Three Less This Year...Follow Up

I love a lot of things about our program, but one of my favorite things is watching new children transform after coming home with us. They arrive hurt, neglected, abused, and abandoned. After experiencing a stable home with a mother who cares for them, a staff that stands with them, and a whole family of sisters and brothers who come alongside them, they literally flourish and become new creations. They leave behind their life of suffering, shed the worries that burdened them, and they get to be children again. 

Case in point…our three new children who just arrived exactly four weeks ago from the date I am now writing this blog. In case you missed it, this is story of how they came to be a part of our Sunshine family, recorded in my previous blog … https://sunshineinafrica.blogspot.com/2024/09/ 

The children immediately took to life in our Sunshine family. From day one, seeing these three children has become a highlight of my days. They light up and greet me with the biggest of hugs. It is like the joy and love inside of them has been unleashed. 

I must give credit where credit is due...their 30 new brothers and sisters have played a big part in their successful adaptation. They always do a great job of helping new children assimilate into our family. Children usually come with a “take” attitude, scarfing up anything they can lay their hands on. However they quickly learn there is more than enough to go around and that they need not feel like they must grab what they can when they can. Less than a week into their time with us, we were all at Escola Sunshine for our Friday afternoon program doing a craft project. They sat at a table with five of our other children. After explaining the craft we were doing, I began placing the materials (paper, scissors, markers, and glue) on the tables. Our children patiently waited and watched as I did this. But Tiara, Januario, and Percina immediately lunged at the materials, scooping them into their arms as they left their five table partners astonished, looking at me with the question of “What???” on their faces. Tiara, Januario, and Percina immediately picked up on the realization that they had done something wrong, and they sheepishly pushed the materials back into the middle of the table. From then on, the children modeled how to share the materials so that everyone could have fun. 

Then came the day the next week when Januario was using my car as a jungle gym. I came out to hear the others scolding him and directing him that we DO NOT climb on Mama Terri’s car. Januario slid off my car, looking very remorseful. 

By the end of their first week, we had them settled into school. Percina attends our Beacons of Light preschool program. Tiara and Januario started at Escola Tamwana. On their first day of school, it seemed like they had always been there. When I excitedly asked how their first day went, they matter-of-factly responded, “Fine.” And when I enthusiastically asked if they had made new friends, they looked calmly at me and said, “Yes. Lots.” They adjusted so quickly. On their third day of school, I stopped by to get photos of them. I arrived at dismissal time. As they skipped out of their classrooms, my mother’s heart was reassured as so many other children were saying goodbye to them and wishing them a good weekend. 

Shortly after the children arrived, we noticed that the oldest child had a braided cord tied around her waist. This is known as a fetish, a cord placed on the person by a witchdoctor. It is believed to have magical healing or protection powers. Delcio and I pulled the three children into our office to speak with them. We shared with them that in our family, we trust in God alone to heal and protect us and that other religions put their trust incorrectly in objects that cannot heal or protect. We asked them if they had anything like that on their bodies. Tiara immediately looked up and with the sweetest of trust in her eyes said that she did. We asked her if she would like to cut the cord off and place her trust in God to protect her. She responded with a confident yes. I handed her the scissors, and she asked me to help her cut it off, so we did it together. This led to us asking the children if they knew who Jesus was. Their blank stares told us that they had never hear of Him. What a privilege it was to share the story of Jesus with them, and what a privilege it will be to continue teaching them in the years to come. We sent them home with a children’s Bible that has 365 days of stories covering the creation of the world to Revelation. Their house mother has begun reading these to them every evening. 

Last week, the uncle with whom they lived came to visit them. He wanted to see how they were getting along. Three things from his visit really stood out to me. The first was how taken aback he was by their appearance. His exact words were, “They are so different. They don’t even look like the same children.” We find this to be true with all of our children. They physically transform in a way that is difficult to put into words. They are brighter and just seem to shine. So much so, that I now keep what I call my “Before and After Book”. This is a small photo album where I put in a photo of the child when we bring them home and another photo taken one, two, or three weeks after they arrive. You would not even recognize that they are the same children! 

For example, here is our first photo of the children after they climbed into my car to come home with us… 

And here are the children only two weeks later… 

See what I mean???

The second thing that happened when Uncle Frede visited was that he asked them if they would like to return home with him again. They looked at him and said, “Nah. We are good. You can come visit us here.” 

Third, shortly after he arrived and we settled them onto the outside veranda to have some privacy, I came out of my office to find them back inside Escola Sunshine participating in the reading activity Celia was doing with the other children. I looked out the window and saw their Uncle Fred sitting by himself. I called the three children and told them that he had come all the way to visit them, and they needed to go be with him. They reluctantly left the activity and went outside with him. But they kept sneaking back into Escola Sunshine again and again. 

