Welcome to Kedesh.
After 4 days of traveling and 3 nights without sleep, Family Force 6 safely arrived at Kedesh Sanctuario in Chamba, Mozambique. Thank you for your prayers as we traveled- I felt like a sardine as we squished onto African buses and smelled pretty rank…as did everyone else on the bus. Actually, I’m going on a week without a shower. Due to the current drought, all water is reserved for drinking and cooking. With temperatures averaging in the 90’s, we’re all smellin’ real good!
One can imagine after such a long travel sequence we were pretty exhausted upon arrival. As we drove down the dusty road that leads to Kedesh, my heart warmed as the boys ran out to greet us. We high-fived from the bus and they helped us carry our bags inside. A wave of relief swept over me, I took a deep breath and soaked in the moment- I was finally home in Mozambique!
Our set up at Kedesh is what World Racers expect when they sign up for the Race. We’ve finally pitched our tents, we’ve dug out our REI sporks and bowls, we cook over an open fire pit and get one bucket shower a week (maybe). The pace of life is considerably slower than last month, a welcomed change for our team.
John, our contact for the month, is a very intelligent man and I’m excited to glean some wisdom from him during our time here. He considers himself a Torah-observant Christian, which he explained to us in detail. The two majors differences we will observe this month is honoring Shabbat Shalom and distinguishing clean from unclean (so no pork sandwiches…). Shabbat Shalom is the Jewish tradition of observing the Sabbath, literally “putting out your fires.” It begins at sundown on Friday and ends sundown on Saturday.
Since we arrived Friday afternoon, we observed Shabbat Shalom after settling our things. The way John and the boys do it here… wine (or juice) and cheese with some flat bread on the side. Awesome. We gathered outside to take a moment to cease all activity and focus on God, giving thanks for all His blessings. Dinner is then served and we spend the rest of the night in hanging out with each other. A movie and popcorn is a nightly occurrence at Kedesh- you have the choice to sit “inside” the house or view the video outside on the sheet it is projected on.
Saturday is a day of rest, which was much welcomed after our “bus-lag.” John had made us iced coffee the day before, a refreshing way to start the day. In the afternoon, I joined the boys in a thrilling Ultimate Frisbee game that lasted an hour and a half. Completely drenched in sweat, I swabbed myself down with a baby wipe and continued on my day (because I was just going to continue to sweat). Dinner consisted of rice and seasoned cabbage- delicious! I end every meal with a fresh mango picked from one of the many trees on the property. Can’t beat free fruit!
I’m loving my time here, getting to know the boys and investing in their lives. Each boy has a unique personality and a unique story. I plan to share their stories with you throughout the month.
For now, know that I’m healthy, well fed and content. If the first few days have any indication of how the month will turn out, it’s going to be hard to leave these boys in February! The community at Kedesh is refreshing to be around and a joy to live in.
Here’s some things I love:
1. The boys are incredibly respectful and are willing to help fill any need.
2. The pace of life is much slower and the focus is on building relationships.
3. Appearance is not important- I’ve worn the same tshirt and shorts, 3 days in a row.
4. There is lots of space to play and explore.
5. Mango trees shade the property and provide delicious desserts. I average at least 5 a day.
6. Food is simple and delicious- oatmeal for breakfast, rice and seasoned cabbage for lunch, rice and beans for dinner…and a lot of mangoes in between!
7. The official language is Portuguese, which is very similar to Spanish. Though most boys speak English, I’m picking up a bit of Portuguese already!
I’ve made a video of Kedesh but the internet is currently too slow to upload it. So, I’ll let you know when (and if) I post it any time soon. Pictures also have a hard time loading here, but I’ve been able to post a few to Facebook.
Here’s the link to check them out: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.808401112381.2221064.185002477&type=1&l=a06a54f7ea
