Nampula--Debbie's view

This week we took our first drive north to Nampula, which is in our zone and about 7.5 hours away.  The zone leaders went with us and enjoyed not having to ride a bus for 11 hours (each way on the bus) and they saidthat  we smelled much better than anyone on the bus and we didn’t bring goats with us.  The drive itself was through the prettiest country we have seen so far.  There was a lot of lush green vegetation, big rock formations and actual mountains.  As usual, we never tire of the huts, the business of selling food and the children running alongside the car.  I have heard that the children think if they rub the arm of a white person they will have luck.  The kids always want to touch your hands or shake your fingers and then sometimes they run behind you and try to touch your arm and then run away laughing hard and screaming.  It is often amusing, but sometimes irritating.  I have noticed that men really want to talk and will stop their bike and try to speak even though my conversation is only a few words.  They are never in a hurry.  The women, on the other hand, smile and look at me as a sort of curiosity and all are willing to have their picture taken.  They love it and I will often take the picture and then show it to them on the screen and they always have a big grin seeing themselves on the camera.      

The district leader, Elder Homer, had gone out of his way to make good use of our time while we were in Nampula.  The zone leaders gave training while we went to the museum in the morning.  In the back of the museum are sort of arts and crafts huts.  We were most interested in the wood carving ones.  We hear the Elders often bring a religious picture to have copied into a carving.  One Elder had an angel Moroni carved that wasn’t very good, but another Elder had Moroni with the gold plates that looked great.  We saw some nice basket type purses for the first time, but they wouldn’t negotiate.  Outside the museum of course, were men hanging around offering to “watch” the car for us.  We usually pay 10mt or about 3 cents.      

 I think walking at night with the Elders for a ¾ mile trek through the dusty paths through huts, shops, big garbage piles and rivers was the most unusual thing I have ever done.  I cannot imagine how they remember the way.  Toby had a head lamp in his backpack, which was a help, but then I really didn’t want to know what I was walking on.  I was SO thankful nothing scurried over my feet.  The pavement, like the roads, is uneven full of broken cement and hard to walk on.  We just kept going deeper and deeper into this set of huts.  Finally we got to the members home and what a sweet experience.  The parents are married (a big plus), have six wonderful kids, and are the strength of the church here.  So, under the stars , with only three chairs, we talked about the branch, heard conversion stories and sang a hymn.  The 16 year old girl bore her testimony to us, we prayed and it was just amazing.  They need to get to the temple and want to, but money is an issue.  Then back through the mazes, the garbage and the stink.  All the while different people would stop and talk with the Elders in a joking way in the local dialect.  We always say "hi” to everyone.  People are friendly and will always take a lesson, but having a change of heart or even understanding the gospel is another matter.    

Each time we have interaction with the members or investigators, we are impressed with them.  Toby said a prayer in one visit, where so close, that next to us people were cooking dinner outside, hanging wash, listening to a blaring radio and visiting in various stages of dress within a few feet of us.  You just ignore the distractions and go on.  The women were the kapulini or traditional clothing in many ways; often as a skirt or covering a dress to work or sometimes just like a robe that isn’t too modest.          

 We met with branch leaders and Relief Society leaders.  Since we have only a two hour block of meetings in Quelimane, I wanted to know about how they ran Relief Society in Nampula.  It is challenging there with so many on the rolls and few who come.  The branch is just starting the home and visiting teaching program.  They are very excited about it.  The have never done anything like an RS mid-week activity.  So, I tried to get a feel for what women would like to do.  They do not traditionally decorate in their homes, so a lot of ideas like  and self conscious about their lives and don’t like to talk about them  much.  Yet, they have a great need to get strength from each other.  I have a lot to think and pray about.  In our little “twig” in Quelimane someone  asked for a women’s meeting and we are going to try and have one in December.  As we talk about the women in missionary correlation meeting, they seem to take a back seat in the discussions and don’t really understand what is being taught.  Not because they aren’t smart, but there is something cultural going on here. 

 I am looking for a translator  who is a woman, who could come help me.  Toby noticed how they were just craving leadership instruction among the men.  So that is something we will deal with next time we go up.  We really need to be there on a Sunday, but that means a three day trip.     The produce was much nicer up north as was the shopping possibilities.  It was hard to believe that we looked out of our hotel room over a swimming pool and a few feet more and it was the traditional tenement housing of an African city.  A couple of funny things from the Elders, we have one Elder who is 6’7” The locals say he is so tall that he can steal the lightbulbs from the lights.  This is really a bit of "projection" on their part, as many WOULD steal lightbulbs if they could.  The Elders of Nampula had cleaned their apartment for our arrival even though I hadn’t said I would inspect it, though I did.  I like how they use the gospel art kit to decorate the room and how much they can stuff into one refrigerator tor.  We did buy a waffle maker, which is going to be fun to use.  As always when I am around the Elders I am just so impressed with them.  The parts of Africa that are difficult for me to adjust to; the dirt, rats, garbage, etc. are nothing to them.  They will go anywhere, do anything to teach and they are all good at it.  I admire them very much.