Sent from my iPhone
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Update 21
On one of our outings to Maputo (the capital), we drove a good 4 lane road with a sidewalk that skirted the Indian Ocean. We passed by fishing boats, flamingoes, several kite surfers, a beach volleyball game & people enjoying the huge beach. Vendor stalls & a few nice food trailers lined much of the road. Chicken was cooking over charcoal fires and tables & chairs were set up under trees. The buildings overlooking the ocean were much bigger & nicer than any we'd seen. Several were embassies based on the flag flying in front. The largest & most elegant was a Chinese hotel. As I've mentioned, the Chinese do most the construction here.
After we left the tall buildings behind, we cam to flat fields many with large & small sections walled off but nothing inside. We were told that if you buy land in Mozambique, the first thing you must do is wall it or the gov't will claim it back. The owner than may take years to build on it. Many building we saw were only partially built. Loans here are very expensive and hard to get.
Vehicles are an equal mix of newer & jalopies. No window, no door, no trunk panel...no problem. In less than an hour, I saw three cars being pushed. Buses are an equal mix of bigger & cleaner or crappy & crowded. Vans is the most common way to get around & they can squished over 20 in them. Over 20 also can ride in the back of a truck and at least there they have air flow...and if the tailgate doesn't open...they seem better off!.
The rule of the road seems to be: get there however you can. Sidewalks, wrong side of road, between parked or stopped cars...wherever. I haven't spotted a parking meter or a line down the center yet.
In spite of this, our drivers always seem calm & seldom use their horn! I have learned to avoid looking out the front window and enjoy looking out the side window.
Sent from my iPhone
After we left the tall buildings behind, we cam to flat fields many with large & small sections walled off but nothing inside. We were told that if you buy land in Mozambique, the first thing you must do is wall it or the gov't will claim it back. The owner than may take years to build on it. Many building we saw were only partially built. Loans here are very expensive and hard to get.
Vehicles are an equal mix of newer & jalopies. No window, no door, no trunk panel...no problem. In less than an hour, I saw three cars being pushed. Buses are an equal mix of bigger & cleaner or crappy & crowded. Vans is the most common way to get around & they can squished over 20 in them. Over 20 also can ride in the back of a truck and at least there they have air flow...and if the tailgate doesn't open...they seem better off!.
The rule of the road seems to be: get there however you can. Sidewalks, wrong side of road, between parked or stopped cars...wherever. I haven't spotted a parking meter or a line down the center yet.
In spite of this, our drivers always seem calm & seldom use their horn! I have learned to avoid looking out the front window and enjoy looking out the side window.
Sent from my iPhone
Update 19
This morning we took off to Maraquene...about 30 minutes away...where the Iris Ministry has helped set up a small community for the Iris kids who've grown up & need to learn to live independently. Rev Pedro met us there & showed us the simple homes they built & tried to explain how difficult it is to find a job. You actually have to pay to get most jobs. (Don Larson had told us this too.). Faced with the challenges of supporting yourself, Iris kids...really most kids here...end up on the street selling odds & ends...possibly stealing...living a poor life. Here stealing is not considered as bad as we think of it because it's part of the "you do what you gotta do to eat" mindset.
Pedro took us to a small cement block factory he has built where he has 4 or 5 guys working now but is praying for more funding so he could double his production & profits. He needs $375. Now he produces 1000 blocks at 2 Met profit per block = 2000 Met ($33) a week. Pedro also has a dream of starting a job-training school for mechanics, plumbers, electricians, computers skills, etc.
Several people have told us that besides gov't corruption...lack of jobs is the biggest problem in Mozambique. We often wonder why we end up being taken to so many different places. This time we knew. We see helping train & support jobs as a solid long term investment and a good place to donate some of the $$ that DUMC & friends have sent with us. It's humbling to be the hands that actually hand over the gift!
Sent from my iPhone
Pedro took us to a small cement block factory he has built where he has 4 or 5 guys working now but is praying for more funding so he could double his production & profits. He needs $375. Now he produces 1000 blocks at 2 Met profit per block = 2000 Met ($33) a week. Pedro also has a dream of starting a job-training school for mechanics, plumbers, electricians, computers skills, etc.
Several people have told us that besides gov't corruption...lack of jobs is the biggest problem in Mozambique. We often wonder why we end up being taken to so many different places. This time we knew. We see helping train & support jobs as a solid long term investment and a good place to donate some of the $$ that DUMC & friends have sent with us. It's humbling to be the hands that actually hand over the gift!
Sent from my iPhone
Update 20 cont...
Oops...sent that too soon.
As I was saying, there is another saying around here that if a Mozambican throws something away, it is truly useless. They know how to make something from scraps...and sell it!! Metal is welded to together to make grills, bed, chairs, etc. Plastic containers are in demand to store water. Pop cans are used to make wheels for toys. Broken cement blocks & old tires hold down tarps covering vendor stalls. Old car parts are dislocated also on top of auto part stores. Cloth strips are used to tie together larger branches to form the vendor's stalls and cloth pieces are also used to sit on while waiting for the transport vans to arrive. The uses of scraps is endless. Don't need recycle bins here!
Sent from my iPhone
As I was saying, there is another saying around here that if a Mozambican throws something away, it is truly useless. They know how to make something from scraps...and sell it!! Metal is welded to together to make grills, bed, chairs, etc. Plastic containers are in demand to store water. Pop cans are used to make wheels for toys. Broken cement blocks & old tires hold down tarps covering vendor stalls. Old car parts are dislocated also on top of auto part stores. Cloth strips are used to tie together larger branches to form the vendor's stalls and cloth pieces are also used to sit on while waiting for the transport vans to arrive. The uses of scraps is endless. Don't need recycle bins here!
Sent from my iPhone
Update 20
There's a saying here that Mozambique roads never end. We now know why they say that. Their definition of a road is very different than USA. We were on our way to visit Rev. Pedro & due to arrive at 9. We left about 9 & it should have been a 20 minute drive. After our driver, John turned off the main road, he kept running into impassable mud holes in the road...picture red clay with several inches of water all the way across both lanes. Repeat, repeat, repeat! The 20 minutes was now almost an hour which pleased John who spoke English and was happily yakking & avoiding yet another bad spot in the road. Besides mud holes, sand pits & rutted hills was like a challenge to him. When it looked like we could go no further...he'd just turn down what looked like a walking path & say "no worries, Mozambique roads never end...and the path eventually turned into a one lane road. Thank goodness for 4 wheel drive! This is definitely a off roading experience. We did arrived around 10:30 but no problem, no explanation needed. Pedro was waiting patiently.
Another saying here is if a Mozambican throws something away, it is truly useless.
Sent from my iPhone
Another saying here is if a Mozambican throws something away, it is truly useless.
Sent from my iPhone
Friday, February 7, 2020
Update 18
We'd never been to a street ministry...until today. Three young Iris men, Glenda (a Brazilian volunteer visiting here from another ministry) & us drove to downtown Maputo, & pulled off into an alley. Over a cement wall we could see the correlated roofs, smoke rising and hear a pig snort occasionally. Six young kids, 4 young men & one older gentleman joined us on steps that seemed to go no where. After the Iris men sang & preached a little while, Glenda, Rog & I were asked to speak. What do you say??? I prayed & then talked about how God cared for them and so did I. Rog encouraged them to remember that God is with them so look to Him for strength. After a bit more singing, we gave each kid a balloon, Glenda had suckers for them and each got two loaves of bread.
I'd noticed the youngest girl...probably 2 or 3...had an oozing scrap on her knee and flies kept landing on it. So since Glenda speaks Portuguese, I gave her a clean cloth & bandaid so she could clean & protect the scrap. Of course, many of the kids then showed their wounds. Unfortunately I only had one more band aid.
It struck me that his street ministry was like a band aid. A tiny fix for the day. Perhaps it'll help heal a wound. Guess that's what I left there hoping!
Sent from my iPhone
I'd noticed the youngest girl...probably 2 or 3...had an oozing scrap on her knee and flies kept landing on it. So since Glenda speaks Portuguese, I gave her a clean cloth & bandaid so she could clean & protect the scrap. Of course, many of the kids then showed their wounds. Unfortunately I only had one more band aid.
It struck me that his street ministry was like a band aid. A tiny fix for the day. Perhaps it'll help heal a wound. Guess that's what I left there hoping!