After about an hour, Uncle Fred decided it was time for him to head home. He thanked us for the care the children are receiving, saying he was leaving fully confident that they children are in a good place. 

We also are confident that they are in a good place. Our Sunshine Approach family now has 33 children in its care. Don and I often find it just incredulous that these children look to us for love, support, and care. I mean…33 is a lot of children! And more are on their way! This is humbling and a bit unnerving, and it would be overwhelming if we did not know that we have so many people standing with us…our staff with us here in Mozambique and countless people in other countries who support this ministry with their purchase of our Sunshine Nut Co cashews, financial gifts, and prayers. We appreciate and thank each of you.

From the Cashew Fields to the Soccer Fields...Transformation Is Taking Place

I am rejoicing because our teenage boys have been given the most wonderful of opportunities! We have discovered a soccer program located only two blocks away from our Sunshine homes!!! Tindzila is a foundation mostly dedicated to environmental awareness (https://tindzila.org.mz/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TindzilaSU), but they also have sports programs for children. The majority of children pay a fee to participate, but they also make the program available to disadvantaged youth (https://www.facebook.com/AcademiaDesportivaTindzila). We are so fortunate to have them close by and that they have accepted our boys into their soccer program for a nominal fee each month. 

We all know that teenage boys need an outlet for all the energy and curiosity they have. Our son, William, takes our seven teen boys every other Saturday to play soccer at a local field. It is the highlight of their week, and they are quite good at playing… but this is not enough. They go to school in the morning and are home by 12 noon. We do not want them out and about in the community, and so their free afternoons when they do not have tutoring are spent with them listlessly roaming around their houses and watching television…not good. With this program, they will practice three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as well as play competitively on some Saturdays. The boys were happy when we shared with them about this opportunity. But… their house moms were elated to know that their boys would have an outlet for their energy and would come home tired and all played out. 

The game they play is futsal. It is soccer on a cement court that is smaller than your typical soccer field. They had their first training session this past week on Monday. Before we even went for the practice, they were coming to me to thank me for this opportunity. 

The excitement level was quite high with anticipation when the time to head to the field arrived. When we got there, younger boys were already on the court practicing. Our boys were taken back to try on their new uniforms. When they came out, I was speechless! My mama’s heart was overwhelmed with joy. I did not even recognize them! They looked so professional, official, and proud. They were so very excited! And I was over-the-moon excited for them!

They hung about a bit watching the other boys play. Then came the time for the coach to invite them to substitute in and play themselves. 

It was a bit humbling for them to play against boys with really good skills, but they were not intimidated and did not back down at all. The team coach is very demanding and pushes them hard. Our boys fought to stay in the game and keep up. I can already see that they are going to really grow and improve. 

All of the players wore the standard orange soccer uniforms of the Tindzila team and some were from previous years. Despite this, it was very easy for me to identify my boys…they were the ones with the huge perma-grims plastered across their faces! 

I fondly remember the days of watching my children play soccer. However, I do not fondly remember the times sitting in the rain and cold at spring and fall practices and games. I was glad to leave that behind. Yet I now find myself again sitting on the sidelines watching a soccer practice as I freeze! We are in the transition of our winter to our summer. Some days may reach to 100 degrees and other days barely make it to the mid-70s. This day was a cloudy, cold, windy day with a high of only 73. I felt miserably cold, but I stuck it out for them. What kid doesn’t want to see his mom on the sidelines supporting him? Next practice, I am going prepared with a blanket! 

As I watched them on the court, I was overwhelmed by God’s goodness. These boys were the throw- aways of society. They had been orphaned, abandoned, abused, and hurt. They were the village thieves, the school drop-outs, and the forgotten. Nothing good would have ever come of them. But God, in His goodness, had a better plan for them and brought them to our Sunshine Approach Foundation. They have been healed and given a chance at life and success. I cannot even put into words what I felt inside seeing them play, smile, laugh, fight, and give their all. 

I always say that I can brag all I want about our children, because it is not me. It is first God. Then it is their mothers who live with them day and night and are raising them. And it is because of you. Our financial and prayer supporters are the base for ALL we are able to do. You are so very precious and appreciated. On behalf of our children, thank you for your support. We value every prayer, donation, and purchase of our Sunshine Nut Co cashews. We thank you for sharing our posts and telling others about our ministry work. All of these things are transforming lives from the cashew fields of Palma and Muchenguentava to the futsal field our boys play on.

Three Less This Year

Our most recent acquisition of three orphaned children has been a fight to save them from a future of even more suffering and misery. It has brought the meaning of our work into a new perspective for me. We not only are bringing children out of a hopeless past; we are saving them from a hopeless future. 

