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November News
Happy Thanksgiving! We had a great thanksgiving with all of our teammates in Nampula this last week. It was a blessing being with them again, but we are glad to be home. We did get to eat turkey on Thanksgiving day in Nampula. All the missionaries had a big dinner together that evening, and it was really nice to catch up with people we hadn't seen in a couple of months. There wasn't pumpkin pie, though, so maybe next year.
We returned yesterday from an annual retreat that our organization had in Nacala (on the beach). (We're a part of an organization called Good News for Africa that is compiled of Church of Christ and Christian church missionaries working throughout Mozambique) There are a total of 12 families within GNFA that met this last week to discuss next year's goals, last year's work, and to pray for God's blessing upon His church in MZ. It was a great experience to get to know our teammates better and also to do a little snorkeling in our spare time. It was a two days drive to the coast and another two days coming home, so we are glad to be back here in Lichinga.
This is the week for National elections here and it's been one campaigning parade after another. There is some tension surrounding this time because of MZ's history of hostile elections. Please be in prayer that it will be a fair process and that no violence comes about because of the results. Although, I think because the election process is so slow here it will be "too close to call" for at least two or three more months.
Rites of passage take place during this time of the year where young boys become men and girls become women. It has reminded me how I once took an Anthropology class in college and the professor posed the question, "When do young boys and girls become men and women in American culture? Is it the driver's license? Or is it at the age of 18? or 21?". Nobody really knows. Well, in African societies it is a little more cut and dry. This is the month for Initiation rites among young men and women in the Yao culture. The young women are led out of the village to be circumcised and the boys are dressed up in tobacco leaves and are paraded around town. I know what you're thinking.... 'That reminds me of my childhood, back when my dad would dress me up with packs of Red Man tobacco and march me all around town.' But trust me it's a little different. There's definitely meaning behind what they're doing..... we just have no idea what it is...yet. Between the initiation rites and the election rallies, it can get pretty noisy around here. And it isn't just during the day, last night we woke up at least twice hearing people marching and dancing down our street screaming "Vota, Vota!!!". Who would have thought that you could get that excited over voting?
Ann and I are smack dab in the middle of our language learning. It's been an extremely different experience trying to learn Yao through Portuguese. It is at sometimes frustrating but overall is going quite well. Kyle and I are using a Muslim cleric for a teacher. He's been a great person to work with and a wonderful contact to the Muslim community. He's asked that we meet him every Friday at the Mosque in order for us to better understand his religion and also give us a chance to practice our language. Ann has been meeting regularly with a women here in town for language class. The lady has also been helpful in answering questions about the culture and beliefs of the Yao people.
We've also begun learning some Arabic along side Yao. It's going to open some giant doors not only to religious contexts but cultural frameworks as well. Because the people here believe that being Yao is to be Muslim. And if you ever decide to leave Islam you walk away from your heritage and culture as a Yao. So that's where we're at right now. Learning language and praying for God to grant us wisdom in showing us how he can redeem a people and allow them to remain culturally attached and proud of who they are. But also to see their cultural redemption fuse with the heritage and lineage that we hold to as children of Abraham, "grafted in" as Gentiles. It is wonderful to think that the heart of God is found in redemption.
Our days are numbered here in MZ. 41 days to be exact. That's when we'll be leaving to go to South Africa to have the baby. I'll leave on January 10th to start the 5 day trek in the car to SA and Ann will fly down and meet me there. After that we hope to be back in Lichinga by mid March, assuming the new baby's passport arrives by then! Right now we're only 10 weeks away from becoming parents. What a scary thought! We're trying to do all we can here in Lichinga before we have to leave the country. We know we can't learn Yao in that amount of time, but we want to learn as much as we can, and hope to retain it while we are gone! Ann and the baby are completely healthy and doing great. I don't know if we mentioned that we're having a GIRL! Yeah, that was a big shock for us too. We couldn't be any happier. Thanks for all of you who sent us an encouraging e-mail for Thanksgiving it always means alot to hear from you. I'll try and get some new pictures up on the website soon. www.mzmission.org Have a good month.
The peace of the Lord,
Rusty and Ann
Prayer Points:
Rusty and Ann Caldwell
C.P 146Lichinga, Mozambique Cell: 082 644 045
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