Yesu wa Kanaka!

A couple weeks ago I was able to go with a new friend, Sarah, to see where her family works and lives. They are Brazilian and lived here for 12 years. Her parents run an orphanage that is a branch of Iris Ministries, in an area called Machava. This is the same Iris Ministries, but a different branch, that I was able to visit back in September. But instead this one is located on the opposite side of Maputo from where I live.

The compound consists of a couple missionary houses, guest housing, four dorm buildings (which all together house about 70 children), a church, several school buildings, a cafeteria and a playground. It was much larger than one would expect and was very nice. They even have a pet monkey that lives in their back yard. While I was there a team of Indian people were visiting from South Africa. On Friday night we walked for about thirty minutes deep into the bush to a gathering that her family was helping lead. It was an outreach to the people that live in the area. We sang, danced and watched a film on a projector and screen. I must say it was very strange to be in the middle of nowhere and have access to modern technology!

On Saturday we woke up early to go to the city and wait in line to get on a ferry to an island across the bay called Catembe. On the ferry we brought the guitars out and started singing songs together. We even got other people involved and dancing. It was fun! When we made it to the island we drove back into what seemed like the middle of nowhere once again. Once we got to the community building, where local meetings are held, we started rallying the kids together saying, “Yesu wa kanaka! Yesu wa kanaka!” Which is shangaan for “Jesus is good! Jesus is good!” The kids started running toward us with huge smiles on their faces!

Once we had all the kids together we started by singing songs. This was probably one of my favorite things. We sang some in Portuguese, but mostly in Shangaan. Then the team from South Africa went to the front and started teaching them some songs in English and their Indian language. The kids even started teaching me a couple of their dances, which was fun. Later someone shared a story with the kids. And it ended with a couple more songs, then giving each of the kids a little snack cake as they left the building.

It was a huge encouragement to see other ministries that exist and are thriving in and around Maputo. Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in what we do day to day that we forget there are other things going on. I’m glad these kids are being taken care of and have the opportunity to hear truth and live in a place where they know they are loved.

Another thing I was reminded of, and am constantly being reminded of, is the hugeness of the this Earth and how many countries, languages and people there are. It is normal for me to hear a variety of languages being spoken, and it has become normal to not understand most of them. People have been created by an all-knowing and creative God. And with people come cultures. They all have their outstanding qualities as well as their flaws. They are each beautiful for different reasons, once you get past the initial shock value of everything changing. I'm so grateful for cultures, for differences, and the ability to unite with people who I am so different than. 

eu vivo em bagamoyo

The area that I live in is called Bagamoyo. If someone asked where I live I would say, "Eu vivo em bagamoyo." I wanted to take an opportunity to share a couple pictures of my neighbors in Bagamoyo. The people that I live around day in and day out. The people I am able to visit with in the evenings or weekends and just talk. I am so grateful for each of them for different reasons.

This is Castelo and his family. We have become good friends over the past several months since he wants to learn more English, and is going to school to become a teacher. He is already very good at speaking English and sometimes talks a little too much. He often has questions about sayings and pronunciation differences between American English and South African or British English. One day he schooled me in Scrabble and we were playing in English. I must say that was a little embarrassing! I've also been grateful to be able to practice Portuguese with him and his mom, Laura. They have even spent some time teaching me shangaan! He attends church with us and the comes to the prayer meeting that usually meets at my house as well. I'm grateful for the ability to learn more language with all of them, to visit and laugh with them.

This family lives on the other side of me. Mary, Felix, Angel and Angelo. They moved to Mozambique from Swaziland and are fluent in at least four or five languages, maybe even more. Mary is a librarian at CAM, so we work together, and Felix works for MozOvos. So our lives are very intertwined. Though they are African, they are not Mozambican. They learn new things about culture here every day as well. I'm so grateful for them as I've been able to spend many evenings visiting and just talking about life here. I've even been able to practice Portuguese with them and could still ask several questions, since they speak English as well.

Living somewhere away from family, friends, and everything familiar can be a little difficult after a while. Those days or nights where I can become so homesick I am reminded of God's provision in relationships. He knows what His kids need. He has provided these people in my life during my time here and I have been so greatly blessed by them.

eggs have feelings too....

 

I got my eggs this weekend from MozOvos, along with a few insightful thoughts of what these eggs might be feeling, thanks to the creativeness of one of the American interns.....