Well, I was cooking dinner, but the power went out, so I decided to take this moment to journal. I CANNOT believe that this is my last night here. I don't want to leave! I feel like I've finally really gotten settled and really found my place here. At the same time, I really do want to go home. I just want to know that I'm coming back here!
I think it's going to be easier to leave now, since Jayme and Danielle are gone, but I have so many friends here that I will miss terribly. At least most of them have Facebook. :)
I am just about all packed, I've taken a shower, and I've charged my iPod, so I'm ready to go! (I just have to find my heart. Malawi seems to have stolen it.)
This morning at the nursery, Mwawi was helping me figure out my ride to the airport, and Zuze said, "She's not leaving tomorrow - I'm going to steal her passport."
This morning, while we were at the nursery, Mike all of a sudden left for the main office. When he came back, I asked him what he had needed to do there, and he said, "I went to talk to Feneck to make sure everything was set up for your ride to the airport tomorrow." I told you he was a good friend! :)
I am really hoping the power will come back on soon. I'm getting hungry! Mike and I are making pizzas (without cheese.) Should be pretty good anyway, if the power comes back on!
(Later)
Well, the power did come back on and we were able to bake our pizzas. I made an alfredo sauce for mine and it was almost like having cheese. It was good! After dinner, we just hung out, talked, and washed dishes. Pretty chill. :)
Now we're watching Big Brother with Fred and Mark. BB is the most boring, overrated thing ever, but Fred, Mark, and Laita love it and watch it all the time. Let's just say I won't miss it when I leave.
Laita just called me into her room and gave me a chitenje! It's one of the really nice, expensive ones and it's not like one I already have. It's tan with black pots on it. It's really cool and I almost cried when she gave it to me. Gah, I don't want to leave!
I have dough in the kitchen to make cinnamon rolls in the morning. It will be my last breakfast. :(
(Later still)
I'm about to go to bed for the last time here in my Malawi home. The cinnamon rolls are out of the oven and I got off the phone with Mom a little while ago. She told me to tell Fred (and Laita, if she were awake) thank you for taking care of me while I was here. I did, and Fred said, "Tell her thank you for letting you come! And tell your parents thank you for raising such a beautiful and well-mannered daughter. I'm so proud of you, Casey. You have to come back!" Then he hugged me and I almost cried again. I hate this!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
July 25 - Last Sunday
I don't like how many "lasts" I've been having lately. Today was my last Sunday here in Malawi and my last time to worship with the believers at Flood. It was a really good sermon, all about how God wants to partner with ordinary people and how the way we begin to understand God's plan is by devoting ourselves to prayer. I wish Danielle could have been there to see her legacy of being a prayer warrior being carried on.
After church, Annie and I came back home and just relaxed. We both needed a day off. :) We made popcorn and watched movies, I knitted, we started dinner (spaghetti sauce,) etc. I've had a good time getting to know her better now that Jayme and Jenna are gone. She is a sweet person.
Dinner was good! We had spaghetti sauce with penne, fresh bread, and brownies. It was so much better than my fried rice flop last night. :P Tomorrow night we're making pizza with leftover spaghetti sauce, though it may turn out to just be sauce and bread, judging by the availability of toppings around here. We'll see.
Tomorrow Annie and I (and maybe Mike) are going to the nursery for my last full day. That's insane!
After church, Annie and I came back home and just relaxed. We both needed a day off. :) We made popcorn and watched movies, I knitted, we started dinner (spaghetti sauce,) etc. I've had a good time getting to know her better now that Jayme and Jenna are gone. She is a sweet person.
Dinner was good! We had spaghetti sauce with penne, fresh bread, and brownies. It was so much better than my fried rice flop last night. :P Tomorrow night we're making pizza with leftover spaghetti sauce, though it may turn out to just be sauce and bread, judging by the availability of toppings around here. We'll see.
Tomorrow Annie and I (and maybe Mike) are going to the nursery for my last full day. That's insane!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
July 24 - Volunteers from Afar
I'm not liking how close these dates are getting to the 27th. I am so excited to go home, I just wish going home didn't mean leaving Malawi.
I was supposed to go on some home visits with the group from AZ today, but I think they forgot that I was going with them, because they never came to pick me up. So I just hung out at the nursery all morning. A group from England was passing through today, so I got to show them the ropes. It was so cool to not be the "new guy" at the nursery. Even Mwawi said of me, "She's not a visitor. She works here." I was so flattered! It was very weird how possessive I felt about all the babies when the girls were playing with them and feeding them. These new volunteers didn't know my babies' personalities, little quirks and habits, stories, likes and dislikes, even their names most of the time. I caught myself feeling a little frustrated, but then remembered that, five weeks ago, I was exactly the same as they. It also made me realize just how far I've come in just five weeks.
When we were making popcorn tonight, Annie and I were talking about our experiences on this trip and how we've changed. She told me that before this trip, she was basically agnostic. She believed in God, but just as a higher, guiding force. Now, she said, she sees God everywhere and in everything! She said she is going to take all of this back with her to Sweden and wants to find a church back home. She asked to come to the Flood with me tomorrow. Isn't that AWESOME?
We had a nice chat with Fred again tonight. This time it was about controlling your temper and the difference between anger and temper. He comes up with these questions and directs them to me and takes my word as authority on the subject. It's really cool! Fred said how much he's going to miss me when I leave and how I have to come back. He also brought up our space travel conversation again. :)
I was supposed to go on some home visits with the group from AZ today, but I think they forgot that I was going with them, because they never came to pick me up. So I just hung out at the nursery all morning. A group from England was passing through today, so I got to show them the ropes. It was so cool to not be the "new guy" at the nursery. Even Mwawi said of me, "She's not a visitor. She works here." I was so flattered! It was very weird how possessive I felt about all the babies when the girls were playing with them and feeding them. These new volunteers didn't know my babies' personalities, little quirks and habits, stories, likes and dislikes, even their names most of the time. I caught myself feeling a little frustrated, but then remembered that, five weeks ago, I was exactly the same as they. It also made me realize just how far I've come in just five weeks.
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| Babies everywhere! (picture by Annie) |
When we were making popcorn tonight, Annie and I were talking about our experiences on this trip and how we've changed. She told me that before this trip, she was basically agnostic. She believed in God, but just as a higher, guiding force. Now, she said, she sees God everywhere and in everything! She said she is going to take all of this back with her to Sweden and wants to find a church back home. She asked to come to the Flood with me tomorrow. Isn't that AWESOME?
