butterflies

Have you ever watched a butterfly in the air? It doesn’t always look to have complete control of where it’s going. It flutters back and forth and eventually will choose a direction to fly away in. My friend Kate and I got butterflies in Thailand. They were to remind us of new beginnings. Beautiful beginnings. Butterflies often don’t start out as anything pretty to look at, but through the struggle as they grow and mature in the cocoon, and as they flutter against the wind, they eventually become something of beauty.

I awoke this morning with the feeling of butterflies in my stomach. Excitement and nerves all wrapped into one. I opened the window shades to let the bright African sun poor in and hear the birds sing. I took a deep breath. I sometimes forget where I am. I need those small moments of calm to remind myself and not to be overwhelmed with the butterflies in my stomach. I am in Africa.

Today I start the journey up to my new home in a small village along the Zambezi River. It is a district called Mutarara, located in Tete Province in north-central Mozambique. I’ve never been before, but tomorrow I will call it home. Mutarara is difficult to find on a map as it’s off the main road and has nothing of tourist interest to spotlight. It is a resettlement area for thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons who have been forced to leave their homes due to things outside their control. Many have chosen to stay in spite of the reoccurring floods. The government has asked everyone to move to higher ground; however the task of moving thousands of people from their homes is quite difficult. They want to stay. They are fishermen and farmers, living their lives and raising their families the best way they know how. I am going to work on community projects that will in hope prepare communities for future floods by reducing their risk of loss and increasing their resilience to survive the floods. All very good in theory, but in practice could be a very big task! We don’t want to go in and change their livelihoods or tell them they must move; we have community groups in place to work with creating local options that are sustainable for the communities.

I am excited to see communities’ work together and our projects up and running. I am curious to see how the projects will play out. I am nervous to experience an emergency and provide response. And today, I am reminded of butterflies, new beginnings, and unexpected journeys. I will just have to enjoy the fluttering in my stomach and trust the new directions I take will bring me to something of beauty.