Happy Holidays!!!

Dear Family and Friends,
We've been in Africa since Dec. 4 2009. The trip Portland, D.C. Dakar, Johannesburg, Maputo was crazy and seemingly endless but we finally arrived. And thanks to answered prayers got all of our luggage over the next week. My clothes were the very last to arrive which was a test of my patience. Good thing for the one outfit Bruce got me in the gift shop of the hotel at Joburg.. I wouldn't have had anything to wear to church.
We live in a 50s home built by the Portugese on a lovely grounds with mangoes coconuts tangerines oranges papayas lichi pineapple and pomegranate…What’s on now are coconut and mangoes compliments of Brundee. Maranatha’s guards seem to think it is their job to pick all the fruit they can to take with each day when they go. So one day the tree is hanging full and the next empty. Brundee and I caught on to this and made substantial harvests and today two days before Christmas I put 4 Gallons of mango in the freezer. The first day I went to the local Shop Rite who do you think I saw? Santa Claus. And as I was shopping I listened to strangely familiar Christmas tunes howbeit with Portuguese lyrics and a definite African twist. Its so strange. It doesn’t look or smell or feel like Christmas except for the traffic. If I could tell Santa what I wanted It'd be a washer. It kills to do greasy jeans. And they don't come too clean either.(but a good Speed Queen is ONLY 900 to 1200 US$ here) Anyhow I don't speak his language. Ha! There is so much interesting history here. At one time Maputo was the tourist capitol of Africa. Our first Sabbath afternoon we toured the city a little. There is a grand old park with a house made of metal. It was built by the man who made the Eiffel Tower. Nobody could ever live in it its too hot but its really neat to look at. The park was from the 30s and the plants and ponds terraces and outdoor theatres were something to see. One area with huge pillars was totally covered in a flowering vine whose branches were immense. Someday it may bring the supports down. It was gorgeous. It seemed as though every park bench had a cozy couple on it. Other than the mosquito’s it was a great place for courting and proposing. But the thing I remember the most was the huge flocks of bats. Fruit bats laying low in the trees in the heat of the day. They are in our yard too and when they come out at dusk they are soo noisy. Bruce’s first assignment was to go overland hundreds of kilometers away to fetch 2 Samil trucks. One broken down the other a roll over. What a trip and what adventures he had on the way. Brundee's first job was welding windows and doors for the school addition in Maputo. The shop is in a gated very roomy area with well made buildings and a well. Mango trees here as well. So the workers have worship at 7 am and go to eating mangoes and visiting with each other walking slowly over to get drinks breaking for the free lunch to continue the same. The children stop by to gather the bowls of mangoes dad knocks down for them to take home or to market...until the boss shows up then how the sparks do fly and the area buzzes with activity. When the boss goes home its back to the drag until closing then switcho changeo on go the fancy street clothes. Out come the ipods and people are moving out. Its interesting to observe. And don't set your gloves or safety glasses down for a minute. They won't be there. Bruce is proposing some spread sheets for tool check out to teach the workers accountability. It is a privilege to have a good job. But the best thing is the example of your own life of course. We will be here a couple of months and then moving on to Malawi. We had to go to South Africa for parts and tools and the popup tent for our overland cruiser… It was such a beautiful drive. A man plowing fields with Watusi cattle. The huts and kraals for the animals at night so pretty in the landscape. Then of course the not so pretty tolls, borders, and customs. Out of Mozambique and into South Africa. The scenery really changed to mountains of rocks stacked up jungle growing all over them. There were miles of banana groves. Fruit markets along the Highway and side roads. The rivers were full up. I guess one of the SA sports is taking kayaks down the swollen rivers and over the falls. In Nelspruit were all kinds of stores and a huge mall with the logo Everything In One Place. Too true cinemas food courts groceries any kind of salon spa treatment anything. What drives people world round is love of the world lust of the flesh and the pride of life which can be found anywhere but is really obvious in the cities. In Nelspruit SA Brundee and I had our first experience with?? We were in a parking lot waiting to meet up with dad. Brundee had just gotten back from the restroom. He told me lock the doors arm the car keep the windows up. It was sooo hot so I had them down a little. Well as I said he just got back and someone started jumping on the back of the vehicle and shouting I see something trying to get Brundee to get out of the car. We relocked the doors and rolled up the windows except for the one behind Brundee. He didn’t know I opened it. He honked and shouted heah! And the man ran up to his window yelling to get out so he could show him something wrong with the truck. He saw the open window and could have grabbed him or his backpack. We took like a shot with him running after us with a buddy. We almost hit a car pulling out into the road in our haste to make our escape. We went down a short block and crossed an intersection and parked in a secure parking lot of a store we had been to earlier. Waiting there we watched them try to rob another pickup at the KFC. One guy checked out the parking lot and waved to the other and he came and would have taken stuff but the owner was behind the truck. Bad guys. On the way to the shop we pass by a beautiful garden area. Here is where you find the poor hard working people (who are really the richest happiest). The huts are tiny but spic and span and the gardens immaculate. I forget the name but they are raised rectangles that go on for miles and the people hand water weed and grow all kinds of greens and potatoes and who knows what all. It is beautiful and peaceful in contrast to the city its next to. As for me the first few weeks have been like living in a hostel or flophouse as volunteers are transitioning out of the country to new places. But now it is just us and the office in one corner of the house. The accountant will be back in another week or so from holiday and is moved in temporarily till he moves on to Biera. I asked for the maids to not be underfoot so I can get more settled and have more freedom in the kitchen and so the groceries we buy don’t walk off. It was hard there for awhile. There’s a history for them and I am a big change. Poor people I asked for the wise as serpent harmless as a dove wisdom from God. I came to give of myself and find myself in a peculiar position of being taken from which is different than giving. I do love these people but don't care for their habits. Africa is a beautiful country and I have only seen a drop in the bucket. Can't wait for overland and animals. Pray for us. This is the worst form of malaria in this area. There are real dangers. God has been so good to us. We love and miss you all and pray for you everyday. Jesus is soon to come and we want to do as much good as we can while we can. I never thought we would get a call to Africa. I guess every kid at one time or another wanted to go over the sea and be a missionary in Africa. It’s very far from all that we love most in this world. Hate to miss a minute of our families and those adorable grandaughters but we are excited to be here and help keep the work moving on. Pray that we will make a difference and be a blessing.
Love,
Bruce & Tanya
Brundee