HAPPY THANKSGIVING

In April was the first time Laura and I met Carlos. He came to South Africa while we were there. At this time we had no idea what was ahead of us. One day Carlos and Santos (who doesn’t speak English) came to the house where we were staying. We were all sitting around the dining table. Our two other housemates were sitting in their rooms- within earshot. After we had a moment of prayer together, Carlos started singing, “Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy one. Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ His son. Give thanks for the weak say I am strong, give thanks for the poor say I am rich because of what the Lord has done, for us…”
As he sang Laura and I looked back and forth wondering what we were supposed to do. We joined in. At the time it felt a little awkward. I am not too used to singing with 2 others- I am usually most pleased when I can sing and no one can hear me. Anyway, we sang, we gave thanks. I didn’t know what my life was about to experience.

As tomorrow is Thanksgiving day this memory came back to me. I have been thinking about what it means to give thanks.
Now, 7 months later my lists of thanks would be different than it would have been then as we sang around the table. As the days fly by here I have to deliberately remind myself that it is the Holiday season back home. Tomorrow will just be another day in Mozambique. If I don’t take the time to reflect on the things I now know to be thankful for it’ll just slip by. My heart is grateful. This year my eyes have been opened to so much more. I have still more to be thankful for.
The holidays may be different this year but I am thankful for it. I am thankful to be here. I am thankful to see more, to be part of life here, to be given the opportunity to experience the relationships I now have here. In the midst of the storm I am praising God. I am thankful!
A special Thanksgiving greeting to all of you from my new friends! This greeting comes to you from Mozambique, Canada, Zambia and the USA! Enjoy your time with friends and family. BE THANKFUL! I love you and miss you.

Another Video

Good afternoon from Mozambique! I just wanted to let you know there is another video about Hands at Work Mozambique. I hope you can watch it and continue to see what life is like here and the WONDERFUL people I work with. The link is: http://www.vimeo.com/2183369
Enjoy!
Here’s also a picture of me playing a game with some of the kids in the community on a home-based care visit.



and, kids outside a home of one of the patients we visit regularly...



Also, would you pray for rain? It keeps getting drier and drier. The maize that was planted is now drying up. The food problem is great and the future without crops is very grim. Please Lord- send rain!

Hope

In the midst of what I may be portraying as despair, desperation and hopelessness. I need to share how exciting it has been to see a young group of girls growing…
A number of months ago we talked with Carlos and Pascua about their desire to do something for teenage girls here. Pascua in particular has a heart to do something for orphaned girls who, without direction, self confidence and something to add to their self worth, will likely soon turn to sex work to get money just to survive. We’ve supported Pascua with a few initial gathering with these beautiful young ladies. Last Saturday I found it especially exciting and hopeful. Twenty-one girls gathered. We sang some songs, shared from the Word and then they divided into 2 groups. The first group was given flour, oil, and sugar to go home and make these little donut type things (what they learned to make the previous month). The hope is that they will then go and sell them. With their proceeds they’ll be able to buy what’s needed to continue this process.
The other group was chosen to commit to coming to the center on a regular basis to learn to sew. Thanks to you faithful supports we were able to buy 4 new sewing machines. Giving the girls the opportunity to learn these skills could literally change their lives! Knowing how to do something and may be make a little money from it gives them far more hope that they could get anywhere else. Again, I am the fortunate one who has been able to see your support make a difference. Thank you.





I also just wanted to show this picture. This is the little girl, Neddie, who has captured my heart. I have told many of you her story- I will share it with many more of you one day. She is just beautiful, with a joyful spirit and story I wish never had to be told…



Lastly, I hope I have been receiving all my emails. I know of one person who has written a number of times and I have never received her messages. If you have written and expected to hear back from me and haven't, maybe I never received it. Although I am also VERY slow at responding. I have a number of messages that I need to reply to. I can't blame much on internet error!

More soon...

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves

I have debated writing this blog for a while now. It feels uncomfortable for me to write. When this verse came to me I realized, yes, go ahead, tell what is on your heart. Proverbs 31: 8-9 says this: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those who are perishing. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.”
I am here to speak up for the people of Mozambique. The people I see each day. The people I work with and the people I have grown to love. Over the last 9 months statistics and stories have turned personal and I continue to be heavily burdened to share much more.
Recently 2 major secular funders for Rubatano (Mozambique Home-based care I work for) have completed their financial commitments. This has left a gap and a huge need to find individuals, churches, or groups to financially assist in the continuation of the good work I see happening here. As I have shared repeatedly, life is challenging for the Mozambican people. HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria affect almost every individual in some way. Families bury loved ones on a far to regular bases with the motto being, “That’s how life is.” Nevertheless, they grieve each loss like we would, death is death and it is never easy.
As you may recall, adding to this difficult life, fires burned the land, homes, and individuals in September. October began with hopes of rain but we saw the first bit of it just 2 days ago. As a result, crops are behind and people are hungry. Crops also failed last year leaving the people with not enough food stored for the rest of this year. Almost every home I visit now has no food. Even our volunteers are telling me they are hungry. I often wonder if I were hungry if I would be out caring for people? I am not sure I would be. I can’t fathom any of this. I have no idea what it must feel like to be hungry.
These people are born into this life, with no escape. I always have something to fall back on. I will go “home” in a few months. This is their home. They are the ones who can’t speak up for themselves. There names are Adao, Mario, Adriano, Lucinda, Luis, Natalia, Maria…they all have faces and I have stories for each of them. I love them all.
Please if you desire to give in anyway or have further questions please ask. Please read the Hands at Work website: www.handsatwork.org or email me. If you want to give you may send tax-deductible money to Rubatano by mailing checks to:

Hands at Work in Africa, USA
951 MacArthur Blvd
San Leandro, CA 94577

Please make checks out to Wellspring Church and write in the memo line, Hands at Work Mozambique.

Hands at Work in Mozambique is currently caring for (by providing basic health care, education assistance and food security) over 1,000 orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs). This number is rapidly growing and the need is still great. It cost approximately $15/month to support each orphan that is visited. They also visit and support patients who have HIV/AIDS (most also have tuberculosis). The financial needs include direct care for the OVCs and for operations and expansion of the home-based care. If you do feel lead to give (to care of the OVCs or for expansion), please feel free to indicate which area you would like your money to be used for.
I challenge you to be part of ensuring justice to those who are perishing here in Mozambique. Please do as your heart is led.

Mozambique Birthday

On Wednesday Carlos called to ask us to come to his house at 4pm. No problem, we’ve all been busy lately and haven’t had time to sit down to chat about what is going on. Laura and I got there a bit after 4 and were talking with Carlos when Tabitha (the 3 year old) came out caring a gift wrapped package. Carlos smiled big and said, “Who completed years? Someone completed years!” Laura and I awkwardly looked at each other and then Laura said, “Well my birthday is at the end of this month.” Carlos continued (looking directly at me) and said, “did you complete a year?”
Pascua (Carlos’s wife) then piped in and said, “I knew in my heart it wasn’t your birthday. Your birthday is in January isn’t it? I told Carlos, ‘no, Dara’s birthday is in January, Laura’s in November’. But Carlos, she said ‘no it’s Dara’s birthday’.”
So, we made a joke that November 5 will be my Mozambican birthday. Carlos and his family were so great and generous to me. Pascua made me a carrot cake (over her charcoal fire) and gave me a wonderfully generous gift. It was a special day.



The next day when we were walking through Chimoio we walked by a young boy selling worms. We had heard about these worms that the Mozambicans like to eat. So we stopped, intrigued by the plump little guys. I am not sure what got into me but for some reason I thought I would try to eat one! So I went for it!



Here's a closer look at the little guy...



I am not usually a gagger but I could not get this thing down. It tasted aweful and it felt like an eternity before I actually got it down. I didn’t dare spit it out and insult the little boy and the crowd that had gathered. They enjoy this little treat and there I was chocking it down. I am quite sure everyone around was aware that I wasn’t enjoying it! I advised Laura and Sarah NOT to try one themselves. Eesh…I can add that to the list of things I have tried and won’t try again!

As you can see Laura wasn’t quite sure I was going to do it!



We are having some fun here as well!
Thank you to all of you who are faithfully reading my blog- your emails and encouragement means more than you know!

Unusual Dialogue

(I observed this conversation yesterday while out in the community. It was spoken in Portuguese/Shona, this is the English translation of the conversation).

Adao (Rubatano Home-care volunteer): Good morning.
Young woman (community women we met on the path): Good morning.
Adao: How are you?
Woman: Pretty well. How are you?
Adao: Things are well.
Woman: Good.
Adao: Oh, I see. You must be doing well. I see a fire at your house.
Woman: Yes.
Adao: Okay, see you when I see you.
Woman: See you.

