Moz Discovery Team Blogs

jive's

July 16, 2011 - Monica

A couple of the teams grouped up this week for team night. We ended up at Jive's, a local coffee shop playing spicy uno and listening to live music. So fun!

out and about

July 13, 2011 - Monica

This free day was a blast. A couple of girls and I explored downtown, went to a coworker's house for baklava, had dinner in Manitou, and took a little detour through Cave of the Winds and Garden of the Gods on our way back to the Glen.

girl's night

July 12, 2011 - Monica

More fun in Aspen! Is anyone suprised at the presence of pizzookie? I think not.

hole in one

July 8, 2011 - Monica

Team night this week was basically program night. We all ended up at a $2 mini golf joint filled with statues of all sorts of random animals. And for the record, I did get a hole in one!

the fourth

July 6, 2011 - Monica

We went to the air force base to watch fireworks for the Fourth of July. The next night was our turn at culture night! We had barbeque pulled pork sandwiches, green bean casserole, corn bread, and a pizza cookie to look like an American flag. It was such a fun night filled with some trivia and games! As a bonus we took the opportunity to introduce everyone to an American classic, The Sandlot!

transformers

July 3, 2011 - Monica

psalm 116:5-9

July 1, 2011 - Monica

The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. Be at rest once more, o my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

biking adventure

June 30, 2011 - Monica

My Dutch friends are teaching me their biking ways. We used our free day to bike to Garden of the Gods, just a few rolling hills away from Glen Eyrie.

mate in manitou

June 29, 2011 - Monica

pike's peak

June 28, 2011 - Monica

friday night

June 24, 2011 - Monica

We were invited to a lady's house for a night of fun away from the Glen.

team time

June 23, 2011 - Monica

Today we took a trip to a local coffee shop, Agia Sophia. We had lots to celebrate--Sroda's birthday!

GSP Olympics

June 21, 2011 - Monica

Team Ngonyama! (minus Laurence)

Wrestling with Grace

March 23, 2011 - Tim

Dear reader, this one's for you.  Unlike one of my newer friends, I'm doing this precisely because I love you.  In fact, it's past midnight, and I can't go to sleep until I write this out.  It may be jumbled, it may be scattered, but it is honest.


You often wonder about what you're doing with your life.  You wonder whether you're making the best decision.  You wonder whether God has something better in store for you.  Despite all the honorable reasons for accepting this tantalizing offer (which, as a matter of fact, is precisely what you've been waiting for), you hesitate for fear of your corrupt motives.


And, you're in very good company.


I am a recovering perfectionist.  This should come as no surprise to you, as we've been well-acquainted for some time.  Even if you only know me through this blog, you can see that I spend just a bit too much time bothering over lexical and syntactic precision.  I am a "recovering" perfectionist because I understand that absolute precision, unadulterated perspicacity beyond ambiguity, is impossible with these words.  In fact, I also understand that the impossibility of such perfect precision extends to all of life in this fallen, temporary world.


I am learning to disdain the abuse of "What if..." questions.  They serve their purpose in the exploration of theoretical knowledge, but abused, they can paralyze any decision and bind all freedom.


Dear reader, dear Christian, I write to remind you of your salvation.  God's grace has saved you from your sins.  You bought your own ticket to perdition, and God rescued you from that decision.  His grace can save you again.  His grace is more powerful than your ability to mess up His plans.  Do you believe this?  Or do you believe that you can miss out on God's best for you?


Who told you that you can mess up God's plans?  I will answer: a sinful person, finite in understanding.  A person to whom God extends His grace day by day.  A person who owes to his neighbors the grace he has been given.  A person who may deserve admonition, who may owe apology, and who may require forgiveness.


God's grace is more powerful than your ability to mess up His plans.  Do you believe this?  If you do not, then logic forbids you from believing in your salvation.


Logic is not more powerful than our hunches, but it certainly helps to guide them.  I plead with you, let logic guide you to more joyous belief in the grace of God.  Wrestle with it.  Drown in it.  Worship through it.


God's grace is more powerful than your ability to mess up His plans.  I believe this with all my heart.


God, thank You for saving us from ourselves!  Thank You for using us in ministry, though we be broken vessels.  Thank You for filling in our gaps, and thank You for vowing to make us whole.  For this we wait, because in You we trust.  Amen.

More Movies!

January 15, 2011 - Tim

If the reader will dig a while, he will find an early post about The Dark Knight, more or less.  I waited to see it until nearly a year and a half after the movie was released.  One can imagine how many times I heard the incredulous exclamation "YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET????!!!"


I must enjoy that sort of attention, because I only just last night saw Inception for the first time.  My last roommate, not one for spending money, saw it thrice in theaters.  Somehow, I insisted that I was either too busy or too poor each time.  I admit that I enjoy going against the grain of popularity "just because."  Maybe that's pride, but it is kind of fun.


Anyway, rather than write at length about my deep (obviously brilliant) insights into Inception, I present to you an essay I once wrote for a friend about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  When I was in Germany, one of my friends found that he appreciated my taste in and critical eye for movies.  When we returned to our homes, he gave me an assignment via Facebook.  Though I haven't kept his requirements, they were something like "500 words of critical analysis on such topics as cinematography, score, story and character development."  Anyway, as I think of writing about Inception, this brief essay is what comes to mind.



After I inserted the disc, the first bit of video I saw was a compilation of brief clips from various Focus movies with a voice-over that went on about Focus’ endeavor to create superior films.  I have seen a few of these so-called “superior films,â€� and I haven’t cared for them at all.  In fact, I usually feel a bit of disdain towards such artsy works for their self-absorbed arrogance that seems to say that their intentional technical faux pas (such as foregoing tripod usage) make them superior to mainstream movies.  Perhaps my own worldview has changed recently, and perhaps the movies have actually gotten better.  Either way, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind enchanted me.

Though clearly a fantasy film of sorts, Sunshine was remarkably believable.  Having been in one dating relationship that went awry, I can identify with the desire for memory erasure.  Of course, isn’t that desire the very thing that makes super-hero movies successful?  Who wouldn’t love to be able to fly, change his appearance, see through walls, or produce indestructible claws from his fists?  This desire for greater power is nearly ubiquitous, but that’s not to say it’s healthy.

I know of only one story that deals with this issue in a theologically correct way.  Of course, J.R.R. Tolkien was a devout Roman Catholic, so it follows that his world of The Lord of the Rings would bear some resemblance to the world as God designed it.  Without going into the details of Tolkien’s mythology, one of the greater beings in the world created an assortment of Rings of Power, specialized for the races to whom they were given.  Of course, like any good tyrant, he reserved the most powerful one for himself, using it to control the others.  When the ring was separated from him, it was clear that anyone who took it would become detestably powerful as its original master was, though unnaturally so.  The creatures’ lust for power blinded them to the truth that once they attained the ring, it would only betray them to their doom.

Perhaps this is a stretch, but it bears keeping in mind that we ought not to desire certain powers with which God did not see fit to entrust us.  The normal humans in X-Men did well to fear the mutants; no human should be trusted with the power to walk through walls or to read others’ thoughts, nor with the power to erase memories.  The story is fascinating, entertaining, and thought-provoking, but it ought to be kept to that.

But, since I’m on the topic of entertainment value, I’ll continue.  The visual effects were stunning and mind-bending, taunting me to analyze my own dreams.  As I succumbed to this taunt, I realized that I’ve experienced visual, spatial, and general sensory distortion in most of my dreams, and even a bit of time misperception.  Each of these was well-dramatized in Sunshine, for which I give its creators the highest praise.  Even the musical score complimented the convoluted and dark emotions of fear, love, and confusion.

Though I can’t recommend this movie to all of my friends or for every occasion, I’ll gladly purchase it and devote two hours to it with anyone willing to do some critical philosophizing.

Break?

December 20, 2010 - Tim

Tribute to Children

December 14, 2010 - Megan

Here We Go Again

December 9, 2010 - Tim

Back in the same coffee shop, and I've been confronted with a similar experience.

Semester wrap up...

December 1, 2010 - Megan

As this semester is about to end I would like to reflect upon all the reflections I have written. Reflections had always been an enjoyable experience. I love talking, writing is no different. Pouring over everything I learned through class lectures and observations were once fun. Now I feel like there is nothing new coming out of me. I have not witnessed anything new from my observations. They ask the same questions, telling me the same answers. I can only repeat myself so many times in so many different ways.

Entr-Acte: On Coffee & Worship

November 12, 2010 - Tim

My previous post speaks of worship in epistemology. I plan to continue that discussion directly, but not presently. For presently, I sit in a coffee shop I've never before visited, and I've had a most glorious experience of worship by way of this feminine epistemology. Such language tends toward the flighty and erudite, so I here present a concrete exempli gratia. (would you like that irony shaken or stirred?)

Broken Knowledge

November 10, 2010 - Tim

For years, I have suffered from something I will call anorexia nervosa anima, a compulsive starving of the soul. As I explain the symptoms, perhaps you’ll recognize something familiar.

I enjoy my homework. On occasion, my assignments require me to spend a few hours in the library. The quiet, the order, the peace of knowing I’m reaching my goal . . . I truly enjoy prolonged study sessions. Once finished, I feel the great satisfaction of knowing I’ve produced something worth my time and the time of the professor who will grade it. I feel satisfied, having fed my soul with beautiful academia.

I enjoy writing. It’s not hard to deduce that from reading this blog, I’m sure. It should be obvious that I take great pleasure in the crafting of words to communicate ideas not only accurately, but also beautifully. I’m coming to understand more deeply the art of poetic knowledge (a dissertation for another day!), and this has a lot to do with the way I write my prose.

Of no surprise to anyone who knows me, I enjoy studying languages. Whether French, German, Portuguese, Greek, Russian, or something I’ve never encountered before, I love to study how people communicate. Particular languages are tailored to communicate particular types of thoughts (which goes into a whole field of philosophy on the question of whether our thoughts shape our words or vice versa), und es freut mich, diesen wegen zu sehen (and it joys me, these ways to be seeing).

It practically goes without saying that I enjoy time spent in God’s Word. To study the Scriptures and catch glimpses of the Inscrutable Mind of God, thereby communing with Him and coming to love Him better . . . I can think of no greater joy. Is this not the very delight of Heaven: to be in glorious community with the Triune God?

And yet, I starve myself of these joys day after day.

My purpose here is a sort of public introspection. I have always thought myself too lazy to discipline myself in these fields of study day after day, but I’m starting to wonder if laziness is truly at the beginning. I perform this introspection in the public blogosphere in the hope that others will read and be struck, finding in their own souls the same sickness I find in mine. After all, is that not the title of my blog?

Every one of the joys I listed above is a form of exercise in epistemology (the study of knowledge and how a person comes to know anything). One of my classes this semester speaks beautifully to the psychological implications of having a skewed (or even broken) epistemology. This professor seems to see all of life through the grid of epistemology, and after two classes with her, I’m starting to get the hang of using that grid. I will write much more on this in the coming months, but suffice it to say now that each of the above joys is a way of coming to know God better, i.e. epistemology + worship.

I still haven’t come to the question of why I starve myself of this worship day after day. Perhaps you will empathize when I say that there are other, perhaps easier, forms of worship about which I make no hesitations. Fellowshipping with friends, for example, is worship for which I will sacrifice just about anything. I don’t use the word “fellowship� lightly; I mean time spent in the presence of the Lord with a close friend. This can be a time of accountability, of theological discussion, of walking through times of confusion or pain, or of prayer. The point is that, in this time of fellowship, my friends and I will strengthen each other in the Lord. We walk away from that time more in love with our Savior and more eager to serve Him.

So what about the worship that takes more effort than fellowship, or going to church, or singing songs of praise? That effort is precisely what sets apart those joys listed at the beginning (homework, languages, devotions). Does that mean I’m lazy? Does that mean that anyone unwilling to engage his mind in solitary pursuit of the knowledge of God is lazy? I don’t think so. Not quite.

I have further ideas on this point, but I’d rather leave what I’ve written thus far to stew on teh internetz for a little while. Before you run off calling me a lazy heretic, though, let me just say I am not satisfied here. I firmly believe that I need to grow in my capacity of will when it comes to actively pursuing the forms of worship outlined above. Won’t you pray with me? I hardly think I’m alone on this.

Now for something completely different...

November 3, 2010 - Maggie

I'm writing a story for nanowrimo. Want to read it? Great. Here's the first two days worth.



