Yes we are here

Tonight I figured out how to get our internet working on one computer.  It took several phone calls on a borrowed phone and I am not doing something exactly right with the wireless, but we'll figure it out.

We arrived without difficulty in Maputo and the Kelly's were there to receive us.  It was great to see them and their precious twins.  All our luggage made it and customs pulled the same container that homeland security did - but after an inspection, everything was ok.  We think Ann's four-year supply of hair spray (2 cans) may have been the culprit.

The jet lag has been a bit more of a challenge than we remembered - we still aren't in to the swing of things and our days and nights continue to be mixed up.

Things we noticed:

1.  The entire Mozambique field is completely consumed with getting the OMS school started by Monday.  They have done so very much and worked so hard and everyone is sprinting to the finish point.  The new school will be very nice and there will be much room to grow in this new location.
2.  There are a lot more cars on the roads, with the resultant traffic.
3.  There seems to have been a marked increase in crime while we've been away, just what we've put together hearing the various stories.

Our weekly prayer meeting was really nice - 11 people were present - we haven't had that many people on the field for many years now.  The lesson was wonderful, from 1 Kings 19, and tracked along exactly with what we feel God has been telling us all year, that we need to listen.

That said, we still don't have a working phone, our internet access just happened today, although there are details to work out on that still and we haven't quite figured out how to deal with money under the new banking rules.  We bought a new phone in the airport in Johannesburg, planning to put a mozambique chip in it (the phones are cheaper in South Africa), but haven't quite got to that step.  You'll understand in a minute.

The banking rules in Mozambique have also changed and we're not quite sure how we will deal with the resultant issues, but we'll figure something out.  Because of a purchase in South Africa, the bank froze our account, so we borrowed a friends skype connection to try and deal with that - wondering if things are going to be more difficult that way this term.  We haven't bought groceries yet - because we don't have confidence our credit card will work to get cash - so I guess we just haven't relaxed into the chaos and difficulty of life here.

Some missionary friends of ours here left for furlough in the states just before we came back - they are letting us use their car - which is a great blessing to us and a savings for us operationally also while we look for something.  The car had only sat for two months before we got here.

It wouldn't start and when I opened the door it smelled really bad - rats / mice - I know that smell well from the cabin!  I mean REALLY REALLY bad.  It wouldn't start, so I looked under the hood and the vacuum hoses and electrical wires had been eaten by hungry mice - little holes everywhere, rat droppings everywhere and smell smell smell.  It was overwhelming, so I wrote a quick note to my friend who assured me there was no secret button or step to start the car.

The next day, used electrical tape and connectors, fixing the wires and temporarily patching the vacuum hoses - no problem.  Eventually, I got it started and it seemed to be running fine except for the smell.  SO I drove it over to our house to continue working on it - and tried the air conditioner - the fan caught and I immediately shut it off and dust and little black rice pellets shot our of the ducts.  Oooooh.  I could taste that smell for the next 24 hours.

So, I'm on day two - took out the air conditioner fan and uncovered the condenser and cleaned out the little nests in the fan and the condenser housing,  learning a lesson I had never thought about before - NEVER STORE YOUR CAR WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL ON "OUTSIDE AIR".  That's how they came, in, dragging a sleeve from someone's shirt into the fan (I'm not making this up). I cleaned up all that mess  - end of day 1.  No trips to town yet....

Day 2 - the mice came back - lots of evidence in the engine compartment, but not in the car - their door was closed.  The smell is still overpowering, but I found the second nest, up under the hood liner - Took that down and began the second day of hard cleaning.  By the end of the day the smell was much reduced, the air conditioner working great, and the engine running like the well-oiled machine it is.

Do I sound like I'm complaining - no - I've actually enjoyed resolving the problem and I enjoy working on cars - so it has been a nice time to work and talk to my heavenly father about this term before us.  In between, I've been able to visit with some of the folks coming and going - re-engaging in Portuguese, and it has been good.  We're working to get our house in order - it was actually in very good shape, we just needed to open our storage closet and unpacked the suitcases.  Aimee did us quite a favor staying here while we were gone and everything was in wonderful shape.

So, tomorrow, we'll try our hand at driving back to town on the other side of the road, buying a chip for our phone, hopefully getting a little money,  and getting some groceries.   We also need to get our immigration paperwork started.  We are trying to re-enter slowly and deliberately - there is so much to be done just to prepare for life here.

I would appreciate prayer tonight - I have been immersed in rat dust / droppings and cleaners - but something funny is happening to my right eye.  Years ago, I worked for two ophthalmologists and I know just enough to be be concerned.  Our visa's don't allow us to exit the country until we receive our resident visas and I can't imagine finding an eye doctor here I would be comfortable with - but we can ask at the Embassy which is one of the stops we have to make in the next day or two.

Ann says it might be hysterical blindness; welcome to Africa!  It's more of a fog that comes and goes on the right eye - to me more like something floating in the vitreous that cross the field of vision from time to time. Peripheral vision is good, and the cloudiness seems to move a little bit.  So, I'm thinking it is something in the fluid - like a floater but more fuzzy.

Claude and Marilynn Meyers are staying at the house next to us for a few days - what a treat to be able to spend some time with them today.  What an example they are to us of consistent service for the Lord.  We are very fond of them.

We have enjoyed getting reacquainted with many of our national friends, from Berto, Alzira, Aaron, Luis, Alberto, the guards who watch over our compound, Belarmino, Adelino, and the list goes on.  There are so many we need to reconnect with, but first things first:  we need to get set up and our legal status squared away before we get too involved.  Our shipment is scheduled to arrive September 26 and we must have our resident visas in hand by then.

Oh, and our water heater is out (and it is winter here, 60 degree weather) - so that is on the list as well, as well as the leaky shut-off valve - no shortage of the things of life.

So, I leave you with this short update - thank you for standing with us.

Blessings

Dave and Ann

"Elijah was afraid and ran for his life....The Lord said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by,...but the Lord was not in the wind,....was not in the earthquake,....was not in the fire.  And after the fire came a gentle whisper.  When Elijah heard it (listening!!), he pulled his cloak over his face (humility!!) and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.  THEN (my emphasis) the LORD said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (for he had run in fear away from what God had intended for him)"  1Kings 19 (a good read!)


And after Elijah listened, God gave his the instruction and assurance that he needed - in the gentle whisper....


God is so good to us....