Bush Bunny Blog - Orphans Unlimited

Dateline May 23, 2010

Howdy Everyone!
This is the Bean Buying Bush Bunny of Balama with the latest news from
deep in the heart of northern Mozambique.

The Corn Barn has been rebuilt!
Our 7 carpenter team completed it, May 22nd, in a record 2 weeks
time.  Monday was clean up day and preparing for the massive corn
buying season that starts June 2nd.

BEANS ARE FLOWING IN, as we have literally purchased almost every
available bean in the county!  God has really blessed this and we
appreciate your prayers that helped block out the competition.
30 TONS OF BEANS ARE IN THE BARN, and another 5 tons will be picked up
next week.  To feed our kids MINIMUM rations, we had to have 32 tons, so
we are “safe”, but hope to pick up a few more tons during June in order to
bless more orphans in this year of certain hunger.
The lack of rain this year is very evident as we normally are able to buy
at least 60 tons of beans in order to “fill the barn” and bless the
children in our feeding programs.
BUT! We serve a MIGHTY GOD and He is a God that multiplies!
So we have asked that he multiply what we have to meet the needs.

NOW WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH THE CORN HARVEST!

 Unless you have been here to experience it, it is hard to describe the
challenges we face in trying to BUY, TRANSPORT, PROCESS, and STORE 250
TONS of CORN in only 4 weeks (it’s all done by hand with a very strong 80
man crew).  5000 SACKS, each weighing over 100 lbs., have to be lifted by
hand at least 5 times from the time of pick up, until it is in our barn.
Every year we pray and ask the Lord to send helpers specifically to
enforce our Moz. missionary team during June, as it is the most stressful
of all programs we do each year.
This year, our volunteer CORN TEAM helpers will be Clark and Barbara
Stidham from Colorado Springs and Louis Gervais from San Marcos.

WHY is it stressful?  To feed our 1,200 orphans and widows in 2 counties,
we have to beat out the commercial buyers who sweep in to buy and EXPORT
the available corn. Their tactic is to undermine the contracts we have set
up with the local villages.
THIS YEAR, on top of that, we are dealing with a poor harvest, making it
even more important to move the corn ASAP before the commercial buyers
swoop in.

Our prayer is that God will FILL OUR BARN and CONFUSE those trying to
swipe what we have secured for the orphans.
Your prayers are much appreciated, and I will do my best to keep you
updated via this blog during June.
We will be working from 4:30am till dark at 5pm, 6 days a week till the
job is done, so we have asked the Lord to provide all of us with
supernatural strength and safety also.

On SUNDAY, May 23, another witch hut bit the dust!
Nsewe B, has a fast growing church and we have just organized a pastor to go
live and teach these new converts.  Pastor Alberto reports a new member burned
her hut before 100’s of people on Sunday (2nd witch hut to burn in this
village in 2 months!).  God is really moving in the hearts of the people here.

Blessings to all of you!
The Bean Buying Bush Bunny of Balama and her Moz. team.

 DATELINE MAY 17, 2010
 
 
OBEDIANCE BRINGS BLESSINGS
 
With the damaged barn roof removed last Sunday, the 1100 bags of corn, rice, and peanuts were at big risk from sporadic rains.
By Tuesday we had the food safely stored or distributed to the needy.
 
During my prayer time on Monday night, the Lord clearly showed me that I was to donate some of the food to the hospital and the high school dorm for out of town students.
Before I could even contact them, the School Director came to my door begging a bag of beans as the students had nothing to eat that day.
I immediately loaded up 3 bags of beans and delivered them to a very grateful group of hungry teenagers.
 
As we took the food to the hospital, the Doctor met us at the door with a look of surprise on his face.
He told our staff that he was most grateful as the patients had just eaten the last food they had in their warehouse!
Our showing up with exactly what they needed just as they needed it, made quite a witness to this non believing doctor.
 
BUT GOD KNEW and He provided!
 
SNAKE GUARDS LOSE THEIR HOME
As the men moved the last of the corn from our damaged barn, the “live in snake guards” were not happy at being disturbed.
On Tuesday, a 2 foot spitting cobra showed his temper by attacking our workers with his venomous spit.
The snake was outnumbered, and quickly disposed of by my expert snake killers.
 