In ordinary life, my friends, girls do not talk to mice. Neither do mice talk to girls. Nor, under normal circumstances, do either of these befriend trees. But sometimes, the veil of the ordinary slips just enough to form a crack, and the impossible—nay, merely improbable—occurs. This is the story of one such time. The story of a girl, a mouse, and a tree.
“Jordan!� Carrie bellowed across the house, “we’re going to be late for school!� Her brother was the one person who could make quiet Carrie bellow. He had promised to drive her to school today, and she would make sure he would follow through.
“Shut it, Carrie,� he yelled back. “I’m coming. I couldn’t get my collar to lay down right.�
Their parents rolled their eyes. They never could figure out why their children couldn’t get along like siblings should. The fact that they never got along with their siblings when they were growing up didn’t affect their logic. Siblings should like each other, and that was that.
So Carrie and Jordan raced out the door, snipping at each other as they went. Their mother told them to “have good days� and “be nice to each other.� And they were again late for school.
It was a bad day for Carrie. Not only was she late, but Jordan had made fun of her hair again. It wasn’t her fault it looked funny. And she pretended she didn’t care, but she was tired of looking at the pretty girls and comparing herself to them. Her hair would never lay down flat, it only frizzed all the time. Her clothes were the same as theirs, but she couldn’t figure out how they managed to make everything look good all the time. And she hated her freckles. She had a liberal spread of them on her cheeks and nose, but they popped up other places as well.
And on the way home, she got another headache. She was always getting headaches, and she hadn’t figured out a solution other than to wait until they went away on their own. Mother tried to get her to take pills, and she had gone to doctors on several occasions. But still, when her head hurt, it hurt. And there was no better solution than to lie down and ignore everything else until it felt better.
It was for that reason that we must be understanding with Carrie when she acts meaner than she should be. For she really did have a very bad day. Mother met Carrie and Jordan at the door with a hug, but Carrie shouldered past her with a “not right now, Mother.�
Jordan tried to ask her what he thought really quite a reasonable question, but she was even ruder to him than to her mother. He went away to his room and shut the door rather hard. Carrie also went to her room and pulled the door shut with some force. But her head still hurt, so she regretted making such noise.
And Mother went and put away the after-school snack she had put together for her bristly children. The apple slices she ate, for they would just turn brown. But the slices of cheese she put in one container, the caramel in another, and the crackers back in their package. She put the whole delicious snack back where it had come from, in the refrigerator and on shelves, to wait for a time when the family could learn to be nice enough to each other to sit down at the same table. And she poured herself some of the hot chocolate she had simmering on the stove, in the biggest mug she could find.
So Jordan sat in his room, glaring at his homework and defiantly playing guitar instead. And Carrie sat in her room, glaring at the wall to Jordan’s room where he was making noise when she only wanted quiet. And Mother sat in the empty living room, holding a giant mug of hot chocolate and wishing she knew how to fix what always seemed to be wrong with her family.
It is with that as a backdrop that we begin our story in earnest. Now, Carrie was not very adventurous. All she wanted was to sit, read a book, and feel better so that she wouldn’t be mean anymore. She didn’t much like being mean, but it sort of popped out of her when her head hurt. But today she decided to do an adventurous thing. Jordan’s guitar was too loud, and she needed to get away from it. So she thought she’d go outside.
Now the problem with going outside is she would have to come out of her room, where she had only been for a few minutes after emphatically slamming the door. And then she would have to go by the living room to get to the front door, and she imagined (correctly, in fact) that her mother was probably sitting in the living room, looking sad. She didn’t want to have to walk by and feel bad. She wasn’t ready to feel bad about her meanness yet. Not while she still had a headache.
So she did something she had never done before. She decided to climb out her window to get outside. It was really only a little daring. It was quite a big window, and very low. So it wouldn’t be difficult either to climb through it or to drop to the ground after doing so. But for Carrie, it may have been the most daring thing she had ever done in her life.
In fact, she rarely even opened her windows. So when she tried to lift the window open, it was stuck for a couple good tugs before it came flying up. She first stuck her head out the window, and then decided that approach wouldn’t work. Finally she settled on sitting on the sill and launching herself to the ground that way. Having chosen her method of escape, she sat, looked at the ground. It wasn’t so far away. Even she would be able to boost herself back into her room, and no one would even know she was gone.
Jordan strummed his guitar. From the living room Mother turned on a vacuum. Carrie sighed, closed her eyes, and jumped.
But she didn’t hit the ground when she should. Her eyes snapped open. But somehow, it seemed she still had them closed, it was so dark. That would have been worrisome, had it not been for the fact that she shouldn’t be falling, but was. Carrie looked down, felt air rushing by, and panicked. For the first time in her life, she belted out a full-throated scream.
In the next instant, three things happened that shouldn’t. A giant hand plucked her out of midair and plopped her on the ground, which had finally been approaching, she realized. Her headache, instead of getting worse when she screamed, stopped pounding between her ears. And in the darkness, a tiny beam of light shown first at her feet, and then up to her face, and a tiny voice called up to her.
“Halt!� it said, “who goes walking in the woods in the darkness?�
And Carrie did another thing she had never done before, although she had read about it in many of her books. She fainted.
When she awoke, she was very confused. It was again dark. Maybe still. She must have hit her head jumping out her window. That must be it. She decided to just sit there, and wait until she woke up back in the real world. This was all a hallucination. That was the only logical answer.
But she waited for what felt like a very long time, and nothing happened. In fact, it only felt like a long time, but it was really only about twenty minutes. When one is scared, confused, and thinking entirely too hard, time does indeed seem to slow down considerably.
And then the same small light appeared, coming towards her. Carrie sat up, watching its approach. Actually, there were two lights this time. One pointed at her, and she blinked uncomfortably. Her eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness, and didn’t much like the light playing across them.
The other light was illuminating the ground for whatever it was that was approaching her. Goodness, they must be tiny things, whatever they were. And then they stopped approaching and the light not pointed at her was turned to illuminate the face of its holder.
It was a mouse. Carrie jumped, but just a little. It really wasn’t the strangest thing that had happened so far, and she was also not convinced that the mice or the darkness or any of it was real. She would wake up at some point, but until then she would just go with the dream. It was rather interesting.
“Human girl,� the lit-up mouse said to her. “What are you doing in these woods?�
Carrie opened her mouth to answer, but found that words weren’t coming out the way they usually did. She must not have spoken for quite some time. She cleared her throat. “I came here on accident,� she said. “I don’t know where I am, but I’m sorry if I’m not supposed to be here.�
The mouse still in the darkness—or Carrie supposed it must also be a mouse—spoke. “Truth,� he said. “She is telling the truth.�
Carrie frowned. What did mice know about truth or lies?
The first mouse spoke again. “If you came on accident, you must have come from somewhere. Did someone bring you here?�
“I don’t think so,� Carrie said. “You see, I was trying to climb out of my bedroom window to go outside. But then I was falling, and it was dark, and I was about to hit the ground and a giant hand plucked me out of the air and put me on the ground. And then someone told me to halt, and I fainted.�
“Yes, yes,� the mouse said, “we know about you fainting. Very inconsiderate of you. Do you know how many of us it takes to move a human? Three families it took, and we were about to go to sleep, too.�
“So I’m not where I was when I fell, then?� Carrie asked, looking around. She still couldn’t see anything. She had never seen quite such darkness before. Wasn’t there any moon, or anything?
“Of course not,� the mouse scoffed. “What do you think we are? We wouldn’t leave even a human in those woods. Even a daft one,� he muttered to himself at the end.
“Why is it dark?� Carrie asked. “Is it night time? It wasn’t night time at home,� she said.
The spokesmouse muttered inaudibly, shaking his head. And, Carrie thought, rolling his eyes. But she couldn’t be sure. Mice—and their eyes—are rather small, and the light was rather dim.
“She really doesn’t know,� the other mouse said quietly. “Somehow, she came from somewhere else. Somewhere the darkness hasn’t spread.�
Now Carrie was really confused. And Carrie didn’t like being confused. She liked knowing what was happening. So even though her head didn’t hurt, she began to get a little cross again. “I don’t know who you are,� she said, trying to be civil. She didn’t want frightened mice running around because the big human was yelling. “Or where I am. I don’t know why it’s dark, or why my house disappeared when it really shouldn’t have. But I haven’t gone around shining lights into your faces, or asking you all sorts of questions and then muttering things when I don’t like the answer.� She made herself stop. She didn’t want to make the mice angry. If they left her alone, she wouldn’t be any better off, and she wouldn’t have any light at all.
But to her surprise, the spokesmouse laughed. “True,� he (Carrie thought he was a he, somehow) said. “We haven’t been the most welcoming mice. But then, you don’t know the times. There’s been a war on, and you can’t be too careful of strangers when there’s a war on. But Gertie here says you’re alright, and if there’s anyone I trust, it’s Gertie.�
So the truth-mouse was a girl, Carrie thought. Yes, her voice had sounded a little different.
“Come along, child,� Gertie said. “It’s nearly time to sleep for us, and we’d best get you somewhere safe before we take our night.� She conferred with the spokesmouse for a minute.
“We’d best ride with you,� the spokes mouse said. “We’ll get there faster that way.�
So Carrie shifted onto her knees, and held a hand close to the ground. She bit her lip to keep from squeaking as the two tiny mice climbed onto the outstretched hand. She had expected them to scurry, but they didn’t. Instead, they walked on their hind feet, still holding their small lights.
“Do you mind if I sit on your shoulder?� Gertie asked. “I will be able to give you better directions from there.�
Carrie found that she did not mind, although she never much liked mice at home. She didn’t, of course, say this to her new—could she call them friends? Well, they were the closest she had to friends in this strange dark place.
“Of course,� she replied. “Do you need help?�
But Gertie had already nimbly climbed up to her shoulder. Carrie bit back a giggle at the feeling of tiny feet running up her arm. The spokesmouse had found her sweatshirt pocket and installed himself there, with a reminder not to squish him.
She stood up, slowly, careful not to dislodge her passengers. When the spokesmouse shone his light down—far down—on their path, Carrie found, suddenly, that she could see. Not clearly, as in daylight, but enough to continue without tripping over a root.
And there were roots aplenty. Wherever the mice had carried her, they were still in the forest. She couldn’t tell the difference between one tree and another, but her mouse friends could. Gertie whispered directions in her ear. Pass this tree, turn right here, turn left here, no wait! She had gone too far.
The mice seemed very serious. Well, they had said there was a war. That would probably make anyone serious. So Carrie didn’t let herself giggle like she wanted to when she first experienced a mouse whispering in her ear. It was funny for two reasons. First, a mouse’s whisper is very, very quiet and very, very shrill. Its sound was so funny that she wanted to laugh for just that reason alone. But there was something else. Mice have whiskers, and each time Gertie turned toward Carrie’s ear, the whiskers brushed back and forth and tickled her neck.
What kind of war could mice be fighting in? Carrie wondered as they walked. It was a surprising distance they covered. Had the mice gone all this way before without a person to ride with?
The unlikely trio ducked around a massive oak and under some low-hanging branches, and suddenly, a camp appeared. Carrie blinked from the light. Her eyes were by this time very used to the dark, and the flickering torch-light came as quite a shock. She stood there, it must be admitted, with her mouth hanging open. You see, when the mice said “war� in their tiny voices, she pictured something rather inconsequential. Mice with tiny swords going to war against other mice. Or maybe some formidable foe like chipmunks.
But she hadn’t at all imagined this. There were tents of several sizes. Off to the right were ranks of small tents, with beavers and badgers and all sorts of animals bustling in and out of them. Directly in front of her were person-sized tents, but no one was entering or leaving them. And on the left were tents so massive she wasn’t sure who—or what—would need them.
But the mice led her off to the right, beyond the smallish tents, to what looked like a bit of empty field. “We don’t live in tents,� the spokesmouse said. “We’re field mice, and this is our home. We offered it to the army for their camp when the war started up. It’s the closest hidden clearing to the fighting lines.�
“Gertie,� Carrie whispered, although truth be told her whisper wasn’t as quiet as she would like it to be, “are there other—“ she bit back the word ‘people,’ “humans here?�
“Of course,� the mouse said with a yawn. “But they’re sleeping. They’re useful to have in the army, but they sleep more than almost anyone else. What can you do? Always tradeoffs.�
At that point the spokesmouse cleared his throat. “I will leave you here,� he said. “Gertie can show you where you can sleep.� He hopped off her lowered hand and darted away before Carrie could tell where he was going.
“Over there,� Gertie said, shining her light back toward the tents. “As you’re our guest, you’ll have to stay in our area. But there, by the tents, you can pick up some blankets to make yourself more comfortable. That way the guards will know that you’re meant to be here, also.�
So it happened that Carrie slept outside for the first time in her life. She had slept in a tent, but never out under the stars—for she imagined, somewhere above her, that there must be stars. She folded one blanket under her head for a pillow and rolled up in the other. She squirmed and shifted for a few minutes, dislodging lumps of dirt or small rocks out from under her back. Gertie stayed for half a minute to make sure she would be okay and to point her to the latrine, and then headed off in the same direction as the spokesmouse.
Carrie couldn’t fall asleep for quite some time. First, she started worrying that she wouldn’t be able to recognize her mouse friends if there were more mice around. What did she know about identifying characteristics of mice? Then, she started worrying about what her parents were thinking when she disappeared out of her room. They would have no idea where to look. She was there, and she wouldn’t know where to look. And then, she started worrying that she was dreaming the whole thing. Now she was curious, and didn’t exactly want to leave.
But eventually, her tiredness cut through her worries. She closed her eyes against the torchlight, shifted a few more times until she could trick herself into thinking she was comfortable, and fell asleep.
She woke up to tolling bells. Had she known it, the bells had tolled twice while she slept, but only now did she wake up. A deep voice from the other side of the camp cried out “Morning Watch!�
But the light was just the same as before. Flickering torchlight was still the only thing illuminating the darkness. So, Carrie thought, maybe not the kind of morning she was used to. She sat up and stretched. She craned her neck one way and then the other, forwards and backwards, but it was still pretty sore. As she watched the camp, people started stirring. Suddenly people had a broader definition than what she normally thought of as people.
But when mice talked and reasoned and acted more civilized than many humans she had met, Carrie had no choice but to think of them as people. It was almost automatic. But there were more than just mice.
There were humans, too. Carrie could just make out their shapes in the dim light. The medium-sized animals were out of their tents as well. And then, Carrie realized that the ground was shaking a bit. Small tremors. Almost like—well, like big footsteps, she thought.
Footsteps they were. Carrie sat perfectly still, hugging her knees in tight, watching as the source of the footsteps drew nearer. Well, she had found out what lived in the giant tents in the other side of the camp. It was, in fact, a giant.
Now, giants are really very friendly. Much better natured than their smaller human cousins. But they tend to have a serious visage. And that, coupled with their size, make them look rather intimidating.
Rather intimidating to most people, that is. But Carrie was a quiet sort, and easily frightened. So she was a trifle more than intimidated. In fact, she was terrified. She might have fainted again, except she didn’t quite have the willpower. Instead, she sat motionless, her eyes fixed on the approaching giant. For he did seem to be approaching.
He walked right up to her and knelt down. He still wasn’t on her level. To Carrie he looked impossibly tall. Really, he was small for a giant. Only about fourteen feet, when some of his cousins were nearing twenty. But it didn’t bother him. He was only forty, so he had plenty of time for another growth spurt.
But Carrie didn’t know he was still a youth in the eyes of his kind. Nor did she catch the kind crinkle around his eyes. She still sat there terrified.
“Good morning,� he said. His voice was pleasant and deep. “I’m Brannen. I’ve come to officially welcome you to Hill Hollow.�
Carrie opened her mouth, but no words came out. She frowned, cleared her throat, and tried again. It ran against the grain to be rude. “Carrie,� she finally squeaked out. “I’m Carrie.�
“Are you okay, then, miss?� the giant—Brannen—asked.
Carrie nodded. “I think so,� she said. “Hill Hollow,� she said. “Um, Brannen, sir… if you don’t mind my asking, where is Hill Hollow?�
His eyebrows drew together thoughtfully. “Where is it? But you’re here! How can you be here and not know where here is?�
Carrie sighed. She used to think the same thing, until dropping into a place that just didn’t make any sense at all. “I’m not from here,� she started, “at all. And I ended up in a dark forest on accident, and some mice directed me here, and I fell asleep, and I’m still confused and don’t know where I am.�
“Well, then,� Brannen said. “If you’re not from here, where are you from?�
“I’m from Minneapolis,� she said. But somehow, she had the feeling that he wouldn’t know the name. “It’s very different. For one thing,� she said, “it’s light there, not dark like—“
But Brannen didn’t wait for her to finish. “You’re from outside the darkness?� he asked. “But that hasn’t happened in…since I’ve been at Hill Hollow!� He reached into a pocket and pulled out a pad of paper and a rather large pencil. “I’d better write this down. The council will probably want to hear about this. Just think!� he said to himself, “Someone from the lighted realms, here, in our camp. And I’ve found out first!�
Carrie was about to ask what he was talking about with the council and the lighted realms, but just then her stomach let out a loud growl. She realized, then, that she was very hungry. In fact, she wasn’t really sure when she had eaten last. Time seemed to pass strangely with no difference between day and night.
“Good day!� Brannen said, “I’ve completely forgotten my manners. Here I am, keeping you out in the damp field when you’re new to the camp and you’re clearly hungry. Forgive me my rudeness!� He offered Carrie a hand to stand up and then boosted himself to his feet. He scooped up the blankets. “The mess tent is that way,� he said, pointing over top of the smallest tents. “We’ll go there, but in a bit of a roundabout route. First I’ll show you where you can freshen up.� He smiled down at Carrie. “Not that you need it,� he clarified, “but some girls, especially civilians, are particular about that sort of thing. I wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable going to breakfast with some of the field in your hair.� And with that, he reached down, plucked a bit of grass out of her tangled mass of hair, and tossed it back to the ground.
Carrie blinked. The giant was teasing her. It was lucky for him his comment was about the grass and not about the hair. But she just shook her head. “I imagine I have all sorts of interesting things in my hair,� she said, making light of the trial of her hair for the first time she could remember. “It just seems to collect things. Well, lead on,� she said.
Brannen started out a bit too fast for her to keep up with, but realized she had fallen behind. He adjusted his pace to one almost as slow as hers. “I forget,� he said, “how short you humans’ legs are.�
“I am shorter than most,� Carrie replied. “But I walk pretty quickly! I’ve had to keep up with my brother my whole life.�
He showed her to a tent that was equipped with a few mirrors and basins of water. One steaming, and several cold. She quickly finger-combed her hair clean of leaves and grass and pulled it back in a ponytail where it could stay out of the way. With a splash of cold water to her face to wake her up, she rejoined Brannen outside.
“Right!� he said, his face brightening. “The mess tent. Let’s get some food.�

