Day 29
This morning we have a quick breakfast and get ready to go to Mzimba. We have been told our packages have arrived. Our first stop is Manyamula to pick up Wanangwa’s mom and sister. Her mother is sick. Apparently, she suffers from high blood pressure and has not been taking her prescription.
The Private Clinic
Our first stop in Mzimba is the Private Clinic. We drop Wanangwa, Tomaida, and their mom at the clinic.
Next stop the courier’s office where we retrieve our packages. We purchase some water and then meet Bless Soko at the auto repair shop. Our car is still in need of repair so Bless takes us on our errands about Mzimba.
Mzimba Prison
We go to the prison to try to meet with the Chaplain Peter, Jackson, and Cecilia old friends we have worked with in previous years. This doesn’t work out very well because of the Covid restrictions they are not all working at the same time. This was very disappointing. We were able to talk with Cecilia for a while. I gave her a school supply bag for her niece she is raising.
Cecilia called Peter and he met us on the road as we are going back into town. We find out that ministers are not allowed but we can transfer lessons back and forth through Peter. Lawrence was hoping to have a sit-down discussion with our three friends so none of this went as we would like but we did gain some needful information.
Azungu
There were seven kids beside the road watching as we chatted. White people are pretty rare and we are a spectacle everywhere we go it seems. The children always love to run and wave at us and call azungu. Esther gave the onlookers sweets. As we left the kids were waving and very happy.
Grace Kitchen
The car is still in the repair shop. So Bless drops us off at the Grace Kitchen to wait. The owners used to own a mobile kitchen in South Africa. Their food is very good. Lawrence didn’t realize that he had met the owner at the car wash a few days ago. People take very good care of their cars and wash them inside and out every few days it seems. The owners are very gracious and speak great English so we chat a bit. Soon our car is ready and Bless comes to say goodbye.
Some Struggles
We are excited to have our packages. Unfortunately, the packages did not contain all of the needed materials. We can find no available lessons in Malawi and shipping from the states is expensive and takes ways too long. We decide we must make copies for the time being to supply our students.
Day 30 We Visit the Mzimba Vocational School
Today is the day to visit the vocational school. When we arrive the director and teachers come to greet us outside the school building. We sit in chairs and chat a bit before we start our tour. The students are in class when we arrive.
Tour of the School
We start our tour of the gardens first and meet the cook for the school on our way. She is the wife of one of the teachers. There is a well right on the campus which is really nice. It also has a faucet with a hose attachment for easy access. We meet the gardener who takes care of the crops and the grounds around the school building.
Surrounding the campus are gardens and large fields of maize. Across the road are more maize fields and chicken and pig houses. These are all surrounded by a nice fence. After we cross the road we meet the caretaker of the animals.
Some of the teachers are given fields for their own use. Only one staff member lives in a house on the campus. The other staff members live very nearby.
This is a great facility. This school was started by Sunset School of Preaching. They are on a 5-year plan to get self-supporting. We complete our tour of the crops and are taken to greet the students in the class. This term there are only 8 students. The maximum capacity is 10 students. The students are here to obtain skills to be able to support themselves when they go back to their home congregations. They are either preachers or church leaders. I have not figured out if Sunset sponsors the students or their home congregation supports them.
The students introduce themselves and we are introduced. We give the students an ink pen and an old testament timeline. Soon their class is over and they are outside studying and talking about their timelines. The gardener and caretaker are also given a timeline. Everyone is interested and excited about these. Thanks to Lee Burgess! I am disappointed I didn’t get a picture.
Manyamula
We stop in Manyamula and pay for our larger bookshelf for WBS materials. We pay 45,000 K. I purchase some more fabric for shirts.
Life Group
In the afternoon we go to Life group at Justin Chirwa’s house. Lawrence does the lesson. and leads one song in Tumbuka. Everyone loves this! Our friend, Chiwemwe (the guy with the foot injury) is there and has made good improvement. It’s great to see him. Medias an older lady I met when I first arrived is also there. She has recovered from malaria. We have a nice time with them and then head home.
Esther and I help cook dinner. Tonight we have beef, mashed potatoes, greens, gravy, and fresh pineapple. Mashed potatoes are a new dish for them. As usual, I cooked too much.
Happy Birthday, Mom!
Today is my mom’s birthday. Our internet is out I assume because of the heavy rains. I am not able to be on the zoom call for my mom’s birthday! A few days ago I was able to email her when we had internet. I am thankful that my mom is a woman of God.
Today my mom is 83 years old. Although Covid has kept her home a lot more for the last year she is still active. She spends a good part of every day doing for others. My mom has many projects. She made 60 + baby blankets and many shorts and dresses for children in Africa and Honduras as well as a dozen full-size quilts.
My sister works in alcohol and drug recovery and my mom has made hats and bags for the women residents, as well as hundreds of masks. She is also a Bible Correspondence teacher for prisoners in Tennessee.
I am thankful for my mom and that she is still very active.