We left
South Africa for
Mozambique on like May 10th. We had been told that we were going there to help out with rebuilding things that were damaged from the cyclone that hit a few months earlier. We were told that our contact (a South African named Kobus) had a ‘walled compound’ right on the water, with armed guards that we could camp in, and that he had programs to immediately plug us into. Don’t quote me on that being exactly what we were told, but that’s roughly what it was.
Turns out the contact wasn’t a real contact at all. All he knew was that he was going to help us out with some transportation here and there.
Somehow, we ended up out in a remote-ish little village about 20-25 minutes from town trying to figure out what we were going to do in
Mozambique now that our contact apparently hadn’t directly been contacted at all. Thus, we essentially had nothing set-up. Welcome to life on The World Race, where flexibility and adaptation are essentials.
The little village, called Pambara, was centered around a church. All but the foundation of the actual church building had been destroyed by the cyclone. There was also a quasi orphanage in Pambara: there were orphans there that were cared for by a bunch of ladies from the church.
We spent a little over a week in Pambara waiting and figuring out what to do for ministry in
Mozambique. We participated in their Sunday church service, played with the kids there and helped husk reeds that they used for the walls of their buildings. We had fires at night where the kids would sing songs for us.
Katie husking reeds
Emilie sharing during church, that it was Mother’s Day back at home in the US.
Being treated to an African dance and song during church.
Nighttime sing time with the kids.
The people in Pambara were so generous to us. They helped us build fires for cooking, let us use pots, let us use their shower room, and they had a big drum that they never allowed to get empty. To get water they have to carry it in 25 liter jugs for like 200-300 yards. They carry them on their head, and I can tell you from experience that it is no where close to being an easy task. I was pretty much completely spent after 2 trips of carrying water. And these 10-13 year old kids do this all the time.
As Americans, and inhabitants of a developed culture where we are completely used to having water available whenever we want it, it brings to life Genesis 3:17 where God tells Adam, “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.
While living in Pambara, it was decided to send three teams out to three different bush villages/churches for 3 days or so. Salt, Yeti and us (L.O.) were those three teams.
Throughout the course of the day, we learned more about the situation before us and the numerous unknowns. The two guys the drove us out there (Kobus’s son Lodewyk, and their lawyer Jose) were barely told anything about the whole situation. Lodewyk especially, was very skeptical about the safety of the three areas. My team was skeptical about what there was for us to do. And the village where my team was going to be, was supposed to get a translator “tonight or tomorrow morning”…but by the sound of it, that was not even guaranteed. And the other thing was, we had no means of communication to anyone from these villages in case of emergency or anything, and we were about an hour by rough bush road from town. And the guy that helped set up these village stays was not really with it, because he thought that Lodewyk and Jose were going to be coming back in three days (Saturday) to pick the teams up, but they didn’t know that, and Lodewyk was heading back to South Africa the next day and wouldn’t even be in Mozambique on Saturday.
With those things on the table and the fact that the majority of my team was very adamant about not staying out there, (mainly due to the questionable safety aspect, and then the numerous uncertainties) I made the decision that we would not be staying out in the village after all. I think I woulda been ok staying out there, but the rest of my team was already decided in there heads. It was hard to have to explain it all to the pastor who was expecting us, but it worked out alright.
Salt and Yeti still stayed out there and both ended up having great experiences. And when you first hear that, you can’t help but second guess yourself somewhat on the decision that you made…and me especially being the team leader and thus making the final call. But I, and most of the team, felt at peace about the decision…and I truly believe that God was in fact steering us away for one reason or another. I don’t know what that reason was, but does it really matter?
The long day ended on a surprisingly spectacular note! Lodewyk and Jose took us back to Kobus’s resort lodge. (That’s what the ‘walled compound’ was we were originally told about: a resort lodge on the ocean) It’s not currently open for business due to rebuilding from the cyclone, but one of the buildings was pretty much completed and they let us sleep in it that night. They also surprised us with…no joke…a complete T-Bone steak dinner! So here we were staying at a resort on the shores of the
Indian Ocean, eating a fat T-Bone steak!
Josh and Joy after we got back from the bush
Brienna and Annie getting their T-Bones. Annie seriously was tearing up she was so happy.
A sunrise view from under the building we slept in that night.
Amanda Millington (then on team Salt) was with us that night, and had prayed that morning (when we were all planning to be living in the African bush) and asked God to be able to use a real porcelain toilet that day. Not your typical prayer request…but the Bible does say, “Ask and you shall receive.” And what do ya know, there was indeed a real porcelain toilet at the lodge.
(About a week later, Kobus took half of us out in one of his boats to hang out on an island, go deep sea fishing and snorkeling.)
We were back at Pambara the next morning, much to the surprise of Clinton, 61 and the team A half of the media team.
While we were living out at Pambara, and some people were getting a bit restless and anxious for something more to do (myself partly included) a South African missionary named Jaco showed up. Apparently he oversees and/or helps care for the orphans and the church out there. I don’t think I was there the first time he came by, but meeting him ended up being a HUGE blessing directly from God.
He spoke English (which is awesomely great to begin with!), was willing to transport us to town when he was available, and said we could come to his house to use his internet.
Jaco’s house
As time went by, and things just weren’t materializing out in Pambara, Jaco offered to have 2 or 3 teams stay out at his place and get immediately involved with things he was doing.
L.O. and 61 moved over to Jaco’s house and set up tents on his property. (which just happened to be on a lake, and had electricity, a stove, a shower, a real toilet and couches! All in addition to a great family and internet access.)
We immediately got to work with various things at his house. The guys got started on some construction projects and the girls got to work on some organizing projects in the house.
Josh, Jimmy, Tim and I helped join their bathroom and shower room together to house 2 more showers and 2 more toilets. Jaco is having two groups of 60 people coming through this summer, and is planning to accomodate future short term mission trips.
We showed the ‘Jesus’ film a few miles away, and had a great turn out. We would’ve shown it a few more times if it wasn’t for the projector dying.
We also interacted a little with some orphans, when they got to spend an afternoon at the beach.
It was just a great coupla weeks of living and working with the Rudolph’s. Jaco and his wife Maria, have two kids; Maggie 9 or 10 and Rudo who is 7. There was also a Scottish woman named Leah living there at the time too. She’s on a year-long sabbatical from her law firm and is spending it entirely in
Africa. She was previously in
Zimbabwe working with lion cubs. We began to share with Maggie and Rudo by calling her Auntie Leah. We got to know them all pretty well and they were quite possibly the hardest people to leave so far on the trip.
All of team A with Jaco (far right), his wife Maria (middle right), his daughter Maggie (front middle with puppy), son Rudo (on Jimmy’s shoulders in the back middle), and Leah (front middle right) from Scotland. (not in the picture is Josh, Clinton, Meagan and Amanda)