A good friend who works in the area of trafficking tells me that 80,000 children, women, and men are trafficked out of Mozambique every year. I found this number hard to believe. Afterall, that is a stadium of people every year that goes missing! That is the same number of people who filled the Penn State University’s football stadium when I attended college in the 1980s. Having just rescued three children from what clearly was indicated to be a trafficking situation, I began to do some research on the internet. 

The following is taken from a 2023 “Trafficking in Persons Report: Mozambique” that was conducted by the US Department of State. 

“As reported over the past five years, human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Mozambique, and traffickers exploit victims from Mozambique abroad. Forced child labor occurs in agriculture, mining, and market vending in rural areas, often with the complicity of family members. Traffickers lure voluntary migrants, especially women and girls from rural areas, from neighboring countries, such as Malawi, to cities in Mozambique, Eswatini, or South Africa with promises of employment or education, and then they exploit those victims in domestic servitude and sex trafficking. Some traditional healers target individuals with albinism, who may be vulnerable to both sex and labor trafficking. Traffickers exploit Mozambican girls in bars, roadside clubs, overnight stopping points, and restaurants along the southern transport corridor that links Maputo with Eswatini and South Africa. Traffickers in and around mining worksites in Cabo Delgado province exploit girls in sex trafficking. Increasingly, traffickers recruit women and girls via the internet with promises of employment using fake business profiles on social media, then subsequently exploit them in sex trafficking or forced labor. The government reported the pandemic increased vulnerability to trafficking, especially for children targeted through social media. Children from vulnerable families, particularly with parents who are elderly or have a disability, were vulnerable to trafficking. Children from Gaza province, who migrate to Maputo and work in informal street vending, may be vulnerable to trafficking. Child sex trafficking is prevalent in the cities of Maputo, Beira, Chimoio, Tete, and Nacala, which have highly mobile populations and large numbers of long-distance truck drivers.” 

This report did not even include information related to people being trafficked for forcible organ removal. There are also countless numbers of children sold into slavery to serve other families like little Cinderellas. I have personally encountered this in my experiences here. Young boys are abducted and taken to the conflict regions in the north to serve as child soldiers. Young girls are taken and used in prostitution. In addition, there is a staggering number of young girls sold into child marriages each year. Families see child marriage as a means for economic survival. 

Wikipedia states that there are an estimated 145,600 people living in slavery in Mozambique with COUNTLESS MORE (my emphasis added) being taken unwillingly into South Africa. 

But this year…there will be three less… 

We have been through some trying and emotional times when fighting to get needy children placed in our homes. But this past experience beats them all! It was a month that was a rollercoaster of emotions. What I have learned is that we are not just rescuing children from a horrible past, we are rescuing them from an even more horrific future. 

You may need to "read between the lines" a bit in this blog.

It was brought to our attention that three children who were recently orphaned were in need of care. Their mother and her sister lived in South Africa selling “tomatoes and onions”. The money they earned would be sent back to help their family in Mozambique. The three children were living in Mozambique in the family home within a small village called Mahubo. The younger sister of both older sisters in South Africa, along with her husband, lived in this house, caring for their three own small children, three children of the surviving aunt, and the three children of the late aunt. This couple could not have been a day older than in their late twenties and neither one works or has any possibility of even ever acquiring work. I look at people like this and have no comprehension how they survive in such impoverished conditions. 

The youngest sister (the children’s aunt) visited our Sunshine Homes with her husband and asked us to take in the children. Because we had the family’s permission, this should have been an open and shut case. We organized for a caseworker from Social Action to come with us the next day to collect the children and bring them home. Delcio and I sprang into action, preparing three beds complete with sheets, a new towel, pajamas to sleep in the first night, and a stuffed animal resting on a fresh, new pillow waiting to greet them when they arrived. 

The family home was an hour’s drive off the main road. We drove through the most desolate land I have yet to see in Mozambique. 

Literally nothing grew…it was dry and brown everywhere I looked. There were no trees, bushes, or grass, and certainly not any small farming plots, called machambas, on which 90% of the population here grows food to survive. It was a windy day and the swirling clouds of thick, brown dust made it seem even more desolate than it already was. 

We drove so far out that I felt like we were going to drive off the face of the earth. With some great navigation by Delcio, we arrived in Mahubo and parked our car. The uncle (by marriage) led us back the dirt paths to the family house. It was very similar to most houses in our area… a small two-room structure made of cement blocks with metal sheets for the roof. We brought a caseworker from Social Action with us. Her role was to record the information and write the documents necessary to place the children in our care. 

Together, we talked with the youngest aunt and uncle, two sets of neighbors, and the local chefe, village leader. The caseworker recorded the information. We learned that each child had a different father. No one knew who any of them were or where any of them live. (Remember this for later.) 

