| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: SEPTEMBER 10, 2022 FRANCIANO GOES BACK TO HOSPITAL ON MONDAY Franciano awoke Monday with a fever and trouble taking his bottle due to an upper respiratory infection. I was called immediately by the Head Mother at House #7, so our staff wasted no time getting him to the hospital. He is much improved, but is still on IV antibiotics till possibly Friday.  Foster Mother Estefania and Franciano must continue their stay as of Wednesday. BABY ANCHA is his “roomy” in the open 10 bed Pediatric Ward at the Balama Hospital. Ancha has completed her 5 day malaria treatment, but her lab tests revealed to the Doctors that she also had a blood infection which extended her stay until Wednesday this week. We are very happy to have her at home now.  Foster Mother Cecelia and Ancha were released from hospital on Wednesday. PTL! HIGH RISK BABIES who are super malnourished have little immunity. Franciano and Ancha are in this group, as they remain very fragile and pick up sicknesses very easily. Even with isolation from the other infants at our 2 “infant” homes, these little ones still manage to get sick, no matter how many precautions we take. Keep them in prayer, as both of them are doing better, but need the immunity that only God can provide. VEGGIES FOR EVERYONE! Two weeks ago, I had a meeting with the District Administrator and so did a man named Richard, who is the owner of RW Machambas (farming fields) in Montepuez. Richard and I hit it off, and he dropped by to see our program that very day. Richard of Zimbabwe and his wife, Caroline, along with 2 Americans (Tots and Dan), have developed a vegetable and fruit outlet that includes frozen chickens and eggs! All are Christians, and love helping out the missionaries living in Balama and Montepuez.  The Christian Team that made the veggies possible. L. to R. Tots, Dan, BBB, Richard, and Caroline. We purchased our first order of goodies from them on Sept. 3rd and the children were delighted to get ALL ORGANIC veggies and fruits to eat! A friend of mine in Balama has allowed me to put the ministry’s small chest freezer at his place, so that the children can get frozen chickens also! This will be a once a month treat at this time, and we are all very grateful for it. God always makes a way. It was just a month ago that I asked the Lord how we could get vegetables and fruits all year round for our children. Fresh fruits and veggies are only available a few months of the year in Balama.  7 boxes of fresh fruit and veggies arrive for our 7 children’s homes. Meeting Richard was most certainly the answer to that prayer! ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE! GOD ALWAYS AMAZES ME AT HOW HE PROVIDES. BLESSINGS FROM BALAMA, BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
Monthly Archives: November 2022
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: SEPTEMBER 3, 2022
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: SEPTEMBER 3, 2022 ANCHA AND FRANCIANO IN HOSPITAL Wednesday morning is food distribution day for our 7 orphan homes, but we were met with an early morning surprise when 6 month old Baby Ancha wouldn’t stop crying, and Baby Franciano was looking weak. Both were rushed to the hospital, and as suspected, Ancha’s malaria had rebounded. Since she is just under 5kg/11 lbs, she was unable to take the follow up medications after her first malaria case. This made her vulnerable for a 2nd case after 2 weeks time. An infant MUST BE over 5kg to take an oral malaria medication or it will damage their liver. Franciano was dehydrated as he had sores in his mouth, and had a diarrhea stool at the hospital. IV’s were started on both and appropriate medicines given. Ancha must stay at least 5 days for IV medications since that is the required stay for this malaria treatment. Thankfully, Franciano’s lab tests returned negative for any infection, so he was rehydrated with an IV solution and released later that afternoon. Both are recuperating well, and we THANK YOU for continuing to hold them up in prayer. Both these little ones are still in the “danger” zone as they are very underweight for their age.  