An Golly Goche

Last week four Mercy Air staff flew in support of Martin and Simone Schumann, who are German missionaries in N. Mozambique. This was the sixth time Mercy Air had flown there.

The total trip was 2200 miles (3500Km). The white line on the map below is the length of the UK.

 We flew past some pretty impressive scenery on the way up.

The place we landed was an old military fighter base and still had a hangar load of Mig 21's.

We took 1200 solar powered audio Bibles and another load of Artemisia tea which can be used to cure malaria. We also took supplies to help them finish some projects on their house.

The plane was full but getting it and us into Martin's vehicle was another issue!

After that there was only the matter of a 2 1/2 hour drive in the dark on a dodgy road to where they actually live.

Arrival after 11 hours of travel

Apart from delivering the Bibles and Artemisia we were there to help with a number of projects.

The Schumann's have had no running water in all the years they have lived there. Paul re-wired a water pump...

...before he and Allan plumbed it in to transfer rain water caught in underground tanks...

up to a header tank and then in to the house for use in the bathroom and kitchen.

Allan made a mess in a bathroom...

...but then tidied it up leaving a newly installed sink.

Hendri worked on the Schumann's vehicle which had suffered after many kilometres on bad roads.

Then he attacked their motorbike which hadn't run in over two months. Martin uses to access the villages.

How many blokes does it take to change a motorbike tyre?

Up to four apparently.

Cathy did an ante-natal checkup on Simone who is expecting their fourth baby.

She also did a fair bit of baking.

  Paul climbed a tree...

 

...and then ended up on the roof patching up holes and cracks.

Mad dogs and Englishmen...

Prior to that he conscripted some help in cutting the strips of fabric.

Child labour

While he was on the roof some guys called from the beach (which is less that 50m away). They had a Yellow fin Tuna which they'd just caught.

We negotiated a price and then they carved it up in front of the kids which didn't seem to phase them. I guess it happens quite a lot.

Allan went off to visit some villages where Martin teaches. They had to go when the tide was out though so they could cross the estuary. 

No wonder his bikes don't do so well!

The village was still someway further on - and on - and on.

Cathy and Simone did their own visiting...

...and even found one man listening to one of the audio Bibles Martin had given out.

We came across quite a few moths including this interesting beast.

Next day we got up at 04:00 to drive 2 1/2 hrs back down the Black Widow road that even eats the vehicles that helped create it...

...to be in Nacala in time to take off and fly 125 miles down the coast to be in Angoche by 08:30.
To drive would take over 6 hours, by Cessna 310, a mere 40 minutes.

Our welcoming committee was comprised maily of local kids.

We went to Angoche to meet a team that had worked in Angoche in the past but were back on a follow up visit. Just so happens that two of them were both traveling back to SA at the same time so we spent a night and flew them back the following day.

But not before traveling out to the bush to see some of their work.
One was way out on a dirt road - did we say road, that might be a bit kind. The whole village gathered under a huge tree.

 You always see some interesting T shirts where you'd never expect them.

 After lots of singing and dancing and talking we were led into an overly warm hut and fed.

 

Our accommodation in town was quite comfortable although Health and Safety might have some concerns with the hot water arrangement in the shower.

Note the dodgy switch and exposed wires by the shower head - circled.

The next day we were up early and off again. Before we left the airport we looked in an almost derelict hangar and found two Piper Cub's well past their fly by date.

A quick check on the web when we got home revealed a picture taken in 1950 of the aircraft at the same airport.

The aircraft was made in 1948

So, as quick as it came a week full of activity was over, leaving only a 5 hour/950 mile flight to get home. Plenty of time to look back and contemplate what was accomplished and look forward to how we can help serve in the future.

Thank you.

Mercy Air team

Bridging the Gap

Recently Mercy Air's collaboration with ASAM in Mozambique continued as plans were drawn up to construct a much needed bridge.

'Crocodile Dundee' aka Rick Neufeld with the community team and a 2 metre crocodile.

Over the past few weeks amazing developments have taken place. Besides our own 'Crocodile Dundee' (aka Rick Neufeld) killing one crocodile with support from the local community, significant progress has been made to make this 57 metre suspension bridge a reality. Besides providing a safe way to cross the crocodile-infested river (and there are many of them), this bridge will ensure that 3 communities have access to school all year round, even when the river is flooded and impossible to cross. It will also provide safe all-year round access to the health clinic, the grinding mill and the new library being built at our local school.

