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BUSH BEAT: August/September 2008 (view pdf version with photos)ANGEL JOINS OUR FAMILY Angelica, translated Angel, was born on May 26th, 2008 weighing 7 lbs. Her mother died 2 days later from complications. Angel's only family is a very ancient grandmother and a 10 year old sister. It's unusual, but the grandmother rejected the baby. The sister, Albertina, talked a neighbor woman into helping her save the baby by requesting formula from our program. We gave them the formula & proper baby care training, but the baby girl showed only minor weight gain in her 1st 8 weeks of life. Our "Baby Care Team" (Sylvia from Argentina and Capena, our program Director) feared the baby would perish, as the substitute mother was obviously doing a poor job. As Angel's life faded rapidly in late July, a neighbor man took charge, walking the sister & baby Angel the 16 miles (27km) to our mission. Angel was barely alive, having lost all her baby fat, leaving only loose skin over bone. We immediately prepared a bottle and were very grateful to see she had the strength to nurse. Angle now weighed a shocking 6.8 lbs (3.1kg) at 8 weeks. This man stated that the substitute mother had abandoned the baby, leaving it in the hands of this 10 year old girl . The baby was being passed from mother to mother but no one really cared for her. We notified Social Services immediately, requesting the baby be permanently placed into our care. A hospital examination declared her healthy, just malnourished and neglected. With the help of Social Services and a quick trip to the grandmother's house, Angel was officially given to us that very day. With proper care, Angel gained a record 1.5 lbs. (750 gms) in her first week, drinking a record 2.5 cans of formula. After 1 month in the care of our Christian foster mother, Justina, Angel now weighs 11 lbs. (5 kg)!!! It's great to see her healthy & active. When starving children first come into our care, they are terrified that there will be no food at the next meal time. The child is calm as long as they have a bag of peanuts, or some other food in their possession. Give them nothing to hold, and they become hysterical. This fear has always left our children within a month of seeing food on the table 3 times a day. Angelica fears she will go hungry again. She must have that bottle in her site or in her mouth as long as she is awake. Otherwise she screams till she gets it. This little lady can eat more formula in 1 sitting than any baby I've ever encountered! She's all ours, so our team is really enjoying our newest member of the family, who will grow up knowing the LOVE OF JESUS & never the horror of the witchdoctor's "medicines".
ANGEL NEEDS SPONSORS: Formula is now $7/can and Angel needs 3 cans a week. We hope her consumption will decrease once she starts eating in late September! SPONSORSHIP FOR ANGEL'S next 9 months will be a $125/month. Once she is weaned off formula at 1 year of age, the sponsorship costs will decrease to $30/month.
MAVALA MANGO TREE CHURCH UNDER CONSTRUCTION Construction of the Mavala Magnet project started August 25th! The survey team was still marking the land when Bush Bunny's construction crew started putting in the posts for the food distribution warehouse. In 9 days we finished the warehouse (complete with cement floor). That is a record even by our standards! Within 4 days we had the area de-stumped for the church and as of Sept. 10th the foundation is laid. We have only 90 days to complete the church before the rainy season could close the road. But we live by the motto "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD". God's in the miracle business, and through daily prayer, we are already seeing HIS HAND at work as the whole construction process seems to be moving in fast forward. This construction team has been with us for 4 years, and I'm now seeing them accomplish more in a day than ever before!
NO CHALLENGE TOO GREAT FOR GOD! Disaster! The main CEMENT plant closed ONE WEEK before the Mavala church construction was to start. I needed 300 bags of cement ASAP, but my 2 main suppliers canceled because all remaining cement had been bought up by construction companies. We stopped brick making for the church to conserve the 86 bags on hand. My head brick layer searched Balama's "sources" and located 4 sacks of cement in a store I never deal with. When we arrived, the store manager quoted a higher price which led me to talk directly with the out of town store owner, who "just happened" to be there. He stated that he has 100 sacks of cement in his Nacala warehouse (10 hours drive away), and that he could bring it by the weekend if I paid 50% down. Immediately red flags went up because normal procedure is payment on delivery. At $6.95/gallon for diesel, transportation costs are off the charts, but he offered the cement at no extra transport fee. Sister Linda, head of construction for the Catholic Church, was there and assured me he was honest, so I took the deal. The cement was in our barn in 4 days. (Phew! Only 150 bags to go.) Next day, God's hand moves big time! 1. My main supplier called saying he'd found a new cement source, and could send us 100 bags in a week. We accepted & he delivered on time. 2. That same day, Capena, our project manager, discovered another store in Balama had "mysteriously" received 49 bags of cement during the night that they were not expecting! NOW THAT IS NOT A COINCIDENCE! Seems to us that God made a "special delivery" so that we would have cement when no one else does!!! In total, these 250 sacks will see us through till cement starts flowing again. WHEN GOD WANTS A PROJECT BUILT, HE MAKES IT HAPPEN!