Ancha looking bright eyed after 2 days of malaria treatments  Franciano home from the hospital MORE INFANTS NEEDING FORMULA We have admitted 1 single birth and a set of twins into the Infant Formula Program this week. Our Infant Formula Program has 34 malnourished village infants at this time, so the local Doctor in charge of the Balama Nutritional Program came to see them at our mission this Thursday. Three were taken to the hospital by the Dr. for further medications, as they were sick, but NONE needed hospitalization. The remainder were deemed in improving condition and allowed to go back to their village homes. PTL! Please keep all these precious little ones in your prayers.  Children’s Director teaching new mother with no breast milk how to bottle feed EVANGELISTIC TEAMS CAN RESUME TEACHING VILLAGE CHILDREN! JUMPING FOR JOY!, the VILLAGE PASTORS AND THE BBC BICYCLE TEAMS will begin circulating in the villages next week if all goes as planned.  Happy Pastors as they can now continue their bawana games Bible teaching to 100’s of village children BBC MOTORBIKE TEAMS will make a slower start as NO GASOLINE is available in the Balama pumps. The price has jumped to $5.90 per gallon due to the shortage. The BBC’s normal daily consumption is 4 liters/bike/day. Using 4 bikes over a 5 day program = 80 liters or 20 gallons/week. Know that we are praying for a solution as the pumps in the next town over (Montepuez) have a limited supply of gasoline. Many pump owners are not allowing customers to buy in bulk. It is a 60 mile/120 km round trip drive to Montepuez. GOD CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS, so join with us in finding someone who will SPONSOR THE PRICE OF THE FUEL, AND FOR A FUEL STATION THAT WILL ALLOW US TO FILL AT LEAST EIGHT, 5 GALLON CONTAINERS at one time. (2 weeks fuel for the team). The PERFECT SOLUTION would be if our Balama fuel station received fuel, but as of now, there is no fuel at the Nacala Port where the fuel is off loaded. UGH! THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO BY KEEPING OUR CHILDREN AND PASTORS IN YOUR PRAYERS! BLESSINGS FROM BALAMA, BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: AUGUST 20, 2022
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: AUGUST 20, 2022 BABY ANCHA RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL  Baby Anch now with her Foster Mother, Ceclia, at House #7. FINALLY, 5 month old BABY ANCHA enters her new home and meets her new foster mother, Cecelia. ANCHA is still very tiny (4 kg) and fragile, but is gaining weight with frequent feedings. Taken by Social Services from a mentally ill mother who wasn’t feeding her, Ancha has suffered tremendously in the first 5.5 months of her life. She was removed 2 weeks ago from her home when she presented at our milk program with a HIGH FEVER because she had Malaria which caused severe Anemia (Hbg of 6.6), AND she was in serious respiratory distress. We plan to start her on rice cereal in a few days, hoping to advance her to the super fortified Hypo Cereal in the next 2 weeks. The Hypo Cereal is vitamin and protein fortified, and formulated especially for malnourished infants and children in Africa. Ancha must be watched closely, for ANY infection could send her plummeting back into a life threatening situation. This is what I mean when I say that we care for HIGH RISK BABIES that no one else wants to care for. Since she is way behind the normal weight for a 5 month old baby, she has a lot of catching up to do. PLEASE KEEP BABY ANCHA IN YOUR PRAYERS. TODDLER MOVES UP Fatima, now 2 years old, has graduated to a “Junior Bed” and sleeps in a room with 2 Foster Mothers caring for older babies Gilda and Juma.  L to R. Fatima, Gilda, and Juma. BABY ELSA BACK IN THE HOSPITAL WITH MALARIA  Baby Elsa in hospital with Foster Mother Lucinda. This little one presented on Wednesday this week with a high fever, respiratory distress, and diarrhea. She is in stable condition with IV medications being given for malaria and her respiratory infection. PLEASE KEEP HER IN PRAYER, AS SHE NEEDED A BLOOD TRANSFUSION, due to the malaria dropping her blood count to 7.6. She looks better today, but has a ways to go to be back on top of all these illnesses. BABY SUZANNA NOW WALKING Susanna shows us how well she walks. https://youtube.com/shorts/1aH3UixuyrU SUZANNA is the last of the original 13 critical infants we received in February and March, 2021. Suzanna has now joined the official Dirty Dozen who are all walking, making it a Baker’s Dozen (13). Our toddlers with their new found freedom keeps them playing in the sandboxes as well as the dirt! Next year several