11 September 1998

Back to Africa, this time to oversee distribution of our first small shipment. As a first effort, mistakes have occurred and we have learned much. My choice of a freight forwarder (the "cheapest") was not a good one. The process ended up costing more and the delays were unbearable. But this is a fine day. I have a list of tasks to perform once I land in Maputo a few hours from now, during the next 10 days, but I am not sure about how I will go about them. Our goods have been in port for about a week now. I will need to clear them thru customs, hire a truck, notify the schools of the arrival of the shipment, divide up the shipment and deliver the goods to the schools. It's the division that scares me the most, i.e. how to decide who gets what. The books and supplies I bring are scarce there. But what I bring is not enough to fill the need of even one of the schools, let alone three.

I need to remember that this whole "first shipment" is an experiment, or a series of experiments. Would the method of collection work? Yes, but we want to try other methods. Can we succeed in the intricacies of shipping these things we gathered to Africa? Yes, apparently so; but here we need to work on smoothing out procedures to make them quicker and more efficient. Will the recipients want what we have to give? Undoubtedly; but I will be observing them closely to see what things bring the most excitement and what sort of things are used most readily. The commodity most plentiful in this shipment is plain line paper, of course. Is there too much of it? What will the teachers and school directors think of the text books and other books I bring? Will they just smile politely and then put them on a shelf never to be used?

So these questions point to another task, which is to observe reactions carefully, to record this event and to report back to the donors and the board.

In addition, I will visit a few other schools, officials connected with education and renew associations and friendships. As time permits, I want to visit officials of other NGO's operating out of Maputo, to find alternative contacts for shipping in the unhappy event that World Vision is unable to assist us some later time. I would also like to find someone who can be relied on to oversee clearing of port and distribution when I cannot be here myself to do it.

Also, is there a cheaper alternative for international couriers than D.H.L.? And more important still, isn't there a better way to get money here than carrying cash on my person (hidden) as Leslie Petersen recommended. Traveler's checks would be more secure, but which kind are recognized? What about credit cards? What about electronic transfers? What international banks are there? True, these are details that should have been looked into on the first trip last year; but time was lacking then, and these omissions will now be rectified.

12 September 1998

This was a lonesome day for me. I spent most of the morning looking for a more reasonably-priced place to stay. Pensao Martin now has a private bath in each room. But they have raised their daily charge from $35 to $55 per night. After looking at several decrepit looking boarding houses which charge between $15 and $18 per night, I settled for Residential Italia. For $40, I get a clean bedroom with a color TV on which to watch the two channels. It also included breakfast. I also walked thru much of downtown Maputo to reacquaint myself with the layout and where a few things are situated.

Last evening, I succeeded in contacting the director of one of the three schools we are helping, Senhor Lote Daniel Mondlane of Escola Comunitaria 4 de Outubro de Polana. Much enthusiasm registered when I told him of the arrival of the shipment and of some of the things that we have for him.

However, the Director of Escola de Preensinanonto de Sao Damasco and of Patrice Lumumba, Senhor Sergio Vitorino, I have not found. His number is no longer in service. I will seek him out in Infulane Bairro, where he lives and where the schools are located, and attempt contact in person before giving up. Not that there is any shortage of possible recipients. But we made a commitment to this group.

Saturdays in Maputo are especially festive. As I write this, on the next block, I hear some sort of celebration with much singing and dancing with the African Rhythm. I have heard and observed much of it during the day-in at least two wedding parties. Had I ventured near the Palacio de Casamentos (Palace of Weddings) on Av. Julius Nyerere, I would have heard and seen much more.

Much of the day was spent resting and recuperating from the journey. Hopefully, tomorrow won't be so lonely. I will meet with some people I know.

While wandering through town this afternoon, I have seen amazing sights that are so common in Africa-women carrying huge loads of wood or corn on their heads while their arms and hands are loaded with other burdens. Babies are strapped to the backs or fronts of young girls, who are under 8 years of age themselves. The toys and games that these children invent for themselves included one that consisted of two boys hitting an empty plastic drinking bottle with hands gloved in foot-thongs. I even saw a band of about 20 children playing soccer with a real (though somewhat lopsided) rubber ball-very unusual. What a hit the balls that I brought will make to those children that we are helping-one is a 3/4 sized soccer ball. The other is a rubber kick ball. I can hardly wait until next week.

13 September 1998

I spent the day attending church and walking along the seashore. It was another lonely day though. I was disappointed to find that Jared Banks, an acquaintance from Virginia, who happens to be studying here was out of town today. I hope I can see him next Sunday.

14 September 1998

The first leg of the transaction-pay customs director and clear the port- occurred today. I traded approximately $1650 for $19,965,000 Metricais and paid half to the despachante (Clearing Agent). (It was not much fun walking out of the bank and onto the streets of Maputo with 20 million units of currency.) The balance will be paid tomorrow. I have received signals today that this project may take another week or more. I made it absolutely clear to our agents that we couldn't allow this process to drag on for a week-except I cancel my flight bookings and make new ones at great cost. Pray! Pray! Pray that we can get the goods out of port this week. In the meantime, I will speak personally to a port official, his supervisor, and the supervisor's supervisor, while working on plan B. What Plan B is, I don't know yet. Also on this day, I toured one school (a secondary one). A Escola Premeiro de Maio for industrial arts and interviewed the director of curriculum. This public school specializes in courses of chemistry, drafting, machine operation and general construction. It is another sad story. The school lacks basic equipment. It was funded by the USSR until it cut off aid in 1987. They now send their chemistry students to another school across town for lab work. This other school is supported by the Swiss and will lose funding in 1999. For practical experience in the other courses, the students are simply farmed out to local industry where they work for nothing except the experience. I also began today, my search for other agencies to partner with.

Dinner tonight was more than an hour late and awful. I will only eat fruit and bread in this place from now on. Someday, when I am in a better humor, I may write about the experience. It was so ridiculous that I am sure it will someday make a very entertaining story.

15 September 1998

It is said that the night is blackest just before the dawning of a new day. I am a personal witness of this phenomenon and know the statement is true in both physical and spiritual realms. Today, a miracle occurred. Our shipment cleared port-completely and at much less cost than expected. Yesterday, I was told by three separate persons including a sponsor that it was doubtful we could do this in a week's time. All three individuals are experienced in these matters. A fourth individual this morning (of another NGO) said that some groups have had shipments stuck in port for more than a year. Yet this morning, almost from the beginning, everything started to click. And things kept on clicking, without missing a beat, or tripping on red tape, or getting snared in any way. There was not any graft. I know this because I did not pay any. How do I account for this? Well yes, World Vision is a big organization, and the man I had with me in port, (Sebastian was his name (paid $375/month)) is an expert. If I ever get snagged in the future, he's the man I'll call to get me unsnagged. I do not know what happened, except that things have worked out. This was a miracle. I have no doubt that the hand of God was manifested today.

Besides clearing port, I also met and interviewed representatives of two other NGO's. (Network for Children and UK's OXFAM.) Tomorrow, I go to visit a school in Gaza Province, near Xai Xai, a three hour trip each way. There is a very strong chance we will be helping this school next year.

16 September 1998

As planned, today was spent entirely on the road, traveling to and from Xai Xai, Gaza Province and a little beyond to Maciene where I inspected three schools at various levels of development; and one of these is a new school that is about to open. The new one is beautiful - 4 classrooms, an office, a new home for the director (so he can guard the premises) and an old church that doubles for classrooms. The new buildings are all of brick and mortar. I am impressed because the community helped build this school and seems united to helping their children. I feel we should help the two other schools once they commit and provide assurances that they will safely house the materials and organize them for access and use by the students. The third school consists of 3 reed huts. While the need is great, it does not have facilities for safely housing of the books and supplies. Not yet, however, I am told by the relief workers here that the people are unusually well organized and united. These positive elements were attributed to the strength of the Anglican Church in this region. When I arrived at the new school, (the first one), the parents were assembled on the grounds in a "PTA" meeting.

