Would You Rather?

The missionary house that I’m staying in was built by locals, with no supervision from skilled American builders. As a result 90% of the building (Missionary kitchen, bedroom & bath; child’s dorm; and garage) was done fine, but unfortunately the 10% that has issues is the Missionary bathroom.

I don’t even know the extent of the problems… as I remember a few issues the last time I was here and they could be the same ones I’m experiencing. When I arrived I flushed the toilet fine the first time but the second time it didn’t flush. I asked Nigel if he know what the deal was and he told me that you have to shut the water off after each use, or else the water will run 24-7. Not a big deal, the water valve is conveniently located up next to the toilet.

On my second or third morning, I notice a foul stench. It’s slight and I’m to tired to care, so I pull out scented baby wipes and sleep with one on my face. I mention it to Nigel and he says, “Well you shouldn’t smell it unless it’s raining.” Septic… again, really!?

During my last visit we were attempting to put in a new area for the septic to drain. When I got home someone asked me where the drainage field was or how the cement box would drain out into a field. It was like someone smacked me upside the head… what a great question!

My 3^rd year at Judson in Design/Build (I studied Architecture) we had to design and build a functioning outhouse. When I was asked that question… my mind instantly went to the pictures I had of my groups drainage field and I remembered digging the trenches. I just hoped that since I didn’t see the project through to completion it would be installed.

One of the first thing Nigel mentions is that the septic here doesn’t have a drainage field, at the time we put in the last septic, we didn’t have room on our land for a drainage field. Anyways, so since the system is full the septic smell comes up through the pipes in the missionary bathroom. Lovely.

Nigel and I talk about it a little more. From what he can gather it’s one of 2 problems… or I guess it could be 2 of 2 problems. The vent might not be located correctly in the septic tank, which makes the plumbing to the missionary bathroom the vent. Or there is no trap on the bathtub/ a broken trap in the bathroom. Traps hold water in them creating a barrier so that the smell can’t go up pipes into your bathroom or kitchen.

Nigel said that that smell should only be bad when it rains but I think when all the boys shower in the morning I smell a little something… I think I have a sensitive nose.

A few days later I go into the bathroom to find a puddle of water on the floor, but I’m not sure at all where it came from. Did I track it out of the shower, did I leave the toilet running… no, there is just a random puddle of water right in front of the door. I notice it again later and finally realize that the sink has a really slow leak. I show Nigel and he says that any fix he can do would make the water drain into the wall. He doubts that anything was used at the connections of the pipes when they were installed. Meaning where 2 pipes join, they are just sitting one inside of the other… allowing for gaps and leaks. I stick my hand sanitizer in the sink and figure I will just brush my teeth in the Kitchen… no biggie.

Saturday after we eat it starts raining. I’m expecting it to smell bad it my room, but it really doesn’t. However, it does smell a little like it does when all the kids are showering in the morning.

That night I use at least 6 scented baby wipes. I wake up at 7:00 no longer able to handle the smell. For half an hour, I sit in the Kitchen in a chair… dazed because I am so tired after a long Christmas day. About 30 minutes later, I decide I should probably get dressed and brush my teeth. Since there is no water in the well and I don’t have any in my bucket, I’m not planning to shower… just a quick in and out to grab what I need. I open the door and before I can take my 5^th step, I’m gagging! The smell has gotten so far beyond worse, I go running out, thankful for the fresh air in the kitchen. I find some baby wipes and try again, but the smell is so strong the wipes do nothing and I turn around and run out.

It’s almost shocking how bad it smells. I sit in my chair thinking how I will attempt to explain this… are there even words. At 9:30, I have Pedro go get Nunu. I’m not even sure what it is I’m getting him for, but you know when you have a problem you just want to tell someone. Or you want someone to confirm that you aren’t imagining just how bad something is.

