Mozambique - Sponsorship Visit 2014

My check in luggage at Joburg weighed 47 kgs and Mozambique airlines waived the fee. Us seniors have to travel cattle class! Upon arriving in Maputo I was stopped by Customs again so I showed them the letter from World Vision and they said "World Vision save the children Fund" and I said "yes "so they said "Okay". During the afternoon I ended up walking around the streets of Maputo and once again I saw my Tut Tut Driver and he said "hello Mr John welcome back want a ride" He must see so many tourist a year and remembering me is unreal. So I said yes and we went for a ride along the beach to buy some prawns from the fish market and downtown for some last minute shopping. Traffic and street were still a mess but the city was on the move with plenty of cranes in the skyline.

I arrived in Tete on Monday and it was so touching to see Pedrito waiting at the Airport to greet me. The first time he had been in a airport and he could not understand why I was waiting around and not coming out - luggage. Under the World Vision Policy he is only given 48 hours notice in case the visit is called off and thus would created great disappointment. When he was made aware of my visit he caught the bus home to his village to make sure his bedroom was clean and his family were aware. After the greet we then took Pedrito back to school and went to the World Vision Office for the official welcome and I shared with them what I learnt in Ethiopia. . In the afternoon we did more shopping at the markets - 40 kgs. maize, 20 kgs. salt and sugar, soap, cooking oil, mosquito nets, school books and clothing. Plus, purchased the Flying Kangaroo Mr John Cup for the inter school sports carnival.

Tete is in the middle of a mining boom at the moment with a lot of new buildings and China buying this and that, which is a concern. Cost of living has increased and the locals are suffering - housing loan interest rates are now 27% It was so depressing walking around town too see an increase in begging and people in dump masters eating whatever food they could find. On Tuesday we visited Pedrito's Family. The family lives about 90 minutes by road from Tete and the road is crap, the vehicle had no ac and you get thrown around from side to side. Prior to visiting the family we visit the Government Officials and elders for authority to enter their land. Eventually we arrived at the family home, back was stuffed, received a warm welcome and it seems that every time I visit the family gets larger and larger.

The temperature was unreal so we sat under a tree and did the normal chit chat via translators. The family is happy that Pedrito's is advancing his education in Tete but did have a concern he stays away too long. Tete is not an ideal town but it is miles in front of Marara as it has power, tv, shops and water. Anyway we told Pedrito he must try and make more visits to see his family and also share the skills he is learning with the community.

When I went into the house I noted that a number of the items I had bought over years were still wrapped in their original container. This occurred because we had not explained to them what they were - scoop ball, frisbee and solar showers. They were so happy when they found out how the solar shower worked. It did not take long to heat up as the temp gauge registered 47c in about 30 minutes. The house I have built is now finished, the mother has one room and Pedrito has two rooms and she wont let other members of the family used those rooms while he is boarding. The bike I bought last year looks new and I tried to explain they need to use them while Pedrito is at school in Tete - don't think I won.

I then shared the gifts with the family and the extended family/ village I was fortunate to have enough balls for the children who kept coming and coming. We then all washed our hands from the solar shower and had lunch which consisted of goat, chicken and maize. In the afternoon we visited the local school and there was a lot of singing and dancing. I presented the school with AFL footballs, Soccer balls, Volley balls, skipping ropes, water containers, Kangaroo wallets and Tiger Basketballs.

Wednesday, the inaugural Flying Kangaroo Mr John Cup day arrived and it is a day I will never forget. The Headmaster wanted everyone involved and made a great speech re World Vision and the John Williams Involvement at the school and community.

Upon arriving at the school there was a lot of singing and posters welcoming John Williams. I was presented with some flowers from the students. Pre match entertainment included a fashion parade which caused a lot of laughter, Mobile phone photos, whistling plus some rap dancing.More entertaining than Meatloaf. The games included basketball, volley ball and soccer.

The winning team were presented with North Melbourne vests plus AFL Footballs and losers were given flasks and North Melbourne items. The Cup presentation caused a lot of laughter due to my poor Portuguese but got through it. I made emphasis on education and that there were no losers as we were all winners by attending. School. We then had a discussion with the Headmaster re Pedrito's schooling which was positive. Next year will be his final year and if he passes he has the opportunity of continuing his studies in Maputo or Biera.

