Dearest friends!
It is still time to wish you a Wonderful Year 2004! Good health, Love, Peace Happiness and Prosperity are what Jean and I wish for you!
Since our latest newsletter, it has been kind of quiet! And it is a good thing after all the excitement of the past 6 months... one needs a little rest sometimes!!!
Before leaving South Africa and his angels, Jean experienced the utmost luxury: he was a guest at the famous White Elephant Lodge! You need to browse their website to take in their marvellous settings and understand the care they cater to their customers.... They even have a link to Jean's passage on their website! Jean enjoyed his stay tremendously and he said that his only regret was that I was not there to share this heavenly place with him.... Well! I have to admit that I feel a bit sorry for myself too!!!
Around the time I sent the preceding newsletter, Jean was spending his last night in South Africa, at the Ghost Mountain Inn. He then said good-bye to South Africa and hello to Swaziland, a small country where Jean walked only 186 km. He was hosted by Dave and Kathy Ducasse who took great care of him. He crossed the border to Mozambique on November 4th.
In Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, he was expected by Caroline Duconseille who is working with a French Association. Caroline had it all set up for his arrival with the media and he spent a few days in excellent company!
On the road, north of Maputo, Jean met with fellow Canadians. Ivan Giesbrecht and Shawn Plummer, both working for Samaritan Purse International Relief. The three men were very excited to meet that far away from home and in such circumstances...Then, in Massinga, he met with Dr. Gerry Dickson who is a professor at the University of Saskatchewan working on a joint project on health between Canada and Mozambique.
After Massinga, the road curves toward the interior of the country and Jean had almost no access to Internet so I was without news from him for long periods of time. Thank God, he met with Swiss tourists who were so kind to write me an email letting me know that he was all right. Also, in the middle of nowhere, he came upon an American Company working with natural gas in Mozambique. They kindly hosted Jean and gave him a gift of a phone call to me! Wow! Thank you!
Latest that I heard from him, he was 5 km past Tete and about a couple of days from the border of Malawi. This was, again, the gift of a phone call from a nice man who works a coalmine. A million thanks to you too!
Jean is now in the heart of Africa and the weather is really hot... over 40°C. What a difference with me.... dwelling in temperatures around - 36°C these days... Well, only a month and a half to go and I will be really warm and in the good company of my Tarzan, in Malawi!
Till later...
Luce