So I have been in Mozambique for almost two weeks now and life here is nothing less than exciting. Last week my team had a bumpy start. If you don't know, I am working on a micronutrient deficiency team to survey the workers of New Horizons, including those who work directly on the farm and the out growers, and the locals in the area to see if being employed at New Horizons has an effect on the micronutrient deficiency of the people. So like I said it was a bumpy start because nothing worked like we had planned. Our project is our team leader, Maggie Jo's, thesis for her graduate degree. Its been a pleasure to be lead by such an encouraging and successful girl. She is constantly believing in me and our team and I admire her love for people and the work we are doing here. The first day of work we found out the scale does not work correctly on the Mozambican dirt so every morning I have to be weighed five times at the farm where there is concrete and then five times at each household we survey and the averages of both of those samples are used to find the margin of error in the scale. I've learned you can't ever prepare yourself for the real world. Out here things go wrong. Wether it be a langue barrier or a picky scale there is no way to fully prepare for the obstacles you will face. But I have also learned to adapt to the situation. I've learned that when things do go wrong you just have to step back and reevaluate another approach to the problem. I've learned to expect the unexpected and think outside of the classroom. The work we are doing here effects lives and thats important. We started with surveying workers on the farm. Thursday was our first day to go out into the villages to start surveying the out growers. We road in the back of a truck which was super exciting and while driving through the village a group of kids came out of no where and started chasing our truck. When we stopped they all were giving us high fives and thumbs up. While interviewing the second family a woman brought me a chair in the shade. I don't think I have ever experienced such generosity before in my life. I was fighting back tears and the same women hands me her baby. The happiness I felt in that moment is indescribable. The picture above is of this moment!!! I cannot explain the love inside these people. My friend Craig keeps saying "they are so alive here" and I couldn't agree with her more. I've seen babies carrying babies, I've seen sisters and brothers taking care of one another to help out their parents. Yesterday we had a worker from New Horizons come and have dinner with us. He is originally from the Congo and his family is living in a refugee camp in Malawi. He told us that he measures richness in the amount of children he has and the life he can provide for them. This reminded me of my dad and the way he always wanted the best for me. I miss him everyday and am so thankful I was given his blessing to go on this trip. I believe in my heart I am meant to be here. Thanks for listening friends! It's getting late here (and by late I mean 8:30 pm) haha oh yeah and the sun sets at 5:15pm and rises and 5 am. So mornings and and nights are early for me. Goodnight from Moz!!!
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Hi Friends and Fam!! Sorry its been a few days since I have updated y'all on my adventure in Mozambique. I have really been trying to live in the moment and stay off of technology as much as possible. So let me catch y'all up on what the last few days have looked like. On sunday our day started at six am with a challenging hike up Mount Mojito. When I say challenging I mean there literally was not a path and a local had to guide us along with Wilford, one of Andrews partners in New Horizons. It was mentally and physically exhausting but the view was well worth the amount of times I tripped. I think the only word to describe the peak was peaceful. I could feel my dads presence up there with me and I knew he was proud. On the way up we met a man named Miguel and he defined happiness. He was probably poorer than the poorest person in America but richer in joy than the richest man in America. This made me really think about what quality of life really meant. Is it the amount of money you make? or the mark you leave on the world? Miguel surely left a mark on me and his genuine smile will forever be imbedded in my mind. Along the way up I was lucky enough to steal some of Wilfords time and talk to him about why he joined New Horizons. He told me about how he believed Sustainable business will change the future of Mozambique. By not only making a profit but by making a difference in the lives of others. He explained to me how the word company comes form the meaning of breaking and sharing bread. This is a concept many American "companies' lack. How ironic right. They lack the incentive to share the "bread" or wealth among the entire company. New Horizons is the perfect model of how business and people working together can change the world and end world hunger. When we got back to the bamboo hotel from the hike we found out the whole place was out of water. So no showers for us. I know what your thinking. Ewh. But hey I like to think of this as part of the adventure. The real journey doesn't start until everything goes wrong right? haha we didn't have water for two days but luckily the cold water is working now. I love this place, its grown to become a part of me even in the short amount of time I have spent here. The landscape, language, and people define the word beauty. I have a faith in humanity I had previously doubted. This place shows me love like our God does. I believe he is fiercely present here in the lives of these people. I am really praying I can make a quarter of the difference in this place that it has made in my heart. I will be making a people and photos tab soon so please read and see the people that are changing my life here in Mozambique. Lots and lots of Love from Nampula!!!!! See ya next time friends!!!
Flight itinerary:
Leave DFW at 9:40 Arrive in London 9 hours later Seven-hour layover at Heathrow 11-hour flight to Jburg Two hour flight to Nampula And then the adventures begins. More to come friends !!!!!! |
AuthorHi I'm Jess!!! I have a soul for traveling and loving people. All kinds of people from all conners of the world from all walks of life. I've left pieces of my heart all over the world. This is my safe space to write all the things on my heart. I hope you find some comfort and encouragement in the words on these pages. Thanks for reading friends (: Archives
July 2016
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