And then, we hit a disappointing snag. The children’s documents were in South Africa with the other surviving aunt. We could not bring the children without their documents. Arrangements were made for a motorist to bring the documents to Mozambique. The uncle was then to pass them onto the caseworker. We would have to wait until the next week to bring the children. 

But nothing happened the next week. When we tried to call the uncle, he did not answer. We tried to call the case worker but she was not available either. Red flag #1. Then, all of a sudden, we got a call that a man from South Africa appeared on the scene claiming to be the father of the oldest girl. He was going to take them back with him to South Africa. Really? After nine years of being absent from your child's life, you now appear and show an interest in her after the mother has died? Red flag #2. We tried calling the sister of the late mother in South Africa to determine if she knew this man. She did not answer any calls. Red flag #3. We called the case worker to assist. She said that if the man was the father, then the children were best off with family. She did not even offer to investigate. When we asked if we could look into it, but she said there was nothing we could do. Red flag #4. The uncle had never brought the children’s documents to the caseworker. This meant that if they were placed in the hands of this “supposed father”,  he could easily take the children out of the country to South Africa, never to be seen again. 

At this point, we contacted a humanitarian from the Save the Children organization for advice and counsel. There were too many red flags. Our contact spoke to the uncle and the case worker. She was told a completely different story…that the aunties were going to care for the children. Red flag #5. The case worker told her that Sunshine would not get these children. She told us that without the support of the case worker, we could not even go to the police. 

I was devastated. It is one thing to hear about the selling and trafficking of children. It is another thing to have looked three precious children in the face and now know that they are lost. I cannot even describe my emotions at this time. I kept hearing the song that is so often sung in our Christian churches as we cry out the the Lord, "Break my heart for what breaks Yours". I don't think we really know what we are asking. Are we really ready for this? Clearly, I was not ready for this. 

I wrote the following in my journal, "I...we...lost three children today to a gigantic system known by the name of poverty. And not just lost to financial poverty, but to poverty as in facing a life of servitude. These three precious children will be used. I lie on my bed and cry for them as the sun sets on this terrible day in which they have been lost. I pray they will not be abused sexually, mentally, or physically. Lord, protect them."

I don’t think I have ever felt so low or hopeless. And when one is low and hopeless, the answer is found in looking to God. I began to pray and sought out the intercession of friends and family to pray. A faithful intercessor shared with me that she felt these children would be mine. My hope returned. 

The next week on a Friday afternoon, we were able to connect with and meet the eldest uncle in the family. Being the oldest brother, he has the power and authority to make decisions for the family. He shared with us that he had made the decision to place the children with our foundation. As a young man, his dream was to be a teacher. He scored high on the public university entrance exams. This should have secured a spot for him. Students at public university who attend during the day do not pay any tuition. Yet, they often must pay a bribe to get a spot. This man did not have money to pay, and so he was denied his rightful place. He told us that he wanted his nieces and nephew to have the opportunity he never had. He knew we could provide this for them. He had already met with the local chefe to ask him to write the necessary document for them to be placed! He said he would have the children brought to his house and we could come pick them up on Sunday! Delcio and I were both stunned and elated! 

Sunday came and we were to collect the children at 5:00 pm at the eldest uncle’s house. The sun was setting just as we arrived…only to discover that the children were not there. There is no public transport that operates in their area on Sundays, so they were still in far away Mahubo. Also, he did not have the signed declaration from the chefe. We knew it was going to be a long night ahead! 

First stop…the chefe’s house to collect the declaration. This, thankfully, was a quick one. His wife had the document in hand and passed it on to the uncle.

Second stop…to locate the chefe who was playing soccer at a local field. We found him, and he completed the documents on the hood of my car by the light of Delcio’s phone. 

Third stop…Drive alllll the wayyyyy to village of Mahubo. The road and surroundings looked very different in the dark. But Delcio and the eldest uncle managed to get us there. I was so thankful that the moon was almost full. It was the only light we had as we navigated the dirt paths that led to the home of the children. 

When we arrived, I learned that no one had yet told the family or children that they would be coming with us that very night! We sat in the dark as the eldest uncle met with his younger sister. He simply told her that she knew he had the authority in the family, that he only ever decided what was best for the family, that the children were going with us that night, and that she was to go get them ready. If I were her, I would have been mortified. But she simply stood up and did as she was told. 

The children came out of the house and came to their uncle, each one greeting him with a hug. He said, “Let’s go”, and they followed behind him like little ducklings. There were no questions, no tears, no arguments. The resiliency and obedience of Mozambican children astounds me! 

We made our way down the path and back to our car by the light of the moon. The uncle opened the door and the children moved to climb in. I stopped them and asked them to give their aunt and uncle a hug before leaving. They did as they were told. I hugged the aunt and told her that we would take good care of the children and that they were welcome to visit. 

Fourth stop…one final declaration had to be completed and signed by the uncle giving his permission for the children to be placed with us. We did this on the shoulder of the road in the car. We sent it off to Papa Don who would print it and meet us at the Sunshine House. 

As we continued on our way, I was greatly impacted by the composure of the children. They quietly sat next to me in the back seat. They didn’t know where we were going or what was ahead of them. They just knew to obey their uncle. They were even lulled to sleep next to me for the last half of our trip. 

Fifth and final stop…Sunshine Home #8! By now it was quite late. The two little boys who live there were already tucked into bed. Papa Don was waiting there for us. We entered the home and introduced the children to their new house mother, Ester. We showed them to their new bedrooms. Seeing their beds elicited the first emotional response I had seen in them all night. There was a spark in their eyes, and they got very excited! They had never experienced what it was like to sleep on a bed between clean sheets and snuggle under a blanket. They had never had new pajamas before. Each child picked up their stuffed bear and hugged it to their chests. 

They were pleased. Their uncle was pleased. Delcio and I were pleased. Papa Don was pleased. And Carlos and Pinto (who by now had tumbled out of bed) were beyond pleased to have a new brother join them! In no time, they were laughing, rough-housing, and playing with a toy car. 

After the uncle signed his document, we left the family for their first night’s sleep together. We all went our separate ways. It was the first good night’s sleep I had had in weeks. When I woke up the next morning, if felt like Christmas Day! It was like Christmas Day for the children as well. We took them shopping for new clothing (they arrived with the clothes on their back and the shoes on their feet) and new school uniforms in anticipation of their first day at their new school. We also took them to select a toy of their choice at the local grocery store that has a full aisle to choose from. 

I am so glad to know that these three children are  in a safe situation where they will have the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential. Yet I am heartsore knowing that there are thousands of children who will never have this chance at an abundant life. What causes all this hardship the world over is poverty. When people are desperate, they do desperate things. We take care of those in need, but our major focus is creating opportunity for people to escape the grip of poverty where desperation exists. Our work in the communities with community cashew farms and village cashew shelling factories bring prosperity to those who had generations of hardship. 

I now sit in complete gratitude for all that of the prayers that have been said on behalf of these three precious children. This experience has revealed a very ugly side of poverty to me. One that I wish did not exist. I thought that God had already "broken my heart for what breaks His". But I see now that He is only just beginning. This experience has also revealed to me a new light in our work here. It has always been clear to me that we were rescuing children from horrible situations. Yet I now realize that we are rescuing them from so much more. Our homes provide security, love, hope, and opportunity to children who most likely would have been sold, indentured, or forced into prostitution or slavery. We have rescued them not only from a terrible past but from a future of suffering that, praise God, they will never know. 

And now, when my friend tells others that 80,000 people are trafficked out of Mozambique each year, I will be able to correct her and tell her that this year…there will be three less.

"It's the Most Dreadful Time of the Year"

Don't simply read the title of this blog... 🎵sing it 🎵to the tune of the Christmas song "It's the most wonderful time of the year". This is the song I am hear in my head when school holidays arrive for our children in August. Let me explain why. 

Our Sunshine children get a well deserved two-week break after their second semester of school each year. While they love this time to sleep in, play, and have fun all day long, this second semester break is an emotionally trying time for me. It is during this time that we do home visits where we take any children who have extended family members to visit. We are required to do this by our governing body, Social Action. They believe that it is important for the children to remain connected with their family. And while this sounds like a good idea in theory, for our children, I do not find it to be a positive situation and am thankful that we only have four sets of siblings with known family members still living. I find it very difficult to take our children back to visit the places where they have suffered and to see the people who, in some cases, caused this pain in their lives…a father who kicked his sons out of his house so he could bring in a new woman after their mother died; a grandmother who tightly tied her granddaughter with ropes and beat her; a little boy whose father would lock him in the chicken coop. 

Yet, what I see year after year, is that these visits are important to the children. No matter what was done to them, family is still family, and the children want to see them. They put on their best clothes, fill their water bottles, and hop into the car excited and full of anticipation. This year, one of the boys even thanked for me taking him to see his father, for whom, I must admit, I still have a hard heart towards. So I take my thoughts captive and try to make the most of the day for their sake. 

We do our best to track down these family members and notify them that we are coming. Some do not have phone contacts, so we then enlist the help of the local village chefe (leader). If the person we are going to visit happens not to be home when we arrive, the children are sorely disappointed. We called the father of two of our boys to inform him that we would be coming the next day to visit. Yet when we got to his house, we found it empty. The neighbors said we should try looking for him at his "new wife's" house. The boys remembered exactly where her house was, despite the fact that they had not lived there in three years! Thus began a trek through the village, across the railroad tracks, past a witchdoctor's property filled with drums arranged in a semi-circle, and through yet another village as we continually asked the boys, "Are you SURE you know where you are going???" 