Datemi pace, oh duri miei pensieri...

October 1, 2010 - Tim

Every once in a while, I find myself overwhelmed. Ya feel me?

Support Letter Fail

August 5, 2010 - Tim

In one of my many attempts at writing a post-internship thank-you letter to my supporters, I ended up with something that's probably way too heavy for that purpose, but I realize it's nearly perfect for this place. Do enjoy.

Maturity and Purity

August 2, 2010 - Tim

Reading through I Samuel recently, I did what I could to see what the text said about David's character. As he fled from Saul, David received two opportunities to exact revenge on this man who'd been seeking his life. I Samuel 24 recounts one such instance, when David's men encouraged him to kill Saul because the Lord had delivered him into his hand! Yet, David stayed his hand (as he did in chapter 26). His heart struck him, and so he refused to harm the Lord's anointed.

Home?

July 20, 2010 - Lisa

Well, I've been home for over a week now. I still haven't been able to process all of my experiences. I think it will take a quite a while to do so. Some of the processing will be done in my internship class this semester. We are required to turn in a portfolio of different assignments that help us think through everything. This will keep the trip fresh on my mind and help me to answer questions that I probably wouldn't be able to come up with on my own. All I can say now is that my time in Mozambique was definitely life changing. It opened my eyes to a world of possibilities and affirmed some of my desires in life. I'm going to continue blogging over the next few months to help in the process as well. I'm not sure the exact direction it will go, but I guess we'll see what happens!

My Favorite Moz Church

July 20, 2010 - Megan

Trying to be thrify

July 14, 2010 - Megan

I am just giving up. I realize that while I am in America I can be thrifty to only a certain degree. I fell in love with a French press and an electric kettle while overseas...so I bought one. THEN My best friend ambushed me and booked us for Pedicure appointments (totally a lie. I really wanted a pedi so bad! I kept saying how nasty my feet were). I feel pretty guilty about spending so much money so soon after getting back from Mozambique. But Honestly I know that God has blessed us to be in these kind of economic situations for his greater purpose. If I didn't live in Suburbia and know all the blessed people that I know, I would not have been able to raise the funds to go on such a trip and learn all the things that God has taught me through this incredible experience. God takes such good care of me. I am jumping back onto my budget plan as soon as I start getting regular pay checks once again. Don't judge me! lol Oye

hello? goodbye? ah!

July 12, 2010 - Monica

Well, here I am, back in the states. It took three days and some unexpected adventures to get here, but I made it! We ended up spending an extra day in Johannesburg, South Africa (during the world cup finals!) because our first plane was quite delayed and the president of Mozambique just happened to be leaving at the same time we were intending to! It was actually nice that our trip was extended because I think my whole team needed a little bit longer to realize that our trip was ending and that we wouldn’t see each other anymore.

Reverse culture shock started before I even left the country, though. As soon as I got on the plane to go from Maputo (the capital of Mozambique) to South Africa I was surrounded by white people! No one was staring at me. So. Weird.

It’s weird to understand everything going on around me and to have toilets flush automatically and for one meal to cost $15 and to have five different options of water and to be able to order lunch on a computer without any human interaction. (All things I faced just in the JFK airport.)

I’m glad to be back and to see my family and friends again. But I do miss Mozambique and especially all of the wonderful people I spent the last six weeks with.

Back Home

July 12, 2010 - Megan

Traveling is always an adventure. I was blessed enough to experience the craziness of African Airports with my entire Discovery team. Our original plan was to be back in America on Saturday morning at 11:30am. God obviously knew we needed more time to get adjusted back into American culture. We ended up being split among three flights leaving from Maputo, Mozambique to JoBurg, South Africa. Five of us were able to spend the night in South Africa at a missionaries house. Her name is Leah Preston and she is an awesome lady. The next morning four more of our team flew into JoBurg and we were able to all hang out at this beautiful guest house. The temp was about 48F we had all packed for Mozambique weather so we were chilled. But Leah took great care of us and had tons of sweatshirts and blankets for us to not be uncomfortable. There was a hot shower is water pressure! You don't know what you have until its gone. She also made us Pizza! Pepperoni Pizza! You can not get pepperoni in Africa, you have to import it! So that was the best tasting Pizza I have had! Needless to say we all got to finish up our togetherness and bonding time. I was really sad because two of us got back to the airport just in time to catch their next flight so I didn't get to say a second goodbye :( The first goodbye was a little hectic trying to get everyone out on a flight and splitting up the group.

6 international airports and almost 30 hours of flight time and the land of polygomy

July 11, 2010 - Jess

so now i’m on my 27th hour of flight. i’m currently blogging from the land of polygomy, that is salt lake city. the plane ride from LA to salt lake was HORRENDOUS. there were so much turbulence that people were like screaming. it was a little frightening considering the drop in altitude. i sat next to a cowboy. he seemed like he just came out of a western movie…he was a big burly dude, with a pretty thick moustache and a cool western accent…whatever that means. he had a cowboy hat on and the whole get up. and he offered me an orange tic tac. so funny. he even helped me put on my sweater. such a nice guy. i think hes in the rodeo or something because he was talking to me about calgary stampede and being in the rodeo contest. anyways he was a funny guy.

the last couple of days of flight transit has been ups and downs. right off the bat, when we left nampula (where we were working for the last 6 weeks) the flight was a couple hours late. to add on to that, when we stopped over at Beira (another province/district thing) the president was leaving so that delayed us even more. needless to say, when we got to maputo to connect to our johannesburg flight, it was impossible.

as a group of 11 we placed some pressure on LAM (the airplane company) to fix the problem since it was their delays that caused us to miss our flight to joberg. so immediately 6 of my teammates were able to make it on the next flight, but the rest of us had to stay back because of several issues. HOWEVER in the end we scored a 4 star hotel in Maputo, with free dinner and breakfast buffet. and a free ride to the airport. it was sweet. for me personally it didn’t affect my itinerary since i had a 23 hour layover in joberg anyways. (who knew that a 23 hour layover would be so helpful?)

so from there went to johannesburg (the airport is so beautiful. one of the best ones i’ve been to…at least out of the 7 airports i’ve visited as a result of this trip, and considering most of the american airports are ugly and dingy) so if you have a chance, go hang out at the south african international airport. i dont’ think that’s what it’s called but do go check it out. anyways i’m going to stop here since my computer is going to die soon. i’ll fill you guys up with more updates and i’ll start sharing some pics of the trip!

Last Day...

