I'm somewhere over the African continent- making my long journey home. Yes, after 8 weeks my time in Malawi is already over, and I reminisce as I sit here on the aircraft. I'm amazed at how much my soul has changed; how my outlook with my life has changed, and how much more change is inevitable upon my return to the normal routines of my daily life. To catch you up, This last week was a bit hectic, and slow at the office-- with the FEDs house flooding, cancelled programs, and then going to villages for "makimanna" (nutrition education) to find that there is a burial service that day, and the village has turned into a complete ghost town. Keta, her friend Zorah and I spent this passed weekend in Blantyre, a city 4 hours north of Lilongwe. She was asked to do a teaching on salvation up there to a group of women, but insisted that I could stay home and watch the Germany vs Argentina game (we both couldn't miss it; and I asked God for forgiveness for choosing futbol over a lesson on salvation-- go Germany!!!). We spent Sunday afternoon visiting Zorahs grandma who lives in the village of chollo which is in the middle of the tea fields. It was absolutely gorgeous with rolling hills of green tea plants, all trimmed to the exact same height-- it was incredible; like God had taken a paint brush and just painted the lines of shaded greens, with a few mud huts in between. We made the drive back to Lilongwe, and I was white knuckled on our drive home in the dark. I now know why people don't like driving at night here. There are no street lights, people walking on the side of theroad with dark clothes, bicycles with no reflectors, dogs and goats and chickens crossing the road, and my personal favorite- tobacco trucks with no working tail lights or headlights. Throw in a few morons passing where they shouldn't be on a 2 lane highway, and it's a recipe for stressful driving, or "passenger-ing" in my case. Praise Jesus that we arrived safely, just exhausted.
I was welcomed at the office on Monday by some ofthe youth leaders from the villages that I had visited. Labiam, Dave and Yohas had biked to the office from their villages-- labiam is from Mdzinja which is an hour and a half drive away, and he had gotten to the office at 8am to meet with me. I didn't know they had come to say their goodbyes, to thank and to pray for me. I was overwhelmed by their spirit and so blessed by them. They said they had already seen improvement in Their youth groups, as the introduction of soccer had brought a lot more people to come to youth group, and even the village chiefs have seen a change in their youth. They were so thankful for my coming, yet I don't think they will ever know how much of a blessing they are to me. Their genuine hearts and their devotion to their youth programs is truly inspiring to me. As they each prayed for me, I began to cry as i realized my time here was over, and how in those moments, the Lord spoke to me and said "This was my purpose for you in Malawi", once again- affirmation. My capabilities and my abilities have been tested and stretched here, and used for His purpose. God granted me these abilities to use to further His kingdom, and for that I am truly grateful and this sense of accomplishment is washing over me again and again. I had no idea I would be sharing information about nutrition, and that was in my opinion the most rewarding and successful part of this trip. Don't get me wrong, the soccer was amazing and successful, but I also had some expectation of how it would go. With the nutrition, I had no idea I would even be used in that way, and the Lord prospered. The women are hungry for more information, and are wanting to learn as much as they can. The staff and I are planning on staying in contact, and I will be putting together monthly nutrition lessons for the staff to share with the women in the villages. I'm really excited about this opportunity; to obviously stay in touch with the office staff, but also to continue teaching and changing mindsets in the villages. It was bittersweet to say goodbye, but promised to return.. A promise I very much intend to keep. Malawi has STOLEN my heart, and not sure when or if I will ever get my whole heart back; I'm okay with that.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Grammar lessons
Oh, and after publishing that last post, I apologize for my run on sentences, my misspelled words, and my scattered thoughts. I'm updating everyone via my iPhone, and have 20 too many thoughts bouncing through my head as I type. I'm college educated I swear, even if my posts are not indicative of it!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
"The FED"
When I got my first wind of who "The FED" was, I thought, "who is this woman, and my the power she has.". Let me set the stage for you. Upon my arrival in Malawi with all 130 soccer balls, I had to go thru customs and explain to them what I intended to do with them. My customs card was filled with limited information, as I had no address of residence listed, and I mearly wrote down village names, all of which I completely butchered the spelling, and the customs agent made sure of it. Now Malawi has quite a corrupt government, as the customs agents could have easily confiscated the soccer balls for some illegitmate reason, and then sell them on their own and pocket the money (it's happened to visiting teams before who brought in sports equipment). So back to the story-- the customs agent refused to let me thru, as I see my brother waiting for me in the distance, and trying to tell the agent where I am going with the balls. A supervisor then came to talk to me, of whichi could offer up little information, and asked if my brother could come and give him the info he needed. He reluctanty waived Chris passed the security, and Chris spoke the magic name "Theresa Malila" and we were waived thru customs as if we ourselves were Malawian citizens. Goodness, the power of this woman, that even customs supervisor know not to mess with her.. What was I stepping into for the next 8 weeks?
