Missionary update

Bush Beat BlogF FROM "BUSH BUNNY BRENDA" DATE:  JANUARY 20, 2018 7 DAYS OF RAIN DOES NOT A HOPPY BUNNY MAKE Upon my return last Friday it was raining. By the time the sun appeared TODAY, 9+ inches of heavy rains had fallen in Balama in the last 7 days. Needless to say only essential work was done this week, and even that had to be done when the rains decreased to a light drizzle.   TODAY, the sun dawned bright for the first time since my return, and I am a VERY HOPPY BUNNY! Using the days drizzling rain to water their newly made bricks PASTOR JOAQUIM OVERSEES REBUILDING OF HIS RAIN DEMOLISHED HOME Being too muddy to even make bricks (our normal rainy season project), our team of brick layers made short work of getting the destroyed home’s “Pao-Peeky” (pow-peeky) walls built  in a matter of 2 days  (see photo).  The roofing has been delayed since Wednesday due to the cyclone-induced rains. Pastor Joaquim, gray shirt, directs builders of his new home Roof construction should begin this Monday if the weather man is correct for it is “supposed” to be dry until Thursday.  Only God knows, for the weather is very unpredictable.  But the Bush Bunny Construction Team arrives every morning, rain or not, ready for action. Morning devotions in the rain PASTOR FRED RECOVERING WELL WITH NEW CAST Pastor Fred is the member of the BBC Motorbike Team whose bike was hit by another motorbike on their way to give a Christmas Program in a nearby village on Christmas Eve.  Until he heals, Fred is staying in Balama with staff member, Pastor Armando, whose house has a concrete floor.  (Fred lives in a typical mud hut in the village of Rovuma which is deep in mud right now.) Pastor Fred enjoying a few rain free moments outside Trying to walk on crutches in deep mud is not the best environment for anyone with a plaster leg cast. The cast will “melt” if it gets wet. With this week’s horrendous rains, Fred slipped while hobbling to the outdoor bathroom on his crutches. Forced to put his casted foot into the mud to keep from falling, I found him last Saturday afternoon with a damp, muddy cast that had begun to melt on the bottom of the foot area. If you look closely at the photo you will see that WHITE GORILLA TAPE now covers the foot of the cast, making it more water resistant. (Texas Aggies know how to make repairs with what is available, and this seemed like the easiest solution.) My thanks to Dave Deboer of Michigan, who brought us several rolls of that tape from the USA.  Proves you can fix almost anything with DUCT TAPE! NOTE:  THE BBC MOTORBIKE TEAM will venture out tomorrow for the first time in 2018, provided it doesn’t rain tonight. Time to get God’s Word flowing through the villages once again. BLESSINGS FROM ALL OF US IN BALAMA. BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF

Beach Reach News story

This was from a couple of years ago but Hannah said its pretty much how it was.  Anything you can imagine was happening.

The beach reachers were always in teams of at least two and if they went out anywhere they had to have a guy with them.  It seemed sexist at first but was soon apparent that having a guy with them was a very good idea. 

Beach Reach for Hannah

Hannah went to beach reach this year with the Baptist Student Ministries.   She had great stories to tell and stepped out of her comfort zone a few times as well.  It wasn't all work and no play they did have a couple of hours one day that they got to spend at the beach. 
I'm really proud of Hannah and her heart for the lord.
I had originally written that Hannah went to beach reach for the second year but I was wrong.  She did go to Port Isabel last fall but it was for a community outreach project.  OOPS

This is the group that came from Kingsville College.  Texas A &M

Bush Bunny Brenda

FROM "BUSH BUNNY BRENDA"