July 8, 2010 - Lisa

Today was our last full day in Nampula. It was perfect timing as today was the center's company picnic! All of the staff and their families were invited to come, hang out, play games, and eat a yummy lunch of frango, arroz, and ensalada (paired with a coke, and you have my favorite meal!). It was a good last day as we were able to interact with local staff members and their families. We also handed out the t-shirts that Jess had designed for the Lidemo website. It was fun to see everyone enjoying each others company and just having fun!



Megan putting the books of the Bible in order...in Portuguese!



Pastor Carmona, organizer of the event!



Singing "Deus é tão bom" (God is good) while Megan sorts!



Some of the staff and their families

Clouds

July 8, 2010 - Lisa

Throughout my time here, I have been stopped in tracks almost daily by the beauty of the African sky. One thing I love about Mozambique are the clouds. They are always so dramatic and eye-catching. Most of the time they are fluffy and white. But when storms come in you see massive thunderheads and a sea of rolling clouds. During sunset, they soak in the rays of the brilliant sun as it dips under the horizon, displaying vivid oranges, dramatic pinks, and soft purples. One phrase that I seem to say daily is "Ooooo...look at the clouds!"

everyone loves gazebos

July 8, 2010 - Monica

chocas

July 7, 2010 - Monica

Our team got to go to the beach for debrief! Some people have decided that “debrief� is a little too scandalous so instead we are calling it “disorientation.� Neither sounds very pleasant to me! But what does sound pleasant is hammocks, beautiful sunsets, the Indian Ocean, and two days of rest with my wonderful team.

We got to visit a nearby village, which was really cool. In the middle of the village is a well that was built by Vasco de Gama!

Last night we made a fire on the beach and had “hobo stew� for dinner. We each put a bunch of vegetables and meat and seasonings to our liking in aluminum foil, wrapped it up nice and securely, and tossed it on the fire. After about 20 minutes we pulled it out and ate it up. So tasty!

Lisa and Jess (two girls on my team) and I pulled our mattresses out onto the upstairs veranda of our bungalow and went to sleep under the stars! It was perfect and then this morning we were awaken by the sunrise coming up between the palm trees.

On our way back to Nampula we stopped at this church built in 1579. It’s either the oldest active church in the southern hemisphere or on the mainland—take your pick.

Chocas

July 7, 2010 - Lisa

We spent the last few days in Chocas doing our debrief. It was a time to discuss all that has happened on the trip, our anticipations about reentering into the States, and our future plans. Not only was it a fruitful time of reflection, but it was just nice to relax and enjoy time with my teammates and team leaders.

If there ever was a place to do such a debrief, Chocas is the place! It's located on the coast of the Indian Ocean, a three hour drive from Nampula. We stayed in bungalows right next to the white sandy beach. It is fairly secluded, as the only people we have seen are local fisherman and vendors along the beach.



There are coconut trees everywhere (once again, a major plus!) and there is a village close by. Apparently the well that supplies the village with water was built by Vasco de Gama! The last night we built a bonfire on the beach and made hobo stew. We sang songs, chased ghost crabs, and just sat under the clear starry sky. It was amazing how many stars were out! The milky way was so clear, it felt as if you could reach up and touch it. It was one of those moments that makes you feel so small, yet so grateful for God's beautiful creation! Jess, Monica, and I decided to sleep out on the veranda that last night. It was a good decision! We fell asleep under the milky way and woke up to a breath-taking sunrise over the Indian ocean.



On the way out, we stopped by a very old church. In fact, it is the oldest active church in the Southern Hemisphere! We were able to sit inside and sing a few songs, as the acoustics were great, and John Iseminger (the Director of SIL Mozambique) gave a short message. The interesting thing is that even though it's active, this church building sits in the middle of a virtually unreached community.

1 Thessalonians 2:8

July 6, 2010 - Monica

So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

This is how I want to live my life. First and foremost I want to share the gospel, but I don’t want that to be the end of it. I want to share my life with people.

Road Trip!

July 5, 2010 - Maggie

Today the Diskies are on the road to Chocas. I don't know much about Chocas, except that it is the beach. We'll be staying in houses, and the houses have hammocks. This is delightful. (If you didn't know how to feel about hammocks, I just told you.) There is also sand, and water, and tasty food. Hoorah!

I refuse to be connected to the outside world while enjoying our 2.5 days at the beach, so I'm leaving pesky disfunctional internet connections behind. Be warned. Not that I have been consistent enough in blogging for any of you to be concerned if I disappear for a couple days.

I'm sad to leave Mozambique. I look forward to seeing everyone back home, but I really will miss it here. I'll miss things running on Africa time. I'll miss the women who smile at us and say "Bom dia" with a melody in their voice I'll never master. I'll miss the blueness of the sky and the southern hemisphere stars and even the giant bugs--as long as grasshoppers stay out of my hair and spiders stay in their webs, they're really pretty cool. I'll miss church services where songs are in anywhere from 1 to 8 languages and are sometimes made up of two repeated words (like "Number 1"). I'll miss fresh bread everyday, and I'll actually miss the ability to pretend ignorance that I don't understand Portuguese. I'll miss the friends I've made here. The nationals I've met, the missionaries, and the Diskies are all really wonderful and interesting people. Now that I know them, it will seem strange not to see them most every day.

I'm flying out on Friday, and arriving on Saturday--but not back in the US. First I am spending several days in London, keeping my parents company while they're doing businessy things. Then I'll be home late on the 15th. I think. So, be praying for safe and unheadachey travels, please!

Back in Nampula...

July 4, 2010 - Lisa

It has been a week since I arrived back in Nampula from our time in Quelimane. It was our last normal week here at the center. We went to the Sunday Market to buy gifts and spend one last day in town before heading to Chocas for debrief on Monday. I also made a bag from capulanas this week. It is quite an accomplishment for never sewing before!

There and back again

July 4, 2010 - Brad

It seems to be an unwritten rule here that all buses going on long trips must leave at 4:00AM. I discovered this last week, when I took three separate bus trips around Mozambique with Lemos, a Mozambican man who works part-time here on the SIL Center assisting Roland with the computer and finance departments. From Saturday to Tuesday we visited the team working on the Sena language translation in the city of Beira, then from Tuesday to Thursday we were in the city of Quelimane visiting the Chwabu language team. Both teams are now entirely comprised of Mozambicans, which is neat to see, but which also means I heard a whole lot of Portuguese this week.

I present a Handy Map to satisfy your geographic curiosity that will undoubtedly arise as you read the following paragraphs. Click on a marker to show its name.

View Mozambique in a larger map

So on Saturday morning, Lemos picked me up at 2:30AM, and our bus departed on time at 4:00. It was a very nice bus, for which I was extremely thankful since we didn't arrive in Beira until 9:30PM, after 17.5 hours of riding the bus. (Incidentally, I think that's about how much time it took us to fly from New York to Johannesburg.) Beira is the second largest city in Mozambique, and it felt a lot like a city you might see in the US. Most of the roads downtown are paved, there are lots of cars driving around, and there are several tall buildings. On Sunday, Lemos and I spent a couple hours walking around the city just to see what it was like, since he had never been to Beira before either. On Monday, we went to the Sena team's office. We fixed a few computer issues they were having, and then began doing our main tasks there. First we installed Paratext 7, which is the newest version of a piece of software that's often used for Bible translation. Its main purpose is to be able to display an arbitrary number of different Bible translations and version side-by-side, so that when you look at a verse in one version, all the other versions on the screen will automatically display their version of the same verse. Paratext 7 has new features for synchronization (so multiple people can more easily work on separate computers simultaneously) and internet backup (for backing up the translation to a remote server), so we spent much of our time teaching the team how to use these new features. We also made their non-Paratext files automatically get backed up.

My 30-day visa expired on Wednesday, so our initial plan was to get it extended in Beira. The immigration office in Beira informed us on Monday that if we submitted it that day, it would not be ready until Friday. Since we were supposed to leave for Quelimane on Tuesday or Wednesday, we decided to try and get it renewed in Quelimane instead.

On Tuesday at 4AM, we left for Quelimane. This bus wasn't quite as nice; there was much less room between the seats and I had to hold my backpack on my lap for the 7.5 hour trip. The immigration office there also informed us that it was a five-day process, but the man at the desk said that if we brought in my passport on Wednesday at 7AM, they might be able to finish it by Wednesday afternoon. During the day, we went to the Chwabu team's office, but we couldn't do much of anything there since they did not have an internet subscription and therefore couldn't do any automatic backups. We spent the afternoon visiting one of Lemos' relatives and waking around the city. Quelimane is much smaller than both Beira and Nampula. I saw far more bicycles and motorcycles there than four-wheeled vehicles. The taxis are even bicycles: you wave one of them down, tell the driver where to go, then perch yourself on a little seat that sticks out over the rear tire. (That's how we got to the immigration office.) That afternoon, and after a lot of praying, we returned to the immigration office and found that they had been able to extend my visa that day. Yay!

Thursday we returned to Nampula on a very crowded bus (about a 8.5 hour trip). Even though there was a lot of bus riding, it was very cool to be able to see two other cities (I was surprised at how different they were from each other and from Nampula) as well as some of the beautiful country that lies between them, especially the the northern parts where there are lots of small mountains all over the place.

Less than a week remains. Although I am looking forward to seeing everyone from home again and returning to work at CCEL, I'm quite sad that it's almost time to leave already. I'm going to dearly miss this place and the people I've met here.

valchives

July 4, 2010 - Monica

Monica, the Lexique Pro!

July 2, 2010 - Monica

For the past two weeks I have been working on one thing—dictionaries. Well, they are not full dictionaries, but rather long word lists that the people working here in Mozambique have compiled. I have been assigned the task of taking all of the hard work that other people have done and making it into something that can be handed to people and distributed across the country. First we had to standardize the list of words and the way they are numbered, run all sorts crazy lingalinga programs on them, import them into Lexique Pro, a computer program that has decided it is my arch nemesis and finally export them into different formats so we could have them as PDFs and in HTML. I did this for 16 languages! Lexique Pro even played nice long enough for me to print them with pictures! We also created one master lexicon that has Portuguese as the head word and has glosses for all sixteen of the languages in the same entry! It was pretty exciting stuff. I’m really glad I got to work on this and I might even be able to take a class on Lexicons and Dictionaries next semester in Brazil!

Oh, Canada!

July 1, 2010 - Monica

Today is Canada Day! Many of the people here on center are from Canada, including our very own Jess Yu. They decorated with maple leaves and flags and at tea time they all sang the Canadian anthem. In honor of our dear mounties...

O Canada our home and native land
True patriots love in all thy sons command
With glowing hearts we see thee rise
The true north strong and free
From far and Wide, O Canada
We stand on guard for thee
God keep our land glorious and free
O Canada we stand on guard for thee
O Canada we stand on guard for thee!

craft night

June 30, 2010 - Monica

One of the ladies from the office brought in her sewing machine and a few of us made purses out of our capulanas. Relatively painless--I only got my hair stuck in the sewing machine once--and now I have my very own reversible bag!

ten thousand miles away, yet still home

June 30, 2010 - Tim

I've been in Mozambique since June 1, and I'm leaving in nine days.

songs from the kitchen

June 29, 2010 - Monica

We love our kitchen staff! I think I have already mentioned that we know it is dinner time when the kitchen staff sings. I have been bugging Magdalena, one of our master chefs, to teach us one of these songs and today after lunch we got to learn one! It is in Portuguese and Makua (the language spoken in Nampula) and even has motions! One person sings the main part and everyone repeats after them. Here is the Portuguese section:

vamos fazer assim

quando vamos aos ceus

quando se encontra com o Senhor

quando se encontra com irmaos.

The translation is basically:

we’re gonna do like this

when we get to heaven (wave your hands in the air)

when we meet the Lord (clap your hands down low)

when we meet our brothers (give the person next to you a high ten!)

Villages!

June 26, 2010 - Lisa

The end of our stay in Quelimane is coming fast. All that has happened this week is so hard to convey in a blog post. But I will try my best!

As I mentioned before we left, Cassie and I had been working on an Orthography Proposal for the Chuwabo language with Oliver and help from Pastor Sulude. This last week we have been visiting villages with Sulude to present the issues to the community and document their decisions on the best way to represent certain sounds orthographically. We went to one or two villages every day, talking to the headmen first in order to hear their opinion and to get permission to work in the area. We would then talk to others who were literate in the village. I cannot begin to express the excitement I felt when we entered the first village, Namacata. There we were, sitting outside with the headman, children playing in the distance and chickens running around close by, talking about his native tongue. I was once again overwhelmed, in a good way!

