Hello one and all! It has been quite some time since I last posted and I apologize. Life gets in the way a lot nowadays! I hope all is well wherever you are! My life in Mozambique has been quite interesting to the say the least. In about 4 weeks I will have been in this country for 1 year. It is really hard to believe. Some days I feel like I just got here and other days I feel like I have been here forever! I knew going in to this adventure that it wasn't going to be easy and boy oh boy ain't that the truth! In July I got really sick. I woke up one day and was running a high fever and it didn't seem like it was going to go away any time soon. After contacting our doctor here, I was told I needed to head to the city. Imagine running a high fever and having to travel about 3 hours in a truck with 30 Mozambicans. I was lucky enough to be able to sit in the cab with the driver but my body still was not happy with my traveling decision so as we were leaving the vila I was throwing up out the window (sorry for the mental picture!). I made it, though, to the city. After a week of tests and barely getting out of bed, I was treated for malaria. Malaria is some serious stuff! I take malaria prophylaxis every day, sleep under a mosquito net and use repellant, but the little sucker (no pun intended) still got me. I survived....whew!
My community integration has been lacking ever since our experiences with the break ins at our old house. It has been really hard for me to deal with. I didn't realize it was going to take this big of toll on me. There are days I just want to hide in the house and not see any Mozambicans. I keep trying to tell myself that I shouldn't be punishing everyone when just a couple were terrorizing us, but it is easier said than done. I suspect everyone now and my trust has gone way down. It has only gotten worse recently. Last Thursday another attempt was made at getting into our house...while I was home. It was some kids and couple of teenagers. It was still a scary experience even if it was just kids involved. I feel like that was how everything started at our old house and then it all escalated to the point where we were scared for our physical safety and had armed police guarding our house. What am I doing? I ask that a lot. Why am I putting myself through all this? I can be back in the states eating whatever I want and hanging out with my friends and family. I tell myself daily that if I am not here doing what I am doing, whether my doings are big or small, then this community wouldn't be getting any help. I know some of these people don't deserve our help (pesky robbers) but a lot of people do and appreciate it. They have so little here and if I can help and inspire them to be better people then I need to do just that. As the one and only Dory says, "Just keep swimming!"
On a happy note, Clube de Aprendizagem is doing well. The kids are really enjoying themselves and I think are getting a lot out of being taught by my teenagers. I am really proud and I can't say it enough, with my teenagers' commitment and dedication to the club.
Now on a random note, I was staying at a hostel a couple of weeks ago and met a cool South African guy who took me to this place called Montes Nairucu just outside of Nampula City. It is this cool little camping place with a restaurant, bar, donkeys, ostriches, a lake and...crocodiles! It was pretty cool! Who can say they had cocktails with crocodiles lurking yards away in Mozambique!?
That is all for now...keep your peepers open for some BIG news! Again, thanks for all your support, encouragement, care package items, etc. You all are making my service that much more enjoyable!
