Mozambican President Armando Guebuza visited Gorongosa National Park last month -- the first presidential visit to the Park in decades. This visit produced a flurry of activity for the weeks leading up to the visit, with pre-visits by various dignitaries (presidential assistants, local government officials, security teams), massive work to decorate and landscape the new cabanas, painting of buildings throughout the site, repair of roads still pot-holed by the summer rains... A lot of things got done with the pressure of this important visit! But this work didn't come without plentiful stress shared around the camp.My job was to help prepare the costumes for our group kids
who were to dance and sing for the President. We spent weeks bent over sewing machines, weilding needles, making and painting maracas, and rehearsing the kids. Happily the songs and dances they were to perform were well-known Mozambican songs, so at least we didn't have to start from scratch there!When the Big Day arrived, hundreds of people descended upon Chitengo, all requiring accommodation of some kind. The chalets were reserved for dignitaries, and tents popped up all over camp to house the masses for one or two nights. I'm still not quite sure who everyone was and why they needed to be here for the visit. Some were ministers from the government, others were
local politicians (provincial and district goverment officials).And then came the aircraft. Five helicopters and one cargo plane. What a ruckus. All very formal. People poured out to watch the arrival, although the "official" welcoming group was kept quite small. However, Rich made the cut and got to shake hands with the President!
The President and his entourage marched at a
quick pace through the camp, pausing for about 15 seconds in front of our group of performing kids, long enough to wave an appreciative hello. The excitement was palpable. In fact, the women's performng group continued to dance and sing long after the President disappeared into his cabana, enjoying the moment of revelry with dozens of other onlookers. 
