Today, Friday, has turned out pretty good. We ended yesterday a little shaky and my comfort level was not too high when we started. The biggest issue was trying to finish the cement work in the inside bathroom since that was the only thing left to do...well, you know how it goes.
Anyway, the mason started out and we thought he would be 3 days. After lunch and a little more thought, we start at 5 a.m. on Saturday and then...finish! Actually, since I leave Sunday, the mason wanted to finish before I left, so he re-calculated. But we are going to get it all done!
It is amazing what God has done on this project. The first 2 or 3 weeks were Ugly! Then we started to see some real progress and then things started falling into place. We had problems, but God has guided everything!
Today, Hafiz hosted a going away party for me with all my workers and contractors. It was most interesting to here a Muslim cleric compliment me and acknowledge my belief in God as a basic in my life. The men were stoic Muslims but God was present and an atmosphere of friendship was all around the table. It was cool.
I would like to thank everyone who sent support to me from the bottom of my heart. Your generosity made an impact on a neighborhood and an entire community. You enabled me to help Rodger get his house prepared in a way that Rodger did not anticipate. You helped provide over $700 in construction costs that we could not have foreseen. You also helped me become Baboo and Amigo to some young men and children that I hope will have an impact in Eternity.
Thank you,
Baboo
Friday, July 29, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Motorscootin in Mozambique
Since this past Sunday was the last full Sunday I would be on Ilhe, I decided to go for a motorbike ride. I kept putting off the off island excursions to make sure my money was adequate, and so I finally took off.
I rented a 50cc motor bike from one of the guys on the island, and after a little learning curve, I was off the Island! Now, a 50 cc motor bike is small....I mean real small. People kept looking at me as I would motor along partly because they don´t see a white guy on a motorbike...ever...and I was a little big for the thing anyway. But, as I would go along I would wave at everybody and I would hear Bon Dia! and cheers and yells and the little kids would giggle and laugh and everybody waved back. Some waved back enthusiastically and others in sort of a dull shock like the circus had just ridden by.
I did get to see 2 cool things, at least I think they were cool. First, there is an old airplane hanger just off the main highway and a couple of white buildings back behind the hanger. So, I turned up this little dirt path on my little motorbike to see what I could see. I ran into...Aeropuerto de Jumbo! This is a cool little airline terminal with an equally cool control tower. The one employee met me as I drove up and gave me a tour of the entire facility! He said that maybe 2 or 3 airplanes a month land there and he did have a photo of a private jet sitting on the tarmac. It was fun to see and I get to tell the visitors on the island that are doing research about the airport...which they don´t believe.
The second thing I did was take the motorbike on a dirt road out to the country side to see what that was like. It brought back great memories of my cousin Steve and I riding his motorscooter on the dirt country roads in Oklahoma when I was 12 and he was 14. In fact, that is how I learned to dirve a motorscooter. Thanks, cuz!
The people on the country road were as enjoyable to see as the scenery. EVERBODY stopped what they were doing to look at me go by. They were all very friendly...just confused or amused or both.
We are moving the end very fast on the project now. The mason has completed all but one small task and he is trying to get the bathroom floors and walls finished before I leave. We need to stain a little bit of door trim and some small stuff but other than that...we are done.
I posted pictures on Flickr if you want to see.
Mike
I rented a 50cc motor bike from one of the guys on the island, and after a little learning curve, I was off the Island! Now, a 50 cc motor bike is small....I mean real small. People kept looking at me as I would motor along partly because they don´t see a white guy on a motorbike...ever...and I was a little big for the thing anyway. But, as I would go along I would wave at everybody and I would hear Bon Dia! and cheers and yells and the little kids would giggle and laugh and everybody waved back. Some waved back enthusiastically and others in sort of a dull shock like the circus had just ridden by.
