The year that was!

Happy New Year!!!!!!

Wow! What a year this has been.

Terrible, sad things happen every year to so many and this year was no exception. Devastating incidents have affected friends and family and my thoughts turn to those who have suffered this year.

Amongst the truly sad events of this year there have been times of rejoicing. Times where God has miraculously lifted our eyes in the midst of our struggles and has shown us his never-ending grace and love.

The end of the year can be a time of sadness for many. Another year older, things still not accomplished, life plan not where it should be by now… That’s why I have a tradition where i don’t forget the bad but I try to praise God for the good that has happened this past year. Sometimes it can be lost amongst the struggles but it’s there somewhere- don’t lose it! For me, I like to write down the praise points for the year. It helps me to remember I am where God wants me to be!

So I thought I’d share just a few of the happy moments of what really has been an exciting and rewarding year for me.

-       Going on the African global exposure trip in January. Visiting Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Botswana. Seeing Victoria Falls, elephants, lions and being attacked by a baboon (that last one doesn’t sound like a praise point but it makes for an exciting story!)

-       Visiting my family in South Africa after 20 years of not seeing them- TWICE!! What an absolute blessing. A particular highlight was to see my mom see her big brother again- precious! I am so grateful for the family I have both in Perth and in South Africa.

-       Seeing some beautiful friends get married, and being able to play a part in their special days.

-       Learning how to waterski- at Lake Niassa no less!

-       Starting to learn and understand a new language- still have a long way to go, but it’s an exciting step!

Oh and ofcourse…

-       Moving to another country and experiencing a different culture and environment.

It really has been an incredible year and I’m so grateful God has placed me where I am. If not for His strength and confidence I would not have been able to experience all this and learn more of His ways.

Lets look to 2013 with joy. Who knows what this year will bring for any of us… but we can have confidence that God will continue to lift our eyes and grow us, in our pain, in our suffering. And lets rejoice in the happy times as they come.

Not the lightest of blog posts to start the new year off but this is what happens when you’re in your room alone on new years eve waiting in the new year! A happy point of 2013 already is the bar next door is playing Jason Mraz through the very LOUD speakers! Wooooooo!!!! That must be a sign this is going to be a good year! Can’t wait!

Happy New year everyone!!! 

Premiere Time!

Today was the premiere screening of the short film "Three Wishes"- a film the Crane kids developed and produced while i've been here. I can't begin to describe how awesome it was to see them all show pride in the work they've done to get to this point - being able to show a finished product.

These guys organised everything from pre-production to post production and it was a pleasure to work alongside them as they learnt the different roles on set and challenged themselves- by acting, producing, directing, editing and so much more! What a great crew!

It has been great to spend Wednesday afternoons in the Cranes school room discussing hot film topics, listening to awesome ideas and sharing what little i know about what is involved in film production.
I can't help but feel a little sad that this time has come to an end... One of the first of many 'lasts' i am sure i will experience as i prepare to leave Mozambique in a few weeks to embark on a new adventure in Perth (which if you're wondering- i'm pretty much freaking out about)... These guys are absolutely tops and it's been a pleasure to have watched them learn and develop skills in an area i am particularly fond of.

Enjoy the one pic.... You can tell by the smart outfits that this was one prestigious event!

Hannah, Micah, me, Caleb, Josiah and Sam 

Time in Malawi

A few weeks ago i was able to visit and stay with the Global Interaction team based in Mangochi, Malawi for a few days. I had a terrific time getting to know this team a bit better and enjoyed being involved in some of their daily activities. Elizabeth Dymock is a young lady who moved out to Malawi a couple of months ago to be on the GIA team. She is a legend and it was great to spend time with her! She took me to the lake and we even visited Liwonde National Park with another missionary friend, Andrew. That was an adventure on it's own - getting up close and personal with hippos and crocodiles on the boat cruise and driving into a herd of elephants as we were leaving the park. It was great fun and i really enjoyed the opportunity to get to see a bit more of Africa!

Back at home in Lichinga things are happening too! Bethwyn Cheng has joined us for a few months to help look after the kids while the parents continue to learn Portuguese. She sure is a pocket rocket! It's great to have her energetic presence around and awesome to have a house mate! All the kids just adore her! 

We've started a new program with the kids for the month of December. The focus is on Christmas and so far the kids have really been enjoying coming to ours each morning to make crafts, bake fun christmas treats and learn a bit more about the real meaning of Christmas. These kids are seriously tops and it's sad that its becoming so real that i'll be saying goodbye to them so soon... But i'm going to try really hard to not think of that for now!

Here are some pics...

The kids getting into some crafts before christmas

Elephants crossing the river at Liwonde National Park

The drive home from Malawi (roads are good Malawi side!!)

