175 TONS OF CORN IN THE BARN IN 5 DAYS
BEFORE OUR TRUCKS ROLLED OUT, we prayed for super natural strength, endurance, and safety for our Balama corn buying team. God answered in a BIG WAY! Our 100 man team broke 3 Balama records in 5 days. Unloading sacks weighing 165 to 176 lbs EACH. Amazing strength, balance, and coordination needed to control this kind of weight on your head. 1. TUESDAY: Team moved a record 830 sacks of corn in 8 hours. 650 sacks (42.5 TONS) weighed, sacked, and stored in the barn IN FOUR HOURS, with another 180 sacks (14.4 TONS) trucked in by 2 p.m. 2. THURSDAY: REPEATED TUESDAY’S RECORD by putting another 650 sacks in the barn! As the 100 ton pile gets higher, a staircase of sacks is built that the men must climb while carrying the sacks. These sacks only weigh 132 lbs. (60Kg), and only our strongest men are able to manage the climb to get it to the top. 3. FRIDAY, our teams reached deep into the bush to haul in another 400 sacks, leaving only 300 for Monday’s work load. Monday, we should complete our JUNE GOAL by having 200 TONS of corn in the barn. With the help of 2 large trucks, what use to take 3 weeks, now only takes 6 days!
Sometimes, a helping hand is needed from the guys on top. 100 TONS sits in this stack, ready for distribution to the orphans in July. FOOD BUYING CONTINUES THROUGH JULY This 200 tons of corn meets the distribution needs for 2,500 orphans from June to January. Another 100 tons of “super dry” corn is needed to feed the children from February to May. It will be ready by late July. Locally grown peanuts and rice will also be ready in early July, completing our yearly food buying needs for the children.
Widows enjoying the children’s feast last week. These 24 dedicated women and 2 men are the foster parents for the 104 orphans who are directly in our care in Balama. BUSH BUNNY TIDBITS We are very sad that Caitlin Pruitt contracted malaria last Friday, and must shorten her stay by flying out later this week. She is recovering well, but all concerned feel it best that she not risk a 2nd infection with only a few weeks left to her stay. Caitlin is attending RN School, and we want her to regain full strength before beginning the very busy semester she faces in August. Abbie Wheeler will complete her 6 week volunteer program with us in Balama. WORDS cannot express how much JOY our team feels at having completed another June corn buying season THANKS TO YOUR HELP. It takes ALL OF US working “hand in hand” to save the lives of orphans and widows. Some plant, some water, while others are sent to reap the harvest If any 3 of these steps are missing, then the harvest fails. Each person helping us provides a valuable piece of this process. Thanks to your prayers, love gifts, and volunteer helpers, God’s harvest of souls is coming forth in a mighty way in northern Mozambique. THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH! NOTE: Our final licensing documents are once again before the National Social Service’s Committee in Maputo. We expect an answer in July. BLESSINGS, Bush Bunny Brenda Lange Dawn Horger Caitlin Pruitt Abbie Wheeler |