Sent from my iPhone
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Update 17
Sunday church starts at 9 so says the schedule. The praise band starting getting warmed up a bit after 9 and at 9:45, the real deal started. Mozambique time. Many people came later...some in the back of packed trucks...or in Iris vans...also packed. About 10:15, the preacher shouted, "Let's sing and dance to the Lord!" And with much enthusiasm & rhythm ...they did!! We had been given a translator so we could understand...imagine that here?? About an hour later, a young preacher who had grown up here in Iris & had become quite wealthy building homes started preaching...in English! He was super charismatic and he was being translated by another guy who used as much expression and body language as the preacher! It was a two man show. The preacher said some people have given him a hard time about having such a big home but he told them he was blessed by God and refused to feel anything but blessed. Not guilty or ashamed. He'd prayed hard, worked hard and believed he could improve his life. He challenged the congregation...especially the local leaders...to do the same. He said, "Don't be ashamed to be a Mozambique ...be proud of what you can and will become!" A strong message to all the young Iris boys & girls sitting in the pews. He actually said a lot more...spoke for 2 hours...but that was the gist of it.
I kinda wished I'd recorded it all and given it to Jack Harnish (our former pastor) to minimize & deliver in one of his dynamic 30 minute sermons!
The rest of Sunday & Monday (a Nat'l holiday) was slow time which gave us time to play games, color and of course, hold babies.
It's was so hot that just thinking about moving is strenuous. It's almost 100 degrees at 3 and starts to cool down around 5 to about 85 degrees. That's when we feel energized & actually toss around the frisbee or football.
Tomorrow will be the first day back to school...like our fall...so uniforms were being passed out, girls were braiding hair & the boys got their heads shaved. Kids told us they were excited to go back to school and like school. The school day is 8 to noon for the younger ones and 1 to 5 for the older ones. The class size at the Iris school (which is open to all) is about 50...average in public schools is 75-80.
So Tuesday, the kids were up at 5:30 (lots of kids to share few bathrooms) and gone by 7:30 and we had the whole morning to spend time with the disabled & babies. Kids came back excited about their day and ready to play with us. Sure wish we could communicate better so we could really hear more about their day!
Sent from my iPhone
I kinda wished I'd recorded it all and given it to Jack Harnish (our former pastor) to minimize & deliver in one of his dynamic 30 minute sermons!
The rest of Sunday & Monday (a Nat'l holiday) was slow time which gave us time to play games, color and of course, hold babies.
It's was so hot that just thinking about moving is strenuous. It's almost 100 degrees at 3 and starts to cool down around 5 to about 85 degrees. That's when we feel energized & actually toss around the frisbee or football.
Tomorrow will be the first day back to school...like our fall...so uniforms were being passed out, girls were braiding hair & the boys got their heads shaved. Kids told us they were excited to go back to school and like school. The school day is 8 to noon for the younger ones and 1 to 5 for the older ones. The class size at the Iris school (which is open to all) is about 50...average in public schools is 75-80.
So Tuesday, the kids were up at 5:30 (lots of kids to share few bathrooms) and gone by 7:30 and we had the whole morning to spend time with the disabled & babies. Kids came back excited about their day and ready to play with us. Sure wish we could communicate better so we could really hear more about their day!
Sent from my iPhone
Monday, February 3, 2020
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Update 15
Terri & Delciu picked us up & we headed to a spot where we could buy plants for SH#3. Got them but when we tried to dig, we hit cement. Plan B. Searched for old tires to use as planter successfully. Not that house looks even more like a home. We stopped at their local McD (NOT) for hamburgers & ate them at the factory. Luckily William was hungry for half of mine. Next we headed to visit Corrie, a Dutch lady who runs the Iris base for 100+ orphans...especially those with health needs... in Matola. Finally, in complete opposite end of the ring, we stopped to buy a few groceries at a new shopping mall that just opened. Very modern with aisles of stocked shelves. Terri is thrilled that the mall parking lot was half full and prays the middle class of Mozambique will be able to keep it open! By 5 we were in the pool again and 6:30 on our way out to dinner...we wanted to thank the Larsons. It was one of those "out of reality" times. We walked out of the world of poverty & into the world of wealth. Outside the hundreds of thrown together stalls selling dusty odds & ends and kids played in the dirt while moms with babies tied to their backs sweated. Inside a well decorated, large room with wine bottles artistically displayed & unique chandeliers lighted up tables covered with fresh linen & cloth napkins. Olive, tuna spread & breads were set before us as a bottle of wine/Coke Zero was served. We ordered steak & fish and gorged on the huge portions deliciously prepared and elegantly presented. Though we were all full, we couldn't turn down the delicious desserts staring at us from behind the sparkling refrigerated display case. Total bill for the five of us—$125.
And then we stepped out and back into how the majority of Mozambique is like...
