Club Makakola: Malawian Paradise

Yesterday we loaded up our minibus with mountains of luggage. We all crowded on, and we were off! The workers at Annie’s Lodge were there to bid us farewell, as well as Annie herself. Tennyson and Benito were there with their smiling faces to say goodbye. They made us feel so welcome during our stay. We have some gems of friends at Annie’s Lodge.


As we drove out of Zomba, I tried to take in all of the scenery. I don’t want to forget the mountain, the hustle and bustle of the Zomba streets, the colors, the smells, the sounds of Zomba. As our bus drove by the road that goes to Malemia Primary, I did not look. I wanted to remember it just as it was the day before, with us walking on it with our children. I did scan the market area in the hopes that I might catch a glimpse of our boys.

Two and a half hours later, we arrived at our Malawian Paradise, Club Makakola. While I say it is a paradise, and it truly feels like it is (we're feeling really spoiled here), I think my Malawian paradise is back at Malemia.  But, I am enjoying the scenery and time here immensely. 

Club Mak is a resort and the road that leads into it is lined with beautiful magenta colored flowers. We were greeted with juice in little cups and then retired to our little “house” rooms. Patti had her own room, and so did I. Everything here is decorated with Malawian art. It is beautiful. Our beds are covered with layered mosquito netting, which just feels special for some reason. The lake is beautiful and the sand feels good on our feet. After crying all night long with little sleep, I decided to get a hot stone massage. It helped me to relax and I think being here is helping our entire group acclimate back into life as we know it back home. It was a day of respite from our work here and a day to anticipate our arrival back in the USA. We are all excited to see our loved ones.   I look forward to having cereal with milk, pizza, fresh fruit and salad, and salsa.  ....Strange the foods I am missing!  :)

Today we will visit Mua Mission where we will learn about Malawian dances and rituals, and we will see some beautiful art. Last night, we watched some Malawian dancers, and the experience at Mua Mission wll explain a lot of what we viewed last night.  We will then travel to Lilongwe for the night.

Patti and I talked about the bus ride yesterday and about the onset of our travels here. The bus was a bit quiet, we didn’t really know the group and everyone was just trying to take it all in and acclimate to the new culture. Now, the group is a family, very talkative, full of laughter and humor and full of heart. I am so proud to have traveled with each of them. Our girls from RU are strong, courageous, giving young women, as are the travelers from from VT and NC A&T. I know they will go on to do great and wonderful things in this world, and perhaps even in Malawi again. I am honored to have worked with this group and hope we will stay connected for years and years to come.  We have a bond that will last and grow as a result of this common experience, wild adventure and heart-filled journey.  We will board the plane tomorrow afternoon with many experiences we look forward to sharing with family and friends. It will be a good day, one day closer to being home.

Some of us have read the book The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind by William Kamkwamba as a part of our travel assignment here. It is a true story about a boy in Malawi who has accomplished great things. (Thank you Valerie for this wonderful gift that I will always treasure!). The book captures the Malawian culture and the typical life of a child here in a descriptive and touching way.  I close my blog with a quote from the book that is loved by many of us here, especially Patti and me, and it rings true for each of us as we bid farewell to the Warm Heart of Africa….

I went to sleep dreaming of Malawi,

and all the things made possible when your dreams are powered by your heart.

Goodbye, Goodbye, We Shall Meet Again

As I pack and prepare my things to depart from Zomba tomorrow morning, I do so with a heavy, heavy heart. Today was our last day at Malemia Primary School and I am not good with goodbyes. While everyone had cheerful smiles recalling the memories we have made together over the last few weeks, we also shared tears. I am so touched by the kindnesses shown to us by Esther Majawa, the Head Teacher at Malemia, all of the teachers, as well as the children. I will miss the children’s smiling faces greeting me each morning; I will miss the teachers’ warm hellos and I will miss the dirt road that leads into the village. I will miss the walk home in the afternoons and our little friends who accompany us for the journey each day, eager to know us, hold our hands and connect with us, to teach us Chichewa and to just play with us along the way. Most of all, I will miss Geraldi and Sanjo, and their little group of friends.


I will never my searching for Geraldi on the first day here this summer. Little did I know I would hear his voice calling my name from the tip top of a large tree in the middle of nowhere.

What a memory! As Caroline and I walked along the path this afternoon, I once again looked for my friend, hoping to have a chance to say goodbye. I recalled all of the days we played ball together with a ball made of plastic, the afternoons we danced and our conversations, part in English and part in Chichewa. I have been worried about Geraldi this year, because he does not seem to be clean and well groomed as he has in years past. He does not seem to go to school either. He just wanders around with his entourage of friends. I love his smile and his personality. He is very smart and cute as ever, too. Today, I was prepared with goodbye gifts. I wanted to give Geraldi and Sanjo jackets, because their clothes are so tattered and dirty. I know they must be cold. I also planned to give one of them my shoes. I had a spare pair to change into in my backpack. Along the walk today, we spotted them, just the two of them along the dirt path, and I decided to seize the moment. I gave them the jackets and their faces lit up with bright smiles. Then, Geraldi broke my heart, as he always does. He gave me some cassava, and said it was a gift for me.