PRAYER POWER CATCHES A THIEF Four days into the construction, a new brick layer on our team decided to steal 8 pieces of rebar (iron used in cement foundations) while everyone was at lunch. Eric and I didn't realize it until closing time when we counted what was returned to the warehouse. We knew who did it, but didn't have proof. Carlos Ali, a 75 year old visitor from Argentina & a POWERFUL prayer warrior, led our prayer time at 5pm. Carlos called for the rebar to be returned, and at 6pm the village police captured the thief with the irons in his hands and RETURNED ALL the rebar to us during the night. Challenges are a part of life, but with God at the helm, Satan never wins.
WHEELCHAIR WELDING SITOE (Sit toe) is a young man in his 20's who can't walk due to childhood polio causing his legs to be deformed. I found him stranded on the side of the road 2 years ago because the front wheel of his special "hand powered off road tricycle" broke while he was returning from school. (Due to the war in Moz., everyone is welcome in school no matter their age.) Eric was able to repair his wheel and a few months later Sitoe received a new tricycle from a group helping the handicapped. With his new "wheels" Sitoe hand pumped his way to our church every Sunday. Just before school started in January, he came rolling into our mission to request work so he could pay his school fees. Eric and I had agreed long ago that we will bend over backwards to help those willing to EARN their education, versus those just looking for a handout. We apprenticed Sitoe to the man in charge of making our children's clothing. Sitoe's legs cannot pump a foot pedal sewing machine, but he CAN cut out the clothes for others to sew. Working while sitting at a table was not possible for Sitoe, so we purchased a large piece of slick pressboard that would work as his floor level work area. To this day, he is happily cutting out our children's clothing while the other man sews, thus greatly increasing the daily production of clothes for our orphans. The enclosed photos show Eric repairing Sitoe's current tricycle which is now wearing out. The group that makes these is no longer doing so. His front wheel was literally tied together with rags because this small bike tire is not sold in Mozambique. Eric organized a new wheel to be brought in by his South African church members. But the trike's aluminum frame is broken in 2 places & can't be welded. But Eric's favorite motto is "we'll make a plan". Eric can literally repair most things out of nothing. I've seen him do it many times. His plan worked (see the photo), and the tricycle is good for it's next 100 miles. We hope to find a source for a new tricycle before these repairs wear out.
KIDS HELPING KIDS The Garwood, Texas, Lehrer Memorial United Methodist Church's children's 2008 Kids Care Activity was a Lemonade Stand to raise money for Orphans Unlimited, Inc. The children set up at the town library next to the post office so they could serve people coming to get their mail. The lemonade was free. The children held posters and called out to people to come get some free lemonade, and if they wanted to they could contribute to Orphans Unlimited. As the children took orders for lemonade (sugar or sugar free) the people put donations into a bottle. By the end of the two hours, $217.19 was contributed. This amount far exceeded the goal that had been set at $30. Later in the summer other contributions were given and the total amount sent to OU was $500. MISSIONS was the 2008 theme of the Vacation Bible School of Butler Methodist Church in Pennsylvania. Each day the children were shown items from a "care box" that showed them how their gift to kids in Africa could translate into food, blankets, & other items needed for survival. These children raised $1,500, & now sponsor 5 of our orphans. THANKS KIDS! TOGETHER, WE ARE SENDING GOD'S LOVE TO ORPHANS WHO'VE NEVER KNOWN LOVE.
BUSH BUNNY HAS A SORE PAW On Sept. 17th, I'll be in South Africa for a carpel tunnel operation on my left hand, returning to Moz. by Sept. 27th. Don't expect any more Bush Beats till late October when I hope to have both hands typing again. :) Prayer for a fast recovery will be appreciated. GOD'S BLESSINGS TO ALL OF YOU! Bush Bunny Brenda Send LOVE GIFTS to: Or donate online now. *Brenda in Balama: BB01 (at) bushmail (dot) net. SHORT, SIMPLE TEXT MESSAGES ONLY due to HAM RADIO e-mail. NO FORWARDS, ATTACHMENTS, OR PHOTOS AS BUSHMAIL CANNOT ACCEPT THEM. |
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