If you didn't pick up on it, let me write out the equation for you.. Theresa Malila = "The FED"
Theresa is the Founder, and Executive Director of Somebody Cares.. She's got power. Anyways, I was completely intimidate to meet this woman and even more scared to step in her way. In the villGe, they call her "mother Theresa" which is fitting for her humble heart, and her absolute love for te children. But back in the office, she is all business-- and if you know her sense of humor, she is hilarious. If you don't know her sense of humor, you get a cometely different vibe from her. Thankfully, I understand her sense of humor, and we get along quite well. Okay, so you know the FED, now let's talk about why I'm really blogging this time around.. Haha
so I've been very busy with my nutrition education classes, and have had a lot of positive feedback from the women, the village chiefs and the administrative staff here. I've been updating the FED every once in awhile-- (when she asks) and she is also seeing the benefit of the talks. She was asked to go to a last minute conference that was held last week regarding malnutrition (thank you God), and she agreed. It ended up being a 5 hour confernce where she was able to gather information about malnutrition, and the part that government plays in edu atiin, the funds set aside, and then was able to talk with a company called valid nutrition. They have created these malnutrition packets that are made of powdered milk, sugar, peanut oil, and vitamins and minerals. It's a paste, kind of like peanut butter, but much sweeter and tastes really good! They are made predominanty for those children withHIV/AIDS-- and so she was able to gather info about the packets, and they gave her a box of samples of which we can pass out in the villages. They then invted her to go to their factory this week to see the production of their product, as they are based here in Malawi. All of which she shared her experience with me, and let me sift thru all the information she brought back, and how excited she is about the potential to partner with valid nutrition, and she said that if I weren't here doing nutrition talks in the villages, she would have never thought to go to the conference because it wasn't necessarily relevant to the mission of somebody cares. I was so excited to go thru the manuals that she brought back-- all of which are about low input food and nutrition security, and how to grow and eat more, while using less. One of my goals here was to crreate a manual of nutrition lessons that I could type up, and then train the staff here so that they could continue with the nutrition education classes after I have gone. There wasn't going to be enough time for me to write several lessons and train the staff on all of them- so I was praying that the Lord would have His hand in the planning process, and that I would write the lessons that would be most useful and helpful to the communities here... And then the FED walks in with this manual "Low Input Food and Nutrition Security. Growing and Eating More Using Less". I started looking through it, and it has every topic that I've been talking about in my lessons to the women, even down to the exact diagrams that I have created, they are the EXACT same in this manual. Talk about positive reinforcement and affirmation from God!!! ( I had been somwhat worried that my lessons were a bit lengthy and with complex information) the guide has food groups listed with thr crops and staples of Malawi listed in each one (something else I wanted to do before leaving ) and the info is presented in a way that even if you don't have much nutrition knowledge, you are still able to teach the material, as there are concepts and objectives listed, and questions at the end to make sure you and your audience understands what you have just learned. I was flipping through the pages so fast, like I was a 5 year old unwrapping presents on Christmas Jmorning-- I can't tell you the excitment in my heart for just the possibilities that will turn Into opportunities in the near future for nutrition education here that I had tears in my eyes bythe time I was finished, and the FED laughed.
My daily devotional is a new lesson each day in Oswald Chambers book My Utmost for His Highest, and today was about the Lord gripping your heart, and listening to His call, and then you must obey the call, and that you should not dilute the word of God. And if the call is God led, He will see it through the way that He intended. Icame into this experience fearful to have expectations because I tend to set the bar high for myself, and sometimes if you set expectations, you end with disappointment (it's happened too many times for me). So I gave the reigns to God and have been seeking His purpose on a daily basis as to why I am here and what I have to offer. I didn't even come here with the intention of teaching nutrition, but God is using every fiber of me while i'm here, and even though I am utterly exhausted at the end of the day, it is all for His glory, and I have never looked forward to such exhaustion as I do here. The Lord is ever so satisfying as ever so faithful I cannot put into words the blessing that I am walking in day in and day out.
