer tournament happening in Maputo. I know what you're thinking, it makes zero sense for google to shut down access to the team's blog because of a big soccer tournament. Either way, that seems to be the case, and they wanted me to tell you that they are happy and safe, and you should not worry if you don't hear anything else from them until they get back to Atlanta.
From hear on out, please consider no news good news. :)
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Day 4: Heifer-after project
Today we were African cowboys! Five families north of Xai-Xai had been chosen to receive two heifers as part of World Hope International’s project to increase the economic prosperity of isolated villages. First, fifteen families are recommended by the village chief, then those are narrowed to five who then complete an application and sign a contract to care for two heifers on loan for a period of four years. After that period they give back to World Hope two heifers but can keep any other animals born during the four years. The returned cattle are distributed to the next group of five beneficiaries, sort of like a bovine “pay-it-forward” plan—World Hope even throws in a bull for the village to use in creating the community herd. Our team drove out to the village to celebrate the signing of contracts and the cow selection.
When we arrived, we were greeted with song and dance by the ladies of the village, and then to our surprise we counted, not 10, but 12 heifers and one bull in the pen. It seems that the heifers had been busy of late. We were told this herd had been taken back from a village that did not take good care of them, and in the meantime two calves had been born. The question that came to mind was how these extra cows would be distributed. I found out once the “cow lottery” began. Each of the five recipients picked a number out of a jar, which determined the order that they could choose their cows. The first two families chose the mothers of the two calves, and you guessed it, received the “bonus” calf.
Then, one dignitary after another stood up to address the congregation to give basically the same message: the cows were not really their cows until they proved they could take care of the herd at the end of four years. Finally, the World Hope representative asked Dennis if he wanted to say a few words. Dennis indicated through the translator that he had something very important to say, but before he did, he wanted the entire group of people to stand up, sing and dance. This is exactly what the crowd needed to break the spell of lethargy that had fallen upon them. What happened next was even more bizarre—Dennis led off the dance, including a foot “stomp” with one of the ladies. At that point there was nothing else we could do but join him in “bustin’ some moves”!
Afterward, Dennis used the topic of “cow contract” to talk about his “contract” with the Lord, and how it was more blessed to give than to receive. We ate a delicious lunch of baked chicken, rice, peanuts and corn, and bottled soft drinks, which the team elders opened by popping the caps off with another inverted bottle. Jeremy and I played soccer and Frisbee with the kids before jumping into the SUVs to return home.
Alive in the Lord,
bill
Monday, September 5, 2011
Day 3: Something old, something new
I’ve always loved water. I love to drink it, bathe in it, swim in it, paddle on it or just stand under a waterfall with the mist flying about my face. I can still remember creek walking as a kid--it’s hard to imagine not being close to water. When I heard about Mozambican women walking for hours with 5-gallon buckets on their heads to retrieve enough water from some polluted watering hole to clean and feed their families, it became the tipping point for me to join a missions trip to dig wells in Africa.
That’s right, I actually thought I’d be digging the well myself. Turns out, that’s not what we are doing on this trip--probably a good thing for both the villagers and me. Today, our itinerary included attending a well dedication ceremony as ambassadors of 12Stone Church and World Hope International that paid to bring pure water closer to the village. One of my favorite stories in the Bible is Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well, and the idea of bringing people closer to water--both the physical and the “living” kind—naturally appeals to me.
As this near photo shows, the open well is not sanitary—in fact, none of the women could remember how old it was. Most likely, it was a legacy of the Portuguese. We watched as one woman slowly filled up a 5-gallon plastic bucket and then with an assist from another hoisted it up on her head (total weight was at least 40 pounds). Then, off she walked at a measured pace—we asked how far, but she just pointed to where her village was. Dennis started to try to lift the bucket himself, and then thought better of it.
The two photos at the top of the page do not do justice to the experiences our team had at the well dedication ceremony in the “Nhaundzulene” community—don’t ask me how to say that name or what it means. There were between 200 and 300 men, women and children who greeted us when we came from the old well. The women came forward dancing and singing, and immediately took team member Kara with them as an addition to their dance troup. There were several men who greeted us and praised God for the well. Several others led the community in song and even the youth joined in with a skit that mimicked the adult preparation for the well construction, including party-loving “naysayers” who refused to join in the work.
We then joined in the dedication of the well, pumping out and filling several pitchers with clean water, which many in the crowd immediately drank. Team leader Dennis threw glass after glass of water into the air “baptizing” those standing around him. Jeremy and I then took the 100+ children off to a field to play soccer and Frisbee while the adults had a time for sharing and testimonies. We then came back to a feast of chicken, potatoes, cassava, pork, fish, corn-and-peanut casserole called “tihove” and rice.
When I asked why no one else in the community was eating with our team of dignitaries, I was told that they were waiting for our plates—the things we take for granted in our “developed” world! We quickly finished eating and gave up our ceramic dishes. We concluded with light conversation, photos, and some more games with the children.