Pedro brings Nunu and I tell them both the problem. I ask Nunu if he would go get my toothbrush and grab me some clothes (I’m dressed I just don’t have enough on to go out of the house or to go to church). While he goes in I have Pedro stick his head in the door and Pedro makes a crazy face… so it’s not just me. But I think the smell is getting better. I tell Nunu I think I can handle going in but he brings my tooth brush and closes the bathroom door behind him.

We open the windows and hope for the best. I find myself though out the day having an internal debate. Which room is better? Nigel is moving and so the room I was in last time will be open again. It’s the most realistic “Would you rather” (a game my Campus Life High Schoolers used to play) ever. Would you rather deal with sleepless nights because of the mice or deal with the smell of a septic system on rainy days? I kinda wish the debate was longer in my head, but the mice last year were WAY worse than this… For 2 nights last year, I slept in a chair in the middle of my room with the lights on. I shouldn’t even say slept… I think I got an hour or 2 of sleep. It was way worse than being woken by the septic smell after a rainy day... maybe I would feel different if it were rainy season. I feel like I'm making things sound horrible, but they aren't. Things here aren't always as comfortable as home... but what do I expect, I'm in a 3rd world country!

I had all these plans of moving all my clothes to the kitchen and buying a mattress that I could easily move into the Kitchen should it rain again, but I’m happy to say that I since that Sunday morning I have gotten the slightest hint of septic smell in my room.

I’m not trying to complain about my living situation. The rooms and amenities here have far surpassed my expectations, I guess I share about all the plumbing issues more to show just how important it is that we have volunteers from the states who know how to properly plumb a house. And know how important everything is from the tap the water runs out of to the way we dispose of what goes down teh drain. The new building we are working on already has the plumbing done but what a HUGE blessing it was that we had a professional builder come oversee the first phase of our new building.

If you have any interest in coming over to help us continue building our missionary housing or helping fix some of our existing plumbing issues, please send me an email. Or if you have any ideas or suggestions about building here… I’d love to hear or chat with you about it. amanda@thedream-project.org

Prayer Request:

- That the bathroom issues are fixable and that the finances would come in to cover the cost.

- That I don’t smell the septic system.

- That the funds would come in to finish the new building.

I love Goosebumps!

I spend so much time writing blogs that some days I say to myself that I’m done writing about each day… but then everyday brings such new or amazing experiences… I HAVE to share.

Church today was really cool. Cifa, Juma’s mom, came. She came by yesterday but it was so crazy I kissed her on the cheek and was back to whatever I was working on. I was really happy to see her again.

Church at the Center is very organic. As a planner, if I think about it to much it’s a little scary, but in the moment it’s amazing. We sing for almost an hour and then they open it up for testimonies. Cifa steps up. She talks about how last year when I was here I brought her a mattress. A quick recap, Julia had mentioned Cifa in a Newsletter and a supporter was touched and felt led to bless Cifa with a bed and some other things. Cifa said she was so blessed by this and she was so happy to see me back again. She has been so blessed this last year by the gifts that she received last year that she felt God urging her to give. Cifa is about as poor as they come. She has 4 children living at home and she supports them alone. She brought biscuits.

It was so amazing to me that a few days after we shared with the boys the story of the widow in Mark 12 that Cifa would come and give from the little she had. I was touched beyond belief.

Next Maria got up. She began sharing about a night a couple years ago when she asked the kids to pray for one week about something they want. She remembered what many of the kids prayed for. One for a TV, another a DVD player and a few other things. What really touched me was that Pedro prayed for a water bottle, Izack for an ipod and another child for a watch. Once again it’s so cool to see how God uses people. I don’t know why but those 3 things I just really felt like I was supposed to bring them back with me. I was touched beyond belief when she started sharing about the water bottle… I got goose bumps.

Goosebumps in Mozambique are amazing… because they never have anything to do with being cold. They are always a physical reaction to something amazing being said or seen. I love goosebumps… I’m happy to say I get them every few days for one reason or another.

