BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG
DATE: DECEMBER 22, 2018
DUCK DAYS A DAWNING!
Little was accomplished by anyone in Balama this week due to over 5 inches of rain since Tuesday. (It’s still raining as I write this.) We don’t have tar roads yet, so traveling on mud slick roads is very difficult even with 4 wheel drive. One mistake and you are in the ditch for possibly several days.
We call it Duck Days because the only ones happy are the ducks, playing in the mud and water.
Angry skies lead to 5 plus inches of rain this week
I left Balama for Pemba with 2 men in a downpour at 3 a.m. on Tuesday for the final supply run for essential children’s items we needed. We just barely got through the mud slick roads on Wed. at 9 a.m. before the rains hit full force again. Very little sun has peaked it’s head out since. When you depend on solar power, that is not a good thing, but am happy that we have good flashlights (torches).
So all I can report is that the BBC motorbike and bicycle teams only went out 2 days this week, coming back in the rain which fell at noon each day.
Our corn warehouse today.
Orphans did manage to clean/plant fields between rains. Every child must learn agriculture to live well as adults.
PTL! ALL STUDENTS PASSED THEIR FINAL EXAMS
The high school only got results this week, which made them a bit nervous. It is tough on our kids who just came from remote villages, for school in Balama town is a whole new world to them. I’m proud of them for doing so well.
It took a lot of hard work, but thanks to Pastor Jose, our Portuguese language tutor, the new students learned a lot very fast.
FYI: The village schools teach mostly in Makua (tribal language for it’s all the kids know). Balama teaches only in Portuguese, thus the language barrier for new students.
FRED TRAVELING TO FETCH FATIMA, OUR STUDENT IN CHIMOIO BUSINESS SCHOOL
It takes 8 days round trip to fetch Fatima from school for it is over 500 miles (833km) on public buses that do not run on regular schedules. I just got word that they are now together in Chimoio, and will depart on tonight’s bus for their 4 day return trip.
PTL for it if were not for cell phones, finding someone in a large city would not be easy.
It is sad they have to spend Christmas on the road, but the school only let them out this morning (22nd). Thanks to Missionary Colin and his wife Betsy, they have safe refuge until the bus leaves tonight.
OUR STAFF AND THE CHILDREN WISH YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR!
WITHOUT YOUR PRAYERS AND LOVE GIFTS MOST OF THESE KIDS WOULD HAVE PERISHED BY NOW.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO GROW A CHILD TO ADULTHOOD. THANKS FOR JOINING OUR “VILLAGE TEAM” TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
JESUS IS KING AND THE SAVIOR OF ALL!
BLESSINGS,
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE
AND THE BALAMA STAFF