Liz, Andrew and I embarking on an adventure during my recent trip to Malawi

Bethwyn is here! Yay! And so is Christmas at Casa de Wagin... 

Catching up with friends and their children near where we live.

Helping with the cooking...well not really... i just don't have the muscles these women have!

Surprise!

I love birthdays! If you’re having a birthday you can be sure I’ll be there to help you celebrate (unless of course I’m away, like you know, in Africa or something...) And there is something so special about all those Facebook messages you get from friends you speak to maybe once a year. Or twice- if you remember to message them on their birthday too.

Just recently it was my birthday. The fourth time I’ve ever celebrated it in the continent I was born in, and the first time without my twin brother (we did survive it fine!)

What a day I had! It was so good that I came away thinking- I need to write a blog post on this… and so here I am, writing one to share with the world how amazing the GIA team in Mozambique is.

They really are an incredible bunch of people- and not just because they made my birthday so special- that’s really just a reflection of their generosity and kindness and love they constantly share with each other and me.

These guys organized a surprise party for me. Complete with the one and only bouncy castle in Lichinga, and a very fun slip ‘n’ slide. Instead of trying to explain the awesomeness that was this party- I’ll share some pics!

Thank you so much Team Moz! I am so grateful to be spending this time with you now! Thank you for your encouragement and love. You guys are teaching me in ways you may not even know, and I’m very grateful to have each of you as friends!

Enjoy the pics!

Surprise!!

Lichinga Family

Matilda enjoying the slip 'n' slide

Slip sliding away...

GO Paulo and Alan!!!

There was a lot of sliding going on that afternoon!

The lovely 'Irmania' icecream cake Heather made. 

My thoughts on Paintballing...

Paintballing is so not fun. Ever. And I’m totally ok with saying that too. 

I know that as humans we’re meant to be tough and not show our weaknesses, but you aim a gun that shoots little pellets of paint at me and I’ll run squealing away. Either that or drop to floor in the fetal position.

I went paintballing in Perth for the first time last year. By the end of that experience I had sworn to myself I’d never engage in such a sport again.

Well… I’ve heard that after people give childbirth they forget the pain and do it all over again…maybe paintballing is a bit like that. I almost jumped at the opportunity to be shot at with paint again when the Crane boys invited me to join in the next time we went to Malawi. Maybe a part of me thought I’d never go to Malawi with them, maybe the tougher braver side of me actually thought it could be a fun, bonding experience..

Hah!

The time to paintball came this last Saturday in Blantyre. We were all there. There was no time to back out. The van was filled with (what seemed like) a hundred teenage boys who chatted the whole way about their ‘double tap’ techniques, and the power and range of certain guns. The adults in the car weren’t doing much to help put my mind at ease either. There was a sort of joy in the air- one that I didn’t quite share.

We got to the paintballing place and while the boys got themselves ready and geared up, Heather braided my hair. Definitely by this point I’d gotten rid of my ‘tough’ persona and was fully embracing the small slightly scared girly girl that I am!

Hannah and Andrea were also joining in on the action. Andrea has a broken arm, and Hannah has 4 brothers…they were good.. excited and raring to go! Much braver at 12 and 13 then I am at 23…

We got out on the field and were up against the three adult men. I was kind of happy about that. Perhaps they wouldn’t be as trigger happy.

So so wrong!

Jonno got us from the right, Scott pelted us from the left, and Alan took the middle. This was war. I could feel it in my bones. Fear gave way to determination. I shot. Hit one of my team mates in the back. Good job Sally. I shot again… hit the spectator stand. Adrenalin pumping through me I ran from the cover of the base to the dented up car at the back of the field. I didn’t make it. It was as though it was raining paintballs. I put my gun in the air as a sign of defeat. Apparently that meant nothing in this war though. I had no where to run no where to hide. I reverted back into the frightened small girl and squealed as each ‘bullet’ hit. And then just like that the game was over. We’d lost. Badly. I looked at my comrads. Expecting to see the sad faces of defeat and pain I was surprised to see two very excited girls. They were pumped and ready to fight again. These girls became my heroes that day. While they continued playing I walked up the steps to the spectator stand head down and promised once again to never play this crazy game anymore. I also thanked God that no one else on the field was as bad at shooting the gun as I was and no more stray bullets hit the spectators that day.

All in all, it was an exciting afternoon. Great to see the guys out there having a bit of fun. And maybe deep deep down a part of me enjoyed it.

Not the parts that are bruised and sore though…

The shooters!

This is just one of the several bruises covering my body...

Food for thought!

It's a topic everybody loves, and something I'm more than happy to talk about all day long!
In fact sometimes I feel that my conversations with other uzungus (white people) here are governed by what we've eaten and where we've gotten it from!

There are two parts to my food/eating habits here.. One is what is eaten in the villages/visiting local friends here, and the other is what I eat in everyday life.

The main food eaten here is Chima/ugadi which is a flour and water concoction. I have never made it but Kath has plenty of times.. It seems relatively easy to prepare (but I'd probably still find a way to mess it up) and doesn't have much of a taste- but it is filling and will make you want to sleep! Don't plan on doing anything energetic within an hour of eating it!! It is usually served with beans, fish, chicken or a cabbage dish and can get very messy! You eat with the right hand, scooping up the chima and rolling it in your palm with your fingers before dipping it into whatever dish you are served that day. I find it to be super tasty- exactly what is needed after a long hot morning walking in the sun... Our friend Dayana has said she'll teach me how to make this one day!

Out of respect to the people here we do not eat bacon (not that you can get it here anyway being a largely Islamic community). We also don't drink alcohol.

You can get most food stuff here so I think we've got it pretty good. There is a supermarket for 'western conveniences' (probably the size of a corner deli in oz) and plenty of other little shops and some markets for fresh fruit and veg! I haven't missed out on anything really. You can get pasta, rice, flour, sugar, salt easily and there is a shop that sells chickens (live and frozen) and beef mince- not too expensively! Avocado season is gone and mango season is in... Makes me appreciate the God intended seasons for the different fruit and vegetables a bit more!
There isn't really much in the way of lollies here but you can get chocolate! For that I am incredibly grateful. We have a choice between Cadbury or bourneville mini blocks of assorted flavours... I practically live off them...
Cheese and icecream is very expensive but available. And you can get long life milk and fresh milk (from friends who own a farm).
But I think the most exciting thing for me is that the other day I found feta cheese.. It was sent all the way from South Africa and being sold in this cute little shop that I've never bothered to look in before.
All this fresh food and no bottled stuff has caused me to do a lot more cooking and I've gotten pretty good... Well I thought I had, up until a terrible incident I had making a cheese sauce for mac and cheese for a team gathering. It's always the times when everyone is together to eat that something goes wrong! I'd like to think it was just a way to keep me humble in my new found 'skills' ...haha...

So, if there is one thing I miss... I guess it would be sushi.. and eating one of those fancy kebabs at riverton forum after church in the morning..

I should also say I am a very lucky girl here! I eat at each of the families (and various friends around town) houses for a meal at least once a week and they all have amazing cooks in each family!

And I'm eating breakfast everyday!

The Call Out

In case you were wondering where i've been, well i'm still right here in Lichinga... I have had every intention of writing a new post for ages now and i'm sorry i haven't ... My excuse is this: There's just so much happening, and too much fun being had! Don't believe me? Well why don't you come for a visit and see for yourselves :)
Seriously though... there is an ENORMOUS need for someone (or more than just one) to come out here for a bit of a stint to look after some pretty awesome kids while the parents get stuck into learning the language here! My ticket home in January has been booked and paid for, and while i have every intention of coming back, the need for someone is now...do you think you could do it?

You may be asking...what is it that i actually do?

Well, looking after the kids obviously takes up the majority of the time. You don't have to be a child care worker or a teacher, but it helps a lot if you like kids!

 I had an opportunity to take part in the language program, so you'll get to learn a new language (tick that off the bucket list!!!)
and you get to live in a completely new culture/environment (hello widening view of the world)

Spend time with the rest of the team... man, they make that one real easy! It has been an amazing blessing to be able to spend time with each of the people on the team, learning from their experiences, and deepening friendships with them... oh and it doesn't matter if you're an introvert or extrovert- they've got both sides covered well!

If you are even slightly considering coming out for one month, two, or more then please please please drop me an email at sallypenator@gmail.com and i'd love to explain more about what is involved and encourage you in this decision :) Trust me, i was planning one month here, then three, now it's nine and i'm not looking back!
In the paraphrased words of a wise old man i know, "If there is even the smallest seed in there- you've got to let it grow or it will just die" Not everyone has that seed, so if you even have the slightest bit of interest in missions, or assisting in someway over here- please explore that!

And that's my advertising thing over....i promise i'll write an 'update' soon!!!

Peace!

Four little visitors!

Check out these adorable kittens! They're my little visitors for the next week while my friend is away... I'm pretty stoked to have some feline company around- and i think the Beeck kids are too! In the words of Jack: "they are soooooooooo cute" :)

Time flies by!