While we are in the middle of testimonies, I notice Joao leave. This is odd because he is in charge of music and the microphones. A few minutes later I notice a commotion by the house. Someone comes and tells me that there is an electrical fire. I don’t see smoke, so I stay put but Nigel and Nunu head over to check things out.

When Joao came back he said he just felt like he was supposed to go to his room and when he opened the door he was met by smoke. His sheet, pillow and part of his mattress were on fire. The burn marks were the size of a plate. The kids are very resourceful and they had created a charger for a battery out of a cord. They didn’t take into account how hot the battery would get and it caught fire.

There isn’t much damage.  Things could have been so much worse and everyone gets to learn a lesson at a small cost. We outlaw these chargers and ask the kids to turn in some of there electronics so that leaders can charge them in the office.

Yesterday after Cifa had left, Juma P was telling me of a big cut on her leg. So I wanted to see what he was talking about… sure enough she had a burn on her leg. I made sure to get pictures this time… I can’t explain enough how much I hate being the local doctor, but I put my gloves on and try to channel my inner Bess (a friend who used to work in a burn unit).

The burn.

I clean the cut and peel the clumped up skin, but try leaving the skin that is attached. I don’t even know how to explain this other than to say there was some skin that would have come up if I had pulled but I figure here in Mozambique having this skin over the wound is better than nothing. Sure I’m going to bandage it and send her home with supplies but who knows if this will ever been cleaned or covered again.

The look on my face says it all.

I keep asking people if what I’m doing is hurting Cifa and I pick and rub… she sits there calmly smiling and answers, “No.” This is definitely hurting me more than her. Sometime I scrub but don’t even look as I just can’t imagine how much this would hurt me.

The doctor brings a crowd. 

I explain via 2 translaters (English – Portuguese – Macuwa), to try and convey the importance of keeping the wound clean. I give her gloves and tell her to use them. I give her anti-bacterial wipes and say if she really wants to use her bare hands, then she needs to use these and get the dirt out from under her nails. I also cut the fingers off of a rubber glove and put some Neosporin in it, hoping that will help it to heal faster.

Prayer Requests:
- Planning my return home.
- Safety and health for my remainder in Mozambique.
- Healing and provision for Cifa and so many widows like her.

Merry Christmas!

Today is Christmas! I love this day, but in some ways it’s very hard for me. It’s hard because we have 12 boys living in our home and we work with another 25 kids in the community and 4 workers who live in the house. It’s hard to bring things for all of them and it’s difficult to decide where to draw the line for presents. That is why I packed so much stuff. At first I was going to figure out gifts for the kids while I was in the states, but in the end I just brought as much stuff as I could and figured the leaders here would know better how to handle things.

I decide it’s best to wake up with our kids in the morning and we invite a few of the community kids who are here almost daily. Then after our meal this afternoon, I will give all the kids a cup with candy and in the cup the community kids will get a small gift.

I wake up a 6:00am, brush my teeth and head out the door. I wake the sleeping leaders and go see where all the kids are. I can’t figure out why people are frantically showering and getting water… I just keep thinking, “What part of wake up, brush your teeth and open presents don’t they get?” But I’m not sure if we communicated this to the kids or not. I notice the kids are pulling buckets of water from the well rather than using the tap, so I go look. The well is almost empty! They are all rushing to take showers before the water is gone.

By 7:00 everyone is sitting on the porch. Nunu and I have talked through all that needs to be said about the presents. Everything from how careful the kids need to be with electronics, to how many people felt touched by God to give, and (with one child in mind) we explain that if anyone tries to sell any part of these gifts they might not receive one next time.

We hand out the gifts. All the kids get candy, water bottles, all in one utensil (spoon/fork/knife combo), stickers , and 2 pairs of underwear. The older kids get mp3 players (I found them on sale for $10 - $12 each). The younger kids get watches (they loved mine the last time I was here), crayons and CD’s.