DATE: AUGUST 2, 2015

BUSH BUNNY ON THE ROAD   Monday we headed deep into the bush to hand out 9 tons of food in 2 remote areas to complete the feeding of all 1, 800+ orphans and widows in Balama District. When back at base, Manuel' group reloaded his truck for the 9 hr. Drive on Tuesday to Meluco District.   In Meluco, he unloaded the month's supplies for the 500+ orphans, then reloaded with corn and beans to distribute to the 115 children in the Elephant village on his way home the next day.  Arriving home Thursday, his team of 3 helped me with the final work needed to make sure he and Capena had all tools needed to deal with any mechanical problems while I am in S. AFRICA.    BUSY WEEK is an understatement, as it took a 16 hr. Day on Thursday to get all organized, so I could be in Pemba on Friday.   Now in Pemba, I am tapping this out on my tablet early Saturday a.m. Before flying out. Not sure how often I will be able to access the net while in RSA, but Linda will keep you informed as to the Doc's decision once I have been through all the tests this week.   UPDATE ON TRIPLETS BORN TO OUR NAMARA FAMILY When released from hospital last week, the family took them home before I had a chance to see them. They were given  enough formula by the hospital to last 2 weeks, so they will be joining our baby support program next week.   All are healthy and doing well, as Pastor Ramadane keeps me updated on their progress. Praise the Lord, for most triplets are born too small and weak to survive in this harsh environment. One key factor was the fast action by Our office manager/driver, Capena, who did the emergency run to fetch the mother when she was in labor.   The 2nd key factor was the great work done by the Balama Dr. Who got the final 2 delivered, as #2 was breach.  We serve a God of miracles who dearly loves children. Much prayer has gone up for Mom and babies, and our Lord has seen them through.  We sent a large bundle of baby clothes to help out, for no matter where you live, raising triplets is expensive. Food was also sent, as this family suffered a poor harvest and was about out of food.   TOGETHER WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE, ONE CHILD AT A TIME, or in this case, 3 children at a time. Thanks to your faithful love and giving, we are continuing to pass on that love in every way we know how.   THURSDAY was salary day, and all Pastors received the next set of AWANA Bible lessons. They reported great turn outs of 150 to over 300 in their meetings, for the program is attracting whole villages, adults included.  As we near the 2nd coming of our Lord Jesus, the harvest is truly ripe in the 3 districts we serve.   I will be in touch later this week from RSA. Please keep me covered in prayer for a fast recovery from all this.   Blessings,   Bush Bunny Brenda Lange

Missionary update_ Missionaries URGENTLY NEEDED

FROM "BUSH BUNNY BRENDA"

