FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA” DATE: MARCH 12, 2016 ADDITIONAL 75 ORPHANS SINCE OCTOBER DEPLETES OUR FOOD STORE In the 17 years I’ve been in Balama, I’ve never had to admit so many moderately malnourished children into our Thursday food program. Since last October, the numbers have been slowly creeping upwards until it has now reached 75 new admissions needing food each week.
Bush Beat BlogF FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA” DATE: FEBRUARY 6, 2016 MUD HUT COLLAPSES DURING MASSIVE RAINS LAST SATURDAY NIGHT—ALL CHILDREN SAFE Last week, on Saturday, I told you that the Provincial (State) Social Service Director had notified us of the 5 member “Child Headed Household” who needed full support from our program as their mud hut was in poor condition.
Bush Beat Blog FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA” DATE: JANUARY 30, 2016 PROVINCIAL SOCIAL SERVICE DIRECTOR VISITS OUR CHILDREN Provincial Director, Maria Isabel Raimundo, greeted us with a warm smile and cheerful words as she walked into our mission station on Wednesday. Her heart for the children was clearly visible, as we were told in preparation for her visit, that
Bush Beat Blog FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA” DATE: JANUARY 15, 2016 RAINS CONTINUE TO POUR DOWN, BUT WIDOW’S ROOF BACK ON! Non-stop rains may slow us down, but my carpenters and brick layers worked long hours in the rain this week to get the new roof secured in place. Repairs continue on the 4 houses that had damage to outer walls. Still to be re-roofed is the
Bush Beat Blog FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA” DATE: DECEMBER 29, 2015 A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHRISTMAS Dec. 22, I awoke quite ill with severe dental pain and a swollen face. With the nearest dentist 1000 miles away (distance from Maine to northern Florida), I needed to make some fast phone calls and take action or suffer possible sepsis. The culprit was
Bush Beat Blog FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA” DATE: DECEMBER 17, 2015 EMERGENCY RUN TO PEMBA SAVES LAYLA’S LIFE LAYLA SILVA AND CREW ‚WORKING ON CLOTHS DISTRIBUTION. (THIS PHOTO TAKEN EARLIER THIS YEAR.) Sunday, 8a.m. Layla felt sick and began to vomit large amounts of fluids, was suffering body aches, and had a rapidly rising fever. Around here that means malaria is usually the culprit, and
Bush Beat Blog FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA” DATE: DECEMBER 5, 2015 AN OFFERING OF LOVE Complete Widow and mother group poses for a photo with the gifts they brought. Our Balama Pastors and Foster Mothers requested to meet with me yesterday for prayer in the large shaded area in front of our employee kitchen. It’s 95 degrees F (35 C) in the shade and much hotter in
Bush Beat Blog FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA” DATE: NOVEMBER 28, 2015 NOTE FROM BUSH BUNNY BRENDA: Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving Day with your families. Since this is only an American Holiday, our staff spent the day blessing others with a food give out to the orphans that totaled 2.5 TONS of food. Layla and I took the afternoon off to eat a simple
ush Beat Blog FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA” DATE: NOVEMBER 20, 2015 BUSH BUNNY BACK IN BALAMA, SENDING THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR KIND WORDS, PRAYERS, AND LOVE GIFTS DURING THIS LAST WEEK. It was a hectic 11 days with 5 of those days being in the air or on the road so I could join my family in Eagle Lake for my Mom’s funeral. I was
Bush Beat Blog FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA” DATE: OCTOBER 24, 2015 20 WATER WELLS BEING REPAIRED THANKS TO MANY GENEROUS HEARTS Manuel loads the water well parts from the MFA aircraft. With the help of multiple donors, we were able to meet the $1,700 parts bill for the water wells in Meluco District, pay transport costs, AND provide the 3 man team’s food expenses