10 Weird Happenings that are Normal Here

(pictures on the left: a random african clothin store; A car went through the wall and into our water storage closet)

As I sat and enjoyed breakfast this morning I realized that I noticed a lot of things here that just don't even cross my mind at home. Here is a small selections of these weird things:
2) I put on my flip flops first thing in the morning, before even going to the bathroom or getting dressed.
3) I average 1 shower a week and have discovered that the other 160 people that are here also average 1 shower a week!
4) The application of deoderant is forgotten 7/8ths of the time (and no one notices)
5) I dip my breakfast bun into my jar of peanut butter because it seems safer and cleaner than using the knife!!
6) As a group we talk about bathroom adventures at every meal!!!
7) As a house we have leg shaving parties where we all gather aroung the same bucket... (group leg shaving is just not normal)
8) I have a small celebration everytime the running water runs (it means that I can shower and flush all the toilets)
9) I brought with me a lot of clothes and I have found that I am only wearing 2 outfits because doing laundry by hand is unfun
10) I don't even notice the fact that the women next to me are breastfeeding while walking and talking
11) I have noticed that even when one does not have bowel issues, they still celebrate after every 'movement'
12) Nothing here starts or ends on time (hence the numbering)

Also I want to introduce you all to my friend Walt...

... he is a ring worm that has taken up residence on my right cheek... (ring worm is actually a fungus not a worm)... I named him so that when he succefully dies, I know what to write on his tombstone... No peace for walt the wormy, you must DIE


One last thing that is not normal here but I am not complaining:
I have been here for 4 weeks and I have lost 20 pounds without being sick or changing my diet or being more active than normal.... Plain old amazing and I love it!!!!

Blessings and an abundance of laughter
Candace

OH ya... I LOVE IT HERE

Chaocity of Everyday Life in the DIrt

Today is Saturday and I am amazed that it is already June 23. I am equally amazed that I have not even been here for 4 weeks yet. It feels like months have past. The past sentences are totally opposites but both equally true. How can I sum up the past week? It has been chaotic and wonderful. I wish that I could describe what busy is like here… hurry up and wait and then get confused and lost in translation and then go back to square one and try again with hurrying and waiting and miscommunicating. What an adventure!!
I seem to be growing leaps and bounds every week, at the same time my body seems to be getting smaller (or my clothes are getting bigger). This week I seem to have grown a lot in relationships (no, not with anyone in particular). I am learning way more about missions and about life this year. It is truly all about relationship and about sharing your story. I have learned so much from people just by listening to their stories.
Speaking of relationships, I have the privilege to be a dorm parent this year. Let me introduce my roommates to you. Starting with the youngest, Brandi-lin is 19 years old. She is from New York State and happens to be the grand daughter of one of the men that founded ‘teen challenge’. On the bunk below her is Bec, a 29 year old accountant from Australia who lives in England. On top of the next bunk is Kat, 22 a nurse from North Carolina (how convenient). Below her is Deane. Deane is 60 and from Virginia. Every single one of these wonderful women have amazing lives and amazing stories and it is an honour for me to get to live with them. They are all so sweet and encouraging and I am learning what love looks like through them.
The five of us live in the third room in a row of dorms. The three rooms total 15 women and we all get to share one washroom (3 toilets and 3 showers, if all are working) and one kitchen. Life is truly an adventure. I will tell you one story and post some pictures and then I must go swimming!!
When I was here last year, my heart grew a special spot for a wonderful little village boy. Karimu is about 9 or ten and when I met him he liked to hit, kick, and beat others just for fun. One day he came and hit me, and that just stole my heart. I chased him down and grabbed him and hugged him, he wiggled and squirmed and then he fell asleep. All summer I would love him and hold him and love him some more. A couple of weeks ago he found me again. He ran up to me, this time not hit me but to throw his little body into my arms. He has improved even more in the past year. Last year he barely spoke at all and did not understand Portuguese let alone English. Last week(ish) as I was walking to my kitchen with my breakfast bun, he ran up beside me, grabbed my hand, and said in perfect English ‘give me your bun’… my heart melted, Karimu could understand me!!! Of course I did not give him my bun and allow him to beg but I did hug him and squeeze him and told him I would share my lunch with him later that same day.
Everyday that I am here I am convinced more and more that I belong exactly where I am!!!!!
Blessings and Peace be upon you...
Candace

PICTURES:
1) (at the top) Sunset of the WEEK
2) Where's Whitey???
3) This is me and my buddy Fred the big BUG
4) Cute boy wearing my tilly hat
5&6) a couple of Beautiful Makua women and their Babies