Along the way, we were encouraged by all the "shout outs" the boys got from local people who remembered them and called greetings to them by name. In the end, we finally did arrive at this woman's house. She told us that she also reminded the father that the boys were coming to visit and she could not understand why he went out instead of waiting for them. The boys were clearly upset to have come all this way and not find their father. We visited with his "wife" for a bit of time and then trekked alllllll the wayyyyy back to our car. The positive in all of this was that we stopped by the all-girls Catholic orphanage where the boys stayed until they were placed with us. The sister who cared for them was as overjoyed to see them as they were to see her. So the day ended on a happy note for them all.

These days are also emotional for me because I find it an absolutely humbling privilege to go with our children to these places. My feet literally go where no white woman has most likely ever walked before. You should see the curious looks I get from people as we walk along the paths. I get to go out into the most remote of villages and sit alongside people who literally have nothing. 

During one visit, the aunt of the children brought out a large bag of sweet potatoes grown in her garden. She dumped them on the ground and began picking through them, selecting the biggest and best ones, and placing them in a bag for her nephews to take with them. Truly it was the most giving thing I have ever witnessed. 

One benefit of these trips is that the local village leaders always tell us how good it is that we bring the children back every year so that everyone can see them. They are often accused of having sold the children. This brings home the sobering reality that children here really are sold and trafficked. Because we visit annually, the people see how well the children are doing and know that they are being well cared for. Our children always go looking their very best. It does my heart good to see them proud and confident in who they are growing to be. They are no longer the hurt, sad, rejected children we brought to live in our Sunshine Homes. They are now healthy, educated, and flourishing. 

We are required to bring a Social Action case worker along with us. The man with us this year asked to stop by a house to check in on three teenaged girls (18, 16, and 13) who had lost both of their parents. Only the oldest girl, Maura, was at home. She was gracious in bringing out their only plastic chairs for us to sit on, while she herself sat on a water jug. We learned that their modest home of two rooms had been built by a local Brazilian missionary. She had completed grade 12, which is no small feat for a child in Mozambique. She was so gentle and kind. When it was time to leave, the case worker told us that Maura had only one parting request from us. Delcio and I knowingly looked at each other, assuming it was money. His answer shocked both of us. Her only request before we left was...a hug. I was so very humbled...and put in my place! I wrapped my arms around her, prayed over her, and encouraged her. I left very impacted by this young girl. We did come back later that day with a food box and a warm blanket for her and her sisters. I have no doubt that I will be stopping by her house each time we travel north to our Villages Project in Muchenguentava. 

So what does all of this have to do with you? And why would I be publishing a blog like this for you to read? It is because during these visits, I take you with me in my thoughts. I am beyond grateful to each of our donors and supporters. If it was not for your support, these children would still be living in these terrible circumstances. If it was not for you, we would not be able to offer them a safe home to live in with a mother who loves them best of all, a private education so that they can break the cycle of poverty that has run in their families for generations, medical care when they are sick, clothing to wear, food to eat, even the gas to fuel our car to get us to these locations…the list goes on and on. So again, please accept my deep, deep thanks and appreciation for your giving, your prayers, and your spreading the word about our foundation. Thank you for being the sunshine for our children.

Welcome Home, Chelton!

My husband always remarks that I have the best job ever. While I do agree with him, there are some days when it doesn’t feel so great, like when I return home exhausted from the emotional and physical toll of being Mama Terri for 30 children and 8 women or when my heart is torn apart to see firsthand the suffering so many innocents must endure. Yet none of this matters when I get to experience my best days ever in the best job ever. These are the days when we have the privilege of bringing a child home. These days make is all worth it! 

On May 22nd, my colleague Delcio, received a call from Social Action that they had an 18-month-old little boy that needed placement. He received the call late in the afternoon and said that we could come for him the next day. They replied that the baby was in a situation of grave suffering and that his very life was in danger. It was such a precarious situation that they requested Delcio to come “now'.  Delcio dropped everything and started down the road to Namaacha, about an hour’s drive from our homes in Matola. There he was met by a worker from Social Action and the father of this child, Chelton. Our Sunshine Houses are homes for children who have no home or family. Yet in some cases, we do make an exception. After hearing the story from this boy’s father, Delcio knew that we had to accept the boy. 

Chelton and his twin sister were born to a father and mother who lived far out in the bush where there are no modern services- electricity, running water, medical clinics, stores, etc. When the children were only eight months old, the mother abandoned the family and never returned. The father wanted to go for help, but having known people whose children were trafficked, he was afraid. He did his best to provide for the babies, but sadly the little girl died. Desperate to save the life of his son, he made the decision to go to the government for assistance. Delcio told me that he sobbed in relief after meeting him and learning of the home we could provide to his son. Through his tears, he expressed his gratitude to our foundation for offering his child life. He said that if he only knew such foundations existed, his daughter would be alive today. 

Little Chelton was severly malnourished and underweight. As an 18-month-old, he weighed only 7 kilograms (15 pounds). He did not walk or talk. 

Delcio brought him home to join the family living in Sunshine House 3. Chelton now had Ilda as a mother and four siblings to watch over him. It was late at night when they arrived. The children were ecstatic to receive him into their family. There was no time to prepare for him, so he spent his first night sleeping with his new mother. 

The next morning, I called to see how his first sleep went. Delcio shared that Ilda did not sleep at all that previous night. Why? Because Chelton sang all night long. Have you ever heard of anything more beautiful than this??? Even at his young age, he knew he was in a secure place where he was safe and would be loved and cared for. His joy overflowed in song! 

Delcio and Ilda took him to a private clinic to have a consult with a pediatrician. The pediatrician confirmed that he was underweight and malnourished and put him on a dietary program to resolve both issues. She said that time would tell whether he would walk again. She said it might be a developmental issue that would resolve itself in time, or it might be a neglect issue that may need intervention. 

Since his arrival,  only one month ago, Chelton has progressed beyond our expectations. Within five days of joining our Sunshine family, he started walking! He has been eating well and has gained weight quickly. He is happy and loving his new life. 

lda and her children are so happy to have him in their family. They have been praying for years for a baby to join them, and their prayers have been answered. We all look forward to watching Chelton grow in the coming years and seeing who he will become in life. And now you can understand why Don says that I have the best job ever! 

Celebration Day

Many of you may have seen the Facebook post that was shared back in October 2023 when we were seeking to raise 60 donations of $30 each as birthday presents for Papa Don’s 60th birthday. You may have even been one of the 60 people who responded and supported this successful fundraising effort. 

After the funds were raised, our on-site staff members, Chambule and Victor, at the Sunshine Village Project in Muchenguentava met with the families to list out the requirements that were expected for them to receive the award. Among these requirements were: planting all of their 450 cashew trees, proper care of the saplings to ensure they thrive and grow, maintenance of their farming plot by clearing the weeds and grasses growing around the saplings, and creating fire breaks between their plot and those around them. The families set to work under the guidance and watchful eyes of Chambule and Victor. 

Of the 100 families participating in the Village Project, 64 families met the requirements. Each family was given choices of rewards based on the common needs of the community. Chambule and Victor compiled a list, purchased the requested items, and had them all divided up and ready for presentation in the warehouse at the Sunshine Villages factory. 

Additionally, each family would also receive seeds to plant on their farms to produce lettuce, couve, cabbage, and tomatoes. These seeds will provide food for the families until the cashew saplings grow into productive trees. 

Before the families arrived, I walked through the collection of awards laid out in the warehouse. Each pile had a box of Sunshine Nut Company cashews propped on top of the requested items and taped to it was a piece of paper listing the family name. I read each name as I gave thanks for the privilege it is to offer hope and opportunity to these families that live in poverty. I felt emotional as I surveyed what they asked for. It was so simple and basic. It was a concrete demonstration before me of how little they had in this world. They asked for…

building materials for their homes (such as cement, metal sheets for their roofs, and caniso- the grass reeds used for the walls of their homes), 

plastic chairs, 

pots, food (oil, rice). 

The day of the presentation of awards arrived. Rains delayed people from coming, but one by one and in small groups they started to arrive. 

Believe it or not, the very first person to arrive was the very woman pictured in the original Facebook post with Don! 

The longest wait was for the government leaders who were to come. We could not start without them. So, the people began singing and dancing to pass the time. 

Once the leaders had all arrived, Chambule conducted the meeting. He reviewed the requirements that had been set and read the list of families who had success in meeting these requirements.

The local government leaders gave speeches and encouraged the people to continue working hard and tending their farms. 

Awards were presented to a few families so that photographs could be taken with the attending government officials. 

Then all of the families were invited to come and take possession of their awards. Lots of rejoicing and smiles filled the room as people went to see their awards. 

Finally, everyone was given a tour of the mini factory where they will one day shell their cashew harvest to add value and thereby increase their income. These families have watched from outside as this land was cleared, the factory built, and the equipment delivered and installed. They had to have been extremely curious to know what was going on inside. 

Men tried out the equipment used to crack open the hard cashew shells and demonstrated to each other how to do it correctly. 

They checked out the machinery that they will use to shell their cashew harvests. They looked over and explored everything. To say they were excited would be a major understatement. 