The beauty of the first villages was just astounding. We walked one by one down a narrow path for a good twenty minutes through coconut groves separated by wide open fields that had been turned into farm land. It was a clear day, with an occasional cloud blanketing the sun. From time to time we would see clusters of mud huts roofed with thatched grass and palm fronds. As we got closer to our intended destination, more people seemed to be moving about. Most were women coming back from their gardens. Everyone who passed by greeted us in Portuguese or Chuwabo, which gave me the chance to greet back, with some trial and error of course! They would laugh, but were happy that I was trying. The whole time we were lead by an old man who initially greeted us when we got off the chapa. Sulude told us that this man was the key to this area. He knew the area very well. Needless to say he was very helpful and we were grateful to have him with us!

Cassie and I were also very thankful to have been able to work with Pastor Sulude as well. He is a man of good humor and was always enthusiastic about what we were doing. Being a Chuwabo speaker, he really saw the value in what we were doing. Overall, it was an amazing experience, and probably one of my favorite parts of this journey. Please keep the Chuwabo people in prayer. Pray that God will use people like Sulude to reach the community and that His word would be spread among them.

One Size Fits All

June 24, 2010 - Monica

Our favorite cultural tid bit that we’ve adopted as our own has by far been the capulana. It’s a piece of cloth that can be used for basically anything. It’s most common uses are clothing, especially skirts, and baby slings, although it is also quite handy as a head wrap, bag, sheet, tablecloth, hot pad, rag, blanket, diaper….you get the idea. They come in all sorts of patterns and if you’re really hip then you would even by them for elections and specific holidays such as the upcoming “Dia 25 de Junho� capulana for Independence Day or for Christmas.

It’s such a big part of the culture here—they’re EVERYWHERE! Even before we got off the plane I read an article about the significance of the capulana and how they can even be a euphemism for chastity. Mothers instruct their daughters to “tie their capulanas well� or if a woman is kind of loose you can say that “she doesn’t know how to tie her capulana.�

Quite useful, quite fun, and one way we can partake in the life of the Mozambican.

*Photo also by Tim.

Capulanas

June 24, 2010 - Maggie

Let me tell you about this wonderful invention called a capulana. On the wordlist we elicited from the Mihavani guys, it was translated as "cloth women wear." That definition, though, doesn't really give a good idea of how awesome these things are. Capulanas are a piece of durable cloth about 1-and-a-little by 2 meters.

Their primary function is as a kind of wrap-around skirt. But they're also used as shawls, sheets, blankets, baby-carrying slings, or just fabric to make other things out of. We've used ours as cushions and pillows and head coverings to keep dust out of our hair. Mozambican women use them to tie up their bundles of produce or clothing or whatever else they carry on their heads. I use them to tie up bundles of things that I try to carry on my head.

Capulanas come in all sorts of designs, and the designs available have changed even while we've been here. A common theme is bright blue and green (think the colors I usually wear) with cream-ish backgrounds, but we've also seen reds and yellows and purples and all sorts of other patterny ones. I've got a couple with flowers, and one with leaves, and one with what might be giant fish fins or possibly some kind of plant-ish fans. There's a pretty crazy assortments of patterns.

I haven't yet gotten to my favorite things about capulanas. Yes, they're useful, and there are lots to choose from--but the best thing is that you can get a good-quality capulana for 65 Meticais. Translated to dollars, that's not quite $2 each.

The other awesome thing about capulanas is that they seem to be the Mozambican version of flowers, or chocolate. Guys get them for their wives "regularly," we read in a magazine article. How often that is depends on how well off the couple is. If a man has a good wife, he shows her by buying her capulanas. How cool is it that these things can be beautiful and useful, can last a long time, and are a sign of affection from your man?

Happenings of the past weeks

June 24, 2010 - Brad

And now, the thrilling conclusion of my previous post!

Many of the people who were off doing linguistical stuff have now returned, so now there are seven of our team here on the Center, and David has been keeping us busy. A lot of the team members have been busy creating clip art for some of SIL's publications, updating the ficha tecnichas (basically the copyright pages) of a bunch of the publications, getting them all ready for placement on a CD and a website, which I'll describe shortly.

Personally, I've been busy doing projects of various sizes here. Some of the smaller ones include:

• Fixing a computer that wouldn't boot
• Installing and configuring Paratext 7 (software that translators use) on a couple machines
• Getting Squid (a caching proxy to save bandwidth) and Dansguardian (a content filter) working on the network here
• Learning how to make Ethernet cables and running them to a couple computers for the other team members to use
• Figuring out how to convert Paratext files to SWORD modules (format conversion—I felt like I was back at CCEL, my summer job last year)
• Figuring out how to stream a live video feed over the network for a conference they're having here in a few weeks
• Figuring out how to use the LingaMerge, LingaSplit, and related programs that Roland created for manipulating word lists. David calls this collection of scripts LingaLinga; he loves coming up with goofy names for everything
• Updating the script that starts up all the servers after a power outage so they all actually start
• Installing a virtual XP machine on David's computer so he doesn't have to reboot into Windows anymore (he's a fellow Linux user!)
• Creating a system to automatically generate thumbnail images from all the publications for use on the web site and CD (this was my idea; the original plan was that they would all have to be done manually)
• And my biggest project: the web site

One of David's big goals is to make SIL's publications available to everyone. These publications include Scripture as well as other works, such as informational pamphlets on hygiene and books of folk tales written in the language of their origin. Although there is a small print shop on the Center, SIL does not have the resources to make mass publications of all their writings. So, the point of the CD and website is to make the publications freely available to anyone who wants them, including those with the resources to print and distribute them. Jess designed the web site, lidemo.net, and I did the coding for it. I finished implementing the design today, and late next week I'll be finalizing the process to automatically create pages for each publication. (Until then, there's not much on the site).

And, pictures! From left to right:

1. Mountains are pretty. The Midwest is too flat.
2. Walking to catch the chapa to church on Sunday. (That's Kelly and Tim.)
3. The server room where I spend a lot of time.
4. Publication preparations. Carrie, Maggie, MJ, Jess, and Roland (the computer/finance guy).

The Bucket Bath

June 24, 2010 - Monica

This is a photo of the best shower in all Mozambique. (oooo, aaaaah!) Hot water flows abundantly from that shower head, can ya believe it!? This was at the Shrums house when I was staying in Milange. Unfortunately, the water was off six of the eight days I was there. The showers I did get to take there were wonderful. Otherwise, when the water was off and while I’m here at the center in Nampula I am cleansed by the good ole bucket bath. I heat up some water on the stove and pour it into a bucket (like the green one in the picture) and use a smaller pitcher to scoop up the water. It works quite well and provides hot showers!

moving on up to the east side.

June 24, 2010 - Jess

well it’s been a while since i’ve updated. sorry about that, as internet connection here is sometimes a little sketchy. and i suck at blogging on a daily basis…

first of all: THANK YOU JASMINE FOR GIVING ME BANG!!! we’ve been playing it for the last two weeks for almost every night after work. GENIUS IDEA.

anyways so this is actually the third day since i moved away from the SIL compound and into the city with a teacher and a team mate of mine. For the last 3 weeks we’ve been living on the main compound, SIL. it is so nice here, it’s literally a retreat centre. I used to live in one of the “houses” (more like a little cottage) but since there’s this huge AIM conference going on, we had to move out of Niassa (my house name) and me and megan got to move into the city. the rest of the girls on the team got to move into another house on the compound with another teacher.

it’s actually been nice being able to live in the city. i feel like that is how we can get the real mozambican experience, by living with the people, and not in an isolated compound that has minimal experience with the people.

it has been super busy, for me at least. i’ve got tonnes of design projects that i’m in charge of, so i’m really thankful that i actually have a role on this team. earlier i was a little worried about not being useful on the team, since all we did during the orientation week was like linguistics and phonetics. i was a little worried. but now they’re using me to the max. and today I’M GOING TO GO VISIT A SCREEN-PRINTING SHOP!!! to hopefully get my t-shirt design printed for the office.

The other day i got to eat a true mozambican meal with garlicy fried tuna (I KNOW TUNAAAA) and this awesome tomato sauce thing. We also had boiled sweet potatoes. IT WAS AWESOMMEE. so tasty. i should’ve asked him for the recipe….sigh. oh well. i hope to try more ‘mozambican’ food, since at the compound they’ve been feeding us mostly american-style foods, including grilled chicken with fries and coleslaw. (that was one of my favourite meal, actually.)

there’s 3 more weeks left technically, however there’s only two weeks left to do get the work done. the last week will be a debriefing week, so the plan is no work will occur during that week. but on missions, you never know. so i should actually try and focus and get things done now…

PEACE.

————————————————

prayer requests: 1. please continue to pray for safety and health. Your prayers are definitely helping, as no one has gotten hurt or very sick yet.    2. Praise God for providing us with jobs and specific roles on the team. We are all enjoying our work very much so praise Him for that!   3. thank God for being with us throughout the past weeks. everyone is dong well so PRAISE GOD!   4. continue to pray for the mozambicans that we will be working with.

THANKS.

It's been busy

June 23, 2010 - Brad

Though most of our day is spent on the SIL Center, we do manage to "go into town" on occasion. To do this, we first walk for about ten minutes down a sunny dirt road deep in bear country until we reach one of the main roads around here. Then, we wait a short while until we see a chapa coming and wave it down. Chapas are the main form of public transportation here. They are normal-looking vans that you pay 5 meticais (about 14 cents) to ride until you yell at them to stop so you can get off. They're intended for about 15 people, but we've been in chapas with over 20 people and a live chicken or two.

Once you arrive in town, the markets are one of the main places to go. There's the central market where they sell fruits and vegetables and chickens and spices and all sorts of things. As you walk around, little kids constantly come up to you and try to sell you grocery bags. There's also the Sunday market, where you can find people selling everything there is to be sold around here. You also have to deal with merchants following you around and trying to convince you to buy their goods.

When we arrived in Mozambique, we made photocopies of our passports and visas because sometimes police stop you to check your papers. Last Sunday at the market, we found out the hard way that un-notarized photocopies are not good enough. Megan, Jess, and I were stopped, and after several minutes of bad Portuguese on our part and bad English on the officer's part, it ended up that I had to go back to the Center to get the original copies of our documents while the other two stayed at the little police building. They let us all go when we returned with the papers, but at least now we can say we were arrested in Mozambique.

I intended to write about the work we've all been doing during the last week, but now it's dinner time. I'll write more about our days and evenings soon, and perhaps see if I can get a couple pictures uploaded. Stay tuned.

Prayer requests:

• Health for our team, that no one else would get sick. A couple people have gotten sick and then gotten better again so far.
• Rest for David and Hilary Ker, the people in charge of the Discovery program (that's us) here. They're extraordinarily busy doing all sorts of things for us, and it takes up a lot of their time.
• Safety for Lemos and I next week. Lemos is one of the Mozambicans who works with the computers around here, and he and I are going to Beira and then to Quelimane next week to help out the translation teams that are there.

10 things I didn't expect to be doing (but I'm glad)

June 23, 2010 - Maggie

10. Playing Bang with the Discovery people in the evenings. And winning occasionally!

9. Swapping favorite book suggestions with the Diskies and the Ker kids, and then finding out that the Morningstar Academy library had lots of them!

8. Watching an episode of Firefly a night with Monica, MJ, Carrie, and Brad

7. Learning how to run right from MJ, who ran at nationals last year

6. Eating leftover lasagna for supper

5. Mastering the art of tricking Word and Publisher into doing what I want them to.

4. Baking chocolate chip oatmeal cookies

3. Playing pingpong when we're taking a break

2. Getting cold early in the morning. It doesn't get super cold here (maybe 50 F this morning?) but the houses are really really open. The windows are always open, for one thing.

1. Understanding a decent amount of the Portuguese I hear! (I've even interpreted for other people a time or two)

The Great Provider

June 22, 2010 - Lisa

Since Pastor Paulo is the head pastor of his church, him and his wife are very involved with weekly events. Virtually everyday we have spent at least a few hours at their church.





Today was an all day event of fasting and a time when the widows can come together to tell what God has been doing in their lives and worship our Heavenly Father in their mother tongue, Chuwabo. Many of these women come from outlying villages and travel great distances to be there. It was inspiring to hear their testimonies of how God has provided for them. One testimony that really touched me was not from one of the women at all, but from two nice, very clean-looking gentlemen who were present that day. Josina had told us about them the day before. Two months ago they were homeless and, as Josina puts it, mad. Somehow they found their way to the church and accepted Christ into their lives. Now they are healthy and live at an extension of the church in another part of town, looking for work. I was overwhelmed to the point of tears. What an amazing God we serve! I so grateful to be able to fellowship and worship our Provider with them in their mother tongue.