Next a.m. we were packed & Terri dropped us off at the factory. After a warm goodbye, she left but I know we'll stay in touch. Don gave us a clearer & more detailed presentation of what he'd like to do with God's help: ten mini factories in the villages where cashews are grown and increase the size of the Matola factory ten fold. This would benefit thousands giving jobs to villagers & fair prices to the farmers. He has the vision, the knowledge, the energy...but is waiting for the funding. Got an extra million???
Our ride pulled up just as Don finished ending our visit. So off we went to our next adventure.
Sent from my iPhone
And then we stepped out and back into how the majority of Mozambique is like...
Next a.m. we were packed & Terri dropped us off at the factory. After a warm goodbye, she left but I know we'll stay in touch. Don gave us a clearer & more detailed presentation of what he'd like to do with God's help: ten mini factories in the villages where cashews are grown and increase the size of the Matola factory ten fold. This would benefit thousands giving jobs to villagers & fair prices to the farmers. He has the vision, the knowledge, the energy...but is waiting for the funding. Got an extra million???
Our ride pulled up just as Don finished ending our visit. So off we went to our next adventure.
Sent from my iPhone
Update 16
We're now living in a compound in Zimpeto which is home to about 200 orphans and quite a large staff. It's part of the Iris Ministry which has many homes like this in Africa. (Corrie's was one). Terri had recommended this as a good place to spend time.
We were given a thorough orientation which included a tour of the buildings: several girl or boy dorms, a baby room, disabled kids dorm, medical clinic, volunteers dorm & meeting hall, kitchen/dining room aka church on Sunday and also a school. The school, medical clinic & church are open to the community.
Brandi, the hospitality Director emphasized the steps Iris takes to try to keep kids with their family...even offering free food and/or medicines.
Of course, the baby room is my favorite and my first and last stop each day. Yesterday, the 2-5 year olds were playing in a pool barely big enough to hold all of them & the 3 littlest ones were splashing in a tiny pool. So fun to watch the how joyful & cool they were! I also visit the girls dorm daily playing games, putting together puzzles, playing London Bridges and reading books. I have to take a deep breathe & say a prayer before visiting the disable kids. Nine kids, most with extremes limitations rock & smile as I caress them, talk to them and encourage them to play with a toy. I'll never understand.
Rog carries balloons & a game and the young boys gladly join in. He also has a soft spot for one little 7-9 month old guy with huge eyes who always crawls to you when you walk in!
We are living in a small room that is a hot box but thankfully we have two fans since there are no other volunteers here. We are mostly fixing our own food as we'd made a run to the grocery store our first day here. Rog eats with the kids sometime but rice & beans gets old especially when we have fresh fruit, cz, eggs, pb & lots of bread...Rog bought 8 loaves...and Coke Zero in a cold frig!
Evenings are slow as the kids watch movies & the mosquitoes take over. It's hard to go to sleep in our hot room but a cold shower & both fans help a lot! Once you crawl under the mosquito net, you don't want to get out!
Sent from my iPhone
We were given a thorough orientation which included a tour of the buildings: several girl or boy dorms, a baby room, disabled kids dorm, medical clinic, volunteers dorm & meeting hall, kitchen/dining room aka church on Sunday and also a school. The school, medical clinic & church are open to the community.
Brandi, the hospitality Director emphasized the steps Iris takes to try to keep kids with their family...even offering free food and/or medicines.
Of course, the baby room is my favorite and my first and last stop each day. Yesterday, the 2-5 year olds were playing in a pool barely big enough to hold all of them & the 3 littlest ones were splashing in a tiny pool. So fun to watch the how joyful & cool they were! I also visit the girls dorm daily playing games, putting together puzzles, playing London Bridges and reading books. I have to take a deep breathe & say a prayer before visiting the disable kids. Nine kids, most with extremes limitations rock & smile as I caress them, talk to them and encourage them to play with a toy. I'll never understand.
Rog carries balloons & a game and the young boys gladly join in. He also has a soft spot for one little 7-9 month old guy with huge eyes who always crawls to you when you walk in!
We are living in a small room that is a hot box but thankfully we have two fans since there are no other volunteers here. We are mostly fixing our own food as we'd made a run to the grocery store our first day here. Rog eats with the kids sometime but rice & beans gets old especially when we have fresh fruit, cz, eggs, pb & lots of bread...Rog bought 8 loaves...and Coke Zero in a cold frig!
Evenings are slow as the kids watch movies & the mosquitoes take over. It's hard to go to sleep in our hot room but a cold shower & both fans help a lot! Once you crawl under the mosquito net, you don't want to get out!