To date, even without knowing the cost of this project, 11 individuals, 3 churches and 1 business have generously donated over $27,000.00! We roughly estimated around $30,000 for the project but due to inflation since the company who gave us the quote built the last bridge, as well as due to import duties of the materials into Mozambique, a fairly realistic costing is now $46,000.00. We do have a few additional pledges already from people who want to be a part of making this happen, and we are confident this project is both vitally important and achievable, so we are going ahead!

From right to left: Tony, Allan, Sjaak, and Dwight.

This week Allan Luus who is an engineer and CEO of Mercy Air, flew up to the mission in central Mozambique to bring plans and do a site visit to further assess the realities we are facing to get this done. Sjaak Walhout, a Dutch pilot missionary who owns his own RV experimental aircraft (otherwise known as a pocket rocket… for its over 160 Kt airspeed on 29 liters an hour!), volunteered to fly Allan up. After clearing into the country, they flew into the mission airstrip.

After a much needed quick lunch, they headed straight to the bridge site.

The engineer sweating it out on site! Thanks Allan.

School children and community members helping to clear the site for the planting of markers.

By the time they assessed the first location and then crossed the river to the far side location, they were sweating! A white engineer with his shirt off got a few comments from the local school boys, but very soon they settled down to helping with some of the clearing. Markers were installed, measurements were taken and any local conditions related to the design were jotted down. By night-fall they were back at the mission to enjoy a meal together and a quick review of the days’ work.

Going over the plan and costing.

Early the next morning while Sjaak and Andy fueled the little RV, Allan and Dwight reviewed plans and likely costing as well as any items needed to each follow-up on until the next site visit. Then the little RV fired up and blasted off into the deep blue sky! They were reminded again of how every step in progress at the mission opens doors for other significant progress and new chances to demonstrate God’s never failing love for the people He cares so deeply for!

Children crossing the river with other smaller children on their backs.

A team is now clearing the foundation locations and concrete, stone and sand will be transported to the site and somehow hauled to the other side of the river as well. In the meantime the plan will be tweaked and the final materials order made up for preparation and shipping.

Anxious community members already have the area cleared!

Thank you for your interest, generosity and prayer to make this amazing project a reality.

ASAM and Mercy Air team

Education Days In Mozambique

This post compliments our 'To Chimoio - but not quite beyond' entry and was written by Lynn Lagore from ASAM Ministries
 
Over the past few weeks, we have had the privilege of receiving a number of short term mission guests. Among them was a team from Mercy Air, South Africa. Anne Herbert, one of Mercy Air’s team members, has provided much help and support to our student remedial education effort over the years already. She was able to accompany the current team and dedicate her time here to helping train mission staff members in student assessment and basic literacy and numeracy activities.

This will help us strengthen our students’ foundation in reading, maths, and learning in general, all so critical as they grow and as their minds develop!

Staff members who will monitor student progress and provide encouragement and instruction to students got plenty of fun, hands-on training.

Children from the community close to ASAM as well as some of the teenage mothers enjoyed a full afternoon of fun, games, activities and LEARNING – divided into early literacy, numeracy and physical activities.

Children were blessed with sweets that had been sent in a container from Mercy Air Sweden thanks to the hard work of Camilla and family to cap the afternoons activities. The following day parents wanted to know if this would happen on a more regular basis where there children could LEARN

Thankfully, there is no age restriction on learning.

A session was also conducted for general staff members who are fathers, husbands, and heads of their homes. It was heart warming to see their enthusiasm to learn in anticipation of being able to help their families, and others, learn better as well!

Lynn reported after devotions the next day that the guys were so excited about the class Anne did with them that the next morning at devotions they talked about it with everyone and asked if that was the end of it? So Lynn assured him it was not! Lynn with the help of Rick another team member, plan to continue starting Monday afternoon.

Apparently one of the shepherds who was there, Elia, went up to the airstrip with Andy (another team member at ASAM) and was excitedly reading the numbers on Andy's radio. This came up during staff meeting and was so heart warming time for everyone to hear, especially me and I know now for you too. These guys have realised THEY CAN LEARN!

Then today I was reviewing the commitment agreements we've had the external students' parents and students. As they had to sign the form I realised yet again (sadly), how many of the parents could only sign with an "x" or just a scribble.

