It is Sunday morning here in Mozambique. I can hear the gentle chirps of the local birds; some so high pitched you can tell it is a baby and others deep and long that you don’t actually hear them after awhile as they blend into the ambiance of an African morning. The weather is cool and moist. We have been getting a quick tropical down pour almost every morning and by mid day the sun has chased away the marine clouds and we are in full fledged African heat! It is a much different heat than what I was used to in Zimbabwe. It is so very tropical and fresh and it cries out for air-conditioning and a lawn chair by a 5 star all-inclusive…alas I am in an old house with a concrete roof(which keeps in most of the heat) at night I sleep under my mosquito net, after spraying my repellant spray, after taking my anti-malaria drugs and my high dose garlic and vit-b tabs to ward away ANY risk!

We are in a very high risk malaria zone and had I planned to be here long-term maybe I would not have taking the drugs, but daily at the clinic we see approx 15 cases of children under 3 with malaria and maybe 5 of adults. Most of the adults having gotten it repeatedly when they were babies are immune to it now, but these precious little ones who come in with 40.5 fevers and are limp like an over cooked spaghetti noodle in their mother’s arms do suffer from one little mangy mosquito bite.

I had forgotten the dynamics of community living, many cultures working together and of course the all time best…issues with food! I traveled here via truck with the Director of DFL who is Portuguese, Angolan, South African, Mozambequian; and a Russian born, German midwife who is here now to stay long term.  It has been interesting to see the role I get to play in the midwife’s life she actually called me her “Aaron” since her English is not good and I am helping to correct her(upon her request!) and I am also able to counsel her with the issues she is having with integrating. It is neat to look back and remember my first few months in YWAM and how I struggled…people were everywhere- I had no space or time to myself! I STRUGGLED and I ate a lot of chocolate! (gotta love comfort eating!) I digress… Now I sit enjoying one of my last 2 Starbucks Green Tea Bags and I know I will be coming home to the “comforts” of home soon…what will home be like? Where will I live? What will I do? Oh the questions are endless, and yet I find myself even closer to God on a daily basis. The same way I was in deep surrender when I met God for the first time I feel I am coming back to this place and it is so very special. I am drawn into reading His word, I am praying deeply and more sincerely, and I am trusting Him for my plans!

This week I actually ‘played’ doctor a lot. I took babies temperatures, I listened to chests to hear bronchitis, I did malaria tests and treated for it and when the doctor was away I was diagnosing and prescribing…when you are surrendered to God and you trust Him with all you heart and soul you can do anything he asks…EVEN when you are not equipped for it!

Here is to week 2 as a ‘nurse, midwife, doctor, sold out for Jesus Servant’ on the cost of Africa in a small town called Zavora!