I did get to see 2 cool things, at least I think they were cool. First, there is an old airplane hanger just off the main highway and a couple of white buildings back behind the hanger. So, I turned up this little dirt path on my little motorbike to see what I could see. I ran into...Aeropuerto de Jumbo! This is a cool little airline terminal with an equally cool control tower. The one employee met me as I drove up and gave me a tour of the entire facility! He said that maybe 2 or 3 airplanes a month land there and he did have a photo of a private jet sitting on the tarmac. It was fun to see and I get to tell the visitors on the island that are doing research about the airport...which they don´t believe.
The second thing I did was take the motorbike on a dirt road out to the country side to see what that was like. It brought back great memories of my cousin Steve and I riding his motorscooter on the dirt country roads in Oklahoma when I was 12 and he was 14. In fact, that is how I learned to dirve a motorscooter. Thanks, cuz!
The people on the country road were as enjoyable to see as the scenery. EVERBODY stopped what they were doing to look at me go by. They were all very friendly...just confused or amused or both.
We are moving the end very fast on the project now. The mason has completed all but one small task and he is trying to get the bathroom floors and walls finished before I leave. We need to stain a little bit of door trim and some small stuff but other than that...we are done.
I posted pictures on Flickr if you want to see.
Mike
Friday, July 22, 2011
Photo link
Diane posting here...just in case you have forgotten...link to view photos is www.flickr.com/photos/oldslush
Please keep praying for Mike to have a strong finish there...that Satan's attacks won't rob the joy of his last days there (for this trip...he'll be back)!
Oh and didn't mean to get this on there where you don't see his latest post. A great new observation posted on Friday evening (his time).
Please keep praying for Mike to have a strong finish there...that Satan's attacks won't rob the joy of his last days there (for this trip...he'll be back)!
Oh and didn't mean to get this on there where you don't see his latest post. A great new observation posted on Friday evening (his time).
Old wood to new
Things are coming together and winding down all at the same time. One week from tomorrow is my final work day on the island and I am trying to move as much forward as I can.
One of the things Rodger wanted was new doors because the existing ones are really bad looking. When the doors were installed, no type of protection was applied to the outside of the doors, just bare wood. The effects of wind, rain, sea spray and sun really took its toll on 2 of the doors especially. I kept looking at these doors thinking all was lost when we installed a new door for the utility room. Right beside the beautiful new door was the old wooden trim which was literally grey/gray with age. When I was not watching, Willey started to scrape and sand on the old wood. To my surprise there was beautiful wood just beneath the surface, so off we went in a new direction. After we finished sanding and prepping we put the new marine grade sealant on the old wood and WOW did it look good. I posted a picture of that yesterday.
Today, I started the boys sanding and scraping on the door and door frame that connects the breezeway and the house. Late this afternoon we then put the marine grade sealant on and you cannot believe the beautiful door that was behind all the gunk.
I guess if I was speaking in parables, there would or should be one here. God takes our old, tired and worn out life and scrapes and sands all the gunk off and then seals us with his Holy Spirit. What a beautiful life is then revealed for the world to see.
I hope you have a great weekend and go to church somewhere for me!
Mike
One of the things Rodger wanted was new doors because the existing ones are really bad looking. When the doors were installed, no type of protection was applied to the outside of the doors, just bare wood. The effects of wind, rain, sea spray and sun really took its toll on 2 of the doors especially. I kept looking at these doors thinking all was lost when we installed a new door for the utility room. Right beside the beautiful new door was the old wooden trim which was literally grey/gray with age. When I was not watching, Willey started to scrape and sand on the old wood. To my surprise there was beautiful wood just beneath the surface, so off we went in a new direction. After we finished sanding and prepping we put the new marine grade sealant on the old wood and WOW did it look good. I posted a picture of that yesterday.
Today, I started the boys sanding and scraping on the door and door frame that connects the breezeway and the house. Late this afternoon we then put the marine grade sealant on and you cannot believe the beautiful door that was behind all the gunk.