Juma P showing his water bottle some love!

Amido

Latino & I

Osvaldo

Pedro checking the time on his watch.

The kids rip into their gifts and they are so happy. I know that they will like the electronics but it’s fun to see how much they love the water bottle, utensil and the underwear. I try to let them celebrate, but there is more!

There are also a bunch of gifts for the Center. They get 3 remote controlled cars, 2 remote controlled helicopters, a portable DVD player, DVD’s, Twister game, Shoots & Ladders game and hair clippers. I’m not even sure if they notice anything besides the remote controlled cars and helicopters. The place is instant smiles!

Juma has been telling Nunu all year
that he loves helicopters.

I spend most of Christmas day recharging batteries and uploading music on mp3 players. You should see the kids eyes when I tell them I am putting 500 songs on their players! It’s also really cute they all call them their “ipods!” Little do they know the cost difference =)

Before we eat Nunu shares the Christmas story, we sing and Maria even puts on a skit. We feast on chicken, fries, potato salad and wash it all down with a special bottle of pop. As we are finishing up the meal Ernesto, Santos, Sumate, Nunu and I go into the kitchen and put on the soccer jerseys that were donated and we walk out to see if the kids notice.

Chicken dinner for 30!

Nunu sharing the Christmas story.

Izack notices Nunu’s shirt right away and we show them the bag full of jerseys and give them 3 soccer balls and a basketball. These jerseys are significant, as they will allow the kids to play in competitive games that they haven’t been allowed in before. As the kids finish eating and we start handing out shirts to get a group picture.

It was about to rain so the picture is a little crazy,
but you get the idea... this is the crew!

All in all the day is awesome! It’s been such a long day and I’m so exhausted. But I love looking out my door at all the smiling faces. Some are dancing around listening to their “ipods” while others are pushing all the buttons on their watches because they love to hear the beep. One by one all the kids with watches come to my door to ask if the watches can get wet… I’m glad they are taking these things serious… it really means a lot to me. I also laugh to myself as I see that Juma P has his underwear on backwards. I wonder how many pairs of underwear he has had before in his life.

I’ve always loved giving gifts, but these kids bring the joy of giving to a whole new level. I’m so honored and blessed by how so many of you gave to help provide such an amazing day for these kids. Thanks for letting me be the one to deliver the gifts… I’m not sure I could ever explain with words or pictures just how amazing a day like today is. 

Needs vs. Wants

Part of my idea for the money jar came from how generous children were in giving to help provide this year for our Christmas at the Center. Some gave money for soccer balls and dolls, while others sorted through their Matchbox cars sending me with a ziplock bag full of them.

Before leaving on my trip, a 13 year old asked him mom to send the money that he had been saving to Africa for children in need. He told his mom that all of his friends had everything they need, so this is what he wanted to do with the money he had earned. I was given a wad of cash in a plastic bag, I was blown away when I got home and counted $63! Talk about giving from what you have.

Our children have what they need. Sure there are things they want, but I’ve been thinking long and hard with how to honor the request of a 13 year old boy. After looking around the Center the only need I could see is that some of the kids are without bug nets. Since mosquito’s carry Malaria nets are a need and so I spent about $30 to buy missing nets and we take the nets with holes so they can be fixed.

Amido's new bug net.

At family time we tell the kids of this gift and I tell them the whole story and even share a picture of the 13 year old. They are thankful and excited, some of them even thank the 13 year old by name. This is also a time for a good lesson of learning the differences between needs and wants. We also tell the kids that if they get holes in their net they need to let us know so they can be fixed. Sometimes I think it’s really hard for our boys to ask for things… maybe they don’t see the net as a need.

Amido & Nunu working on Njuale &
Helder's bug nets

Juma happy as a bug in a rug,
ready for a good nights sleep!

