Machanga de nova

Jan 25 / 10 - What is it about being under pressure. It was the day to leave KEDESH and I had been razzed for the whole month about how I am going to cry. This last week I have had a couple close calls where I am looking into the big eyes of little Fernando or Francisco and I think about how I have to leave them and I get all teary. The day finally came when I had to leave. What a sad morning. I just hung around the boys and all day had such a gloomy feeling even though the sun was blazing hot. When my ride came after lunch and bags were loaded up the boys gathered. Some already had big tears in their eyes. The older boys starred me down so I would start to cry, but no tears came out. Some put their hats over their faces to cover wet eyes. Then as I got in the truck, it suddenly hit me and I began to cry. Only the kids who ran to the gate saw my sorry face. Although I am exited and ready to start up at Machanga, it is a bitter sweet, since I have to leave these amazing boys.
Back in Machanga now! We have many new girls and most of them can’t speak Portuguese. It is difficult because they are asking me to translate things from Ndau to Portuguese. Yikes. Teaching them ultimate Frisbee and had great games of English BINGO> I am taking the winners out for refrescos > that really got them motivated.

Jan 29 / 10 – Few! Just got in on time for the downpour. Carried a 5 L container of oil on my head for over an hour. Really getting into the African spirit and feel less and less strange as days go by. Rain is a blessing > it has not rained for a long time and is the beginnings of a famine. Our well is dry often and long lines for the pump accumulate to get water to drink, cook, and take baths and all the essentials.

Jan 30 / 10 – I know I said rain was a good thing, but sleep last night was like a repeat of the night when I had a rat in my bed and killed it with a brick >> no sleep. Not only was this crazy lightning and thunder the wildest I have ever seen / heard, but our tin roofs extenuated everything. And to make the storm even more ‘real’ feeling, my roof leaked. And I don't mean just leaked, it pretty much poured in. When I finally decided I was too wet in bed to sleep properly and that I should check how the rest of my things were, my box of FRELIMO Made In Mozambique match-box was wet and it took all the matches in the box (and some emergency matches I had to scrounge in the wet dark for) to get my lantern lit. I was up all night moving soaked books, cloths I left carelessly around (yes mom, I should have cleaned my room before like you would have told me to), my bed which was already soaked as my sweaty / rained on shirt on my back… but anywhere I moved anything, rain was getting at it. It was seriously so loud that when I yelled my loudest I could not hear myself (and yes I did yell, I was curious and amused of how loud tin and rain could be). In the morning Tia Amelia came to see how the state of my room was since she also had a poor night in the rain. One of the girls helped me rag-up (we don't have fancy mops) the water and got 2 buckets full! Just from the floor. The other rooms of the girls seemed to be fine; perhaps I just got the dud.
All day it has been raining HARD. I started some painting and of course end up teaching and letting the girls play as they come in to see what I am up to. Today was also the day I took the 6 winners of BINGO out for refrescos. We tramped in the rain and mud to the market and sat in a Baraka with Fantas and bolachas (biscuits). Still is raining hard and its been over 24 hours. I know people have been waiting and praying for rain, but I really can do without the mosquitoes that are about to come.