Sand Dams and Food Security Gaining Momentum
I have not done a good job of updating our blog in recent months. It has been a challenge focusing on our new expanding family and much of our work comprises of working on the computer during the day leaving minimal will and energy to do so in the evening. People ask us why we do not write more often, especially e-mails, but farmers who grow corn all day often do not like to work in the garden at night, accountants probably do not appreciate doing family accounting in the evening and MCC workers who spend time on the computer communicating would rather do something else.

In any case, I have found a little time in my busy schedule to add a little to our blog on the ever exciting Sand Dams and Food Security initiatives that are gaining momentum in Mozambique. Our country representative and engineer keep writing reports of the exciting things happening. It has finally rained significantly in Mozambique in February and many of the dams are filling up with water and sand. Several such that they can be raised to capture more rainwater. It seems that it is catching the attention of the government and visits from the government's public works (those in charge of public infrastructure) in Maputo have come to visit based on the good reports from the provincial offices. MCC also has sent key staff from the Christian Council of Mozambique to a training on conservation agriculture which seems to show potential for improving production and agriculture security alongside the sand dams. CCM staff seems excited and ready to train more of its staff in the technology and to implement it in the projects. What's more is that during the CCM annual meetings, they gave a presentation and many of the other provinces are really interested in what is happening. If you are interested in knowing more of the conservation agriculture see www.farming-gods-way.org.

The provincial government is also very interested and excited about the work. Recently Jon, our engineer, wrote, "CCM received attended meetings with the provincial departments of Public Works, Agriculture, and Emergency Management; the Mozambican Regional Water Administration for the Zambezi River Basin; and the World Food Program. The group in the meeting agreed to first make a visit to project sites, then meet again to figure out how they can work together to expand these kind of efforts, and do feasibility studies. There have been so many complaints from the population about drought and hunger, and the government is really glad to see someone working at it. They’re really wanting to turn around the situation of drought and hunger in these districts, and see this combined water and ag work as the way to go."

What does this mean for me, us, as a family. This means that we are moving to Maputo. MCC and CCM want to create core capacity within CCM National office to work at expanding and developing the vision of sand dams and food security within their network of provincial offices. A team will be formed, which I will be a part of, in order to work at this and connect up with potential donors, some of which are already lining up to support us with this initiative. This is all very exciting and scary at the same time. We will be starting over in a new place but with exciting new work. Jenny will have the opportunity to explore being involved in work with other initiatives within CCM (savings groups, contraband arms for art projects, learning tours and conflict resolution) and we will get to explore and experience the city of Maputo and its environs. Pray for us as we make this exciting yet scary and sometimes lonely change.