Parabens (Congratulations), Chef Catarina!

Our foundation, the Sunshine Approach Foundation, seeks to uplift and transform the lives of the poor, widowed and orphaned. Our Sunshine Homes serve two equally vulnerable people groups- widows/abandoned women and orphaned/abandoned children. By pairing one of these women with 4-6 of these children, we create families. While it is often the cute little children living in our homes who garner all the attention, we are as committed to our moms as we are to the little darlings for whom they care. 

It is our goal for our children that after receiving a full education and training, they will be prepared to enter the real world and live independent, self-sustaining lives as productive members of society. We have the same goal for our mothers when their children have left the family home. We have yet to have a child or a mother “age out” of our program, but for now, we are doing what we can to prepare them for this moment in their future lives. 

For our mothers, this means providing them with the training and tools they will need to live successfully on their own…much the same as what we are doing for our children. We shared with our moms that if there is an interest or training they desire to pursue, we will provide what they need to realize their dreams. All our moms have taken preschool teacher training courses to grow their skills as leaders for the community children’s projects they conduct at their homes. Zelda and Ilda have completed cake baking and decorating courses and are now baking and selling cakes in their community (not to mention our need to purchase cakes for the numerous birthdays for our children, moms, and community project celebrations which keeps their ovens running). These accomplishments have increased our mothers’ self-esteem and abilities, and we are proud to see their gains. 

Catarina is the mother at our 5th Sunshine Home. Faustino (12), his sister Beatriz (10), and their friend France (11) were the first 3 children we brought to her home in April 2021. She has done nothing short of a miracle in training these children who came to her ill-mannered, angry, and mistrustful. All 3 of them had been hurt and abandoned and never were privileged to learn the basic skills of living in a family. Catarina dug in her heels and took on this challenge. She was firm and loving, consistent, and present. Eventually, all 3 children have transformed under her watch into well-mannered, caring, and disciplined family members. 

Then in June 2021, 10 year-old Fernando and his little 7 year-old brother Antoninho (whom we affectionately refer to as our “bichinho”- little bug). These boys came from a life so difficult that they chose to live on the streets rather than remain in their father’s house. Catarina took them and blended them right into her existing family.

I love the patience and fortitude Catarina has displayed in her parenting of these children. I equally love Catarina’s zest for life and laughter. No matter her mood or situation, one is always greeted with the biggest of smiles and the happiest of tones in her voice. It makes you feel like she has been waiting all day just to see you! You get the sense that you are the joy in her life just by showing up! 

I cannot remember a time when I have entered Catarina’s home and not found a cooking show playing on the television. Usually, it is just background for her as she works about the house. But on the rare occasion, you find her sitting and watching the programs as famous TV chefs prepare delicacies whose ingredients I cannot even pronounce. At such times, I will sit with her, and we chat about foods, cooking, and our favorites as well as our failures. These visits led to a discussion on whether she would like to participate in a cooking course. Was she ever excited about that! 

We looked around and found a general culinary course at Escola Culinario, a not-too-distant walk for her in Matola. We got her registered and were pleased to discover that a course was starting the next week. The course was only 4 weeks long but being a full-time mom made this no easy task. Each day began with her seeing her 5 children off to school. She then prepared a lunch to leave behind for them when they returned from school at 12 noon. She then got herself ready and was in class from 10:00 until 2:00 each day, returning home about 3:00. You always knew when Catarina got home. In her usual authoritative “mom-manner”, she entered the home and started calling out the children on whatever chores they had disregarded in her absence, asking if they had eaten their lunch and calling back in anyone who instead chose to run off and play, and checking to see who did or did not complete their homework yet. She does make me laugh! 

I am pleased to announce that Catarina completed the course with great success. The end task was an exam where she was to purchase materials, prepare a full meal at home, and then bring it to her school to present to the professors. She chose to make a curry and amazing cake! Needless to say, the professors were pleased, and she passed, receiving her certificate. 

We now look forward to seeing what Catarina will do with her newly acquired culinary skills. She now has the ability to not only prepare nutritional and delicious meals for her family, but she can prepare meals to sell in the community or to cater events. We know that whatever she decides to do, she will approach the task and succeed. Well done, Catarina. Parabens!!!

Victory Comes in Small Steps

There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a life transformed. I have been privileged to witness many lives of the women and children in our Sunshine Homes and community projects, as well as with our company employees changed in our time in Mozambique. 

When people of any age are given security and value, they thrive. They are able to let go of their fears and take risks. They shed their low self-esteem and boldly walk in confidence. They are no longer disregarded and ignored, but they realize they have worth and importance. 

My very favorite experiences in life are when I catch one of our Sunshine children in moments of quiet victory; when I see them stepping out in their newfound confidence. One such example is our Faustino, now 14 years old. 

Faustino was only 12 when we brought him home. He was sorely beaten down, angry and distrustful. (See https://sunshineinafrica.blogspot.com/2021/04/forgotten-no-more.html to read his full story.) To say we were concerned about him is an understatement. Life had been hard on him, and he was a hard little boy. He had never been taught respect, diligence, or manners. He didn’t know of love or that he has value. He was disrespectful to his house mom. He was mean to his brothers and sisters. He provoked our other Sunshine children. He came to our weekly church gatherings with his hood up, his head down, and did not participate or speak a word. At the end of the gathering, he was the first one to exit out the gate. Our biggest fear for Faustino was that he would run off and join a gang of street boys. 

We prayed for him and we loved him despite his ways. His house mom, Catarina, stood firm with him and held him accountable. Our program administrator, Delcio, talked with him after altercations helping him to understand how to be a part of a family. We all hung in there and made sure he knew that he was loved and that we were there for him. 

Slowly, he began to soften. We saw it in little ways at first. The victories were few and far between, but we rejoiced with each one. As time progressed, you could see a visible difference in his face and in the way he interacted with others. He was kinder and gentler. He asked for an ABC book so that he could teach his little brother, Antoninho, how to write his letters. He spoke up and participated in our church gatherings (with his hood off now). He became an active help to his mother. He began making friends of our Sunshine children. He worked very hard in school and caught up to his peers (after not having attended school for two years). 

