Northern Synod in Mozambique (3)

Day 9 - Rest day!

The leisurely start and warmth of our hosts made us feel very pleased to be back in a more familiar area. Just as two suppers had been provided the previous night, two breakfasts followed in the morning!

One with hosts and one at the synod office. Much discussion was shared about the plans for the day but as it turned out the morning was used for sorting washing, chilling out, catching up on the blog and repacking bags once again. Our request for space to do our washing was met by an offer to do the washing for us! This is something we could not and would not have sought but is nevertheless greatly, greatly appreciated!

Rest Day part 2

After lunch we headed down to the beach but never got there as the desire of Sarah for not only a daddy giraffe (already bought) but also a mummy and baby one meant we spent our time bartering in various markets and buying souvenirs. We were glad of our hosts who haggled for us and ensured we were not paying far too much.

We were privileged in the evening to visit Jose’s parish 'Betlem' (Bethlehem) in a deprived area of Maputo. The warmth of the welcome was overwhelming. We sang - yes you’ve got it ‘Hallelujah’ yet again and the church sang ‘Blessed assurance Jesus is mine’ that they had learned in English in honour of us as visitors. Then first the church and then the women’s group danced up and dressed us, men and women, in kapulanas. Michael really got in the swing of things. Kate missed this as she was fast asleep back at a host’s home.

Then it was back to the synod office to wait for hosts for the night to pick us up. Four of us went to different families to enable us to meet more local people.

Day 10 (Sep 1)

Today started with office staff prayers led by the women’s secretary.

Michael, Sarah and Matthew had not joined us. Then Ernesto the General Secretary informed us that on September 1st the government sets the price of bread – like a budget in England. Riots had broken out across Maputo the capital, the road to the airport being closed and so we could not go off site.

Michael, Sarah and Matthew had to remain at their hosts home until it was safe for them to travel across town back to the synod office which they did early afternoon. Their host spent the morning on the phone and with an English dictionary trying to help and reassure and phoned the next day to see how his friends were. They commented on how the streets were bereft and there were signs of violence in many places. Church house in London picked up what was happening and contacted us and our families. The day was stressful as it was hard to work out what was happening; with pictures on the local news of a petrol station being set alight, rocks being thrown and rubber bullets being used to disperse crowds and news of people dying.

We were not allowed off the safe synod office site even with an escort. Our hosts went in search of water and chocolate for us but most shops were closed and people had not managed to get to work. So we all stayed on site and shared a meal, dancing and games to try and defray the tension and block out the gun fire that could be heard in the distance.

Our hosts have taken time and effort to reassure us and to try and ascertain what we want and to provide for those needs.

Day 11 (Sep 2)

Confined to site. We are less tired having slept better. After breakfast Lucy led us and our hosts in prayers where we played an action game in which we had to follow others around the circle. This was good fun and showed that we are to follow Jesus and take up our cross. One of the Pastors' wives thanked the youth group for having done that by coming on this visit to Mozambique. There have many many touching moments like this on the visit.

London phoned and arranged a telephone call with Ernesto at midday.

Still no decision as to what would happen so the girls braided each other’s hair. An hour later we heard that the decision had been taken to repatriate us today by road to South Africa. So we packed and ate. Then we heard from the Pastors' wives about the sewing and knitting project. Then there were emotional farewells, gifts and prayers in the largest Presbyterian church that is on site. Then we waited and waited and waited on a password.

Then the news came that we could not go today as transport to South Africa was not possible. Tension ran high as if it was risky enough that we were being pulled out what did it mean to be stuck here for another 24 hours. It was not good news.

Once more we are confined to site so the guest house rooms with en suite facilities up the road that had been booked for the rest of our visit were cancelled and we were once more dependent on the hospitality of our hosts. There was also no food left. As there is no public transport as the government is stopping gathering of crowds to prevent escalation of the protests our hosts had made soup. Later others went out in search of any take away food and two hours later returned with chicken and chips.

Day 12 (Sep 3)

A text early this morning says our transport is on its way drivers having flown into Johannesburg from Capetown last night. Hopefully not African time!

This morning Emma led prayers. We spent time while tea was being fetched last night braiding friendship bracelets. During morning prayers we gave thanks to God for memories, friendship and experiences on the trip before exchanging the bracelets with those around us who have come to mean so much to us; taking on the role of an extended family.