Dara: What did she say?
Adao: She said she was doing well. I can tell she is. You see (pointing to the neighboring mud huts) that house, there is no smoke. There is no fire. That house, no fire. That house, no fire. Her house there is smoke. She has food to cook today. All the others are hungry.
Dara: (Silence. Contemplating what this really means…)

I have been thinking lately that I need to write more happy things on here. I don’t want to sound like I am depressed (I am not) or pessimistic. I have been contemplating my days thinking- should I write about this, should I write about that? It seems that most things that really are tugging on my heart are things that may be viewed as quite depressing. I am afraid that this message may not be much different. Thankfully, in the midst of these experiences, God is encouraging me, He is offering me hope. It ends well.
I didn’t sleep well last night. It could be due to the fact that it stayed close to 90degrees in my room all night and my mosquito net felt more suffocating than ever or it could be as a result the images that I couldn’t get out of mind; likely a combination of both.
Yesterday I did home-based care in Gondola. I was with a couple volunteers whom I haven’t been with many times before. There was no translator available- sure to be a challenging day. We walked to the first home. I caught a glance of a baby being held by a mother. I just saw a glimpse of the babies head and thought to myself, “Oh great. This baby is really sick, now what am I suppose to do?” It sounds cynical but without a nursing license to allow me to do anything, and without being able to communicate exceptionally well, I feel like my hands are tied. The burden is there and I often ask, “Lord, how?”
We all sat down in the shade on a grass mat. The mother sat with her baby. If the baby wasn’t cuddled up next to the mom the babe would let out a cry- not too loud or long but she made us aware she wasn’t comfortable. As the cloth was removed from this small body, I was thinking- what are we going to do? What can I say to help this situation right now?
There we were, all eyes on me, looking at a textbook like child with critical malnutrition. I first wanted to ask questions. Then I wanted to be able to give advice. I could hardly do either. I was praying in my heart that this mother would allow us to help her in this desperate situation. The mother would hardly look at me.With desperation, shame, and despair on her face, reluctantly she allowed us to take her 1 year old child to the hospital. She needed to wait at home for her husband and 3 month old child to return. Imagine having no money, a 1 yr old and a 3 month old; obviously, someone would go hungry.
I prayed many prayers as we drove to the hospital. Thankfully, we were attended to immediately and they admitted the child. Praise God- they have hope and didn’t turn us away. I don’t know what will happen now. I do know it is by God’s grace that this child is still alive. I can’t explain how she has made it to this state- skin peeling off, infected, oozing; feet swollen and expression- listless. I don’t know… I can’t get the image out of my head.
I woke this morning tired and thinking about this baby. I prayed for encouragement. I needed it this morning. I opened my Bible and was blessed. God heard my cry. I read from the book of Habakkuk (I never knew there was such good stuff in there!)
I read what seems to be a theme for me right now. Habakkuk 2:20, “But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.” A bit later in the book it says in ch3 vs2, “In this time of our deep need, begin again to help us, as you did in years gone by. Show us your power to save us. And in your anger, remember your mercy.”
The book ends with these words, “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty (hungry season?), yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains” Hab 3:17-19

With those words, I could face another day today.
God is in his holy Temple.
In this time of deep need…help us Lord.
I will rejoice in the Lord.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength!

Awe, thank you Lord!

Runs, Mangos and Waves

I fear I sometimes come across on here as if things aren’t good and I am really struggling- I am but I also desperately try to find ways to be balanced and renewed. This weekend I found a little slice of Heaven here on earth. On Thursday after bringing some visitors to the airport Laura and I and 2 other friends headed for a beach retreat! We returned back to the mission this afternoon with sweet memories of eating too many mangos, too much seafood, too much sun, and lots of laughs. It was so refreshing. I was also able to get out and go for a few runs- always healing to my soul. For a few moments, I forgot where I was. It was refreshing!
Here’s a photo of the desolate beach we were on. It is just gorgeous, with wild waves of the Indian Ocean to play in!





Here’s our cute little house we stayed in…



And Laura and I…



Tomorrow starts another week, I am clinging to two bits of advice that I have receive recently.
First- Even though I may feel like I am going through “the valley of the shadow of death, I am just passing through- not camping within!”
And- as Psalm 11:4 says, “the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven.”
No matter what the circumstances I experience (or any of us), the Lord is in his holy Temple! Feel free to remind me of this if I sound as if I have lost this focus.
Thank you so much to those who send such encouraging words! Prayers are keeping me going. Bless you.

Finally, as I struggle to share the depth of my experiences here, Hands at Work has made some videos that may show a bit more vividly, what I am doing. The links are below. I haven’t actually seen them yet but I trust that they will really help you understand the heart of Hands at Work.

