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BUSH BEAT: July, 2006OPERATION RESCUE FORGING AHEAD On July 21st, 3 staff members & I left at 4:30 am for Meloco County (Meuw-loo-koo) to "scout the land". Our first major obstacle to our project was just 12 miles from the turn off into the district. A major bridge, spanning 30 yards across a large ravine which hosts a seasonal river, had collapsed in March due to heavy rains. This dirt road is the only one leading to the heart of the district where the orphans are. The ravine walls are very steep on one side, making it impossible for large trucks to enter the district. A low water bridge for small vehicles had been arranged out of large rocks, & that is how we got through in my 4 wheel drive pick-up. The County Administrator was shocked to see us, as little aid is given to his county. Once he read our proposed project to help the orphans, he gave us a document that declared his approval, giving us an OPEN DOOR TO BEGIN THE WORK! He said he would locate a mud hut for our initial base as that is all that exists in this area. He stated there were "530 recorded orphans" in that immediate area with an "unknown number" of other orphans scattered in different villages. He is appointing one of his officials to be our guide in locating the orphans in need. Once we are established in a local hut, we will be allowed to pick out land for a permanent mission base, build a warehouse, & start bringing in the food which is now stored in Balama. The area is the poorest I've ever seen in Mozambique. I'd heard the bad reports, but until I saw it, I didn't realize how bad it could be. It even shocked my 3 Mozambican staff members. There is basically no hope, jobs, or money in the area at all. The local market which is normally the center of any Moz. town was almost non existent. The only crop seen in abundance was Casava root. This is an empty carbohydrate root that fills your belly but gives no nourishment. It's a starvation food, & children eating it will die in 3-4 months if that is all they get. No corn was seen & therefore there is no maize mill, which is also a normal part of every county center. LOCAL WATER from wells is heavy in iron ore & not drinkable, but can be used for bathing & washing clothes. A large rock reservoir on top of a nearby mountain is the best drinking water but is hard to get to. We saw the local teens carrying 5 gallon containers of it to their homes. We will have our challenges with water, but that too can be overcome. READ ABOUT PUR BELOW & FIND OUT WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH BAD WATER. Once the administrator radios us that our house is ready, we will go back to further assess the needs, locate land, & get a mission station started. The town has a Catholic church & a newly planted Assembly of God church with 35 members. Spiritual oppression was so heavy that all of us were ready to leave as soon as we finished our government meetings. It will take heavy devil blasting (prayer power) in order to break the spirit of hopelessness that exists in this area. Sylvai, our newest staff member, will be the on site project manager for Meloco. He holds certificates in both agriculture & basic medical work with malnourished children. He knows Jesus & has managed agricultural programs with CARE in the past. He came highly recommended by the CARE people whom we work with. THE JOURNEY LEAVING MELOCO was more intense than the inbound trip. We were told by the head official that we could save miles & time by going out the back way, & thus avoid climbing the steep river ravine where the bridge was down. (Going out, the truck must have 4 wheel drive as one must climb up a 20 foot high dirt embankment with little room for a running start. Since we wanted to explore all avenues, we took his advice. What no one knew was that a heavy rain (it never rains this time of year) had made a mess of the road where it travels through the game reserve. We were leaving a trail of 6 inch ruts as I struggled to get through in 4 wheel drive. I crossed more log bridges, sandy river beds, & low water crossings during this trek than I've ever encountered in my whole career! We all got a bath when the pick-up nose dived into a patch of water that looked innocent, but in reality was 4 feet deep! The muddy water came through the front windows, giving us all a soaking. It took an intense 3 hours to cover 65 miles of raw bush. Needless to say, I have no intention of going out that road again. A man riding a bicycle on the road yelled an elephant warning as we passed. We didn't get a good look, but I saw a large animal disappear into the brush just as we rounded the next bend. That was close enough for us, as elephants hate the sound of diesel engines. I was in no mood to have my truck smashed by a mad elephant. Lions & leopards were also evident in the area. As we passed out of the reserve, we noticed a few cattle. The corral they stayed in spoke multitudes as the walls were made of thick 20 foot logs planted upright in the ground. A lion couldn't get over it, but a leopard might try. HOW TO OVERCOME A BROKEN BRIDGE Our immediate plan of action will be to establish a warehouse which will hold at least 97 tons of corn & 24 tons of dried beans. This is what it will take to feed these 530 orphans till next year. Once that is done, we will hire a 2 ton truck to relay the food from the river where our 6 ton truck must stop. It will take about a month to move the food the 223 miles to Meloco as 20 trips will be needed with the 6 ton truck. The 2 ton truck will travel 24 miles each trip for a total of 60 trips to haul in 121 tons. No way an easy task, but one that THROUGH THE POWER OF CHRIST, CAN BE DONE! The administrator says that if the government doesn't fix that bridge before the rains start, then they will be totally cut off from civilization. On the bright side there is always a bark canoe for crossing the river! Pray for a fast bridge repair! On the Balama scene, we are struggling to get in the last 30 tons of beans needed to feed our 200+ Balama orphans this year. Peanuts & local rice, which is very scarce this year, are also still needed. PUR WATER TREATMENT On my last trip to the USA, I was introduced to PUR by the Vital Needs Company in San Antonio. PUR is a chemical water treatment developed to purify unsafe water for drinking. John Edmondson in Oregon has a real heart for missions. He sponsored a whole pallet, & got UNICEF to ship it to us free of charge! It is now in Maputo, the capital city of Moz. Other friends in Maputo will truck it to Nampula city which is 7 hours drive south of Balama. Once there, I can pick it up with my pick-up & trailer. PUR may be the answer to Meloco's undrinkable water. We are currently experimenting to see how it affects the water & should have the results very soon. Robinson Family Africa! PRAYER NEEDS: ERIC DRY INJURED STILL NEEDING HELP! Blessings, Send LOVE GIFTS to: Or donate online now.
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