| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: JANUARY 8, 2022 CHEBANY STANDS INDEPENDENTLY! Another milestone for baby Chebany, as he finally grasped how to balance. After taking this photo, I gently took his hands and leaned him forward to nudge him into taking 2 steps before he sat down.  Chebany stands independently for the first time. We are very happy for this little boy, who had a very rough start in life. His mother passed away when he was 11 days old, leaving a very sick Chebany in the care of an unloving father and uncle. Chebany was admitted to the hospital for a serious respiratory infection, where his father abandoned him 1 day later, and hasn’t been seen since. With loving care, lots of medical help, and proper nutrition, this fragile, malnourished infant now weighs 8.4 kg/18.5 lbs. at 13 months of age. Everyone calls him Alegria (JOY), as he is smiling or laughing most of the time. WE PRAISE GOD FOR EVERY MILESTONE HE MAKES, AS HE HAS BEATEN THE ODDS AGAINST HIM THANKS TO JESUS’ HEALING POWER. CLEAN WATER = LIFE Our water well repair team has been super busy throughout December. Hand pump water wells are PUMPED 24 HOURS A DAY from October until the rainy season begins, as all hand dug bucket wells dry up. Excessive use leads to breakdowns, and no other water sources are available to 1,000’s of people.  Pulling out the ‘guts’ of a broken water well as 2 inner tubes had cracked.  Repairing a broken top tube in a well doesn’t require pulling out all the tubes. Our team repairs hand pump water wells each year in both Balama and Meluco counties which serves the village orphans that your love gifts support. From December 27th to the 30th our team repaired 5 high use water wells in Meluco County. These wells are the sole source of water for more than 10,000 people.  Put it all back together and the reward is clean water for the village. These are YOUR LOVE GIFTS AT WORK, for the lack of clean water brings disease and death, leaving behind more orphans. THANK YOU FOR SAVING LIVES BY SUPPORTING THIS ESSENTIAL PROJECT. BLESSINGS BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
Author Archives: Kim Hartman
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: JANUARY 1, 2022
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: JANUARY 1, 2022 HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL! ALL OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN PASSED INTO THE NEXT GRADE! Those results were announced Monday, making everyone very happy! With only 2 days of school per week and LOTS OF HOMEWORK for each child, this is truly amazing. SANDBOX FUN! Manel and a crew of 6 men took our 6‑ton-truck and loaded it with fresh sand TWICE in order to fill all 6 of our huge sand boxes where our younger kids practically live during daytime hours. Mama Brenda, as the children call me, followed with a give-out of sand box trucks, front-end loaders, and backhoes for the boys. The girls received kitchen tea sets with replicas of food, plates, and cooking pans. The photos show the smiling faces!  Isaura enjoys a sip of “tea” from her new tea set.  Our 3 amigos, plus Dixon (far right) enjoy the new sand and dump truck toys.  The balls were a BIG HIT with our toddlers. video —> https://youtu.be/utrMOnUZ3Hw  Anselmina and Chebane get super excited over their new ball while Salvador (being held by Foster Mother) isn’t too sure of this new “thing”. video —> https://youtu.be/PbPKm4M8-3o We are grateful to the Lord Jesus, and all His helping hands (YOU) for making our whole year cheery and bright. OUR STAFF PRAY FOR ALL OF YOU! MAY 2022 BE A GREAT YEAR FOR ALL OF US, AS EACH DAY BRINGS US CLOSER TO OUR LORD’S RETURN. MANY BLESSINGS, BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: DECEMBER 24, 2021
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: DECEMBER 24, 2021 A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!  From our family to yours, MERRY CHRISTMAS! OUR CHILDREN TRULY ENJOYED THE HOLIDAY CHICKENS YOU PROVIDED! The photos of the Christmas Party tell only some of the story. Singing and even joyful dancing and jumping in place were how our exuberant children showed their love for Jesus as the party began. The cooks had a bit of a challenge deboning 60 lbs/ 30 kgs of cooked chicken for the main course, but thankfully they figured it out, and it was very tasty. Not a speck of food was left after feeding 142 children and Foster Moms!  Our youngest enjoying their 1st Christmas party.  Lining up for Christmas treats. TOYS FOR TOTS, AND A SHOPPING FOR THE TEENAGERS! Your love gifts bought large cars for the young boys, stuffed dolls for the little girls, and much more. Balls, tea sets, and sand hauling front end loaders will be given out next week after all sandboxes get fresh loads of sand for the rainy season.  Your love gifts provided toys for the under-10-year-olds, and $8 in cash for the older children so they could go shopping! Smiles all around!  Toddler Julio wants the red car we gave Chebany. Typical Christmas morning ‘tussles over toys’ with our little ones. I like to spread out the fun and candy between Christmas and New Years, giving a little at a time. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND GENEROUS LOVE GIFTS DURING 2021. WE ARE TRULY HONORED TO BE GOD’S HANDS. SAVING THESE INNOCENT LIVES IS HARD WORK, BUT “IT TAKES A VILLAGE”. TOGETHER WE ARE SAVE LIVES, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY. GOD’S BLESSINGS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS! BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: DECEMBER 18, 2021