Unknown to us, a 5 foot snake that lived under the corn had escaped the damaged barn on Sunday night, and went to live under the corn that we were now storing in our corn grinding mill.
He was under the corn in the mill the whole time my men were moving the bags into that building on Monday.
My carpenters were taking their lunch break this last Friday, when our well fed “rat guard” decided to make his appearance (not realizing the men were just outside the mill door).
As he slid out from under the door, scaring the carpenters beyond words, they quickly whacked him, ending his happy hunting days.
He received a nice burial.
My men are firm believers in the phrase; “the only good snake is a dead one”.
I FIRMLY AGREE!
 
The barn reconstruction is expected to be complete this Friday, May 21.
The beans are still flowing in steadily, one sack at a time, but no one is complaining.
We now have over 10 tons stored in our barn for this year.
 
It looks like it will be a lean year for many in this area.
We are expecting several tons of beans to be available to us this week.
We will take in all we can find knowing that our JOSEPH PROJECT may be all that stands between hunger and malnutrition for many kids this year.
God named our food distribution program the Joseph Project 10 years ago.
Just as Joseph gathered the food and filled his barns against a time of severe hunger, so will we.
 
 Blessings,
BBB in Moz.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Drove in to the village road to a line of people blocking the road, as they were headed to the cemetery to bury a 3 year old girl.
Sad to say but her Catholic parents took the child to a witchdoctor and she died on the way home of anemia.
Some people are just too thick to listen to reason as our church members told them that we could help her.
 
Anyway, when I got to the church most of the church members were at the funeral as this family lived only 150 yards from our church.
Pastor Joaguim told me that few were here due to the funeral, so I went over to greet them (including Genono, the oldest man in that church).
He received a miracle healing for his Congestive Heart Failure and is now DANCING in the church!
This man couldn’t walk last time I saw him in January.
Linda Stanley and her prayer team went out and prayed for him and he was healed the SAME DAY!
That man grabbed my hands during Praise and Worship and DANCED WITH ME!
 
I preached today on Joshua 1:5-9 for courage and boldness, and on how to use the name of Jesus to protect themselves from thieves and others following the devil.
Church lasted over 2 hours and it seemed like 30 minutes.
The children danced and sang.  Gotta get some new clothes out to them this week as most are in rags.
All I saw as they danced were BUTTS as most of the boys had holes in the seat of their pants!
 
The mothers and men sang and danced, and then all I saw were baby’s heads bobbing as they were sleeping while tied to their Mother’s backs.
Two of the 2 year old toddlers came and crawled up into my lap at the same time.
I had a fun time hugging and swaying to the music with them.  Those 2 little boys ate it up.
 
Afterwards we had clinic under the nearby Mango tree just outside the church.
We had prayed for the sick but there were 14 babies that needed meds badly.
I didn’t want more deaths in the area, so spent 30 minutes playing Doctor Bunny!
 
I told them how you plan to come next year and they were only sad in that you can’t come THIS YEAR.
You might want to think about that.
I will be all alone here from late August to early Oct. as Eric has to be in RSA at that time.
All the visitors and all my HELPERS are leaving end of August.
 
If you think you can come, don’t let Finances enter into your decision.
PRAY ABOUT IT!  Tell him HIS WILL BE DONE that you are willing!
I can find a donor to get you a ticket.
If God calls HE PROVIDES!
 
Love and Blessings, BBB
 
 

NEWS FROM BALAMA

TORNADO STRIKES ORPHANS UNLIMITED BARN

Early today a small tornado destroyed the Corn Barn that is the main corn storage facility for Orphans Unlimited in Mozambique.

The tornado came suddenly out of a calm sky and peeled off the tin roof “just llike a can opener”. The structural supports were damaged as well. There were no injuries to anyone even though a guard was in the barn at the time of the event.

The entire roof must be replaced in the next two days to save the crops that are being stored in the barn. The 30ft. by 100 ft. barn will be rebuilt by 20 plus workmen . Eric must go to the city of Montapuez to buy materials. Brenda expects the cost to replace the roof and make the repairs to be $3,000.00.

Please pray for dry weather while they work. This is a real race with time as food buying time is upon us.

From: “Brenda Lange”
Date: May 2, 201
YOUR PRAYERS ARE WORKING!  KEEP THEM COMING.
Hard to believe I’ve only been here 2 weeks now, as we accomplishment so much in that short period of time.
With facing a food shortage, assisting other missionaries in starting a new orphanage in Tanzania, and dealing with the daily challenges of our many programs, it does tend to keep me off the streets and out of trouble.  The kids are doing well and our remote village churches are growing rapidly. Two of our BBC members (Bush Bikers for Christ) who evangelize the children in remote villages, have offered to move into the 2 remote villages where new churches have been started.  Pastor Alberto, our Bible School teacher will mentor them as they help him to get these new Christians grounded in God’s Word.
 
We prayed for beans and the village farmers have responded by bring in 3.5 tons one sack at a time, mostly by bicycle.
Many farmers tell us that most villagers can sell one sack  of beans, but few had a large harvest.
So we will fill our barn one sack at a time this year in any way God brings it to us.
 
Our Meluco orphanage with 400 kids and widows is at critical food status as their corn and bean fields produced nothing.  Our Meluco barn is almost empty, so our plan is to transfer 12 tons of our emergency reserve food to them during May.  That will keep the kids fed till the new food is bought in June.
 
Eric informed me last weekend that new tires are a MUST before long distance hauling is possible.  It’s 9 hours one way by big truck to our Meluco mission base.
The only way to get good tires is to drive 7 hours to the largest supply city in Northern Mozambique, Nampula.
 
Taking off with a 2 page supply list, Eric went to Nampula last Tuesday week with a pick up pulling a trailer.
He returned loaded with all the supplies, but not without having a little excitement himself.
 
BRAVE MOTORIST STOPS A ROBBERY IN PROGRESS
Eric and Capena were buying supplies this week in Nampula, the largest city in all of northern Mozambique.
In this area, thieving gangs are well organized and work in broad daylight.
  Capena’s friend was on guard in the back of the pickup when someone walks up to him, causing a distraction.
With the guard distracted, another man moved in on the opposite side of the truck, grabs a case of motor oil worth $145 and walks off unnoticed by our guard.
The thief ran across the street in front of a car.  The Mozambican driver sees the thief put the case of oil in a taxi parked in the middle divider of a major 4 lane street. (The taxi driver was obviously part of the gang.)
 
This huge Mozambican motorist, who never gave his name, STOPPED HIS TRUCK in the street, and shouts “YOU”VE BEEN ROBBED” as Eric and Capena were coming out of the store.
Eric raced to the truck, while Capena and the guard ran to the taxi that the motorist pointed out.
 
The 2 thieves scatter in different directions while the taxi driver starts his motor and tries to pull out into traffic.
Our Brave Motorist steps right out in front of the traffic AND STOPS THE CARS from moving!
This kept the taxi blocked in, giving Capena time to yank open the taxi door and grab the case of oil.
 
Needless to say the 2 thieves were long gone, and Eric saw the taxi driver sliding down in the seat to make himself less conspicuous.
Nothing could be proven against the taxi driver, so he was released.
 
Eric quickly organized a 2nd guard for the back of the truck, as the missionaries living there pointed out that they don’t dare go to town without TWO guards on their trucks.
All of us are very thankful to our BRAVE MOTORIST who saved us from losing that case of motor oil.
 
 
 
 

From: “Brenda Lange”
Date: May 2, 2010 1:12:53 AM CDT
To: “‘Linda Ferguson’” Subject: For the blog

Linda, please put on the blog and blast this out to all our supporters as well.
No graphics needed since you have corrected the settings to make it look nice.
Thanks, BBB
 
 
 
YOUR PRAYERS ARE WORKING!  KEEP THEM COMING.
Hard to believe I’ve only been here 2 weeks now, as we accomplishment so much in that short period of time.
With facing a food shortage, assisting other missionaries in starting a new orphanage in Tanzania, and dealing with the daily challenges of our many programs, it does tend to keep me off the streets and out of trouble.  The kids are doing well and our remote village churches are growing rapidly. Two of our BBC members (Bush Bikers for Christ) who evangelize the children in remote villages, have offered to move into the 2 remote villages where new churches have been started.  Pastor Alberto, our Bible School teacher will mentor them as they help him to get these new Christians grounded in God’s Word.
 
We prayed for beans and the village farmers have responded by bring in 3.5 tons one sack at a time, mostly by bicycle.
Many farmers tell us that most villagers can sell one sack  of beans, but few had a large harvest.
So we will fill our barn one sack at a time this year in any way God brings it to us.
 
Our Meluco orphanage with 400 kids and widows is at critical food status as their corn and bean fields produced nothing.  Our Meluco barn is almost empty, so our plan is to transfer 12 tons of our emergency reserve food to them during May.  That will keep the kids fed till the new food is bought in June.
 
Eric informed me last weekend that new tires are a MUST before long distance hauling is possible.  It’s 9 hours one way by big truck to our Meluco mission base.
The only way to get good tires is to drive 7 hours to the largest supply city in Northern Mozambique, Nampula.
 