Geraldi and Sanjo made a ball for me today, which I am bringing home and will treasure forever, and we walked together to our classroom at MIE. Today was a special day, our last day together. So, I invited the two boys into the classroom with me. I could tell they felt privileged to enter into the room with me. They knew it was okay, because I permitted it. We ate lunch together and I let them play with my camera. They also drew pictures on some notebook paper. Several other children joined us a bit later. It was a most wonderful afternoon, full of laughter and smiles. I just tried to soak it all in and savor every moment, for I knew at some point in the late afternoon, we would have to say goodbye.

Our group has been working on a song in Chichewa to sing for the teachers at our Farewell Dinner, which was to take place this evening. We practiced it this afternoon, and the children joined in with us. Hearing their voices sing in Chichewa, “We are thanking you, we have stayed well. Goodbye, Goodbye, We Shall Meet Again” brought tears to my eyes. I did not want to say goodbye.

Carly, one of our RU students, wanted to give away her shoes to one of the boys today, and I did as well. When the children left the room, we held Geraldi and Sanjo back. Carly and I placed our shoes on their precious little feet. They were so surprised and happy. It was a moment I’ll always remember. Other students ended up giving away their shoes as well. I gave away my second pair, too. Most of us returned home to Annie’s Lodge in our socks.

As the sun went down this evening, it was time. I wrapped Sanjo in my arms and hugged him as tightly as I could. I told him I’d be back and that he is loved. I then held my Geraldi close to my heart and told him I love him. He whispered, “You will come back.” “I will,” I said and hugged him one final time. When I entered into the hall for our dinner, I looked behind me through the window, only to see Geraldi and Sanjo waving and smiling at me. I will never forget today.

I learned this afternoon that the two of them are most likely orphans, living under the care of their 15 year old brother. My heart feels like it is broken into a million little pieces.

Choir of Angels

At school today, Sesso was busy installing the new bookshelves with his two helpers. They really add a lot of color and pizzazz to the rooms. It is so exciting to see them being put up.


We left school early for a special item on our itinerary today. We walked into the bush on a long dirt trail lined with houses and a fairly steady stream of “hellos” from nearby village children and their parents along the way. The dirt trail was frequented by bicycles, people carrying large bags of grain on their heads and learners in uniform walking home from school. When we neared the church, we heard a truly heavenly sound. It was the Malika Church Choir singing, “You are welcome”. Each member of the choir lined the steps of the church and greeted us with smiles and song. One member of the choir hugged each of us and said, “I love you” as we walked through the door. If churches in the USA greeted newcomers with such genuine smiles and gladness, the pews would be filled each time the doors are opened.

The choir consisted of men, women, girls and boys, each fully engaged in songs of praise. A director stood at the front and he did an excellent job in connecting with each of us during the choir performance. One little boy climbed upon the lap of one of our students, Lauren. It was so sweet. He stayed with her the entire time. The choir was accompanied by a group of boys and young men who played the drums. They had prepared 8 songs for us. One was “We are walking in the light of God”, which is a personal favorite. They sang songs about God’s forgiveness, their desire to grow closer to Him, and about His character. If the song praises of the angels and saints in heaven are only nearly as lovely as the singing we heard today, I can’t wait to hear it!

A little group of small children settled themselves near the doorway of the church during the entire performance. They sang and watched and a few even danced. It was precious to see them enjoying it all as much as we did. At one point, I looked behind me on the seats, and my little friend Geraldi and his buddies has snuck in. He looked at me and said, “shhhh” and gave me a wink. They had followed us there, all the way from the school! I’m going to miss that little fellow and his antics when we leave next week.

Following the performance, the leader of the church, Luke, thanked us for taking the time to come and visit with them. He said it was a blessing to have us there (however, I think it was US who were the blessed ones today). They then presented our group with gifts, which was unexpected. They presented us bags of rice, stalks of sugar cane, cassava, bananas and sweet potatoes. It was completely humbled. They had given us TRUE gifts -- gifts of the heart – the very best they had to offer. I can’t think about it without crying. I will never forget my afternoon with the Choir of Angels at Malika Church.

A Good Day

Today was a great day on many different levels. First, we went to school and finished painting all of the bookshelves. The carpenter, Sesso, was there. He helped us mix the paint and showed us exactly how he wanted us to use the brushes to paint the shelves. He is such a nice man, and I enjoyed having the time to talk with him in more detail today. The shelves are now complete and Sesso will start hanging them in the classrooms tomorrow. I can’t wait to see the teachers’ and children’s faces!


Also today, Annie Fletcher, spoke with our Girls’ Group in association with our Malawi Chibale Project. Annie is a successful business woman here in Malawi (the owner of Annie’s Lodge), as well as a former member of Malawian Parliament. The girls and their mothers gathered to hear Annie give a most inspirational message. She shared about how she grew up poor, with only two dresses, one for church and one for school. She emphasized the importance of education and the importance of prayer and how a combination of the two can lift girls up in this country. She talked about how God has a plan for each one of them and how we don’t know who He will choose to do great things. She stressed the importance of studying, completing primary and secondary school, as well as college. Annie also told the girls that once they are successful, they must not forget their mothers and their families. Annie shared how much she loves her mother and cares for her now that she is older. She helps her bathe, get dressed, and go out in a loving, respectful way. She told the girls they need to remember to do the same for their mothers. She ended by telling the girls with education, they can choose their profession, who they marry, when they marry, and if/when they have children. It was an inspirational speech for ALL women in the room, not just the Malawians. Annie Fletcher is an extraordinary woman and I am blessed to call her my friend.

Following the girls’ meeting, we went to the Malawi Institute of Education (MIE) for our Chibale Project organizational meeting. Faculty and students from all three of our universities, as well as the head teacher and other classroom teachers from Malemia Primary gathered to create a mission statement and to establish short term and long term goals for the Chibale Project. At the end of the meeting, we stood in a circle, held hands, and shared our dreams and wishes for Chibale. It was a wonderful, idea-generating, productive meeting. Patti Talbot, my friend and colleague, did an outstanding job in facilitating the meeting.

Next, we went to what we refer to as “The Wall.” The Wall is in downtown Zomba, and it is where the local vendors display and sell their many wares. It is like an open-air market of wooden crafts, beaded jewelry and batik art. The vendors bargain and barter with us for “good prices”. The bartering is almost a game-like banter between vendor and customer. I thoroughly enjoy it, and I think the students do as well. We’re always on a quest to make a good deal.

Alex is the vendor I have done business with for years. He is calm, cool and collected. He isn’t aggressive, which I like. Usually, I just kick back and visit with him the whole time I’m here. I tell him the goods I wish to purchase, he makes them and then has them ready for me on the last day. We have a system, and I can avoid all of the banter. I still haggle with him a bit, but he does give me good prices.

I have been looking for Alex at The Wall since we arrived and never finding him there, assumed he had moved on. A few nights ago, a fellow came to Annie’s Lodge and Patti and I ended up having dinner with him. He told us he is the manager of all the vendors. I asked about Alex and he told me Alex indeed is still in Zomba. I must have just been missing him due to the times I am down there. Today, when we stopped in town, Alex walked to the bus. It was so good to see him. We walked to the Wall together and looked at all his wooden arts. I told him what I’m in business for, and he is going to have it all ready for me on Sunday….just like old times! We caught up on our families, and I left feeling good to have connected with an old friend.

Next, I went to Tasty Bites with a few of the students. We enjoyed yummy samoosas and chocolate cake. Life doesn’t get any better than that here in Malawi.  When we got back to Annie’s Lodge, Danielle and Stephanie taught me how to play the game of Bawo (pronounced like to take a bow). Bow is a mancala game that is played with marbles and seeds on a long wooden board with holes. It requires a lot of strategy and quick thinking. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My first game lasted a long, long time. Danielle coached me on the rules, and I played Stephanie, who is the current champion in our group. I lost, but Danielle thinks I have great promise. Now I’m obsessed and already trying to figure out when we can play again!

Family and friends....get ready! I’m going to want to play this fun game with you when I get home!

A New Ball

School was great today. It was good to be back. Innocent (one of the teachers) gave another drumming lesson. He is such a good teacher. Stephanie, in our group, is the best drummer in our group. I think I need some remedial help. We then helped to feed the children for the feeding program. We had hoped to use primer on the bookshelves today, but we needed more materials (thinner). So, we will begin that project on Monday.


After school, our little troop of boys stopped to talk and play. This is such a special time of the day for me. It helps me to connect with some of the children on a more personal level. They try to teach us Chichewa and we teach them English. It is a really nice exchange. They are so funny. They dance, play games and just ask us questions and goof off with us. Today we did the limbo with them, did some break dancing (they’re really good!) and then I asked if they had a ball. The children in Malawi make balls out of plastic bags. They are good balls, made exclusively of plastic bags, and I can’t figure out how they do it. One kid had a bag, and I gave him one. Other kids immediately started coming up and adding more bags to the collection. Next thing I knew, they were building a small fire right off the roadside. They put one bag inside another, scrunched it up into a ball, and then held it over the fire. They let the plastic get a little hot; then they’d take it off the fire and shape it with their hands. Then, they added another layer, and another, shaping with the fire after each layer. Before I knew it, we had a great ball to play with. It was amazing!!! I am going to take more plastic bags on Monday and get them to make one for me to bring home.

After playing with the ball for a while, we played duck duck goose with them, danced some more, and just talked some more. It broke my heart, because before we got on the bus to come back home, Geraldi gave the ball to us and said, “Take it back to America with you and play.” Little Geraldi, with no shoes, torn clothes wanted us to have his new ball.

Mvuu Camp

When I was a little girl, I had a little safari set that I enjoyed playing with quite a bit. It had a tent, a grass fence, a jeep, and many animals, including elephants and zebra. I loved it so much. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined that I would actually get to experience an African safari for myself. This was my fourth visit to Mvuu Camp and I never tire of it. I could ride on the jeep or river and/or sit on the front porch of my tent chalet there for days and be entertained by the many sights, sounds and smells of nature.


Mvuu Camp is one of my most favorite parts of our visit to Malawi. Mvuu is the Chichewa word for hippo, and our experience at the camp encompasses a river safari, a land safari and a night/land safari, as well as a morning walk that begins at 5:30am. I view this outing as my opportunity to get to know the animal and plant life in this land that is so near and dear to my heart.

Hippos were scattered about along all of the riverbanks. They make paths to the land, which are called hippo highways. We had the opportunity to see a week-old baby hippo and its mother. Mothers are very protective and she made great efforts to shield her little one from our view. We also saw several crocodiles along the river, as well as storks, egrets, heron and eagles.

We saw a few elephants. One elephant was about three years old and its leg had been caught on a snare. It had difficulty walking and was all alone. I can’t stop thinking about it. We also saw a dead elephant. The guide said it could not keep up with its group and had settled down on the ground to die alone. …Another sad elephant sighting. On a positive note, the best treat of all was seeing zebras. It is rare to see them, the group was especially happy for this opportunity! We saw multitudes of impalas and waterbucks. We also saw kudu and heart beasts. A mongoose crossed our path, as well as a genet. There is a black rhino preserve at Mvuu, and we looked for them, but did not see any. Rhinos are very shy animals. It was fun to look.

On the night safari, the elephant sightings picked up, and my group had a riveting experience. At one point, we saw one elephant to the left of us, behind the jeep. The driver slowed down and the guide with the spotlight carefully scanned the landscape. We then saw other elephants in front of us, to the right. The guides revved the engine of the jeep in an effort to flush out all of them so we’d know where they were. A few ran by, with finally a baby elephant running as well. The one behind us was still behind us, so we could not back up. We had to go forward. Just as the baby elephant passed and we started to drive, we heard the trumpet of another elephant. It was dark; we could not see it, but it sounded close. I quickly hid my eyes, ducked and hoped for the best. We made it and returned to camp thrilled.

At night we retired to our chalets and were entertained by a symphony of sounds, with hippo grunting in the background every now and then. We woke early to take a 5:30am walk. We saw warthogs, which are my absolute favorite. We learned about the digestive systems of elephants and impalas. We picked wild basil and learned how it will help a head cold, and it also helps for sleeping well at night. It may also be burned as a mosquito repellent. We learned about the yellow fever tree, the origin of its name and how it contains a chemical that is helpful in the treatment of malaria. We also picked wild jasmine, which smelled so sweet.

The food at Mvuu Camp is absolutely scrumptious. For lunch they served stew, carrot salad and dessert – fruit crumble. It was heavenly! For dinner, we had cauliflower soup, Portuguese chicken, vegetables (the sweetest cooked carrots I’ve ever had) and lemon pie. Breakfast consisted of cheese omelets, freshly made butter, bran muffins, and fruit. We can eat the fruit at Mvuu and it was delicious. I loved every meal. The staff at Mvuu is top notch, very friendly, knowledgeable and professional. It was a wonderful two days!

The Pied Piper

Today I spent quite a bit of time in Standard 1 (first grade) at Malemia School. Two of our RU students taught English lessons addressing several verbs, as well as colors and numbers. I was so proud of them, as all of the 120 children were actively engaged. The class had to break for feeding time. The children ran with their little cups in their hands to get a scoop of porridge. Several ate their porridge by sipping from their cups, while others used pencils, sticks, or their fingers to eat it. Some had even brought spoons from home. When they were finished, they shared their cups with older siblings. During porridge time, I was circled by a group of little first grade children, all very curiously smiling at me. I interacted with them by using some phrases I know they are familiar with, singing songs, and just smiling back. I even took a few pictures, which always prompts quite a stir. They like to see themselves in the camera after the pictures have been taken.


Following the porridge break, more teaching took place and then it was time for the students to “knock off” as they call it. Standard One children go home earlier than the other children, because they are younger. My RU students were trying to hang some pictures in the room but had difficulty doing so because the children did not want to leave. They crowded around them, wanting to see what they were doing. The crowd made it difficult for my RU students to accomplish their task. So, to help, I started chanting, “I am walking, I am walking, I am walking,” and I slowly walked out of the door. As I chanted, the children followed, repeating every word I said. When I walked them all out of the door, I started saying, “I am running, I am running, I am running,” and I started to run in a circle around the front area of the school. It was just like a scene from the Pied Piper.    The children, as expected, followed along. Then, I changed to, “I am jumping….” to “I am dancing…..” to finally “I am sleeping….”. (I needed a rest). We repeated all of this several times, and then when I said, “I am sleeping” again, they all mimicked me, but I suppose they wanted more action, because a boy then started chanting, “I am dancing” and the whole thing started again, but with the children leading. It was a fun time for me, and I think they learned a few English words, too. I think I’m going to do it again tomorrow, but add more to it in an effort to build on each day. Ahhh, the little joys of working with these little ones!

It Is Well With My Soul

On Sunday morning, a group of us walked down the hill from Annie’s Lodge to visit the CCAP church service. CCAP is a Presbyterian church and they always welcome us each year. Several choirs performed. Some songs were new and clearly African in nature. Others were familiar hymns. One young man started singing in Chichewa, but I readily recognized the song – It is Well with My Soul. It was beautiful. They also sang Let It Shine, a song I am well familiar with from my childhood in the First Church of God. We were recognized as visitors, and they said a beautiful prayer for us. The minister thanked God that we can all be One through Christ, beyond the borders of Malawi, to all the ends of the earth. The message was about forgiveness and came from Matthew, using Jesus’ parable as well as the Lord’s Prayer as the scripture. It was an excellent and important message.


This afternoon, Annie invited us to her home. She had prepared a delicious and plentiful Malawian meal for us. I ate pinto beans that tasted just like home, as well as peas and rice. There was also meat pie, which tasted like a cross between a quiche and a casserole. There was chocolate cake for dessert. It felt like a Sunday meal with the family. She really out-did herself. After lunch, Annie took us to a village to see how “real people” live in Malawi. It was touching. Children, as always, seemed to almost boil out of the bush to greet us. “Azungas” they chanted , which means “white people”. They smiled and waved and stared, seeming to take notice of every detail on our faces, clothing, and skin. One boy struggled to get his brother in a wheel chair out to see us as well. I took his picture and showed it to him. He smiled and laughed. I wanted to connect with him and include him in the excitement. The other children also squealed upon seeing their images in the cameras. A woman from the village shared with us about her daily life, how they cook, bathe, wash dishes, etc. It is a difficult life, void of the many luxuries I know in my day to day routines. Seeing all of the children and the smiles on their faces evoked a lot of emotion in me. They are so joyous, yet they have so few of the comforts I know in my life. I wanted to just love on all of them, for them to know they’re special, to give them my jacket, my food, my comforts in life. The life they know is different, and it all leaves me with much to ponder about the genuine source of joy in life...I think I know what it is, and they do, too. :)

A Gentle Walk

On Saturday, we traveled to the southern region of Malawi to hike a portion of Mount Mulanje, which is the third highest mountain in Africa. At the base of the mountain, vivid green tea plantations fill the landscape. The mountain itself is rocky and grand, with a cloud of mist at its top. Clouds hover around it, adding to its almost mystical presence. There are many myths and legends about this mountain. Some claim they have seen “little people” living at the top of the mountain. Other tales include creatures that lure hikers away, never to be seen again. Some also believe that Tolkien visited Mount Mulanje when in Malawi and that this influenced his descriptions in The Hobbit.

At the bottom of the mountain, we were greeted by several people hoping to serve as our guides, as well as an eager group of vendors showing off their wares of carved wooden crafts made of fragrant cedar, which comes from the mountain. We hired two guides, one to lead us, and the other to remain at the end of the group, for those who needed more time to get up the trail. Lucious was our leader, and Wise One helped those at the end of the group. Lucious said he would take us on the “gentle walk” for our climb. As we walked along, we were treated to magnificent views of the mountain and the beautiful panoramic views of the landscape below and beyond the mountain. We saw a group of monkeys jumping from tree to tree, brilliantly colored flowers of blue and passed many young girls carrying large bundles of fire wood on their heads (and also barefooted) down the mountain.

The climb, however, kept getting steeper and steeper, making it more and more difficult to climb. I was at Mount Mulanje two years ago, and didn’t experience anywhere near the difficulty climbing that I was experiencing on this trek. I kept thinking to myself that I have aged more than I realized in only two years time and/or I am in worse shape than I thought! Did I block all of this out of my memory? Had I forgotten? Or, was I just in bad shape? It seemed to be totally up and down, and my frequent heavy breathing indicated the level of difficulty. It made me feel somewhat better when the students also had to stop to catch their breaths, but I was quite honestly embarrassed about the way I was handling it all. At one point in the walk two people decided to turn and go back. It was too much. I kept going and finally Lucious lead us through dry grasses that were taller than my head. It was at this point that I realized I had not, in fact, been on this route before. When questioned about it, we learned that Lucious (who has served as our guide before) thought this was the same group that comes each year. So, he was taking us on a different route, one that was clearly more challenging!

But, alas, we neared our destination. I hear roaring water in the near distance and it was a sound my ears welcomed. Finally, I saw it….A beautiful waterfall cascading down the side of the mountain, clouds decorating the sky above, and an array of rocks at the bottom of the falls. It was here that we paused to eat lunch and take in the refreshing view. We took several group photos and enjoyed the scenery.

The way back down was much easier, but we had to watch our every step, for fear of slipping. We were all happy we had “conquered” Mount Mulanje, or at least a portion of it. Our gentle walk was over. We were told that it takes about 12 hours to walk to the top. Each year, there is a Porters Race to the top and the winner usually makes it (often without shoes) in two hours. Amazing!