Recently, he called me to speak privately for a moment. I had a flashback to the early days when he asked for such audiences. It was usually to ask for money, to the angst of our other children who emphatically told him, “You do NOT ask Mama Terri for money!” So I hesitantly walked off with him to a quiet place away from the other children. He pulled out a sheet of paper from behind his back and started to read…

“Mama Terri, I am thankful for all that you have done for all of us. Thank you, Sunshine. I am here thank to you, Mama Terri. Thank you very much for giving me a life. All of you, Sunshine, are very good. Thank you, Mama Terri. 

Kisses to you, Mama Terri. 

I am Faustino da Sonia Carlos Sambo and I am 13 years old.” 

With tears in my eyes. I hugged him and held him until he let go. I shared with him how loved he is and how proud I am of him. I told him that he is a good, good boy. 

They say that as a mother you often must wait until your children are in their 20s or even 30s before they come back to you and thank you for all you have done for them. I didn’t have to wait this long with Faustino. He has come to realize the love and safety and opportunity he has, and he showed me how much he appreciates it all. 

And did you notice how he signed his letter? It was more of a declaration than a closing. He was confidently declaring who he knows he is. He is proud of himself. He knows he is somebody and that he is important.

 Another Children's Day has come and gone here in Mozambique. June 1 is a national holiday to celebrate our country's most precious resource...our children. There are parties everywhere... at schools, in homes, and in centers and projects that serve children. This is the one day of the year where each child gets a present, no matter how meager a family's finances may be. They may get just a party hat, a candy, or a balloon...no gift is too small. To prove my point, as I passed a local school, I saw a young boy, maybe 10 years old, walking out holding a balloon in the way you would expect him to carry a treasure of greatest worth... staring at it in wonder, turning it over and over to look at it from all angles. He came to a friend and passed it off to him, who exhibited the same awe for this small treasure. He took it in his hands, gave it a good look, and then handed it back oh so gently to its rightful owner. 

We ourselves had lots of parties going on this day. We had parties in the morning for our 4 Beacons of Light community projects. The verandas were decorated with balloons and streamers. The children were given party hats, prize bags, and presents. There was cake to eat and cool drinks to enjoy. In the afternoon, we had a party for our Sunshine children. We had our fill of chicken, rice, french fries, salad, cool drinks and cup cakes. At all of the parties, we sang and danced and played and rejoiced together.

My very favorite moment of the day came at the very end of it. We were passing out treat bags to our Sunshine children. They were bubbling over with excitement as they waited for their name to be called out to receive their gift bag. There was lots of noise, movement, and happiness. In all of this clamor, I spied Helio sitting behind me. My heart was instantly melted as I looked upon this little boy of ours. This little boy who had been abandoned, was living in squalor, and was left with no opportunity before him until God brought us together. 

Here he quietly sat... in his own little world... reading a book. He was so absorbed in it that he didn't even realize what was going on around him. Our typical Helio is all boy. He loves to play and can be quite mischievous, both at home and at school. When our phone rings and we discover it is the school calling, we can be pretty sure it will be about Helio.  Recently, reading clicked for Helio, and it has totally altered his course. It has taken him until 5th grade to master the ability to read, and he is beyond enthralled with the new world that has been opened up to him in books.  We are excited for him and trust that he will now take school a bit more seriously. We look forward to seeing him use his newly acquired skills to forge ahead. 

As I closed my eyes to sleep at the end of a long day, this was the image I carried with me from Children's Day. Best day ever, in all ways! Especially the unexpected moments!

More Time...

 More time...it is something we all think we have. Yet "more time" is not always available to us. Whether it is us personally or someone we love, there will come a day when we will not have a tomorrow. So maybe we should make the decision to live our lives making the best use of the time we do have. Then we won't have regrets later on. I trust that my reflections in this blog will encourage me and all of you to live selflessly for the people in our lives while we still have them with us. 

My dear, sweet Vovo Theresa died yesterday. When Delcio called to tell me the news, he began by telling me that he needed me to be strong. I wasn't; the tears flowed out of me, unsolicited. But they dried up as quickly as they came. How could I be sad when this blessed saint has left a world of suffering and poverty and entered into her place in an eternal kingdom of abundant life?!? All I could picture was Vovo Theresa walking, dancing and skipping for joy as she entered a banquet feast prepared just for her! Her life on this earth was not at all nice. She grew up in a very impoverished village. She knew what it was like to be hungry and to go without the most basic of things. She was a wife and a mother (who has buried 5 or her 6 children) and a grandmother. She scraped out an existence for her and her family. She lived a life of extreme poverty that you and I will never even be able to begin to comprehend. 

When I first met her 9 years ago, she was just plain old. She didn't even know how old she was! She did not have use of her legs and was not able to walk anymore. She lived in a one-room cement house with a metal roof. There was no electricity or water. No bathroom. She had a door but no window. In order to be safe at night from robbers, she would push the door shut and put rocks against it. Her only belongings were a few bundles of clothing and a grass mat that she slept on. When you entered her house, it was airless, stuffy and smelled of urine. Often, you would spy a rat scurrying off for cover. She did not have the capacity to care for herself at all. 

Her little house was connected to one occupied by her son, Bento. Bento could not walk either. He did not have the use of the left side of his body, most likely due to a stroke. Bento was a bit more physically able than his mother. He kept his room neatly swept out and clean. He had a pile of clothing in a corner and a grass mat to sleep on at night as well. 

Every day, Vovo Theresa and Bento would crawl outside and sit in their dirt yard in each other's company. This is where we would find them each time we came to visit. As soon as we exited the car, Bento would begin calling out to me repeatedly, "Mama! Mama!" And even though she couldn't walk, Vovo Theresa always, always greeted me with a huge smile and a dance as she sat on the ground. They brought me so much joy. I always made sure to kiss their cheeks (with a very loud "mwah, mwah" as I did), hug them, and hold their hands. I would kneel down next to them to look them eye to eye, even though my aging knees protested, creaked and ached. It was important to me to be on their level and not look down on them. Even with the onset of Covid and the warnings to not kiss or touch other people, I continued on. How has it happened that we live in a world where you cannot touch people anymore?!? They were so alone and had no one in their lives to simply touch them. No one else ever took notice of them. People would pass by on the road and not even see them there. I felt compelled to be that one person who not only saw them, but touched them. 

Bento spoke a very slurred Portuguese, and I, of course, spoke my pathetic "American Portuguese", but we were able to understand each other. In communicating with Vovo Theresa, though, I had to rely on Delcio because she only spoke the local Shongan language. 

We did what we could for them, bringing them fresh clothing and blankets, tea, sugar and food...basic things like this. We discovered that when we brought them the more "luxurious" items that we thought would improve their lives...a soft pillow on which to lay their head when they slept, an absorbent bath towel to dry off, a cushy mat to put under them when they slept or an exercise mat to sit on when they were outside, or warm blankets to stave off the cold on a winter night... they didn't use them! They hid them away inside their house because if people saw them, they would come and steal them from them!

So we had to be creative in special gifts for them. We opted for socks that they would keep on their feet, solar-powered lamps small enough to be tucked away, sweet cakes and candies they could eat unnoticed, and poison rat traps that could be drilled into the floor of the house. Vovo Theresa's most favorite treat was when I would bring her cashews. She said they reminded her of when she was a little girl growing up in Gaza where cashew trees are plentiful. She was always kind to share her cashews, passing them out to the little children who would gather and join us during our visits. These were little things, but they helped improve their lives. 

Vovo Theresa and Bento had an interesting relationship. They were mother and son. They were neighbors. But they talked very little and knew very little about each other. They were simply companions and a presence in each other's life. They had each other and kept each other from being alone. 

A funny story about them...Morning tea (with way too much sugar) and a type of bread called "pao" are a daily staple for all Mozambicans. So we made sure each month that Vovo Theresa and Bento had tea and sugar, and we arranged for a neighbor to bring hot water. We brought a bag of tea and a small bag of sugar for each one and would leave it in their house at the beginning of the month. I remember one month, the store did not have the small bags of sugar we usually bought, so we bought a large one, gave it to Bento, and told him to please share with his mother. We were shocked a month later when we brought the new supply of tea and sugar to learn from Vovo Theresa that Bento did not share the sugar with her the entire month! He kept it all to himself and she had to go without. Oh Bento...shame on you! And lesson learned for us in making future purchases for them. 

Our dear Bento died last year. It was heartbreaking. He had been sick for some time with a bad flu. The last time I saw him, he laid on his mat looking up at me with pleading eyes, calling "Mama. Mama." We made a plan with extended family to take him to hospital the next morning, but when we arrived, he had already passed. As heartbreaking as it was for us, I couldn't even begin to imagine how heartwrenching it would be for his mother. The extended family made the decision to not tell her until the day of the funeral. A wooden coffin was brought to the home and he was placed in it. I had to turn my head away as I watched the family carry Vovo Theresa from her room to his room to see him one last time. And I wept as I watched them carry her frail body back to her room again as it heaved with sobs. 

Bento was laid to rest and life continued on for Vovo Theresa. Yet now, she was really alone. With increasing frequency, we would arrive to find her shut inside her house, sleeping with the protective rocks holding the door shut. She never ever denied us entry. She always got up and moved them out of the way for us to come in. In time, she was not able to crawl to the door and move them. She didn't have the strength. So Delcio would reach under and push them until we could squeeze past the door. Yet she still greeted us by sitting up and doing her dance with her happy smile. Then it came to a point where she was not able to sit up anymore. She would lie on her mat and talk with us. There was no more dance in her. 

It did not come as an unexpected shock to receive the call from Delcio that she had passed away. But still, I cried. And then, I rejoiced. But then, what did come as an unexpected shock to me was the ugliest of thoughts that came creeping in. Had I really done enough? Couldn't I have done more? How many times did I not pull off the road and go back to visit her because I was busy? Why didn't I stop by on New Year's Eve last week with a treat for her? How was it that I didn't even know she was sick this week? I had done so little and could have done so much more. I could have taken more time to sit with her, not even to talk, just to be there with her. In my house, I have many empty water bottles that I kept to bring water to her on hot days. Why were they still there in my house? I should have taken them to her filled with cool water. So now, I found myself throwing them out, one by one, realizing that each one represented time with her that I no longer have. 

I share all of this not to have anyone comfort me saying that I did do a lot for her and blessed her. I know I did. And I realize these horrible thoughts were sent to make me feel badly. So I chose to turn these negative thoughts into more constructive ones by asking myself, "What can I learn from this?"

Visiting with these two barely recognized people who were truly "the least of these" has been the biggest honor and privilege of my life. I loved them dearly, and they loved me back. Not for the things I brought for them, but I know in my heart that they loved me because I SAW them and spent time with them. When I would go away for long periods of time to the US, upon my return, Vovo Theresa would be so happy. She worried about me when I was away and didn't visit. She worried something happened to me! Me! This little old woman worried about me! Bless her dear heart!

So...what have I learned? Because of Vovo Theresa, I am going to make a conscious choice followed up with conscious actions to BE there for the people in my life. I don't want to be a self-centered person who indulges myself. I don't want to be too busy or too lazy to give of my time. I want to be the person who is willing to go out of my way and out of my comfort to bless others. We live in a world where we are increasingly being isolated from each other. This is wrong. This is destructive. I want to be the person who stands against this and chooses to love others and be with others... touching them, talking with them, being with them, and being a blessing. 