Taking off with a 2 page supply list, Eric went to Nampula last Tuesday week with a pick up pulling a trailer.
He returned loaded with all the supplies, but not without having a little excitement himself.
 
BRAVE MOTORIST STOPS A ROBBERY IN PROGRESS
Eric and Capena were buying supplies this week in Nampula, the largest city in all of northern Mozambique.
In this area, thieving gangs are well organized and work in broad daylight.
  Capena’s friend was on guard in the back of the pickup when someone walks up to him, causing a distraction.
With the guard distracted, another man moved in on the opposite side of the truck, grabs a case of motor oil worth $145 and walks off unnoticed by our guard.
The thief ran across the street in front of a car.  The Mozambican driver sees the thief put the case of oil in a taxi parked in the middle divider of a major 4 lane street. (The taxi driver was obviously part of the gang.)
 
This huge Mozambican motorist, who never gave his name, STOPPED HIS TRUCK in the street, and shouts “YOU”VE BEEN ROBBED” as Eric and Capena were coming out of the store.
Eric raced to the truck, while Capena and the guard ran to the taxi that the motorist pointed out.
 
The 2 thieves scatter in different directions while the taxi driver starts his motor and tries to pull out into traffic.
Our Brave Motorist steps right out in front of the traffic AND STOPS THE CARS from moving!
This kept the taxi blocked in, giving Capena time to yank open the taxi door and grab the case of oil.
 
Needless to say the 2 thieves were long gone, and Eric saw the taxi driver sliding down in the seat to make himself less conspicuous.
Nothing could be proven against the taxi driver, so he was released.
 
Eric quickly organized a 2nd guard for the back of the truck, as the missionaries living there pointed out that they don’t dare go to town without TWO guards on their trucks.
All of us are very thankful to our BRAVE MOTORIST who saved us from losing that case of motor oil.
 
 
 
 From: “Brenda Lange”
Date: May 2, 2010 1:12:53 AM CDT
To: “‘Linda Ferguson’” Subject: For the blog

Linda, please put on the blog and blast this out to all our supporters as well.
No graphics needed since you have corrected the settings to make it look nice.
Thanks, BBB
 
 
 
YOUR PRAYERS ARE WORKING!  KEEP THEM COMING.
Hard to believe I’ve only been here 2 weeks now, as we accomplishment so much in that short period of time.
With facing a food shortage, assisting other missionaries in starting a new orphanage in Tanzania, and dealing with the daily challenges of our many programs, it does tend to keep me off the streets and out of trouble.  The kids are doing well and our remote village churches are growing rapidly. Two of our BBC members (Bush Bikers for Christ) who evangelize the children in remote villages, have offered to move into the 2 remote villages where new churches have been started.  Pastor Alberto, our Bible School teacher will mentor them as they help him to get these new Christians grounded in God’s Word.
 
We prayed for beans and the village farmers have responded by bring in 3.5 tons one sack at a time, mostly by bicycle.
Many farmers tell us that most villagers can sell one sack  of beans, but few had a large harvest.
So we will fill our barn one sack at a time this year in any way God brings it to us.
 
Our Meluco orphanage with 400 kids and widows is at critical food status as their corn and bean fields produced nothing.  Our Meluco barn is almost empty, so our plan is to transfer 12 tons of our emergency reserve food to them during May.  That will keep the kids fed till the new food is bought in June.
 
Eric informed me last weekend that new tires are a MUST before long distance hauling is possible.  It’s 9 hours one way by big truck to our Meluco mission base.
The only way to get good tires is to drive 7 hours to the largest supply city in Northern Mozambique, Nampula.
 
Taking off with a 2 page supply list, Eric went to Nampula last Tuesday week with a pick up pulling a trailer.
He returned loaded with all the supplies, but not without having a little excitement himself.
 
BRAVE MOTORIST STOPS A ROBBERY IN PROGRESS
Eric and Capena were buying supplies this week in Nampula, the largest city in all of northern Mozambique.
In this area, thieving gangs are well organized and work in broad daylight.
  Capena’s friend was on guard in the back of the pickup when someone walks up to him, causing a distraction.
With the guard distracted, another man moved in on the opposite side of the truck, grabs a case of motor oil worth $145 and walks off unnoticed by our guard.
The thief ran across the street in front of a car.  The Mozambican driver sees the thief put the case of oil in a taxi parked in the middle divider of a major 4 lane street. (The taxi driver was obviously part of the gang.)
 