I have been told it will be government education and I just have to pay for extras which should be no more than my current arrangements.

After the Sports Day we went to the local restaurant with Pedrito. This was another first for Pedrito and he was watching and following everyone eating habits. The coke came with ice and he was wondering what the ice did.

We then discussed how he managed his pocket money (current allowance $40 pm) and opening a bank account so he could save money. He explained that sometimes he has to buy food as the people he is boarding with are later eaters and he is hungry plus he had to buy soap to wash his clothes. I asked World Vision to follow this up as it is not part of the agreement. We then went down town to do some last minute shopping - the new back pack which cost $20 US lasted two weeks more crap made in China, soap, toothpaste and sandals. I then said farewell to Pedrito and World Vision staff and Pedrito thanked me in English for coming and the gifts and said he would like to visit Australia one day when he makes some money. Note the comments "makes" Eight years ago Pedrito use to live off rats, walked 7 miles to school shed and slept in a bark hut with no real future - how life has changed with sponsorship. Tomorrow I fly to Joburg for a few days then head back to Australia to attend a Wedding in the Yarra Valley.

Ethiopia Trip

I am now back in Joburg after spending 10 days in Ethiopia with Tim Costello, World Vision Staff and five other sponsors.
The trip was a great eye opener and I meet some very talent people who had a passion to create a better life for people who were unfortunate.
Security was very tight during the ten days and metal detectors were at the entrance to the hotels and most of the restaurants we visited - Sprite and coke most days to!!!
The countryside is very hilly,  the roads are very narrow and road accidents are common.
Activities over the ten days included:

• Visiting the Agriculture Research Institute where they are planting Australia trees in the area to create food for livestock and make arid areas more productive. So plenty of Gum trees and Acacia tress seen.this has also help create the honey industry
  
  
  
  
• Visiting  a number of health care centres which World Vision has set up which has reduced the death rate of new born children by 95%. The facilities only basic but the the staff so keep and most were doing Masters or Phd via online learning so they could further their education.
• Under the World Vision Model they divide areas of the country up and appoint staff to managed Children Sponsor, Community health care, Sanitation, Schooling and community involvement. The areas have a life span for about 15 years and at the end of that time the community take over and World Vision Move out. The areas are called ADP and most have about 3000 sponsor children. We went to two ADP,s and we met two ex World Vision Children who are now in charge of the ADP- a remarkable story.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Under the World Vision model there is no contact between ex sponsor children and there sponsor. This means that the person who has sponsored them over the years is unaware of their achievements.
  
• I spent alot of time listening to their individual stories then had discussions with Tim Costello and he agrees that it is a great story and is going to make arrangements for Word Vision to  hook the two Managers up with their original sponsor.
• A young girl who had polio had opened a coffee shop and was now employing people to help her. She sells ten coffees a day which cover rent etc.
• Visited a number of local schools and received rock star greetings with over 1000 kids lining the road and singing welcome.
• Visited local community hall where local community groups had displays of their work - honey, agriculture, pottery etc . The young youth ambassadors showed us around which was great.
• Visited Camp Australia and conducted a maths lesson.
  
  
  
  
• Attended a two day field day to learn about farm management. This was the saddest part of the trip when we learnt that a bus carrying a World Vision Staff member and 13 farmers to the event had an accident and no one survived.
• The roads in Ethiopia are so dangerous and we we were lucky  one day when we were going up a hill and turning the corner too see a car and a truck coming straight at us. As we were on the right hand side of the road we managed to stop.
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
• Two representatives from Fullife Pharmacy Melbourne were on the trip and they sponsors 200children  in the area.

Alot more happened and the above is just a quick summary and the people I met were  so caring and it was great to see smiles on children's faces. Due to Security issues and time we did not go to Refugee Camps.

Ethiopia is a poor country and when one compares it to Mozambique I would say it is more  safer and the World Vision Projects are more advanced with the involvement of the community.

So now I am preparing myself to go to Mozambique on Sunday.