Over the past year, I have struggled to get out of the car at Vovo Theresa's house, knowing I would not be hearing Bento calling out, "Mama! Mama!" Today, I find it hard to bear the thought of going to their humble home for the funeral tomorrow and not being greeted by my sweet Vovo. But I will go and pay my respects to honor this lovely saint...and I will then move on to be a better person by actively loving the people in my life. Because we do not always have more time to love them. So we must take advantage of the time we have now. I hope you will make the choice to do the same. 

The Best Present

The Christmas holidays bring many traditions to our families. Year after year, we celebrate this blessed and festive season by repeating these precious traditions. Some have been passed down to us from our parents and grandparents. Others are new ones that we create. Don and I have so many memories of the traditions our family of 5 celebrated every year….decorating the tree, baking cookies, making the kids wait at the top of the stairs on Christmas morning as their father made his coffee. But the one that I found the most meaningful was the packing of the Operation Christmas Child boxes for Samaritan’s Purse. Since 1993, more than 188 million Operation Christmas Child gift-filled shoeboxes have been distributed to children in more than 170 countries! 

 From the earliest Christmas that I can recall, we packed these OCC boxes with our children. First we let them choose the gender and age group for the child they wanted to bless. Then we took them shopping for items to fill the box. We purchased fun things like stuffed animals, toys, crayons, coloring books, stickers, jump ropes, and so much more. We also purchased needed items like soap, toothpaste, and a toothbrush. We placed each item in the box until it was filled. And then, we packed every available space left with candy, candy and more candy (which is now discouraged… and living in the hot African climate, I understand why they made this change!). On the top of the items, our children placed a letter and their photo for the child who would receive it. We even included our home address, hopeful that one day we might get a letter back! We put the lid on the box, taped it down for extra security, and wrapped the shoebox in bright, festive Christmas paper. Finally, we prayed for the child who would receive the box. The boxes were taken to our local church and shipped to the Samaritan’s Purse headquarters where they were distributed all over the world. 

 This family tradition has been taken up by my daughter and her husband who now pack OCC boxes with their children. I am so happy they do this. I loved the thought of giving joy to a child that we would never meet. I loved knowing that these boxes showed the child someone, somewhere out there in this big world loved them. I loved knowing that these boxes shared the joy of Christmas with a child. I loved knowing that each box also shared with a child the love of their Father in sending His only Son to be born in a stable and who would one day save all of mankind. 

 When we moved to Mozambique, one of my first thoughts was how great it would be to be on the receiving end of this OCC tradition. For years, we packed and sent off boxes. Now that I was in Africa, I could have the experience of passing out the boxes and seeing with my own eyes the joy of the children as they received them. I wrote an email to Samaritan’s Purse explaining who we were and requesting to receive OCC shoeboxes to distribute to the children with whom we work. I received a response saying that they were not distributing shoeboxes in Mozambique that year. Okay… 

 Not be deterred, I emailed Samaritan’s Purse the following year and got the same response. So I emailed again the following year… and the year after that and the year after that. I continued these emails for the next 9 years and finally realized that they were not coming to Mozambique, so I gave up. Wouldn’t you know that that very year, I saw posts from fellow missionaries here in Mozambique on Facebook and guess what they were doing…passing out OCC shoeboxes. WHAT?!?!?! The very first year I did not contact Samaritan’s Purse was the very first year they did actually distribute in Mozambique!!! I immediately got the contact information of the local representative and set a plan in action to ensure that our children would receive boxes the next year. 

 In July, our program administrator, Delcio, and our Sunshine House mothers who run our community children’s projects, Zelda, Ilda, and Catarina, all were to attend a full day seminar that would instruct them on the program and how to present not only the OCC shoeboxes to the children, but also how to present the story of why Jesus came along with a call to pray and accept Him as Lord of their lives. At the end of the training session, they would bring back the boxes for the 63 children in our care. BUT as fate would have it, the day before they were to attend, the president of Mozambique imposed new Covid restrictions that again shut down gatherings of any group of people larger than 15. I was beyond disappointed! The boxes were within my grasp and then ripped right out of it! 

 In September, the Covid restrictions were again relaxed and Delcio and our ladies were able to attend the training session. They brought back not only 63 OCC shoeboxes but also Portuguese Bibles and Portuguese Bible lesson books for children! THANK YOU SAMARITAN’S PURSE! Each child would also received a booklet entitled, “The Best Present”. It has been my joy to come upon our children reading this book in their homes on their own. We now had all we need to bless and train up our children.

In November, we ran the program with our children who live in our Sunshine Houses and with our three Beacons of Light community projects. The program began with the story of the fall of Adam and Eve and God's promise to send a Savor and continued through to the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

The program ended with a call to prayer. 

After this, the children were each given a shoebox. 

They were asked to not open it until everyone had received their box. They sat so very patiently. 

I looked at their little faces and realized that they had no idea what joy they were about to open. These children come from very impoverished families. They rarely, if ever, receive a present. They had no clue what was in the box they were holding. Little did they know it was stuffed with carefully selected treats that were prayed over just for them. They were in for a big big surprise. 

 After all the children received their boxes, we led them in a prayer for the people who packed and sent the boxes. 

 After the final “Amen”, we told them they could open their boxes on the count of 3. We counted 1- 2- 3 and they opened the boxes. Their eyes immediately went wide as they took in the sight. 

They began pulling out the items one by one, showing them to us and their friends. The excitement grew and grew as they pulled out more and more gifts. 

There were so many gifts that we had to work very hard to get them all packed in again when the children headed home. Some boxes had photos of the families, groups and individuals who packed them. Some boxes had letters or cards. 

But there was one box only that had an address offering the chance to connect back with the sender. Little Wesley had this box. 

It was sent from a girl named Amber who lived in Pennsylvania, not far from where I grew up! I asked Wesley if I could borrow the note to send a thank you email to the person who sent his box. He graciously accepted. I was so excited to connect with a sender and sent off an email to Amber that very night, along with photos of Wesley and his shoebox. I was surprised to not get back an immediate reply, and over time, I had forgotten about it. 

A month passed by until I saw an email in my inbox from her. I excitedly opened it to discover it was not from her, but from her mother. I was stunned as I read her words… 

 Thank you so much for your email to Amber. I'm her mom and we tragically lost our daughter in April of this year at 14. Your email came at a time when we desperately needed some encouragement and to see her handwritten note. God certainly knew the timing. We're so glad that you chose to respond and we will treasure these photos. :) 

 My husband and I are Area Coordinators for Operation Christmas Child Allegheny County in Pennsylvania and we've also been packing boxes for 12-13 years. Amber and our 11 year old son have grown up packing so they really don't know what it would be like to not have Operation Christmas Child in their lives. I remember Amber talking about the particular box that Wesley is holding. She packed it at a packing party we had that year. She always loved fitting in as many items as possible and really enjoyed the challenge of fitting in large stuffed animals. One of us also made the bracelet that she chose to send in that box. We've always taken time to make jewelry for our own boxes each year as well as the packing parties that we are a part of. 

 Again, thank you for your email. God used it to help carry us through our collection season this year in order to help pack over 600 boxes at our packing party and to help facilitate the sending of over 13,000 shoeboxes from our county this year. We pray that each of the recipients will be blessed and will come to know Christ as their Saviour if they do not already. We'll continue to pray for little Wesley and for all the children that you and your husband are blessed to serve through your company. 

 This was not at all what I was expecting! Even now, I don’t even know how to process this. My heart aches for this family. I wrote back an email to this mother expressing my sorrow for her loss and my appreciation for her note to me. I now understand why this Amber’s note made it to my hands…out of all the other thousands of hands it could have landed in any country around the world. Unlike the many unanswered notes my children and I had sent over the years, Amber’s note arrived in hands capable of writing back. The email response that her note prompted was never meant for her eyes. All along, God had a plan. He knew that her parents needed this note and that it would bring them comfort as they grieved the loss of their daughter. 

If you take a look, this photo I took of Wesley shows him holding the bracelet that Amber had lovingly made. I remember him pulling it out of the box and showing it to me. Of all the items in that box, he was the most drawn to this handmade bracelet. He knew how special it was. And now her family knows it ended up with a very appreciative little boy. 

 As I celebrate Christmas this year, my heart is full of appreciation and joy for all of the people who make the Operation Christmas Child program a success. My family’s Christmas tradition of packing these boxes has now come full circle...and Samaritan’s Purse will not be getting any more email requests from that persistent, crazy lady in Mozambique who refuses to give up! At least for a few years. Their goal is that every child will receive a box once in their lifetime. So I will have to wait until we have all new children in our community projects to have this program again…but as soon as we do, they will be hearing from me!

PROJECT SUNSHINE...THE DAWN OF A NEW WAY

In July 2021, we took on this cute little guy, Ivan, along with his older brother, Dario, and sister, Anabela. My recent blog,"They Are Worth It All" https://sunshineinafrica.blogspot.com/, shares the story of their homecoming with our foundation. 

My writing today is not as much about Ivan as it is about the desperate medical needs of so many people here in Mozambique. Ivan has gross motor skills deficiencies making it cumbersome for him to walk and run properly. He literally does not bend his hips or knees when he walks. We have taken him to doctors for a diagnosis as to why he walks this way. There is no physical cause for this, so we have been advised to take him for physical therapy to teach him to walk correctly. 

We have pursued this therapy through the public health care system. Ivan goes every Tuesday and Thursday for an “appointment” at the local Provincial Hospital. I put the word appointment in quotation marks because it really is not an appointment. Consults of any kind in Mozambique are first come, first serve. Because of this, everyone arrives very early at the hospitals and clinics so that they have a chance of seeing a doctor before the day’s end. By early, I mean very early…as in the wee hours of the day before the clinic even opens. It has broken my heart in the past to drive by clinics and see scores and scores of men, women, and children lined up outside waiting. Then you drive by hours later and still see them there…waiting. There are not enough doctors and nurses to meet the need, and many will go home unattended at the end of the day. 

My first experiences with people’s medical struggles came with several medical teams we hosted to conduct outreaches. We would set up our tables and chairs and then they would come…by the hundreds. They lined up and sat on the ground. After a while, so many had come that there no longer was a line, but a sea of people sitting patiently on the ground. Each one hoped to see the doctor. Each one hoped to get a medication that would cure them. But all we were able to do was put a “Band-Aid” on their illness. We could give them a medication that made them feel better for that day or the next week, but there would be no one to follow up and continue their treatment. I remember looking down the line of people in plastic chairs. They all had such hope in their eyes. Inside, I cried for them. I knew we could only do so much, and that wasn’t very much at all. 

At one medical outreach, the sun was setting and people were still coming! We had to put a grass mat over the door to stop more people from entering. We would not be able to take any other patients that day. All these people who walked for miles to seek attention would now have to turn around and walk home again in the dark. 

At another medical outreach, when the end of the day came, there were still hundreds of people sitting under the shade of a very large tree who had been waiting all day. Our tireless doctor has diagnosed and treated hundreds, but it did not make a dent in the need. When it was announced that we would not be able to see any more people that day, there were no complaints or murmurs. They had been in this situation countless times before. They all quietly got up and made their way home. 

At the end of our third medical team outreach, I swore I would never do another medical outreach like this again. They didn’t solve or help anything, and they left me feeling that there had to be a better way. 

Now I find myself in a public hospital setting right outside the capital city with Ivan. You would think the situation would be better here, but I see the same thing. There are hundreds of people lined up on chairs in the waiting room, lining the walls of the halls, sitting side by side along the courtyard…so much for social distancing.

We take Ivan to the Physical Therapy section of the hospital. It is the same situation there with people lined up in chairs with their crutches and others in wheelchairs and then there were those, like us, who arrived too late to snag a chair, leaning against the walls…and we wait and we wait and we wait.

Eventually an attendant comes out and collects the medical cards that each patient has placed in the box outside the door. One by one, names are called and people start to go in. After about an hour, Ivan’s name is called. We go in but all of the doctors are busy, so Ivan is told to go through the series of exercises he has been taught. He dutifully performs his squats...

 ...and goes up and down a set of stairs over and over until he tires out....

He then goes to the back room where he practices walking between two bars while watching himself in the mirror to check his posture. 

At one point, his doctor does come to check in on him. She clearly has more patients than time. So, she gives him an encouraging word about how well he did today and tells him she will see him next week. 

Almost 3 hours had passed since we entered the hospital, and we now found ourselves leaving without any real interaction with a doctor. As we left, the hundreds of people are still filling the chairs of the main waiting room and lining the halls of the corridors and courtyards. It appeared just as crowded as it was when we entered earlier. 

I have even experienced such patient endurance myself in the private sector. I called to make an appointment with a doctor at the private hospital. When I asked for an appointment time, I was told to come at 8:00 am. I arrived at 7:45 to a corridor lined with people. Apparently, the doctor begins seeing patients at 8:00; it wasn’t that I had an appointment at 8:00. So, I took my place in the last chair. For the next few hours, I moved along with the others advancing from chair to chair to chair as each person went into the examining room. I finally had my turn at 11:45! 

So, why do I share all of this? This all points to the next step in our work here in Mozambique. It is the main reason Don and I came 10 years ago. We came to implement Project Sunshine...a holistic approach to come alongside the cashew farmers and provide a better life for them and their families. As we head out into the villages to begin Project Sunshine, we hope to provide must needed relief for people. Here is a link to a video that best explains it all... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEEmM-_tVQA&t=8s  Attached to each mini-factory in the villages, we will provide a transformation center where people can easily access the help they need right where they live. They will not have to travel long distances walking under the hot Africa sun or on overstuffed transports to get to a clinic where they will wait with all the crowds of other people who also have travelled from all over to receive medical attention. This is the Sunshine Approach. A model that will alleviate the suffering of people in remote areas and give them a hands-up to a better life and a brighter future for them and their children. This is why we gave up everything to come to Mozambique. We are very excited to finally get this project underway, and we are excited to take you with us along the way. We will be sure to keep you updated on progress!

They Are Worth It All

When we take new children into our Sunshine Houses, I typically come home and write a blog right away about the experience. It is my way of processing my emotions from the day and wrapping my head around it all. For sure, bringing an orphaned child home and placing him into one of our families is a cause for celebration. But the process of doing this…hearing their sad story (which is usually shared with us right in from of the child as he sits with his eyes downcast), seeing the poor conditions they were existing in, and simply sitting alongside a child who has been abandoned and discarded…is emotionally draining. Yet the experience I had in accepting our 3 newest children was one that was so difficult, I could not even write about it. I have had to dwell on it, let it sink in, and watch with my own eyes to see the children transform to flourishing in our care before I could put it on paper. 

 In April 2021, my colleague and I were taken to visit three orphaned children living in our local community. We were told they were three girls, ages 13, 11, and 9. The representatives with us from Accao Social did not even know where their house was. But when we arrived at the market located near their home and began to ask the locals for directions to their house, literally everyone there knew of the “suffering children” and where they lived. A woman who sold charcoal at her stand agreed to accompany us and show us the way to the girls’ house. 

 We arrived and were faced with a 16-year-old boy, Dario, (with hair on his upper lip), a 10-year-old girl, Anabela, who was physically challenged and could not walk, and an 8-year-old boy, Ivan, who also had physical limitations, but at least he could walk. Anabela did not even make eye contact with us the whole time we were there. She sat on the ground banging a plastic bottle against the ground over and over and over, leaving me to question if she was also mentally challenged. Ivan was not at all interested in our visit and immediately left to play with friends. Dario was a gracious host and shared their story with us. 

Their mother had fallen ill 3 years ago, when Dario was just 13. He quit school to stay home and care for his mother and younger siblings. After a year filled with great suffering and struggles, their mother died. They had been living with their maternal grandmother, but she was overwhelmed by everything and abandoned them, going to South Africa and has not returned. No one in the family stepped in to take the children. They continued to live in their grandmother’s house, relying on neighbors to share an occasional meal with them. They would go for days without food. They never knew when they would eat next. They had a roof over their head but nothing else. The area they lived in was not at all secure or safe or clean. They had no one to protect them, nurture them, or provide for them. 

Anabela’s inability to walk started about 4 years ago. She developed a sore behind her knee. It was painful to walk, so she started to crawl. This happened at the same time that the mother became sick. Because everyone’s attention went to caring for the mother and then dealing with her death and funeral, Anabela was not given any treatment or attention. Her feet are now in a “ballerina position” pointing straight and her leg muscles have not properly developed. Because she has spent her life on the ground, she has difficulty even maintaining her balance while sitting in a chair.

                              

Ivan walks/waddles with his legs straight. He can, however, easily bend his knees and go up and down stairs with no difficulty. From what we can determine, the root problem comes from his hips. So he can walk, but he cannot run and play with his peers. Dario didn't know what would have been the cause for this. 

We were so taken aback by all of this. It was totally unexpected. We left really struggling over the situation. We literally felt numb…not knowing what to say and certainly not knowing what to do for these children. We felt guilty that our first response was that we could not help with these children. How does a person see such a situation and then just walk away from it? 

Our Sunshine Approach Foundation creates families by pairing a widowed woman with 4-5 orphaned children. We provide a home, monthly living expenses, full assistance with medical and educational needs, as well as guidance and supervision for the mothers and children. We did not in any way have the capability to care for these 3 children. The oldest boy, Dario, was too old for our program. His sister’s, Anabela, and brother’s, Ivan, physical challenges were daunting. We have no experience in helping such children. We do not have the necessary equipment or the "know how" to help such children have access to life. Finally, when one takes on a child who cannot walk, they are taking on the care of that child for life! But again, we were left with the question…how can we not help them? Because it was very clear that no one was going to intervene.

We decided to move slowly and do what we could for them. We started by visiting and bringing food and clothing. We went back to see the children the very next day. Ivan met us at the car and welcomed us with a big hug. He went from being completely uninterested in our presence to showing affection to us. Anabela was down the street with friends. When she spotted us, she literally came racing down the road on her hands and knees, crawling to meet us. She was moving so quickly that there was a cloud of dust behind her. My heart leaped inside my chest…she could move! If she could make such agile use of her hips, knees, legs, arms, etc…could she be taught to walk again??? 

 Dario welcomed us to their home once again. This time, he took us inside to show us where they live. The “windows” were all closed up with cement blocks. There was no light or air in the house. The three children shared a double bed to sleep in. They had a small charcoal braai to cook food on…in fact Dario had just lit the charcoal to cook their meal for the day. We left them with food and some warm clothing and went on our way. 

Still the question lingered, how could we help them? I strongly felt that we could not abandon these children. But I was scared. What would our future be like with these children in our care. If you take on a child that cannot walk, you are taking that child on for life. Our mission is to raise up our Sunshine children to lead independent lives as active, contributing members in their communities. How would we find a mother who would be willing to care of Anabela? In Mozambique, handicaps of any kind are considered to be a curse on the person and on their family. Most women would not have the physical capacity to assist a 10-year-old child with their daily needs. But then to deal with the social stigma as well would be a lot to ask of her. And what was Dario really like? He was 16 years old! What kind of friends did he hang out with? What bad habits had he developed being on his own with no adult supervision or guidance for 3 years? He could be a huge problem for us. 

I continued to feel we could not do nothing. But I also felt peace in God confirming to me to move slowly. And so we did. 

The more we learned about Dario, the more we fell in love with him. He stayed home with his siblings and cared for them during his mother's illness. He returned to school after his mother's death and is now in 6th grade. His whole life consisted of going to school and caring for Anabela and Dario. He is the one who bathed them, washed their clothes, cooked their meals, and protected them. While visiting with him, we learned that he has no friends because all of his time is spent caring for his siblings. When asked if he ever goes out, he replied that he rarely does, and that when he does, he cannot stop thinking about his sister and brother and wondering if they were okay. Dario willingly gave his life and sacrificed for his family. He has a heart of gold! 

As we went through this lengthy process, these children never left my thoughts. They were my last thought upon going to sleep at night and my first thought upon waking in the morning. One morning as I woke, I felt God giving me assurance that Anabela would walk again. I also felt that He would confirm this to me in 3 ways. I got up to begin my daily devotional and prayer time. I opened my first prayer book, “90 Days of Power Prayers”…it began with Matthew 19:29- “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.’” Wow! Confirmation #1. I even took a photo of it with my phone so as not to forget. After praying over this, I went on to my second book, “Praying for Your Husband” …it began with Mark 10:27- “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.’” Confirmation #2!! I was on a roll! 

At this time, I was reading through the book of Romans, one chapter each day, and journaling on each one. On this day, I was on Romans 11. I opened my Bible fully expectant for my third confirmation. To my disappointment, this chapter was about the Gentiles being grafted in with the Israelites to God’s kingdom. Hmmm...not what I was looking for. I went on with my day, showering and heading out to work. As I went through the day, I wanted to believe Anabela would walk again, but I also felt I could not truly believe it without that third confirmation. I came home at the end of the day questioning if I truly did hear from God and starting to doubt. I sat down and began mindlessly scrolling through Facebook when I came upon a post by a friend in London. She wrote, “I so needed this reminder today…and maybe you need it too!!!” She posted a quote by Corrie Ten Boom, “The wonderful thing about praying is that you leave a world of not being able to do something, and enter God’s realm where everything is possible. Nothing is too great for His almighty power. Nothing is too small for His love.” Confirmation #3!!! Time to pray and move forward! 

I connected with a friend who is a physical therapist. She agreed to meet with Anabela and give us her opinion on her condition. We traveled to her office in nearby Maputo. The trip in the car gave me the opportunity to talk with Anabela and get to know her better. This little girl in no way has any mental restrictions. She was engaging and fun! She loves the beach, even though she has never been there. She very much wants a talking doll like the one she saw on television. When she grows up, her dream is to move away and live in a big city. Over the time I have known her, I can attest to the fact that Anabela is the most happy, joyful child I have ever met. She loves to play, smile, and dance. She is easy going and just plain happy. 

As my friend, Geraldine, poked, prodded, moved and adjusted Anabela, I rejoiced at every comment she made. She said that her feet are still soft and pliable. That she had good movement in her feet and hips. She concluded that with therapy, daily exercises done at home, the use of a standing frame and splints, it is very possible that Anabela can walk again! Immediate tears of joy filled my eyes. Those were some of the sweetest words I had ever heard! It will not be easy or inexpensive. The exercises Anabela must endure several times each day are painful and she cries. But we promised her that if Geraldine sees improvement at each consult, she will get that talking doll for her very own. Also, because Geraldine's office is not far from the beach, she will get rewarded with a stop at the beach after each appointment. These external rewards will indeed encourage her to work hard, but Anabela has a strong will to walk again. It is something she wants for herself. Therefore, I believe in her!

As a result of this consult, I posted on Facebook looking for someone who could make a standing frame for us to use in Anabela’s therapy. Connections that only God could orchestrate started to pour in! First a missionary acquaintance in nearby Machava contacted me. Her and her husband operate a ministry for the physically challenged. They could provide a walker and a standing from for Anabela. Then a woman who recently moved to Mozambique from South Africa contacted me. She is an orthotist and offered her help. At the same time, unbeknownst to either of us, Geraldine, the physical therapist, and this same woman had already connected regarding working together to treat Anabela using splints to straighten out her feet! Everything and everyone we would need to help Anabela began to fall into place! 

About a month after meeting the children, I sensed that we were to move and move immediately in taking these children. I began to ponder over which of our current mothers would be willing to accept and raise these children. I conducted by own informal poll and separately asked my colleague, Delcio, my husband and my son who they thought would be a good mom. Each of them gave me the same name, and this confirmed by initial thought…Zelda. 