This huge Mozambican motorist, who never gave his name, STOPPED HIS TRUCK in the street, and shouts “YOU”VE BEEN ROBBED” as Eric and Capena were coming out of the store.
Eric raced to the truck, while Capena and the guard ran to the taxi that the motorist pointed out.
 
The 2 thieves scatter in different directions while the taxi driver starts his motor and tries to pull out into traffic.
Our Brave Motorist steps right out in front of the traffic AND STOPS THE CARS from moving!
This kept the taxi blocked in, giving Capena time to yank open the taxi door and grab the case of oil.
 
Needless to say the 2 thieves were long gone, and Eric saw the taxi driver sliding down in the seat to make himself less conspicuous.
Nothing could be proven against the taxi driver, so he was released.
 
Eric quickly organized a 2nd guard for the back of the truck, as the missionaries living there pointed out that they don’t dare go to town without TWO guards on their trucks.
All of us are very thankful to our BRAVE MOTORIST who saved us from losing that case of motor oil.
 
 
 From: “Brenda Lange”
Date: May 2, 2010 1:12:53 AM CDT
To: “‘Linda Ferguson’” Subject: For the blog

Linda, please put on the blog and blast this out to all our supporters as well.
No graphics needed since you have corrected the settings to make it look nice.
Thanks, BBB
 
 
 
YOUR PRAYERS ARE WORKING!  KEEP THEM COMING.
Hard to believe I’ve only been here 2 weeks now, as we accomplishment so much in that short period of time.
With facing a food shortage, assisting other missionaries in starting a new orphanage in Tanzania, and dealing with the daily challenges of our many programs, it does tend to keep me off the streets and out of trouble.  The kids are doing well and our remote village churches are growing rapidly. Two of our BBC members (Bush Bikers for Christ) who evangelize the children in remote villages, have offered to move into the 2 remote villages where new churches have been started.  Pastor Alberto, our Bible School teacher will mentor them as they help him to get these new Christians grounded in God’s Word.
 
We prayed for beans and the village farmers have responded by bring in 3.5 tons one sack at a time, mostly by bicycle.
Many farmers tell us that most villagers can sell one sack  of beans, but few had a large harvest.
So we will fill our barn one sack at a time this year in any way God brings it to us.
 
Our Meluco orphanage with 400 kids and widows is at critical food status as their corn and bean fields produced nothing.  Our Meluco barn is almost empty, so our plan is to transfer 12 tons of our emergency reserve food to them during May.  That will keep the kids fed till the new food is bought in June.
 
Eric informed me last weekend that new tires are a MUST before long distance hauling is possible.  It’s 9 hours one way by big truck to our Meluco mission base.
The only way to get good tires is to drive 7 hours to the largest supply city in Northern Mozambique, Nampula.
 
Taking off with a 2 page supply list, Eric went to Nampula last Tuesday week with a pick up pulling a trailer.
He returned loaded with all the supplies, but not without having a little excitement himself.
 
BRAVE MOTORIST STOPS A ROBBERY IN PROGRESS
Eric and Capena were buying supplies this week in Nampula, the largest city in all of northern Mozambique.
In this area, thieving gangs are well organized and work in broad daylight.
  Capena’s friend was on guard in the back of the pickup when someone walks up to him, causing a distraction.
With the guard distracted, another man moved in on the opposite side of the truck, grabs a case of motor oil worth $145 and walks off unnoticed by our guard.
The thief ran across the street in front of a car.  The Mozambican driver sees the thief put the case of oil in a taxi parked in the middle divider of a major 4 lane street. (The taxi driver was obviously part of the gang.)
 
This huge Mozambican motorist, who never gave his name, STOPPED HIS TRUCK in the street, and shouts “YOU”VE BEEN ROBBED” as Eric and Capena were coming out of the store.
Eric raced to the truck, while Capena and the guard ran to the taxi that the motorist pointed out.
 
The 2 thieves scatter in different directions while the taxi driver starts his motor and tries to pull out into traffic.
Our Brave Motorist steps right out in front of the traffic AND STOPS THE CARS from moving!
This kept the taxi blocked in, giving Capena time to yank open the taxi door and grab the case of oil.
 
Needless to say the 2 thieves were long gone, and Eric saw the taxi driver sliding down in the seat to make himself less conspicuous.
Nothing could be proven against the taxi driver, so he was released.
 
Eric quickly organized a 2nd guard for the back of the truck, as the missionaries living there pointed out that they don’t dare go to town without TWO guards on their trucks.
All of us are very thankful to our BRAVE MOTORIST who saved us from losing that case of motor oil.