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: DECEMBER 18, 2021 HELDER GRADUATES TEACHERS SCHOOL! Helder is the first of our youth to get into and graduate from a school of higher learning! We are so, so proud of him.  Helder on graduation day. As I write, Helder is on his way back to Balama with our 4 staff members who attended his graduation. I stayed with the other 57 children as they had a visit this a.m. from 2 companies who brought lots of goodies for them. (See story below). What’s next for Helder? He will start the application procedure to get a job with a School District hopefully in Balama District or a District nearby. Helder is now qualified to teach 1st to 7th grades. PRAY! For he needs “divine intervention” as the other 224 graduates are also looking for jobs. A very competitive situation for sure but we serve a God whose specialty is moving mountains!  Yummy food gifts from CIS and Twigg companies. GRAPHITE MINE GIFTS GOODIES TO OUR CHILDREN Two companies (CIS AND Twigg, who are both part of the Graphite Mine just 6 miles from us) gifted us with 160 sack lunches, rice, milk, cereal, cooking oil, pasta, and 80 kgs/176 lbs. of 2 different kinds of frozen meat. What a treat!  Every child received a sack lunch with a sandwich, chips, apple, and fruit juice. Our friend who is hosting our freezer full of Christmas chickens, kindly allowed us room in his large freezer to put 75% of the meat. The rest we distributed to each of our homes for a fun supper tonight, as it was beef balls that were frozen solid! The other items will be given out next week.  The kids were in awe of their yummy sack lunches. God never ceases to surprise us as we made new friends today, who hopefully can help our teenagers, both boys and girls, with technical training. More on that next year. GOD IS GREAT, AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED! A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO THROUGH PRAYER AND LOVE GIFTS SO OUR CHILDREN CAN EXCEL IN WHAT GOD HAS FOR THEM TO DO. BLESSINGS BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: DECEMBER 11, 2021
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: DECEMBER 11, 2021 EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY SHARES THEIR LOVE Wednesday afternoon a young couple walked in with an orphaned infant needing milk. Nothing unusual about that until we read the Social Services letter. This young couple were doing something few family members would do. Take in FOUR orphans after the wife’s sister passed away 2 days ago. Usually the children are split up between several family members.  Hidina and her husband with orphaned infant named Delfina. Hidina and her husband have 3 children of their own, ages 4, 2, and 3 MONTHS! They are accepting responsibility for a 6‑week-old infant girl, plus her three siblings, ages 4, 7, and 10. We immediately accepted the orphans into our food program and gave this couple 2 large cooking pans. They most certainly need all the help they can get, as their family more than doubled in 1 day! I asked how they planned to handle 2 infants, and they assured me that the grandmother would assist. NOW THAT IS LOVE!  Grandmother and Hidina’s husband brought Baby Delfina and her 3 sisters to receive food on Thursday. We will be observing and assisting these children with clothes and other items as this couple will need maximum help with their new “extended” family. Please keep them in prayer. At the moment, all 4 orphans are healthy, just a bit confused as to what is going on. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE. BUSH BUNNY TIDBITS: 1. HOUSE #6 receives a roof over the sand pit/concrete play area just in time for the rainy season. Now that our infants are all walking, they needed a dry place to play for the next 4 months of the rainy season.  House #6 gets a roof over their sandpit and concrete play area before the rains hit 2. BABY SALVADOR (House #6) is all tuckered out after watching the construction crew build a roof over his sandpit. The new portable baby beds I had made are lightweight, and allow our mothers to have the children nap outside in the shade while they work. Much safer now that these tykes can climb out of bed themselves!  Toddler Salvador eagerly watched the building activity until he played out, taking a nap on one of the portable baby beds I had made 3. House #7 infants Fatima (now walking) but sitting in Foster Mother’s lap in photo, as well as Babies Gilda and Susanna (on right), all look on as Mama Gilda prepares food for lunch.  3 mothers from House #7 make good use of the shade tree while preparing food and watching their little ones. With temps at 97°F/36°C, the shade of a great Mango Tree is the coolest place around. FYI: Gilda (11 months) and Susanna, (7 months), are just now strong enough to sit up alone. A real milestone as they were both super tiny at birth. 4. The Christmas Chickens (30KG/66lbs.) are in our own small chest freezer (locked), and being energized by electricity at a nearby friend’s home until the Christmas party on December 23rd. Electricity is coming to our homes, hopefully just after Christmas. More on that after the holidays. WE ARE MOST GRATEFUL TO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE FABULOUS CHRISTMAS PARTY WE HOPE TO HAVE FOR THE CHILDREN THIS YEAR! YOU ARE ALL SO LOVING AND KIND TO DO THIS FOR OUR CHILDREN. 🤗❤🐇 BLESSINGS, BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: DECEMBER 4, 2021
