This one is in blast facts again, because that's how the day went...
One car left at 5 to pick up nutrition staff from their houses. I got up and continued the finance work from yesterday while waiting for the kettle.
Finally had a late breakfast at 7:30, because the office isn't open today. Thanks to the Danish Red Cross kitchen, for the gift of shrimp cream cheese for my bread!!! How do you say 'God is good' in Danish? The second car left on another program, gone until night.
At 8, went to send the financial statements by email while car 1, the Land Rover, drove the nutrition team to their day's destination. I was still working on emails when the car returned to pick me up, and I drove to see the team from last night. We couldn't find them. They weren't at the camp where they were supposed to be digging wells.
30 minutes later, we found them - appraently the village split in two when relocating from the flood, and the UN registered camp is under the assistant mayor. my team of course went to the mayor, who showed them where he wanted the well. They had already started working, and the truck was no longer available. So, we packed up everyone except a guard, and took them back down the road to the right spot, where we outlined our plan for Monday. Then, we went to another location that just needed some repairs to their well, to see if we could get something accomplished there. There was no sand or bricks available in that village, so we couldn't do the repairs, and I had forgotten an adaptor for the sump pump, so we couldn't clean the well. Meamwhile, the nutrition tem was done, and needed picking up.
Now, I had a car full of construction workers and tools that were supposed to be digging wells, materials in a place that didn't need them, three wells that were not started, and only two days left to complete the wells, with one of them being Sunday, when no one works. We drove right past the nutrition team (one of whom is quite pregnant), so we could unload all the equipment from the Land Rover, and then we had to send the car back to get the nutrition team. I got to the house at 2 and sat down for lunch. The nutrition team arrived shortly after, but we couldn't take them home, because the driver of car 1 had been driving since 5, with only a bun for breakfast. So, we squeezed our lunch to cover all the nutrition team.
I had the first pre-season soccer match for my new club, Sporting Club of Caia, at 3. After getting prepped and trudging to the field, I found out the match was postponed until tomorrow, because we're playing the nearby bridge construction crew, and they work full days on Saturday. With the necessity of getting to Maputo tomorrow night, I need to do a handover to our team leader in Caia tomorrow morning at 6, because he'll just be back tonight, and I need to leave by 9 to get to Beira in time for collecting all the financial data, being briefed and getting to the airport.
I forgot to mention that, in the middle of yesterday I was called by Samaritan's Purse Mozambique and offered a position for up to two years. However, today I received an offer to extend from FHI, so I will remain with them for the next two months, after a much-needed break in Sao Paulo...20 more days!!!
Now, after posting some blogs, checking my email, and exhaling, I think I'm done for the day. There's a farewell party for Julie tonight, and some others from other orgs, but I'm not in charge!
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Another African Adventure
First, I must mention a few things. I totally got sucked into Facebook this month. I won't defend myself, except to say that almost every technogeek I know (the ones who are afraid of Skype, and loathe myspace, etc) is on there. I won't promote either, beyond saying that it is the easiest way to reach me and see pictures of me.
Second, if you haven't seen it yet, check out my sister's blog, there's a link to the left.
Okay, so I'm conducting my blog in a more event oriented style, now, rather than being so time focused. After all, when in Africa...
Yesterday topped all other days in Mozambique to date. It started, however, the day before. I am finishing off a well digging project for our water engineer, who's contract ended. The project was supposed to end next Monday, with four wells. For many reasons, this wasn't happening. In a meeting with all water-related agencies on Thursday, it was unanimously decided that FHI would adjust our schedule to relocate, dig three wells in three days, and then look at returning to the original locations.
So, yesterday started with me skipping breakfast to be first in line to request a truck from WFP to move our materials, equipment, etc. to the new locations. (If you don't know any of the acronyms in this story, sorry, but it's faster than typing, so email me later for definitons, or Wikipedia them). WFP got me a truck by 8, I went to the office to get a car and go to my sites, and there were no cars available, partly because it was pay day. Then, Oxfam asked if they could travel with me to look at the new sites, and I bartered for their car. Then, we went to my well team and told them to pack their bags, they were moving to a new site, take a tent, and get ready because the truck is coming. From there, I left with oxfam to look at the new proposed sites, and talk with community leaders, etc. We were gone until noon, out of mobile signal. When we returned, I discovered that the truck hadn't left, because they filled it in a sandy area, and it got stuck, so they unloaded it (3 tons of sand, 3 tons of gravel, a ton of cement, and equipment, and dug out the truck. By this time, the truck driver decided it was time for him to go for lunch.
I finally got to eat at 2, and then went back our with Oxfam to check another site. By 4 I heard that the truck had left, and I checked my email for the first time, as well as calling into the Beira office. I discovered that I was required to submit a final report and financial statement for the well project to the donor next Monday, as that was the last day of the project. So, that meant the weekend to process all outstanding transactions (this would likely have required at least two weeks normally). It meant that I would need to be in Maputo on Monday morning, and you can't get there from here. UN chartered flights ended this week, so the only way was to drive 6 hours to Beira, then fly to Maputo.
I went back home to drink a cup of tea at 6, and started to coordinate all financial items from this end. Just before 7, I got a visit from a Swedish man whom I had met, but who had recently been speaking to my colleague Julie. He did not realize that we were a Christian organization, and he was looking for other Christians to talk to. He's a police intelligence officer, who volunteers with a Swedish agency to do tech stuff, and gets attached to the UN. So, we visited for two hours in candlelight, becaue the power, which is supposed to be on from 6 to 10, went off jsut after 7. After he left, we had some new and unexpected staff arrivals at our house, who needed rooms and linens and candles. Finally, I got to eat some cold spaghetti with goat meat and collapse into bed around 10. As I said, the hardest day in Mozambique, and then there was today....
Second, if you haven't seen it yet, check out my sister's blog, there's a link to the left.
Okay, so I'm conducting my blog in a more event oriented style, now, rather than being so time focused. After all, when in Africa...
Yesterday topped all other days in Mozambique to date. It started, however, the day before. I am finishing off a well digging project for our water engineer, who's contract ended. The project was supposed to end next Monday, with four wells. For many reasons, this wasn't happening. In a meeting with all water-related agencies on Thursday, it was unanimously decided that FHI would adjust our schedule to relocate, dig three wells in three days, and then look at returning to the original locations.
So, yesterday started with me skipping breakfast to be first in line to request a truck from WFP to move our materials, equipment, etc. to the new locations. (If you don't know any of the acronyms in this story, sorry, but it's faster than typing, so email me later for definitons, or Wikipedia them). WFP got me a truck by 8, I went to the office to get a car and go to my sites, and there were no cars available, partly because it was pay day. Then, Oxfam asked if they could travel with me to look at the new sites, and I bartered for their car. Then, we went to my well team and told them to pack their bags, they were moving to a new site, take a tent, and get ready because the truck is coming. From there, I left with oxfam to look at the new proposed sites, and talk with community leaders, etc. We were gone until noon, out of mobile signal. When we returned, I discovered that the truck hadn't left, because they filled it in a sandy area, and it got stuck, so they unloaded it (3 tons of sand, 3 tons of gravel, a ton of cement, and equipment, and dug out the truck. By this time, the truck driver decided it was time for him to go for lunch.
I finally got to eat at 2, and then went back our with Oxfam to check another site. By 4 I heard that the truck had left, and I checked my email for the first time, as well as calling into the Beira office. I discovered that I was required to submit a final report and financial statement for the well project to the donor next Monday, as that was the last day of the project. So, that meant the weekend to process all outstanding transactions (this would likely have required at least two weeks normally). It meant that I would need to be in Maputo on Monday morning, and you can't get there from here. UN chartered flights ended this week, so the only way was to drive 6 hours to Beira, then fly to Maputo.
I went back home to drink a cup of tea at 6, and started to coordinate all financial items from this end. Just before 7, I got a visit from a Swedish man whom I had met, but who had recently been speaking to my colleague Julie. He did not realize that we were a Christian organization, and he was looking for other Christians to talk to. He's a police intelligence officer, who volunteers with a Swedish agency to do tech stuff, and gets attached to the UN. So, we visited for two hours in candlelight, becaue the power, which is supposed to be on from 6 to 10, went off jsut after 7. After he left, we had some new and unexpected staff arrivals at our house, who needed rooms and linens and candles. Finally, I got to eat some cold spaghetti with goat meat and collapse into bed around 10. As I said, the hardest day in Mozambique, and then there was today....
Random African Adventures...
Somewhere between my last post and today, eleven days disappeared. Let me try to recover them for anyone (including myself) who may be remotely interested....
After Easter, things started slowing down and streamlining, and the weather cooled, with night time lows of 22. I caught a cold, and allergies flared up, and I suffered daily asthma attacks. Thanks to Prime Care Pharmacy for supplying me with uppers, downers and anti-inflammatories to withstand this predicament, and to The Martin Clinic for neutraceuticals to make sure the drugs didn't kill me! Now, the rain is gone, the cold and asthma are clearing, and the temperatures are soaring back up into the high 30s.
I went to Beira one day, flew down in the morning and stayed in the FHI guesthouse until the next morning. The purpose of this visit was to chat with the FHI country director about my future here, so we did lunch. Our really late lunch was interrupted by the realization that we both needed to meet with people in the office before they left at 3.30, so we hurried back, and I scurried through brief 'hello, can I get/give something, goodbye' meetings until 6, then off to shop for much needed staff encouragements to take back to Caia (Nutella, PB, chocolate, curry powder). I got to the guesthouse at 7, and arrangements had been made for me to eat out, rather than there, because I had planned to meet several people from other agencies in Beira, just to get better acquainted (mixing business with pleasure). Unfortunately, none of them where available for dinner, but one group would meet me at the restaurant after, if it was the one close to them. So, my 5 minute walk to a great restaurant became a 30 minute (dark, urban) walk to a goodish restaurant, where I ate alone and watched cricket. Then, the group all cancelled except for one woman, who showed up and we chatted for awhile. In the meantine, I got a text from another acquaintance to say her dinner with her boss was done, and could I meet her and another colleague at that restaurant for coffee. So, I spent as much time as possible with the first woman, than took a hasty taxi to the other restaurant where the other two where waiting for me. Needless to say, it was 11:30 by the time I got back to the FHI guesthouse, and it was all locked up. Not worried, I rapped on the gate and called for the guard. The dogs (one a massive, drooling, snarling Doberman) woke up, but not the guard. I continued rapping on the gate, standing on a poorly lit street in a lowish end part of the cityfor some time. Around 1 it started to rain. The rain stopped before 2, and the fisherman were on their way out to sea at 2:30.
By then I had determined that the Doby was chained, the other dog was stupid, and the wall wasn't too high, so I jumped it, and ran arund to the back of the guesthouse to wake the staff, and get let in. I woke to my alarm at 6.30, in great pain, but I had to get my ride at 7.00 to get to the airport. Fortunately, the guesthouse had an incredible hot shower, and by 7 I was good to go, breakfasted (real cheese!!! and an apple), and ready to go (sans coffee).
The next adventure will be in the next post, because this one is too long already.
After Easter, things started slowing down and streamlining, and the weather cooled, with night time lows of 22. I caught a cold, and allergies flared up, and I suffered daily asthma attacks. Thanks to Prime Care Pharmacy for supplying me with uppers, downers and anti-inflammatories to withstand this predicament, and to The Martin Clinic for neutraceuticals to make sure the drugs didn't kill me! Now, the rain is gone, the cold and asthma are clearing, and the temperatures are soaring back up into the high 30s.
I went to Beira one day, flew down in the morning and stayed in the FHI guesthouse until the next morning. The purpose of this visit was to chat with the FHI country director about my future here, so we did lunch. Our really late lunch was interrupted by the realization that we both needed to meet with people in the office before they left at 3.30, so we hurried back, and I scurried through brief 'hello, can I get/give something, goodbye' meetings until 6, then off to shop for much needed staff encouragements to take back to Caia (Nutella, PB, chocolate, curry powder). I got to the guesthouse at 7, and arrangements had been made for me to eat out, rather than there, because I had planned to meet several people from other agencies in Beira, just to get better acquainted (mixing business with pleasure). Unfortunately, none of them where available for dinner, but one group would meet me at the restaurant after, if it was the one close to them. So, my 5 minute walk to a great restaurant became a 30 minute (dark, urban) walk to a goodish restaurant, where I ate alone and watched cricket. Then, the group all cancelled except for one woman, who showed up and we chatted for awhile. In the meantine, I got a text from another acquaintance to say her dinner with her boss was done, and could I meet her and another colleague at that restaurant for coffee. So, I spent as much time as possible with the first woman, than took a hasty taxi to the other restaurant where the other two where waiting for me. Needless to say, it was 11:30 by the time I got back to the FHI guesthouse, and it was all locked up. Not worried, I rapped on the gate and called for the guard. The dogs (one a massive, drooling, snarling Doberman) woke up, but not the guard. I continued rapping on the gate, standing on a poorly lit street in a lowish end part of the cityfor some time. Around 1 it started to rain. The rain stopped before 2, and the fisherman were on their way out to sea at 2:30.
