We Have Arrived!

Well after about 23 hours in the air and 31 on the ground (layovers), all things considered we made it safe and sound to Pemba. We even got picked up at the airport despite me telling our friend the wrong date twice for picking us up!

During our first layover in Doha, we were given a hotel voucher by Qatar Airways. It is part of their policy that if you have a layover longer than 8 hours, you can apply. Well not only did we get the hotel room, but they also gave us meal vouchers and so we got to eat from a buffet the night we arrived and got breakfast the morning we left and the hotel provides a free shuttle to and from the airport. I think I figured it valued $150! So thankful!

 Click to see our Doha layover pics

Then onto our next layover of 18 hours! Because Qatar doesn’t partner with the airline into Mozambique we were unable to check in when we left Chicago and instead had to wait until we got to Johannesburg. When you arrive in Joburg you are given 2 options, go through customs and get your bags or go to a connecting flight and miniature customs desk.

If you are able to check your bags through to the final destination often you can avoid excess baggage fees as flight from the US allow you a great weight than from Joburg to Pemba. Nunu and I slowly made out way through the connections flight route only to be told that they couldn’t check us into our flight because it wasn’t until the following day and that we would have to claim our bags.

Because we had to leave the terminal, we decided to look for a hotel. I found the help desk and ask for a cheap hotel, with a shuttle to and from the airport because we have lots of bags (4 large 50 lb duffle bags, 2 rolling carry-on suite-cases and 2 backpacks). The guy says he found us a room in our budget and so we sit and wait for the shuttle.

A man shows up to get us and all our things, I wave at the guy at the Information desk… as if just to double check that this is the right guy… and we are off. As we are walking out to the shuttle, I’m noticing that there are some cars, SUV but not to many shuttles. We eventually walk up to a VW hatch back that is probably from the 1980’s?! Uh obviously the guy didn’t mention all our baggage!

With 3 bags filling the entire hatch back (even pushing our seat up a little) 2 rollers stacked between us, a back pack on our laps and another duffle on the hotel managers lap sitting in the front, we are off. I have to say, it’s moments like this that confirm for me that if I was a single lady or traveling by myself, I would never even step one single toe out of that airport. I start thinking of all the placed these guys could be taking us… letting my mind wonder, could the guy at the Info desk be in on this? Sleep depravation + Creativity = Weird Scenarios.

But luckily all is well and we eventually arrived at a Guest House, sort of like a Backpackers place. Aaaahhh that’s right Joburg has lots of these and they are probably way more cost effective than an actual “hotel” with “shuttle.”

We met Heidi Baker on our flight from Joburg to Pemba, she is the founder of Iris Ministries and they have 10 plus large orphanages in Mozambique. As Nunu grew up in one of them, I nudged him to say hello. Success stories are always fun, right? I looked back as he was talking to her (we were walking through the airport to change flights) and it was such a touching moment. Nunu had his arm wrapped around her shoulder and as he spoke she smiled and hung on his every word. 

I’ve never met her before, but found her to be so hospitable and welcoming (which might sound weird as we were at the airport). She welcomed us to their Wednesday night worship. And made a point of speaking to us again as we were waiting for our baggage in Pemba.

We arrived in Pemba tired, but clean (one bight side to hotels). Our friend, Estefano, picked us up from the airport… I was so relived to see him and felt so stupid that I kept confusing our dates. I said to him “I’m so glad you are here, I’m so sorry for all the confusing messages!” His response, “It’s okay Amanda, I’m in logistics!” What are friends for?

He drove us the few short minutes to our street, but couldn’t take us to our door as the road has been washed away. Again with the insane rain! Nunu ran around the corner to the Center really quick to ask people to help us with our bags. Who rounds the corner first... Abracos, the littlest guy in the house. Who probably weights less than each of our bags... well at least the checks ones.

This was the entrance to our road.

Boys and staff helping us carry our bags to the house.

So we are here. Nunu couldn’t possibly have a bigger smile on his face. We have a roof over our head, running water and internet! What more could a girl ask for?