So the rest of the money, we put in the money jar and continue to encourage the kids as they are thinking of needs of the children in our community. It's a good lesson for us all from a 13 year old... sure there are lots of things we all want, but there are so many people in the world who don't have their needs met each day. 

Prayer Requests:

- That the children would come up with amazing ways to bless those in need in their community and that they would give cheerfully.

- Continued health for myself and the kids at the Center.

The Money Jar

I met with some of the workers to let them know my intentions for the weeks I will be in town. Mainly that we are doing Christmas and also that I’d like the kids to brainstorm and come up with ways we can serve our community.

Even though my porch is actually only 2 steps,
there is always room for coloring!

Sunday is church. A new church building has been put on the property. The other big change is that they play American worship music in addition to Portuguese & Macua. Church consists of about an hour of signing, prayer, testimonies, a short message and more signing and prayer. I like it… probably because of all the singing =)

Monday and Tuesday feel like a bit of a waste. I spent most of them trying to set up my MiFi (wifi that is supposed to run off a cell phone SIM card). I’ve tried 2 different cell phone stores. MCel is the main company in town. It was an interesting experience. You wait in line outside of the store, only to be let in by a security guard and given a number. Your number depends on your issue and they go from A01 – G99. I’m given a G#. It’s frustrating because people who walk in after me get to go before me. After an hour of waiting we finally get a turn and they basically say they can’t help us unless I bring in my laptop. Luckly we had the car this day as we were planning to buy pop for Christmas, so we tell them that we will be back in 20-30 minutes and ask the security guard if we can come right back in. He says yes.

25 minutes later, we are back but the guard doesn’t let us in for about 10 minutes. When we finally get in we get to head to a back room for a computer tech to look at my laptop. After a phone call for help, the man says he can’t help because I have a Mac, but he sends us to another place. We go there and the tech says this won’t work with MCel. Ahhh, life in Mozambique. I remember my favorite restaurant from last year had a Wi-Fi sign, so we will try there another day.

So many things here take so much time, I should have expected this. I was really hoping the MiFi would make it easier to communicate back home,  but I just don’t have time to figure it out right now.

I told the kids about my book tonight (see “Book: Dreaming of Moz” above). I was nervous. I didn’t want them to think I was using them to become rich. It was hard, but mainly because facial expressions here are so different than in the states. I thought 2 kids were mad while I was talking, but afterwards I realized that they weren’t.

Izack looking over the book.

I haven’t made much on the books, but I bought swim trunks for the kids in the house with part of it, put a little toward my trip and started a money jar for the house. My hope is the money jar will be used to help people in the community. I want the kids to be in charge of how we spend the money. I’m hoping this challenges them in new ways and some of them realize how fun giving can be. We told them about the money during family time and shared the verse about the widow giving what she had (Mark 12:41-44). I’m excited to see how this turns out =)

After family time the kids came into the kitchen to get swim trunks and see the book. It’s so funny how such little things make them so happy.

Latino and his new swim trunks!

Yesterday I asked Juma P if he wanted a hug, he became shy. Tonight he came to my door grinning from ear to ear saying, “Thank you Mana Amanda” I asked if he wanted a hug and he shook his head yes. The smile grew and grew. I got thank you after thank you and one smile and hug after the next. When you get the chance to give to kids like these, you really understand that it is better to give than to receive. 

I'm pretty sure this hug makes me happier than Juma P =)

Settling In

Since Julie and Michael aren’t here now, I get to stay in the main missionary house. It’s nice for a few reasons, but the main being that it has AC! Well actually more important than AC it has doors that go all the way to the floor. Having AC means I can keep the windows closed and no mice can come in through my screens and having good doors means no mice can sneak in under them! Oh and the bed has a bug tent, it’s nice to zipper in and out, rather than having to tuck in every time you get up. Mice were my biggest lose of sleep last year, so I’m hoping I will rest well in this room…YEAH!

