Show-Down at the Village

It’s time for a Show-Down

 If you think I’m referring to the political arena of my homeland, the United States, and my host country, Mozambique; you’re wrong but that is a good guess (At home this week there is a show down debate on gun control, and here the two political party leaders are getting a bit steamy calling out to international mediators to calm civil unrest). No the showdown I am writing on is between the time I have left here and completing my projects. I am almost at my half way mark here and there is still much left to do.

Let me quickly set a scenario; pretend that you are a mountain climber.  You are invited to climb a beautiful rural mountain with no paths and just basic gear. You get dropped off and can see the mountain is a distance away and you can’t get there alone. You realize that the local peasants need to come with you for guidance and to assist building a pathway so that they can receive the resources of the fertile land. So now you’re gathering a needed posse team since you can’t hike alone.  It takes a bit of time to be able to communicate with the people, and it is difficult to convince them that the trek will meet their needed resources as well - water and food. 

The villagers are not on your time frame, they are busy just meeting the daily needs, they need to process the information and get an overall consensus – plus it’s a long walk. 

Often you look around you and see that less are following you. So you, the mountain climber, slows down until you are walking with the group, momentum is slow and it’s difficult to see if you’re any closure to starting the climb. 

Tired, with holes in your boots you finally realize that you have arrived at the base of the mountain and are looking up.  Up. It seems very far.  Your happiness is now overcome with mental fatigue, you labored so hard to just get to the base that climbing up is intimidating. Time is limited. You are finding that the posse is looking at you for direction, the next step, a bit closer to the peak - and you are tempted to just sit and toast hot dogs.

Show down time, move up or sit by the campfire. That’s where I am; hot dog in one hand and hiking stick in another.

Briefing on some of my projects.

Color Coded Pediatric Appointment schedule.  All infants under two years of age have an assigned color which determines the time that they visit the hospital for monthly check ups. Before , all mothers appeared at 7:30 am and waited (a study done showed that a sick child would take over 5 hours to be able to compete visit – 80% of time is spent waiting to be seen).  It was also communicated that sick children are attended first and that the mother needs to alert staff upon arrival. This has significantly reduced waiting time.

Organization of pharmacy.  A funnel effect was apparent at the pharmacy and this was resolved by dividing services and assigning staff to the two pharmacy windows. We also communicated to patients peak wait periods advised early in the morning or late afternoon for refills. Staff can now complete work at hospital closing time.

Youth Groups- Planting the seed to succeed into these young minds is imperative for the future of this country. I have a young girls group on Saturday’s that attend a “Choose your Future” class, a Tuesday ESL group of fifth graders who are building self-esteem sprinkled with English words; and a group of older girls who just started a new group generating income and learning about good health.

Family Park Proposal:  A team and I are working on rebuilding a community park that has gone into disarray since the Portuguese left 41 years ago.  Originally it was set up as a playground but now will include stations for all family members and serve as an educational center.  I am hoping that this will strengthen the family unit, now a day’s men go to bars and mothers collect at homes with other women if there is any free time. Still working with a sketch but hopefully the grant will be written and the work will start and finish by April.

Other activities include a ESL group for hospital staff, a permanent garden project with a  teacher at the agronomy school, and I coordinate an English Theater contest in September with 10 contestants in my province.

So I need to put down the hot dog, tape up my shoes, and take one more step up this mountain. 

Thanks for following me.

The reception I get is always polite with a tinge of curiosity from the elders

Children are content with this porridge

hanging out

What?

Twins are at a high percentage in my district.

Will his life be better than his father's?

New Point of View

After a year away from home, my daughter has come to visit.  Nothing has been more exciting than seeing my daughter after 13 months and sharing this experience with her. Her observations will co-write this blog post. Her point of view is fresh; a young woman who is experiencing a different world.  After five weeks we both agree that this has not just been a vacation but an expansion of her view of the world.

Life on the Other Side

In all my travels, I have never experienced anything like Mozambique. Everything about it is different; from the lifestyle, to the people, to the daily activities, it differs from any trip I’ve been on thus far. I wouldn’t call my time in Mozambique a vacation, but more of an adventure.

There are so many things here that I’ve needed to adapt to, like the lack of infrastructure. Some days there’s no electricity and the dirt roads have made my feet the dirtiest I’ve seen them since I was a child.  I’ve also woken several mornings to no water, however, early planning on my mom’s part lead to us being able to brush our teeth with the buckets of water we stored the day before. A few times at night we found ourselves feeling around the apartment for a flashlight so that we could finish eating our matapa, which is a traditional Mozambican dish made of a leafy green.

You would think this would sour my mood, yet it has been humbling to see how people live with these setbacks. I love how extremely friendly the people have been.  They are the happiest and most giving people I’ve met. Even though they don’t have much, they are still gifting me with the traditional capolana and hosting dinner. The feeling of inclusion from the locals is present and it stems from the welcoming attitude that by the community lives. Everyone here is part of a communal family and each member is looked after by another and vice versa.  This has added to my experience here and I can see first-hand the benefits of my mother’s work.

Other enjoyable experiences have been the hitch-hiking, the nightly beat of the drums from a nearby ceremony, and a local I helped peel cashews with to be sold for his income. These are such different norms that I won’t be able to have back home.

Mozambique is beautiful and full of hidden gems that no one knows about. This journey would benefit anyone who is willing to open themselves to a new experience, especially when looking for a humbling adventure outside of their everyday life.

Until next time Mozambique…you will be missed.

Chores start very young

Skill 

Hitching a ride

Race with hospital staff..I'm holding my pants up.

Hitch hiking - The only way to travel most of the time!  My mom in her capolana.

Washing undergarments.

Visiting a PC volunteer who is in another area with fewer resources

The kids loved the picture taking.

Beaches here are a secret gem

Paddle Board on the Indian Ocean!

Crossing the Border

I have been a bit stunned at the changes a few steps can make, especially if those steps are crossing a border on the map.  Literally the ten steps from crossing into South Africa from Mozambique is like night and day; manual borders on one side electric on another – metal handrails verses no handrails- dirt path versus paved walkways.  The world changes in ten steps.

I crossed the border on land when picking up my daughter from Johannesburg, the capital of South Africa, a brush of infrastructure, newness, and racial mix is apparent. We started our journey to Cape Town, South Africa and visited the little piece of Europe in Africa.

History remains apparent on this voyage; the Dutch architecture influences during colonialism, the segregation of living areas during apartheid (which means apart-from) , and the diversity of food from the residents.
 

Highlight of the week, Friday morning mass with Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Cape Town received a blessing through the landscape and the world has been changed through its noble leaders.

.  

Nelson Mandela

The area is definitely worthy of a visit.

Table Top view at Waterfront

Delicious wine

Yes this is South Africa

Neighborhood still waiting for improvement