The roads are quiet still only large buses running and so we are hopeful of a peaceful and good journey home to England where we will hopefully be by Saturday teatime. The plus side is we may see animals on the drive through to South Africa and pretend a safari is finishing off our trip.

Our thanks go to our hosts who have coped lovingly with the changing programme with such warm hospitality.

Northern Synod in Mozambique (2)

Day 4

Today we visited Ricatla Parish and Seminary where Reinaldo is pastor.

For the first time we had cassava with José pulling up a plant so we could see the tuber / roots we were eating. It seemed like a cross between potato, sweet potato and parsnip.

They greeted us with song and we introduced ourselves. Then we went inside to eat and all the women gathered on mats outside grinning as we had given them pencils, notebooks, toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Emma challenged the men as to why the women had to wait to eat but the women assured us that they were happy as this was their normal practice.

Then we sang and danced teaching the folk of the Parish Hallelujah, hallelujah which they loved and continued to sing as we left.

We wandered around the seminary seeing the single women and men’s quarters, the married students’ quarters and classrooms. We also saw the library containing books by Professor Cranfield. The books were so prized along with an old saxophone of the Presbyterian Churches’ founder that it had to be kept behind what appeared to be a prison door.

Dinner back at the synod guest house was a local ‘Red fish’ complete with eyes followed by an early night ready for travelling north in the morning.

Day 5

Today we had a bum-numbing journey in a convoy of three 4x4 off roaders as we travelled the 500 kilometres north to Imhambane. We had homemade burgers and egg rolls for breakfast. Our translator Ivo got caught in traffic on a cattle bus that gets filled to overflowing so we were 90 minutes late leaving. There’s a surprise! African time!

If the dirt tracks earlier had been a bit of a surprise then the main A1 equivalent road proved to be all the more so in places. The driving around potholes on one patch left those of us who are travel sick worse for wear. It is interesting that only experienced drivers in Mozambique are allowed to drive on these roads.

Toilet stops were amazing with men lining up on the road side and women hitching their garments. We didn’t believe we would ever master the hole in some places but needs must.

One vehicle notably slower than the others took a detour to a parish.

Matthew, Jo and Marissa visited a very small and very deprived rural community. They received a very warm welcome and were received into a church built from Coconut palms where they shared greetings and also planted coconut trees being invited to visit in 10 years and see them when grown. They were offered a glorious and humble feast which gave the three an opportunity to try new things. Matthew ended up with chicken neck on his plate which was a new experience as was finding chicken feet in ones soup.

The rest of us were getting exasperated as we did not know where they were and were hanging around in the pastor’s house. Then the girls went to the Minister of Finances House to sleep in the families beds and the boys went to Gloria’s, a government legal advisors; where they were adopted and mothered.

Day 6 - Emma’s birthday

Another early start led to the busiest day to date. Chicken for breakfast as well as lunch and dinner and we thought it might be the only meat all day. Then it was off to the tourist beaches around Flamingo Bay. We walked around a hotel built on stilts over the salt marshes that are the breeding grounds for many sea fish and watched shells with crabs in them moving around. Then it was off to Barra Beach where we swam and bartered with beach sellers for scarves, dresses and bracelets. Jo got attacked by Dracula the sand fly that Emma had to rescue her from.

Back to the pastor’s house for more chicken and rice and maize the staple food here plus a cassava leaves and seafood sauce called ‘Xiguinia’. Then it became clear how burnt some of us were getting. So we covered up for the afternoon programme.

We went to a piece of land that the parish were going to build their church on but had now more land so this was going to be as women’s self development project of breeding chickens to gain an income. We each planted a tree or two with people from the Parish to mark out the boundary of the site. Then it was off to the land where the church is going to be built. The architect told us of the plans for a training centre, church, family homes and guest houses on the 1 hectare site.

Ernesto and Rowena then laid the foundation stones and started the honour book that everyone could write in to mark the occasion. Then people cracked the tops off a different variety of coconut using machetes and the nuts were passed round so that we could share the refreshing drink within. Different coconuts and grass burrs that stuck all over us were not the only unusual plants of the afternoon many of the girl’s shoes are testament to how piercing some of the local seeds pods can be.

Then it was off to a different beach with rough surf and where our host pastors stripped to undies and frolicked in the waves to cool off and relax after the activities of the programme. The local market was visited where Matthew excelled himself in negotiating prices.

