From: “Brenda Lange”
Subject: Blog, Nov. 11, 2012
Date: November 11, 2012 5:41:29 AM CST
NOVEMBER—HOT AND DRY—WATER OUR MOST PRECIOUS COMODITY
With temps at 95 to 98 F (36 C) most of the day and EVERY CREATURE looking for water, this country’s water wells are packed with people.
Our water well team repaired 2 village wells this week within a few hours of being notified, because even 1 day without water makes people desperate.
That means the kids will drink any surface water they can find, leading to deadly dysentery or cholera.
WATER WELL REPAIR GIFTS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Mpaca’s (M‑pah-ka) well was out for several days, when Pastor Pinto out of desperation, (his wife was seriously threatening to take the kids and go back to their home village where water existed), rode his bicycle 17 miles in this intense heat, to beg us to come fix it.
There are several wells in that area, but over 5,000 people needed water, and women were having fist fights over the 8 to 12 hour waiting period. He said the 5 gallon containers waiting to be filled covered an area 50 yards/meters square at each well! Pumping 24 hours couldn’t fill the need.
Our team was out there the next day. The well was down because $30 worth of plastic and rubber parts had worn out.
On Thursday, my driver picked up our painters after they completed painting the Namara church walls to protect them from rain.
As they passed the Pequaria church, they were stopped and told that the village’s ONLY water well had broken that morning.
They begged us to fix it. Within 2 hours our team was there and the same $30 worth of parts was all it needed to fix it.
SO LITTLE CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH FOR 1000’S OF PEOPLE.
STOVE BUILDING GOING WELL
The 2 prototypes have been built and we will fire them up tomorrow (had to let the mortar dry).
The women have seen it and are excited as they are willing to try anything to cut down on their use of firewood.
We’ll keep you posted on how it goes.
Michael is enjoying getting to know the local culture and the people.
He’s even learned the essential words of Bom Dia and SALAMA! (greeting in the local Makua language)
GOD OPENS THE DOOR FOR MASSIVE HEALTH TEACHINGS VIA RADIO!
IMPACT WILL AFFECT 128,000 PEOPLE!!!!
The Balama radio station manager came to us in desperation this week, begging for help with his community service programs.
His sponsors had slowly melted away this year, until he was left with NO funds to help the people learn to live healthier lives.
The men and women working to put these radio programs together, AND handle the daily radio broadcasting only receive $7/MONTH as their reward for over 80 hours of work. They truly have a heart to help the public.
This is a great OPEN DOOR for us, as it gives us the opportunity to impact 128,000 people with our health teachings on Abstinence against the spread of AIDS, preventing malaria, cholera, dysentery, TB, and many other health problems that plague these communities. We’ll be able to impact them with Biblical morals, etc. as well as teach them through Christian music.
PROGRAMS are as follows:
COMMUNITY HEALTH: (30 minute program) how to avoid and what to do when you get sick with the main killer diseases of our area (malaria, cholera, dysentery, AIDS, etc).
WOMEN’S PROGRAMS (15 min) on better BABY CARE and how to raise healthy children, nutrition, etc.
SANITATION PROGRAMS: (20 min.) Construction of latrines, hygiene, avoiding water borne diseases
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS: (15 min.) teaching them the basics of healthy living in a very simple way
Eric and our Program Director, Nilza, who is specially trained in Social Service work, will be combining forces with the local radio station volunteers to get these programs organized and ready to record in January. CHRISTIAN MUSIC will be used to highlight the programs.
These villagers are crazy about our music, so this will be used as a drawing card to get people to learn what they need to know.
WE NEED SPONSORS FOR THESE PROGRAMS that will air WEEKLY for a total of 80 minutes/week starting in Janaury.
Nov. and Dec. has been donated, as the radio station has programs that are ready to air.
30 min. costs $42/week or $168/month
20 min. costs $28/week or $112/month
15 min. costs $21/week or $84/month
This is a gift that will impact the multitudes as EVERY VILLAGE has people with “boom boxes” who blast these programs for all to hear.
If God leads you to help us with this program, please put RADIO in your check memo so we know how to use your gift.
BIBLE SCHOOL GRADUATION FEAST HELD LAST FRIDAY
NINETY FIVE Students from 3 bush Bible School extension programs converged on Balama Friday to receive their final words of wisdom (and a great goat feast) before being sent out to evangelize their neighbors in very remote areas of Balama county.
Pastor Alberto Pessute and I are part of the International Victory Bible Institute program. Victory Christian Center in Tulsa, OK provides us the teaching materials in Portuguese. Pastor Alberto translates it into Makua for his teachings in the remote areas as the people do not speak Portuguese.
God’s Word is being planted and multiplies among the lost as we train up leaders to help harvest God’s End Time Believers.
YOUR LOVE GIFTS ARE REAPING A TREMENDOUS HARVEST!
Blessings to all of you, as we continue to hand out food to the orphans before the rainy season isolates them in their remote villages.
Bush Bunny Brenda and the Balama Team.