Those of you who have read my blogs before know of Zelda. She was our first Sunshine mother. She has been with us for almost 8 years now caring for Cecilia, Madalena and Antonio. She is an absolute treasure and I often call her my angel. Delcio and I met with Zelda and shared the story of the children. We asked her to consider caring for them. We committed to walking alongside her and supporting her with this. We concluded by telling her that this was a big decision, we did not expect an answer right away, but we wanted her to take the time to think and pray before accepting. At this point, Zelda, who had been silent and had shown absolutely no expression on her face, held up her hand and stopped us. She said, “I do not need any more time to think or pray. I will accept these children.” Delcio and I burst into tears! (Delcio and I have done a lot of crying lately!) She then went home to discuss all of this with her three children at home as they too will play an important role as siblings. All three gladly agreed to accept Dario, Anabela and Ivan into their family! (Cue more tears!)

We moved into action planning and constructing an additional bedroom added onto Zelda’s house. We also turned her veranda into a kitchen, thus doubling the size of the living room. For three weeks, her house was a complete mess! What seemed like a simple, easy project turned out to be much more of a task than we had expected. Again, Zelda has been a complete saint…living in the dust and dealing with the daily confusion and noise. And she even took in the children before it was completed! So there were 6 children living with her in a two bedroom, torn apart house. They barely had room to move around, and so spent most of their days outside! 

At this point, the Beacon of Hope program entered my mind. I love everything about this program and its focus on raising up men of God! This is a three-year program operated the past 20 years by Angie Wheeler, a newly acquired friend of mine, in nearby Machava. They accept 12 teenaged boys every three years and provide them with all they need to grow into godly, responsible, independent young men. In a world where the social impact focus is on women and girls, I feel for the men and boys. Who is there to teach them and raise them up to be strong, responsible, loving, protective, godly leaders in their households and their cultures? I agree that the rights of women and girls must be developed and protected and that their position in many cultures must be elevated. But I also believe that if there is no attention given to training our young boys to be good men, any culture is going to be “half” and sorely lacking. 

 I knew that the program at Beacon of Hope had started operating again back in January. It was now May. I assumed that by now, the program was full and running smoothly. I assumed Dario would not be accepted into the program at this point. But I couldn’t stop thinking about Beacon of Hope and how perfect it would be for Dario. He never had a male role model in his household because his father abandoned the family when he was very young. Beacon of Hope has a staff that includes godly, male role models that Dario can look up to and learn from. Dario was only 16 and for years had been carrying the weight of his mother’s death and the care of his siblings. Dario was only a child when he took on all of this responsibility. He never had the privilege of being a carefree child and enjoying friends. Beacon of Hope would take the burden of these responsibilities off Dario’s shoulders. It would allow him to have friends and the camaraderie of brothers-in-Christ. Dario had fallen behind in school. Beacon of Hope would provide the tutoring he needed to catch up to his peers. Dario attended a local church when he was able, but his attendance was spotty at best. Beacon of Hope would provide him with daily spiritual teaching and guidance. But…I assumed it would be too late to get Dario into the program. 

I avoided calling Angie, even though I knew she would be extremely kind in turning us down. Finally, I felt God clearly pushing me to call Angie, so I decided to contact her. I cheated a bit and sent her a text message. I figured it would be easier to get the rejection in writing. I sent the text and within 30 seconds I got a call from Angie. I answered the phone and she immediately said, “So tell me about Dario.” After listening, she said she felt that they would be able to accept one more boy into the program but that she would have to discuss it with her staff and get back to me. She called me later that day and said the staff agreed and Dario was welcome! 

It was a frustratingly long and painful process to get these three children into our care. Social Action was not cooperative or caring about their horrible situation. After writing and submitting our letter of acceptance, it took 1 ½ months for them to complete the process. Once the process was completed, it sat on the director’s desk for 3 weeks until she signed it. Once she signed it, it took 2 weeks to get her letter of permission to release a social worker to accompany us to place the children in our home. We did our best during this time…bringing the children food and calling Social Action every single day. Our hearts hurt so much for these children. We wanted to help them, but our hands were tied. The case workers at Social Action were weary of our calls and badgering on the behalf of these children, but they were worth the fight. On July 1st, we finallyyyyyyy got the needed letter of permission to go with a case worker and move the children into our Sunshine House! 

 Dario is now flourishing at Beacon of Hope! He lives there in a dorm with 12 other boys, but on his school holidays, he will come live at our first Sunshine House. On a recent holiday visit, I asked him what is his favorite thing about Beacon of Hope. He thought for a moment and with a huge grin on his face replied, “Everything!” 

Anabela continues with her physical therapy. The daily exercises are grueling for her, but she submits to them, knowing they will help her to walk again. She is being schooled at home by Zelda (with help from her new siblings). 

She loves to play with dolls, sing and dance. Just today, we took Dario back to resume his studies at Beacon of Hope, but this time, Anabela did not cry. She feels safe and loved where she is living, and she knows that Dario will come back. 

Ivan has been enrolled in first grade at the local school. He has made many friends around the house. He is very good-natured and easy-going. Therefore, he has made friendships quickly. Once we have progress with Anabela's treatment, we will start physical therapy for Ivan.

God is indeed the defender of the oppressed and the fatherless. He saw Dario, Anabela and Ivan in their need. He had a plan for their lives. He is using the Sunshine Approach Foundation and Beacon of Hope to bring Dario, Anabela and Ivan into the full potential of His purpose for them! He is a good Father! On his recent holiday break, Delcio and I took Dario to the cemetery to put flowers on his mother’s grave. Before we left, we bowed our heads as he prayed. He told his mother that he loved her and knew she was in a good place in heaven. He thanked her for sending Delcio and me to care for them. Yet again, Delcio and I were in tears. We do not take our work for granted, and we are thankful, so very very thankful to have the privilege to be a part of every life God has entrusted to our care.