‘Are the goats eating intently?!?’

On our way back from Ekwendeni, Katie decided that it was the perfect opportunity for me to have my first Malawian driving lesson. Before we left, Ryan (being the concerned husband that he is) gave Katie lots of advice about driving. “If you come across a group of goats,” he said, “check and see if they are eating intently. If they are, don’t worry, but if they aren’t, watch out.” Here in Malawi, there are goats everywhere! But, they weren’t the only new thing that I would have to watch out for. There are also people everywhere, walking or riding bikes. Not to mention the potholes, chickens, cows, construction, diversions and mini buses that you encounter on the extremely narrow roads. Plus, they drive on the left side of the road! With all this in mind I apprehensively agreed to try. So, Katie and I switched seats, and I pulled the driver’s seat as close to the steering wheel as it would go, so that my short legs could reach the pedals. Then, I shifted into first gear (it’s a little weird to do that with your left hand), and we started down the road. My biggest problem was that I had absolutely no idea where I was on the road. I kept thinking that I was too far to the right, but really I was about to drive off the side of the road. Also, every time a car came towards me on the other side of the road, I was convinced that I was going to die. Once, while we were going through a busy market place, a big truck came from the other direction. There were people and animals everywhere, and the road was very narrow. I slowed down and got way on the right side of the road, but there was a bicycle taxi right in front of me! The man must not have heard me behind him, because he wasn’t moving out of my way. Katie was shouting “HONK YOUR HORN!!” over and over, and I was panicking. I honked and the man got out of the way, but Katie and I both nearly died from the stress. Thankfully, we both made it home alive, and the little pick-up is still in one piece. If you are ever driving in Malawi, the most important thing to ask yourself is, “Are the goats eating intently?”

A New Friend

While we were at the Women’s Retreat, Katie and I made many friends. All of the women there were wonderful women who are excited about serving the Lord. I was able to begin a friendship with Esther Kadzuwa (‘kadzuwa’ means sunlight in Chichewa), the daughter of the Free Methodist pastor in Ekwendeni. Esther is 14, and she and her twin brother Steven are the oldest of four. She is in Form 1 (9th grade), so she knows English pretty well. She is hoping to one day become a nurse, but here in Malawi, you must work very hard to go to University. I am praying that she will continue to do well in her studies. Before I left Ekwendeni, we exchanged addresses, and promised to write. I just received a letter from her, and I wrote her back in Chichewa. It’s a really great way to help me learn more Chichewa and learn more about Malawian culture. I praise God for bringing me a new friend!

Women's Conference in the Ekwendeni

During the first weekend in November, Katie and I went to Ekwendeni (a town about 6 hours north of Lilongwe) for a Women’s Retreat for the Northern Conference. We spent 4 days with women from different places in from the northern conference. The women were wonderful. It is really neat to be around them, because they are just like women in the states. They love to just sit and talk together. It was amazing to spend time with the women and really start to get to know them. Katie and I both spoke at the conference- I did two sessions. It's really crazy to me that a group of adult women would want to listen to a little nineteen year old girl. God showed me so much while I was preparing to teach, and He is stretching me in so many ways.

Playing Games in the Village

While we were in the villages, we were always surrounded by tons of children! We could always hear them shouting ‘Azungu akubwela! Azungu!’ (White people are coming!) It was a bit overwhelming at times, especially when they watched everything we did. So, Anna, Lydia and I taught them a few games. First we tried tag, but they mostly just chased the azungu instead of each other. Then, we tried hide and seek, but that was even less successful. Finally, we taught them duck, duck, goose, except we said mkuku, mkuku, ng’ombe (chicken, chicken, cow). In the north, they don’t speak Chichewa, so it was hard to explain, but I got help from a girl who spoke very good English. They all loved the game, and it was fun to see Anna and Lydia playing with all of the Malawians.

A Long Way from Lilongwe

On October 12, the Bartletts and I left to go on an eleven day trip to Northern Malawi. We took windy roads up mountains and through busy trading centers to the Free Methodist churches in the northern most part of Malawi. We visited four pastors and their churches in Chitipa and the surrounding area. We were so close to the top of Malawi that we could see Zambia and Mozambique in the distance. During our trip, we met many church members and Ryan and Katie were able to do special training with women and lay leaders. During church services, I was able to do a short children’s program. We were also able to see some of our students from Great Commission School and meet their families. Anna, Lydia, and Ella enjoyed playing with all of the children and making new friends. I was blessed to have the opportunity to spend time with our brothers and sisters in the north, and I look forward to the next time I can be with them again. We drove nearly 1200 miles total (300 on dirt), and we were a LONG way from Lilongwe.