We had a nice chat with Fred again tonight. This time it was about controlling your temper and the difference between anger and temper. He comes up with these questions and directs them to me and takes my word as authority on the subject. It's really cool! Fred said how much he's going to miss me when I leave and how I have to come back. He also brought up our space travel conversation again. :)
Friday, July 23, 2010
July 23 - Danielle and Jenna leave (and I carry four babies at once)
This morning I had to say goodbye to Jenna and Danielle. :( I was over at the nursery in time for devotion and got to hear Jenna and Danielle's goodbye speeches as well as Mwawi and Daniel's responses. Tears were shed. Jenna spent some special cuddle time with Jese (her favorite :) ) and Danielle hugged on all the babies. I finally held four babies at once! I had Jese and Jestina in chitenjes and Shadreck and Misheck in my arms. Danielle said I was ready for quadruplets. Haha, we'll see about that.
I hugged Jenna and Danielle bye and more tears were shed. After they left, Annie and I stayed around the nursery. Annie wanted to cuddle "her baby" (Wanangwa) and I fed Jestina and then took her outside for sunshine and helped Anna with laundry. Lots of laundry. It was great hanging out with Anna and getting to talk to her. She asked me what I was studying in school, if I was coming back to Malawi, and told me how much she hated saying good bye to friends. A little while later, Annie came out to join us. She and I started talking about dinner plans, now that it was just the three of us at the house. Anna asked me when and where I learned to cook, etc, and then said, "I think you should just cook enough for Mike for the rest of his stay and he can keep it in the fridge." I told her that I wasn't quite able to prepare a month's worth of food and that I was sure Mike would be fine. I think she is actually worried about him. :)
After hanging out at the nursery for awhile, Annie and I walked to Crossroads to use the internet and buy some groceries. When we got back home, we reorganized and consolidated all of the food in the cabinets, now that Jayme, Jenna, and Gerda are gone. There were so many duplicates of things. We had eight jars of peanut butter, three jars of honey, four bags of flour, etc. It's all organized now tho! After that, I felt like I was nesting - I organized all the bags of medicine and toiletries that people have left, cleaned my room, organized my closet - I was crazy! It's nice to have it all done, though.
Tonight, Mike, Annie, and I went to Mama Mia's for dinner. It was a little pricey, but SO good. It was cool to go to a nice, sit-down restaurant. I had the Margarita pizza, which turned out to just be a cheese pizza, but it was amazing. The crust was thin, the sauce was flavorful, and the cheese was perfect. Yum! Halfway through dinner, Mike realized he didn't have his phone on him - his phone that had our taxi driver's number on it. We ended up having Annie (who was almost out of units) text Fred and ask him to go into Mike's room, find his phone, find the taxi driver's number, and then text it back to us. We used Annie's phone to call him, and all was well. There were a couple of minutes of mild distress, though. ;)
Once we got home, I talked to Mom on the phone. It was so good to hear her voice, but it made me realize how little I've told her during these past five weeks. I have a lot of stories to tell when I get home!
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| Four babies at once! :) |
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| Roomies and twins. :) |
I hugged Jenna and Danielle bye and more tears were shed. After they left, Annie and I stayed around the nursery. Annie wanted to cuddle "her baby" (Wanangwa) and I fed Jestina and then took her outside for sunshine and helped Anna with laundry. Lots of laundry. It was great hanging out with Anna and getting to talk to her. She asked me what I was studying in school, if I was coming back to Malawi, and told me how much she hated saying good bye to friends. A little while later, Annie came out to join us. She and I started talking about dinner plans, now that it was just the three of us at the house. Anna asked me when and where I learned to cook, etc, and then said, "I think you should just cook enough for Mike for the rest of his stay and he can keep it in the fridge." I told her that I wasn't quite able to prepare a month's worth of food and that I was sure Mike would be fine. I think she is actually worried about him. :)
After hanging out at the nursery for awhile, Annie and I walked to Crossroads to use the internet and buy some groceries. When we got back home, we reorganized and consolidated all of the food in the cabinets, now that Jayme, Jenna, and Gerda are gone. There were so many duplicates of things. We had eight jars of peanut butter, three jars of honey, four bags of flour, etc. It's all organized now tho! After that, I felt like I was nesting - I organized all the bags of medicine and toiletries that people have left, cleaned my room, organized my closet - I was crazy! It's nice to have it all done, though.
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| So much food! |
Tonight, Mike, Annie, and I went to Mama Mia's for dinner. It was a little pricey, but SO good. It was cool to go to a nice, sit-down restaurant. I had the Margarita pizza, which turned out to just be a cheese pizza, but it was amazing. The crust was thin, the sauce was flavorful, and the cheese was perfect. Yum! Halfway through dinner, Mike realized he didn't have his phone on him - his phone that had our taxi driver's number on it. We ended up having Annie (who was almost out of units) text Fred and ask him to go into Mike's room, find his phone, find the taxi driver's number, and then text it back to us. We used Annie's phone to call him, and all was well. There were a couple of minutes of mild distress, though. ;)
Once we got home, I talked to Mom on the phone. It was so good to hear her voice, but it made me realize how little I've told her during these past five weeks. I have a lot of stories to tell when I get home!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
July 22 - Last Mobile Medical Clinic
Today was my last mobile medical clinic. It was held at Khwamba, which is where my first MMC was - we've come full circle!
We had a mission team from Arizona with us today, so we had more than enough hands. There wasn't a lot of work to do, but I still managed to find some. When we first got there, I helped set up and organize the pharmacy and then relieved Mike at temps later in the morning. For the rest of the time, I played with kids. Khwamba has the cutest kids! We played hand clapping games, played catch with bits of bark and rocks (I declined playing catch with a rabbit pellet :P ) and just sat and sort of talked with each other. Later in the morning, I was feeling really tired (I'm still kind of sick) so I went outside and sat in the sun. About five or six kids came and sat with me, not begging to play, but just sitting/snuggling with me. One little girl laid her head in my lap and I stroked her hair. At the same time, I had a little girl holding and playing with my other hand, and another one playing with my hair. It was a special moment. :)
Gerda is leaving tonight to go back home and Danielle and Jenna leave tomorrow morning. Things are winding down around here.
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| Setting up the pharmacy (picture from Mrs. Carmel) |
We had a mission team from Arizona with us today, so we had more than enough hands. There wasn't a lot of work to do, but I still managed to find some. When we first got there, I helped set up and organize the pharmacy and then relieved Mike at temps later in the morning. For the rest of the time, I played with kids. Khwamba has the cutest kids! We played hand clapping games, played catch with bits of bark and rocks (I declined playing catch with a rabbit pellet :P ) and just sat and sort of talked with each other. Later in the morning, I was feeling really tired (I'm still kind of sick) so I went outside and sat in the sun. About five or six kids came and sat with me, not begging to play, but just sitting/snuggling with me. One little girl laid her head in my lap and I stroked her hair. At the same time, I had a little girl holding and playing with my other hand, and another one playing with my hair. It was a special moment. :)
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| Playing catch with the kids (picture from Mrs. Carmel) |
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| Surrounded by kiddos (picture from Jenna) |
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| Me, Khwamba kids, and Annie (picture from Jenna) |
Gerda is leaving tonight to go back home and Danielle and Jenna leave tomorrow morning. Things are winding down around here.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
July 21 - Nursery Par-tay!