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: DECEMBER 4, 2021 GIANT MANGO TREE A SHADY BLESSING The sun was intense as temperatures soared to 101°F/38°C, but our 150+ year old giant Mango tree at the playground gave shade that was “just right” for games, art, and dramas this week. Jess and Steph went all out to “make their day” as the children worked on art, learned to “10-pin bowl”, and cheered as David took down Goliath!  Art on the shaded sidewalk.  DAVID takes out Goliath even though he wore a motorcycle helmet! The crowd cheers this victory! Click photo for video.… See David v. Goliath video –> https://youtu.be/GK4s8b_iln8 Ten Pin bowling the Balama way! Video–> https://youtu.be/FWpi5DiaFbs  Steph teaching the crab crawl.  Jess teaching a paddicake game.  De Bush Bunny shared Rummykub fun with our visitors. These 2 wonderful ladies flew back to S. Africa yesterday, Dec. 3rd, and are greatly missed by all of us. They left behind many smiling faces and new games which the children dearly love playing. THANK YOU JESS AND STEPH FOR BRINGING NEW JOY TO ALL OUR CHILDREN THESE LAST 2 WEEKS. BLESSINGS, BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: NOVEMBER 27, 2021
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: NOVEMBER 27, 2021 VISITORS A HUGE SUCCESS! This week Jessica and Stephanie held art classes, taught the children new games, and held puppet classes! The Puppet classes excited everyone, as most of the younger children were too little to become Puppeteers when this was taught several years ago. So, this time, a bench full of little boys got their turn at making the puppets talk.  Making party hats in art class. Smiles and squeals of laughter were heard far and wide, as the children made up their own puppet skits. They practiced with both animal and children puppets.  Happy boys as they learn to work the mouth of a puppet. Our children made up their own puppet skit and presented it to the class. Click the photo or link below to see the video. https://youtu.be/Yn7lnwhX_GU Youth Leader Bertino gave the class a real scare when he slowly eased the huge leopard puppet under the curtain at floor level while all the children were looking up at the puppet show. The Leopard caused even more screams and laughter, but at least the kids stayed in the room! We learned our lesson long ago that the snake puppet used in the Adam and Eve story must stay in its box! All children, with good reason, are scared of the deadly Mambas and Adders (rattlesnakes) in our area. A visiting team used the snake in a Sunday School class about 10 years ago, and found out how fast 100 kids could jump through windows! The room was completely empty in 60 seconds! So sneaky snake, who normally stays hidden, is now being used to guard the front door of Jess and Steph’s house! These young ladies are quite resourceful. You open the door to walk into their house, and meet the snake hanging on a piece of furniture at eye level. It does give one a fright, if you don’t know it is a fake!  Jess with the snake puppet and Stephanie holding the leopard puppet. We have had a “thankful week” for all that God has provided for us. We prayed that all of you had a great week also. BLESSINGS, BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: NOVEMBER 20, 2021
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: NOVEMBER 20, 2021 CHRISTMAS BEFORE THANKSGIVING? That’s a new one for me, but it’s exactly what happened when the MAF plane landed Friday, just 60 minutes from our mission station. Eric Dry connected with the plane in southern Mozambique to hand off lots of Christmas suckers and candy earlier this week as well as the essential supplies we can only get outside this country. The pilot, Dave, did a great job getting it here as severe headwinds made the trip like a 7‑hour rollercoaster ride. Not nice!  Thanking the MAF PILOT for a great job in getting our essential supplies to us.  MAF brings special supplies for us. THANK YOU TO OUR SPECIAL SPONSOR who makes this possible once a year. The children will be super surprised to get special goodies that don’t exist here! THANK YOU to those who contributed to the Christmas Party! Toy buying coming up December 1st! I am having a blast putting this party together. Should be the best we have ever had.  Treats brought in for Christmas party. SOUTH AFRICAN VISITORS ARRIVED WEDNESDAY! Jessica Christie and Stephanie Nolen begin art and games classes with the Children on Monday. They really look forward to opening those little eyes to new games as well as ways to make fun art tracing your hand in different shapes.  Stephanie on the left, and Jessica on the right. Thanks to your generous love gifts, we have the paper and crayons needed to give art lessons to all ages! School is out for the under 7th graders, so next week that whole gang of kids can join in. The high schoolers must take exams in 1 week, so many heads are still buried in the books. Keep your prayers coming for those in exams, for we have 3 graduating the 12th grade if they pass. Two of our young ladies will take exams after Christmas for nursing school, while Ali will challenge the Teachers College Math and Portuguese test for the 2nd time. He has studied hard in 12th grade, so I pray he makes it. HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF YOU THIS WEEK! PLEASE KEEP PRAYERS COMING FOR ALL OF US. BLESSINGS BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: NOVEMBER 13, 2021
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: NOVEMBER 13, 2021 LEARNING RESPONSIBILTY THE TOUGH WAY TAMACINA, age 14, is the young lady on the far right in the cooking pan photo. She has 4 siblings, a deceased mother, and a crippled father whom she cares for. All the children in this family work hard by fetching water, firewood, and keeping their mud hut area clean. Since there is no way this little girl and her siblings can go to school and farm for food, they receive a weekly food allocation from us.  Tomacina (far right), and 3 widows who received cooking pans this week. THANKS TO YOUR LOVE GIFTS, these 5 children just received new clothes made at our mission’s clothing maker, Master Seamstress, Atumany. MAKING DOLLS FOR CHRISTMAS!  Atumany, Master Seamtress, making 20 dolls for our younger girls as Christmas presents. Our little girls much prefer the durable, soft, rag dolls made by Atumany, over the fragile plastic ones available at stores. These dolls get to ride on the little girl’s backs, have tea, and play all sorts of games that are suitable for tough dolls only. YOUR LOVE GIFTS AT WORK FOR CHRISTMAS! NATIONAL INSPECTORS SPEAK ENCOURAGING WORDS TO OUR FOSTER MOTHERS On Tuesday this week, 2 National Inspectors from the Maputo Social Services Office visited our orphans. The first 90 minutes was spent in our office as we answered a 5‑page questionnaire concerning every aspect of our program.  National Visitors speaking with our mothers. 100°F/37°C temps made staying in the shade a necessity. Then off to the houses we went, where they inspected our homes. They complimented the mothers on their dedication to the children, and encouraged them to continue teaching these vulnerable little ones all that any mother would teach them. GILDA, our Head Mother for houses 6 and 7, assured the inspectors that these infants and children were loved and cared for as if they birthed them themselves. THANKS TO YOUR LOVING KINDNESS, all 57 children in our homes have what is needed to grow up healthy and strong. BLESSINGS, BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: NOVEMBER 6, 2021
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: NOVEMBER 6, 2021 TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK Houses 6 (Zebras) and 7 (Leopards) work hand-in-hand together to ensure their 8 infants are well cared for whenever a Foster Mother needs to run to the market, or just take a break. Better known as a “Built-In Baby Sitter” service.  The famous 8 Foster Mothers of Houses 6 and 7 with their fast-growing crew of infants. Foster Mother Gilda, far right, front row, hosts the youngest infant in our family, 5 month old, Baby Susana. Gilda is also the Head Foster Mother for both these houses, a position she earned by studying basic medical care that help her discern if an infant is beginning an illness. She personally checks each infant daily, then gives me or Children’s Director, Anna, a “Heads Up” if a problem exists. This is a big help to both Anna and I, and provides the infants with faster medical care.  Baby Fatima with her Foster Mother, Cecelia.  Baby Chebane is Mr. Gigglesfor sure. He loves to laugh! Foster Mother, Ernista says he is a real joy to live with. YOUR LOVE GIFTS MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU FOR GIVING THESE HIGH-RISK INFANTS A CHANCE AT A HAPPY LIFE. WATER WELL REPAIRS MEANS A HEALTHIER LIFE FOR REMOTE VILLAGERS November is not only the hottest month (37°C/99°F), but the driest month when many hand pump water wells go dry. Our water well team is quick to repair any broken well in Balama District, for no water leaves the village prone to Dysentery or Cholera from drinking dirty water. Last week our Nacacca Pastor called, begging help. It meant going the extra mile as our team had to be called in to make this afternoon repair. The water well repair team leader, Manel, also drives our 7‑ton-truck to deliver food to the 500 orphans and widows in Meluco District. His truck was loaded and ready to pull out at 4 a.m. the next morning. The well couldn’t wait 3 days for Manel to return, so his team “went the extra mile” and got it repaired in 4 hours that afternoon. Since the pipe glue had to dry overnight, Manel’s assistant, Mario, went out to unlock and test the well the next morning. To prove to me that the well works, Mario, who has a new smartphone, sent me a video of our Pastor pumping the well. Lots of happy people were waiting in line behind Mario to receive this precious water. Repaired water well means life and health to this village. Click Here —> https://youtu.be/nCHPTxPplj0 YOUR LOVE GIFTS PROVIDE THE WATER WELL PARTS THAT KEEP THESE WELLS PUMPING. THANK YOU FOR HELPING US TO SAVE LIVES. Blessings BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |