Thursday, December 1, 2011

Content by Deb

The Gift of Hope

We arose at dawn in order to load the luggage onto the bus for our journey to South Africa and the next stage of our trip. Our travel time would be about 8 to 9 hrs to cross over the Mozambique/ South African border, switch buses and travel to the Safari camp.

Mike bids adieu to one of the more popular locally-produced products.

I felt a certain sadness knowing we would not be heading to the work site and I wondered if the children would notice our absence and if our local builders would miss our company and willing hands. I wish I could have had the opportunity to see Erlinda and Lizette in their new homes. The words of Ida still echoing; you not only have given these families a home, you have given them hope. The quality of their life can improve and the children can be raised in a safer, healthier, more secure environment.  

As we travelled along the highway, I found myself reflecting on the last week and a half and was very aware of how unique this time has been. When we first arrived at the village I was quite surprised by the absence of men and older boys, by the very poor condition of most of the homes in Chiconela, by the very long distances that the women travelled to get their water at the communal wells, at the strength of the women balancing 50 kilos on their head while often having a baby strapped to their back and another small child in tow.  What I didn’t see in that first drive along the dusty red dirt road to the village was the strength of the their extended village in raising and caring for each other, the small gardens in each of their homes that helped sustain their families and met a basic necessity of life, of the ingenuity in using and reusing the local materials in many facets of daily living. 

I was also aware of some of the contradictions and contrasts evident in Mozambican rural life. I watched a grandmother (who carries the traditions of her community and passes those on to her children) and lives without electricity and indoor plumbing but uses a cell phone.  Young women still wear the traditional long skirt but often over blue jeans. And, the presence of 3 Massey Ferguson tractors in a field alongside women who till the land with crude hoes as they have done so for the last thousand years. The arrival of fast food with the KFC drive through on the same block as the large market where you can pick up your live chicken to take home for dinner. Red VODACOM billboards replacing red coca cola signs. 

The drive to the South African border went by faster than I expected. I was still keenly observing the passing landscape, taking in the last images of Mozambique. Our movement across the border was different than any other border crossing I have experienced as we said good bye to Myguaya our host, unloaded our luggage and walked  half a kilometre to the entry into SA. We were met by Bogani our guide from the Safari Camp. Only another 3 to 4 hours to go! The anticipation was building as was our need to be finished with sitting in one place for so long! There were almost immediate differences I noted in the landscape. More modern agricultural practices, more modernization, and more urbanization. Larger and newer transport trucks with no people riding in the back along with a few goats. No piles of garbage and the dreaded plastic bags and bottles.  

We arrived at Marks Adventure Camp about 5.30pm and were greeted by Alice. We were told that our group had been upgraded to the Tree Houses.

Wait now - leopards?!?

Monkeys to greet and amuse us

The construction is quite rustic, with the dwellings on raised platforms with reed walls. There are tarps for window coverings and a thatched roof. They are sitting in the bush about a 5 minute walk from the main building. We saw nyalas and monkeys enroute to the tree houses. Our new adventure is about to begin.

Rick and Brett's treehouse - 20 feet up