I guess if I was speaking in parables, there would or should be one here. God takes our old, tired and worn out life and scrapes and sands all the gunk off and then seals us with his Holy Spirit. What a beautiful life is then revealed for the world to see.
I hope you have a great weekend and go to church somewhere for me!
Mike
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The drunk Frenchman, 2 college students and a road trip to Nacala
You remember the drunk Frenchman? Well, he came back. This time, however, he showed up at the guesthouse where I am staying! He was...drunk. He checked in and then went out to party...all night long.
Sunday morning when I got up, there were 2 new additional guests. Two young men traveling through Africa. They have been away from school for the past 7 months, but are students at Yale and Georgetown. As we were talking, our Frenchmen came into the dining room...with a towel wrapped around him. That´s the way we all ate breakfast, with the Frenchman still a little drunk, but with a towel wrapped around him. It was fun. He drank half of my coffee since it was fresh brewed. Why not.
Anyway, I showed the college guys around the island...it took 2 hours. We did enjoy each others company and they are looking to buy a guesthouse as a long term investment. I am sure parents are involved in this equation somewhere. Anyway, they leave in a few hours so we will have dinner together again and then they are off to someplace else in Africa. They said they haven´t figured out what they want to do when they grow up...just like me!
Monday morning at the worksite sprung up as usual, and as usual, I needed to spend more money that Rodger had not planned on. The carpenter came with the window and screen frames and announced we needed to get the window handles and hardware, none of which could be purchased on the island or acrosss the bridge on the mainland...we had to go to Nacala. So at 10 o´clock in the morning, Miguel and I set off for Nacala...only a 1 1/2 hours drive by car. The Gilligan´s Island theme keeps rolling through my head right about here.
We piled into the back of a truck..with 25 other people, and went across the bridge. Well almost across the bridge. It´s a one lane bridge and part of the way over, our driver came truck to truck with another driver and we sat there for 10 minutes waiting to see who would back up. We backed up.
Once, across the bridge we waited for and then got into a mini van or choppa. It has seats for about 16 people, but as we drove along we managed to put about 25 people in there. The drive to the main highway is about 35 miles and after about 2 hours, we finally made it! Once we were at the main highway we then waited for another truck to take us the 40 to 45 miles to Nacala. You have to picture a delivery type truck with 2 wooden benches and a metal top where you can store all your carrying stuff. Once again, the driver moved me up to the cab to sit. I´m not sure if this is a sign of respect or if no one wants to sit next to a bald headed white guy. But, after another 2 1/2 hours...we were in Nacala! We would actually drive down the highway for 3 or 4 minutes and then stop for 10 minutes to load someone on the truck.
I have to confess I was concerned, because if it took us 5 hours to get there and it was already 3 in the afternoon, what was I facing trying to get home! We did make it to the hardware store and made a record time of only staying there 1 1/2 hours. Did you know that chrome is the same as brass...only different? I won´t bore you with that story since it only took 1 1/2 hours to straighten out.
So at 5 o´clock in the evening, I set out for what I anticipated to be another 5 1/2 hour trip except in the dark.
We got into another mini van/choppa and made it to the edge of town where we then got on 2 motorbikes to go another 5 kilometers to the area where people gathered to get whatever kind of ride they could to get home. As soon as we hopped off the motorbikes, Miguel ran up to the driver of an 18 wheel deisel truck driver and asked for a ride. If it had been raining, I would be singing "Me and Bobby McGee" right now. So, Miguel and I got in the cab of an 18 wheel deisel truck. Oh yes...the driver insisted the bald headed white guy sit in the passenger´s seat.
Well here I am, rolling down a dark 2 lane highway in Mozambique in the cab of a deisel truck, watching the mud huts and their campfires go by listening to...ABBA´s greatest hits. It was actually quite a bit of fun. In about an hour we made it to our intersection and hopped out and the truck driver went on to Nampula. We still had 35 miles to go and it was dark. However, there are people everywhere! Picture the darkest 2 lane highway you have ever been on through the countryside. Now, picture people on bicycles, motorbikes and on foot walking along the side of the highway. It´s like that everywhere. Some people are carrying stuff home and some are just out walking to see someone or something.