Sent from my iPhone
Friday, January 31, 2020
Update 14
How do I explain how we know Terri & Don Larson? To make a long story short, internet searching last year, I somehow came across their story. Don was a big wig working for Nestles, came to Mozambique to check out where Nestle was getting their cashews & was struck by the conditions of the almost farmers & how little Nestle paid them for their cashews. He returned to US & dug into his personal connection with God. Guess what God directed him to do?? Sell all his toys & house and move his family to Mozambique to set up a cashew business (The Sunshine Nut Co.) that would provide more $$ for the farmer and jobs for others. He also vowed to give 90% of the profits toward improving the community. WOW! I was so impressed that I wrote to them & they wrote back! Soon Terri & I were email buddies. Though we ended up in Egypt last year, Terri & I stayed connected. In March, Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique. When B & J said they wanted to go far away to place they'd never go again, I'd just heard All Hands & Hearts was going to open a base in Mozambique . Bingo. God always opens a door for us!
So here we are spending days with Terri & don & their son, William. We chatted freely over pizza the first night. The next morning, Terri & Delciu (local who helps her with everything) picked us up & we headed to out to see the 3 homes the Sunshine Foundation has purchased. At each home, they have hired a local woman (also in need of help) and ask them to seek out the neediest of the needy young children. They then live together creating a caring family.
As we pulled up to the first home, a gaggle of kids met us. Delciu had them line up. Rog & I scooped cashew pieces (rejects at the factory) into a small bag & passed them out to over 100 happy little ones! What a heathy treat! The kids in the 1st home were sitting quietly anxiously waiting for us. Today was a very special day! Each of the 5 year olds (in all 3 homes) got a book bag filled with crayons, pencils, ruler, erasers & a notebook and ta da...their brand new first school uniform!! Their eyes sparkled! After lots of hugs & photos, we headed to home #2 & home #3 passing out their new treasured backpacks & uniforms. At home #3, the parents had come and they clapped & were as excited as the kids. These parents oils not have had the $$ to buy the uniforms & backpack & therefore their child would not be able to go to school.
The Sunshine Homes had been nurturing their child for 3-5 years meeting their needs while the parents scratched out a meager living. These children had truly been given rich soil & solid foundation allowing them the best chance to bloom someday! It gave me goosebumps to see how the Larson's love & hard work made it possible!
We swung by the factory and did a quick tour before getting dropped off at our hotel where we quickly jumped into the pool to cool off.
Don picked us up at 6:30 and we spent another evening sharing stories. Don grilled chicken & Terri had made some delicious Parmesan potatoes & a bean salad.
How luck are we to spend time with people who've lived in Mozambique for 7 years and could fill us with information about this country & its people!
Sent from my iPhone
So here we are spending days with Terri & don & their son, William. We chatted freely over pizza the first night. The next morning, Terri & Delciu (local who helps her with everything) picked us up & we headed to out to see the 3 homes the Sunshine Foundation has purchased. At each home, they have hired a local woman (also in need of help) and ask them to seek out the neediest of the needy young children. They then live together creating a caring family.
As we pulled up to the first home, a gaggle of kids met us. Delciu had them line up. Rog & I scooped cashew pieces (rejects at the factory) into a small bag & passed them out to over 100 happy little ones! What a heathy treat! The kids in the 1st home were sitting quietly anxiously waiting for us. Today was a very special day! Each of the 5 year olds (in all 3 homes) got a book bag filled with crayons, pencils, ruler, erasers & a notebook and ta da...their brand new first school uniform!! Their eyes sparkled! After lots of hugs & photos, we headed to home #2 & home #3 passing out their new treasured backpacks & uniforms. At home #3, the parents had come and they clapped & were as excited as the kids. These parents oils not have had the $$ to buy the uniforms & backpack & therefore their child would not be able to go to school.
The Sunshine Homes had been nurturing their child for 3-5 years meeting their needs while the parents scratched out a meager living. These children had truly been given rich soil & solid foundation allowing them the best chance to bloom someday! It gave me goosebumps to see how the Larson's love & hard work made it possible!
We swung by the factory and did a quick tour before getting dropped off at our hotel where we quickly jumped into the pool to cool off.
Don picked us up at 6:30 and we spent another evening sharing stories. Don grilled chicken & Terri had made some delicious Parmesan potatoes & a bean salad.
How luck are we to spend time with people who've lived in Mozambique for 7 years and could fill us with information about this country & its people!