After my flipping thru the manual pages and the crying session, the FED gave me a hug and thanked me for my work here; again- affirmation from the woman that I was so scared of -and yet, I now call her mother Theresa. She introduced me to a potential partner the other day as her daughter, and My emotions caught the best of me again. She brought me flowers the other day with a card that said, "welcome to my family" and I am truly grateful. I tend to accrue "mothers" everywhere I go.. (not to be mistaken, my own biological mother comes first, and I love her with everything that I am!) but From high schhool teachers being my school moms, to the ladies in the office that I worked with at point Loma, and now to the FED, Ms. Theresa Malila in Malawi . I am incredibly blesed
After my
If you didn't pick up on it, let me write out the equation for you.. Theresa Malila = "The FED"
Theresa is the Founder, and Executive Director of Somebody Cares.. She's got power. Anyways, I was completely intimidate to meet this woman and even more scared to step in her way. In the villGe, they call her "mother Theresa" which is fitting for her humble heart, and her absolute love for te children. But back in the office, she is all business-- and if you know her sense of humor, she is hilarious. If you don't know her sense of humor, you get a cometely different vibe from her. Thankfully, I understand her sense of humor, and we get along quite well. Okay, so you know the FED, now let's talk about why I'm really blogging this time around.. Haha
so I've been very busy with my nutrition education classes, and have had a lot of positive feedback from the women, the village chiefs and the administrative staff here. I've been updating the FED every once in awhile-- (when she asks) and she is also seeing the benefit of the talks. She was asked to go to a last minute conference that was held last week regarding malnutrition (thank you God), and she agreed. It ended up being a 5 hour confernce where she was able to gather information about malnutrition, and the part that government plays in edu atiin, the funds set aside, and then was able to talk with a company called valid nutrition. They have created these malnutrition packets that are made of powdered milk, sugar, peanut oil, and vitamins and minerals. It's a paste, kind of like peanut butter, but much sweeter and tastes really good! They are made predominanty for those children withHIV/AIDS-- and so she was able to gather info about the packets, and they gave her a box of samples of which we can pass out in the villages. They then invted her to go to their factory this week to see the production of their product, as they are based here in Malawi. All of which she shared her experience with me, and let me sift thru all the information she brought back, and how excited she is about the potential to partner with valid nutrition, and she said that if I weren't here doing nutrition talks in the villages, she would have never thought to go to the conference because it wasn't necessarily relevant to the mission of somebody cares. I was so excited to go thru the manuals that she brought back-- all of which are about low input food and nutrition security, and how to grow and eat more, while using less. One of my goals here was to crreate a manual of nutrition lessons that I could type up, and then train the staff here so that they could continue with the nutrition education classes after I have gone. There wasn't going to be enough time for me to write several lessons and train the staff on all of them- so I was praying that the Lord would have His hand in the planning process, and that I would write the lessons that would be most useful and helpful to the communities here... And then the FED walks in with this manual "Low Input Food and Nutrition Security. Growing and Eating More Using Less". I started looking through it, and it has every topic that I've been talking about in my lessons to the women, even down to the exact diagrams that I have created, they are the EXACT same in this manual. Talk about positive reinforcement and affirmation from God!!! ( I had been somwhat worried that my lessons were a bit lengthy and with complex information) the guide has food groups listed with thr crops and staples of Malawi listed in each one (something else I wanted to do before leaving ) and the info is presented in a way that even if you don't have much nutrition knowledge, you are still able to teach the material, as there are concepts and objectives listed, and questions at the end to make sure you and your audience understands what you have just learned. I was flipping through the pages so fast, like I was a 5 year old unwrapping presents on Christmas Jmorning-- I can't tell you the excitment in my heart for just the possibilities that will turn Into opportunities in the near future for nutrition education here that I had tears in my eyes bythe time I was finished, and the FED laughed.
My daily devotional is a new lesson each day in Oswald Chambers book My Utmost for His Highest, and today was about the Lord gripping your heart, and listening to His call, and then you must obey the call, and that you should not dilute the word of God. And if the call is God led, He will see it through the way that He intended. Icame into this experience fearful to have expectations because I tend to set the bar high for myself, and sometimes if you set expectations, you end with disappointment (it's happened too many times for me). So I gave the reigns to God and have been seeking His purpose on a daily basis as to why I am here and what I have to offer. I didn't even come here with the intention of teaching nutrition, but God is using every fiber of me while i'm here, and even though I am utterly exhausted at the end of the day, it is all for His glory, and I have never looked forward to such exhaustion as I do here. The Lord is ever so satisfying as ever so faithful I cannot put into words the blessing that I am walking in day in and day out.
After my flipping thru the manual pages and the crying session, the FED gave me a hug and thanked me for my work here; again- affirmation from the woman that I was so scared of -and yet, I now call her mother Theresa. She introduced me to a potential partner the other day as her daughter, and My emotions caught the best of me again. She brought me flowers the other day with a card that said, "welcome to my family" and I am truly grateful. I tend to accrue "mothers" everywhere I go.. (not to be mistaken, my own biological mother comes first, and I love her with everything that I am!) but From high schhool teachers being my school moms, to the ladies in the office that I worked with at point Loma, and now to the FED, Ms. Theresa Malila in Malawi . I am incredibly blesed
After my
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Thanks for laughing at me God
I'm in the middle of my work here, and starting to realize that the end of my trip is almost around the corner. Just when I was getting comfortable with the training sessions and nutrition talks, and now I have to start tying up loose ends! I guess I'll just have to come back!!
So far, I've been able to educate over 300 women (and a few men) about basic nutrition education and it has gone very well. They are very limited in regards to the importance of each food group, but have welcomed my teachings, especially when talking about nutrition for their children. Yesterday was my favorite group of women so far. When we arrived, they were playing net ball and having a great time with one another, which carried over into a great nutrition discussion. They were really responsive to my questions, and were asking for advice... Yes, children in the villages also hate vegetables and so their mothers are asking me how to get their children to eat them; it's a worldwide epidemic. Two chiefs even showed up for our talk, which is a very big deal in the village. I didn't get a chance to talk to them before we started, as they came in a little late, but I had noticed one of the men nodding and affirming everything I was saying throughout the talk. It caught me a little off guard at first, since he was so affirming of what I was saying before Theresa could translate. Once I was finished with the session, he stood up and introduced himself as the chief in impeccable English, and continued to thank me and bless me for my teachings and my guidance. He said how grateful he was for me to be there, and the affirmation from the rest of the women really touched my heart. The women started passing me their babies one by one, just so I could hold them! It was just a other experience that when we were driving away, I said "okay God, thanks for showing me why I'm here, again!!" Everyday, it's another reminder, or 2 or 3 or 4 as to why I'm here. It's funny to look back 4 months or so ago and think how I was so unsure about venturing out into this unknown; not knowing what I had to offer, and straddling the fence- one minute I was going to Malawi, the next I was staying in San Diego. I think I made the right choice :). I've grown so much on this trip, and I've been stretched in ways that God had already prepared me for; yet I had no idea I could do. I sometimes think God is sitting in His office with his hands behind his head, relaxed in His leather chair and His feet rested on top of His desk, and laughing at me. He is just waiting for me to realize what He's created me to do, and I'm finding things out bit by bit, completely amazed, and He's just laughing, as if it's news to Him of these things I've found. If you ask me, I'm sure that God has quite the sense of humor... Just food for thought.
So far, I've been able to educate over 300 women (and a few men) about basic nutrition education and it has gone very well. They are very limited in regards to the importance of each food group, but have welcomed my teachings, especially when talking about nutrition for their children. Yesterday was my favorite group of women so far. When we arrived, they were playing net ball and having a great time with one another, which carried over into a great nutrition discussion. They were really responsive to my questions, and were asking for advice... Yes, children in the villages also hate vegetables and so their mothers are asking me how to get their children to eat them; it's a worldwide epidemic. Two chiefs even showed up for our talk, which is a very big deal in the village. I didn't get a chance to talk to them before we started, as they came in a little late, but I had noticed one of the men nodding and affirming everything I was saying throughout the talk. It caught me a little off guard at first, since he was so affirming of what I was saying before Theresa could translate. Once I was finished with the session, he stood up and introduced himself as the chief in impeccable English, and continued to thank me and bless me for my teachings and my guidance. He said how grateful he was for me to be there, and the affirmation from the rest of the women really touched my heart. The women started passing me their babies one by one, just so I could hold them! It was just a other experience that when we were driving away, I said "okay God, thanks for showing me why I'm here, again!!" Everyday, it's another reminder, or 2 or 3 or 4 as to why I'm here. It's funny to look back 4 months or so ago and think how I was so unsure about venturing out into this unknown; not knowing what I had to offer, and straddling the fence- one minute I was going to Malawi, the next I was staying in San Diego. I think I made the right choice :). I've grown so much on this trip, and I've been stretched in ways that God had already prepared me for; yet I had no idea I could do. I sometimes think God is sitting in His office with his hands behind his head, relaxed in His leather chair and His feet rested on top of His desk, and laughing at me. He is just waiting for me to realize what He's created me to do, and I'm finding things out bit by bit, completely amazed, and He's just laughing, as if it's news to Him of these things I've found. If you ask me, I'm sure that God has quite the sense of humor... Just food for thought.
Monday, June 14, 2010
I can pay your rent with my starbucks frappicuino...
I've been here for a month now, and still, it seems pretty surreal that I'm pursuing a dream that I've had since I was eight years old. Yesterday was one of those days that smacked me in the face and said," Kelsey, wake up-- this is Malawi. This is Africa" it's hard going home each day to a warm shower and the welcoming of a bed to sleep in. It doesn't feel right that i can go home and essentially "wah away the dirt; wash away the day's struggles." it's something that I've dealt with since I got here--and still don't realy know the best way around it. Yesterday we went to the slums in Mgona- a piece of land right outside of town where there is no "village sense of community," people don't have extended family around.. Orphans, HIV and malaria are commonalities in this area. We first went to a presentation where a women brought all efferent types of leaves and seeds and foods that they use as home remedies for illnesses such a malaria, diarrhea, ulcers, loss of appetite, etc. It was really interesting for Vanessa and I, granted we are nutrition majors and starting nutrition education talks this week with the women. We were able to take away vital information that we can spread to women in neighboring villages; from boiling mango leaves to relieve diarrhea, to grinding avacado pits for boosting the immune system. We are very excited to be starting out first talks today.. And Keta was very impressed with the layout of our talk, and what we plan to talk about.
After the presentation, I was given the opportunity to go with the Home Based Care workers on their visits to the people in the slums. This is the first thing that teams do when they come to SomebodyCares, but since I arrived a few days after the team, I initially missed out on this opportunity. The home based care workers regulary visit hundreds of homes each wk, checking up on thr people, seeing if there is any errands or chores they can do, possibly offering them training in tailoring or other trades to helpthem get back on their feet. Cathy told me that of the 5 women somebodyCares trained to be tailors, all 5 of them are now tailors and are making a living fOr themselves. That's incredible-- especially for Mgona. 1 out of the 5 would have been amazing; let alone all 5.
The first hut we visited was occupid by an older woman whose son took care of her. She was on ARVs for HIV and she was taking medication for tuberculosis. She was quite frail, and had a hard time moving around. She graciously welcomed us into her home, and we just asked her how she was doing and if there were any chores or errands we could do for her while we were there. She specifically asked me to pray for her, and I felt quite honored. After praying over this woman, she was so thankful that we had taken the time to isit her, and that I was willing to pray for her. Goodness, the little blessings that mean so much to the people here.. How they teach me so many lessons on a daily basis. The next place we visited the woman was a widow who had 5 children. She was sick and didn't have any medication, and her 2 oldest children were well enough to attend school. She said her 3 other children were very sick, one of which was laying on her lap. She told us that he was 5 and that he had stopped speaking and walking when he was 2. His body was so depleted that he couldn't move; couldn't speak- he couldn't even respond. I was shocked by this obviously, as her son lay almost lifeless on her lap, and completely broke down when she told us that one of her other kids is the same way; not talking, not walking etc. SomebodyCares has tried to train her in tailoring, but she has no one to watch the children while she is away, and is too sick to leave her hut. She has no source of income with 5 children to support. Again, this woman asked me to pray for her. Where to start? Where does this woman turn to for hope?.. The same Father that sustains me sustains her. He gives her hope, He gives her life, He gives her strength to grt thru each day. That prayer was hard- not knowing where to start as everything I have been blessed with is running thru my head, and comparing it to the impoverished state that this woman lives in on a day to day basis... (sigh). I'll consider mY soul to be completely ROCKED from her story... And from her, I have learned SO much. Thank you Jesus.
The last place we visited the couple was on meds for HIV (HIV plagues the slums). A home based care worker prayed for them, and asked if they were okay on rent payments, as they had previously fallen behind. I asked how much their rent was for their 2 room hut-- the main room I could touch all 4 walls when standing in the middle, and I can imagine thr bedroom was much smaller. Rent was 800 kwacha a month-- that's $4.54. Yes, and they struggle to make ends meet each month. I think I will think twice about spending my money on mindless things such as starbucks.. My once a week indulgence could be paying a years worth of rent quite easily. I then began to think of everything that I buy that is around $4.50.. And gosh-- so many things I buy from a gallon and a half of gas to a pint of strawberries to a tip I left for thr waiter could pay their rent. Once again, thank you Jesus for rocking my soul.
We were able to hand out a few soccer balls while leaving Mgona. A group of boys were playing outside te community center withtheir plastic bag made ball, and so we gave them oneto play with for the time being. Once we decided to leave, we told them that they could keep the soccer ball, and they were absolutely ecstatic. The kids started jumping in thr air, kissing the ball and chanting "good day" as we drove off. Again, my soul was rocked. Thank you to everyone who donated shorts and balls, finances and prayers. You are truly making a difference in these people's lives, and even moreso, my life.
Tuesday was our first nutrition talk, and we had a fairly small group of 15 women or so, which was nice for the first talk. They were very receptive to the information that we shared; 6 food groups, the importance of each group, daily meals, feeding children, importance of breastfeeding, sanitation and portion control. It went very well, and granted that Vanessa doesnt like public speaking, she did great! The women were very appreciative and learned some preventative techniques as well. Afterwards We were able to serve the children their daily porridge.. 110 hungry mouths!
Today we went back to chechemba and chikudzulire; 2 villages we had visited when the team was here. We did our nutrition education class for about 65 women, who were very interactive during our talk, which made it very easy for us! We went to these 2 villages to introduce farming and gardening techniques and animal husbandry. SomebodyCares was able to purchase seed, fertilizer, pesticide and pigs through sponsors and donors so that the village people can learn a new trade, and learn as a village how to be sustainable. They were very excited to be getting all their goods to get their projects started, and it will be interesting to see how things unfold.
South Africa plays uruaguay tonight--BAFANA BAFANA!!! it's been soccer fever ever night at Keta's house.. Filled with the annoying sounds of the vuvuzela's (the loud horns). All 3 of us have them and cheer on our teams proudly. How about that US game against England?! We are still talking about it in the office! It was a great first game for the states! As always, thank you for your prayers and continued support-- time is really starting to fly by as the weeks get busier and busier. Please pray for my health. As of lately I had stomach pains, which I later found out was from an ulcer. The doctor took me off my malaria medication (you have to take malaria meds everday while you're here). I have an appt later this week to see when I can start taking my malaria medicatin again. The ulcer medication seems to be working, slowly but surely, so I'm still having some discomfort. Zicomo!!!
After the presentation, I was given the opportunity to go with the Home Based Care workers on their visits to the people in the slums. This is the first thing that teams do when they come to SomebodyCares, but since I arrived a few days after the team, I initially missed out on this opportunity. The home based care workers regulary visit hundreds of homes each wk, checking up on thr people, seeing if there is any errands or chores they can do, possibly offering them training in tailoring or other trades to helpthem get back on their feet. Cathy told me that of the 5 women somebodyCares trained to be tailors, all 5 of them are now tailors and are making a living fOr themselves. That's incredible-- especially for Mgona. 1 out of the 5 would have been amazing; let alone all 5.
The first hut we visited was occupid by an older woman whose son took care of her. She was on ARVs for HIV and she was taking medication for tuberculosis. She was quite frail, and had a hard time moving around. She graciously welcomed us into her home, and we just asked her how she was doing and if there were any chores or errands we could do for her while we were there. She specifically asked me to pray for her, and I felt quite honored. After praying over this woman, she was so thankful that we had taken the time to isit her, and that I was willing to pray for her. Goodness, the little blessings that mean so much to the people here.. How they teach me so many lessons on a daily basis. The next place we visited the woman was a widow who had 5 children. She was sick and didn't have any medication, and her 2 oldest children were well enough to attend school. She said her 3 other children were very sick, one of which was laying on her lap. She told us that he was 5 and that he had stopped speaking and walking when he was 2. His body was so depleted that he couldn't move; couldn't speak- he couldn't even respond. I was shocked by this obviously, as her son lay almost lifeless on her lap, and completely broke down when she told us that one of her other kids is the same way; not talking, not walking etc. SomebodyCares has tried to train her in tailoring, but she has no one to watch the children while she is away, and is too sick to leave her hut. She has no source of income with 5 children to support. Again, this woman asked me to pray for her. Where to start? Where does this woman turn to for hope?.. The same Father that sustains me sustains her. He gives her hope, He gives her life, He gives her strength to grt thru each day. That prayer was hard- not knowing where to start as everything I have been blessed with is running thru my head, and comparing it to the impoverished state that this woman lives in on a day to day basis... (sigh). I'll consider mY soul to be completely ROCKED from her story... And from her, I have learned SO much. Thank you Jesus.
The last place we visited the couple was on meds for HIV (HIV plagues the slums). A home based care worker prayed for them, and asked if they were okay on rent payments, as they had previously fallen behind. I asked how much their rent was for their 2 room hut-- the main room I could touch all 4 walls when standing in the middle, and I can imagine thr bedroom was much smaller. Rent was 800 kwacha a month-- that's $4.54. Yes, and they struggle to make ends meet each month. I think I will think twice about spending my money on mindless things such as starbucks.. My once a week indulgence could be paying a years worth of rent quite easily. I then began to think of everything that I buy that is around $4.50.. And gosh-- so many things I buy from a gallon and a half of gas to a pint of strawberries to a tip I left for thr waiter could pay their rent. Once again, thank you Jesus for rocking my soul.
We were able to hand out a few soccer balls while leaving Mgona. A group of boys were playing outside te community center withtheir plastic bag made ball, and so we gave them oneto play with for the time being. Once we decided to leave, we told them that they could keep the soccer ball, and they were absolutely ecstatic. The kids started jumping in thr air, kissing the ball and chanting "good day" as we drove off. Again, my soul was rocked. Thank you to everyone who donated shorts and balls, finances and prayers. You are truly making a difference in these people's lives, and even moreso, my life.
Tuesday was our first nutrition talk, and we had a fairly small group of 15 women or so, which was nice for the first talk. They were very receptive to the information that we shared; 6 food groups, the importance of each group, daily meals, feeding children, importance of breastfeeding, sanitation and portion control. It went very well, and granted that Vanessa doesnt like public speaking, she did great! The women were very appreciative and learned some preventative techniques as well. Afterwards We were able to serve the children their daily porridge.. 110 hungry mouths!
Today we went back to chechemba and chikudzulire; 2 villages we had visited when the team was here. We did our nutrition education class for about 65 women, who were very interactive during our talk, which made it very easy for us! We went to these 2 villages to introduce farming and gardening techniques and animal husbandry. SomebodyCares was able to purchase seed, fertilizer, pesticide and pigs through sponsors and donors so that the village people can learn a new trade, and learn as a village how to be sustainable. They were very excited to be getting all their goods to get their projects started, and it will be interesting to see how things unfold.
