From: “Brenda Lange”
Subject: Blog, Sept. 22, 2012
BEEN A CORNY WEEK!
Our team of missionaries and local helpers weighed, hauled, process, sacked, and stacked over 43.5 TONS (621 sacks) of corn this last week. Thursday and Friday, our 2 trucks, 2 land cruisers, and tractor hauled another 641 sacks of corn (49 tons worth) that we will sacked and stacked starting Monday. Tuesday is a holiday for Mozambique, so we hope to have the corn job finished by Thursday if all goes as planned. This will fill our barns with what is needed to feed the 1,450+ children in Namuno, PLUS give us what we need to feed the Balama and Meluco orphans from February to May.
SEPTEMBER CORN is much drier than the June corn, and stores better through the rainy season. We started a new program this year where we buy June corn to meet our orphan’s food needs through January. We then fetch “super dry corn” in Sept. to feed the orphans during the rainy season. Twelve Pastors were specially contracted in May to leave their corn to dry in their fields until August. That way we are guaranteed that the corn we need will be there in August and not sold for export. We are VERY GRATEFUL to the Pastors and families from other churches who came forward with Sept. corn for the Namuno orphans. Without their help, the 1000 sacks of extra corn needed at this time might not have been available.
YOUR LOVE GIFTS OPENED THE DOOR FOR THE PURCHASE OF THIS LIFE SAVING CORN.
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO GAVE SO THAT THESE KIDS MIGHT LIVE.
BUSH BUNNY WAS DOWN WITH MALARIA LAST 2 DAYS
Thursday afternoon, de Bunny began to feel weak and nauseated. Thinking I was just super tired after the heavy work of bringing in the corn, I told the team that I was really tired and hit the bed earlier than usual. About dark, I realized it was malaria and started the 3 day treatment. I had to call off the corn processing for Friday, as the work load is very heavy for all the missionaries since we are working with only 4 leaders instead of 7 as in June. But after 36 hours of rest, my strength is returning, and I expect to be at full speed for Monday’s work day. Some of you knew of my illness and I thank you for your prayers. God is AWESOME and I’m always amazed at how fast I get over the malaria.
PASTOR FRANCOIS ESTERHUIZEN VISITS FROM SOUTH AFRICA
Eric’s church allowed Pastor Francois to accompany Eric on the 5 day drive from South Africa to our base this last week. They arrived on Monday (17th) at 1pm, with plenty of time to unload the major items from the trailer that same day. It takes 2 days to get the trailer items unloaded, sorted, and stored, so thanks to the help of the 5 missionaries presently with us, most of the supplies were organized by Tuesday afternoon. Pastor Francois encouraged our men with short Bible lessons at several of our morning devotions, as well as assist in weighing the corn sacks. He won the respect of the men as he assisted in unloading one of the trucks, carrying bags of corn to the weight scales. After supper each evening, Pastor Francois closed our day by encouraging us with words of wisdom from God’s word. It is always nice when visitors feed us spiritually as well as help out physically. Pastor Francois is flying out of Pemba today as I write this. This is his 2nd visit to us, and we hope he will return again very soon.
God’s Blessings to all of you!
Bush Bunny Brenda and the Balama gang