From: Brenda Lange,” Bush Bunny Brenda” Date: November 30, 2013
FOOD PACKETS FOR HANDICAPPED
Our staff helping to feed the Handicaped.
The state level Social Services asked every ministry who provide humanitarian programs to organize 100 packets of food for National Handicap Day on Dec. 3rd. This morning, our staff assembled at 6a.m. to organized 100 feed sacks with 5 kg (11 lbs.) of corn flour from our mill, 3 kg (6.6 lbs.) of dried beans, 1 kg (2.2 lbs.) salt, and 1 foot long bar of clothes washing soap (yep—it’s the good ole lye soap just like your great grandma made in those “good ole days”. The packets are intended to ease the strain to those who struggle just to survive.
RAINY SEASON UPON US
OUR FIELDS WAITING FOR PLANTING
Each year, the majority of our 40 acres (16 hectares) is divided up among the 23 widows who live in our church housing, and the orphans living with them. Seed is distributed to the grandmas so they can teach the children how to organize a “machamba” (mah-sham-ba). Every Mozambican must know how to plant and care for a field, as their lives LITERALLY depend on it for survival. No government agency will feed you in this country, so everyone is totally dependent on a good harvest. We’ve taught our church members to ask the Lord to protect their fields from bugs, floods, and droughts, as well as bless their seeds as they plant, asking for a 100 fold harvest. They also are taught about tithing, and most bring the actual crop as their tithe into the church’s storehouse at harvest time (just like in Biblical days).
CONSTRUCTION WRAPPING UP!
Nelson helps finish the painting
This coming week we will put the final touches on kitchen and bathrooms, leaving only the painting to be completed.
Brick layers busy at work.
Brick layers are busy putting in the clothes washing area while Nelson, currently our oldest orphan (now in 10th grade) , puts a coat of paint on the wall of the 2 bathing areas. Because this compound hosts both young girls and boys orphans, we have a bathing room and toilet for each group. Needless to say, the Bush Bunny hopes to retire from construction once this complex is finished! FORTEEN YEARS of non-stop construction, first building this mission station, and then all these orphan homes, has me sort of burned out on construction.
I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Eric and I were too busy on Thursday to do anything special, but we did manage to have a feast on Friday night with 2 “miniature turkeys”, as the guests of honor. What’s a miniature turkey? A fat, imported chicken, of course! Turkeys are not sold in this country, so we improvised, enjoying every mouthful!
Blessings to all of you from Eric and I in Balama. Bush Bunny Brenda Eric Dry