So I have experienced thus far, the few English phrases the children of Mozambique know come from American pop culture. It is not uncommon to hear ‘You know im all about that base’ or ‘I’m in love with the coco’ coming from their mouths but when you say hello and introduce yourself they have very little idea what you are saying.
Our host here tells us that 50% of Mozambique’s population is 15 years old or younger. There are many orphans here who fend for themselves. A few of the local children have found their way in to our hosts care, but there are many who go uncared for.
This month my team and I are challenged with the task of repainting the school before session begins on February 1st. We have made some headway and planned color schemes for the preschool building. A few of the local boys who attended the bible studies have volunteered to help us as well.
The children here are so well behaved and appreciative. They are able to entertain themselves with flat soccer balls for hours and be completely content, even those that have lost parents.
I met a local woman who teaches extra lessons to the children that struggle in school and had the privilege of sitting in on a few lessons. I listen as they sing Hallelujah at the start of each lesson and join in when I hear words I recognize. The lessons (including the bible lessons I have attended) are in Portuguese or Shangan (the native language here). When I sit in on the school lessons I am able to follow a long a bit and participate in sounding out vowels with the children, but I am, by far, the weakest link in the class!
The children here are intelligent, well mannered, lively, respectful, knowledgeable about the Bible, and have such joy, yet their lives are difficult and their hardships are greater than most I have experienced.
Before arriving in Chokwe, we stopped in Maputo, the countries capitol, where I had the privilege of being allowed in to the local children’s clubhouse where they kept their dogs and played. In side I found a mother dog, her two puppies, and the rapidly decaying carcass of a dog that just didn’t make it. The children seemed to think nothing of it and, morbidly, I had to laugh at the differences in culture and was intrigued at how comfortable the children seemed to be with the natural order of things.
There are no orphanages in Mozambique, which is why these children whose parents die of aids at a young age must then fend for themselves. They have spirit and hope, but much aid is needed.
