The Besfords Prepare for Mozambique
January 4, 2006
From Steve and Rebekah Besford
World Outreach Missionaries to Mozambique
Email: beks_moz
yahoo.com
Two-thirds of the way through our Portuguese language study, we are making good progress. Dona Eunice, our tutor in Porto, has graciously & patiently helped us to get through the Portuguese grammar and tenses. Now we have the challenge of putting it in to practice. Reading and writing in Portuguese is coming along, with dictionary to hand. In our remaining time in Porto we want to work on speaking the language fluently in day-to-day situations.
Down by the Douros River in Oporto
We quickly settled in to a daily routine in Porto. We have a 2 hour lesson together (morning or afternoon) and then one of us studies whilst the other entertains Nyasha. This discipline has been working well, although to be honest the study does get tedious at times – particularly when learning vocabulary! The only difference next year is that we’ll have lessons separately on alternate days, because we want to practise in different areas (Rebekah in healthcare, and Steve from the Bible) and Nyasha has got to the stage where she likes to take over our lesson. In recent weeks she has enjoyed rearranging table linen and cutlery in D. Eunice’s dresser in the room where we have lessons, and we’ve had a few near misses with crockery!
We’ve been renting a 2 bedroom flat in Porto which is a good size, if basic. There is no central heating and actually no piped gas in Portugal. During the day temperatures remain just below 20°C, but at night it drops to around 2°C, so the flat feels cold. A few weeks ago we were lent a calor gas heater which has made a big difference. An immersion heater provides hot water, although we can’t have the immersion, cooker and kettle on at the same time because that trips out the electricity, a common problem in most homes! We get around by bus and are grateful for the regular service, although some of the bus drivers think they’re on a Grand Prix circuit – not good for the nerves!
Portuguese culture appears to be split across two periods of history, a contrast of old versus new. On the one hand there’s the old man with his donkey and cart walking the streets - what he’s doing we don’t know; women carrying baskets on their heads; and squid being sold on the side of the road, and on the other hand there are American style shopping centres with designer shops.
The Portuguese themselves are friendly and absolutely
adore babies – Nyasha is entertained by complete strangers
on most bus journeys; yet we’ve found it hard to get to know
people well, because family life is important - nothing wrong there,
but outsiders aren’t especially welcomed. We also regularly
see or hear children staying up until the early hours, unheard of
in the UK. We have also been surprised by the high levels of poverty
in Portugal – people sleeping rough, street children and orphanages,
derelict buildings and smelly sewers.
However the Portuguese know - and I mean know - how to do coffee! Light relief from language study comes in the form of coffee and cake for two. Actually Rebekah doesn’t like coffee, so for her it’s a sumo or fruit juice. The Portuguese cake speciality is “Pastel de Nata” – the nearest equivalent we have in the UK is an egg custard tart – but Pastels are far more delicious! Of course we need to mention the relaxing Port tours and free tasting, as the Douro valley is the only place in the world where Port wine grapes are grown and then stored in Port houses in Porto before bottling and selling. Having been visited by friends and family we have been able to sample a range of different makes of port and are now experts in its production and where to find the best port in the valley.
Nyasha
is now nearly walking. Our flat in Porto has a nice long corridor
for her to push along her stroller with a beaming smile. She loves
food, particularly when she can take it off somebody else’s
plate – cheese, tomatoes and broccoli are the current favourites.
She also remains content, although getting more cheeky (blame Steve)
and strong willed (from Rebekah?). Nyasha will celebrate her 1st
birthday on 28th December and what a first year she has had!
As we reflect briefly on Nyasha’s first year and our time preparing to work in Mozambique, we have experienced a lot as a family. Living in 4 different countries (Scotland, England, Mozambique & Portugal); giving up our jobs; a memorable few months at Maziotela which confirmed that’s where God wants us; learning a new language, and all with our first child.
God has been faithful through the massive changes we’ve gone through as a family and the inevitable emotional and spiritual highs and lows. Best summed up by a few lines from Hannah’s prayer: “There is no-one holy like the Lord; there is no-one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2 v2)
We are ever grateful for your love, support, emails/letters and prayers for us as a family. We are the fortunate ones who can go and serve God in Mozambique – but this would be impossible without you, our much wider team of family, friends and supporters. THANK YOU.
Lots of love
Steve Rebekah & Nyasha xxxx
“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6.8
Address in Portugal
We continue to check our email once a week but you can also contact us at:
1º Dtº 181 Rua da Areosa
4200 085 Porto
Portugal
Telephone: 00 351 93 6155066
Email: beks_mozyahoo.com
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