About a week and a half ago I was in the bookshop talking with another missionary, and he suddenly said how hard we had been working and that I really ought to get away. He said he knew some South African missionaries in Nacala who had a little place on their property where people can stay basically for free. At first I filed this information under “useless daydreaming”, but as the day went on I more and more started wondering whether we couldn’t make it work! To make a long story short, we phoned them and they were more than willing to let us come; then, at first, Angie and I would have borrowed some SIL people’s bakkie to drive down, but that was then unavailable and we decided to still both go, but to go by chapa. It was fixed that we would go this past weekend and a friend gave us a ride to where you get all the chapas for out of town just after Angie was done for the day at the SIL school.
I had been the slightest bit apprehensive of the chapa ride out to Nacala, but it was actually quite a smart little bus, which under normal circumstances would have seated about 30 people, I think – in reality I think there were about 50! There was one single row of seats, an aisle and then two more seats, and after a while I noticed that there was a little collapsible seat next to me (which would then go in the aisle) – this however meant not that 4 people would sit in a row, but 5! It could have been a lot more uncomfortable though, and I was just happy that we were sitting on the seats on the side. We waited quite a while until the bus was full and left at 13h15, but it was quite a zippy little bus and we were in Nacala just after 16h00 (I think by car it is about 2 hours). We had only made some short stops the last half an hour or so for people to get off and to be able to buy vegetables from the vendors who crowded around the bus. After getting a bit confused as to where we were originally supposed to get off (I somehow always manage to do something stupid like that) we easily arranged with our hostess, Rina, who was kind enough to come and pick us up, to just get us a bit further along. She then took us to the market so we could get some vegetables, fruit and bread, and that, along with some things we had brought with us, was enough to last us for the weekend. We got to their property at about 16h45, which is on a sort of peninsula, I think across from the Nacala harbour, and for those who know the area, a few hundred metres from Bay Diving. We were shown around where we would be staying, repeatedly urge to make ourselves at home, and then we still had time to watch the sunset from the beach, which was about 5 minutes’ walk away.
It was a lovely relaxed weekend – in the evenings and on Saturday afternoon, we watched a really nice British miniseries. Hustle, and both mornings we went for a swim around 9h30. We could read in the shade of the tree outside our little house and I was incredibly peaceful and happy for the whole time we were there, just relishing God’s gorgeous creation and feeling loose and free from responsibilities and worries. On Saturday the weather was glorious and the sea perfect for a coward like me, no big waves, just lovely water to deep to stand in, like a huge swimming pool. Yesterday morning we went for a walk in the direction of Bay Diving and wanted especially to find another way down to the sea and see a different beach, since there were too many rocks to walk from one area to another. From where we did find a path, we ended up just around the corner of the beach just below Bay Diving, and on the spur of the moment decided to have breakfast there. I had felt we should have left a bit earlier, so this seemed much nicer than hurrying back and organising something for breakfast before swimming, before it would get too late to be able to go. It also gave us a chance to reflect a bit on what we had been thinking and praying about during the weekend, concerning possible future choices and current decisions that both of us need to make in our lives. Our swim wasn’t as nice as Saturday – it was terribly windy, so the sea was choppy, and I touched 3 small jellyfish with my arm or foot, which started to freak me out, so after lying in the glorious sun for a while we headed back, and then unfortunately it was time to shower, pack, eat and leave.
The return journey was a bit more colourful than Friday’s. When we got on the chapa, it seemed just about ready to leave, but it went in the right direction for a while, then turned around, then stopped at 2 or 3 different places and seemed to be looking for more passengers all the while. Perhaps he couldn’t turn off the engine without starting it again with great difficulty… We finally left Nacala once again around 13h15, but still picked up many people along the way, most of whom had to stand. I could put my bag under the seat this time, but it was a bit more cramped and my one knee got a bit sore – I couldn’t stretch my leg, because there was a duck under the seat in front of us who wanted to peck my feet! At Namialo (about 1 1/2 hours from Nampula) the guy with the duck got off, but they loaded a goat onto the roof. Around half and hour later there was a lot of shouting for the driver to stop – the goat had fallen off the side and was suspended by its tether. I felt sorry for the poor thing, but it was quite funny… And of course all the commotion set the chickens off clucking. Without too much more ado, we got to Nampula about 16h30 and were home, after a stop by the Sunday market, around 17h00.
Reality, of course, can’t be evaded and this morning has already been a bit frustrating. Yet my spirit really feels refreshed, and I feel I could simply enjoy Jesus for a day or two and get some perspective on my life. I 
shou
ld do this 
more often!