It was exciting for Don and me to see them in this factory that was envisioned and constructed for their benefit. We were so happy to share it with them. It was the best of days: A day to see the impact we are having in making the world a better place. A day to celebrate hard work and effort. A day to bless and be blessed. A day to remember.

Divine Connections

We all love stories with happy endings. I have one to share with you today. As with so many stories, it is about triumph that overcame tragedy and about two people who connected despite all the odds being against them. 

Madalena and her siblings were the first children we ever brought home to our Sunshine Homes Project. Cecilia, 12, Madalena, 5, and Antonio, 3, lost both of their parents at such a young age. It is because of them that the Sunshine Homes Project ever began. When we heard about them, we felt they deserved to grow up together as a family, in a home, with a mother to care for them and love them best of all. Thus, the Sunshine Homes Project was birthed in 2014 when we paired them with Zelda and settled them into their home in Matola Santos. 

Oh how these children loved Zelda and thrived in her care. Madalena and Antonio loved her so much that they took turns sleeping in her room every night. I would always chuckle when I’d look in Zelda’s bedroom and see her bed littered with stuffed animals. I would tease Zelda about the “man” ( a stuffed Batman) with whom she shared her bed. 

Zelda was mother to these children for nine years until she unexpectedly died in December 2022. The children were devastated, and understandably so. It was the second time they had lost a mother. Since Zelda’s passing, we have moved forward with a new caretaker for them. They are no longer children but now Cecilia is a young adult at age 22, and Madalena and Antonio are teenagers, ages 15 and 13. 

It has been a very hard road to recover from losing someone as special as Zelda. Recently when we were taking apart the bunkbeds that Madalena slept in, I saw on the slats of the bunk above her that she had written Zelda’s name over and over. My heart broke for her. This why when Madalena asked me if she could take a cake baking and decorating course to honor Zelda, I could not say anything but “YES!” Zelda had taken a course a few years ago. She was really progressing in her talents and was selling her cakes to many people. Madalena wanted to follow in her footsteps. 

Madalena faithfully attended the courses that were held in the city every Saturday for three months, accompanied by her ever-protective older sister, Cecilia. Madalena passed her final baking test and received her certificate. She has begun baking cakes to sell, and we are walking alongside her helping her learn how to manage her money. 

Recently, I brought Madalena together with my neighbor,  Khumbu, who also bakes and sells cakes. She agreed to give Madalena some decorating advice. 

I shared a post about Madalena's lesson with Khumbu on Facebook that was seen by a wonderfully kind supporter of our foundation. Kelli lives in Vermont and also bakes. She sells her items to bakeries and gives the profits to our Sunshine Approach Foundation. When she saw the post, she decided to help Madalena out and sent a donation for her to get the supplies she needed to grow her business. She sent it along with the most beautiful letter to Madalena. 

Dear Madalena, 

I understand that you are continuing an endeavor from someone who you deeply cared for. Baking is so fun. It's such a joy to use your skills to show your love. Love is the key ingredient in baking. Isn't it so fun to see someone eating and enjoying what you've made for them. I am so privileged to be able to send some money for you to buy supplies for your baking. If you were near me, you can bet that we would share the techniques and recipes that we like to use. I understand that you took a class. How fun. I have not taken any classes. 

I would love to see the things that you do. If I can relay one piece of wisdom, it would be this....it doesn't have to be perfect...people you bake for will feel the love you've put into it, before they notice anything you may not think is perfect. 

Love in Jesus, 

Kelli 

Madalena thought long and hard about how to use Kelli’s donation, but in the end, the choice was easy. The oven in her house is broken. When she bakes her cakes, she must go bake at another house, so she decided to buy an oven! She also had money to buy a scale for weighing ingredients and a few other baking utensils. 

Today we tested out her oven by making banana bread. The oven worked great, and the banana bread came out golden brown and delicious. Next up, I am going to teach her to make cupcakes and brownies.

Let me end with the thank you note that Madalena wrote to send to Kelli. I think it sums up how someone can impact another person, half a world away, and whom they most likely will never meet. 

Good evening, 

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to help me so that I can achieve my goals and my dreams. I am very happy when I make cakes because I remember someone so special who marked my life despite everything, a mother incredible, a wonderful mother. Every time I make a cake, I remember her huge, contagious smile. I just wanted to thank you for everything good. As you said, if you had the opportunity, we would exchange experiences together. Above all, God is with us. How wonderful God is! He has a huge plan for me. I leave everything in His hands, and loving Jesus. Thank you very much for the opportunity to make my dreams come true as God is good and very good. 

With love, 

Madalena 

Who knows what will happen next in Madalena's journey to honor Zelda? Maybe Kelli will come and teach Madalena herself one day!