This room is also attached to the missionary kitchen, which is nice because the room I’m in is small and filled with Julie, Adriano and Michael’s things… so the kitchen allows me some much needed legroom. With 3 suitcases full of stuff… I’m in need of floor space to see just what I’ve got.

I slept so well the last two night. The room is nice and quiet in the morning. I woke up Friday morning and rush out of my room to see the kids, but it’s quiet. There are no kids, or at least none that I didn’t see last night. I met Nigel, an Australian missionary, who is staying in the room I used last year. I’ve heard about him for a while, so it’s nice to put a face and personality to the name.

I’ve decided not to do Christmas tomorrow, it would be way to rushed. We will wait one week. So instead I get started cleaning the house. I noticed the freezer has a lot of ice built up, so I decide to clean it out. Nigel suggests that I hang the fridge out the door, so the water can just drain to the front porch. There are some neighborhood kids watching me and they inch closer as I scoop out ice. Some even bring me cups asking for it, so I start handing out chunks and shavings of ice… I figure it can’t be any worse than what they drink from a well.

The kids start coming home from school, they are much more shy than I imagined. Pedro went running past me like a blur into his room. I wasn’t even sure if it was him, so I started saying his name and eventually he came out of his room. Juma P was similar. When he came home from school, I could tell he was exhausted. I said hello to him and he just kept walking. Nigel was telling me earlier how much they have all been talking about me coming and how excited they are. I know they are happy to see me, but it’s like they don’t know how to react or like they need to keep calm. It’s interesting to watch and to try and peel away at the shy exterior.

By Friday night things are back to normal. Sure things have changed, but it’s like I’ve never left. It’s a little weird being in a different room. I think mainly because I used to sit in my doorway which was on the main porch and so I would spend lots of time with the kids that way. Even though the boys have moved next to the missionary house, they feel far because there is no porch to hang out on.

After I finished cleaning yesterday I started sorting through some of the gifts I brought. I started making a list of the things I needed for Christmas and odds and ends I needed to finish cleaning. Then Nunu, Pedro and I went into town. I think the kids like to be singled out and my list of things to buy is long, so we could use the extra hands. As soon as I ask Pedro, his head drops and a smile breaks out… Pedro more than any other child loves to be asked to come along.

It’s so good to be back. Even though the kids have changed some they are still the same. Overall the biggest change is the amount of English the kids speak. Those who spoke some last year can make full sentences and other kids who spoke none, now know a few words. I notice the biggest change in both Juma’s. The little one has grown a little but he has lost some of his baby fat, so he looks more like a little man. The big Juma has gotten a little taller… funny thing is that the dog Black has changed the most. It’s just so good to be back. It’s so good to look out and see these faces. I’ll do lots of staring for the next few days, just taking it all in.

The Bathroom...To Go or Not To Go?

In this blog I try to talk about what I see and what I experience. I try not to only talk about good or only bad, rather I just try to describe how I see things. Sometimes it's hard as I want to write about things I normally wouldn't really talk about... this blog is one of those. I've deleted and rewritten parts of this blog so many times unsure of just what to do, but in the end I just write about what I see and what I experience. Spending 2 days on a bus, I experienced many different bathrooms, or lack of bathrooms... if this makes you uncomfortable then maybe just skim this blog. 

As the bus pulls out, I want to pinch myself. Part of me is in disbelief that I’m heading back to Pemba. I will arrive exactly 1 year later than my first arrival… that makes me smile. My excitement is quickly shut down, when we drive for 10 minutes then stop for 30 minutes to get gas. Back on the road and we stop again 10 minutes later and I’m not even sure why. I think we stop 3 times total before really going. I watch as we pass Iris Ministries in Zimpeto, where Nunu grew up.

I lean forward on the seat in front of me, pull my curtain enough that the sun isn’t beating down on my arm and I fall asleep. I’m a light sleeper, but get me in a moving vehicle and I can sleep. Growing up my extended family lived about 10 hours away. I learned at a young age if you sleep when traveling two things happen… 1. the trip feels shorter 2. you go to the bathroom less!

My view inside the bus.

We make a few stops and within 6 hours our bus is completely full. The roads are nice and we stop a reasonable amount of times to use the bathroom. Each time we stop a parade of people approach the bus with boxes of bread, bananas, nuts, water, pop and even toilet paper. They all fight to make a sale and pass the merchandise through the window.

What I always imagine a hut would look like.

I pass up the first bathroom stop as we just pull up along the side of the road. I don’t need to go and I want to see how things work. Do the men go one way and the women go the other. Do people go right next to the road or work their way back in a bit. It’s hard to see much. I only can see if the people cross the road and I only see the men cross the road. They keep their backs to the bus, but I try not to look long… just quick glances to try to get a better idea of what is normal.

A nice stretch of road along the ocean.

The ocean.

We stop in a town and I decide it’s probably a good place to go. I don’t see any bushes or grass, so I’m hoping there is a bathroom. I grab my toilet paper and hand-sanitizer and ask Nunu to help me find a bathroom. We find a kid selling Coke who is eager to lead us. Once again this bathroom offers privacy so I’m thankful. The floor is covered in water. I hike my dress up and tuck it in along the top so it doesn’t drag.  There is no seat cover… but I can’t tell you how great it is to have 4 walls and a door… with a lock!

I wash my hands but still use my sanitizer. As I exit I find Nunu paying for the use of the bathroom… it’s about $0.18 each. I guess that is the going rate for 4 walls. On our way back to the bus we buy 2 cokes from the kid who showed us the bathroom.

Back on the bus, Nunu and I make peanut butter sandwiches and eat them along with some of the other snacks I packed. The ride isn’t bad. There are 2 drivers who switch on and off. I notice they both drive the same… with one foot on the gas and one hand on the horn. If a person or animal comes within 10 feet of the road they both lay on the horn. As they pass they honk the horn. They honk to say hello to people they know.

Another “she-she” (I think it means urinate) stop in the grass. I still don’t think I’m ready for this, I can wait another 3 hours. When Nunu comes back, he tells me that he saw a snake. Not only did he see it, he picked it up and threw it. Yeah… I’m thinking my eyes will be yellow before I “she-she” outside!

A few hours pass and it starts raining. I keep my window cracked… it’s probably the only window open on the bus. My tolerence for heat is much lower than anyone else on this bus. Some even start putting on long sleeves or covering up their children.

There are at least 6 woman who have babies on their laps. The lady in front of me has an 8 year old boy and a 5 year old girl. They have 2 seats between the three of them. The little girl lays across her mom, brother and woman next to them. Did I mention that woman next to them also has a baby. You don’t have to be in Africa long to get the whole “It takes a village” concept.

Two rows in front of me is a mom with 4 kids! A 13 year old boy, 8 year old boy, 4 year old girl and a 1.5 year old. The 5 of them share 3 seats. Seeing families share seats puts me in my place, I dare not even think a bad thought about my seat.

By the time we stop for dinner, it’s pouring rain. The place we stop has showers, rooms for sleeping, a place to buy chicken with rice, a counter to buy drink and some bathroom. We are stopping for 30 minutes. Finding the bathrooms is confusing, by the time I make it to one I’m soaked. The first door I open is in use… good thing it’s raining so hard. My glasses are covered in raindrops and all I see is the outline of a person. The second door is locked. I cram myself into the doorjamb in an effort to not get any wetter. The door opens, a man comes out and I rush in.

Hum? This is interesting. The “toilet” is like a huge cement block. It sits over 3’ high (a standard toilet is between 15” & 18” high) and is about 4’ wide with a depth greater than 2’. I’m suddenly really happy I walked in on the person in the other bathroom. Had I not seen them squatting over this massive block, I probably would have laid out a roll of toilet paper in an effort to sit.