Sent from my iPhone
Update 12
Our two glorious days in the bush ended when Goodman met us as we left the park & took us on a almost three hour ride to our hut in Mozambique on the Indian Ocean on one side & a river on the other. Sound gorgeous?? Not. The "toll road" was worse than most roads in Mozambique which says a lot. Our hut was "well used" and showed lots of water damage...but it had air conditioning & a frig. And since it was about 100F that was good.
We were hungry so we headed to the restaurant. I ordered shrimp...which was a bit gritty and the boys got chicken. Jen was too hot to eat. Mosquitoes invaded us just as we started to eat so we finished ASAP & headed back to our hut (or shift house as Jen calls it)...and crashed.
Unfortunately, Ben woke up feeling crappy. The wind was whipping & waves crashing both on the river & ocean side. We all just laid around til. 10. Then we covered our eyes & lowered our heads to make our way to the restaurant/veranda area. No one was hungry so we just got drinks Cokes & beer & bought a loaf of fresh bread. We were the only ones at the hotel so it was like our own private place. We played a couple games of euchre but even a win didn't perk Ben up. About noon,he took a Capri & headed back to the room. Rog & Jen played Yahtzee & I sat by the pool & did some writing.
By now we all assumed Ben had food poisoning so no one dared eat in the restaurant. So we bought more bread, & opened a jar of peanut butter. Then Jen & I went for a long beach walk stopping to watch the red crabs scramble and look for shells. The waves were gigantic & the sand whipped across our legs. About sunset, we ate more PJ & bread & all went to bed early...hoping Ben would be better in the a.m.
Woke up next day to a calm ocean, blue skies & a smiling Ben. We savored a few more hours on the beach watching fishermen in their small bamboo, handmade boats throw out & retrieve their nets. A few walked by with bamboo fishing spears.
We enjoyed the last of our bread with PJ and some granola bars. Packed up & several lady waitstaff showed up to carry our luggage...on their heads!! Luckily our taxi was waiting for us when we got to the veranda.
Our taxi driver spoke good English & conversed freely with us as we slowly inched our way navigating the bumpy road. He talked about corruption in Mozambique and how the Chinese were building most everything using their own labor & crappy material.
When we got to the airport, Jen did a bit of last minute shopping & then we ate a delicious lunch. It was difficult to say goodbye to B & J. We'd so cherished the time & experience we'd shared with them. A few tears & long hugs & then we got into a taxi & headed for Matola to meet the Larsons & they headed home to be with their kids.
Sent from my iPhone
We were hungry so we headed to the restaurant. I ordered shrimp...which was a bit gritty and the boys got chicken. Jen was too hot to eat. Mosquitoes invaded us just as we started to eat so we finished ASAP & headed back to our hut (or shift house as Jen calls it)...and crashed.
Unfortunately, Ben woke up feeling crappy. The wind was whipping & waves crashing both on the river & ocean side. We all just laid around til. 10. Then we covered our eyes & lowered our heads to make our way to the restaurant/veranda area. No one was hungry so we just got drinks Cokes & beer & bought a loaf of fresh bread. We were the only ones at the hotel so it was like our own private place. We played a couple games of euchre but even a win didn't perk Ben up. About noon,he took a Capri & headed back to the room. Rog & Jen played Yahtzee & I sat by the pool & did some writing.
By now we all assumed Ben had food poisoning so no one dared eat in the restaurant. So we bought more bread, & opened a jar of peanut butter. Then Jen & I went for a long beach walk stopping to watch the red crabs scramble and look for shells. The waves were gigantic & the sand whipped across our legs. About sunset, we ate more PJ & bread & all went to bed early...hoping Ben would be better in the a.m.
Woke up next day to a calm ocean, blue skies & a smiling Ben. We savored a few more hours on the beach watching fishermen in their small bamboo, handmade boats throw out & retrieve their nets. A few walked by with bamboo fishing spears.
We enjoyed the last of our bread with PJ and some granola bars. Packed up & several lady waitstaff showed up to carry our luggage...on their heads!! Luckily our taxi was waiting for us when we got to the veranda.
Our taxi driver spoke good English & conversed freely with us as we slowly inched our way navigating the bumpy road. He talked about corruption in Mozambique and how the Chinese were building most everything using their own labor & crappy material.
When we got to the airport, Jen did a bit of last minute shopping & then we ate a delicious lunch. It was difficult to say goodbye to B & J. We'd so cherished the time & experience we'd shared with them. A few tears & long hugs & then we got into a taxi & headed for Matola to meet the Larsons & they headed home to be with their kids.
Sent from my iPhone
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Monday, January 27, 2020
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)