After a few minutes, 2 young men in a 4 door Toyota pulled up and after a brief conversation, we got another ride. Oh by the way, we paid the truck drive and these guys in the Toyota for the ride...that´s how it´s done.
So back on the dark 2 lane highway. buzzing past mud huts, campfires, pedestrians and etc. and listening to...Phil Collins and Whitney Houston! Another hour and I am back on Ilhe! Only a little over 2 hours to get home. Praise the Lord!
So what did I learn? I´m not sure other than God watches out for people like me.
I am posting some new pictures of our infamous sliding door, so I hope you enjoy.
Mike
Sunday morning when I got up, there were 2 new additional guests. Two young men traveling through Africa. They have been away from school for the past 7 months, but are students at Yale and Georgetown. As we were talking, our Frenchmen came into the dining room...with a towel wrapped around him. That´s the way we all ate breakfast, with the Frenchman still a little drunk, but with a towel wrapped around him. It was fun. He drank half of my coffee since it was fresh brewed. Why not.
Anyway, I showed the college guys around the island...it took 2 hours. We did enjoy each others company and they are looking to buy a guesthouse as a long term investment. I am sure parents are involved in this equation somewhere. Anyway, they leave in a few hours so we will have dinner together again and then they are off to someplace else in Africa. They said they haven´t figured out what they want to do when they grow up...just like me!
Monday morning at the worksite sprung up as usual, and as usual, I needed to spend more money that Rodger had not planned on. The carpenter came with the window and screen frames and announced we needed to get the window handles and hardware, none of which could be purchased on the island or acrosss the bridge on the mainland...we had to go to Nacala. So at 10 o´clock in the morning, Miguel and I set off for Nacala...only a 1 1/2 hours drive by car. The Gilligan´s Island theme keeps rolling through my head right about here.
We piled into the back of a truck..with 25 other people, and went across the bridge. Well almost across the bridge. It´s a one lane bridge and part of the way over, our driver came truck to truck with another driver and we sat there for 10 minutes waiting to see who would back up. We backed up.
Once, across the bridge we waited for and then got into a mini van or choppa. It has seats for about 16 people, but as we drove along we managed to put about 25 people in there. The drive to the main highway is about 35 miles and after about 2 hours, we finally made it! Once we were at the main highway we then waited for another truck to take us the 40 to 45 miles to Nacala. You have to picture a delivery type truck with 2 wooden benches and a metal top where you can store all your carrying stuff. Once again, the driver moved me up to the cab to sit. I´m not sure if this is a sign of respect or if no one wants to sit next to a bald headed white guy. But, after another 2 1/2 hours...we were in Nacala! We would actually drive down the highway for 3 or 4 minutes and then stop for 10 minutes to load someone on the truck.
I have to confess I was concerned, because if it took us 5 hours to get there and it was already 3 in the afternoon, what was I facing trying to get home! We did make it to the hardware store and made a record time of only staying there 1 1/2 hours. Did you know that chrome is the same as brass...only different? I won´t bore you with that story since it only took 1 1/2 hours to straighten out.
So at 5 o´clock in the evening, I set out for what I anticipated to be another 5 1/2 hour trip except in the dark.
We got into another mini van/choppa and made it to the edge of town where we then got on 2 motorbikes to go another 5 kilometers to the area where people gathered to get whatever kind of ride they could to get home. As soon as we hopped off the motorbikes, Miguel ran up to the driver of an 18 wheel deisel truck driver and asked for a ride. If it had been raining, I would be singing "Me and Bobby McGee" right now. So, Miguel and I got in the cab of an 18 wheel deisel truck. Oh yes...the driver insisted the bald headed white guy sit in the passenger´s seat.
