Yesterday was my last morning in Mozambique.  I woke up at 5am and went to the prayer hut where we worshipped and prayed until about 8.  Nasimo did the rounds with me, first stopping at the toddler house then visiting the playground and one final trip through the village.  I had packed the night before so I got to spend the whole morning with the kids.

Village Boy with Popsicles

Village Girls Being Sillyfaces

Mark, Jen, Nasimo, Chantal, Rosa and the Wood boys came to the airport with me.  Jun was leaving on the same plane.  Boarding time came and we were rushed through onto a little jet, the kind with only 3 seats per row (Pam prayed that I would get a small plane because they’re more fun).  It was small enough that the asked us to move to the back of the plane because it was imbalanced for take-off.  I sat in the very back left corner between the wing and the engine.  There was a misty rain as we waited and occasionally streams of water would leave tracers on the window.  We left early.  The plane made a steep accent, the land is greener now than when I arrived.  I noticed all the buildings that had been invisible when I flew here in November.  You just had to know what to look for.  I watched the beaches go by and recognized a few of them.  They served lunch immediately and there was cheesecake.  It’s was hard to eat without the kids- I didn’t escape thinking about them and I’m pretty sure I don’t want to.  One thing my stay has produced is a keen awareness of what is available to whom.

My Dear Friends Mymuna and Nasimo

In my estimation I’ve left at least a ventricle and quite possibly an atria or even both at with my family in Pemba.  There’s the Iris kids, the village kids, the missionaries and tias, the babies that have broad teethless smiles- the kind that would show all their teeth if they had any, babies that only want you and fall asleep however you hold them.  There’s the challenge of putting Mildo (his name is “Mildew” heh heh)  to bed after he’s asleep in your arms.  He grasps your shirt and then monitors your intentions.  Plenty to miss.

Agira is Sweet

I’m writing from South Africa- I’ll be here for 5 days before arriving at SFO in San Francisco, 1:25pm on Thursday, February 12th (Happy Birthday Kiddo!).  It’s cold this morning.  Please pray for my friends in Pemba and for me as well, daily bread, keep us from temptation, deliver us from the evil one, exalt God, that sort of thing would be good.  Especially pray for Nasimo that he would have a close godly Mozambican friend.