April Update
We are SO SORRY for the long delay in posting to our blog. It has been a very busy, fun month and we’ve let it slide. Please forgive us! We thought we’d give you some quick highlights of April and then we’ll keep up to date in May.
q We started the month with a visit from our friend Robert Hodge. Robert is a pastor from Knoxville, TN who has become like family to us. He travels to Mozambique about every 3 months to help lead some pastoral training that is happening in rural Mozambique. We always enjoy our time with Robert. He is an amazing man with a huge heart for God and Africa. We look forward to our next visit!
q Our next visitor was Andrew Cunningham. Andrew is a Zimbabwean living in Nampula, Mozambique (northern Moz.). He has become a dear friend as well as a colleague of Steve’s. Andrew is the man responsible for all the chicken “activity” we have told you about in the north. He was here in Maputo for a few days of meetings and we were so happy to have him stay with us. He is such a kind man full of interesting stories and experiences. We are excited about all the work he’s doing in the north and look forward to many ways we can partner together to make a major difference in the lives of Mozambicans.
q We celebrated and enjoyed our first major holiday here in Maputo – Easter! We started our Easter by worshipping at our church and spent the afternoon with a group of friends. {See the link to our photos on the side and click on for some Easter pictures!} The day was complete with Easter chocolate from the states, (thanks again Robert and Gina!!) and an egg hunt in the afternoon with friends.
q Later in the month we went to an amazing beach (called Tofo) for four days during Kaleb’s Easter break. It is located in the province of Inhambane. It was a 6-hour drive from our house in Maputo, but worth every minute. Steve had some scuba lessons before taking a trip into the depths of the Ocean. During training he was told Tofo is high on the list of the top 10 places to Scuba dive IN THE WORLD!! After being under water for an hour he thoroughly agreed. The kids and I played on the beach, went wave surfing and exploring. On our last day at the beach we discovered an unbelievably beautiful “snorkel pond” full of fish, shells, crabs and other Ocean life. We can’t wait to go back with our snorkels!
q We had our first really high scary fever (103.6) while at the beach. Mia got some funky virus and then after battling it for a day or so she passed it on to Lucy. Steve took the girls to the local clinic for a little peace of mind. They took medicine to control the fever and when we returned to Maputo Mia went for a malaria test. All turned out well and no further treatment was needed. Unfortunately later in the month we were back at the clinic with Mia who ended up with a step/throat bacterial infection. So we’re just finishing up banana flavored antibiotics.
q During Lucy’s spring break we took a trip to South Africa. We usually go to a little town called Nelspruit which is very first world. There are restaurants, a mall – complete with movie theatre, shops and most importantly a mechanic. We needed to have some work done on the car, so we took advantage of being there and explored some new areas. We stayed at a great mission called Mercy Air where we met cousins of our friends the Jacobs. We also drove north into the hills of South Africa to explore some quaint little towns. The scenery was beautiful! We drove to an old gold mining town called Pilgrim’s Rest where we enjoyed the little shops and candy store. We also explored the towns of White River, Sabie and Graskop.
q At the end of the month our good friend Todd Bertleson came for a visit. We realized that he was our first true visitor. That is his only purpose for coming to Maputo was to see us! We had a great time showing him our town and exposing him to life in Maputo. He was full of thoughtful questions and was the recipient of much information. We were so grateful to have a piece of life in MN sitting here in Maputo with us! In an effort to show Todd as much of life in Africa as we could we took him to Krueger Park in South Africa for a Saturday game drive. We had a great time seeing zebra, monkeys, impalas, kudus, giraffe, birds, hippos and elephants. We even had a close encounter with a charging elephant!! Very exciting and scary.