South Africa plays uruaguay tonight--BAFANA BAFANA!!! it's been soccer fever ever night at Keta's house.. Filled with the annoying sounds of the vuvuzela's (the loud horns). All 3 of us have them and cheer on our teams proudly. How about that US game against England?! We are still talking about it in the office! It was a great first game for the states! As always, thank you for your prayers and continued support-- time is really starting to fly by as the weeks get busier and busier. Please pray for my health. As of lately I had stomach pains, which I later found out was from an ulcer. The doctor took me off my malaria medication (you have to take malaria meds everday while you're here). I have an appt later this week to see when I can start taking my malaria medicatin again. The ulcer medication seems to be working, slowly but surely, so I'm still having some discomfort. Zicomo!!!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Chikondi..Love.. Chisomo.. Grace
I've been training teams everyday this wk. Yesterday I trained 2 teams at the same time.. I had 30 girls and there was a crowd of about 300 just watching the trainig session. We also went to the community center and brought all the kids rompers.. Yes, rompers.. Haha so we passed out almost 150 rompers.. Yes, the school teachet has 150 kids in his class, from ages 2-5... And has help from maybe 3-4 people.. It's incredible how well behaved these kids really are. We got to put the rompers on the kids... I walked into the classroom, and after about 2 minutes of being in there, a girl strted to shriek at the sight of my white face. Goodness.. Hahaha
This soccer thing really seems to be taking off here. I'm really encouraged by the work that we are doing, and everyone has been very accepting of the idea, and even the men have come up to me and told me what a wonderful thing I am doing.. How soccer will keep the girls focused, instead of them dropping from school an grtting pregnant. I was flabbergasted.. Yes, I know Thats the point of the whole girl empowerment campaign, but to actually have the men see the purpose of the girls playing soccer and embracing it is an entirely different story. It really brought tears to my eyes- I felt like a proud mother.. Birthing the game of soccer here to the young girls. I went to a game on wednesday and there were a ton of people that showed up. It was a very exciting game, as the crowd really gt into it.. Ooing and awwing everytime the ball got close to the goal, or a girl made a long kick or whatever. The girls have been put on an unfamiliar stage, and they ate embracing it, and walking with their heads a little higher out on the pitch. We are hoping that we can continue with the trainings here, even after I am gone.. And hope to plan a yearly tournament between villages. The coaches are doig great work with the girls, as the team that played on Wednesday was the same team that I trained last week. It was obvious that their Coach has really invested some quality time in his players, as they looked like a completely different team than I had seen last week. I was very proud, and the coach was very excited for his team. It's an amazing feelig to see the growing support for the girls in the community here. Everyone is getting mote and more excited, and the girls are wanting to better themselves and their futures. Even though I'm not "preaching the word of God" directly, I've been asked several times by people "why are you here?! Why are you doing this for people you don't even know?" and that has been my favorite question to answer. People are taken back when I say that I'm here because I love them, and thr the Lord has called us to love one another-- and I have been given such a blessing; to show love to these people thru the sport that is a piece of me, and that I love so much. I never thought soccer would bring me here.. To the villages of Malawi-- let alone to everywhere else that I've traveled to for tournaments.. But I know one thing... I will be back here to see how the sport grows among the girls in the communities.
World cup starts today! The office has cancelled my trainings and we are gettig off early to watch the opening ceremonies. Keta is going crazy.. Malawi is going crazy.. Africa is going crazy.. It's a fun atmosphere to be a part of. Games all day everday this wknd and will be our evening entertainment for the duration of my trip. Time is starting to fly, as I only have 3 weeks left! God is good! All the time! And all the time, God is good!!
This soccer thing really seems to be taking off here. I'm really encouraged by the work that we are doing, and everyone has been very accepting of the idea, and even the men have come up to me and told me what a wonderful thing I am doing.. How soccer will keep the girls focused, instead of them dropping from school an grtting pregnant. I was flabbergasted.. Yes, I know Thats the point of the whole girl empowerment campaign, but to actually have the men see the purpose of the girls playing soccer and embracing it is an entirely different story. It really brought tears to my eyes- I felt like a proud mother.. Birthing the game of soccer here to the young girls. I went to a game on wednesday and there were a ton of people that showed up. It was a very exciting game, as the crowd really gt into it.. Ooing and awwing everytime the ball got close to the goal, or a girl made a long kick or whatever. The girls have been put on an unfamiliar stage, and they ate embracing it, and walking with their heads a little higher out on the pitch. We are hoping that we can continue with the trainings here, even after I am gone.. And hope to plan a yearly tournament between villages. The coaches are doig great work with the girls, as the team that played on Wednesday was the same team that I trained last week. It was obvious that their Coach has really invested some quality time in his players, as they looked like a completely different team than I had seen last week. I was very proud, and the coach was very excited for his team. It's an amazing feelig to see the growing support for the girls in the community here. Everyone is getting mote and more excited, and the girls are wanting to better themselves and their futures. Even though I'm not "preaching the word of God" directly, I've been asked several times by people "why are you here?! Why are you doing this for people you don't even know?" and that has been my favorite question to answer. People are taken back when I say that I'm here because I love them, and thr the Lord has called us to love one another-- and I have been given such a blessing; to show love to these people thru the sport that is a piece of me, and that I love so much. I never thought soccer would bring me here.. To the villages of Malawi-- let alone to everywhere else that I've traveled to for tournaments.. But I know one thing... I will be back here to see how the sport grows among the girls in the communities.
World cup starts today! The office has cancelled my trainings and we are gettig off early to watch the opening ceremonies. Keta is going crazy.. Malawi is going crazy.. Africa is going crazy.. It's a fun atmosphere to be a part of. Games all day everday this wknd and will be our evening entertainment for the duration of my trip. Time is starting to fly, as I only have 3 weeks left! God is good! All the time! And all the time, God is good!!
Monday, June 7, 2010
I'm making kids cry...wherever I go..