I took some Tylenol PM last night to help me sleep, and it sure did! I woke up at 8AM instead of 5:30 like I have all week. Unfortunately, I missed devotional at the nursery.
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| Me and Mateyu (picture by Jenna) |
We went over to the nursery around 9AM and just did our regular deal, lovin' on babies and such. Wanangwa looks awesome! She's growing and becoming more alert and interactive. Mateyu still needs to grow, but he eats well, so it won't be long. All of the other babies are doing well. I spent a lot of time with Misheck, Shadreck, and Mercy, which I hadn't really done before. I am going to miss these kids SO much. Even if I were able to come back here next year, I probably wouldn't see them. :(
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| Me and Mercy :) |
Lunch was prepared for us by the cook (I can't remember her name) and it was good! It was the same thing we had at the other party during my first week here - fried chicken, rice, and coleslaw. Oh, funny story - while we were eating, I was sitting with Anna, Danielle, Jenna, and Annie, and I said something about how I needed to get back to Teethsavers early so I could get started on dinner. Anna turned to me and said, "I have heard you are a good cook." I replied that I really enjoyed cooking, and she said, "Mike told me you were a good cook and he was complaining about you leaving. He said he was going to miss having you around."
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| Dancing with Chifu and Anjesson, Anna and Mwawi's soon-to-be-adopted sons! (picture by Jenna) |
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| Danielle, Annie, Anna, and I in the backyard of the nursery (picture by Jenna) |
The party was really fun. We were outside because the weather was gorgeous, there was Malawian music playing, people were dancing, singing, and laughing, babies were playing on blankets in the grass, and everyone was just happy. It reminded me of why I love this place so much. It was perfect.
I made potato chowder, rolls, and peach crisp for dinner tonight. It was pretty good! It's going to be so strange to go back home and have recipes and measuring utensils again. :P Danielle came over for dinner and games. We played Malawi "Uno" and Spoons. Lots of Spoons. Fred likes Spoons. :)
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| Jenna, Fred, Mike, Mark, and I playing Spoons (picture by Danielle) |
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
July 20 - Flood Church Prayer Meeting
Spent the morning at the nursery again today. More cuddling and feeding. For some reason, a lot of the babies were really whiny today. I just decided they could all have an early nap. :) We also helped pack medicines for the medical clinic on Thursday. Annie, Jenna, Mike, and I went to Ali Baba for lunch and then we went to use the internet. I looked at pictures that Jayme had posted, but the internet was SO slow. We went to ShopRite afterward so that Annie could buy some donations for the nursery, and I picked up some groceries for the house. Jenna wanted to get some brownie mix, but it cost K1400! That's about $10. Ridiculous. I picked up a can of peaches for K500 so I can make a crisp of some kind.
I took a minibus (by myself!) back to the nursery so that Danielle and I could walk to the African Bible College campus for a Flood Church prayer meeting. It was so great! Prayer, worship, Scripture reading - a sweet time with the Lord and other believers. After, we went to Cafe Delight for ice cream! They had strawberry vanilla swirl. Yum! The pastor drove me back to Teethsavers and brought me all the way to the door. It was very nice. :)
Tomorrow we're having some sort of big lunch party thing with the nannies at the nursery, so that should be fun.
I haven't been able to shake this cold thing, so I'm convinced it's something in the air here. Hopefully I can get better when I go home - in ONE week! I can't believe it!
I took a minibus (by myself!) back to the nursery so that Danielle and I could walk to the African Bible College campus for a Flood Church prayer meeting. It was so great! Prayer, worship, Scripture reading - a sweet time with the Lord and other believers. After, we went to Cafe Delight for ice cream! They had strawberry vanilla swirl. Yum! The pastor drove me back to Teethsavers and brought me all the way to the door. It was very nice. :)
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| Main gate of ABC |
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| At Cafe Delight with Danielle and the Flood crew (picture from Danielle) |
Tomorrow we're having some sort of big lunch party thing with the nannies at the nursery, so that should be fun.
I haven't been able to shake this cold thing, so I'm convinced it's something in the air here. Hopefully I can get better when I go home - in ONE week! I can't believe it!
Monday, July 19, 2010
July 19 - "Pastor for the day"
We spent all day at the nursery today. Gerda and Mike went with Fred and Laita to a Teethsavers "mission" and Annie, Jenna, and I walked over to the nursery around 7:45AM so we would be there in time for devotion. When we got there, Anna gave each of us big hugs and told us that one of us needed to be a pastor that day, i.e., lead devotion. Annie and Jenna nominated me, so after singing a couple of hymns, Anna turned it over to me. I obviously hadn't prepared anything, so I just read Psalm 121 and talked about how encouraging it was and how real it was to me now, after being here. It was so cool to hear one of the nannies read the passage in Chichewa. All I understood was "Yehovah" for "Lord," but that's ok.
After devotional, we just hung out and helped with the babies. We did a lot of feeding and cuddling. I love going in the morning because all of the babies are in such good moods. :) I love love love those kids. Misheck, Shadreck, Tia, Jese, Jestina, all of them! Daddy told me today that there is more room in our family for any babies I can't leave behind. :)
We cooked sweet potatoes with spaghetti sauce for dinner. It was Annie's idea, and even though it sounds weird, it was actually really good!
Tomorrow marks the "one week left" of my time here. I can't believe it. Cannot believe it! Four weeks have flown by! There are so many things I am going to miss about this place. I will just have to make this last week count! :)
After devotional, we just hung out and helped with the babies. We did a lot of feeding and cuddling. I love going in the morning because all of the babies are in such good moods. :) I love love love those kids. Misheck, Shadreck, Tia, Jese, Jestina, all of them! Daddy told me today that there is more room in our family for any babies I can't leave behind. :)
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| Me and my babies! :) (picture from Annie) |
We cooked sweet potatoes with spaghetti sauce for dinner. It was Annie's idea, and even though it sounds weird, it was actually really good!
Tomorrow marks the "one week left" of my time here. I can't believe it. Cannot believe it! Four weeks have flown by! There are so many things I am going to miss about this place. I will just have to make this last week count! :)
Sunday, July 18, 2010
July 18 - Sunday with Danielle
Today has been a lovely Sunday! I woke up really early for some reason, and just laid in my bed listening to worship music on my iPod for a couple of hours. It was wonderful! Then I finally got up, even though I didn't really want to, made breakfast, and did some laundry before church. Jenna, Annie, and I went to Flood Church again and met Danielle there. The church had Fantas for everyone - kind of like how my church has coffee for everyone, but not. :)
After church, Danielle and I went to get lunch and go shopping while Jenna and Annie went to Crossroads to do shopping and hang out at the hotel. Danielle and I went to a little Italian bistro in town and I got an amazing tomato/mozzerella/pesto panini and divine coffee and tiramisu gelato. Oh gosh, it was so good.