of them will be old enough to join our Little Disciples learning program for 3 to 5 year olds. How time flies for these little ones are growing up quickly. BUNNY IS OFF TO SOUTH AFRICA FOR 3 DAYS NEXT WEEK NO BLOG will be posted next week as I will fly to RSA on Wednesday and return Friday, arriving in Balama only on Saturday. It’s time to fetch a new supply of the precious HYPO CEREAL which we are almost out of. With many, many malnourished babies in our program since last November (when our supply truck delivered the Hypo), we are unable to continue distributing this wonderful life saving high protein cereal unless I go fetch more. Babies lives literally depend on it. It will be a fast trip, but there is much to do in Balama with food distributions beginning in September, and de Bunny can’t be gone for long. With only 2 flights/week, (Wednesday and Friday), I don’t have an option but do it all in one day! JOY! BLESSINGS FROM BALAMA, BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: AUGUST 13, 2022
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: AUGUST 13, 2022 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION RECEIVED  Certificate of Recognition given by Balama Administrator to our church The Balama Administrator honored us with a Certificate of Recognition for all that our program (Igreja Aguas Vivas/Living Waters Church) has contributed to assist Balama’s children and widows over the last 21 years. It is a great honor to receive such recognition as it is not given lightly. NONE OF WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED would have been possible without our “behind the scenes” partners (you)! It is an honor to serve the Lord in helping youngsters have hope of a better life when they have lost all that really matters to them, their parents. BABY ANCHA NEEDS PRAYER  Baby Ancha This little 5 month old girl has had a tough start in life, as her mother’s mental illness kept her from being properly cared for. Only 3.6kg/8 lbs when we received her last week, Ancha has fought off malaria, diarrhea, and an upper respiratory infection. But in her fight to survive, her first transfusion made no improvement in her blood count when her 2nd set of lab tests were received. A SECOND TRANSFUSION was given on Tuesday of this week with better results (Hbg 8). On Friday, Ancha once again had a fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. The hospital had only a small amount of a very strong antibiotic that she needed, so our Pastor/Driver Manuel left at 4 a.m. this morning to pick up more of that medicine from a pharmacy in Pemba. PTL that they had it in stock! UPDATE: Ancha is showing improvement after two doses of strong antibiotics PLEASE PRAY FOR BABY ANCHA’S FULL RECOVERY. SHE NEEDS A MIRACLE TO PULL HER OUT OF THIS. TODDLER CHABANY DEVISES A CAR…  Chevany’s new car From an old cooking pan of all things! This just goes to show us that when a boy wants a car, he will make a plan! Love his ingenuity! BLESSINGS FROM BALAMA, BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: NOVEMBER 4, 2022
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: NOVEMBER 4, 2022 2 REVERENDS RETURN TO BALAMA Reverends Gito and Ramadan returned to Balama late Monday afternoon after an adventurous trip to Tete City, then on to Malawi for their ordination. The trip was successful, but not without challenges.  L. to R. Reverend Gito, Bishop Zalira, and Reverend Ramadan. A Cholera outbreak made crossing the border a bit challenging due to restrictions that helps prevent the disease from spreading. We are very proud of both our men, as they are hard working evangelist/church planters with lots more work to do for the Lord. More on the work ahead of them after I debrief them this weekend, and we set up a plan of evangelistic action. BOTH MOTHERS CAME THROUGH SURGERY WITHOUT COMPLICATIONS Thanks to your prayers, both Foster Mothers Bertina and Felecina had no complications from their surgeries.   