I'd like to spend some time in Mozambique: The Inauguration of the Children’s Library-

It was decided that we would open the library that my roommate Theresa has been working on all year on June 25^th because that was Mozambican Independence Day. We would go to town as usual and watch the ceremonies and performances for the Mozambican holiday and then the crowd would move over to the library across the street and participate in the opening ceremony. All the major chefes would be in town already and would not have to plan this as an extra event in their schedule. There would also be plenty of townspeople and children already celebrating.

Of course this is Mozambique and not everything goes as planned eh?!... We get to town and start preparing the library when Theresa gets a call from her counterpart and he says he will not be able to make it to the ceremony. Then someone from the Mayor’s office comes to ask us if we have Champagne and a ribbon for the mayor to cut. Of course we don’t as we were unaware those things were necessities. My counterpart, Moises takes the lead and runs around Homoine with Theresa looking for all these things while the celebration in the village starts. Many of the shops are closed for the holiday and things are harder to find than usual. After running around like a chicken with its head cut off, she finally manages to find all the required things for an opening ceremony in Mozambique.

Theresa and I in front of the bookshelves

My student helping us prepare

The bow we finally found for the Mayor to cut

As planned, the celebration moves over to the library where all the chefes and Theresa are serenaded by a gaggle of children singing. The Mayor cuts the ribbon and all the chefes crowd into the library for speeches and champagne. Theresa is supposed to say a few words in Portuguese and manages to do well, but thankfully Moises jumps in again to help her and take the place of her counterpart, who could

not make it.

The Mayor cutting the bow

After the champagne toast the chefes head back outside and everyone watches a performance by my JUNTOS group. They perform a skit about the importance of reading and sing a song. The students had only a few days to prepare and practice, but they did an amazing job! I was soooooooo proud of them and the children loved it. They laughed and sat enthralled by the performance.

Champagne toast and speech time!!

My student's skit (the video won't upload- maybe later)

After my student's performance, the children were finally allowed to go into the library and experience the books. It was a beautiful site and an amazing day. Despite all our difficulties in getting the library going and getting my students prepared to perform, everything went very very well. I went to sleep that night completely happy and fulfilled with the past few months of work. This is just one small success that will definitely come with many more challenges, but I am prepared to face them head on.