Mozambique Journal continued

May 19 Orphanage

Last night we had fish, rice, and salad made with cucumber, tomato, onion, and bell pepper tossed with oil, vinegar, and salt. I was a little scared about the fish (I don't usually like fish), but it wasn't bad. The kids ate every bit except the bones--heads and all! I just picked the meat out...when they ate the skin it sounded a little crunchy to me...

After supper the kids cleared the tables and then we played games with them.

I played Memory with Celeste, Marta, Dercio, Celestino, and Mosais. Then we sang a couple songs in Portugese--one was like the Hokey Pokey--had a brief devotion by Charlie and prayer by Pastor Alfonso, the kids sang "Boa Noite" to us, and we went to bed. It was DARK, and Lauren and Charlie were the only ones with flashlights. The stars were amazing--we could see the Milky Way, and the Southern Cross, and satellites crossing the sky--incredibly beautiful. We giggled a lot trying to get ready for bed in the pitch black. It was so quiet during the day, and got so noisy at night--frogs, and something going "hooooooo, hoooooo." Then I heard a growl (!) and thought it must be a lion! or a leopard!...and realized it was someone SNORING! (coughCharliecough) Then I heard a flap-flap, flap-flap, and asked Mike what it was, and he said probably a BAT, which freaked me out. But this morning he pointed out that they eat mosquitos, which is wonderful. So the bat was a gift from God. (There were clouds of mosquitos in the building our tents were in--with an audible hum) I did not sleep well. (Never do in a sleeping bag) But I did sleep...

This morning we woke up with the sun. The worker guys were "supposed" to be here at 7, but it's 9:20 and they're still not here. We hung out until breakfast. Isabelle boiled water for me for instant coffee, and I visited with Nelson and Silvio, drawing in the sand. We had manioc for breakfast--tasted like potatoes--we put butter on it and it was mmm-mmm-good. We also had some of the bread Lauren helped Pastor Alfonso make, and more coffee. (All the plates and bowls and most of the mugs were tin--made me feel like Laura Ingalls!) We read Lamentations 3:22 and 2 Peter 3:9. Our chapter for today was 2 Corinthians 6--very appropriate!

"...4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love... "

(Later)

I also had an appropriate song come to mind as I sat on the toilet: "Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me..." Ha!

I didn't do much this morning--pulled nails out of a board--but I did help in the kitchen some. I hand-washed a dish towel in the sink. And I got to share a cup of shima (sp?) with sugar with Benedita. It tasted like cream of wheat--not bad!--but it was interesting eating out of the same cup.

Then I played hopscotch with some girls (and Benedita!) until lunchtime.

Lunch was more shima (which is ground up manioc) covered in a gravy made of ground peanuts, coconut, and kovi. I was nervous about it, but it was pretty bland. Carter loved it!

After lunch I was watching the students play with the kids in a combination of dodgeball & keepaway,

when Rafael recruited me to take pictures of him (photo! photo!) taking care of animals.

I thought. They actually went and picked out 4 pullets for supper!! I "got" to watch them be killed. (They slit their throats. The knife wasn't very sharp.)

Then Benedita and Isabelle pulled up a stool for me so I could help pluck! That was a first. But it was worse watching them get cut up. They eat everything. Feet, heads, gizzards, and other internal organs.

I'm taking a break right now--even brushed my teeth!
Here's what the rest of the team was doing: