Arrival

Leaving SA was wonderfully exciting, landing in Washington DC was cold and we were late but all was well.  We left the next morning on a flight that took over 10 hours to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – what a culture shock.  The plane was massive seating 2 then an isle, 3 then an isle then another 2.  The plane was completely full and the seat in front of Richard and Lorraine seated a toddler who was not happy – his mother played solitare on the interactive screen provided while he screamed for the first 5 hours of our flight. I just sat in shock. It was a long “first half”.

Toward the end of our journey the young man seated next to Richard turned out to be a Christian musician who is friends with many of their friends from Detroit.  He has invited Richard and Lorraine to be a part of a jazz music festival in Toranto so they exchanged numbers and we all Praised God that the connection was made.  He said he had missed his original flight and that it was God who put him in this seat on this plane next to Richard.  Miracles in the sky over Africa already, before we even landed.

We got off one plane and went straight to the line for the next plane.  No bathroom break, no water.  The flight from Ethiopia to Mozambique took 5 hours and 10 minutes.  The day was perfect and out of the windows we could see the African landscape.  Breathtaking.  Landing in Maputo was fine, no problems and we were coming through customs when we saw Ernesto Chauque waving with a great big smile on his face.  When we reached him the hugs were as though we were long lost family returning home.  He brought with him Mr. Luis Mutemba the tribal chief who sent us letters of invitation to come to Mozambique that helped us get our travel visas. Ernesto also brought an assistant name Jeshua – or Joshua in our language.

We piled into the van and began our journey across Maputo, a city filled with 3 million people all moving around at the same time. Traffic was, of course, crazy but Ernesto maneuvered just fine.  We went straight to a business to exchange our money and to my surprise they did not take travelers cheques.  My bank told me to do it this way but Lorraine said info in our packets told us not to – first strike for Sylvia !!  We will try an international bank on another day.  I was able to exchange some cash so I’m doing fine.

He dropped us off at Rogers’ Tourist Complex and we are very happy here – electricity comes and goes but that is little to complain about.  We each have a air conditioner in our rooms so we do get a breeze when the electricity is running.  AC in Africa is not like America so it is more like a small fan but we are thankful.

We are exactly 8 hours ahead of you so whenever you think of us just forward 8 hours and you are here.  It is beautiful here. I have so much to tell you and I am behind 6 days so I don’t even know where to begin.  This email is just our arrival.  I have not covered meeting the women and children at Real Dream Community Center, going to the grocery store to get soap supplies and some other items, our flat tire adventure and also our first day (yesterday) of teaching at the center and the miracles there. 

I will email again when I can and do my best to catch up and then stay caught up.  For now, know that we love an miss you all and ask for your continued prayers as we minister to Ernesto, his wife, children and everyone else at the Real Dream Community Center, Possulane Village, Marracuene, Maputo District, Mozambique, Africa.

Sylvia Rogers