Cassie and I with a Brazilian missionary and her adorable children Paulo and Sara



Brasil, Mozambique, and America!

Dinner and a Chapa

June 22, 2010 - Monica

Welcome to the public transportation of Mozambique—the chapa. This is a mini-bus that in the states would fit 15 people tops. I think the record for the most passengers for anyone on our trip so far is 22 people, 2 kids, and a chicken. The crew of the chapa is made up of a driver and the doorman. The doorman really holds the chapa together—literally. His duties include signaling the driver to stop (normally by banging on the roof), opening the door, shuffling the people into whatever space there is (seat or not), slamming the door shut (usually while the car is already in motion), collecting the cash, and occasionally holding on the door on. There are no official stops, you just flag ‘em down when you want on and yell ‘Saida!’ when you want off. The great part about the chapa is that you never have to wait, there are always chapas rolling by. The bad part is that you might have to get friendly with the person sitting next to you. It’s quite the adventure!

*Credit for prime picture taking goes to Mr. Timothy Krug.

Quelimane

June 21, 2010 - Lisa

We have been in Quelimane a few days now. It is so beautiful here! There are coconut trees everywhere, which means I have been eating fresh coconut every day (I'm in heaven). Josina tells us that this is one of the places where coconut trees originated, so they grow quite naturally. I can believe it! There also seems to be a different atmosphere here in comparison to Nampula. Even though there are a lot of people out all the time, it doesn't seem as busy. Plus, it has been raining here all week, so it isn't as dry as Nampula.



View from our bedroom window





Sites around the neighborhood

Cassie and I are enjoying staying with the Viegas family. Pastor Paulo and Josina have a great sense of humor and have made such an effort to make sure we are comfortable. They have 8 children living with them at any given time. The three youngest are their own, and they have taken in three nieces and two nephews as their parents have passed away in recent years. I am really enjoying our mealtime conversations. Their generous hearts and deep love for the Lord are very encouraging. They expressed the need of more missionaries in Mozambique. From what they've seen, most only stay for a couple years before returning home. There is still a great need here.



Pastor Paulo, Josina, and I

spectrogram!

June 19, 2010 - Monica

[ˈbʷɑ˞.ʈo]

Travel the Mozambican Way

June 19, 2010 - Lisa

Today was the day that we traveled to Quelimane. What an adventure! We left the SIL center at 3am to catch the bus at 3:45. Sulude, Tome, Cassie, and I arrived at the bus stop just in time to get our seats and take off. The next 9 hours were spent enduring bumpy roads, frequent stops, and a very small amount of personal space. There was one moment, though, that stood out from every other on that long bus ride. About half way through the drive I was a little chilly (real winter in Africa, who knew?) and hungry. So I took out my capulana, wrapped it around my shoulders, took out a piece of bread and started munching away. I was very content. Cassie then turns to me and says "Lisa, you look very Mozambican right now!" We both laughed and returned to our silent thoughts. It was then that I thought, 'Lord, how did I get here? You did this to me!' Despite the long drive, bumpy roads, and lack of the personal space that Westerners covet, I was loving every minute of it! I would do it all over again if I could!


Vendors outside the bus at one of our stops

We arrived in Quelimane around 2pm unscathed. Sulude got a taxi to take us to the Viegas house, where we are to stay for the next week. We were received by Josina, Pastor Paulos wife, and one of their daughters, Nini. Thankfully we were able to rest the afternoon away before having dinner with Pastor Paulo and Josina that evening. Tomorrow we are to go to church and then we start our work Monday. I'm excited to see what God has for us here!

So, I am a bad blogger

June 19, 2010 - Megan

I have been informed that I am bad at blogging. BUT Africa internet is kinda here and there. I haven't had the opportunity to sit down for a moments peace and think about everything that has happened.

To Milange and back!

June 18, 2010 - Maggie

Dear all,

This is my third try at posting this. I apologize if things show up multiple times!

I’m also sorry for my lack of communication! My internet connection has been pretty limited. Well, should clarify: my patience with the internet has been fairly limited. For the past week and a half I was in the town of Milange, in Zambezia province. It’s right on the border with Malawi, and it’s next to some pretty spectacular little mountains.

Four people, and Will, our fearless leader for the Zambezia part of the trip, headed out at 3 in the morning on Monday the 10th. The trip to get to Milange was interesting, to say the least. It took two days. The first we spent in a crowded bus. We thought we didn’t have much leg room then. The second day of travel was even more of an experience. We rode in the open back of a truck, piled in on top of our luggage and everyone else’s, along with 15-27 people, bundles of clothing, some charcoal, and even at one point a rooster! Will taught half the truck (called a “chapa,� which means “tin�) a song, and we all sang it for a little while. The whole thing was quite an adventure, and it’s an experience I’m glad we had.

Once we arrived in Milange, Monica (another linguistically-inclined girl on the trip) and I stayed with the Shrums, who are working on the Takwane translation project. They were wonderful to stay with, and their hospitality (and hot shower!) has really been a blessing.

Starting Wednesday morning, we worked with Alfred, James, and Supuni. They’re speakers of Mihavani from Malawi, and Alfred is the translator working with Malawi Bible Society to translate a Mihavani Bible. But along the way they ran into some snags. Mihavani had never been a written language, so when people wanted to write it down, they came up with their own orthography (writing system) based on the bigger languages around. But now they’re translating the Bible and realizing their orthography could probably be improved and standardized. So, along with Ilse, their exegete from the Bible Society, they came over to SIL in Milange for some assistance in phonetics, phonology and orthography design.

Big linguistic words to describe what we were working on. Pretty exciting. Basically we had a list of hundreds of words, and they gave us the Mihavani words. Then we transcribed them phonetically. Friday afternoon we quit transcribing and started consolidating our three transcriptions into one we could agree on, and we got to use some excellent computer programs to play with our data.

Monday through Wednesday we collaborated on a 55 page paper. Half of it was the wordlist, but still, 5 people wrote 25 pages in 2.5 days. We wrote up our findings about the phonemes of the language, and us students got to listen in on some decisions on changes to make to the orthography! It was exciting.

They were very grateful for our help, and thanked us with gifts. And a poem! They wrote us a poem, in English and Mihavani, with a snippet for each of us. The part about me:

“Maggie, kaahilota wi okhuveya wawo onnuphwanelha, mehaawo oripa eri phi, wonanko onahelha ize bulaki, sika wi kookhalha ni ehache, vawi onnakuupusa amoowe, yaakiwatiheraka osukuluni. Ndithu khaniwa nuutuwalhani.

If I am not going to appreciate your shortness, your black hair, as if you applied easy black, then it will be out of jealousy, for you remind me of my mother, when she was encouraging me to go to school. Truly we will not forget you.�

It’s strange to get used to the extra formality here. You have to make a big deal of people coming and going, shake hands all the time, greet people more than I’m used to. But I appreciate the added formality, too. I think we miss something when we’re so informal all the time. I really admire the way that people aren’t slow to express things like admiration or gratitude--things we kind of shrug off or get embarrassed about at home.

Yesterday Monica and I rode back with the Shrums. It was a treat to ride in a vehicle with seatbelts! The van-chapas and the truck-chapas definitely don’t have them. So we got back to the SIL center in Nampula around supper, and it was a fun reunion. Even though we’d only spent 5 or 6 days with the other Discovery (otherwise known as Very Disco) people, we had missed them, so there were hugs all around, especially from me. I like my hugs! We celebrated our return with a couple games of Bang, which one girl was brilliant enough to bring. Emporio! [ɛm.’po:.ɾi.o] (Had to transcribe that beautiful vowel length.)

There’s the update!

love,
Maggie

Tea Time

June 18, 2010 - Monica

I love the schedule here. It’s all about the tea breaks. We start at 8 and go until 10 when we break for tea. Normally there is tea and some Ricoffy coffee on hand to have with bread and jam. Lunch is between 12 and 2, but normally requires quite a bit of prep, so it’s not as luxurious as it sounds! Then we have another tea break around 3:30. I can see why the locals adopted this Portuguese tradition--so tasty!

Mihavani

June 18, 2010 - Monica

We stayed in Milange for one week. While we were there we helped write up a phonological outline for the Emihavani/Malawi Lomwe language. It was so cool! The first three days we elicited and transcribed words to come up with a solid inventory we could analyze. Then we had just three days to run all of the cool linguistic programs I have newly installed on my computer and write everything up. The final product was 55 pages long and even included spectrograms for some funky words! I made the phone and phoneme charts and wrote the sections on ambiguous phones and loan word phonology. I feel like a real linguist!

This is the SIL office in Milange where the Shrums work on the Takwane project and where we did some of our work.

Maggie and I transcribing our little hearts out! Mihavani has quite a bit of retroflex and some fun prenasalization and labialization combinations. Even a little bit of breathy voice!

James, Supuni (Spooney), and Alfred, our three language consultants.

The last day Alfred held a “closing ceremony� of sorts for us to thank us for all of our work. It was really special to see how appreciative they were of having their language studied and written about. They even wrote us a poem in Mihavani (with a translation in English)! Our research was mainly to help them make orthography decisions. It was so cool to see someone deciding how to write their language for the first time!

On the Road Again...

June 18, 2010 - Lisa

It has been a very busy week here at the center in Nampula. Cassie and I have been working hard with Oliver to get this orthography document ready to go to Quelimane. We met with Salude this morning to go over what we had so far, and I'm happy to say that it was an encouraging and productive experience. We are meeting with Oliver once more this afternoon to make final changes and make sure our format is consistent.

This morning we met with everyone who had been away this last week to talk about their experiences thus far. We were then asked to share individually about our experience so far. We each talked about our work, something wild, and something wonderful. I thought I would share about my wonderful experiences so far. It was hard for me to pick one to share, as many experiences have been truly wonderful. So here are a few:

Last week Jess and I visited a church in the outlying community whose pastor works in the office here at the center. It is a very small church, mostly consisting of women and children, that meets under the side of a small building that is covered with a roof. many of the women in the church are young mothers and some of the children are orphans. This church's vision, as shared by Pastor Carmona, is to reach this community by first building a school building and an orphanage along with the church building on the property they have purchased. Jess and I were both very encouraged and blessed by the faith that these people have and the joy that they find in knowing Jesus. They also taught us some dances, which was also wonderful! It was an experience I will never forget.

Another cool experience I had happened one day while Cassie and I were working with the Emarevone speakers in Oliver's office. Monday through Wednesday we were transcribing Emarevone, specifically looking at the tone, since it hasn't been looked at very much at this point, but seems to be an important part of the language. One of the days we had Oliver, his wife Heidi, Oliver's assistant Romao, our Emarevone speakers Santos and Pedro, and then Cassie and I in the office at once. Cassie and I would speak to each other in English. Oliver and Heidi would speak to each other in German. Oliver would speak to Romao in Portuguese. Romao would speak to Santos and Pedro in Makua. And then on top of it all we were transcribing Emarevone. That means that we had 5 languages being spoken in one office at any given time! For someone who loves languages like me, this was a DREAM! It was definitely a wonderful experience.

Another wonderful thing has been seeing our team work these last three weeks. Not everyone here is trained in linguistics, but they have plenty to do as well! Jess is a Design major and has designed a logo for a website that she is also helping to build. Brad is studying computer science and has been such a blessing in fixing computer problems and helping with all the tech stuff. Megan is an Education major and has helped as a subsitute teacher for someone who was sick and has also assisted various people who were doing the work of four people by themselves. Other girls have been taking pictures that are now being turned into clipart for dictionaries and literacy documents in various languages in Mozambique. The rest of us have been working on different language projects, helping them get to the next step in getting written documents out to the communities. It has been so great to see everyone work in their own element and be able to contribute so much with the gifts God has given them.

So those are some of my wonderful points for now! On another note, Cassie and I are headed to Quelimane tomorrow with Salude to stay with a national family for a week. We will be working on various projects down there until we come back next Sunday. We will be traveling down there by bus, so it will be a long journey. Please pray for safety and health during travel, and that our hearts would be open for what God has for us in Quelimane. I am not sure if I will have internet access while I am there, but I will try to give an update when I get back if the internet is working! Thank you for all of your prayers thus far. I know I say that a lot, but I cannot express enough how appreciative I am of all the support that has been given to me on this trip.

-Lisa

Across the Border

June 13, 2010 - Monica

Today we took a short venture to Malawi for the Sunday market. It was quite fun! One of the guys got a haircut for 50 kwatcha (about 30 cents), which drew quite a crowd. At the peak there were 22 people crowded around the window of the barber shop besides us whiteys. I also got a great capulana, a Malawi original!