Foster Mother Bertina Granny Felicina Bertina’s challenging tumor turned out to be a SIMPLE TUMOR, without complications. PRAYERS ANSWERED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! She has been released to her home, and will return in 7 days for suture removal. Felecina is still in hospital, as her hip tumor was quite large and involved. I don’t have many details on that, but will update once I know more. TINY 2 DAY OLD NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS  Tiny 2 day old baby girl Esperanca needs your prayers. Two day old Esperanca (HOPE) was brought to us on Monday by her Aunt Ernestina for milk assistance. A neighbor had suckled the child from birth, as the mother died shortly after Esperanca was born. Esperanca never received the mother’s colostrum milk, so her immunity is compromised. Our staff was THRILLED to see Esperanca at our Thursday infant formula weigh in. She had gained 50 gms since Monday, and was looking more active. Please prayer for her immune system to strengthen rapidly. MOVING 40 TONS OF CORN IS A BIG JOB  Moving 40 tons of corn to keep it cooler. With 20 strong men, who made it look easy to lift 132 lb./60kg bags of corn, we did our yearly shifting to get the corn lower to the ground, thus keeping it cooler. The 4 stacks of corn were reduced from 15 rows to 10 rows in height, with the extra corn being stacked in the free area available after 2 months of food distributions. The front stacks are easy, as the men removed the top sacks and made a new stack next to it. The 2 back stacks required some juggling to keep the men safe while tossing the sacks from the back stack to the front stacks for easier transport. The photo shows the men moving sacks from one stack to another. It was a relief when it was all done, as no stack shifted or fell, nor was anyone injured. That’s a great day in my book! WE ARE MARCHING ON FOR JESUS BECAUSE YOU CARE. BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: NOVEMBER 4, 2022
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: NOVEMBER 4, 2022 2 REVERENDS RETURN TO BALAMA Reverends Gito and Ramadan returned to Balama late Monday afternoon after an adventurous trip to Tete City, then on to Malawi for their ordination. The trip was successful, but not without challenges. L. to R. Reverend Gito, Bishop Zalira, and Reverend Ramadan. A Cholera outbreak made crossing the border a bit challenging due to restrictions that helps prevent the disease from spreading. We are very proud of both our men, as they are hard-working evangelist/church planters with lots more work to do for the Lord. More on the work ahead of them after I debrief them this weekend, and we set up a plan of evangelistic action. BOTH MOTHERS CAME THROUGH SURGERY WITHOUT COMPLICATIONS Thanks to your prayers, both Foster Mothers Bertina and Felecina had no complications from their surgeries. Foster Mother Bertina Granny Felicina Bertina’s challenging tumor turned out to be a SIMPLE TUMOR, without complications. PRAYERS ANSWERED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! She has been released to her home, and will return in 7 days for suture removal. Felecina is still in hospital, as her hip tumor was quite large and involved. I don’t have many details on that, but will update once I know more. TINY 2‑DAY-OLD NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS Tiny 2‑day-old baby girl Esperanca needs your prayers. Two-day-old Esperanca (HOPE) was brought to us on Monday by her Aunt Ernestina for milk assistance. A neighbor had suckled the child from birth, as the mother died shortly after Esperanca was born. Esperanca never received the mother’s colostrum milk, so her immunity is compromised. Our staff was THRILLED to see Esperanca at our Thursday infant formula weigh in. She had gained 50 gms since Monday, and was looking more active. Please prayer for her immune system to strengthen rapidly. MOVING 40 TONS OF CORN IS A BIG JOB With 20 strong men, who made it look easy to lift 132 lb./60kg bags of corn, we did our yearly shifting to get the corn lower to the ground, thus keeping it cooler. The 4 stacks of corn were reduced from 15 rows to 10 rows in height, with the extra corn being stacked in the free area available after 2 months of food distributions. Moving 40 tons of corn to keep it cooler. The front stacks are easy, as the men removed the top sacks and made a new stack next to it. The 2 back stacks required some juggling to keep the men safe while tossing the sacks from the back stack to the front stacks for easier transport. The photo shows the men moving sacks from one stack to another. It was a relief when it was all done, as no stack shifted or fell, nor was anyone injured. That’s a great day in my book! WE ARE MARCHING ON FOR JESUS BECAUSE YOU CARE. BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |