Victoria's December News from Beira

I can’t believe it is that time of month again, to look back and tell you all what has been happening!

1st December, Berenice left to go back home, it was so hard to see her go, two of the boys came to the house to say farewell to her, one of them started to cry so much, it was hard to witness, but also showed how much they loved and appreciated her. We left them with some time together, and the other boy (Monteiro) and I just waited outside, unfortunately it wasn’t long before I too started to cry, Monteiro was so sweet and just hugged me, Berenice and Frank came out, we all hugged and the boys prayed for her.I really do miss her, she was great to have and such a support.

Two days later, one of my ‘sons’ Arquilino left to go home, Oliveira spoke to everyone about where and who he was going to live with, thanked him for all his help he gave us all and said he is welcome to visit anytime. Again this was very sad, Arquilino hugged everyone goodbye, and as he left the place was very subdued and sombre. Later on I was talking to Arquilino’s best friend Pedro about him, when Mingo said “Mummy, chora, muito” (Mummy cried lots!) it was true I couldn’t deny it, and Vasco then said “ Mummy, esta muito triste” (Mummy is very sad!) He is greatly missed by us all, but I am pleased to say he has come to visit us and we are able to keep in touch!

Beira has had some issues during December, for 6 days we had no water at all, people had to go somewhere to buy it, people in our building were fighting for it, it really was quite an experience, I have never appreciated water as much! when I had a bucket of water to wash with every night I felt very lucky, I am so fortunate to have been born into a country where water is not an issue. As the days were going on we were then hit by troubles with the electricity, fortunately it hasn’t been off for as long as the water but for 12 hours a day, as the days were going on I did have to give myself a talking to, and to stop being so grumpy and fed up, this is the reality of life in Beira, and people here live with it all the time, and they never complained once. Water and electricity is now on intermittently but that is so much better than not at all!!

We also had some days with rain – we are now in the rainy season, ironic to have so much rain when we didn’t have water but c’est le vie! When it rains it is quite heavy rain, it was quite miserable as the ground at Inhamizua is sodden and boggy in places, not a lot to do except sit and watch it and hope it will soon stop. I have also appreciated just how hard it must be to live and work here and produce food etc, I have seen ladies working on their plot of land, where in all honesty they can’t have many crops left because it’s practically flooded – the rainy season goes on into January/February!

So with December comes Christmas! Christmas is not such a big deal here as at home, and at times I have had to remind myself it is Christmas time – there are not decorations up, there are no Christmas songs playing, there is no rain, snow..... It’s hot!!

I love Christmas and all the excitement the lead up can have, so Alfredo and I went shopping for Inhamizua and bought a Christmas tree, decorations and lights! The boys were so excited, and promptly decorated their bedroom!! It looks great! They did so well!!

We bought them all a pair of flip-flops each for a present and we had a big surprise for them...with the number of boys having gone down, we realised we could put them all into one room to sleep which gave us a spare room, a couple of ideas was talked about, but we decided on making the spare room a ‘playroom’ for them! We decorated it, and had bought arts and crafts activities, toys and games! We were able to purchase things for the room following some fundraisers in England! We painted the room, and were fortunate enough to have enough paint to do their bedroom as well!

Christmas day is very different to Christmas day back home, but I will give you a rundown of the day! We arrived at the boys at 9.55am and it was 35 degrees – already a BIG difference to home!!I gave the boys some balloons and they loved them, “is it Christmas today” some of them asked me! They played for a while, and the cooking started for lunch, Angelica, Pedro, Monteiro and Oliveira were in charge of cooking! We all sat under the tree for lunch which was nice, we had rice, beans and meat and chicken cooked over a BBQ with a lovely sauce on – the dinner was absolutely delicious,

After lunch they all had a good game with Oliveira and then some went off a sleep, some for a play some just chatted with me.

Mid afternoon we had some cake that Angelica had made and then some Cadbury’s Dairy Milk – I have never seen children eat chocolate so slowly – I think they were savouring it – it did melt in their hands but that didn’t bother them either!!!

Then it was present time! We handed out their shoes for them, and then handed out all the toys etc – the room was absolutely buzzing, and there was so much noise – just how a room with 20 children should be – they all played with the toys and some started colouring and drawing pictures – we now have some pictures on the wall – which quite rightly, they are proud of!

Over the next few months our plan is to add more things to the room, I think it is going to be good for the boys, Pedro the eldest boy there said at Inhamizua they have never had toys or paper to draw on, and Luis came up to me showed me the picture he had done, at the top he has written, “I love Mum, Luis Saxby” and said to me, “mum, this has been a very good Christmas”

So the next celebration is New Year, we are desperately trying to find fireworks to see the new year in, but I think the boys are planning other things because “31 December Mum is 32” and what seems to be popular on birthdays is throwing buckets of water over the person – I may take some spare clothes with me!!

I hope you have all had a very good Christmas and have a great New Year, we are all thinking of you, especially the people in England, please do take care and keep warm!

Love, Victoria

Victoria Saxby, 27/12/2010