6 hours, 23 people, one truck... Among other things

Salaama, boa noite, Hello friends,
This Past weekend I had the pleasure of leading a team of missions school students (along with some visitors) on an overnight outreach. For many people this is a trying and stretching time, for me it is like a retreat and i love it!!! I would love to tell you all every little detail but there just won't be time for that.
What is outreach you ask???
Outreach is a two night camping trip into villages with the main purpose of sharing the gospel of Jesus and the truth and freedom that that brings.
Let me tell you a bit about this outreach that I got to go on. We travelled for over six hours in the back of an open 3 ton pick up truck... wait that sounds comfy... 23 hot sweaty people, sound equipment with 3 large speakers and lights, 23 peoples tents and belongings, food for 23 people and all the kitchen supplies... crammed into a truck that would be much nicer with 15 people on a short trip to town. The adventure started well on a paved raod with lines and signs and other traffic... after 2 hours we found a suitably bumpy road with sufficient potholes to keep us all awake. This road just got thinner and thinner until I think that we may have been on more of a path than a road. This road had many surprises beyond the bumps and hills and sharp corners. A couple of hours in, we stopped for a much needed bathroom break. (this is nice and simple with for those of the male gender... for the rest of us it is quite an ordeal) WARNING: this may get graphic and may not be suitable for all readers. I led the women in a small group of about 8 down the road away from the men. 2 women held up a wrap around skirt when the other 6 decided to be relieved (all at once of course, just not enough time for privacy in Africa)... while patiently squatting and peering down the road we had the oppertunity to see about 6 or 8 baboons cross the road. Due to the cirrcumstance no one was able to get a picture but it was cool.
After a flat tire and a quick snack while waiting for repairs and about another hour or more we arrived at the village. I quickly found some kids to play with and a couple of babies to hold. I have more stories but I am falling asleep. In two words or less(ish) here are some of the other things that happened:
Sound failed
prayed anyway
Ate
slept in a schoolhouse (in tents)
woke up
ate
packed up(ish)
played
Killed a goat (well, watched)
walked village
prayed
Ate Goat
played more
stickered foreheads
sat cuddling
INJURY (skinned knee while playing duck duck goose)
band-aided for a while
Set up sound
prayed
sick healed
ate more goat
re set up tents
slept
Ate
prayed
felt leg muscle grow while praying
watched cripple lady walk,
then run,
then dance
Packed up
6 hour bumpy ride home
saw more babboons
got home
went swimming (indian ocean)
updated blog
went to bed!!
Blessings
Candace
(did I mention that I LOVE IT HERE???)

A world away but NEVER forgotten

Wonderful News: I have arrived Safely, without having to pay outrageous over weight fees in Johannesburg.
Great News: The water is back on!!!!
Breaking News: I forgot how hot it is in Africa☹, and how warm the Indian ocean is☺
Other News: I am so happy to be back here in Pemba. I was made for this!!! There are about 500 children milling around the center and I am in a stuffy room trying to get some admin done for the upcoming missions school....
Okay that is better, I just ran out to get a few hugs and practice my Portuguese... (I LOVE THESE BABIES)
So much has happened in the last couple of days since my arrival but I will try to be brief. I tried counting how many children I hugged in the first 48 hours but lost count around 30 a few hours after arriving. I have already started band-aiding cuts and scrapes and have had the opportunity to check out a funky fungus growing on another staff member. I have now reacquainted myself with the center here. I live on center 2 which is the bigger of the two bases here in Pemba. When I was gone a bunch of new houses and offices have been built. (a whole truck load of children just pulled in singing as they go... amazing... I missed this)... sorry, back on track... A building for the sewing school has been built and offices for the mozambican staff as well as a prayer orchard which is a giant gazebo with fruit trees all around.
Enough about buildings!!! One quick story and then on with my day... I find great peace while walking the beach with a friend as the sun sets (around 4:30-5:30). Yesterday as we were walking we were joined by some precious street kids who laughed and practiced their English on us. On our journey we also ran into some older boys that I spent time with last year and ended up buying goods from at the end of the summer. As we wondered toward these older boys they came running towards us calling out... “Candy my friend, I have not forgotten you... you come back to mozambique... how long you here” It has been NINE months since I have seen these boys and thousands of other westerners have been through this city... I was more than amazed and honoured that they would remember me.
I have a better idea of my responsibilities now but I have run out of time so I will tell you later... I will be uploading some pictures within the next week. It looks as though I will have more access than I thought (at least for now).

Blessings and Peace
Candace in AFRICA (it just feels right)