Well here I am, rolling down a dark 2 lane highway in Mozambique in the cab of a deisel truck, watching the mud huts and their campfires go by listening to...ABBA´s greatest hits. It was actually quite a bit of fun. In about an hour we made it to our intersection and hopped out and the truck driver went on to Nampula. We still had 35 miles to go and it was dark. However, there are people everywhere! Picture the darkest 2 lane highway you have ever been on through the countryside. Now, picture people on bicycles, motorbikes and on foot walking along the side of the highway. It´s like that everywhere. Some people are carrying stuff home and some are just out walking to see someone or something.
After a few minutes, 2 young men in a 4 door Toyota pulled up and after a brief conversation, we got another ride. Oh by the way, we paid the truck drive and these guys in the Toyota for the ride...that´s how it´s done.
So back on the dark 2 lane highway. buzzing past mud huts, campfires, pedestrians and etc. and listening to...Phil Collins and Whitney Houston! Another hour and I am back on Ilhe! Only a little over 2 hours to get home. Praise the Lord!
So what did I learn? I´m not sure other than God watches out for people like me.
I am posting some new pictures of our infamous sliding door, so I hope you enjoy.
Mike
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Jan and Dean and the proper mixture of Cement
In the early 60's, I lived in Muskogee, Oklahoma. I would go to my buddies, whose name was Homer, and listen to Jan and Dean and all the surfer music. One of my favorite songs was Sidewalk Surfin, and I loved the background of Bust Your Buns, Bust Your Buns. I listened to it the other night and today, I got real close to sidewalk surfin except it was Dumptruck Surfin.
We had to go across the 1 1/2 mile bridge to get cement blocks and I rode, no I stood, in the back of a dumptruck type vehicle with about 30 to 35 other people. We went over speedbumps and when we slowed down everyone moved forward and then over the bump and everyone went backward...just like on a surfboard! It is interesting to see vehicles that are used for taxis and buses packed beyond what you would think is their capacity. And I have to admit, it was a little fun.
We bought cement blocks the other day for construction here on the Island. What a disaster! The block maker did not use enough cement and water to make a good mixture. The blocks looked like a cement block...until we tried to transport them. They literally fell apart. We did stored them at the house but we can't use them. Any pressure at all on the blocks and they crumble. When you pick up the parts, you can crush this cement block bits with your hand and you can see there is little if any cement content. They are unusable and we are working to get our money back. But we did find good cement blocks on the mainland, hence, Sidewalk Surfin.
These cement blocks remind me of Christians in many ways. There are a lot of people who call themselves Christian but when the pressure of life comes on, they fall apart. They look like Christians and it's hard to tell them apart from the real thing. But without Jesus Christ as the binding agent in their life...they crumble, just like a cement block made without cement.
Enjoy the new pictures, I am in one of them to make my wife happy.
Mike
We had to go across the 1 1/2 mile bridge to get cement blocks and I rode, no I stood, in the back of a dumptruck type vehicle with about 30 to 35 other people. We went over speedbumps and when we slowed down everyone moved forward and then over the bump and everyone went backward...just like on a surfboard! It is interesting to see vehicles that are used for taxis and buses packed beyond what you would think is their capacity. And I have to admit, it was a little fun.
We bought cement blocks the other day for construction here on the Island. What a disaster! The block maker did not use enough cement and water to make a good mixture. The blocks looked like a cement block...until we tried to transport them. They literally fell apart. We did stored them at the house but we can't use them. Any pressure at all on the blocks and they crumble. When you pick up the parts, you can crush this cement block bits with your hand and you can see there is little if any cement content. They are unusable and we are working to get our money back. But we did find good cement blocks on the mainland, hence, Sidewalk Surfin.
These cement blocks remind me of Christians in many ways. There are a lot of people who call themselves Christian but when the pressure of life comes on, they fall apart. They look like Christians and it's hard to tell them apart from the real thing. But without Jesus Christ as the binding agent in their life...they crumble, just like a cement block made without cement.