DATE: JUNE 28, 2015

SOZINHO OUT OF HOSPITAL, NOW LIVING WITH US         His mother was at the hospital when we picked him up Tuesday morning, June 23rd, but only stayed long enough to see what house he would live in.   Most 16 year olds in Mozambique are very mature and nurturing towards infants (at least our girls are), so this teen is the exception.   He is gaining weight and looking healthier, as you can see from his photo.  When he first came, every bone in his body showed horribly and his legs and arms were just toothpicks.  AMAZING every 3 hourly feedings can do over a 2 week period. We PTL that he survived his horrible ordeal and is now part of our family.     CORN AT MELUCO The 36 tons needed to feed the 515 orphans in Meluco is now properly sacked, stacked, and in the barn.  The neighborhood water well that serves over 500 families received a complete overhaul, thanks to Manuel and his team of experts.  He said it looked like someone had tried to fix it, but did it wrong, and thus the WHOLE “innards” of the well had to be pulled and replaced.  A 3 day job since they had to pull out, cut, reconnected the pipes with pipe unions, and then let it set for 2 days to dry.  It’s a major job, but since the corn processing takes 2 days, the team was able to finish the job before they left on Thursday morning.     BABY DANIEL RECOVERING FROM MUMPS TOGETHER WITH THROAT/EAR INFECTION             But thanks to much prayer and our great relationship with the Balama Dr. and hospital, we were able to get a prescription by phone, which could be filled in the next town (Montepuez, 30 miles/60km away).   The Balama hospital was out of the much needed liquid antibiotic for his throat infection, but thanks to my “stash of baby meds”, and Capena’s “connections” at the Montepuez hospital, Daniel received all 3 medications he needed and is on the mend.   DAWN’S SITUATION   DAWN’S LAB WORK revealed a very weak immune system.  We consulted with 2 doctors and the head of a private clinic in Pemba, but all three were in agreement that she should NOT live in a malaria area, and recommended she depart as soon as possible to prevent further illness. Since her arrival on April 8, Dawn has been a real “trooper”, but suffered through malaria, a respiratory infection, and the ever so deadly Dengue Fever (just last week).  (Both malaria and Dengue are mosquito transmitted diseases that easily kill those with little resistance.)   All 3 sicknesses occurred during an EIGHT WEEK period, revealing to all of us that something was not right, and thus the lab examination at the Provincial Hospital in Pemba.  For her own safety, she will depart TOMORROW, July 29th. DAWN has been a GREAT HELP to me with her many management and organizational skills, and her departing is leaving a BIG HOLE in our staff.   The children dearly love her as 6 days a week she spent her afternoons with them, teaching them English and many new games. She will be greatly missed by all of us and we know that if she decides to continue in missions, that God will guide her to a malaria free place where she can serve Him well.   ABBIE WHEELER DEPARTS ON JULY 1ST   School time soon approaches for Abbie, and she departs from here as scheduled.  (We tried to get Dawn and Abbie on the same plane out of Pemba, but there were no seats.) Abbie filled in where ever needed, and received many hours of tropical medicine experience, (and long sleepless nights) by caring for both Caitlyn and Dawn during their sicknesses.  She also worked daily with the children and helped our teenage boys improve their basketball skills.   WE SINCERELY THANK BOTH THESE YOUNG LADIES FOR ALL THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR PROGRAM.   SEARCH IS ON FOR NEW HELPERS, AS BUSH BUNNY IS ONCE AGAIN THE ONLY MISSIONARY AT THE BALAMA SITE . If you know of someone who will give a year, then have them contact us. Much thanks!   Blessings,   Bush Bunny Brenda Lange

Missionary update

FROM "BUSH BUNNY BRENDA"

DATE: JUNE 15, 2015

RESCUEING BABY SOZINHO   Baby Sozinho, weighs only 7 lbs (3.2 kg) at his SIX MONTH mark this week!   His young teenage mother developed mastitis 4 months ago, and Social Services sent them to receive life-saving  baby formula from us.   Sozinho weighed only 3kg (6.6 lbs) at 2 months, but with his mother’s lack of breast milk, poor infant growth is typical.   I noticed 3 weeks ago that he was very slow to gain weight on our 21% protein HYPO CEREAL, especially formulated for malnourished babies. Since he showed a good weight gain his first month, I immediately suspected the mother wasn’t feeding him, so she was counciled.   He presented 2 weeks ago IN SERIOUS CONDITION with a respiratory infection, had lost 0.5 POUNDS (250 gms) weight, and needed immediate medical attention.   I immediately took mother and baby to the hospital. The Emergency Room staff gave him immediate treatment and would admit him to Pediatrics. But after I left,  Sozinho’s mother ran away with the him, refusing treatment.   Not knowing where she lived, we had little hope of finding her.  I prayed for that little one, for only Jesus could save him now.   PTL for Jesus heard our plea! Sozinho survived the last 7 days despite poor feeding and a respiratory infection!   This very young mother was obviously unconcerned for Baby Sozinho’s health, so when she walked in on June 11th,  Capena and I took her immediately to meet with Social Services at the hospital.  Social Services had to force her to give up Sozinho, who was immediately started on life saving antibiotics in the Emergency Room, and then Admitted under the care of 2 of our best foster mothers.   The Social Services Director and Capena then escorted the mother to her village to meet with her family and request custody of the baby for up to a year.   The family was VERY EAGER to comply, as they agreed this young 15 year old was not taking proper care of the infant.     Documents will be written up this week so that Sozinho remains in our care until he is a strong toddler.   The hospital doesn’t allow photos, but I will show you his CUTE LITTLE FACE with those BIG BLACK EYES as soon as he is released this coming week.   When I visited him this morning, all I could see were those 2 BIG BLACK EYES staring out from his hooded jersey.    WE ARE IN WINTER with 55 degrees our normal sunrise temperature INSIDE OUR HOUSES! No heat exists in our homes or in the hospital, so everyone has to dress warm.   Baby Sozinho’s body may be emaciated, but his mind is sharp, for he misses nothing going on around him. Our 2 foster mothers say he is an easy keeper as long as he is fed when he asks.   Babies who have been starved eat small amounts (less than 2 ounces/60ml) very frequently, and PANIC if not fed quickly.   CRYING uses up calories at a fast rate, so our mothers are under orders to NOT let him cry.  Feed him without delay.   26 BABIES ARE IN OUR FORMULA PROGRAM AT PRESENT, and it looks like Sozinho will be our 3rd resident baby this year.    BABY EDNA, OUR YOUNGEST AT 7 MONTHS, ENJOYING HER FIRST FEAST   MONICA, BORN WITH A HEART DEFECT AND POOR SURVIVAL OUTLOOK , IS NOW IN PRE-SCHOOL!       DANIEL, 11 MONTHS, WITH A FACE THAT SAYS “I ATE MY LUNCH, SO WHERE ARE THE COOKIES YOU PROMISED!”     OUR FAMILY IS GROWING, and our older orphan girls DEARLY LOVE having new babies join us!        CHILDREN’S DAY, JUNE 1ST,  CHILDREN BEING SERVED A RICE AND  GOAT FEAST BY FOSTER MOTHERS   The babies who live with us provide our older orphan girls a great learning opportunity in baby care (besides being fun to cuddle). For in this country, girls without mothers to train them in good baby care have little opportunity to learn the proper skills.   TWO NEW AWANA PROGRAMS OPEN IN REMOTE VILLAGES   Saturday our  AWANA team consisting of Carlitos Jorge, Nelson, and new assistant leader, Rufino, traveled to NTETE Village to meet with the children from the Assembly of God church.   FIFTY THREE school age children dearly loved playing the games and hearing the story of creation.  Next week, we expect a huge crowd, as these 53 little “advertisers” were told to invite all their friends.  Ntete has over 2,500 children, so we plan to start programs in several areas of the village in order to keep the groups in manageable numbers.   SUNDAY, Carlitos Jorge met with village leaders and the children of NQUIDE Village (about 5km or 2.5 miles) down the road from Ntete.  We plan to kick off that program next Saturday.   GOD’S WORD IS GOING FORTH! FOR THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD THE WAY IN THESE END TIME DAYS.   Blessings, Bush Bunny Brenda Lange Dawn Horger Abbie Wheeler

Missionary update

FROM "BUSH BUNNY BRENDA" DATE: OCTOBER 25, 2014 TRAIN THEM UP AND SEND THEM OUT 2 BY 2           Pastors with their new AWANA materials   Final training was held on Wed., Oct. 22 for the 6 new AWANA leaders who are part of our Pastoral team.  They will join the 4 experienced  Pastors on our team who have been holding AWANA Games/Bible studies for children since last year. GOAL: To teach the 80,000+ children in 28 villages, all about God, his creation, and the why he sent Jesus to show us “God’s path”.   It is a big task, but nothing is too difficult for those who love Christ and have a passion to reach the lost. Thanks to a generous donor, the AWANA lessons are now in PORTUGUESE, making this outreach much easier for all of us.     COLORING PAGES HELP VILLAGE CHILDREN LEARN BIBLE STORIES         Ashlynn, Nelson, and Katie show us examples of their coloring skills as they prepare for the AWANA Teams.       The Balama Blazers, (Katie and Ashlynn), as well as Youth Leader Nelson, and I, kept very busy last week by coloring 15 sets of the Story of Creation for our AWANA Games teams.  It took us 3 days (in our spare time) to color these 75 pages, and it was a joy doing it. The Pastors and village children truly love the pictures, as they are a great visual teaching tool.   You may not realize it, but most of these children have never seen a book or picture of ANY KIND. Seeing full color pictures that shows them what we are talking about, helps them grasp the stories and “make them more real”. We will continue to color more Bible stories as they are needed to go along with the AWANA lessons.   SATURDAY EMERGENCY     Our Oldest Pastor lives in Kpweetoo (Kah-pwee-too).  An frantic phone call was received from him at 10a.m. today after he stepped onto a “canna stalk” while hoeing in his field this morning.   Equivalent to putting an ice pick through your foot.  The Canna entered just under his ankle bone and went several inches up the inside of his leg. A BIG OWWEE!   PTL FOR CELL PHONES, or it would have been hours before he we would know he needed a ride to the hospital.   Balama Hospital did their best to clean it out, but part of the shaft might still be inside his leg. Time will tell. A penicillin injection, and Ibuprofen with Tylenol is about the best they could do for pain relief. We quickly organized 2 beds and a room in one of our houses.  A friend of his will stay with him to do the fetching and help him with essentials. Doing what needs to be done to help those in need. That is what we do best.       Pastor Kpweeto in bed after hospital treated and released him.       2 STORY TREE HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IN FINAL STAGE             The roof is on the tree house, and final cement “plastering” is in progress on the concrete pillars.    Then it’s paint, paint, paint, before the final stage, which is to mount the 3 metal slide sheets onto the super slide mounts. Each day the children eagerly watch our brick layers and carpenters working at a fast pace to complete the “SUPER SLIDE”. With the rainy season approaching (Nov. 15th), we are working hard to complete the slide, and get the final loads of corn and beans out to the orphans and widows in the 21 remote villages before muddy roads prohibit our trucks from entering those areas.   Blessings and thanks to all of you for your prayers and love gifts that are making it possible to take the love of Jesus to the children in this area.   Bush Bunny Brenda Lange Balama Blazers: Katie Polcyn Ashlynn Grabill "Bush Bunny" Brenda Lange LOVE GIFTS TO: ORPHANS UNLIMITED, INC. 11152 WESTHEIMER RD., PMB 391 HOUSTON, TX 77042     LOVE GIFT TO: ORPHANS UNLIMITED in RSA Standard Bank-Hatfield (branch code) 011-54515 Name: Orphans Unlimited Acct. # 017743036     PERSONAL NOTES TO BRENDA brenda@orphansunlimited.org ALL OTHER INQUIRIES: LINDA FERGUSON linda@orphansunlimited. org phone: 979-234-3422 or 713-854-9197 Brenda’s Blog is Posted at: www.orphansunlimited.org/blog or SUBSCRIBE to receive the blog by e-mail.

Missionary update Sept. 11, 2014

Linda Ferguson Bush Beat BlogF FROM "BUSH BUNNY BRENDA" DATE:SEPT. 6, 2014 MEET DANIEL MANUEL, OUR NEWEST FAMILY MEMBER Daniel, born July 2nd, lost his Mom 30 days later to postpartum complications. Born in the Mari

