A Search for a New Home

For the last two months we have been in search of a new property to move our second house of children to by the 1st of July. The area that both of our houses are in has started to become more developed with new businesses and lots of new building projects. These new developments have caused our little town to be the popular place for the people of the Maputo area to want to move. All of these factors have made the housing market very scarce.

During the search for a new property, we have been on a waiting list with 15 other clients looking for similar properties with the same guidelines. Our guidelines include: 3 bedrooms, kitchen, indoor bathroom, room for visiting teams to stay, and a yard big enough for the children to play. These expectations have made the search for a new house even more difficult.

Yesterday afternoon the realtor took us to look at a property and it looks like it is going to meet all of our expectations. The rent is a good price and appears to need very little work done to it. The house needs maybe a new water pump on the water tank and a fresh coat of paint. This also means that we must start working to get our previous property cleaned, painted, and fixed up, so that we can move the children out and to a new home.

Also this next week, Pieter, Rika, and the boys are leaving town to find some vacation time away to process all that has happened in the last few weeks. This will be good for the Boersmas as we cover for their family and send the last of our staff at the 2nd house on holiday. This will also mean that my Internet connection and email will be very limited here in Mozambique while they are gone.

Haircuts & Mr. T

On the agenda for today was to give the boys haircuts.

The A-Team van just happened to pull up to our front gate as I was getting the clippers out and ready for my makeshift barbershop.

After the quick photo opportunity with Mr. T, I trimmed the boys up, so that they are clean cut and ready for the rest of their day. I have also been doing the cooking for the children for the weekend, while we send the local staff on their holiday breaks. I would like to think that the children have taken a special liking to my versions of their favorite Mozambican dishes, but then again there isn't much that you can do to spice up a good porridge.

Policia @ the Gate

Today is Friday and we had police at the gate of our house two different times this morning. Both times they had different boys, both children 9-10 years old, without places to stay. It is hard to turn the children away, but we just don't have the space or the facilities to offer children that age services. We sent the police and children on to the social welfare office, where they will hopefully be directed to another center that works with their age children.

We have taken in four new children in the last four weeks, and six children total since the month of March. The need for homes for orphans is so high in Mozambique. Pieter and I were talking about the high level of need this afternoon. Both of us are confident that we could have five houses full of children within two weeks, if the funds and workers were available.

There are many other projects in the works, but all are operating on African time (translation=slow). Things are getting back to normal, structures are being reestablished, and the children are getting back into their routines. It has been good to be here, and able to support my friends that are here year round. We have already shared many laughs and a few tears. Life is good.

update: 5:49 pm. new pictures uploaded to flickr. please take a minute to check them out. Also, we haven't forgotten about the decidedly different photo project updates are hopefully coming soon. Amy and I are working away to get some posts ready for public viewing. Check out last years work while you wait.

Getting My Feet Back on the Ground

This last week has been really busy, but don't feel like much has been accomplished. Mostly planning and scheduling staff holidays. Many projects are in the works. The Boersmas and I took a quick day trip to South Africa on Saturday to buy food, tools for work projects, and supplies to complete various tasks.

I was struck down with the stomach flu last night, and it has put me out of commission for the day. At one point last night, I wondered if this is what it felt like to die. I don't think that I have ever been that sick. I am feeling better now and hope to get some things accomplish before bed tonight.

We are working hard to find another property to move our 2nd house to, before the end of the month. It is very important that we find something that has more room for the children and facilitates our ministry better. We continue to search and hope that all are praying that God will bring us to the right house soon.

People continue to bring children to the house. I have lost track of how many new kids we have taken into our homes in the last two weeks. The kids are beautiful, and most are doing well health wise. It is good to be here at this time, but emotionally, spiritually, and physically draining.

I have not had time to take many pictures and have struggled to find a internet connection that will work for uploading. I want to share some of my new photo work, but will have to be patient, until I find connection with good uploading speed. Thanks for continuing to follow my life in Maputo. Look forward to sharing more as things continue to develop. Check back often.

update: 11:00 am. I uploaded a few new pictures to my flickr account. check out the link to the right

Update from Mozambique

I made it to Mozambique just a few hours ago, and much has happen here in the last few days. To bring you up to speed, I thought it would be easiest to share two quick updates from Pieter, that were sent in the last two days.

Please read and continue to pray for my friends and our team here in Mozambique.

From Pieter:

Dear Friends,
We returned to our Mozambican family late Friday night. So much has happened in our lives the last few weeks and we feel so overwhelmed right now. The loss of Baby Josef was a big shock for us, our staff, and the children. It was even harder to process with the death of my mother. The only thing that kept us going is the knowledge that Jesus is in control.

During last week Social Welfare also dropped of three more children. The chief of Social Welfare now wants to integrate all our healthy children, because we are the only people taking babies. Now that we say our houses are full he wants to make space by moving the older children. This is not our vision, please pray for us as we try and communicate this to the chief. We want to walk with our children for a lifetime.

Today we celebrated children’s day here in Mozambique and it was so much fun, to see the children eat, play games, and even singing a few songs. I think it was a time of healing for our staff and children.

Please pray for Rika and I, we are really struggling emotionally right now and we are overwhelmed by so many things happening. I had no time even to process the death of my mother. We hope to take a short break the next few weeks, as a family. Thank you so much for all your prayers and support.


This was sent out the following day:


Americo arrived at our home a few weeks ago, he is a year and two months old. His mother and father died because of AIDS. He was already on anti retroviral, but his auntie stop giving it to him four months ago. His feet were swollen from malnourishment and he was dehydrated the day he came to our house.

This morning Americo died on the way to the hospital. He slept last night with one of our volunteer workers Amanda and when she woke up this morning she realized he had trouble breathing, we rushed to hospital and on our way there he died.

When we took him in we knew he was very fragile and ill, but we had faith that he will also be healed by Jesus. We know he is with Jesus now and for a few weeks he was loved and cared for by our family and staff.

We do not have words right now to describe all that we are going through right now, we still have faith and hope. Our educators are not doing well and I can see that this is very hard for them.

Thank you for all your prayers, but please continue to pray for us.

Pieter and Rika.