Enjoy the new pictures, I am in one of them to make my wife happy.
Mike
Monday, July 11, 2011
When the boss comes to town
Itºs been a good few days. Rodger came to the island on Wed. night and left today, Monday. He brought Jonathan Edwards with him, who is a summer intern at MozOvos. Jonathanºs dad is Paul Edwards who is a paster at Sunrise Church and who I also happened to go to Haiti with last year.
We had to make some changes on the kitchen, such as moving the door over so the sea breeze would flow through the house. Today we were able to mount the hardware that will hold the door. The door is about 6 feet wide and is on rollers. It will open to the side to give a big space into the breezeway.
Other than that bit of news things are about the same. God is a gracious and loving God and I am thankful for the gifts of friendship he has provided me so far through this adventure.
Thanks for following, There are some new photos, too.
Mike
We had to make some changes on the kitchen, such as moving the door over so the sea breeze would flow through the house. Today we were able to mount the hardware that will hold the door. The door is about 6 feet wide and is on rollers. It will open to the side to give a big space into the breezeway.
Other than that bit of news things are about the same. God is a gracious and loving God and I am thankful for the gifts of friendship he has provided me so far through this adventure.
Thanks for following, There are some new photos, too.
Mike
Monday, July 4, 2011
They call me Amigo!
Things have been moving along quite well lately. We worked all weekend on the house and made some major headway. If you want to look, I put some new photos up for your enjoyment.
The internet problem has been interesting. It has forced me to evaluate things a little differently, which is good. I can't imagine the Apostle Paul being frustrated over the internet and so I have taken a different approach. The internet is simply a way for me to communicate and keep in touch with the outside world. While that is good, my job here is to be God's servant for Rodger and to be the face of Jesus to the island...a bald headed Jesus is not what you might envision, but that's the way it's going to have to happen. So, I am glad to be able to use the internet, but if not...
Being the face of Jesus has become interesting. When I walk into the neighborhood all the kids under about 7 charge up to me screaming Amigo! Amigo! So, I stop and they hold out their hands for me to slap 10 and then I hold out my hands and they give me 10. We then do fist bumps, elbow bumps and thumb bumps. Of course, I made the mistake of lifting them up in the air and they all demand to be picked up as high as I can lift them. They all laugh and giggle and scream and the Mom's stand back and watch. Some Mom's laugh with approval and others just look at me as though this is really weird for a grown man to do. Now when I walk down the street, other kids run up to me and want to slap my hands. And a lot of really little kids all wave and say Tah Tah !
Anyway, that's what is going on here on Ilhe. I've got to go back to the house and see how the work is going this morning so I'll mentally slap 10 with you and say Tah Tah!
Mike
The internet problem has been interesting. It has forced me to evaluate things a little differently, which is good. I can't imagine the Apostle Paul being frustrated over the internet and so I have taken a different approach. The internet is simply a way for me to communicate and keep in touch with the outside world. While that is good, my job here is to be God's servant for Rodger and to be the face of Jesus to the island...a bald headed Jesus is not what you might envision, but that's the way it's going to have to happen. So, I am glad to be able to use the internet, but if not...
Being the face of Jesus has become interesting. When I walk into the neighborhood all the kids under about 7 charge up to me screaming Amigo! Amigo! So, I stop and they hold out their hands for me to slap 10 and then I hold out my hands and they give me 10. We then do fist bumps, elbow bumps and thumb bumps. Of course, I made the mistake of lifting them up in the air and they all demand to be picked up as high as I can lift them. They all laugh and giggle and scream and the Mom's stand back and watch. Some Mom's laugh with approval and others just look at me as though this is really weird for a grown man to do. Now when I walk down the street, other kids run up to me and want to slap my hands. And a lot of really little kids all wave and say Tah Tah !
Anyway, that's what is going on here on Ilhe. I've got to go back to the house and see how the work is going this morning so I'll mentally slap 10 with you and say Tah Tah!
Mike
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