Back to the houses we were staying to freshen up. A group of activists from Mupota had travelled up today for a programme in the Parish in the evening. Due to timing we were not able to join them for bible study by our translator pastor Ivo but instead waited around for a reception dinner on the veranda of the girls’ hosts’ home. We divided up around our hosts from the synod and the local Parish but English was in short supply. The architect again presented the project and there was some discussion about the business plan and potential finances of it; these are unpromising in the short term but better in the long term if partnerships are sorted, and if through building using trainees and recycled materials the costs can be kept down.

After this beautiful meal with birthday cake for Emma and welcome cake for us and champagne we were glad to turn in after a very busy day.

Day 7: Sunday

Marisa got what time she was to be up wrong due to being tired and so everyone in her room was woken up at 5am instead of 6am.

The activists from Maputo were having breakfast at the church so we had it at a church member’s house. Then we went to church. The service began with a liturgy, then we taught a couple of songs – Hallelujah again went down very well. Rowena preached. Then we had a second offertory where in turn the parish’s present and English visitors were invited up to sing and dance their offering to the front. We did God’s love is very wonderful and gave an amount from all of us, having put our change in the first offering. We have videos to prove we can dance with the best of the Africans and that’s saying something. Then various choirs sang and there were presentations and speeches of thanks. We gave the local pastor Alfonso a URC cross and fish made of olive wood. Then we formed a line as we danced out of church and shook hands with everyone.

Then we met with the Sunday school and sat in the baking sun asking what they liked about church. They talked not of meeting friends but of the prayers and bible study, giving us the impression of a spirituality that is not always present in our churches. We then offered more small gifts to the children and young people that were well received.

The activists left for Maputo in a cattle bus and we then had lunch – more chicken and rice. Then we divided and some went back to beach.

Lucy braved the sea for the first time holding Sarah’s hand and various local people including Gloria came to the beach. Another small group crossed over to Maxixe in the ferry that took about 25 mins, and wandered around and had a drink in a ‘village square' before coming back in a much smaller boat that folk were crammed into. Bart one of our hosts was quite scared but it was a lovely thing to do and very relaxing. The sun burn is really glowing now.

We invited our hosts to a meal in a hotel in the evening and 25 of us sat around a table on the sea front to enjoy a buffet – with pizza for Kate who is not going to eat chicken again for months. Matthew got stuffed on steak as they kept bringing medium rather than well done.

It was a beautiful setting except for the more prevalent midges.

Day 8

The time up north was followed by a much-welcomed return to Maputo, particularly to off-load souvenirs and to be reunited with those things we’d left in our suitcases. Marisa’s eagerness only 24 hours earlier was exactly what we needed to begin our return home with a 6am departure. A few photographs led to the most prompt start we’ve had since arriving! African time was only 10 minutes out from British time – a good hour or two closer than normal.

Breakfast was an experience, arriving in a restaurant before 10 and not getting fed til about 11! The rest of the journey was smooth, with stops at the different pastors’ houses en route. Philippe’s house gave the opportunity to see rice plantations while Pastor Langa’s offered views of monkeys loose in the trees. Apparently monkeys don’t like men, and as all of us were wearing trousers we must all have been men – they promptly ran off! As we continued on the journey, the sleepyheads continued to nap before being awoken by shouts of ‘is that a goat on the roof of the bus?!?’ which astounded the people in many cars.

We arrived in Maputo to be met by lunch at 3 in the afternoon – not rice and chicken but an array of jacket potatoes, fresh veg and eggs.

Supper followed not long after! And for some that was only the first supper! In between lunch and supper, we chilled out and pondered what to do with our free day, while the hosts sorted out where we would stay for the night – something which took a fair amount of discussion!

The rest time has been very much appreciated to balance out our very hectic schedule in Inhambane. Supper in the synod office also provided the first opportunity to share in the chores as, until this point, our hosts have been most generous in making sure we’ve not had to do any of the hard work.

We quickly juggled and repacked our luggage for the night before the hosts arrived and we split up into pairs and threes to stay with local families.

Many of us experienced washing with buckets due to limited water supplies but on the whole we managed fine. The families were so keen to have us they offered food and very warm welcomes and expressed a keenness to have us back again! Tiredness caught up with us and we were delighted to get a good and long night’s sleep, having been advised we didn’t need to be meeting until the far more respectable time of either 8 or 8.30 the following morning. The rest was definitely greatly appreciated!