We walked through the vegetable market, across a rickety, K10 toll bridge, and through the clothing market on our way to the chitenje market. We each bought four chitenjes. :) I think I now have enough to do all of the sewing I want to do when I get home.
We then went to the woodcarvers market for Danielle to buy some gifts. I am losing patience with that place. The stuff is really cool, but fending off the sellers is exhausting. I can't wait to go back home and shop in peace!
We walked back to the crisis nursery and hung out there for awhile. Danielle had to give some medicine to the newest baby, a four day old baby girl named Mayonkho (my-on-ko.) Maria-boy has been renamed Matteo, and Wanangwa is healthy. :) I cuddled Misheck for awhile. He is so cute! I think he's teething, because he kept trying to gnaw on everything - my shoulder, my cheek, my thumb - good times, good times. :)
We came back this evening to Gerda preparing a huge stack of Dutch pancakes. They are kind of like crepes and soooo delicious. I ate five. :)
After church, Danielle and I went to get lunch and go shopping while Jenna and Annie went to Crossroads to do shopping and hang out at the hotel. Danielle and I went to a little Italian bistro in town and I got an amazing tomato/mozzerella/pesto panini and divine coffee and tiramisu gelato. Oh gosh, it was so good.
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| Danielle and me with our divine gelato (picture from Danielle) |
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| The toll bridge connecting the vegetable market and the clothing market |
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| Danielle, with her new chitenjes, in the chitenje market. (picture from Danielle) |
We walked back to the crisis nursery and hung out there for awhile. Danielle had to give some medicine to the newest baby, a four day old baby girl named Mayonkho (my-on-ko.) Maria-boy has been renamed Matteo, and Wanangwa is healthy. :) I cuddled Misheck for awhile. He is so cute! I think he's teething, because he kept trying to gnaw on everything - my shoulder, my cheek, my thumb - good times, good times. :)
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| Me and Misheck :) |
Saturday, July 17, 2010
July 17 - Saturday shopping and such
This has been a long Saturday. Around 8AM, Jenna, Annie, and I grabbed a minibus into town. We went first to the immigration office to extend our visas. This was my third time to visit the immigration office and the officers are still annoyingly arrogant, suspicious, and difficult people. I hope I don't have to go there again. After leaving the office, Jenna and I walked to the vegetable market to stock up on produce. We got green tomatoes, potatoes, lemons, and apples...and carried them around with us for the rest of the day. Not careful planning on our part, but whatever. Carrying a sack of potatoes is part of the "upper body" portion of my Malawi work-out regime. :)
We used the internet at CompTech Internet Cafe near the woodcarver's market. I wrote Mom a facebook message, checked my e-mail, etc. I took my time because it only cost K5 a minute! While we there, Mike came in, and while he was there, Linda came in! Linda is a young Malawian woman whom Mike met a couple of weeks ago at Cafe Delight. She apparently started hitting on Mike in the restaurant and after he told us the story, her name became a running joke around the Teethsavers house. So today I got to put a face to the name! It was all I could do to keep a straight face and stay focused on my own computer screen while she was hitting on Mike at the next computer. :P
We went to the woodcarvers market after leaving CompTech (and after retrieving the sack of potatoes that I left sitting by the computer I was using) and experienced the usual harassment. Jenna struck a good deal, though! She got a large elephant and a lidded bowl for K800! We paused our haggling for lunch at Ali Baba's and then returned to the market, nourished but tired. I wasn't planning on buying anything, but one seller was persistent about wanting to "give me a gift," so I walked over to his shop. He offered me a beaded keychain as my free gift if I bought a mask for K300. I told him I didn't want a mask, and then he offered me a small lidded bowl for K250. Well, I couldn't turn that down. I didn't even have to bargain for it. :)
Today was apparently the day to be out and about - we saw Danielle, Zuze, Feneck, Usay, Sam, and two of the nannies from the nursery! Good times!
One thing I don't like about spending so much time in the city is that I find myself lying all the time! "Yes, I have a boyfriend." "Yes, I am married." "No, I don't have any money." I'll be so glad to get back to the States and be able to go even an hour without being accosted.
I am so tired now. Shopping all day really takes it out of you!
We used the internet at CompTech Internet Cafe near the woodcarver's market. I wrote Mom a facebook message, checked my e-mail, etc. I took my time because it only cost K5 a minute! While we there, Mike came in, and while he was there, Linda came in! Linda is a young Malawian woman whom Mike met a couple of weeks ago at Cafe Delight. She apparently started hitting on Mike in the restaurant and after he told us the story, her name became a running joke around the Teethsavers house. So today I got to put a face to the name! It was all I could do to keep a straight face and stay focused on my own computer screen while she was hitting on Mike at the next computer. :P
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| Me at the woodcarvers' market (picture from Danielle) |
We went to the woodcarvers market after leaving CompTech (and after retrieving the sack of potatoes that I left sitting by the computer I was using) and experienced the usual harassment. Jenna struck a good deal, though! She got a large elephant and a lidded bowl for K800! We paused our haggling for lunch at Ali Baba's and then returned to the market, nourished but tired. I wasn't planning on buying anything, but one seller was persistent about wanting to "give me a gift," so I walked over to his shop. He offered me a beaded keychain as my free gift if I bought a mask for K300. I told him I didn't want a mask, and then he offered me a small lidded bowl for K250. Well, I couldn't turn that down. I didn't even have to bargain for it. :)
Today was apparently the day to be out and about - we saw Danielle, Zuze, Feneck, Usay, Sam, and two of the nannies from the nursery! Good times!
One thing I don't like about spending so much time in the city is that I find myself lying all the time! "Yes, I have a boyfriend." "Yes, I am married." "No, I don't have any money." I'll be so glad to get back to the States and be able to go even an hour without being accosted.
I am so tired now. Shopping all day really takes it out of you!
My heart - that thing that beats and loves and breaks
I can't believe I have been here for three and a half weeks already! In some ways it feels like just a few days, and in other ways it feels like I've been here three months.
My heart is certainly getting a workout. I joked before leaving about the struggle to not bring orphans home with me, but I had no idea how hard it would actually be! I have so much love for every single one of these precious kids - both the babies at the nursery and the kids I meet in the villages. If I ever doubted my calling to missions, I certainly don't now. I am SO happy and SO fulfilled just to love and serve the people here.