Please keep us in your prayers:

- Health is always a big one.

- The rain will bring mosquitos, which carry Malaria.

- The rain is washing away roads, our buildings are leaking, the church has completely collapsed because of the heavy rains. 

- We are hoping to purchase land. It would not only to build a house for us but would also be the hub of our further ministry. With all of the oil companies here the prices have sky rocketed (Owners on the major roads are trying to sell small 30 x 30 lots for about $35,000 when 5 years ago it would have cost no more than $3,000). Prayers the God will make a way and provide not only something we can afford but something in a good location for our ministry.

Ice Ice Baby...

The month of June is a special one in Mozambique, because it is the month that celebrates Children! This special month is kicked off each year on June 1^st with Children’s Day… second only to Christmas!

We were told by Social Services to be prepared with a description of what we were doing should they stop by. So our staff spent the weeks leading up to Children’s Day preparing games and other creative activities. We also planned a special menu and put together gifts of underwear, toys and a few other fun things. In short, we spent countless hours getting ready to celebrate our children!

Our boys also spent the weeks leading up practicing a dance that they were going to perform in a larger orphanage in town. Those who weren’t dancing would participate in a parade through our city.

When Children’s Day arrived it was full of excitement. The kids were off and the Center was quiet with remaining staff running around decorating, preparing food and games for a day of fun. (Also, did I mention that Nunu and I leave in 3 days, so in addition to making sure all is well with the day, I’m trying to pack all of our belongings away in buckets!)

Video of the very tail end... but still cute! 

Boys dancing

 After the dance, we got a call from Social Services saying they wanted to take some of our children out to lunch (a very big deal!). Upon their arrival they took all of the children who had shown up to celebrate with us (the kids who live with us, the kids who we help with school and the kids who live on our street)! We were left with Children’s Day plans and decorations and no children!! After one month of preparation!!!!!!

I just stood in the yard blinking and quickly shaking my head… did that really just happen?!

By the time we were ready to serve lunch, a few small children had shown up and we sent them out to gather their friends. In the end we had a table full of children (very small children)! Some of whom have probably never eaten at a table, nor have they ever had so much chicken or pop to themselves. After lunch our staff played games with the children who came. It wasn’t exactly the day we had planned, but the important thing is that we celebrated these children!

Kiddos praying before lunch.

One of our new staff, Justino, teaching the kids a game!

The group that went out to lunch with Social Services returned a few hours later with smiles plastered on their faces! I felt silly asking if they had fun, as it was beyond obvious. It was a special day!

But the day wasn’t over yet…

A few days earlier I had filled up two 18 quart Rubbermaid storage boxes with water. About a inch from the bottom of each box, I had frozen a spoon.

Why? For a game! After things settled a bit, we gathered up all of the kids again and explained the goal of the game was to melt the ice and the find the spoon! At first the kids were looking at me like I was crazy and a few were even acting like I was making them clean the toilets. But just as the ice melted, so did their hesitation.

Abracos and Marcia trying to melt the ice. 

Moda and Calmo

Genial and Salena

Neighbor lady (holding Nicky) wondering what we are up to.

Some little kids checking things out with Maria and Timido.

Cara always looking for hugs!

Arms were flying, feet went rubbing, a few kids kept trying to rub dirt on the large cubes. I kept trying to convince the kids to rub their stomaches on the cube, but no takers. That is until Teclado jumped on and began spinning in circles on top of the block.

Video of the ice fun. At 22 seconds watch Telcado jump on. You can hear me yelling at him to 

lift up his shirt. Eventually he yells back, "FRIO!" meaning "It's COLD!"

Really quick I need to add in that you all must be thinking… your in Africa, isn’t this thing melting on it’s own. Well yes, that is what I thought too and that is why the cubes are so big. But it’s now dusk and not that warm at all (maybe 75 or so) and so these things were just barely melting… of course it didn’t help that some of the kids would only use a few finger tips as they thought it was too cold!!

As many things in Moz, the game didn’t end quite as planned. Teclado picked up the block to rub it on his belly and he dropped it and it broke in half! So that team was disqualified and the other team won!

Sometimes I do things and I can just tell the kids think I’m nutso! This was definitely one of them, but you should have seen how much they opened up and by the end our fence was lined with people watching. I even put out a smaller block for the Itty-BIttys to use and for the passer byers to touch.

Have no fear folks, I will do this again with the kids. I’ll just try to wait for a hotter sunnier day!

Toy Cars

Walking out of our door is always an adventure. Honestly, you never know who will be in our yard or what will be going on.

One Friday afternoon, I went outside to find Teclado and Nemo building toy cars! They build them out of pieces of bamboo, scraps of wire, tape from an old VHS, rubber-bands, flip-flops and whatever else they can find!

Hard at work!

Flip-flops cut out to make wheels.

Nemo, adding a light to the front of his car.
Not sure what the light was from, but it
was powered with a cell phone battery.

Telcado wrapping his car in with the VHS tape.

The One About the Ladder...

I can’t begin to tell you just how many times I think to myself, “I can’t wait to blog about this!” But at the end of the day, I only have time to write so many blogs. Nunu and I are still in the States, but for the most part our life he is very boring... well not boring, but normal. So I’m going to try to post some additional blogs that have been floating around in my head!

A few months back, Nunu and I headed to town to buy a ladder. I can only imagine what you are thinking... a story about a ladder? But yes, this is a blog about a ladder.

As we drove up to the store, we realized something was off. The store was under construction... there was nothing inside. After looking around a little, we realized that they relocated all of their merchandise to a shop across the street. There were no signs, we just saw all the items through the windows. The building had about 4 doors and as we approached them all, it was obvious they didn’t work because materials were leaning right up against them. So we just watched to see where people came out of and finally found the door.

We had gone looking for ladders a month back and found this store to have the best deal. And they had one of those 4 section ladders, that you can bend and use in many different ways. We have really tall ceilings and therefore, we needed this particular ladder.

4-Section Ladder Package

When we went to compare prices, the ladder cost $300. But today, it cost $285 and they gave us a 5% discount, which was another $15 off! This is very uncommon to get a discount without asking, but I’ll take it!

Stores here all operate differently. In this particular shop you go to a cashier and pay for the item and even if you have the item in hand, they take it from you and bring it over to the pick-up counter. Then you take your receipt to the pick-up counter where the item is waiting.

After speaking with one of the sales reps, we paid the cashier and then made our way to the pick-up counter. When we got to the pick-up counter they review our receipt and after much review and conversation they decided they rang us up for the wrong ladder and we needed to pay another $15.

So we headed back to the payment counter to pay the difference and then brought our new receipt to the pick-up counter. By now the ladder was at the door with Nunu and I could tell something was going on. The guy at the door was saying we had more than one ladder. I tried showing him the picture on the ladder package and explaining that it has 4 sections. I counted on the picture 1, 2, 3, 4 and then counted on the ladder 1, 2, 3, 4 but he still insisted that we had 2 ladders. So he opened up the package. I showed him the pictures of the ladder and how it bent in different directions, but nothing. He got the package open and was so confused that the “two” ladders were attached.

Is it not obvious that this isn't a typical 1 or 2 section ladder?

5 ways to unfold the 4-section ladder

After trying to explain again, I just stood back and shook my head. Seriously? There is a very clear picture of the different ways you can use the ladder right on the package. It’s now laying on the ground and these guys are playing with the ladder trying to figure out just what happened. I just stare at the packaging on the ground, knowing eventually they will catch on.

Eventually they let us go.

A million thoughts about this have run through my head about this. But as many of my stories, it just shows such a difference in cultures. I still can’t believe this conversation went any further than me showing them the picture of a 4-sectioned ladder on the packaging. It was as if they didn’t trust the package.

Culture is so much more than food or dress. It’s often mind set and way of thinking. Often times in Moz, we deal with a culture of distrust and it takes a long time to prove yourself trustworthy. 

Up Coming Needs!

If you've read this months newsletter (May Newsletter), then it's no surprise to you that Nunu and I are coming to the States in June! We will be coming back for about 6 months to get the rest of our funds raised.

Our biggest need in fundraising (besides the funds!!) is transportation. If you have a reliable vehicle that you would be willing or able to lend us for a few weeks or a few months, it would be really helpful. Or if you have airline miles that we could use to rent a car, that would also be a big blessing!

-       I would guess it’s obvious, but our greatest need is monthly financial support. Anything from $10 per month and up can be set up to auto with-drawl from your checking account. ( click here to sign up online)

-       We are in need of transportation. If you have an extra car you could loan us for a few week or a few months, that would be a HUGE help.

-       We could use a contact person. Someone who would be willing to contact churches to see if we there is an opportunity for us to share.

-       We need opportunities to share about our ministry. Small groups, Church Events (concerts, crafts show, Mom’s Groups, bake sales, anything!), Friends or Family.

-       We will need places to stay. Do you have a spare bedroom? If you are going out of town, would you consider letting Nunu and I housesit? Do you know of a place that houses Missionaries? Any ideas, we’d love to hear them!

If you have any ideas or are interesting in helping us in any way, please e-mail me (amanda@thedream-project.org). If not be praying for us that we will trust the Lord to provide for our needs and that our time in the States will be fruitful.

I will try to post our travel plans, they may change some, but I'll try to keep things updated! If we traveling through your State or town, let us know! We'd love to sit down and share more with you or your small group about our ministry!

Saturday June 8th - ARRIVE at Chicago O'hare!

June 11/12th - June 17th - Royal Oak, Michigan 

July 10th - July 17th - Chicago, Illinois

August 5th - 16th - Phoenix, Arizona 

August 19th - 23rd - Boyne Falls, Michigan (Adult Jamboree at Camp Lake Louise)

What Do You Do?

I woke from my sleep to silence. No fan, no A/C... no energy. I look at my watch 3:48. This is normal, not a big deal... I just throw off the sheet knowing it will start warming up. Silence is so unusual here, it sounds odd to my ears. But then I hear it. Tiny noises. Unsure if he is awake, I quietly say to Nunu “did you hear the mouse chewing the pencil?” He responses, “Yes I heard it.” 

We lay for a few minutes. Nothing. For this very reason we sleep in what I like to call a bug hut. It’s a two man tent that is made of a tight mesh to keep the bugs out when you camp. I ask him if he will grab our fan from out side of the tent. The fan is just outside, near my head... same place as I heard the noises from. But it runs on battery and so the noise will be nice, as well as the breeze it provides. I turn my tablet on and begin to read. A few more sounds than I get pulled in by the book.

Nunu wakes before me, as usual. I fall back to sleep and wake again cold, and I think to myself “Wow that little fan is powerful.” Nope the power is back on and the A/C kicked in.

Once I’m up and running. I ask Nunu if we caught any mice in the Kitchen traps... nope. Once I know the coast is clear, I go investigate. I had set out 2 sticky traps and in between them I had put some peanut shells and a cookie. Traps are there. Cookie is gone. I think the traps are a bit old and no longer sticky.

I asked Nunu if we (by we, I mean he) could look for the mouse again. We empty all of our cabinets and pull things out of our room one at a time. He says let me go get my "Assistants". He come back with Adjuante and Engracado. They go into the room armed with flip flops and brooms. I sit and watch the door to make sure nothing gets out in the space below. But they find nothing.

Ugh. Where is that little guy?

With our lack of water, our dishes have piled up. The ants have piled up and I need help. Mainly I need help because I don’t want to be in the house alone. I go outside and find Teclado and ask him if he is busy and does he want to help me. The kids generally love to help, I think once has someone told me “No” and it was because they had just walked a very long distance.

Teclado is a very hard worker. I wash dishes and he rinses. We talk a little about the words for silver ware and some other things we are washing. We wipe down the counters and I notice there are so many ants! I spray them with Bygone (bug spray) and can’t figure out where they are coming from. As normal as ants are, it was strange that I couldn’t track them back to a starting point.

We finish. I’m looking around in frustration. Our house is a mess and we still have not found the mouse! Something grabs my eye. As I look up toward out roof, I notice a strange color. After a closer look, I realize that there are thousands of ants carrying food out toward the bathroom. I realize the ants just found that cookie I set out last night!

Normal Wood Beam.

Strange Wood Beam (see the black clusters? One in the middle,
one toward the right)

I show Nunu, as this is just crazy. I get the Bygone and stand on a chair and just douse them in the mist. They drop to the ground and create a black line along the edge of our wall. While I’m spraying, the power goes out. It’s a good time to go outside to let the bug spray clear out.

Floor, post spray.

I turn our porch light on so that I can tell when we get power back. I sit on the porch across from ours. Nunu and some other staff are outside talking to a guy who is cementing a door frame in place. This was done a few weeks back, but the guy who installed the door placed it over a foot off the ground.

I’m sitting trying to think of what I can do now. My laptop battery is near dead, and I’m not really ready to do anything else. I’m tired and more than anything would love to just lay in bed and do computer work.

I go to check on our well. It’s full but we have no running water still. Two days ago someone went to turn the pump on (after weeks with no water to pump) and they dropped this little screw into the well. I was told this screw was why we had no running water. So I start looking for screws to see if I can find one that fits. I find one that is close but it’s to long to fit. So we send Calmo into town to see what he can find. Calmo loves to run errands that have to do with projects. Anytime we need a tool, he is our guy.

I go back to the porch and the light is on! It’s been at least an hour, maybe two. 

I get this strange idea. Another missionary told me that when they have a mouse, she sprays them with Bygone. It slows down their reaction and she said they act drunk, which makes them easier to wack. So my idea was get a full bottle of Bygone and just spray the area where we think the mouse is hiding. My hope is he can’t handle the smell and goes looking for fresh air.

Nunu humors me and is like okay. I go get Tipo and ask him to be the sprayer, because he is tall. I arm him with a wash cloth to cover his nose and mouth. I also get Teclado back and arm him with a flip flop and broom. The kids think I’m funny, but I think they love being part of my strange missions. I always wonder if they tell their friends the weird things I have them do in the name of mice and bugs!

This is our bedroom, the opposite side of the wall where
the ants where. Notice the big gap above the board.
Tipo spraying Bygone in the gap trying to get the mouse out!

Our plan was in place and we all took our positions... and nothing. Well not nothing, another few hundred ants fell to the ground, so at least we had that victory.

Again we leave the house to let it air out. I sit on the porch but I can’t just sit. I remember that we need to put up new mosquito net and chicken wire on some windows. I decide I would rather do that than just sit here.

I start my project and Calmo comes back with some screws. They aren’t the exact size but we will try to make them work. It’s now that I really look at the pump and notice that something looks funny. There is this 3” x 3” square that sits level toward the front top but now it look sort of like a square of butter falling off a pancake. Well it’s not that dramatic but its something along those line. Sure enough they open the square and realize that something got hot and caused this square to melt.

Electrical problems are so common here. It’s hard to say just what happened. The power isn’t consistent, not just in that it turns on and off but it spikes often. When I’m sitting in my room, it’s like we have one of those adjustable light switches and for 15 minutes it’s on dim and then someone puts the power to full. Because of this it’s common to blow out electronics. The other thing that is possible is that when the water level in our well got low, no one realized it and the pump was trying to pump water when there wasn’t any.

To make a long story short. I was told the pump is broken. Sigh. More than likely that means we have to haul buckets for awhile, but that is what all our neighbors do everyday... we’ll survive.

Back to my project. I pull the little boards off (boards that help hold mosquito net in place) and remove the old net. I get the new net up. You know you don’t live in the States when you have an opinion about mosquito net. I love this stuff. Some of the other nets we used have been so cheap, I can pull it apart with my finger. It doesn’t nail to the frame well. It’s just annoying. This stuff amazing. It’s a metal mesh and while it’s much pokier (meaning I have a few holes in my hand), it went up so easy and I think it will last so much longer than any other net we have up.

So I get to the “mouse net’ aka Chicken wire and that goes up pretty easy. The things you never expect to become an expert at... I really do need to make a list.

I just start attaching the boards again when Nunu comes to me and the conversation goes like this:

N: We just saw Dexter and we need to follow him.

A: What?

N: We just saw him get on a schapa (bus) we need to go.

A: Okay, go.

N: No you need to drive.

A: Why?

N: Because he just got on the bus.

A: (Confused look)

N: He stole the guitar this morning; we need to go get it. You need to drive so we can catch him.

A: What he stole the guitar. What? Why? How? Okay let's go!

Dexter used to be our music teacher. I’m not sure I was here when he was let go and I can’t remember exactly the reason why. I know he has struggled with drinking. Now that he doesn’t work for us, he comes to visit sometimes. If he has been drinking we ask him to leave but other wise, he is welcome. So today he came and Tipo asked him for help tuning the guitar. I don’t really have the whole story, but the short version is that the then left with the guitar.

So off we go to get it back as one of our kids just saw him get on a schapa with it. Nunu, Tipo, Calmo and I jump in the truck and off we go! Most schapa’s are just plain white, but this one had some yellow and blue writing and so we saw the schapa and they decided it was best to get in front of it. We do and when it stops they ask the cashier where the man with the guitar got off. A few stops back. We head back and they jump out and are off and running.

At this moment, I realize I didn’t have my phone. I’m not sure how much time passes, but I sit in the car waiting. I wonder what I would do if Dexter were to come by me, but feel like that is only what happens in the movies. It’s not likely.

Except that a few minutes later, I see a man with a guitar and sure enough it’s Dexter!

I have to pause for a minute to tell you that I’m running low on clean clothes. Since I wasn’t leaving our yard today, I wore a pair of Nunu’s basketball short. They are long and they cover my knees, but I just feel so funny sitting here wearing them.

I open the door and stand on the running board. I yell Dexter’s name three times. He knows me and he speaks English. Finally he looks at me. I say “Hey Dexter!” as nice as possible, just waiting for him to bolt at any moment. But he doesn’t, he just starts talking. He starts talking weird:

D: aldflasldfj ladfjldsj Type.

A: Cue cofused look... what?

D: sldfljsdfls lkjflakjflj Type.

A: (in my head, yep he’s drunk) WHAT?

D: TIPO (he was saying Tipo’s name in English)

A: Oh, yeah. I think he is looking for you.

A: Hey is that our guitar you have there?

D: No! Tipo ahdlaflkfjaodsfjaflsdflkjasdlfkj. (his face turns angry, he turns and walks away)

I honestly have no clue what he said besides Tipo’s name. It was strange conversation.

I sit in the truck. Thinking, now what? Nunu, Tipo and Calmo are going the other direction. I don’t have my phone. I’m sitting in this truck in basketball shorts!! AHHH

I look and see that I have 50mzn in my purse and decide I will try to communicate with someone that I need to use their phone. I try a few times with nothing. Then girl stops and I try to explain but the words I need, I’ve never needed before. I can talk about food, I can talk about kids, I can’t explain it’s an emergency and I need to borrow your phone! Finally this guy comes over and he sort of gets what I’m saying. I just keep saying “No cellphone” in Portuguese, while trying to give the guy this money. He finally understand and uses my money to go buy phone credit so that I can make the call.

And I’m amazed that Nunu answers!! I tell him Dexter was just here, he went the other way. Nunu says they are coming! I then proceed to thank the guy and try to explain that someone stole our guitar... because I know the word for guitar, so why not!

I get back in the truck and put my hand in my purse to make sure I have the keys. What do I find... my cell phone! Go figure!

It feel like an eternity but eventually I see Tipo’s head in the crowd. I point in the direction that Dexter went and he went off running. Nunu and Calmo were a minute or so behind and then off they went. As soon as they left, I decided to drive down the road. I mean how many people are walking with guitars. If not I can pick up the guys. I go as far as I think someone could have walked and then turn around. As I see Nunu and Calmo go running down a dirt road. I don’t follow, but I look for a good parking spot, so I can let Nunu know I’m close.

Just as I’m dialing, Nunu knocks on the door. I open and I’m about to go into 20 questions... did they find him? Did they get it? When Tipo and the guitar show up at the back window!!! Thank you JESUS!!

I can’t even believe it. I mean I can, but it’s just so crazy. I’m so thankful as guitars aren’t easy to come by here and everyone loves playing the guitar. It would have been missed. 

We drive home and as we pull around the corner, I can see some of the kids watching. Wondering. I give them a big smile and two thumbs up. Their concerned faces crack and each one wears a smile. Even kids who don’t ever play the guitar.

I got out of the truck and had a few minutes of day light left, to finish putting up the boards around my window. While I work, some of the Itty-Bittys as well as Abracos chant my name until I turn to give them a thumbs up. Then they do the same with Nunu.

While some of my blogs I type up days or even weeks after the event, I just had to come in and capture this day. It was so abnormally normal. You honestly never know what you are going to get when you wake up. And it’s things you don’t even think of. This is why when people say, “What do you do?” The most honest answer is “What don’t I do?”

Yuck! The "Tail" of a Mouse...

I don’t think I have blogged about a mouse in a long time. You want to know why? Because we haven’t had one! It has been SOOOOO nice. 

I figured once we moved into the new house, it was only a matter of time. I knew there were holes, or rather gaps between wall and roof. Not many Mozambicans would care, but anyone who doesn’t want mice in their house... they care. I definitely fall into the “caring” category.

When we first moved in, I could tell a few major problem areas. Our house is built out of cement blocks, then a 2x6 is placed at the top of each wall (along the wall), roof beams then run perpendicular and the tin roof is placed on top. If you aren’t careful then there is a space between the 2x6’s and the roof. If you really aren’t careful, there are spaces along the walls that lead right outside.

Before we moved in, I saw one of these very spaces between our bedroom and bathroom. I asked the Cement worker to fix this three times. Each time he added cement, but I think he thought I was asking for the sake of looks. In fact it’s quite the opposite, I don’t care if it looks strange, just keep what’s outside... outside.

So on his last day, when he wasn’t looking I went and scooped up some cement on the top of a bucket lid and hid it in the house and I waited for him to leave so I could fix the hole myself. I didn’t have any tools, so I used my hand and a spoon... and finally I couldn’t see daylight through the hole.

I also noticed that none of the spaces above the 2x6’s were filled, unless it was part of an outside wall. Our Kitchen wall is shared with a bedroom of another house (that is currently unfinished). One day Nunu was in there talking and he might as well have been right next to me. Sure I was concerned about the sound and lack of privacy, but I was also concerned about mice! So we got the Cement guy to come back and he and Nunu fix this up.

This is Nunu filling in the gap above the 2x6. 

The longer we lived in the house, the more I noticed the holes. I would see sunlight in a dark room, or I would just realize how things were built. But the problem now was that the problem areas are probably 12 feet from the ground... and we don’t have a ladder. We were supposed to buy one but because of problems with the truck, we haven’t yet. So anyways, I took note and just prayed that because the hole weren’t near the Kitchen that maybe we wouldn’t get any mice.

Over a month in the house and we had no mice.

Then Nunu left for Maputo and it happened. One night unable to sleep, I walked out to the Kitchen to get a snack. As I turned on the light, I saw a mouse run along one of the beams to the wall and then and was gone. I went to get my Ernesto (our friend who also lives at the Center). I told him of my problem and he came in and told me that we needed to ball up wet newspaper and shove it in the hole. He also thought there might be a hole at the other end of the house in our bathroom so he literally climbed our cement wall, hung from one of the wooden beam with one hand and shoved newspaper with the other! I’m glad to have people so willing to go above and beyond to help me out. I also got Black (our mulit-purpose guard dog) to hang with me a little.

