News from the workers

Just received news from the team at work in the village. They skyped us using the generator run Internet from a schoolhouse close to the village. Renny had his laptop with him, and so we were even able to see them through the web cam. The image made it hard to identify who was who, but seeing the movements and hearing their voices was awesome!

HERE´S THE UPDATE!

The work of moving the bricks across the river and to the village has been slow and arduous under the heat of the sun and with the constant company of the piuns (a type of black fly) and other mosquitoes. A bit over a third of the bricks has been hauled over. They´ve also done the clearing of the building site, removing tree stumps and what not and started laying the survey lines.

The Zoró villagers have been a tremendous help with the labour as well as with providing them fish for food.

One of the Zoró said a quick hi over skype and informed me that I received a new name. It is common for Zorós to have several names, as names in their culture mark impressive events. You can give someone a name that draws back to an occasion or new thing that really impressed you. It is interesting to note that no one has the same name. I´m curious to find out what name they gave me and the reason for that name. I will have better details on that, and much more, on their return from the village. And needless to say, I felt honored to be remembered by them even though not present with them during this construction phase. 

The team plans on returning to Ji-Paraná on Monday, the 11th of this Month.

Continue to pray for protection and for the progress of the transportation of the materials across the river.
Pray for the team´s health. Renny has been challenged by the bytes and the heat. My dad and Ourípio is feeling the strain on their backs. Wellington and Ourípio will be evaluating whether they stay in the village longer or come over to Ji-Paraná along with my dad and Renny for a break.

Read a more detailed and in context post on Renny´s blog: http://www.mistermaki.blogspot.ca/

The Machados

Wellington, Juliana, Lorena and Isadora Machado

Working among the Zoró in Brazil

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usa.ntm.org

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The construction team at work on our house in the tribal village

The construction team

This is the small team working on our house in the Pawanewa Zoró village.

From left to right:

• Renny Maki, our Canadian friend who is donating two weeks of his vacation break to help us with this project. 
• Ourípio de Paula, a missionary who works at the mission base here in Ji-Paraná. He left his family and  interrupted his work in the base for a time in order to offer us his indispensable help. Ourípio has helped us with the house plant and the calculations of materials and budget necessary for this project. His experience in this area has been of great help in this initial stage, and his willingness to help out with the construction has been a blessing to us. 
• Donald Austin, my father, missionary with the Gavião in Rondônia. Dad took some time off his ministry to give us a great hand with this project. Making use of his car he´s made several trips to the village through poor roads that leads the Rio Branco (river) in the state of Mato Grosso, a distance of obaout170km. He is also helping out with the cnstruction work. Thank you Dad! 
• Wellington Machado, my lovely spouse, a go getter, despite never having built a house in his life! His hope of soon having a home amongst the Zoró encourages him in this new experience.

SO LET US PRAY!

- For protection during travel and construciton. 

- For wisdom and good progress in the construction. 

- For participation of the Zoró living in the area.

- For a good relationship between this small construction team and with the people of the village.

SOME OBSTACLES ALONG THE WAY

the broken bridge that leads to the Pawanewa village 

Unfortunately, the bridge that crosses the Rio Branco to the Pawanewa village was taken by the heavy rains a few years ago, and the only access is with the canoes of Zoró dwellers. For this reason, the materials have to be howeled accross in this lengthy process, by canoe.  After crossisng the river, there is a 450 meter walk to the village. 

a Zoró canoe

Also, the piuns (a type of blackfly) form black clouds near the river, and their bytes can be very irritating. 

Please pray for this process of transporting materials, and for good health in spite of the bugs and hard work. We hope to have plenty of help from the natives in the area so that the process will be less time consuming.

SHELTER 

The villagers furnished the team a covered shelter where the staff will set up two tents, where they will be sleeping during their stay in the village. Sleeping in a tent for so long might be a bit challenging, specially for the older folks. Please pray for the health of the team and for the rest necessary for the good labor. 

THEIR STAY IN IN THE VILLAGE

My dad and Renny will be staying until the 13th of this Month, as they will need to return for Renny´s trip back to Canada. 

Wellington and Ourípio will be staying for an undetermined time, depending on how long construction material and food will last them. 

SOME PICTURES OF OUR CONTACT WITH THE ZORÓ