We went on home visits yesterday, where we visit families in the villages and bring them some supplies like salt, sugar, and soap and also just sit and talk with them. I absolutely love doing home visits - I could do them every day! One of the families we visited was made up of three children and a father. The mother died three years ago and the father provided for the children, but he wasn't really around to care for them. The oldest girl, Erin (15,) cared for herself and her two younger brothers, Edwin (12) and Edward (9.) She had such a quiet strength about her, like she had seen and been through more than she ever should have, yet she still had a flicker of innocence and a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Even though we couldn't directly talk to each other, I felt like we connected just by sitting together on the dirt floor of their home. I understood the sense of responsibility she felt for her siblings, and the importance she placed on caring for them, because it's the same way I feel about my brother and sisters - I've just never had to take care of them without electricity, without water, without beds, without food, and without a mother. I just wanted to sit with her for hours, talk with her, and hug her, and give her any comfort and encouragement I could, but I knew that I had to leave. Thankfully God is bigger than me, and I know He is watching out for Erin and her family. My heart is just a little raw.
There are three babies at the nursery who have completely stolen my heart. There is a set of twin girls, Jessie and Jestina, and another little girl named Tia. I guess they're around nine months to a year old. They are absolutely the sweetest babies ever! I love holding them, talking to them, enjoying their smiles, and wiping their tears. I wish I could cuddle them for hours and never have to let them go!
My sensitive, motherly heart can't take much more of this. I would never trade the experiences I have had here or the love that I have shared and received for anything. ANYTHING. I just wish I could bring them all home with me!
My heart is certainly getting a workout. I joked before leaving about the struggle to not bring orphans home with me, but I had no idea how hard it would actually be! I have so much love for every single one of these precious kids - both the babies at the nursery and the kids I meet in the villages. If I ever doubted my calling to missions, I certainly don't now. I am SO happy and SO fulfilled just to love and serve the people here.
We went on home visits yesterday, where we visit families in the villages and bring them some supplies like salt, sugar, and soap and also just sit and talk with them. I absolutely love doing home visits - I could do them every day! One of the families we visited was made up of three children and a father. The mother died three years ago and the father provided for the children, but he wasn't really around to care for them. The oldest girl, Erin (15,) cared for herself and her two younger brothers, Edwin (12) and Edward (9.) She had such a quiet strength about her, like she had seen and been through more than she ever should have, yet she still had a flicker of innocence and a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Even though we couldn't directly talk to each other, I felt like we connected just by sitting together on the dirt floor of their home. I understood the sense of responsibility she felt for her siblings, and the importance she placed on caring for them, because it's the same way I feel about my brother and sisters - I've just never had to take care of them without electricity, without water, without beds, without food, and without a mother. I just wanted to sit with her for hours, talk with her, and hug her, and give her any comfort and encouragement I could, but I knew that I had to leave. Thankfully God is bigger than me, and I know He is watching out for Erin and her family. My heart is just a little raw.
There are three babies at the nursery who have completely stolen my heart. There is a set of twin girls, Jessie and Jestina, and another little girl named Tia. I guess they're around nine months to a year old. They are absolutely the sweetest babies ever! I love holding them, talking to them, enjoying their smiles, and wiping their tears. I wish I could cuddle them for hours and never have to let them go!
My sensitive, motherly heart can't take much more of this. I would never trade the experiences I have had here or the love that I have shared and received for anything. ANYTHING. I just wish I could bring them all home with me!
Friday, July 16, 2010
July 16 - Home visits to Katondo and some deep thoughts
My heart has been through a lot today. Well, recently, but most noticeably today.
I walked to the nursery by myself for the first time this morning. I got there in time for devotional, which I love. We started by singing hymns in Chichewa. I'm getting better at reading and singing in Chichewa, even though I will never be able to match the clear and lilting voices of the nannies and the other MOH staff. Daniel led devotional this morning from Ephesians 4. All of his commentary was in Chichewa, but the Scripture stood alone. It was about being faithful to that which we have been called - "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, on faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." I felt like God was speaking to my heart through those verses. In just a few verses, He instructed me in how to act and how to live while on this grand adventure as well as reminding me just who He is.
After devotional, I went and played with my babies. Jese, Jestina, and Tia were all awake and in good moods. Jese was feeling better today and was all smiles. She was "talking" and blowing bubbles. I held each of my babies, cuddled them, snuggled them, kissed them, and talked to them. I love them so dearly - how am I ever going to leave them in just a week and a half?
I left the nursery around 10AM and walked back to Teethsavers because we were going to be picked up at 10:30AM to go on home visits. Our ride was actually on time, which is surprising. :P The ride to Katondo was fast and bumpy, thanks to our driver, John. It was like riding a roller coaster!
We did four home visits in Katondo. I absolutely love home visits - I could do them every day! I love interacting so intimately with the families in the villages, seeing how they live and learning their stories. These people are so gracious, so hospitable, and so open with everything. You feel as if they'd give you the shirt off their back even if they weren't wearing one. To see such poverty yet such contentment is astounding and humbling. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall see God."
One family that really stood out to me was one of three children; Erin (15,) Edwin (12,) and Edward (9.) Their mother passed away three years ago, but their father is still around. He wasn't there when we came by, but the children invited us into their home. It was the first time I'd actually been inside one of the houses. It was about the size of my bedroom (maybe a little smaller) and was cool and dark inside because of the solid mud brick walls. There was a bamboo mat on the floor, a basket of dishes, a pot of water from the well, a bowl of nsima, and a clothes' line strung between two walls. That was it.
My heart was drawn to Erin as soon as I met her. She had a lovely, gentle face with quiet strength in her eyes. I could tell she missed her mother deeply and was determined to care for her family no matter how hard it was. She is in school and wants to become a teacher, but at this point, even secondary school is a far reach, much less college. This girl, who is only a year older than my sister Erin, has been "mom" to her siblings since she was 12. Not only that, but she has done so without electricity, without running water, without beds, and sometimes even without food. I didn't want to leave that tiny house or its young keeper. I wanted to stay and embrace Erin and give her any possible comfort and encouragement I could. Even though we brought supplies for them, I knew that once we walked out that door, I would never see them again and their situation would stay the same. It was then I had to remind myself that "there is one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all." God sees Erin and her brothers - He knows the number of hairs on their heads. He knows their thoughts and hopes and fears, and He has just as much of a plan for their lives as He does for mine. Even if I had to leave them, He never does. They are in good hands.
I wish I had a house with a hundred rooms and could adopt every orphaned child I have met on this trip. I wish I could spend every day just loving them, teaching them, enjoying their company, and watching them grow. I wish I could wrap them in my arms and never have to let go. I wish I could spend hours making them laugh and basking in their smiles and unbridled joy. I wish I could be a mother to the motherless. However, I am a 19 year old girl from Louisiana with two more years of college and medical school to go. I'm not exactly in a place where I can adopt kids right now, and I probably won't be for a long time. I am reminded of what my airport companion told me before I ever even boarded the plane to Ethiopia/Malawi - "You can build a wall against the pain and suffering, or you can allow it to break your heart, just like it does God's, and allow Him to mature and teach you through it. You won't be able to help a million people, but you don't know if one of those babies you hold may grow up to do just that."
Bearing the weight of a sensitive heart isn't easy, but I don't have to do it alone. Thank God.
I walked to the nursery by myself for the first time this morning. I got there in time for devotional, which I love. We started by singing hymns in Chichewa. I'm getting better at reading and singing in Chichewa, even though I will never be able to match the clear and lilting voices of the nannies and the other MOH staff. Daniel led devotional this morning from Ephesians 4. All of his commentary was in Chichewa, but the Scripture stood alone. It was about being faithful to that which we have been called - "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, on faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." I felt like God was speaking to my heart through those verses. In just a few verses, He instructed me in how to act and how to live while on this grand adventure as well as reminding me just who He is.
After devotional, I went and played with my babies. Jese, Jestina, and Tia were all awake and in good moods. Jese was feeling better today and was all smiles. She was "talking" and blowing bubbles. I held each of my babies, cuddled them, snuggled them, kissed them, and talked to them. I love them so dearly - how am I ever going to leave them in just a week and a half?
I left the nursery around 10AM and walked back to Teethsavers because we were going to be picked up at 10:30AM to go on home visits. Our ride was actually on time, which is surprising. :P The ride to Katondo was fast and bumpy, thanks to our driver, John. It was like riding a roller coaster!
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| Me, Mike, and Jenna playing outside the Katondo feeding center (picture from Annie) |
We did four home visits in Katondo. I absolutely love home visits - I could do them every day! I love interacting so intimately with the families in the villages, seeing how they live and learning their stories. These people are so gracious, so hospitable, and so open with everything. You feel as if they'd give you the shirt off their back even if they weren't wearing one. To see such poverty yet such contentment is astounding and humbling. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall see God."
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| Annie, Jenna, me, and Mike sitting on the front porch of the woman in yellow's home (picture from Annie) |
One family that really stood out to me was one of three children; Erin (15,) Edwin (12,) and Edward (9.) Their mother passed away three years ago, but their father is still around. He wasn't there when we came by, but the children invited us into their home. It was the first time I'd actually been inside one of the houses. It was about the size of my bedroom (maybe a little smaller) and was cool and dark inside because of the solid mud brick walls. There was a bamboo mat on the floor, a basket of dishes, a pot of water from the well, a bowl of nsima, and a clothes' line strung between two walls. That was it.
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| Me, Erin, Mike, Edward, Edwin, and one of the volunteers from the Katondo feeding center (don't remember her name!) |
My heart was drawn to Erin as soon as I met her. She had a lovely, gentle face with quiet strength in her eyes. I could tell she missed her mother deeply and was determined to care for her family no matter how hard it was. She is in school and wants to become a teacher, but at this point, even secondary school is a far reach, much less college. This girl, who is only a year older than my sister Erin, has been "mom" to her siblings since she was 12. Not only that, but she has done so without electricity, without running water, without beds, and sometimes even without food. I didn't want to leave that tiny house or its young keeper. I wanted to stay and embrace Erin and give her any possible comfort and encouragement I could. Even though we brought supplies for them, I knew that once we walked out that door, I would never see them again and their situation would stay the same. It was then I had to remind myself that "there is one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all." God sees Erin and her brothers - He knows the number of hairs on their heads. He knows their thoughts and hopes and fears, and He has just as much of a plan for their lives as He does for mine. Even if I had to leave them, He never does. They are in good hands.
I wish I had a house with a hundred rooms and could adopt every orphaned child I have met on this trip. I wish I could spend every day just loving them, teaching them, enjoying their company, and watching them grow. I wish I could wrap them in my arms and never have to let go. I wish I could spend hours making them laugh and basking in their smiles and unbridled joy. I wish I could be a mother to the motherless. However, I am a 19 year old girl from Louisiana with two more years of college and medical school to go. I'm not exactly in a place where I can adopt kids right now, and I probably won't be for a long time. I am reminded of what my airport companion told me before I ever even boarded the plane to Ethiopia/Malawi - "You can build a wall against the pain and suffering, or you can allow it to break your heart, just like it does God's, and allow Him to mature and teach you through it. You won't be able to help a million people, but you don't know if one of those babies you hold may grow up to do just that."
Bearing the weight of a sensitive heart isn't easy, but I don't have to do it alone. Thank God.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
July 15 - Jayme goes home and Chimwangombe MMC
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| Jayme and Danielle right before she left (and we left for MMC.) (picture from Danielle) |
Well, Jayme left today. I miss her already. She was someone I could really talk to and goof off with, and her demeanor was always bubbly and fun. Before she left, she put all of her coffee and creamer in my cabinet, rather than the communal cabinet, because she knew how much I love coffee. I used some tonight and made and amazing cup of coffee with cinnamon. I wish she could have been here to try it.
It was so sweet - today while I was working in the pharmacy at the clinic, I had some down time, so I was just sitting on a box. Mike walked in, looked at me, and said, "You miss your friend, huh?" I half-smiled and nodded, and he came over and sat with me and talked with me while helping me bag pills. He's a good friend. :)
The clinic went to Chimwangombe (chim-wong-om-bay) today and we saw over 300 people. It was crazy! I worked in the pharmacy all day. I love it back there! I get to work with Danielle and Anna, I'm a little separated from the craziness of people in line, and I get to work with medicine. I'm learning about which medicine does what, different dosages for children and adults, etc. I really like bagging the quinine pills because they look like white M&Ms - the only problem is that they make me crave chocolate! :) I also like reconstituting suspensions, even thought it's a bit strange to just dip well water out of a bucket to make medicine. It's not the most sterile thing, but then again, neither is counting pills spread out on my skirt with my bare hands. I guess any medicine is better than none, but to my American self, it's very weird.
Gerda and Jenna made fried rice for dinner tonight. I'm just thankful it wasn't rice and beans like it usually is on clinic nights. Tomorrow we're going on home visits to Katondo!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
July 14 - Jayme's last day
Right now I am sitting up in the kitchen at Teethsavers by myself, waiting for a pan of cinnamon rolls to cool so that I can go to bed. :) Jayme and I made another batch for the medical clinic morning/her last meal here. She's leaving tomorrow morning and I am going to miss her terribly. She's been one of my best friends here at the house.
This morning, she and I went into town so that she could extend her visa. Even though she's leaving tomorrow, she didn't want to get caught at the airport with an expired visa. I was going to renew mine at the same time, but Fred said it might seem suspicious if I tried to renew it so early (two weeks) and that it was better to wait. I don't really know why, but I don't need to appear any more "suspicious" to the Malawi immigration office, so I decided to take his word for it. After finally leaving the office (which was run on Malawi time,) Jayme and I went to the woodcarvers' market so she could get a few more things before leaving. I got a pair of salad tongs and a bangle at put them in with her "package deal." We ended up getting two pairs of salad tongs, two (or three) bangles, a bowl, an elephant, and something else (don't remember) for just K1600 and Jayme's sweatshirt! It was so much fun. :)
We used the internet in town and being on facebook made me realize how much I miss my Millsaps friends. I haven't seem them since the end of April! :(
We came back home, via Crossroads, and Jayme bought a baked-in-ashes sweet potato on the side of the road for lunch. Then went to the nursery for the afternoon. I never realized how hard it would be to not want to bring some of these babies home with me. There are two twins, Jese and Jestina, that have completely stolen my heart. Jestina broke out in a big smile when I walked into their room and Jese let me rock and snuggle her for a long time because she wasn't feeling well. It breaks my heart to know that once I leave, I will probably never see them again. I'll not be able to watch grow up and learn and discover. I wish I could. I really wish I could...
When we came back from the nursery, Jayme and I made dinner. We had spaghetti and herb bread. We had to make the sauce with just fresh tomatoes/peppers/onions, but with enough cooking and stirring, it got thick and rich. Yum! I think it was the best thing I've made here so far. Even Gerda told me she liked it and ate two plates! :)
This evening, Annie's friends, the ones with the truck, came over for a little while. They're nice guys, but I got a little weirded out when Sam asked me if I was married and if I was coming back to Malawi. I'm hoping that doesn't come up again. :P
This morning, she and I went into town so that she could extend her visa. Even though she's leaving tomorrow, she didn't want to get caught at the airport with an expired visa. I was going to renew mine at the same time, but Fred said it might seem suspicious if I tried to renew it so early (two weeks) and that it was better to wait. I don't really know why, but I don't need to appear any more "suspicious" to the Malawi immigration office, so I decided to take his word for it. After finally leaving the office (which was run on Malawi time,) Jayme and I went to the woodcarvers' market so she could get a few more things before leaving. I got a pair of salad tongs and a bangle at put them in with her "package deal." We ended up getting two pairs of salad tongs, two (or three) bangles, a bowl, an elephant, and something else (don't remember) for just K1600 and Jayme's sweatshirt! It was so much fun. :)
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| Jayme in the back of the Teethsaver truck. Thanks for the ride into town, Fred and Laita! :) |
We used the internet in town and being on facebook made me realize how much I miss my Millsaps friends. I haven't seem them since the end of April! :(
We came back home, via Crossroads, and Jayme bought a baked-in-ashes sweet potato on the side of the road for lunch. Then went to the nursery for the afternoon. I never realized how hard it would be to not want to bring some of these babies home with me. There are two twins, Jese and Jestina, that have completely stolen my heart. Jestina broke out in a big smile when I walked into their room and Jese let me rock and snuggle her for a long time because she wasn't feeling well. It breaks my heart to know that once I leave, I will probably never see them again. I'll not be able to watch grow up and learn and discover. I wish I could. I really wish I could...
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| Jayme with her sweet potato in her backpack. :) |
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| Tia, Jese, and Jestina (and I'm the lap.) (picture from Jenna) |
When we came back from the nursery, Jayme and I made dinner. We had spaghetti and herb bread. We had to make the sauce with just fresh tomatoes/peppers/onions, but with enough cooking and stirring, it got thick and rich. Yum! I think it was the best thing I've made here so far. Even Gerda told me she liked it and ate two plates! :)
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| Jayme chopping up vegetables for spaghetti sauce! (picture from Jenna) |
This evening, Annie's friends, the ones with the truck, came over for a little while. They're nice guys, but I got a little weirded out when Sam asked me if I was married and if I was coming back to Malawi. I'm hoping that doesn't come up again. :P
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
July 13 - More Nkhata Bay
Fatigue overtook me before I finished last night's entry, so I'll continue it now. After we got settled in our cabins, we hiked down to the restaurant to order lunch. Several of us ordered a feta/cucumber/tomato/lettuce baguette sandwich, but they were out of baguettes, lettuce, and cucumber. They replaced those ingredients with regular bread, cabbage, and gherkin pickles. It was good anyway!
Because lunch was being prepared on Malawi time, Jayme, Mike, and I went down to the water's edge outside the restaurant to put our feet in the water, soak up some sun, and play with puppies. Very nice couple of hours. :)
After lunch, all of us were down by the water, and Danielle and Anna decided to try out the dugout canoe. The resort had a challenge that if two people could paddle the dugout out to a pontoon on the lake and back, they would receive a free night's stay. Danielle and Anna couldn't keep the canoe upright and afloat for more than a second. They tried about five times, and then Mike and Jenna gave it a shot. They had the same luck. Let's just say we all paid for our rooms that night.
Once giving up on the canoe, Anna and Danielle decided to go into town and Jayme and I went with them. We did a little bit of shopping (I bought bracelets for Erin and Ally and keychains for Caleb and Dr. Ammon) and then we had a snack of roasted maize and pink Fanta and took a break from walking. We would have taken it to go, but the owner of the store where we got the drinks wouldn't let us take the glass bottles.
We wandered around the market a little more and then decided to head back to the resort for dinner. On the way, we saw a little cafe that had iced coffee frappes for 200 kwacha! We couldn't pass that up, so we went inside to get one for the walk back. The bartender told us they were out of ice, but they could make us a fruit milkshake instead. We decided to try one and asked if they had to-go cups. The bartender said they didn't, but he could put the milkshakes in empty water bottles for us. TIA. When the milkshakes were finally ready, they weren't anything like an American milkshake. It was just chocolate syrup, banana, and milk blended together. No ice, no ice cream; it was really liquidy and barely cold. Oh well, the flavor was pretty good anyway and TIA. :)
Dinner was also served on Malawian time. We ordered dinner this afternoon to be ready for 6:30PM and we were served around 7:50PM. It was good though! I had pumpkin ravioli with a basil garlic butter sauce, a real salad, and freshly baked herb rolls. Yum!
After dinner, Danielle, Jayme, Mike, and I went down to the shore and sat on some big rocks out in the water and watched fishermen and talked. It was a nice end to the day.
This morning, we (Jayme and I) got up early to take showers in the outdoor shower that overlooks the lake. It was really cool! (Including the water, haha. The hot water ran out in the middle of my shower.) We had pancakes with Malawi honey and tropical fruit. Yum! Then we began the hike back to town to catch a bus to Lilongwe. We got one as soon as we got into town and even had seats! The drive was pretty uneventful; we mostly slept and snacked for seven hours. The scenery was beautiful along the lake. We even saw baobob trees!