My Fair Lady

June 11, 2010 - Monica

The Friday night tradition at the Shrum’s house is pizza and a movie! We made delicious pizza (one with pepperoni and one with fresh pineapple) and then watched My Fair Lady! They were appalled that we linguistics majors had never seen it! Now I am officially deemed ready to graduate by the Shrum household.

Another week ends

June 11, 2010 - Brad

There's a lot more to Bible translation than I had imagined. It's really cool to be able to see just a few of the many steps happening. Part our team is doing language documentation, which is basically gathering a bunch of data about an undocumented language and, well, documenting it. One thing they do is make audio and video recordings of native language speakers speaking, then analyze their recordings to find out exactly what sounds a language contains, what "rules" exist that specify where certain sounds may appear in relation to other sounds and word boundaries, and a bunch of other stuff that I only have a vague understanding of. Then they have to make a writing system, actually start translating, and a plethora of other steps that I know nothing about. There's a small group of people that have been staying here the past few days that are busy translating Ephesians into some language that I forget the name of, and it's neat to pass by the room where they're sitting and to realize each time what an important thing they're doing.

This week I've spent a lot of time with the computer department, whose name is Roland. (He's also the finance department.) A large part of what I've been doing is troubleshooting the network problems they've been having here, and learning quite a bit about This week I've spent a lot of time with the computer department, whose name is Roland. (He's also the finance department.) A large part of what I've been doing is troubleshooting the network problems they've been having here, and learning quite a bit about networking in the process. (Pity I'm not taking a networking class until this fall...) But now it seems like it's working pretty well; it just needed someone to spend a few days trying to locate the problem. Roland doesn't have the time to do that (he's extraordinarily busy with all the stuff he does around here), so I'm glad I was able to help with that. Another project I'm working on is converting Paratext documents (created by one of the main computer programs that Bible translators use) to SWORD modules for use by various other software. I was amused when I found I'd be finding ways of converting files from one format to another, since that was a large part of what I did last summer at CCEL.

Well, that's a lot of writing for me. The sheer volume of activity going on here, the missionaries and translators coming and going and working, the pastors of local churches who come here, the church services... it's incredible to see how much God is doing here. It's also encouraging for me to see how much stuff they have for us to do and how much they appreciate our help here.

Tudo Bên

June 11, 2010 - Lisa

So the internet has been down for the last few days, but thanks to a lot of hard work from Roland, the computer guy, and a fellow Discovery intern, Brad, our internet can now be used inside our house!

In Portuguese, Tudo Bên means 'all is well.' It sums up nicely how I am feeling at this point. I feel a lot more settled in here, and am working pretty consistently everyday. The weather has been beautiful since it is winter here. It is mostly sunny, and doesn't seem to reach above 80 degrees. I wake up at about 6am everyday, and am in bed no later than 9:30pm, so I have been getting a healthy amount of rest!

This week Cassie and I are working with Oliver, an amazing linguist and expert consultant on Bantu languages, on an orthography document for the Chuwabo language spoken in and around Quelimane in the central part of Mozambique. We are putting together a list of the difficult aspects of the orthography to show a visiting consultant next week. After conferring with him, he will take the document to Quelimane to present to the community so that they can make decisions on these difficult areas. We are also working on some publications that we can take down there with us when we travel to Quelimane next week. I am enjoying every minute of my work here. Also seeing how a linguist like Oliver works is a real privilege. There has also been a translation team here on site that just finished up the translation of Ephesians into Kimwani today! Unfortunately I did not get a formal observation time with them, but it was really neat to see them at work when I was able to pop in! Seeing all these various stages in Bible Translation has been such a cool experience. It makes me that much more excited about future career opportunities after university.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support! I am still in awe that God has brought me here and so thankful for it. Please continue to pray for health and travel safety for my team. A lot of have been and will be traveling around the country. Also pray for our families back home as they are really beginning to feel our absence. Lastly, pray that God will continue to use our lives to impact Mozambique, and that we would be open to how God is using Mozambique to impact us!

-Lisa

Baked Oatmeal

June 11, 2010 - Monica

I’ve recently stumbled upon a tasty breakfast treat! The Shrums made us delicious baked oatmeal for breakfast one morning and I stole the recipe. :) Here it is if you want to have a taste:

Combine: ½ cup oil, ½ cup sugar, 2 eggs

Add: 3 cups uncooked oatmeal, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup milk

Pour into greased 9x9 pan and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Serve with warm milk, sugar, and cinnamon.

From Nampula to Milange

June 9, 2010 - Monica

We got up around 2am on Monday to leave for Milange. The trip to the Zambezia province took us two days. The first day we rode in a tiny minibus to the city of Mocuba. It was quite an interesting ride—we all piled in to leave around 4am and they were blasting some Backstreet Boys! So strange. I think we heard three different versions of “I Got a Feeling." That night in Mocuba we stayed at an orphanage and got to have a little tour of some really cool education projects they're working on there.

The next day our plan to rent a bus was thwarted and the only transportation option left was the back of an open-air truck! That was quite the experience. I think the highest count of people was 27, plus a rooster or two. I have no idea how that many people with that much stuff fit in such a small space! Mozambicans have a way of staying put—they never need to stretch or more or adjust anything. I don’t know how they do it but they can jump on with all their stuff and a couple kids and sit for hours. We Americans get real figidity real fast. In the states we have the luxury of prioritizing comfort, but it's not that way here.

Maggie and I wore capulanas to keep the dusty road on the road and not on us!

This was the truck we came in. The whole trip took about six or seven hours.

I'm surrounded by linguists

June 5, 2010 - Brad

Well, we made it, and so did all of our luggage. "We" consists of myself, ten others more or less my age, and Will Reiman, our fearless leader and translator. We flew in to Maputo on Monday, spent the night there, and arrived here in Nampula on Tuesday morning.

We've spent the past few days getting to know each other, some of the people here, and a bit about the culture and language. Some of the orientation has been very much focused on linguistics, which is completely new to me but quite fascinating. They've got crazy detailed systems for describing and classifying sounds.

We've been staying on the SIL training center so far. Six or so people and Will will leave for various locations to do very linguistical stuff. From what I understand, it involves making recordings (audio and video) of native speakers of a language, then going through the recordings and analyzing and transcribing them with their crazy phonetic system. Four others and I are staying here. I'll find out more about what we're doing on Monday, since the main focus thus far has been getting everything ready for those who are departing Monday.

I will also begrudgingly admit that taking Spanish might not have been a complete waste of time after all. Portuguese is surprisingly similar, so I'm able to get a basic idea of what most of the signs say. It's not really helping me understand it when people speak it, though.

so it's been almost a week. have you missed me yet???

June 5, 2010 - Jess

ME AND MEGAN!

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i am beginning to miss a little bit of home now.

not too much. but just a little. i miss my bed, of which does not cave in when i lie down on it. CHINESE FOOD. where is that in africa? hahahha i was actually talking to a mozambican yesterday and he said that there was one chinese shop in town. he said he would take me yesterday but it never happened because he didn’t show up to our trip to the museum!!! so disappointing. hahaha but yeah yesterday we went to the museum in town. it was only two floors! essentially two large rooms. it was interesting in the fact that it had artifacts that are specifically related to mozambican history and culture. it was interesting. THEN THE BEST PART:

WE WENT TO A BAKERY! and i got to share a chocolate donut with my teammate, cassie. IT WAS SO GOOD. like REAL CHOCOLATE.

since this was the first week since we got to nampula, they’ve been intensively preparing us for the coming weeks. orientation week has been filled with linguistic and phonetics lessons since the main reason why we’re here in

moz is to do be involved with the ongoing linguistic projects. did you know that mozambique has more than 500 LANGUAGES? no, it’s not DIALECTS, but LANGUAGES. so there’s tonnes of work to do here regarding recording linguistics, language and then utilizing it to produce Bibles. they are really understaffed here (as in always with missions work) and so please pray for SIL Mozambique (where we’re staying at) and that God would continue to work through the staff to reach the unreachable.

i love traveling to the town, in what we call a chappa. it’s like a hong kong mini va

n bus thing, except it’s lacking in the safety area. the “max” number of people that are supposedly allowed on these buses are 15 people. however i’ve been on one so far with 21, and so that is the number to beat. and let me tell you, these vans are not meant for tall people. you’re so screwed if you’re tall…there’s barely any leg room for me. and dude i’m short. so you get the picture. plus you fit four to a seat, regardless of how big you are, so IT’S QUITE AN ADVENTURE. next time i should take a picture of the inside and outside and i’ll post it on here for you to see what we have to get on in order to get the town.

and since i’m the only asian on the team i kind of stick out, especially we’re in town. there was a time when a smaller group of us were walking down the street and these african ladies started to make these stereotypical chinese so

unds. and at first i didn’t know how to respond to that, but after thinking about it, all you could really do is laugh about.

ohhh they’re burning something outside. i’m going to go check it out.

keep checking the blog for more updates! feel free to leave comments on my comment page!

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prayer requests: 1. more than half of my team will be leaving on monday to the bush (to villages) to do some linguistics work with the people there. please pray for God’s protection and safety as they travel there either on bus or on the plane. 2. for those who are staying in the compound, please pray for God to use us effectively in areas that need work. Regardless of what the job is, that we are able to do it to the best of our abilities. 3. thank God for being with us throughout this week. so far, nothing has been lost, stolen or no one has been hurt. everyone is dong well so PRAISE GOD!

financial support: $5 309.83 / $5 600

CIAO!

Nampula

June 5, 2010 - Cassie

Sorry I haven't updated my blog since I've been here. The internet isn't as reliable as the US, so if I don't update in a few days, just be patient. I will eventually. :-)

Wow. A lot has happened since I last updated. The plane ride was really long, but praise God that everything we smoothly. Everyone got there in one piece and so did all of our luggage. Apparently it's a miracle or something. So Friday I got up in time to have coffee with Chad and Madi before I took the train to my school. Then I did some errands that day and mostly hung out with the few people still on campus, my beautiful roommate, Candace, included. :-) Saturday I hung out with Candace and watched part of the graduation ceremony. I packed and met Lisa so that we could meet her parents and to hang out for a bit before we went to the airport. We met Jess, a girl from Canada on our team, and we all flew out of LAX to JFK, which was a five hour flight. Then we met up with the rest of our team at JFK and flew to Johannesburg, which was a fifteen hour flight. From there we flew from Joburg to Maputo (pronounced Maputu), which was only an hour. We went from the airport to a missionary center called Casa Koinonia, where we stayed for a day. We didn't have time (or energy) to go out and explore the capital, but perhaps we will when we return in July. After sleeping very well (at least I did :-) we left early for the airport to fly to Nampula, which took two hours. So it took three days to get there and 23 hours in the plane.

When we arrived in Nampula, David picked us up at the airport and we drove to the SIL Mozambique center. After moving our things into our houses, we had lunch, which was very welcome to a weary group and was pretty familiar. We had an initial meeting, which was thankfully short and then we were free until dinner. After dinner everyone was so tired that I think most of us went to bed as soon as we could.

Well I don't think I can give you everything we have done in the whole week, but I will give you the highlights. :-)

Monday-arrived in Nampula
Tuesday-learning some Portuguese, culture, and information about living on the center in Nampula, went into town
Wednesday-more Portuguese, culture, information, linguistic workshop, went into town
Thursday-Portuguese, culture, information, linguistic workshop, went into town (shopping), cooking for half of our team
Friday-Portuguese, culture, information, linguistic workshop, went into town (museum), the other half cooked for us
Saturday-devotional and workshop until lunch, and the rest will follow...

Overall, I love the team that I am a part of and I am enjoying every part of life in Nampula.

Day 7

June 5, 2010 - Megan

Today is our first day without anything scheduled. Tomorrow we get to go Moz churches which will be amazing!! This week has been intense and for a lack of better vocabulary "Face melting." We have one week with real linguistically legit people telling us about the languages in the country. Its really interesting and interactive. They have us practice making sounds that the English vocab does not have. So its pretty funny to listen to us try like fools to shape the sounds. This afternoon is free time so a bunch of us are going to go into town and shop. We know our way around so its pretty cool to be a grown up and not have to hold someone's hand to go shopping. My Portuguese is pretty basic. Spanish really did help me have a good base to pick up. I know all my numbers up to 200 in spanish and they are basically the same in Port. so Shopping is a breeze. They add a lot of SH and Ch/Sh to the send of words so I get a little confused but can basically figure it out.