Back on the bus, I make a peanut butter sandwhich and fall back to sleep. The quality of the road has diminished and I’m awakened by repeated side to side motions of the bus. It feels more like we are on a boat in rough waters… my body is pushed from side to side. I try looking out and it’s pitch black with the exception of the bus headlights. I try watching the road, but it’s hard from the back of the bus. It’s downright scary. I keep telling myself the bus drivers make the trip up to Pemba 3 times a week, they know these roads and they know what the bus can handle. I put my head back down, I can’t watch anymore.

I’m in a foggy haze from about 8m – 1am… falling in and out of sleep. Even though the roads are bad, it’s only for 30 minute stretches at a time. We are at our “overnight” stop. It’s 1am. The streets are lines with clusters of people. They are sitting on porches, listening to music and drinking. Some are dancing. Nunu reaches past me and pulls my curtain… he tells me it’s not safe.

Some people get off the bus and so we are able to stretch out a bit. With my feet on the floor, I lay my head down on the seat next to me. I wake up because some body part is asleep… but I’m to tired to even know which part it is. At 3:00 the bus captain is back on telling us we will leave in 10 minutes.

We stop at 6am for “she-she.” I stay put, even though we aren’t stopping again until Nampula and I don’t know how far that is.

I can tell we are getting close to Nampula, because the woman are fixing their hair. I haven’t used the bathroom in over 15 hours… I’ve only had to go for the last hour or so… my sleeping technique works wonders! With a deep breath and a pocket full of toilet paper and hand-sanitizer… I venture off the bus.

It’s then I realize that the women and children set up shop at the back of the bus. I follow. When you don’t have 4 walls, a long dress suddenly becomes a source of privacy. This is so strange to me, but it’s so normal to every other person on this bus. I make my best effort to not look freaked out… my guess is I failed, I probably had a deer in headlights look on my face.

Thirty minutes later we make the stop in Nampula. I spot a bathroom… well 4 walls and a hole in the ground. So funny that this makes me happy and I figure it’s here, I better use it.

Home for 2 days =)

My back row window seat.

My swollen feet & ankles!

The bus is delayed for 1 hour because some ones bag is missing. A report is filed and police show up. I’m instantly nervous =) One of the police asks me how my day is and where I’m going. I answer short and simple.  He tells me how beautiful Pemba is and that I will like it. He is just making small talk, but I’d rather this conversation be over so I just smile and say I’m excited to go.

We also have to wait at the bus station (big area with a dirt covered ground) for one hour to see if anyone is waiting to go to Pemba. We are back on the road around 4:00. The bus only has about 15 or 20 people on it. So we get to stretch out. I sleep.

I wake up just before 10 and ask Nunu where we are and he says that we are about 10 minutes away. Sometimes 10 minutes means 50 minutes, so I’m not sure what to think, but then I look out the window and I see the airport in Pemba! We live just down the road, we really are 10 minutes away. I can’t even believe it!

We get all my bags and get a taxi and head to the Center!!!

It’s almost 10:30 when we arrive. Some of the older boys are still awake… I’m greated with big hugs from Latino, Joao, Izack and a few of the leaders. It’s all so surreal.

I’m so excited, I forget how tired I am. After about 45 minutes my thoughts no longer make any sense. I figure it’s time to go to bed. I go to my room and discover that the bathroom door knob is broken and it has some sharp edges which make it hard to grasp. I’m off in search of duct tape. I ask Sumate if he knows where any is and he says he doesn’t know what it is. So I start explaining it’s grey, strong and I show with my fingers that it looks like mesh. He doesn’t know. I say do you have any kind of tape… even the kind you wrap presents with. Sumate says… aaaah tape, when you said presents I knew what you meant. 

Here I was trying to explain the duct part and he didn’t even know what I meant by tape! Welcome back to Pemba… it’s so good to be here.