To

Me

Sep 6 at 1:48 PM

Bush Beat BlogF FROM "BUSH BUNNY BRENDA" DATE:SEPT. 6, 2014 MEET DANIEL MANUEL, OUR NEWEST FAMILY MEMBER     Daniel, born July 2nd, lost his Mom 30 days later to postpartum complications.    Born in the Marica Village, his aunt, Deolinda,  8 months pregnant, had to walk over 15 miles to ask for our help to save little Daniel.  Since they live so far away, she received 2 weeks milk at a time.  After her last visit, Aug. 21st, Deolinda gave birth to a healthy baby, but fell victim to a serious case of malaria which affected her legs, leaving her bedridden.  She was taken to a hospital in the next District (county) since it was closer than the Balama hospital.  Baby Daniel was left with an uncle and Deolinda’s 14 year old son. When these 2 young men walked in on Thursday, Sept. 4th, I knew something was drastically wrong.  The baby bottle was completely coated in rotten milk, and Baby Daniel was not a happy camper.  I don’t think those 2 had washed the bottle or the baby in over a week.  I was AMAZED that little Daniel was healthy, with no signs of dysentery from drinking formula for 7 days from that filthy bottle.  The boy just said he cried a lot when he fed him from the bottle.  I guess so, as that must have tasted horrible, and given him a terrible tummy ache!   The Uncle agreed to give us Daniel since there was no one else in the family who could care for him.  Social Services agreed, wrote out the proper guardianship papers, and 2 hours later, Daniel was presented to his new Foster Mother, Ernestina.  He managed to finish a 1 lb. (400gm) can of formula in 48 hours!  His new family are amazed at how much this little one can eat.  He is happy and healthy, and gives us the occasional smile as proof.  He won’t lack for love and attention, as he now has 2 foster Moms, plus 2 sisters who are crazy about him.  The 4 boys in Ernestina’s house just laugh at how everyone “coos” over the baby.  Boys will be boys and it is obvious that babies are not their thing. Daniel is in need of TWO $30/month sponsors.  At $6/can of formula, he will easily eat $50/month in formula and is only a month away from needing cereal to appease his hearty appetite! A FIGHT IN CHURCH ENDS IN A SALVATION    Geraldo, 9 years old, was a new face in the Rovuma Church last Sunday.  He was sitting among the 80+ boys in attendance,  when one of the boys said something to him that made him mad.  So Geraldo did what seemed natural to him, and jumped on top of the boy while everyone else was singing.  I was nearby, so grabbed his collar, and hauled him off the other boy.  The ushers came to my aid, hauling him outside for counseling.  He had a “sling shot” hanging around his neck, so I removed that for everyone’s safety.  After counseling, he was allowed to sit alone in the back of the church till Sunday School time, as I promised to return his slingshot after the Sunday School lesson. When we completed praising JESUS (I noticed Geraldo was enjoying the singing), and teaching the Sunday school lesson, I called Geraldo to come up front before the all the children.  We asked him about the fight and he told us his story.   He had never been in a church before, and was just visiting family as it was school holidays.  He asked us if he Jesus could love him, even though he had done a bad thing. It was all I could do to keep the tears from flowing. Geraldo asked forgiveness for his sins, and told Jesus he loved him.  His entire countenance changed, so we knew this was for real. We have a church in his home village, and he says he will start going there.   NEVER DOUBT THE POWER OF JESUS’ LOVE.  Children are very sensitive to the spiritual realm.  Even unsaved children know the real thing when they see it. AWANA TEAMS SAW OVER 300 CHILDREN COME TO CHRIST LAST WEEK   ROVUMA AWANA CLUB broke the attendance record today with 316 children in attendance!!!! Old Record was from Nacala Village last Saturday with 240 present. Most of our teams report 150 to 200 children in attendance in 10 locations each week. Needless to say, our Candy Bill (each child gets 1 piece for attendance), is out of sight! It’s a great problem to have!  I’m just thrilled that over 2,000 children/week are being impacted through the 10 AWANA TEAMS we have on the field right now. This week, 6 more Pastors will be trained and equipped with all they need to start AWANA CLUBS in their villages. Our goal is to reach all 80,000 children in Balama by December if we can. Our Pastors in Meluco and Namuno Districts are also in the process of organizing AWANA Clubs for their churches. The goal for these 3 Districts is to reach the estimated 200,000 children living there with the Story of Jesus by Sept. 2015. HOUSE SPONSORED FOR THE ROVUMA WOMAN WITH 11 CHILDREN (4 ORPHANS), NOW COMPLETED           Since most of the children are girls, we took them 5 beds, grass mats and blankets today so they could move into their new home.  The littlest ones sleep with the older girls, so 5 beds was plenty. The 2 boys are both older teenagers, and have taken over the house of the blind woman who died, leaving the 4 orphans with her sister who already had 7 of her own.  The teenage girl in the photo, holding the baby, is the oldest, and helps her Mom care for all the children.           A BIG THANK YOU to our supporters who made this happen.  One gave the house, while others gave the blankets, beds, plates, cups, and cooking pans that were essential to help this Mom cope with the added needs of the family. TOGETHER WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! ASHLYNN GRABILL RETURNS FROM RSA ON THURSDAY WITH RESIDENCY VISA We will delay taking her to Immigration to complete her Residency process until Sept. 16th, as the Mozambique President is coming to Balama next Tuesday.  With over 100,000 people flowing into our area, travel is not the wisest thing to do.  Many government offices do not operate at all when famous people are in town. So we will avoid the hassles, and just stay home till his tour is over. Elections are October 15th and this is his final campaign tour in our Province (State). Blessings, Bush Bunny Brenda Lange Balama Blazers: Katie Polcyn Ashlynn Grabill