And the Bat Beeps On...

June 5, 2010 - Lisa

The the title of this post was loaned to me by my good Mozzie Discovery friend/housemate Jess Yu! We have a bat who likes to beep us to sleep every night.

I have been in Mozambique for almost a week now, but it feels like I've been here for much longer. Our first week has been spent in orientation. We have been learning a little Portuguese, mastering getting around town using public transportation, and learning more about Makhuwa culture. It was been really fast pace up to this point, but it has been very enjoyable. Nampula is a beautiful place, and since it's winter here the weather is beautiful, ranging from 60-mid 70's every day.

I am living in a house on the SIL compound with three other girls from our team. We have internet for the most part as well as running water and electricity. Hot water is hard to come by, so I am definitely mastering the art of the bucket bath!

The last couple of days we have been riding the chapas into town in the afternoon to explore and shop in the market. A chapa is essentially THE public transportation. It is a mini-bus that is built to fit 15 people, but it normally winds up being 20! We were split into teams to make dinner for one another the last two nights. Last night was our night so we rode the chapa into town and with the help of our amazing guides/translators we bought ingredients in the market and bakery to make spaghetti, garlic bread, fresh green beans, and a banana-papaya fruit salad. It was quite tasty!

Next week I will probably begin working here at the center in Nampula. I'm not sure what I will be doing yet, but I'm excited to start!

Thank you all for your prayers. I ask that you continue to pray for the physical health of the team and safe travels for those members who will be leaving this Monday for their assignments in various parts of the country.

My time is almost up, hopefully I will be able to update at least once or twice a week from now on as we seem to have sufficient internet.

-Lisa

so it's almost been a week. and the bat beeps on!

June 4, 2010 - Jess

i’m sorry for taking so long to update. as you can see, there is internet here but it’s a little sketch. apparently we’ve been having some internet issues the past couple of days, so sorry if i couldn’t be online to catch up or just fill you in! it’s been going SO WELL here over in moz. the kitchen crew (all Mozambicans) are feeding us both american and traditional moz food so it’s been a good transition. so MOM and DAD I’M EATING VERY WELL. the 20 something hour plane ride in three days seemed to take forever, but we finally got there with nothing lost. it was amazing. no luggage or people so GOD IS WITH US! thank you for those who have consistently prayed for us. it has definitely helped on the other side.

it’s time for dinner (my team mates are cooking, and so i’ll be back to write more!)

Sounds of Mozambique

June 4, 2010 - Monica

My first night in Mozambique my team stayed in Maputo and at about 2:00 in the morning both my roommate Carrie and I woke up. (I think I'm finally over the jet lag!) For the next couple of hours we both laid there under the mosquito tent covering our beds and tried to discern what could possibly be making the noise we were hearing. It was very rhythmic and electronic sounding, just a small little beep every other second or so, but it sounded like it moved throughout the house. We talked about it at breakfast the next morning and all of our team had heard it, but no one could figure out what it was, until Will (our fearless and wise meta-data-minded team leader) informed us that it was a bat! Or a "mocho." Now every night we fall asleep to the sometimes quiet and sometimes not so quiet (although by 9:00 we're too tired to care!) beeping of the mocho.



Another sound that we experience every day is the singing of the cooks! To summon us to each meal the Mozambicans sing and let us know that the food is ready. It's really fun! Singing seems to be really important here. The first night our host asked us if we wanted to sing a song before dinner and when we all looked around at each other very confused she informed us that it was unacceptable for any group of young people to not know how to sing! Since then we've been learning a short song or two each day in Portuguese and English.

In a nerdier, linguistics sense, over the past two days I've been learning all about the sounds of Mozambique! In our orientation we've been going over Bantu sound systems (Bantu is the language family in southern Africa) and just today I received the phonetic inventory of the language I'm going to be helping with in Milange! My team and I leave on Monday for this "vila."

Please be praying for safe travels (I'll right more about the crazy "chapas" later) and healthy, godly relationships. It's been great going off on all of these excursions into town and getting to know both my team and the people here. I'm looking forward to more!

I made it!

June 3, 2010 - Maggie

I made it! Today was my second full day in Nampula at the SIL center.
It's been busy getting to know the team, practicing Portuguese (Here it's strangely more comprehensible than the Brazilian or Portugal varieties), getting all orientated, and getting over jet lag Things here are good. Tiring, but good. My body is convinced that it's still 3 in the afternoon, not 10 at night, and I'm posting this through an intermediary back home because I'm too sleepy-awake-wired to be patient and blog from here. I will try to update more tomorrow, but for now: I'm safe, I'm healthy, and I'm loving it thus far.

Now it's off to bed for me. There's a bat that sounds like an alarm hanging out by our house making noise all night. But maybe tonight I'll be used to it.
Até amanha! (until tomorrow)
Maggie

Airport

May 31, 2010 - Megan

So the first two flights were fine. I really didn't get much sleep. My legs never fell asleep though! Well we have been hanging out in South Africa's airport for the last 4 hours. Our 945 flight got overbooked and we were bumped to the next flight at 1. So we have another hour before we can fly out. It ended up being a blessing cause we had time to brush our teeth and clean up in the bathrooms. This is going to be interesting :)

Crossing Oceans

May 30, 2010 - Lisa

First, I want ti apologize for keeping you all in the dark these last few weeks. Between finals, work, finding housing for next semester, and preparing for the trip I just couldn't get on!

With that said...I'm happy to say that I am posting this from JFK airport in New York, awaiting to board my flight to South Africa...which will then take me to MOZ!!! (Yes, we say Moz, it's just shorter ;) ). I am so overwhelmed by all of the support that God has provided through friends, family, and finances. It all came together, and to God be all the glory.


Please continue to pray for safe travels for all of us, and that God would sustain us!

I have to keep this short because we only get 20 minutes of complimentary Wifi, but I wanted to just give a quick update! Hopefully the next time I post it will be from Nampula!

-Lisa

3:00 am

May 30, 2010 - Monica

I'm on my way! Here I am at the good ole MCO, Orlando International Airport. Unfortunately, the airport ticketing doesn't even open until 4! So until then I'll continue to chat it up in the lonely terminal with my mom, make sure my luggage doesn't weigh too much, and procure a tasty treat from Starbucks!

See you guys in Mozambique!

AND THE TRIP BEGINS!

May 29, 2010 - Jess

this morning leaving from calgary was a joyous thing since there was a blizzard last night. I KNOW IN MAY. anyways this morning i woke up to a brand new blanket of white, and it was at least 5 cm. So now I’m stuck in LA (and thank God i found free wireless) for the next eight hours just to go back to the east, to NY. I guess it isn’t that bad since i’ll be collecting tonnes of miles by the end of this trip!

Off to Mozambique!

May 29, 2010 - Maggie

I've had this blog for a year now, but this is the first time I've gotten around to posting. I woke up at 5 this morning--not to catch a flight, just because I'm excited and nervous and wired. I leave for Mozambique today! And no time like the present to actually get to starting my blog.

Prep Pack and Pray

May 27, 2010 - Cassie

Okay sorry for the cheesy title. I still think it's kinda cute :)

Anyway,
I just wanted to let everyone know that I have a blog now and that I am in the process of getting ready for Mozambique. I have been packing all day and preparing myself for this trip. I really don't know what to expect there ( I guess I will find out what I actually expected when something doesn't meet my expectations).

I am a bit nervous because I've never been out of the US for that long. I have been on several trips outside the US but they have only been for two weeks long each. I think I am more prone to homesickness the longer I am away from home. Yesterday I was driving with my dad and I was just looking at the blue sky and noticed how pretty the clouds were just floating there. Then I realized that I was going to miss them. I started noticed the landscape of my hometown and how beautiful I thought they were. These past two years I have definitely learned that "you don't know whatcha got 'til it's gone." It's not like I have lost my hometown or that I won't ever see it again, but I just never thought I would take it for granted and really miss it.

I think one thing that I am looking forward to are the people that I am going to meet there, both on my team and from Mozambique. I am so glad that God has blessed me with someone to go with from school. I think it will make the homesickness easier.

So I have been praying about this trip as well. I know that this trip won't be for God's glory if it's not smothered in prayer by others and me. I have been praying that God will prepare my heart and that I will seek to participate in what He is already doing in Mozambique. I pray that I would be extra sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to fully rely on His power during this whole trip. God has really been teaching me what it means for Him to be my shelter instead of myself. I have been reading passages like Psalm 91, 23, and 62. I have seen His financial provision for this trip and seen that He is always faithful. Even if He didn't provide all the money for this trip, He would still be completely faithful and would have another plan for me for this summer. Thank you again to everyone who donated to my trip. I am so thankful and grateful that you would support me and go with me, in a sense, on this project. Thank you again for those you have been praying for me and continue to pray for me. Without all of you, this trip would not be happening and could not be possible.

Another way that God has been preparing me is that He has gently shown me my weaknesses. He has shown me areas where I have not trusted Him or things that I have been prone to. He has shown me how I deal with difficult things (ie finals, finances, anger, etc.). He has shown me my attitude towards the people I love and how He gives me the grace to love them, even when it's difficult. The Lord will continue to be faithful in this trip and I have faith that He will guide me where He wants me to be. Praise God that He is so gracious and loving.

Prayer requests: Pray that God would continue to prepare me for this trip and would be the center of it. Pray that God would give me opportunities to tell others of His faithfulness to me in Mozambique or wherever I am. Pray that God would be preparing good works in advance for me to do (Eph. 2:8-9). Please pray for safe travel and immunity from sickness for my team. Pray that the joy of the Lord would be our strength. Pray as the Holy Spirit leads.

In Christ, who holds everything together by His Word (Col. 1:17),
Cassie

880 miles later

May 26, 2010 - Monica

After many correspondences with my soon-to-be university in Brazil, one certified letter, a visit to the sherrif's department, one $170 postal money order, and two trips to the Consulate General of Brazil in Miami (LOTS of driving) I finally have my visa!! Which also means I have my passport back, and just in the nick of time.

Check here for the most updated info on moz!

May 26, 2010 - Jess

Welcome to my moz blog!

Here, you will be able to keep an update of what’s been happening as I prepare for the trip and what I will be doing while on the trip. I will be using this blog more often than sending you e-mails, as this will be an easier way to keep you updated and it will also allow me to post and share photos easily.

I’m sorry for taking so long for sending the latest updates, as most of you know I am currently and furiously preparing for the trip, of which i’m leaving in 3 days. eeeekkk Packing has been a huge challenge, as it is in my Chinese DNA to overpack. Packing minimally as proved to be difficult, however I am almost there. As you can see below, God has been good with providing the financial funding that is needed for me to go on this trip. I would like to thank all of you for your partnership with me on this trip. Without your support I would not be able to go on this trip. So thank you.

STAY TUNED.

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prayer requests: 1. to use my time wisely and make sure everything is done and ready to go before I leave for moz.   2. for God to watch over me and my team mates and protect us as we all travel from different areas of the US and me in CAN to meet up in NY as we continue our leg of the trip to moz. (It will take us 3 days to travel there and back).  3. please continue to pray that God would continue to prepare the hearts of the people there and also mine.

days till moz: 3

financial support: $4 309.83 / $5 600

A blag? On my wobsite?

May 25, 2010 - Brad

It's more likely than you think.

I've never had one before, so I make no promises about how often I'll actually update it. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

This page looks a bit plain, I know. I'm severely lacking in the graphic design department.

Manic Monday

May 24, 2010 - Megan

I don't know what word other than overwhelmed to use to explain how I feel right now. I leave early Sunday morning. The whole "packing and being in another country for six weeks" thing isn't what's weighing me down. Thats the easy stuff. I'm Soooo excited to go on this trip. I am so ready to just go. All the implications of what this trip will mean in the end is what's on my mind. Missions is something that I have always been open to. That, I'm not afraid of. I'm not even really afraid. I guess I'm just anxious to see how this trip works out, and how the rest of my life will follow. I'm not expecting this trip to be God's only word on the subject of going into missions when I "grow up." I'm not foolish enough to think, if this is harder than I thought then I shouldn't pursue missions work later on. I'm just a bit of a control freak and would like to know now.

Doing the Mozzie Disco

May 23, 2010 - Monica

The "Mozzie Disco" as it is affectionately referred to as is a Wycliffe Discovery trip to Mozambique. Here's an update on my trip!

One week left until I am off to Mozambique! Everything is really crazy as I'm trying to wrap up packing and all of my preparations. I leave this coming Sunday, May 30 and will join the rest of my team at JFK. From there we'll fly through South Africa to Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. Then we fly to a city in the north called Nampula.