June 10, 1999, CE
     I left US airspace about a week ago today. In some ways, my time in Mozambique has seemed much longer, and much shorter. My biggest concern this week has been recovering from a combination of jet lag and culture shock. For some reason, I did not sleep well AT ALL for the first week I was here -- I just got my first full night's sleep last night! Unfortunately, that made me less flexible and less able to take in everything I have seen. Nonetheless, I have gotten a good picture of Maputo.
     Maputo is a strange city. The Portuguese designed it with the idea that they would make a Mediterranean city here in Africa. In some ways, they were remarkably successful. Some of the streets are broad, and acacia-lined. Most of the streets in the city are paved, and some don't even have potholes. They are some excellent restaurants and hotels here -- indeed, there is a five star hotel across the street from where I am right now! Periodically a line of flashing lights and cars with tinted windows goes by (stopping all traffic). That would be the president! (I was pretty excited the first time. Mark, the Canadian worker here, just rolled his eyes. Apparently the president stops traffic on his street on a regular basis!) The city is right on a beautifully blue bay, which makes me want to go swimming. I haven't figured out yet whether it's safe to do so, but I will soon. Apparently, the reefs here rival those of Australia. There are many salespeople on the street. They come in two varieties -- young boys offering low-budget purchases (for example, a pre-read copy of Newsweek) or stands, which offer goods like oranges and hard candy. There are also periodic stands of "tourist goods," like malachite chess sets, wooden picture frames, carvings, etc. The art here (mostly intended for tourists, I believe) is very abstract, but interesting.
     The Presbyterian church compound takes up part of a city block. There is the guest house, where I have been staying (right now I am apartment sitting for Mark, who has gone up to Nampula. It is not safe to leave one's place unattended for any length of time.), a number of offices, some small apartments, and a large church. On Sunday, when I attended, there were about 400 people there. I was told that on Pentecost Sunday, there were more like 800, which I can't imagine since the church was full with 400! Services here are definitely not held to our 1 hour limit (ah the assumptions you never thought to challenge!). That Sunday, an entire family was baptized -- mother, father, two boys and three girls, one an infant. I was also introduced. There is no piano in the church, and I was curious about how they would sing without it. Their singing is wonderful! What happens is that someone (there were three pastors, several elders, and some choir leaders, from what I could tell) would start singing. It would sound horribly alone for a couple syllables. Then, everyone would join in -- singing parts! They have a strange 4 part notation in the hymnal that I haven't figured out yet. Any time there was a lag time in the service they would sing a few stanzas of a hymn. I would venture to guess that the singing alone took over half an hour, but I was content to listen and attempt to sing along. Unfortunately, the services were held in Tsonga, so I didn't understand anything but "Amen". (Although, the Lord's prayer sounds EXACTLY the same no matter what language!) Fortunately, I had a translator, but he could only give me the most basic idea of what was going on. I find that I do not feel obliged to understand everything -- that one of the joys of being from the outside is the ability to simply enjoy an experience, without having to understand it, or worry about doing what you are "supposed" to. Everyone there knows you do not speak the language, and so you are forgiven if you do not do the right thing at the right time. But watching others usually gives me a good idea what to do. After the service was over, the numerous pastors (one of whom was a woman, by the way) and myself stood in a line and shook everyone's hand. (Did I mention I was seated up on the platform at the front of the church? When I came in, I tried to sit in the congregation, but they shortly came over and moved me to my correct position. I was the only white person in the church.)
     I have learned a bit about the church here. This started as a Swiss mission -- and still has significant Swiss funding. There are three North American workers here -- I am one of them, Mark (who is Canadian) is another, and the third is home on furlow. There are also a pair of Swiss missionaries here. In general, however, almost everything is run by Mozambicans. I am working for the Project's Department, which is run by a pastor known as Sive (like Seevay, but said quickly). Sive is his last name -- I do not know his first! Sive is a wonderful person -- he invited me to his daughter's first birthday party my second night here. It is his wife who was the woman pastor during the Sunday service. He frequently apologizes for his "boring" English, but offers a lot of insight into Mozambique and Africa. For example, Monday I will be flying up to Nampula in the north of Mozambique, to visit numerous missions in the North. He explains the need to support projects in the North by explaining that they have much less access to education, health, etc. than the South (where the capital is). If the difference between the North and the South, in terms of economics and opportunity, is not reduced, he fears a civil war. He is far-thinking and intelligent. 		 

 

 

 

 

 

The view of Maputo from Mark's apartment

The Polana -- the five star hotel

 

 

 

 

The Presbyterian Church I attended

 

  Inside the church -- the family you can see in the front is being baptized

 

 

 

 

 

 

  After the service and the recieving line

 

 

 

 

 

  They are singing to Sive's daughter at her birthday party

     My job here is three-fold. My "big challenge" as Sive calls it, is to write a book. I will be visiting a ton of projects, and taking pictures. (Apparently, there are few pictures of any of these...) I will talk (through whatever interpreter possible) to the people there, discover the past of the place, review the current project, and talk about the hopes for the future. I will also include a chapter on the Project department staff (all three of them). My final chapter in the book will deal with the Project Department, past, present and future. Sive emphasizes the extreme importance of the future of the Project Department -- what they want to do and where they want to go. This book will go to donors and potential donors. It is definitely a major project, and as Sive says, a big challenge. From this book, I will also make a couple pamphlets on some of the most major projects. For example, Mabilibili, a town south of Maputo, was completely devastated in the civil war. The Igreja Presbyteriana de Mozambique (Presbyterian Church of Mozambique -- called IPM typically) has brought in engineers, and planners, to rebuild a church, a hospital and a school. (That's a LOT of infrastructure!) I think this project really shows the ideals of Presbyterian missions not to ONLY tend to the soul, but to care for the mind, soul and bodies of all people even, as the project plan says, if they are not Christian. Anyway, I will be visiting Mabilibili and other places like it. My third task is to teach the Project staff what is possible on the internet. (Sive says, "Why it is important for globalization"). So towards the beginning of July, I will show them some of the possibilities of the internet. (I told Sive a few of them, like reading a hometown paper or listening to a radio station from thousands of miles away, and he was shocked!) I have also decided that they need to do a web page. They are luke-warm on this, in part, I think, because they do not understand what it can do. We'll see.
     As I mentioned, I will be flying up North on Monday to view projects. I have an ambitious schedule. You need a really good map of Mozambique (and Malawi) to find all these places, but here goes: June 11 I drive to Ricatla with Sive, June 12 is Machamba (both are near Maputo). June 14th I fly north to Nampula, where I will join up with Mark who is there for a conference. June 15th we go west to Sawa-Sawa, 16th to Cuamba, 18th further west and north to Mandimba. On the 19th we will be in Blantyre (a more major city) and will stay there until the 25th when we go to Zobue. The 26th we are in Tchessa, the 27th finds us in Tete (the provincial capital), and on the 29th I return to Maputo. I will make a number of shorter trips after that, but mostly I will be writing the book then.
     For those weeks I will be away, I will not have my laptop with me (it would be too vulnerable and unnecessary) so I will not be available by email. Don't worry -- in that time no news is good news! Until then, however, I would love to get messages from y'all. (I admit to being a bit homesick...) Please write with all the news from home!
      I love and miss you all. May God bless and keep you. You are in my prayers.