One unusual aspect of my visit was a tour of a girl's dormitory at the second school. You would have to see the pictures I took to believe the living conditions I found there. Incredible!

My host was Isadoro Vianna de Costas, a native of East Timor (Indonesia), a relief worker, and Roman Catholic. We had wonderful conversations on nearly every topic going and coming.

As we entered Xai Xai, we crossed the Limpopo River by a toll bridge. This is a famous river in African literature, and is the marker for the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe. So I was expecting a larger river than this-only about 100 feet across here near the mouth of the river. However, the flood plain is huge, I think more than 2 miles wide.

17 September1998

Today delivery was made to all three schools: Escola Comunitaria 4^th de Outubro de Polana, Escola de Preensinanonto de Patrice Lumumba Escola de Preensinanonto de Sao Damasco. The delivery was successful. Taxes and port fees on $4000 (3/4 ton) of materials was less than $1,000. Getting these things from port to the schools did not cost anything.

One of my objectives was to observe what things were most appreciated. I believe everything was wanted and sincerely appreciated. I was also quite worried that our shipment was so small that no one would care much. But the Director of the school in Polana, Senhor Lote D. Mondlane, who got most of the shipment was quite pleased. I don't believe he could have handled receiving more than he did. With the 34 boxes we delivered to his small office where they were secured, there was hardly room for him to walk around. He will move them to another place of storage as soon as security can be arranged.

But what went over best? Probably the one soccer ball. The entire school watched as I booted it as hard as I could and let it fly. It hit the outer wall and bounced back into the school yard. Then pandemonium reigned for a few minutes. Everyone wanted that ball.

There were a few things in the shipment we expected to be big hits. The 2 world globes for example. The large quantity of colored construction paper and scissors was also very exciting for them. The surprise hit I think were the small spiral notebooks. The teachers all wanted their own. Well, why not? And the books? They are sorely needed and they will get more next year.

We also had a wonderful reception in Infulane (Patrice Lumumba and Sao Damasco) which received a smaller portion-only 7 boxes. But again, much excitement. I was even given a small concert by the children. They sang a song about a Little Duck with a big mouth. I resisted the temptation of kicking the ball this second time around. As for these small children, they were absolutely, positively delightful.

I spent the evening with Jared Banks and his family. They had been away for most of the week in South Africa.

18 September 1998

Today was productive but not as much fun as the day before. Since the shipment was completed and delivered, I used the one weekday remaining to call upon other NGO directors, more or less on a social, get-to-know-you basis. Naturally, there were a couple who couldn't care less even if I had dropped dead in their office. Also, at least one reacted with interest but whose programs were not related to ours. This is a list of those whom I called on:

1) Roland Roowe, Director of CARE Int'l in Mozambique

2) Art Flanigan, Director of Save the Children/USA in Mozambique

3) Roy Trivedy, Mozambique Program Director for Save the Children/UK

4) Bill Noble, Country Director-Mozambique for Africare.

5) Antonio A. Da Rocha, Chair for the Mozambique Foundation for Education and Health

6) CONCERN-Worldwide's Jo Thomas, National Director. (This is an Irish NGO)

7) Maura Scully, country Rep. for Mozambique of GOAL Mozambique (also Irish)

One Mozambique NGO, Associacao Progresso, under Elizabeth Sequeira, also holds some promise. I ran out of time to see her on this trip. Perhaps another time or by e-mail.

Now that we are in this project to this extent, some mid-course adjustments or corrections are necessary. They will be made.

It occurs to me that our focus must be on children, both at the primary and the secondary levels. While many adults are literate, they are not used to reading. At this point, I believe that the more the books (especially non-text books) are geared toward young people, the more likely they are to be read and used. In my communications with Brazil, I will notify them of this and request more emphasis on children's books, especially with pictures.