So hopefully you all feel caught up on our lives. We promise to do better this month in staying up to date! We feel privileged to live in such a unique country as Mozambique and have the opportunity to see and explore so many new and interesting places. We hope that our updates will entice some of you to come and visit and explore with us! We also hope that you know that in the midst of all these highlights regular life continues. We are part of a big group of people trusting God to use our strengths and abilities to carry out his plan for the continent of Africa. We have had to learn to live in the moment here and not waste any opportunity. So we’re learning, seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, hearing and experiencing all that we can as we move ahead in the work God has called us to. Thanks for taking the journey with us!
q We started the month with a visit from our friend Robert Hodge. Robert is a pastor from Knoxville, TN who has become like family to us. He travels to Mozambique about every 3 months to help lead some pastoral training that is happening in rural Mozambique. We always enjoy our time with Robert. He is an amazing man with a huge heart for God and Africa. We look forward to our next visit!
q Our next visitor was Andrew Cunningham. Andrew is a Zimbabwean living in Nampula, Mozambique (northern Moz.). He has become a dear friend as well as a colleague of Steve’s. Andrew is the man responsible for all the chicken “activity” we have told you about in the north. He was here in Maputo for a few days of meetings and we were so happy to have him stay with us. He is such a kind man full of interesting stories and experiences. We are excited about all the work he’s doing in the north and look forward to many ways we can partner together to make a major difference in the lives of Mozambicans.
q We celebrated and enjoyed our first major holiday here in Maputo – Easter! We started our Easter by worshipping at our church and spent the afternoon with a group of friends. {See the link to our photos on the side and click on for some Easter pictures!} The day was complete with Easter chocolate from the states, (thanks again Robert and Gina!!) and an egg hunt in the afternoon with friends.
q Later in the month we went to an amazing beach (called Tofo) for four days during Kaleb’s Easter break. It is located in the province of Inhambane. It was a 6-hour drive from our house in Maputo, but worth every minute. Steve had some scuba lessons before taking a trip into the depths of the Ocean. During training he was told Tofo is high on the list of the top 10 places to Scuba dive IN THE WORLD!! After being under water for an hour he thoroughly agreed. The kids and I played on the beach, went wave surfing and exploring. On our last day at the beach we discovered an unbelievably beautiful “snorkel pond” full of fish, shells, crabs and other Ocean life. We can’t wait to go back with our snorkels!
q We had our first really high scary fever (103.6) while at the beach. Mia got some funky virus and then after battling it for a day or so she passed it on to Lucy. Steve took the girls to the local clinic for a little peace of mind. They took medicine to control the fever and when we returned to Maputo Mia went for a malaria test. All turned out well and no further treatment was needed. Unfortunately later in the month we were back at the clinic with Mia who ended up with a step/throat bacterial infection. So we’re just finishing up banana flavored antibiotics.
q During Lucy’s spring break we took a trip to South Africa. We usually go to a little town called Nelspruit which is very first world. There are restaurants, a mall – complete with movie theatre, shops and most importantly a mechanic. We needed to have some work done on the car, so we took advantage of being there and explored some new areas. We stayed at a great mission called Mercy Air where we met cousins of our friends the Jacobs. We also drove north into the hills of South Africa to explore some quaint little towns. The scenery was beautiful! We drove to an old gold mining town called Pilgrim’s Rest where we enjoyed the little shops and candy store. We also explored the towns of White River, Sabie and Graskop.
q At the end of the month our good friend Todd Bertleson came for a visit. We realized that he was our first true visitor. That is his only purpose for coming to Maputo was to see us! We had a great time showing him our town and exposing him to life in Maputo. He was full of thoughtful questions and was the recipient of much information. We were so grateful to have a piece of life in MN sitting here in Maputo with us! In an effort to show Todd as much of life in Africa as we could we took him to Krueger Park in South Africa for a Saturday game drive. We had a great time seeing zebra, monkeys, impalas, kudus, giraffe, birds, hippos and elephants. We even had a close encounter with a charging elephant!! Very exciting and scary.
So hopefully you all feel caught up on our lives. We promise to do better this month in staying up to date! We feel privileged to live in such a unique country as Mozambique and have the opportunity to see and explore so many new and interesting places. We hope that our updates will entice some of you to come and visit and explore with us! We also hope that you know that in the midst of all these highlights regular life continues. We are part of a big group of people trusting God to use our strengths and abilities to carry out his plan for the continent of Africa. We have had to learn to live in the moment here and not waste any opportunity. So we’re learning, seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, hearing and experiencing all that we can as we move ahead in the work God has called us to. Thanks for taking the journey with us!
posted by Sniders in Africa at 5/03/2006 11:41:00 AM
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