By then I had determined that the Doby was chained, the other dog was stupid, and the wall wasn't too high, so I jumped it, and ran arund to the back of the guesthouse to wake the staff, and get let in. I woke to my alarm at 6.30, in great pain, but I had to get my ride at 7.00 to get to the airport. Fortunately, the guesthouse had an incredible hot shower, and by 7 I was good to go, breakfasted (real cheese!!! and an apple), and ready to go (sans coffee).
The next adventure will be in the next post, because this one is too long already.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
New Posts
A quick update - I have posted to Chris's Questions, my other blog. See the link on the sidebar to read these posts.
In other news, I am working to join my good friend JLP, also known as Jordo, on a one week trip next month to the beauty-full beaches of Ipanima, and other hot spots 'no bonita Brasil'. At the end of my contract I plan to take a direct flight from Johannesburg to Sao Paulo, before returning to Canada. It better be summer by the time I get back!
Further, I just got a 'Caia Cut' today from the local barber. This is the standard cut, using an electric clippers, no guard, entire head and face all the same length. It takes 10 minutes, and costs 10 Meticais, and I need it every 10 days. The only problem is, unlike the Caia citizens, I can only flaunt it for 10 minutes a day, without burning my head!
Speaking of burns, my sunburn from Easter weekend, a consequence of an hour and a half at the pool, became the most severe burn I've ever had. After the front of my legs blistered from my knees to my ankles, I noticed underlying tissue damage, and I've been applying antibiotic cream to preven scars all down my legs.
That's all the excitement, except that on Sunday I braved the crocs and survived swimming in the Zambezi with a few other relief workers.
All the news, pictures later!!!
In other news, I am working to join my good friend JLP, also known as Jordo, on a one week trip next month to the beauty-full beaches of Ipanima, and other hot spots 'no bonita Brasil'. At the end of my contract I plan to take a direct flight from Johannesburg to Sao Paulo, before returning to Canada. It better be summer by the time I get back!
Further, I just got a 'Caia Cut' today from the local barber. This is the standard cut, using an electric clippers, no guard, entire head and face all the same length. It takes 10 minutes, and costs 10 Meticais, and I need it every 10 days. The only problem is, unlike the Caia citizens, I can only flaunt it for 10 minutes a day, without burning my head!
Speaking of burns, my sunburn from Easter weekend, a consequence of an hour and a half at the pool, became the most severe burn I've ever had. After the front of my legs blistered from my knees to my ankles, I noticed underlying tissue damage, and I've been applying antibiotic cream to preven scars all down my legs.
That's all the excitement, except that on Sunday I braved the crocs and survived swimming in the Zambezi with a few other relief workers.
All the news, pictures later!!!
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Blessed Easter Greetings
Exciting news, I have managed to squeeze myself onto today's United Nations flight out of town, along with both managers, so we will make it to Beira tonight, and meet with the other FHI managers. I beleive there is a plan for some R&R this weekend, a nice seafood dinner, and some sleep. Sunday morning a sunrise service on the beach. BTW, sunrise is 05:25 here...
So, I may not have access to post on Sunday. This week we ran out of credit on our satellite, and for reasons I can't explain, I have internet access but can not reply to emails that I downloaded already. So, if in the last 48 hours you deserved a reply, please do not despair, I should be back on Monday.
In other news this week, FHI Caia will be entering a soccer team in the local championship, news and scorelines to follow.
The town is changing as emergency agencies wind up and pull out. There is still a large need here, as people have no seeds to replant their drowned fields, and no materials to repair or rebuild houses. Also, the government has not set up a resettlement process yet, for people to get new land, not in the floodplain.
May God bless you all this weekend, as you reflect on new beginnings, new opportunities and new life.
So, I may not have access to post on Sunday. This week we ran out of credit on our satellite, and for reasons I can't explain, I have internet access but can not reply to emails that I downloaded already. So, if in the last 48 hours you deserved a reply, please do not despair, I should be back on Monday.
In other news this week, FHI Caia will be entering a soccer team in the local championship, news and scorelines to follow.
The town is changing as emergency agencies wind up and pull out. There is still a large need here, as people have no seeds to replant their drowned fields, and no materials to repair or rebuild houses. Also, the government has not set up a resettlement process yet, for people to get new land, not in the floodplain.
May God bless you all this weekend, as you reflect on new beginnings, new opportunities and new life.
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