Today is the day i should be packing my bags and heading home to Australia. My flight home has been booked for this date since April this year, and up until a few months ago, i thought I'd be the one saying the goodbyes today. And i am saying goodbye- to the mt pleasant team who left today after being in Lichinga since last thursday- they were such a joy to have around. Im also saying goodbye to my friend Beth, who flies back home to Michigan after spending three months working with SIM.
It feels so good to be here- to know my time here is not done yet. And i become more and more grateful each day for what i get to experience, and who i get to experience it with.

Its been a full on few days though. Kath and I, along with Robyn (from the Mt Pleasant crew) visited our friend D's mom out in her village on Friday. It was a fun day. Although there was the slightly awkward moment when they made us food and ushered us inside to eat on our own. They couldn't join in as they're fasting because of Ramadan...awkward...
Then on sunday Kath and i drove to Namwera in Malawi. This is because every 30 days i have to leave the country because of the visa i am on.. We stayed with our friends Debbie and Arthur. It was a nice little get away. The plan was to head off to Blantyre the next morning to pick up some things but on the way we got a call from Cam to say that his language helpers dad had passed away. We turned around and headed back home. An adventurous journey which led to us almost being killed by a crazy truck driver who's back end slid out infront of our car! But thank God we made it back in one piece.
Today was the funeral for J's dad. It was a sad occassion and an interesting experience.. Kath and i were seperated from the guys and we sat with the grieving daughters for a while before going outside to see the men carry the body away. We were then ushered back inside again and given food which we ate with some of the grieving family... While everyone else in the room watched... Being an uzungu seems to give us some priviledges that i have to admit made me feel just a little bit uncomfortable!

So now its back to the normal routine. It seems since going to south africa every week has held something different and new. It's been good but i'm looking forward to getting back on track with language and the kids routine!

Thanks again for all the prayers and support!
Til next time.. Ciao :)

Below is a photo taken at the village on friday with D's daughter and brothes in law. The other photo was taken when we took a short stint to the lake to show our visitors the beauty of Mozambique!

It's good to be 'home'

After an eventful week I am back home, safe and sound in Lichinga! The great news is, my visa has been approved- I am now able to stay in Mozambique til January next year!!!

I’m in awe of how God has worked through this whole situation. While I was worrying and lacking in faith and confidence that this would work out, God was working His plan.  In a very cool way! He showed me the strength of unity and the reality of what being a part of the body of Christ means. I am so grateful to Riverton (and beyond) for praying for me in this situation with the visa. The prayers did not go unheard!

I’m learning that it’s not all about me either. I really let myself believe the lies that I must not belong here and that this opportunity is being taken away from me because I don’t deserve it/am not good enough.  Such silliness! Ultimately, God can use anyone to do His will. The fact is, He has provided me with this opportunity, and I have no need to doubt that. I can be confident knowing that while I may not be perfect for this task here, God will equip me and give me the strength to handle whatever these next 6 months may bring. (And I am praying that involves some sort of fast Portuguese language acquisition skill or something!!)

So if I’d not been accepted into Mozambique again would my outlook be different? Man, I hope not. Thank God it wasn’t in His will (at this point). But I am learning through this that God actually truly and deeply loves us and has a plan for each one of us. If this had been the end of the Lichinga plan- well, it would just be the start of another phase of life, seeing where God leads...

 but i don't need to worry about that, because YAY i have a visa :) 

So going back to what I’ve been up to this past week….well, on Monday we found out I could possibly still get a visa. On Thursday I was on a plane and met up with my cousin and her husband who live near where I had to go. They very kindly let me stay at theirs on short moments notice. The next day my parents flew in- the first time they’d been back to their home country in 20 years! It was such a blessing being surrounded by loving family during this time. The visa business was sorted very quickly on the Friday and I was then able to enjoy a bit of an unexpected holiday with family (including an Aunt, Uncle and my other cousin) who had made the trek up to see my parents and I. We had a great time, saw lion cubs at an animal park, went to the local game reserve, did a bit of shopping, and mostly caught up on the past 20 years.

I then flew back yesterday and spent a night in Maputo. The people I stayed with were fantastic and it was an encouragement to hear the ministries they’re involved in.

Today I flew into Lichinga, and was greeted very warmly by Kath, Syd, Jack and Tilly. It was so nice to see their happy friendly faces again and before too long (about halfway through the car trip when a motorcyclist almost decided to get killed by oncoming traffic) I felt back at ‘home’. Almost like I’d never left…

So that’s it folks! That’s one challenge…now for the next adventure J Thank you for being on this journey with me.

A sign the Cranes made me a couple of weekends ago for a fellowship service. A small act that had a big impact!- thanks guys!

In South Africa, searching for Rhino... 

Catching up with my dad on the Gautrain. 

An ostrich leading the way...

One of the six lions we "found".... at the lion park

Mom and her brother Donald catching up after 20 years of being apart! That smile didn't leave her face the whole time she was on the trip!