July 11, 2006 A typical physical journey was expected for most of the first timers… that of a stuffy car, strange people, awkward first conversations, copious amounts of junk food, powernaps whenever one tired of the scenery and just the general delirium that always ensues when too many people have been in too small a space for too long a period of time especially when on meflium! A road trip is never complete without a blow out, but thankfully our skilful bush mechanics were quick to react and we were back on the road in no time! After a draining 8 hours of travelling from Maputo- Zavora(Mozambique) was finally in sight. For the first timers, first thoughts when seeing the mission base- “Not too shabby- we can handle this!” Second thoughts after seeing the long drop were, “How many days until we leave???” After coming to terms with the toilet, Oom Danie and Tannie Dina (the local missionaries) made us a home away from home and all the small things we take for granted in our urban bliss seemed to pale into insignificance. Unfortunately we could not use bicycles as true old fashioned missionaries did… and Mathias, our very own pilot and his helicopter sufficed! The helicopter made a special contribution of not just allowing us access to places with poor roads but also of drawing crowds from afar. After teaching and preaching at some of the designated places, we had to deliver extra sessions when we got back to the helicopter and found a new crowd encircling it. Sadly, clinic was only run for 11 days after which the local authorities instructed us to stop until the appropriate forms were completed in Maputo. With the typical African bureaucracy, we could not get the go ahead in due time although we did have verbal approval from the National Director of Health. It was such a heartbreaking surprise having to turn away very sick patients, especially when we were equipped to help them. But, God had a greater plan… our focus was now on spiritual care. Evangelical activities, home visits and education on HIV/AIDS, TB and worms strengthened our relationships with the local community. These all taking place while the Kitchen team of the day tried their best to better the previous teams’ concoctions- a book on different ways to serve Pao will be available soon! Johan was so eager to catch up on his braai skills he replaced his boerewors with fish!
Reflections from the team: Kim Smith: My Zavora journey evolved over the 11 days into a journey of body, mind, spirit and soul! A journey set to have such a profound impact that words cannot quite express. Time and time again God showed his faithfulness- never failing to answer prayer and stretching one to step out of those comfort zones we all too often find ourselves in. Although there were hiccups along the way, God handpicked a team to deal with all situations. Never before have I worked with a group of people who formed a perfect puzzle- no piece to big or small- all connected in their right positions, fulfilling their purpose in the greater picture! It was truly amazing and an honour to be included in that picture of perfection – I learnt so much from each individual team-mate and will always treasure those moments of true fellowship that I experienced. Although I don’t know God’s exact calling on my life, my journey taught me not to fear what the future may hold but has rather instilled in me an excitement and I eagerly anticipate the events that will unravel as I walk in God’s good and perfect will. Lee-ann Davids: The trip to Mozambique made me aware of the desperate needs in health care workers and facilities in rural parts of Southern African region. By focussing primarily on health education, I believe that we’ve made a more valuable contribution to the health status of the community. Jayne Bezuidenhout: The Mozambique trip was a time of growth in many areas for me. The contact with a completely different culture was really exciting and challenging. It emphasised to me how Christianity is not bound by language or culture. The translators were really wonderful but it was nevertheless frustrating to battle to communicate. Nompumelelo Mdletshe: My experience at Zavora has been horizon-broadening. I was humbled, stretched, taught, challenged and encouraged during my short stay in this beautiful place. Summarising the whole trip in a few lines is impossible, but it was truly awesome. Going to that country (Mozambique), with those people at that specific time, was a huge blessing and I thank God for it. Rowena Fillis: The trip to Mozambique was definitely a life changing moment for those who went. A tropical climate, outstanding beaches and magnificent views, what more can one ask for? However, the trip was more than just an escape from the crazy city life, it was a trip that redefined and challenged my outlook on life. Living amongst an underprivileged community brought me to the realization that, people who live under extreme poverty , do not only need financial resources, adequate health care and food, but are in desperate need of spiritual encouragement and prayer. My thinking is that, even though the struggles that we as a team faced in not being able to run the clinic, God had a different agenda, and it was to feed His people spiritually. It was an absolute privilege and honour to be used by God in such a mighty way. It was such a blessing for me to see people smile despite their harsh living conditions, but what brought greater joy was to see people still praising God. It was a gratifying experience, which made me aware of a world that is beyond myself and my needs, and being exposed to another way of life reminded me that I have nothing to complain about.
Olamide Fatoki: Zavora was a remarkable experience for me, so wonderful that I can not say too much about it. My mind is still processing the magnitude of the impact the experience had on my life. I believe I will properly comprehend its impact at a later stage in my life. I thank God for such an exhilarating experience and I appreciate the wonderful work of the organisers. Life in this Mozambican community was simple but good. The people were strikingly satisfied with life, making use of all resources they had, appreciating every one of them. They also exuded a joy; a joy that appears to be drained from those living in the privileged societies from which we come. It seems that we lose sight of how good things are and get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the materialistic world in which we live; where too much revolves around ourselves and our own satisfaction. Ilonka von Steiger: I don’t really have words to express what I experienced…It’s like asking someone to describe the scent of a St. Joseph lily – you know it is good – but how good it is can never be truly understood until you’ve experienced it yourself. I suppose that’s a lot like Christianity then too. In a nutshell it was awesome, incredible, challenging, saddening, uplifting, growing, exciting, inspiring, transforming, all-in-one BUT, most of all eye-opening!!! We went with a fantastically dynamic group of individuals. From the “intellectuals” to the “spirituals” as we called ourselves, our most important objective: I was fortunate enough to spend a substantial amount of time in the Mercy air helicopter, and just as much of a different perspective I attained from that 700ft altitude, I gained over the ten days we were gone for. From the simplicity of the Mozambicans’ lives to the challenges faced by Katie, a missionary from Michigan working against prostitution, my eyes were opened to countless complete lives of faith. As it says in Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” Our time spent in Mozambique was truly inspiring. Funny thing is though; I think we have come home far richer than the riches we thought we would be distributing. A HUGE thank you must go out to MSCF, Doctors for Life and Mercy Air for their time and effort in organising and running the outreach. The Microbiology Department (Med school) provided us with irreplaceable team members, lab equipment and skills. The Biology Department and Department of Environmental Studies (Main Campus) must be acknowledged for supplying us with our five star tents while living in the bush. The local missionaries and all those silent bodies that we were not even aware of, we are truly indebted to you and greatly appreciate your contribution. It was an awesome opportunity and we all returned enriched by our time there.
'Doctors for Life International' represents more than 1400 medical doctors and specialists, three-quarters of who practice in South Africa. Since 1991 DFL has been actively promoting health care that is safe and efficient for all South Africans. DFL was founded as a South African organization in 1991 and has spread across the globe. DFL is involved in several community projects including orphan care, the care of terminal AIDS patients, malaria prevention and the care of abused women. |