This reminds me of the tremendous change even a bit of learning makes in the life of an individual. My heart’s desire is to sit down with each of these parents and teach them to read and write. As we work together on this, with help from Mercy Air and their wing of 'Education to Build a Nation', this no longer feels like an impossibility. It can become a reality.

Thank you

Mercy Air and ASAM teams

To Chimoio - but not quite beyond

The last few weeks have seen us preparing for another trip in the Kodiak to ASAM near Chimoio in Mozambique. In many aspects it was almost run of the mill but at the same time there were a few firsts we hoped to achieve.

It was the first time we had been able to fly from our local international airport directly to Chimoio as they had the Jet A1 fuel the Kodiak burns. This avoided having to route via Beira on the coast costing us time and money. It was also to be the first time we could continue on and land at the newly opened airstrip at ASAM only 30 miles further on from Chimoio. Although we had a DCA flight permit we were not allowed to do so 'due to the continuing political unrest in the country'. This was quite a surprise and a disappointment as it would of closed a large circle spanning many years of joint planning and preparation on behalf of Mercy Air and ASAM.

We would have liked to of landed here...

..and left the plane in here.

Now we have a larger plane we can take more people and more stuff and on this trip there were a number of different functions we were fulfilling. The main one was to transport Rick Cogbill, the founder of Mercy Tech Missions who had flown with us many times in previous years. He had set up an auto maintenance facility at ASAM and wanted to transport the last few items he needed to complete the task. Rick has a natty little blog at:
http://mydustyshoes.blogspot.com/2014/02/week-one-arriving.html
so I won't steal any of his thunder as you can read his side of the story by clicking on the link above.

The Kodiak is huge and true to form Rick tried to load as much into it as he could, almost to the point that we were threatening to ban breakfast in the morning due to weight restrictions.

There was also a couple visiting from Birmingham in the UK and we wanted to take them to Moz to see what we do. Nigel is a vicar by trade but used to be a fire engine mechanic back in the day so him and Rick had plenty to talk about.

Being in the ministerial way Nigel was happy to give a talk at the morning devotions.

The one morning just as we started, so did the rain, and we all quickly relocated to Rick's new workshop where Nigel used the inspection pit to good effect.

The inspection pit of baptism - one day

Another aspect of the whole trip was Education. Mercy Air has been working together with YWAM to develop the 'Classroom in a Box' concept and Anne Herbert from Mercy Air also accompanied us and spent her time helping to train mission staff members in student assessment and basic literacy and numeracy activities.

This also included a visit to a bush school ASAM had set up many years ago to share the concepts with the teachers.

Teaching the teachers

Our arrival at the school was quite the event and all the kids were waiting to wave us in with branches.

Then they sang the national anthem and visitors who were spectators...

...soon became participants in games...

...much to the appreciation of all involved.

Because of the recent rains there were only about a quarter of the kids at school that day as the others couldn't cross the swollen river. We were able to do a teaching event to all the kids in one classroom...

...before lunch. First the drinking and hand washing water had to be collected from - quite a way aways apparently...

...before we helped dish up...

...and serve.

The kids walk up to 8 km to attend the school and this is likely the only proper food these kids will get on any particular day.

The food is cooked on an open fire...

...and served till it is all gone.

On the way back we stopped to by bread, but it was only just being made...

...in an oven powered by large trees.

We also visited a family who had four sets of twins.

Back at ASAM Nigel and Paul continued helping Rick with a few things in the workshop.

A work bench in the making

Became a work bench in situ

And then a work bench in action as Rick used it to teach some electrical motor maintenance

Meanwhile the shop received it's first vehicle for a clutch change and other adjustments.

A tool box we bought up gets its first outing

Nigel inspected one of the centres generators.

And gave some non verbal feedback on the electrical distribution facility.

Anne continued with assessments for some of the ASAM staff

While Cathy did an impromptu consultation for a mother who had some infant feeding issues

After what seemed like a whirlwind tour - especially considering the two nights of violent thunder and hoofing down rain, we drove back to Chimoio and headed home.

The Rio Save from 12000 ft.

We had some 'weather' on the way up and particularly on the way back down but the radar, storm-scope and approach and arrival equipment on the aircraft's Garmin GPS worked flawlessly.

Arriving back in South Africa

Thank you

Mercy Air team