just some thoughts

we went to town today so i don't have much time to write what i was planing. yes, ben, the grass would be fun to play hide-and-seek in.....IF there were no snakes in this county!!!! i have only seen one so far and he couldn't get away from me fast enough. that's how i would like to keep it. i'm not going to go around stomping on their ground....that's just asking for trouble.

i would like to clarify a issue that may be stirring in your heads. many of you seem to think i am going to get married and never come back to Canada (or what we in the bush call...civilization) and this has been insinuated again, in one of the comments (Taylor!!!) because of the fact there are 20 local men working here. first, and most important, most, if not all, of these men are married. second...i can't even speak their language! not to mention the culture difference, which is huge! and besides, Ruth has got me covered on this one...she is going to have me married off before i get back to Canada and it won't be anyone from Mozambique!

things have been a little difficult here between living in the bush and being away from my family and friends, whom i miss so much, but all in all i love being here. (thank you to so many of you who have been praying for me) things are different here..very sad sometimes, but i feel so honoured to be apart of the good that is happening here. this world is so underdeveloped that the task to make a difference seems daunting and you really have no idea were to start or what need is the most prevalent. there is a huge lack of jobs and the health and education system is severely lacking. then you throw in human error, which we are all guilty of, and you get people who are left somewhat desperate. in Canada if a girl drops out of school or gets pregnant too young, then realizes in later years that she made a few bad choices, there is still hope for her; it may be difficult but with the governments help she can get back on her feet and go back to school, get a better job and find a man who will love her child/children. i recently heard a story that makes my heart sink. there are three orphans that ASAM sponsors, which includes food, clothing and schooling. the eldest of these three took a wrong turn. before finishing school she got married and move to Chimoio. for some reason, the word is, she got caught in adultery and her husband kicked her out. she found another man but he has since left her...with child. she is 15 and pregnant. in this culture women are on earth for the sole purpose of having children and fulfilling the desires of her husband. they haven't learned yet that an education will give them more options. this young lady is now back living with the widow who was taking care of her in the first place along with the widows daughter and son in law. Lynn, George and i just delivered food and clothes to them. the son in law showed Lynn some blisters that were forming on his skin. though it is not confirmed Lynn is positive he has AIDS. if this disease were to take this mans life in the near future, this would leave the widow with three orphans, two small one's who should stay in school, one that is pregnant with only a grade four education who will find it very difficult to find a man who will except her mistakes, and a widowed daughter with two kids who most likely have AIDS as well. this is only one family that needs a helping hand. don't get me wrong, these people are still providing for themselves; every women has her own piece of land that will feed her kids and herself but you get one bad season, and there are many, and the lack of knowledge on how to preserve their soil and it makes mere surviving difficult to say the least. i take my hat off to those like Lynn and Dwight, Francois and Alta, and many others across the globe who have dedicated their lives to making a difference.

i didn't intend on this all being said but it must have needed to come out. it would appear that i have a lot to process in my mind. thank you for taking the time to read.