Gone Again

Brooke and I planned on taking Gaspar to visit Zacarius and his mom today but one of the older youth informed me last night that he had seen him on the street yesterday.  So instead, Brooke and I went to the city to look for him with the help of Ernesto, one of the Iris youth.  We drove up and down the 25th of September stopping at all the spots where street kids hang out and asking groups of boys if they knew Zacarius and had seen him.  No luck.

Gaspar had come with us so we went ahead and drove to his mom's house, all the while praying that somehow Zacarius had gone back home.  Sadly, he wasn't there.  We visited with Gaspar's aunt and his little brother, Dodo, for a while.  A few other kids from surrounding houses came out to play with the random white girls too!  Gaspar's mom had gone to the market.  We waited for her to return for a long time but she never did.   A new KFC has opened in Matola, near their house so we took Gaspar, his aunt, and Dodo out for lunch.  We bought some take away for them to take back for Gaspar's mom as well.  

It was a good visit but I was very sad that Zacarius wasn't there.  He apparently ran away on Thursday or Friday.  I don't think I'll ever understand what it is about the streets that is so alluring to him.  There is a big youth service in the city on Monday nights and  Zacarius always comes when he's on the streets because he knows he'll find me there.  So tomorrow I'll be looking for him . . . and praying he'll agree to go back home again.

Brothers Reunited!

I'm sure you all remember my blogs about the 2 boys who were living on the streets - Gaspar and Zacarius.  Gaspar is living here at the center.  Zacarius was taken back home by his father only to run away again and live on the streets for a couple of months before he would all me to take him back to his mom.  Since taking Zacarius home, Brooke (my amazing friend from New Zealand who works here at the center with me) and I have been going to visit him every couple of weeks.  Last week, when we went to visit, we took Gaspar with us.  It was so cute to watch him reunite with his brother after not having seen him for months!  Gaspar enjoyed seeing his family so much that he wants to spend a weekend with them.  I'm going to take him this Saturday and pick him up again Sunday afternoon.  Hopefully these visits will become more and more regular and in a few months, their mom will be able to have both of her boys back at home with her!!!

This is a family portrait:  Gaspar, Zacarius, their mom, and DoDo, their baby brother.

What Can You Buy With $5 In Mozambique?

ALL OF THIS!!!!!!

My roommate, Erin, and I love walking down to the produce market to buy fruit and vegetables.  Today we came back with potatoes, oranges, tomatoes, bananas, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, and bread.  And all for 123 metacis....$5!!!  

School Holidays

What do you do with over 300 kids during school holidays?

We had a game day!

Some of the older boys put extensions in their hair....only to cut them out a week and a half later!

Some of the little boys came to my house daily to play!

David washed my car...he does a great job!

I took Paulo, Abel, and Inacio to the airport to watch the planes.

And they had their first ever milkshake!

As fun as the holidays are i'm glad they go back to school monday....a little peace and quite during the morning hours!

Thabo

i wanted to let y'all know that thabo passed away today.  he had been really sick the past week or so with multiple trips to the heart specialist.  as hard as it is to lose a little one like him, it's worse to see him suffering.  now we know that he is in the arms of Jesus.  thanks for all of your prayers for him over the last months.

Casa de Street Kids

My friend Brooke and I have befriended a couple of little boys living on the streets in Maputo - Zacarius and Adilson.  They are both 8 or 9 years old.  You may remember Zacarius from an earlier blog that I posted about him and his brother, Gasper, who we brought to the center from street ministry.  Zacarius was placed back in his father's home while Gasper stayed here at the center.  5 or 6 weeks ago, Zacarius ran away from his father's house and has been living on the streets since.

Brooke and I  look for the boys whenever we were in the city.  Last Tuesday, we took them out to lunch at KFC.  During lunch, the boys told us about their house.  I was really confused because I knew they were staying on the streets and didn't have a house.  After lunch, we drove over to a little park to see their house.  They had taken bricks being used to lay new sidewalk and constructed four walls.  Their floor consisted of cardboard boxes.  At night, they curl up together and sleep.  On Saturdays, there is a big touristy market in this park that we take visitors to.  Yesterday, I was anxious to see how the market affected the boys house.  I thought perhaps it would have been torn down by the police.  But instead, other street kids have joined the boys and they've built a huge house with 4 or 5 room.  They've even found plastic to make a roof!  I would guess there are 12 - 15 kids living in this house. 

Every time I see Zacarius in the city, I ask him if he wants me to take him back to his family.  They answer was always no.  But Saturday he finally said yes.  He was ready to go home.  So today Brooke and I along with Ernesto, one of the youth from the center, met Zacarius at his "house" and took him back to his mom.  She lives in Matola, a suburb of Maputo, in a small straw home.  Their village is near the river with a beautiful view of the city.  

For now, mother and son are together and I pray he stays there with her.  I don't understand what it is about the city that would lure a boy as little as Zacarius but I pray that he'd be content to simply view the city skyline across the river with his mom rather than run back to the streets.  

Where Does Time Go?

I can't believe it's been over a month since I've written on my blog!  But i guess it's a good picture of how crazy busy the month of May was for me!  First, there was an overload of work while the 4 main missionaries I work with were away.  Then a team came from the UGA Wesley Foundation and I had a wonderful but busy time with them!  It was so much fun having people from home here!  More of you should come!!!!!  I was even able to go on safari with them!

In the midst of the team being here, I had all of my preparations for Children's Day, a big holiday on June 1 similar to Christmas with lots of presents and a big feast.  We had Children's Day with the street kids on Saturday with over 100 showing up.  Then we celebrated here at the center on Sunday with a day packed full of festivities - new clothes give out, church, gifts, and a HUGE feast.  It was a fun but exhausting day!

The Wesley team left on Monday.  I spent all day Tuesday in bed sick ...which was actually a blessing because I desperately needed a day of rest.

And here I am.