There is also a school for English-speaking children where English language books are severely lacking. So we may be collecting books in English from the U.S. as well as the school supplies-if I can establish a liaison with that school in the time I still have. If not, we may have to wait until next time.

Another important aspect of this project that has come to light is that many of the large and well-established NGO's have an interest in cooperating and assisting if it means getting more books to the schools that they sponsor. This cooperation could take several forms or a combination of them including: (1) financial assistance, (2) general logistics, (3) general transport from port to the schools where they will be used, including schools well into the interior, and (4) practical assistance in organizing the collections, securing them and making them accessible to children and members of the community, (in other words, setting the collections up as actual functioning libraries).

This latter item has tremendous practical significance. Since we have no personnel here to manage the collections once they are left here, the involvement of these other organizations would assure that they are safeguarded and utilized properly. Otherwise, there is a risk of the books being left in boxes to gather dust, mold, mildew-or else be stolen and sold on the streets.

Since there are no books here, there are no libraries. Since there are no libraries, the people have no idea how one should operate. So we will proceed. We will become more adept at gathering and transporting. We will do our best to make our organization known and trusted in the U.S., Brazil, and Mozambique.

19 September 1998

How magnificent today is! In the process of wrapping things up, I returned to Bairro da Polana. This was on invitation of Senhor Lote Mondlane to attend a parent's meeting, in which perhaps 200 moms and dads were present-sort of a PTA/African style. Senhor Mondlane is a very important person to this community and these parents seemed to recognize this fact. We arrived after the meeting began and took our place reserved for us in the front. Our organization was introduced to these parents with much praise. I was also privileged to address the assembly and my speech, I think , was well-received.

After the parent's meeting the doors of Senhor Mondlane's office were opened. A large bookshelf was there in the corner that was not there before on Thursday. In the bookcase were our books and materials delivered last Thursday neatly displayed. Teachers and many of the parents then saw the new collection for the first time. It was really impressive. From their facial expressions, it was easy to detect both surprise and delight that such a thing could come to them. Some of them immediately took down the books and began reading. Books on phonics, science, and the one dictionary seemed to be the biggest hits, at least initially.

I had a lunch appointment with a representative of the Mozambique Foundation that afternoon. I had met with its President and Chair, Antionio de Rocha yesterday. Today, I was with his vice-chair, Dr. Benjamin Z. Ngwenya. Ph.D., a former college professor in Philadelphia. Benjamin described to me all of the projects his group has in the mill. In exchange for backing from a big donor from New Orleans, (one James Blanchard who has invested heavily to set up a safari park south of Maputo on the other side of the Holy Ghost River) the foundation is setting up schools for the children living in that area, and other local-goodwill-nurturing activities. Also, they are in the process of setting up an education center in Chinoio, the seat of Manica Province.

They, of course, were very interested in the books we plan to bring in and they want in on the action. I felt impressed to say that our ability to help their organizational efforts would depend on their participation in the costs of bringing them to Mozambique. Whether my statement to that effect dampened his enthusiasm, I could not tell.

On my way home last night, I stopped by to see the two Irish NGO's: Concern and Goal. They were both very interested in collaboration and I believe we shall. The manager of Goal is Maura Scully, the country representative. She looked at my card and then at me and said "I know who you are. You are that fellow whose group is bringing Portuguese Language books into Mozambique. Well, I have been wanting to meet you and get on your list."

I suppose it should come as no surprise that when something as rare as books in Mozambique are going given out for free, everyone wants a piece of the action. Of course, these are not for free because it costs money to transport and bring them into the country. It also costs our small donors money to buy these things and contribute them to us in kind. But this much we have proven: Our system cost less than a charity going out and buying things in the open market. And that is one of the reasons we will be successful.

20 September 1998

This morning, woke up early, walked to the beach and watched the fishermen set out to sea in their boats. I attended church and spent the day with Jared Banks and family.

Tonight, at 6 P.M., I took off from Maputo. It's been a good week, but very tiring. It will be good to be home again. My trip was a success.

21 September 1998

I arrived home today.