Following the hike, we drove to Blantyre, where we visited Annie Fletcher’s new Annie’s Lodge. We were greeted by her beautiful daughter Catherine, who had prepared high tea for us. We enjoyed tea, sweets and good conversation. The new lodge is beautiful and I think it will do very well. I was quite impressed. Annie and her family always go to such great lengths to make us welcome. It was the perfect ending to an adventurous day!

Treats and Sweets

What a day! Before we went to our schools today, we stopped by a different village school to drop off some backpacks that had been donated by a social studies organization in the United States. The school was quite a drive on a long, dusty dirt road. On the way, we passed women and their babies outside of their homes, oxen pulling a cart, and many many chickens and roosters roaming along the roadside. Finally, we arrived at the school, which seemed to appear out of nowhere. Students in Standard 7 (what would be our seventh grade) received the backpacks as a gift for going on to Standard 8. In Malawi, free public education is available until eighth grade. In Standard 8, students take an examination. If they pass, they are eligible to go on to secondary school. Secondary school has fees, uniform requirements, etc. So, many students do not go on in school for this reason. Now, back to the backpacks….


When we entered the classroom of students, smiles filled the room. A drum was passed to a boy student and then all of the students started singing and dancing and clapping to the beat. They sang, “We are dancing in the land of God, alleluia, we are dancing in the land of God.” Song after song was sung. Words cannot describe the joy that filled the room. It moved my heart to think that what is such a normal school item to us in the USA is such a gift and treasure to the students here. It is a humbling experience.

Then, we were seated outside where the school had prepared a program for us. Prior to beginning the program, they asked a teacher to lead us in prayer, as they wanted all we did today to be in the hands of God. After the prayer, various speeches were made, including one given by a girl in Standard 8, who thanked us for coming all the way from America to provide materials necessary for their learning. She asked that the heavenly God would protect us and give us a safe journey home and that He would bring us back again someday. A gift was presented to Dr. Patricia Kelly from Virginia Tech, as she oversees this visit each year. The gift was a beautiful beaded picture of Malawi. It was a true work of art that had been handmade by a teacher. The program closed with prayer and then the children continued to jubilantly dance and sing. I just tried to soak it all in.

School was great today. Our RU students are so good with the children and work well with the teachers here. I am very proud of each of them. Sarah taught math, Carly taught math and English, Stephanie and Caroline taught a life skills lesson and Heidi and Stephanie are teaching colors to the little Standard 1 children. It is a challenge to teach in this setting. I don’t know how the teachers do it each day. There are literally hundreds of children in each classroom, no desks, no materials and it is difficult to see with little lighting. Our Malemia School has improved so much since I was here two years ago. Classrooms are well managed, the feeding program is organized and learning is the clear priority. I am so impressed with the positive change that I see.

After school, Innocent (one of the teachers at Malemia) taught us a song in Chichewa. We plan to perform it as a surprise at our farewell dinner in a few weeks. We’re excited to sing it and see everyone’s faces when we do. While waiting for some of the students to get on the bus afternoon, five little girls hung around the bus. We are new people, we look different, and the children are curious. I had five pieces of candy and gave it to one of our students to give to them. They knew they had been given something special, but clearly had never had candy before. They put the whole thing, paper wrappers and all, in their mouths. Our student on the bus had to show them how to unwrap it and then eat it. They followed her model and their faces lit up with smiles! They tasted the sweetness, savored it a bit and then wrapped up their candies. They were saving them for later. When we left, they waved goodbye and it made all of us feel good that we had provided perhaps a bit of something small but special to the day for these little ones.

Finally, we wrapped up the day with a visit to my favorite restaurant in all of Malawi, Tasty Bites. I had chicken samoosas, spicy rice and chocolate cake --- YUM. The chocolate cake at Tasty Bites is the best cake I have ever had -- ever. The food was delicious and the dinner conversation was excellent as well. So, our special day ended on a very sweet note!

Patience is Happiness

Today was a busy day full of promise. Patti and I were happy to spend the day with Limbani Banda, a famous Malawian musician and beloved friend. (To see one of his music videos, go to:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsvuJrK37e8 ).  Limbani took us to the bank to prepare for our purchases for the day. As we left, a bank employee made a point to connect with Limbani, happy to see him there. The police along the side of the road told him they had his music CD and smiled. He helped us negotiate at the hardware store to purchase all of the goods and lumber necessary for the building of the bookshelves. We then went back to Malemia Village and dropped off all of the supplies at the school. Sesso, the carpenter, along with some young men from the village, helped to unload everything. I know it was very heavy.  The village children gathered to catch a glimpse of Limbani, and readily recognized him. And, the head teacher giggled like a school girl in his presence. They were so excited to have him in their village. We were asked how we knew THE Limbani Banda. So, this was a big day, perhaps not because of the lumber, but due to Limbani’s visit to the village. Patti and I felt like we were riding around with a celebrity!


I really enjoyed the time with Limbani today. He is a good soul. He wants to bring out the good in Malawi and for people to accept people as people, not because of money or status, but for what is inside the heart. He talked about how he is a patient man, and that patience is happiness. He is very wise, indeed.   I know I could learn a lot from his example of patience.  We talked about poverty and what makes people do the things they do. We talked about how God is the source of all things good.

During part of our time together today, Limbani picked up the phone and called my husband, Bob. It was such a treat for me to have a few brief moments to talk with Bob, even though I know it was very early in the morning for him. Limbani said it would be good for me to hear the sound of my husband’s voice. He was right. 

Limbani is a very special person with so much good to share with the world and so many deep thoughts on how life should be for the human race.  The essence of life is simple, really, and need not be complicated. I know that all who know Limbani and hear his music are blessed to have been connected with him. I appreciate all he has done to help us today and will never forget his kindness.

Blessings

The last two days have been full of many activities. It is difficult to recount them all. Yesterday, we met with the headmaster of the school, Esther Majawa, and we discussed the Malawi Chibale Project. Chibale is the Malawian word for friendship/relationship, and we want very much for it to be a sustainable partnership between the Malawian Schools in which we work and our universities. The project sees to it that children attending Malemia Primary School receive morning meals before school, complete with protein. Typically, the children at Malemia come to school with empty stomachs, for they only receive one meal a day from home.  Ten girls in Standards 7 and 8 have been identified as girls who have strong academic promise, yet they come from families who might be likely to pull them out of school to work or marry. The project provides consistent encouragement to the girls to continue in their studies, pen pals from the United States, as well as incentives for the families of the girls to keep them in school. We also sponsor two students from each of the three area schools to attend secondary school.


The headmaster reports that all is going very well with the project. The children are being fed and a shelter has been built for cooking the porridge. Grain and other ingredients are stored in the school office. The school children have also started a garden and provide many of the ingredients for the porridge with the garden produce. This is very exciting for us to see the teachers, children, and their families taking ownership of the project.

We also discussed other needs of the school. At the school, there are often more than 100 children per classrooms, with no desks or materials other than one chalkboard. There is no electricity. We are interested in having bookshelves made for each room so that the children’s books we bring each year can be in classrooms where teachers will use them daily. Today we met with a carpenter from the village, who is also the village chief, and he gave us estimates for this project. After our meeting, he asked if we could pray together. One of the teachers led us in the most beautiful prayer I have ever heard. He asked for God’s blessings upon all of the children and that this project would be used to glorify God and to bless the children and teachers who will use the shelves for books. He asked for God’s blessings upon us as well. I was so touched I cried and cried; Patti did as well. It is humbling for me to think about how they have so little in our eyes, yet they pause in the midst of busy meetings and days to ask for God’s blessings upon all they do and upon those they meet. There are many lessons to be learned from our Malawian friends.

Innocent, one of the teachers at the school, gave us drumming lessons today. He is a talented musician and a gifted teacher. We hope we’ll be able to learn enough to surprise the teachers with a performance of some sort (at least we’ll make them laugh!) before we leave.

I have also seen “my boys” this week. Alex, who is cute as a button, readily greeted me the first day. He knows I favor him (I can’t help it) and wanted to say hello to me again. They all call me "Jennypha". I also have connected with Roderick, the boy for whom we purchased glasses the last time I was here. He isn’t wearing the glasses, but he seems to be doing well. He remembers me, too. And, while walking around the path to catch our bus, I heard my name being called out from the top of a tree. It was Geraldi, my other ‘favorite’. He was very happy to see me and I gave him a big hug. He has been following our group ever since!

One of the workers here at the lodge told someone that "Jennypha is now a Malawian". This touched my heart, because I do feel like I am a part of these wonderful people.  I am blessed to know them and call them my friends.

It is amazing how little things mean so much here, and how much can be accomplished with so little as well. Most of all, I think people are people wherever they are, and we enjoy connecting with one another to build lasting friendships.

Family Reunion

Yesterday we traveled from Lilongwe to Zomba. We were on the road for many hours. When we pulled into Annie’s Lodge, my heart was at peace, for I knew we were “home”. We were greeted by all our friends here and it was a wonderful ‘family reunion’. Annie and Limbani came to welcome us, too. It was so wonderful to see both of them. They are most gracious hosts and beloved friends. We unpacked and settled in for a long stay. Our whole group ate dinner together at one big table and recounted our time in Malawi thus far. We were then treated with a nice chocolate cake for dessert, which was a pleasant surprise indeed! (We usually don't get treats of that nature here).

This morning, Patti (my friend, colleague and roommate) woke up and said, “It feels like Christmas!” We both giggled, because I knew exactly what she meant. We would get to see all of our children and all our teacher friends at the schools today. It was a big day, one that each person on this trip will remember for the rest of their lives. We truly did feel like kids on Christmas morning. 