Alive in Christ,
bill
That’s right, I actually thought I’d be digging the well myself. Turns out, that’s not what we are doing on this trip--probably a good thing for both the villagers and me. Today, our itinerary included attending a well dedication ceremony as ambassadors of 12Stone Church and World Hope International that paid to bring pure water closer to the village. One of my favorite stories in the Bible is Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well, and the idea of bringing people closer to water--both the physical and the “living” kind—naturally appeals to me.
As this near photo shows, the open well is not sanitary—in fact, none of the women could remember how old it was. Most likely, it was a legacy of the Portuguese. We watched as one woman slowly filled up a 5-gallon plastic bucket and then with an assist from another hoisted it up on her head (total weight was at least 40 pounds). Then, off she walked at a measured pace—we asked how far, but she just pointed to where her village was. Dennis started to try to lift the bucket himself, and then thought better of it.
The two photos at the top of the page do not do justice to the experiences our team had at the well dedication ceremony in the “Nhaundzulene” community—don’t ask me how to say that name or what it means. There were between 200 and 300 men, women and children who greeted us when we came from the old well. The women came forward dancing and singing, and immediately took team member Kara with them as an addition to their dance troup. There were several men who greeted us and praised God for the well. Several others led the community in song and even the youth joined in with a skit that mimicked the adult preparation for the well construction, including party-loving “naysayers” who refused to join in the work.
We then joined in the dedication of the well, pumping out and filling several pitchers with clean water, which many in the crowd immediately drank. Team leader Dennis threw glass after glass of water into the air “baptizing” those standing around him. Jeremy and I then took the 100+ children off to a field to play soccer and Frisbee while the adults had a time for sharing and testimonies. We then came back to a feast of chicken, potatoes, cassava, pork, fish, corn-and-peanut casserole called “tihove” and rice.
When I asked why no one else in the community was eating with our team of dignitaries, I was told that they were waiting for our plates—the things we take for granted in our “developed” world! We quickly finished eating and gave up our ceramic dishes. We concluded with light conversation, photos, and some more games with the children.
Alive in Christ,
bill
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Day 1: From Maputo to Xai-Xai
First impressions are lasting. Even though I knew Mozambique was a developing country, I was a bit shocked by the lack of infrastructure even in the capital city. As we drove on a main highway north from the airport, we saw the streets lined with vendors and small shops. No malls, no grocery stores--just street vendors. The photo was taken from our vehicle as we passed through streets, busy with shoppers on foot.
As we drove farther north, we would pass a lot of buildings under construction. We also passed the new stadium that was filling with fans who came to watch the All-African games. The enthusiasm of fans singing and blowing horns from the back of flat-bed trucks was reminiscent of the tailgate parties at a Georgia football game. Some things don't change no matter where you live.
bill
Day 2: Attending church along the Limpopo River
Sunday morning we drove over the Limpopo River bridge and turned off the main road into the shallow valley dotted with small villages. We passed mud huts with thatched roofs, followed by concrete block homes and clusters of cattle grazing in fields of tall grass. When we arrived at church, we heard singing coming from a building of concrete posts connected by reed walls and covered by a tin roof. "This is about as rural as it gets around here," was what Reverend Lehman remarked as we got out of our vehicles and greeted the congregation (see photo of Rev Lehman walking to the church doorway).
What impressed me about the service, besides the two offerings taken--one for the tithe and one for the building program--was that even though our cultures were very different in material possessions, we were very much alike in worship and in care for our family. The name of this community is Ndlovukazi which translates as "she elephant." I speculated with Rev. Lehman that at some time in the past elephants roamed this Limpopo River valley.
Dennis Myers preached a participatory sermon on the prodigal son (translated into Portuguese by Daniel who is a Bible college student and pastor of another church). Our team of six sang a few hymns after the children and adults sang their own versions of worship songs. Then, after the service we ate lunch together, which consisted of boiled ground corn meal called "yashima," beans, greens, and a kind of fish stew (see photo at the top). It took about 20 minutes for our vehicles to drive along worn dirt roads crisscrossing the fertile and wet lowlands to get back to the main highway.
Tomorrow, we will visit a well dedication ceremony--more photos to come!
bill
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Departing For Mozambique On Thurs. Sept 1st
Our 12Stone team of six people will be departing on Thursday, Sept. 1st, for Mozambique Africa. Please pray for us as we finish packing and begin to take our medications for malaria. Especially pray for us as we sit on the plane for 15 hours flying to the continent of Africa. Our team consist of the following people: Jeremy Baker, Kara Sanford, Bill Tinkler, Jordan Wright and George Zimmerman.
Over the next 15 days would you please consider becoming a part of our prayer team and lift us up to the Father.
God Bless You,
Brother Dennis
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