FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA” DATE: APRIL 5, 2014
CHILD HEADED HOUSEHOLD
Sisters,( ages 15 and 16) are the care givers of this family.
Evangelist Salazar is working hard to show the children of Nacala the path to Jesus. Last Sunday, he walked into the Rovuma church with a family of EIGHT orphans, whom he’d found trying to take care of themselves. The 2 oldest girls (ages 16 and 15) are the care givers of this family, which is the usual “scenario” we see when no adult leadership exists. Malnourished, anemic, and always hungry was the norm for this little family. It’s been a hectic week giving them a “hand up”, as they only had a mud hut containing a few old pots, 3 broken beds, and the clothes on their backs. By Sunday afternoon, we had them outfitted with the essentials of food and cooking elements. By Monday, they were dressed in new clothes and outfitted with grass mats and blankets for sleeping. They’d been sleeping on the dirt floor of their hut, so grass mats is a great improvement. (Salazar had their 3 beds repaired and re-roped, so that now they can sleep off the floor.) We will work on getting them more beds, but they have to be built first. School is another matter, as NONE of them have ever attended because they had no birth certificates. With Social Services and the local Village Chief’s help, we are working to get everything in order so they can go to school. The 4 boys are eager to attend school, but the older 3 girls opted to continue working to keep the family fed. The youngest is a very shy 3 year old girl who is super cute. All the children were de-wormed and with only a few being slightly anemic, they are in really good shape for being on their own since Feb. The mother died in January and the father a month later of “stomach problems”. There is an uncle, but he is not interested in helping the children. I asked Salazar if he could be their “foster parent”, and he agreed. He has been super instrumental in networking with the Village Chief to get the needed documentation towards their birth certificates.
Needless to say, these children need a sponsor/s to help with their weekly living needs such as soap, salt, cooking oil, as well as clothing, beds, and school materials. What we gave them is only a “starter kit” of essentials. If God puts it on your heart to help them, please contact me. Since their food needs have already been donated, a total of $60/month will help us to give this brave family of 8 a great future.
TRADING WORK FOR SCHOOL UNIFORMS
Kids at work !
In the March 22nd blog, you read the story of how Australian families came to the aid of the school children who couldn’t afford school uniforms. Well, our 3 man sewing team has been busy “pedalling away” on their pedal powered Singer sewing machines for 3 weeks now. The first set of uniforms are ready and were given out last Wed.
These kids are thrilled to have school uniforms.
The donors requested that the children do a small work project to help our orphans in exchange for the uniforms. The Soccer Field needed a major cleaning, and the children did a great job of cutting down the grass. With over 120 uniforms to still make, our sewing team has their work cut out for them.
Lot of happy kids here, for without their uniforms, they would have to leave school.
THANK YOU to both the Australian families who made this project possible.
STUCK IN THE MUD
Is not just a slang phrase in Balama!
Last Sunday morning at 7a.m., the Balama Hospital Administrator called me with a desperate plea. On SATURDAY, their ambulance had slid off the road into a muddy ditch about 9 miles (12km) out of town and was still unable to get out. The County sent their tractor to pull out the ambulance, BUT THE DRIVER was totally inexperienced and sunk that tractor on its side when he tried to go around a bad mud hole. (Duh!) When given these facts, it told us the job of getting them out would not be an easy one.
Eric and our 5 man team rescue thr “rescuers”.
So I started calling in our tractor team, and Eric went to fetch all the chains, ropes, shovels, hoes, jacks, and 6 large boards he would need to pull them out. Once our 5 man team arrived, we had to unhitch our super heavy 1.5 ton trailer from the tractor, before the driver could leave for the bush. FIVE HOURS LATER, Eric calls me to say they are all clear and on their way home. (I was in Rovuma helping the family of 8 children who were in desperate need of food).
If you are one who enjoys a challenge while serving the Lord, then please contact me. We have a full sponsorship (all expenses paid) for someone who can give 9–12 months of their life to serve the Lord with us in Mozambique. We are always looking for a mature Christian who likes “living on the edge”. Help is truly needed here, so I’m NOT joking!
Blessings, Bush Bunny Brenda Lange Eric Dry Balama Staff