Why So Difficult?
After successfully getting a copy of the little girl’s birth certificate, we took it to be officially stamped/notarized at the identification office. I had a high hope that taking the birth certificate back to the Department of Social Services was going to have us on our way to attaining a passport for the little girl. After all, they had told us on our last visit, that getting this document would be what we needed to get the passport, which would get her to South Africa to see an ear specialist.
How silly was I to think that it would be that easy? T.I.A. Nothing is easy! This is my number one frustration with how things operate in Mozambique. There seems to be no consistency in how things are done. You’re told the way to do something one day and the next day the procedure seems to have changed. Add a language barrier into the mix and the outcome is pure frustration.
This morning, I sat across the desk from a man who “naturally” expected me to pay him a bribe in order for him to assist us, by doing his job, in which he is paid by the government to do. It is so frustrating to me, that there is no accountability for these government offices. No one is making sure that the work is being done lawfully. After much argument and me getting a tad bit hotheaded with the man, I now have an appointment set with him for tomorrow morning at 9:00. He is going to travel with Luis and me to visit the Chief of Child Welfare in the district of the city that Aninha (the little girl) lived in before coming to the baby house. He says that talking to this chief will get all matters of custody cleared up. He needs proof that the father of the little girl has abandoned her. The father’s written statement doesn’t seem to be enough proof, a birth certificate without a father’s name listed doesn’t seems to be enough proof, and a phone call to the Chief would just be too easy. So we are stopping at his office to pick him up, and then traveling to meet with this Chief in person tomorrow.
We are planning on taking Aninha with us on this trip, so that the chief and people that knew her before she came to the baby house can see how well she is doing. I’m hoping that this will assist in getting her a passport. Child Trafficking. I think that this may be the cause of some of the government’s resistance to assisting us in acquiring a passport. I continue to be more aware of the fact that there are many people in Mozambique that are in the business of selling children. Aninha’s health speaks loudly to the fact that we are looking out for her best interest, and not trafficking children across the border. I have a hard time believing that this trip to visit the chief will make any difference in our progress in this endeavor, but I will continue to jump through the hoops in hopes that I will eventually reach the end of the obstacle course with her passport in hand.
In other news, we took a quick trip into the city this afternoon to eat lunch. After lunch we walked to the Central Hospital in the Maputo. The campus is large, and seems to have had many improvements in the last few years. My understanding is Bill Clinton had a hand in paying for the upgrades to the hospital. Much of it was still very run down, but it seemed to me that there was lots of construction that was still going on around the hospital campus.
In other presidential news, Laura Bush was in Maputo, Mozambique today. We saw her motorcade pass by on our way back to the baby house. Sirens were blaring, and 6-7 secret service vehicles surrounded her car. The entire procession was followed by a S.W.A.T. vehicle, which I’m sure, was filled with a whole team of military personnel. With access to very little United States news I’m unaware of why she came to visit, but I’m interested in finding out. If anyone is aware of the first lady’s reasons for visiting please send me an em
How silly was I to think that it would be that easy? T.I.A. Nothing is easy! This is my number one frustration with how things operate in Mozambique. There seems to be no consistency in how things are done. You’re told the way to do something one day and the next day the procedure seems to have changed. Add a language barrier into the mix and the outcome is pure frustration.
This morning, I sat across the desk from a man who “naturally” expected me to pay him a bribe in order for him to assist us, by doing his job, in which he is paid by the government to do. It is so frustrating to me, that there is no accountability for these government offices. No one is making sure that the work is being done lawfully. After much argument and me getting a tad bit hotheaded with the man, I now have an appointment set with him for tomorrow morning at 9:00. He is going to travel with Luis and me to visit the Chief of Child Welfare in the district of the city that Aninha (the little girl) lived in before coming to the baby house. He says that talking to this chief will get all matters of custody cleared up. He needs proof that the father of the little girl has abandoned her. The father’s written statement doesn’t seem to be enough proof, a birth certificate without a father’s name listed doesn’t seems to be enough proof, and a phone call to the Chief would just be too easy. So we are stopping at his office to pick him up, and then traveling to meet with this Chief in person tomorrow.
We are planning on taking Aninha with us on this trip, so that the chief and people that knew her before she came to the baby house can see how well she is doing. I’m hoping that this will assist in getting her a passport. Child Trafficking. I think that this may be the cause of some of the government’s resistance to assisting us in acquiring a passport. I continue to be more aware of the fact that there are many people in Mozambique that are in the business of selling children. Aninha’s health speaks loudly to the fact that we are looking out for her best interest, and not trafficking children across the border. I have a hard time believing that this trip to visit the chief will make any difference in our progress in this endeavor, but I will continue to jump through the hoops in hopes that I will eventually reach the end of the obstacle course with her passport in hand.
In other news, we took a quick trip into the city this afternoon to eat lunch. After lunch we walked to the Central Hospital in the Maputo. The campus is large, and seems to have had many improvements in the last few years. My understanding is Bill Clinton had a hand in paying for the upgrades to the hospital. Much of it was still very run down, but it seemed to me that there was lots of construction that was still going on around the hospital campus.
In other presidential news, Laura Bush was in Maputo, Mozambique today. We saw her motorcade pass by on our way back to the baby house. Sirens were blaring, and 6-7 secret service vehicles surrounded her car. The entire procession was followed by a S.W.A.T. vehicle, which I’m sure, was filled with a whole team of military personnel. With access to very little United States news I’m unaware of why she came to visit, but I’m interested in finding out. If anyone is aware of the first lady’s reasons for visiting please send me an em
Labels: africa
posted by justin at
5:30 PM
3 Comments:
I was sitting at La Bodega last night with Jason Hammy and Julie G. We were discussing your blog and while doing so we relayed your story of Marcelino to Julie. We laughed and laughed for quite sometime. I think I have Julie hooked for wanting to come there. Wanna start a baby house with us? :)
hey justin -i figured out the Laura Bush thing:
MAPUTO, Mozambique (Reuters) -- U.S. first lady Laura Bush announced on Wednesday Mozambique will receive $507 million to build roads and boost its battle with malaria, which kills about 150 Mozambicans each day.
I hope things are going well for you and Molly now. Reading your blog has been a joy.
For some sort of malaria initiative in Maputo. She was at Maputo Central Pediatric Day Hospital...gave a press conference there. that's all I know :-)
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