One by One- George Snyman (founder of Hands at Work) telling the story of H@W
http://vimeo.com/1920449

My Hands – A variety of Hands at Work volunteers telling their stories
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp9pdebZddU

Seasons

Since I have returned from Ghana, Mozambique has entered a new season. It’s a season I have never heard of. A season I have never dreamt of. I have heard of deer season. I have heard of mosquito season. I have heard of pumpkin spice latte season. I even look forward to mango season but now, I am told, we’re in hungry season. Hungry season? Hungry season! Can you imagine? Can you imagine a time of year when you plan that you'll likely be hungry? Maybe you’ll even wonder if you’ll have enough food to survive and make it through this “season.”
Since I have been back I have been busy with other things and haven’t been out doing a lot of home-based care but even sitting in my little house on the mission we’ve seen effects of the “hungry season.” Saturday there were 4 of us sitting around discussing budgets and the vision of Rubatano. There was a gentle disturbance at the door. I answered and greeted the young man in Portuguese. After the typical greetings he continued on. He wasn’t looking at me. He seemed ashamed, head hung low. I have seen this man around the mission before but I don’t know him. As he continued I learned that he was coming asking for money. His children are hungry and they haven’t eaten for 3 days. This man was embarrassed that he was having to come to us to ask for money for food.
I was disturbed by this visitor, I kept thinking about him the rest of the weekend. I came to realize that no man wants to beg. No man with children wants to tell anyone that he is unable to provide for his family. God didn’t wire men that way. God made men to be a provider. For this man to be to this point of desperation he probably does feel shamed. His ability to provide has been shattered.
On Sunday morning I had to get up in the middle of Church (here at the mission) and step outside. When I did, I saw the same man that had been on my mind since Saturday. He again started speaking, rapidly this time- not looking at me, never making eye contact. I then noticed his arm. He was favoring it and it was extremely swollen. He was speaking Portuguese so fast I couldn’t catch it all. All I knew was that his arm was in pain. I told him to sit here and after Church I would find him with Carlos and we could see what we could do for him.
A brief time after this Carlos and I approached the man. As Carlos translated for me I could hardly believe what he was telling me. Yesterday after he left our house he went to buy maize for his family. He was walking home (not far from us at the mission). When he got to the waterfall, there were 2 men there. They asked him to stop and wanted to steal his maize from him. He refused to give it to them; he took off running, slipped, fell and hit his arm on a rock. Today he can’t move his arm and he is in visible pain. As usual, I looked to Carlos to know what to do in this situation. After a bit of discussion we decided to give some pain medicine and follow up with the man in the next couple of days to let us know how he is. It’s Tuesday night and I haven’t seen him yet. When I gave him the medication, I prayed for him. I prayed hard for him. I begged God to do a miracle in this mans life- to be his provider and sustainer.
I wonder if his family is still hungry? I am sure the men that wanted to steal the food from him also have hungry family members. It’s just another “hungry season” I guess.
As I struggle to wonder how I myself will make it through this “hungry season.” I am reminded of a song Ali Rogers sings. I need to regularily remind myself to have hope:

Hope is strength to walk along,
and music to my song.
I’ll be redeemed.

I am never knowing,
I’ll be holding onto hope…

If I wait until light is shining,
I may never find the day.

Hope, I’ll be waiting.
I’ll be holding onto…

I am never knowing,
I’ll be holding onto hope.

I'LL BE HOLDING ONTO HOPE this hungry season.

How many worlds are in ours?

Slowly I have had a bit of time to process things of the last few weeks. Slowly I say, because nothing I experience lately is easy. I rested in Ghana, I laughed, I ate well. It was a wonderful time. It was exactly what I needed. I was rejuvenated- somewhat.

What I can’t seem to comprehend is the three worlds I traveled through to get there. I left Mozambique- desperate, hungry, sick. I flew to Johannesburg, South Africa. Suddenly I was in another world. I browsed through shops. I drank coffee. I was in the Western world. Then I remembered my 3 months in SA. It’s not like this. Beyond these walls they too are desperate, hungry and sick. I was in 2 completely different worlds in a matter of a few hours.

Onto my final destination, another world.

In Ghana, life is good. The city is becoming more and more Western. As we drive hours from the capital, it gets more rural. You feel like you’re in Africa. When I stay in the village- it’s Africa. Goats, sheep, chickens make there melodies at all hours. There’s no electricity. Children haul water containers on their heads. The villagers work in their farms while the women spend most the day preparing their dinner (from the products of the farm). Here the people aren’t as sick. In my mind they have very little but it's okay. What they do have is priceless. The children have a deeper desire to learn than I have ever seen. They are hungry for knowledge. It’s another world.

My life in America- yet another world.
Four very different worlds.

All with their problems.
All with their strengths.
All with joy.
All with struggles.
All with desperation.
All in need of hope.
All in need of more of the Lord.
All making me think.

What is my part in the larger world?
What is our part?
What is yours?

I guess I haven’t processed much. As I have been trying to write this for a couple hours now, I can’t find a way to conclude. Again, I have no answers. Again, I have more to think about. Again, I am challenged. Blessed, but challenged. I don’t know if this make sense. I don’t know if it is worth posting. I can’t express all that I think and feel- this is my feeble attempt.

There’s a lot out there…
God is bigger than it all…
Please pray!