FROM "BUSH BUNNY BRENDA"

DATE:SEPT. 10, 2014

Hello Friends,   If you were not able to open the video link to see Zito walking in Brenda's last Blog. we are sending you another link that will open the "Zito Walks" video for you via our website and You Tube.   To see a TRUE MIRACLE........CLICK HERE!   http://www.orphansunlimited.org/zito-is-walking/   BLESSINGS TO ALL, Linda

Missionary update Feb 2, 2014

FROM "BUSH BUNNY BRENDA"

DATE: FEBRUARY 2, 2014

 

BUSH BUNNY BACK WITH ONE LESS TOOTH   Was a 4 day marathon of dentist visits, x-rays, cone scan, and then finally the extraction on Thursday.   The normal X-rays didn’t show a problem with the painful tooth, but the Cone Scan (sort of an MRI for teeth), showed a hidden abscess that had granulated.  A small part of the outer jaw bone next to the molar had also been destroyed, so no choice but to pull it.  Then back to the dentist on Friday for infection prevention so that I could return on Saturday to Mozambique.  Ate my fill of ice cream, and made several new friends while in RSA.  Am glad to be back, as there is no place like home. BIG BAD PYTHON RAIDS THE GOAT NURSERY At 1:30a.m. Saturday, Eric received a call saying a large python (7 ft. or 2.2 meters) had broken into the goat corral and squeezed to death the best baby goat twins in the nursery.  There are 3 night guards in the corral each night, and they immediately spotted the snake when the goats sounded the alarm.   Sadly, the babies were already wrapped in its death squeeze in the few seconds it took them to grab their bamboos and get inside the pen.    The snake made a hasty escape, taking the men on a 45 minute “flashlight chase” before they could kill it.  They tell me it was quite a scary fight in the dark against such a large snake with vicious teeth.  Pythons are not venomous, but they are quick and very agile, packing a bite that can rip tissue and leave a deep wound with a severe infection. In prevention, we will be sealing the area under the 2 gates with concrete bricks, since that is how it entered the corral.   The snake’s tracks showed it tried to get though the tightly woven bamboo fence in several places, but couldn’t.  However, the space under each gate gets worn away by the many hoofs tracking through that small area, thus making an easy entry way for snakes and small animals.  It upsets me greatly that these 2 little ones lost their life because none of us ever thought to block this off. The saying goes: “Africa shows no mercy.”  When attacked by a snake or wild animal, rarely does anyone get a second chance at life. The Momma goat is a large meat goat who produces an abundance of milk.  If held gently, she willingly donates her large bag of milk to 2 of our baby goats, whose mothers have been dry since their birth.  The “real thing” is much better than the milk substitute, so I’m grateful these 2 little ones will benefit. SCHOOL STARTS ON TUESDAY   Every mother knows how “fun” it can be getting multiple children ready for the first day of school.  We get to do it with 80 CHILDREN! The next 48 hours will be packed with distributing uniforms made right on our base (3 months work), plus shoes, school materials, back packs, and books.  Mozambique’s schools are in session from Feb. 4th to end of October.   Our pre-school for our 4 and 5 year olds will also begin classes this week. An exciting time for everyone, especially when our 3 year old orphans decide they are old enough to attend.  They are always welcome at our “Little Disciples” pre-school even though they may only last until cookie break time. Blessings to all of you as you brave the bitter cold in the USA. We are just “wet, hot, and muddy” over here, as the rainy season is in full swing. Bush Bunny Brenda Eric Dry The Balama Staff