We're back at Teethsavers and it feels like home! Funny how things work that way. :) When we got back this evening, Fred was watching TV in the den. I walked in to say "Hi" and soon after I did, a commercial came on that had a scene of an astronaut floating in space. Fred got this excited look on his face and said, "Casey, that's like what we discussed the other day! Now every time I see that, I think of what you told me. You explained everything so well. Whenever people are talking about flying, I know what to say."
Made my evening. :)
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| Jenna, Jayme, and Danielle, hanging out in the restaurant |
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| The view from the restaurant |
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| Mine and Jayme's feet :) (picture from Jayme) |
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| Enjoying the sun and the lake views! (picture from Jayme) |
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| Danielle, playing with two of the many puppies! |
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| Wading in the lake :) |
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| Anna and Danielle, about to try the dugout (picture from Danielle) |
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| And....it flipped. (picture from Danielle) |
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| Mike and Jenna give it a shot |
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| Roasted maize and pink Fanta! |
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| Me and Danielle enjoying our snack :) (picture from Danielle) |
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| Jayme and I, waiting for our milkshake |
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| Jayme and I with our Malawian milkshake :P |
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| Dinner at Mayoka (picture from Annie) |
This morning, we (Jayme and I) got up early to take showers in the outdoor shower that overlooks the lake. It was really cool! (Including the water, haha. The hot water ran out in the middle of my shower.) We had pancakes with Malawi honey and tropical fruit. Yum! Then we began the hike back to town to catch a bus to Lilongwe. We got one as soon as we got into town and even had seats! The drive was pretty uneventful; we mostly slept and snacked for seven hours. The scenery was beautiful along the lake. We even saw baobob trees!
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| On the bus back to Lilongwe with Danielle and Anna. I love these ladies! (picture from Danielle) |
Made my evening. :)
Monday, July 12, 2010
July 12 - Nkhata Bay!
We are at Nkhata Bay! Right now I am sitting on the porch of our cottage with Jayme and Mike, "journalling" and watching the fishermen out on the lake...
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| Fishermen out on the lake. Every dot of light is a lantern on a canoe! (picture from Jayme) |
(Two hours later) OK, back inside now. Jayme's and my mosquito net doesn't even reach the mattress, but I guess that's why we take anti-malarial medicine. :P
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| Our room at Mayoka Village. The cabinets had American flags carved on them! Random. |
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| Hanging out at MMM, waiting for Anna before we left |
We left MMM around 9:30AM this morning (supposed to be 8:30AM, but that was a Malawian 8:30AM ;) ) and boarded a minibus to Nkhata Bay. The drive wasn't that bad, but I was in the back of the bus, so I couldn't really see out of the windows and the bus was really packed, but it was fun anyway! After getting to Nkhata Bay, we hiked to Mayoka Village (affectionately known as "Mzungu Village.") This place is so cool! All of the cabins and everything are basically built into the side of a cliff overlooking the lake. It feels like a tropical paradise here!
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| The view from our room! |
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| Jayme, my roomie for the Mzuzu/Nkhata Bay trip :) (picture from Jayme) |
Sunday, July 11, 2010
July 11 - Church and the final World Cup game
I am writing this entry early because we'll be watching the final World Cup game at 8:30PM and I don't think I'll want to write after staying up to watch the game. :)
This morning we had breakfast early and walked to church with Anna. It's a Presbyterian church and we went to the English service. I really enjoyed it! We had hymn books so we could sing along with the congregation and we also took communion with them. I'm not quite sure what their "wine" was, but it tasted like cough syrup. The singing was great - I absolutely love African choirs. I could have listened to them all day long. :) We had to get up in front of the congregation and introduce ourselves (with microphones.) I can't wait to just blend in again. After church, we came back to MMM for a delicious lunch of chicken and chips prepared by the talented Peter.
After lunch, Jenna, Annie, and Gerda went to the crisis nursery, Mike went to lunch with a friend here in Mzuzu, and the rest of us (Danielle, Jayme, and I) went shopping with Anna. We went to the Mzuzu "Goodwill." It's a second-hand clothing market set up just like the other markets (vegetable, chitenje, etc.) Each seller has their own little stall and they each specialize in their own type of second-hand clothes. We didn't buy anything, but it was fun anyway. On our way out of the market, we stopped by the Mzuzu vegetable market. One of the sellers had stacks of clay bowls behind his avocados. They were really cool - rustic and "handmade" looking. We asked how much the bowls were, and the guy said, "150." 150 kwacha is less than a dollar! Each of us bought one. :) I love it! After we got done shopping and dropping our stuff off at the house, we went to Anna's cousin's house and had tea. Malawians are so hospitable!
We had the Hellers and Augustine over for dinner this evening, but the game just came on, so I'm going to go now.
(Added at 11PM) - Spain won! The World Cup is over. The next time it comes on, I'll be in medical school!
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| Me, Danielle, and Mike, walking to church (picture from Jayme) |
This morning we had breakfast early and walked to church with Anna. It's a Presbyterian church and we went to the English service. I really enjoyed it! We had hymn books so we could sing along with the congregation and we also took communion with them. I'm not quite sure what their "wine" was, but it tasted like cough syrup. The singing was great - I absolutely love African choirs. I could have listened to them all day long. :) We had to get up in front of the congregation and introduce ourselves (with microphones.) I can't wait to just blend in again. After church, we came back to MMM for a delicious lunch of chicken and chips prepared by the talented Peter.
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| Danielle and I on the way back to MMM after church in the back of another truck (picture from Danielle) |
After lunch, Jenna, Annie, and Gerda went to the crisis nursery, Mike went to lunch with a friend here in Mzuzu, and the rest of us (Danielle, Jayme, and I) went shopping with Anna. We went to the Mzuzu "Goodwill." It's a second-hand clothing market set up just like the other markets (vegetable, chitenje, etc.) Each seller has their own little stall and they each specialize in their own type of second-hand clothes. We didn't buy anything, but it was fun anyway. On our way out of the market, we stopped by the Mzuzu vegetable market. One of the sellers had stacks of clay bowls behind his avocados. They were really cool - rustic and "handmade" looking. We asked how much the bowls were, and the guy said, "150." 150 kwacha is less than a dollar! Each of us bought one. :) I love it! After we got done shopping and dropping our stuff off at the house, we went to Anna's cousin's house and had tea. Malawians are so hospitable!
We had the Hellers and Augustine over for dinner this evening, but the game just came on, so I'm going to go now.
(Added at 11PM) - Spain won! The World Cup is over. The next time it comes on, I'll be in medical school!
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