common passion for the wonderful people of Mozambique. We returned worn-out, sun-burned, bed-bug bitten, mosquito bitten, caterpillar bitten, and probably parasite infested but greatly encouraged at what He is doing in our OMS-related churches in northern Mozambique. What a priviledge all of us to be able to participate in such a things - truly. Thank you making it all possible and being such a vital part!There is too much to write about in one entry and I am even considering writing a more technical paper based on our last years here as I have formed some rather strong opinions about the church multiplication work we are engaged in. We approached the work completely open with absolutely no pre-conceptions but after four years of working with it, we have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, and we feel we have a good understanding of the situation here in Mozambique. At the deck-plate level, there is quite a culture clash that develops between the result-oriented Western demand for forms, numbers, statistics, and a culture where these things are simply not important and even offensive and where at the basis of everything is relationships. Both worlds have to be satisfied, 
but the world-view conflict is significant. But once again, I digress.
It is hard to determine how best to describe this trip. It was made simply to validate our church multiplication program results and check with / interview our church trainers and their student pastor planters. We wanted to help with issues and problems but especially to challenge and encourage these dedicated church leaders. But, there were also a number of side agendas as well. I’ll divide these into a few subcategories.
Travel
Praise-the-Lord that we had no real significant car problems. The roads north of Xai-Xai are the worst of 
the entire trip and much much worse than 9 months ago, even though a Chinese-lead consortium has been working on it the entire time. It seems they simply push dirt from one side of the road to the other with no real results. With our four-wheel drive, we were able to crawl over piles, through mud, around over-turned semi trucks and stuck semis and buses, dodge construction equipmen, but it was quite wearing. We did lose air conditioning for the trip back and we were push-starting the car (beating the solenoid with a hammer to get the starter to engage only works so long!). But, when Aimee and Ann would start pushing, others would usually join in! We also never shut the engine off for fuel stops, or other stops, and when we did have to stop, we tried to be at the top of some sort of incline. We felt God’s presence on the entire trip. We drove up in two long days, and the last leg on the second day was very nerve-racking as it was very dark, there are no lights or electricity where we were driving, so it is VERY dark; and when a car or motorcycle approached us, it made it very difficult to see pedestrians, carts, animals, and the like walking on the side of the road or in the road. Fortunately, there is very little traffic at night! This was also the first trip where we didn’t have one or more flat tires and smash the car on a tree or rock in the bush somewhere!
The bridge over the Zambezi River was complete and that shorten the second day by a couple of hours and what an incredible view from the top of the bridge as we went over this magnificent river that was at flood stage because of tremendous rains inland. It would 
have been impassable by ferry this trip. They charged us a small toll that was the same as the old ferry; I have no complaints! It really is a vast vast improvement.
We were loaded heavy both directions. We took a generator for the construction project in Mocuba along with bibles and training materials so the back was completely full – no visibility except by side mirrors. Extra tires and rims were on top and the backseat was loaded as well except for where Aimee sat. On the way back, we brought books, a crate, and a suitcase back for missionary friends in Nampula who are getting ready to go on furlough dropping their things off in Xai-Xai for storage. So, we were just as loaded and heavy coming back.
For my guy friends, we averaged nearly 16 miles per gallon, which isn’t bad for a big and old four-wheel drive loaded to the gills with things stacked on top! We traveled a little under 5000 km, which is about 3100 miles. One kid in Mocuba threw a big brick at us and disappeared into the nearby bush, putting a big dent in the side near the roof – just missing our window. Kind of sad – we’d been visiting the church of a pastor we know from another denomination. He was embarrassed as it was right in front of his church! In one parking location where we stayed a night, we came out to have someone spray-painting yellow within about five feet of the car – so we have a nice over-spray tint one side. I hope I can get it off when I try to clear it up this afternoon. Reminded me of a time when I worked at a shipyard in Charleston, SC when they were painting cranes and covered my white car with and over-spray of blue paint!
Dedication of Training Center Project
It is very difficult to categorize any single highlight of this trip as more special than any other as there 
were so many special things. We did spent time with Belarmino and the Training Center construction site. We laid out the foundations of the structures and agreed on the general lay-out of the land. There continues to be challenges with access to the land and while we were in Mocuba, there were a number of meetings with local officials, who want this project, but must very carefully work with the people who are growing crops on the road-right-of-way that leads to our land. So, progress is being made and after the harvest is made, the bull dozer will open the current path-way to the land. The workers are using wheel-barrows to move block, cement, and the like down footpaths until this is resolved. Belarmino’s 
view is “no problem, I’m paying them either way.” It is the cost of the materials that is the most significant cost of the project. (Note, the silver structure is a temporary place to secure our tools and materials as the project begins. On one side will be a temporary area of shade for the workers - you must get out of the sun to rest, eat, and the like.
We held a dedication service at the land, digging the first shovel-fulls of dirt and the first corner of the training center. All of us participated as we prayed together for Gods’ blessing on this project in total, that the workers would be safe and that we would see much spiritual fruit from this project. We felt that this was a very important first step – I would be fearful to proceed absent of dedicating the land, the project, and the vision of the project to the Lord. We want to stay in foot-step with where He is leading the project.
Things you get involved with can be surprising. On o
ne side of our land, there are many banana trees that are producing abundantly. A man has been harvesting these bananas for many years although he has no claim on the land. He is demanding payment (significant) for the loss of his banana plants that are really just wild plants. We will work something out on this but it is a process that has too just take time. We might let him continue to harvest for example, or reach some other arrangement but it is a part of the process. In Mozambique, as I have mentioned before, you never own the land, only the improvements on the land – it is a subtle but important difference in how you approach things here.
So, today, we are transferring 50% of the cost of a new well on the training center land (a simple pump-type well) which will be used by the training center and the community. We have a quote of about $7200 for this well from a company called Afrodril. We met with them and although I didn’t get the best ‘vibes’ from them at first but they did seem to know their business well and we were able to negotiate 
a reduced price, having started at about $11,000. They at first thought OMS was the World Health Organization (Organizão de Mundo Saude), which definitely doesn’t work in our favor in this case! But recognizing we were a church organization, with very limited resources, they were willing to negotiate a better price for us. We are still short about 3000 dollars for this well (comes from separate funding) and could use a little boost in our Mozambique Water for Life project account (#407670); OMS, PO Box 1648; Monument, CO 80132-1648 (put ‘#407670 – Moz wells’ on the memo line). Every little bit helps!
Clean water is key to health - there were cholera outbreaks very near to where we were visiting on this trip.
Blessings – more to follow.
Dave & Ann
“The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand.” De 29:12
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