A few memories, and it's back into the planning stage

Hard to believe it's already been three and a half weeks since I returned from Africa. But in the process of creating some videos and slide shows for upcoming speaking engagements, I've been discovering a few "favorite" photos from the files...

Here I am buying a guitar in Chimoio to be used in the teaching of future musicians back at the farm. It awaits my return, safely tucked away in some back room in the Lagore's house.




Rick buying his "Africa" guitar, with Prosper, Matthew, and Joao standing by

 This is when Bob and I visited Domingo's home and met his family, plus had an extensive inspection of his gardens - we could barely keep up! Domingo is such a hard-working man who does his best to look after his wife and 7 kids.

Visiting Domingo's garden

I was so excited seeing this rhino up close that I could barely get my new camera to work...at least I have evidence that he was there at the same time I was!

Rhino in Kruger Game Park

Below is a video posted on YouTube that will give you a taste of our trip. (Note: to view a larger version on the YouTube page, follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUNqXKSBQcg )



Now it's time to plan for the next trip in August. I'll provide more updates in the weeks ahead. Enjoy.

A mission complete...for now.

Our time at the ASAM farm in Mozambique has come to an end, and Bob Denesiuk and I have returned home to North American soil. After approximately 30 hours of flight time (in planes both small and large) and many hours on the road, we are definitely glad to be back with our families again.

Rick Cogbill & Bob Denesiuk arriving in Seattle airport

(Thanks to Tom Horton for so faithfully meeting us at the airport in spite of the flight delays!)

Back in Mozambique, the Training Centre has a good start on its roof trusses, thanks to Bob and his hard-working crew...





Some school children have new school supplies and some soccer balls to play with...

And some vehicles have been fixed, as well as possible candidates identified for our automotive trades training initiative scheduled for August of this year.

Prosper installing new front brakes

Rick discussing an electrical wiring problem with Tome (foreground) and Prosper.

Of course, some animals in Kruger Game park have been caught on film once again (they seem pretty used to it...)

Some good friends have been left behind...for now. But you just never know when you might meet again.

L to Rt: Joao Benjamim, Bob, Rick, Andy Kuret - enjoying our weekly Sunday night Hamburger Helper dinner!

Thanks to everyone who made it possible for us to go and serve in this beautiful part of our world. But while we come home, others stay and continue on. Be sure to follow their blogs (links are on the front page) and keep them in your thoughts and prayers .

Looking ahead, the plan is for Rick to return to Mozambique in August of this year, along with Todd Green from Calgary (and possibly others), for the purpose of teaching an automotive apprenticeship program to the local men. Your support will be most appreciated as we prepare course material for the students, as well as raise the funds for the trip.

A special project over this summer will be to raise the funds needed to complete the maintenance shop (seen here at the foundation stage). For more details and information on how you can become involved, please visit our mission website. This would be a great project for service groups or businesses to take part in, as we work together to provide skills training for those in Third World countries.

So thanks for traveling along with us; your comments and e-mails have been most encouraging. May God bless you and give you peace as you consider how you can become personally involved in the needs of this world...as you also look for ways to put a little dust on your shoes.

Sights and Sounds

If you mention 'Africa' to most people, they will conjure up images of lions and elephants, and the sounds of monkeys in the trees. But there are many, many more sounds and images of Africa that will tell us more about its culture, provided we take the time to stop and observe. Here are some sights and sounds we have come across recently here in Mozambique...

A Praying Mantis

Children playing in the river

Crowded city streets

Bob finding his favorite rock (so far...)

A father and daughter heading home from working in the garden

Local chicken coop

Domingo taking his water pump to the river...on his head

Bee hive made out of bark

Force feeding a baby Duiker

A Tailor catching 40 winks on a hot afternoon

Crossing a crocodile infested river in a bark canoe

Rosa, who lost a foot to a landmine during the civil war, receiving a new pair of crutches to replace the wooden stick she's been using for years

These are just a few things we've been immersed in over the past 3 1/2 weeks. In two days we begin our journey home, and we're looking forward to being with our families and friends once more.

But the sights and sounds of Africa will be with us forever.

Who's on First and What's on Second...

With all due respect to the old Abbott and Costello routine by the same name (seen at this link), sometimes there are so many needs, that it's difficult to know which job needs to be done first. Here are the ASAM farm in Mozambique, the Mercy Tech Mission team is elbow deep in a number of endeavors. Here is just a sample...

Rick, Ron Wayner, and Andy Kuret testing out Rick's first house wiring job on the Mercy Air house

Moving one of Bob's trusses...it takes 14 guys. That's one heavy truss.

Trusses on their way to the Training Centre

Checking out the final section of concrete flooring at the Training Centre

Rick fixing a motorcycle tire for the local constabulary...

Bob and Andy visit the cattle pens across the river

Izzy needs more repairs...again

Ron Wayner sizing up some logs for the bridge to the future airstrip

Loading the logs onto the Hino...by hand (photos by Bob the Logger)

Rick inspecting the progress at the Training Centre

Rick trying to find Bob...

...who's playing hooky with Magnum down by the river (not really)

In the end, there are more jobs to do than there is time in a day...the trick is in discerning priorities, and remembering that it is all about people first. God is doing some amazing things in the lives of the Mozambican people, and it's a privilege for us to be a part of it.

Fani playing the new cajon during morning devotions with the workers.

That's all for now, so have a great weekend...and don't forget Who's on First.

Who'll Stop the Rain...

The rains that usually come in February have now begun in the middle of March. We've had some real downpours, enough rain to find the tiny holes in our tents and dribble across the floor. While it's great for the farmers, it does slow down the work. Yesterday, the humidity was 91%.

But you do what you can. Here are a few photo updates:

Bob discussing window frames on the Mercy Air house with Ron Wayner

Removing a layer of bricks to make things fit

Rick installing some house wiring (thanks to Barb Wayner for the above photos)

Replacing the front brakes on the Toyota Van

The reason we want to build a maintenance shop!

Then there's the Saturday afternoon projects, like building a cajon (a Peruvian drum)



Bob the Builder is at it again...



You use what wood you have available...in this case an old packing crate.



Then Bob got to visit a nearby school

He even took a stab at making lunch...

And of course, the obligatory ride around the school grounds in the missionary's truck before leaving.

And now for the rigors of everyday life...

Shopping for food

Shopping for lumber

Getting to know the locals

And for those who are worried about our diet (especially our wives), you can see that we eat pretty good

For the record, the best tasting of all these healthy foods is the Mint Crisp (middle left)

Thank you for your prayers. So far (other than the withering heat and humidity) we are doing well. Pray for good weather so that we can finish the projects we've started in the remaining two weeks that we have left here in Mozambique.

A special thank you to those who have given financially towards this trip, as well as to the Mozambique Maintenance Shop project. Your generosity today will reap great rewards in the days ahead as we seek to provide skills training for the people here in this needy land.