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!
Monday, June 28, 2010
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. :)
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!
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!
Friday, June 25, 2010
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!
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!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, June 21, 2010
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!
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.
Friday, June 18, 2010
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!
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!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
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!
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!
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