Next, the Swedes!

A day after the Canadians were delivered to Chimoio we were flying back up to Moz again with a team from Sweden who were looking at getting involved with the work Mercy Air does in the Delta and with ASAM.

We first went to Marromeu where we stayed at the Mercy Air container base.

From there we flew into the Delta, a journey which used to take YWAM three days in an open canoe but now takes 20 mins in the helicopter

We took teachers and translators..

...who continued with the educational programe that YWAM and Mercy Air have developed.

Using various games and activities basic numeracy and literacy are taught.

People from five villages walked for up to 10 km to attend the classes.

We're not sure this guy's Brazilian football shirt is totally representative of an actual player!

After two nights in Marromeu we then flew through some weather and on to ASAM in Chimoio.

We visited a hospital that ASAM work with. The tour included the maternity ward its birthing tables...

and an interesting incubator...

...which amounted to a three bar electric fire bolted to the wall in front of table covered in a blanket and an assortment of electrical sockets.

There was also the hospital kitchen...

At ASAM they visited all the projects that they have developed over the years (education, clinic, agricultural etc) as well as the new airstrip and hangar that we should be able to use very soon.

 Our friends at ASAM have adopted a Duiker who freely wanders in and out of their house.

 After a hectic few days in Moz all that was then left to do was take a quick team photo...

...before flying down the coast on our way back to South Africa.

So, we hope that the reports that go back to Sweden about the work we are doing in Mozambique will release some funding that will enable us to be even more effective.

Thank you.

Mercy Air team

Watch out the Canadians are here!

We recently flew to Johannesburg International to meet five guests off a flight from Canada. We fly into Joey's once or twice a year so it always makes a interesting change to the type of places we usually go.

Jo'burg Int. traffic jam

Notice how the professionals always taxi on the line. Talking of which, I have noticed that I usually park slightly to the left, but with lines painted this wide even I found it hard to miss.

Towing the line

Us little planes have to park 3 km from the terminal building and a very expensive taxi brings our passengers out to us - eventually.

White waiting it does give you the chance to get close to and take pictures of other proper planes though.

We flew our Canadian guests to White River where they spent some time in the Kruger Park. A few days later we flew them up to Chimoio in Mozambique where they are working with our friends at ASAM for a month.

We had to delay by one day due to some pretty unseasonal weather but... we finally got into the air and on our way to Moz. Apparently some of the passengers found the flight quite exciting...

An interesting photo of the loos in Chimoio airport...

Seems that if you have limited space (or limited pre-planning ability) you can be quite inventive.

Just outside Beira we flew past the old Grande Hotel once apparently one of, if not the most luxurious hotel in Africa. Now there are fully grown trees growing from third floor balconies. Google it and click on images to see before and now pictures - interesting.

For the rest of the flight back  the pilot managed to bag business class - not often that happens.

Thank you.

Mercy Air team

Assortment

Whilst allowing for the potential Kodiak ferry flight, we were still kept busy with a number of shorter mission flights.

The first was another trip for Mercy Tech Missions, a Canadian based organisation who are developing a motor mechanic workshop at the ASAM base noth of Chimoio in Mozambique.

Rick (left) and his friends taking the mickey as we let him fly for a short while.

Yet again we fly past Paradise Island just north of Vilanculos.

This is headed up by Rick Cogbill who has a good blog with more pictures and less words than us at: http://mydustyshoes.blogspot.com/

The next two trips we did in our new Piper Seneca III which was kindly donated to us at the end of last year by a business man in Durban.

Seneca taking off from the Mercy Air farm.

The one trip involved taking a missionary who had been evacuated to South Africa for medical treatment back up to Mozambique, along with two mission kids who were returning to their families for Easter. The return flight involved bringing some German and US staff back to South Africa after visiting some of their missionaries in Mozambique.

The last flight was another one for Errol, the policeman who had been shot in the neck eleven years ago (a previous blog entry is at http://mercyair-sa.blogspot.com/2013/02/stormy-monday-blues.html. This was our fourth flight for him which enabled him to travel from his home in Kwa Zulu Natal to receive hospital treatment in Pretoria - and back.

On the way there we flew over the Cullinan Diamond Mine.

If you enlarge the picture above you can just see the huge Cullinan Diamond Mine where the world's biggest diamond was discovered in 1905 and which is now in the Crown Jewels in London.

Here's one from the web that shows it better:

  Meanwhile, back in the plane...

Errol in relative comfort in the back of the Seneca.

Police and medical staff help transfer Errol to a stretcher in Vryheid.

We appreciate that a lot of these pictures are just 'people in a plane' and in themselves aren't very exciting, but to those we flew and the people who received them they were quite important and it is a privilege for us to serve in this way.

The next couple of weeks are also busy for us so expect another update soon.

Thank you.

Mercy Air team