Reflections

Due to Malaria complications, I will be returning to the U.S. this Thursday. I am very disappointed that my time in Africa has been cut short. Words cannot express how impactful this experience has been. However, blood work from the local hospital indicated continued complications with Malaria. Within hours of my diagnosis I learned I would have to return to the U.S. within 48 hours which was quite shocking! I will be back on Brammer Farms recuperating for the rest of the summer. It typically takes 3 to 4 months to recover from these complications. I will rest in order to be 100 percent by fall semester but “resting” is not exactly in my vocabulary. Yet, I know this is important for my health.

I strongly encourage individuals, especially college students, to experience life in a third world country. You quickly learn to appreciate the little things we take for granted in the U.S. like running water, electricity, internet and cell phone service. My greatest challenge during my internship was communication. (Yes, waking up at 4:30 am and having a bedtime of 7 pm was difficult as well!) The only phone call I made this summer was to my parents to inform them of my diagnosis and flight change. Technology is simply very limited in the bush. Texting, snap chats and Facebook was not an option this summer. I felt cut off from the rest of the world.

However, it is truly a small price to pay for the lasting good development work brings. The medical care, food supply, clean well water, orphanage housing and religious devotion that Orphans Unlimited provides to the Balama community of Mozambique is critical. There are more than 1,700 orphans in the total programs that rely on this endeavor to not only sustain life but to survive. Widows and local villagers are also given much needed employment opportunities. They work as washer women, guards, brick layers and pastors for Orphans Unlimited. In fact, the entire community relies on this program. The hospital receives its patient food supply from Orphans Unlimited as the Mozambiquan government lacks resources to provide for sick citizens.  Many communities in the district have access to clean water because of Orphans Unlimited. They have drilled wells, a timely and expensive process, so villagers can have water during the dry season.

 I found great joy in the agriculture development work I completed. My favorite endeavor was the goat herd. I have a livestock background with cattle and horses so goats were a new experience! A goat can drastically improve life for a Mozambiquan family.  They are an excellent source of protein and can provide extra income through breeding programs. However, a challenge is sustainability. It is difficult to convince Mozambiquans of the long term good of breeding programs verses short term consumption gain. I read about these concepts in my agricultural economics classes before traveling to Mozambique so it was interesting to see these real life issues first hand.

The bean and corn processing was another critical project I worked with.  The orphanage’s yearly food supply was prepared during three weeks of my internship. Daily, 500 bags weighing 75 kg were filled with corn or beans that were sprayed to protect against insect infestation. This was a long and dirty process! Workers unloaded the beans into shoots to clean and spray. The bags, which were very heavy, were then carried into a storage facility. Guards watch the warehouse 24-7 as thievery is common in Mozambique.

You feel a sense of accomplishment knowing you helped prepare a year’s worth of food for children in need. This summer I worked with the Balama orphanage which consists of 80 children. I got to know most personally and will miss them greatly. I have many pictures to post once I am back in the U.S! The children warm your heart because they smile constantly and are so happy with the little they have. Working with Mozambiquan orphans was a humbling experience. I look forward to sharing my adventures upon my return to the U.S.

Tomorrow, I depart Balama, Mozambique at 6:30 a.m. to drive three hours to the Pemba airport. From there I fly to Johannesburg, South Africa. My return flight is much shorter, only 12 hours, due to time zone change. I arrive early Thursday morning in Atlanta, Georgia to the U.S. and then make my final destination to Kansas City, Missouri. My family will be waiting for me at my terminal and I am looking forward to seeing them and of course, Teddy.