The next day, I mixed up some cement and filled the 3 outside corners of our house that I could reach (by standing on tables, chairs and counter tops). Our house is “L” shaped, but the corner of the “L” and another one are to high. But I slept better.

A week after Nunu got home, it was a Sunday and I was sitting in our room in our bug hut (tent we sleep in). I first heard something hit the roof, probably a stick... it’s really common and we hear it all because it’s a metal roof. Then I heard something hit the floor. Oddly enough this isn’t uncommon either. We have lots of lizards who live with us, but when they fall, they make a smacking noise and I think it’s more of a shock to them as they just sit for 30 seconds to take it all in. This was a little thump and by the time I looked down, I just saw a dark colored blur. I went out to get Black and also got of the kids, Calmo, because Nunu wasn’t home. They both came in moved some buckets around and looked but found nothing. I kept Black in the room and zipped up my tent until Nunu came home. Sigh.

Maybe it was a grey lizard. Maybe your just seeing things. That’s what they said.

On Tuesday, I was laying in our bug hut on the computer. The power was out. Again I heard something hit the roof. But then I heard what sounded like nails on metal followed by a loud thump. My eyes go huge and I turn my flash light on but I can’t find anything. I send Nunu a frantic text message and just lay in my bed, but I hear nothing!

I can’t remember the order, but basically the lights come on and Nunu comes home. This time I’m not as easily swayed. I picture the guy from Ratatouie (because it’s more fun to think of him running around my house). I see him crossing the wooden beam, and being startled by the noise. He starts falling and in a last ditch effort, he reaches out to grab the beam but instead his little paw just swipes the metal.

Nunu brings in Adjuante and Engracado come to assist. But they find nothing. Nunu tells me it was probably a lizard and I’m torn. I so badly want to believe him, for my own sanity. But it’s like I have this 6^th sense... I just know it’s a mouse. I can’t deny the nails on the metal. And I’m on alert.

A few days later. Guess where I am? Yep sitting in our bug hut. It’s really more like my office by day. We don’t have a couch, we don’t have a desk and this room has A/C... can you blame me? Anyways, there I was on the bed. I think I was even watching a movie on a laptop. Out of the corner of my eye I think I see something. But it was like a trail of smoke near the ground moving from left to right. I glanced up a few times not sure if my mind is just creating things and that is when it happened. A mouse ran from right to left!

I jumped up and went running out the door, calling Nunu. He comes in with his “Assistants” I send them into the room armed with buckets (for trapping) and flip-flops (for slapping). Hands shaking, I proceed to make dinner... I need a distraction!

I hear furniture more and the wack of a flip flop on a tile floor. But Nunu comes to the door and asks did I see it go under the door. No.

Sigh.

Nunu says “I beat him once, but he got away.” Happy my husband is going to bat for me, but those were not what I was hoping for.

I become hyper sensitive. A.K.A. my shadow makes me jump. Nunu is awesome though while he can’t relate to my fear he makes sure he is last to go to bed so he can turn out the light and one night even wakes to switch them on so I can go to the bathroom. He more than puts up with me.

I see signs of the mouse in our Kitchen, but it’s been hard to keep all the dishes clean as a good day brings some water but not always enough for dishes. I set out sticky traps, but apparently they have lost their stick as I see foot prints left behind but not mouse.

It’s so strange. Time and time again, I tell people here there is a mouse in my room/house. They don’t believe me (or they try to convince me other wise) but it’s like I have this strange 6^th sense. I know when they are hear, I know when they leave. I can’t believe I’m about to write this but I know the difference between lizard poop and mouse poop.

I’m not really sure what to do other than be proactive and bait traps. I guess more than anything prayers would be much appreciated. That the mouse would leave. That we would be able to fill in the gaps of our walls soon. That we would be able to get full nights of sleep.

That’s it for now, I hope my mouse adventure is as amusing to you as it is to the kids who live with us!!