December 21, 2011

A Mudança IV


Apparently several of our workers overheard the essay prompt and decided they wanted to get in with it.They too wrote about the change they wanted to see, but went in completely different directions.

The first letter is from Carlos, one of our construction workers. He wrote on what he sees happening at the orphanage. It was by far the most entertaining letter of all of them I received.

      From my point of view, I would like if we could change our attitudes because it they are strange. I say they are strange because when our leaders ask something, sometimes the children get angry for no reason. For example: the tell us to go to devotional and for some of us it is very likely that we won't participate. This demonstrates that we don't love the people that our leading and guiding us with respect to our God.
      Another thing is that children* should have the right to travel to other countries to be able to know and visit other people and places in the rest of the world. Also to see how things are there in comparison with here. Another thing is that here in the orphanage we don't have somebody in charge of physical education. There exist several boys and girls don't want to work or carry water and tell others to do it for them because they are lazy.
      Other ideas is that there is no swimming pool here. Not only for swimming but for activities and games. Mainly, on days that there is a party, this would play a big part in the festivities.
     I would also like that we would be able to change from eating porridge for breakfast to eating cake [muffins]. The porridge makes me sleepy and lazy. But when breakfast is cake I have much more energy during the day for work. If we would be able to eat cake it would bring us more energy and the will to work hard.
      It is these things that I have to contribute to the changes in our center. Thanks.

*[Carlos is in his early twenties and sees himself more as a kid here than as a worker. He was mad that he was left out of the church trip to the conference in Zimbabwe. He failed to understand that the conference was for leaders in our church an not construction workers at the orphanage.]


Next up is Vieira. His real name is Albertino, but because the first two months on the job his work shirt was a soccer jersey with “Vieira” written on the back that became his name. Mainly because at that point nobody knew his real name. He is also a construction worker here that also wanted to write, but didn't exactly talk about this he sees happening around the orphanage. I tried to go for a very literal translation to get the full effect of his message.

      In the first place, I want to thank you or this opportunity that you gave me to write. The theme is change, and the setting I have chosen is my country, Mozambique. What I want my country to change is the corrpution. I say again, CORRUPTION! These days a student, in order to pass a class need money to pay even when the student understands. For this, I protest the government! Corruption is the thing I want to see change not just in my country but across my continent. The president makes me sick and refuses to change and people from America see this situation and know he refuses to change. For this, I protest the president! As well as city council for seeing trash collect in the streets and having broken roads, primarily the one that leads to the orphanage where cars can't go.

Next time on change we'll hear from kids about protecting the environment. Also, I'll put up some pictures on how construction on the orphanage pool is going (hint: it's not, and never will be, going).

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