Before going to school, I went down the hill to eat breakfast. As I was leaving, I saw someone peeking through a window at me. It was my precious and dear friend Tennyson who has taken such good care of me here all of these years. I was so happy to see him that I cried. Tennyson is such a hard worker. He leaves his home before sunrise in the mornings and walks for miles to get here. He is the kindest, gentlest, most gracious and fine soul I have nearly ever known. Selfless as selfless could ever be, he never asks for anything. He just wants those around him to be happy. He completes the work he does with joy and his joy and gracious spirit shines through and permeates everyone’s hearts. He is one of a kind in this world!

I also saw Alice, who also works here. She has ‘moved up’ in her job ranking here and is doing quite well. I love to see my friends prospering. She wants to see pictures of my husband (everyone is happy that I'm now married.  I think they've been a little worried about that all of these years).

At the schools, we were greeted by literally thousands of smiling children who wanted to each say hello and shake our hands. It is difficult to describe the feeling I get when I’m around them. It was also wonderful to see all of my teacher friends, such as Gift, Innocent, Esther, and Ms. Pikera.

After our school visits, we took the students to buy fabric (we are having dresses made) and to tour the market. We saw an array of vivid colors in the vegetable sec tion, smelled the pungent fish section, listened to the almost rhythmic sounds of the tin section where people were making watering cans and other goods, and we heard the crowing of roosters in the live animal section (yikes!). It was a lot of fun. We have a great group of students.

On the way home, we stopped in the teacher store, where I got to see my friend Victoria. She was totally surprised to see me, and we hugged and talked for quite a while. She and I met years ago and just connected. She is so happy for me, that I’m married, happy and well. She is a ray of sunshine. We also went to Tasty Bites, which is my favorite restaurant. Max was there, along with several of my worker friends. It warmed my heart to see them. We then retired to Annie’s where we enjoyed another excellent meal with friends, with lemon cake for dessert. It is good to be in my second home with my extended family.

I smiled so much today that my cheeks hurt this evening!

Freedom Gardens

Freedom Gardens is such a simple, yet complex place to visit. As we drove to Freedom Gardens, the surrounding area was very dry, dusty and brown with little vegetation. In the distance, there is a glimpse of green, a vivid green that catches everyone’s attention. “Green” is Freedom Gardens! Freedom Gardens is the vision and product of the late Dr. Chichunta and his wife who still resides there . They were convinced that farming could be successful by using the land, without the assistance of fertilizers, pesticides, and other man-generated products. Row upon row of produce decorates the landscape at Freedom Gardens. Bananas, strawberries, corn, onions, garlic, cucumbers, even garlic, are growing free of chemicals at this bountiful place. Irrigation is used, companion planting, and organic pesticides are used to keep a balance in the eco-system. It is absolutely incredible to see what can be done with some thought and action. I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Chichunta years ago, and his son Daniel is now keeping his dream alive. I know Dr. C. would be very proud of his son and all he continues to do there. Dr. Chinhunta once said that farming was commissioned by God in the Bible – the Book of Genesis. All I can say is that Freedom Gardens makes me feel like I might have had a glimpse of what the Garden of Eden must have looked like – bountiful food, beauty and harmony between God, man and nature.

Long Way to Lilongwe

It has been a long journey, but we have finally arrived in Malawi! The first flight was 18 hours, and then we stayed overnight in Ethiopia. The next leg of our journey here took 3 1/2 hours, with lots of waiting in lines. Patience is a virtue, I keep telling myself. Both flights were long, but smooth, and I met some very interesting people along the way. I met one woman from Ethiopia who told me a lot about the culture there and the education system. I met another girl from Malawi who is now working in Ireland. It was interesting to hear her story, and she likewise enjoyed hearing about our Malawi Chibale Project. We also talked a lot about God, and how He is always faithful to get us where he desires for us to be in life. I love how Malawians view life in such a positive light. They are very hopeful, happy, and thankful people.

Once we arrived in Lilongwe, we went to our lodge. The owner, who is now, after 4 years, like a family member, met us at the door. He always goes to great lengths to make us feel welcome. We then exchanged money and purchased water. We can't drink anything other than bottled water here. I also bought some tomato flavored potato chips, one of my favorites that I can only seem to find here. We ate dinner back at the lodge. Now, we're winding down and looking forward to a great day tomorrow.

It is good to be back!

One Day and Counting!

I am so excited to return to Malawi this year! I look forward to all the many sights, sounds and smells that are unique to the Warm Heart of Africa. Most of all, I look forward to seeing my many dear friends, big and small. We leave at 8:30pm tomorrow evening. I am packed and ready to go!

My group and I will be taking an assortment of special items donated from various friends, family and members of the community. Items in our bags range from book bags, funds to continue our feeding program, messages to penpals sponsored through our girls' project, books for the Malemia School Library, school supplies, craft materials, music, first aid supplies, and even toothbrushes. I can't wait to see the smiles on their faces! Many thanks to everyone who has participated in making these smiles happen.

I also appreciate the warm wishes and prayers of all who will be following our ventures via this blog. I welcome your comments and questions throughout the journey!