So it's obvious that since I haven't blogged in awhile, we've had a pretty busy week, and limited internet access. Every time I came to the office last week to blog, the power was out, and before I knew it, it was the weekend, and Keta doesn't have internet at her house; neither does any other citizen of Malawi. The organization that I'm working with pays $500 a month just for internet access, and given that 80% of this country lives on less than $2 a day, internet is quite the luxury. Lots to catch everyone up on here. We had our first training session with the girls last week. It was obvious that there had been few, if ever any "visitors" to this village, which is a nice way of saying that I don't think these people had ever seen white people before. SOmething I've had to somewhat be OK with is that the fact that I'm fair skinned makes small children cry..literally. The infants, and some toddlers will take one look at me, and begin to scream in terror at the sight of my face; and there's nothing I can do about it, but to just stop looking at them. Our first training session was well, interesting. There were only 6 girls at the beginning which turned into 21 girls in a matter of minutes. We were able to pass out shorts, and get the girls changed in a small house beside the field. If I could describe sounds of the giggles, I would. It filled the house, and all of us could not stop laughing. They thought it was the strangest thing to wear shorts without a skirt over the top. They kept laughing at calling themselves boys. Since the shorts were mens L and XL's, we were sinching the drawstrings around the girls' waists, which they also found hilarious. The big shorts were much appreciated, since they are LONG, which covers more of their legs; big thanks Tim! By yhe time we finished our warm up which turned into "follow the leader" there were 300+ people surrounding the field. Since I didn't know much about the girls or their skill level, we started with a simple passing drill. Let's just say We have a lot of work to do. Balls were going left and right, up and down- it looked like dodgeball! So for the next 2 hours, I bores the girls with mundane passing drills, but I was very proud of them that by the end of the session, they were able to pass and trap with both feet; they were able to dribble, and to bring the ball acroos their bodies to get passed a defender. O thought it was successful, and the girls were happy. The field was in decent shape, but long grass- maybe 8 inches or so, with lots of unexpected holes and hills, and the girls are playing barefoot. Their feet were hurting after practice. At the end, Edward the youth pastor talked to them about our Girl Empowerment Program, and then talked to them about the importance of an education, and avoiding relationships with Guys while in school, as many girls drop out of high school because a man has vowed to take care of her.. So they get married young an before long, the girl has a cheating or sick husband, and she is left on her own again. So we stress education to the girls. Edward then had to explain to the girls that some of the guys that were watching their training session were here for the wrong reasons. As modesty is highly respected in the villages, girls wearing shorts is a BIG deal. We even had to hand out a few tshirts to girls so that they could cover up, as some of them only own tank tops, most don't even own bras. So you can see how it would be somewhat suggestive for girls to be running around in shorts and rank tops. Edward had to warn them that some men may approach the girls with a newfound interest. This was a hard concept for me to swallow. Here I am, coming into the village wearig shorts, and at the end of the session, I jump in the van, lock the door and drive away. I have the security of locking the door. I don't have to worry about about the after effects of wearing shorts because I've left the village. But these girls that I'm leaving behind; they head home wondering if some guy is going to approach them; an they have no escape. They can't even escape to their own homes because there are no locks on the doors.. Welcoming anyone who chooses to intrude. It's a hard concept to swallow, but that's all that I can manage to do.. Because if I try and chew it and dissect it, then i will think that I may be causing more problems. Keta has assured me that I'm overthinking it.. But it gets harder and harder everytime to get in that van, lock the door and drive away. We went to another village that neither Keta nor Edward had ever visited, and I tagge along to present the girls team with soccer balls. Again, this village had never seen white people, so I had several bug eyed children staring at me for over an hour.. I'm always being watched here, and they all try and grt my attention, even when they are told to be quiet.
I went to my first girls soccer game in chilombo this weekend. The girls were excitedfor the shorts as well- I've come to te conclusion that they all just think it's so funny to be wearig shorts. I was told that these 2 teams were the better of the 9 teams I'm training. Their style of play resembled what I call "bumblebee soccer" where they all run to where the ball goes, with no regard to positions or the off sides rule. Luckily each team has coaches, so I am not solely responsible for their performances.. Haha the spectators must be thinking " well this American girl must not be too good of a player if she's coachig them, and this is the outcome.." haha. Bottom line is that the girls are enjoying themselves, which they are, and that makes me incredibly joyful.
Keta has also planned fr Vanessa and I to give nutritional talks tithe mothers and widows in the coming weeks. I'm very excited for this opportunity to grow and expand my knowledge. Our ulimate goal by the end o the month is to create a food pyramid specific to each village (according to their crops) and educate them about boiling vegetables etc. So that will keep us busy too.
The world cup hype is hitting hard here. Keta even decided to pay her cable bill this month so that we could watch all the games.. Hooray! It was a bit of a slow weekend, with the power out for most of the wknd. They have scheduled times whn the power goes out (3 times a wk for 2 hours at a time) but then it will also shut off randomly.. Awesome (not) so I've been getting a lot of sleep and waking up early. This morning I woke up at 5 and I'm starting morning runs. Now I'm used to San Diego sunsets (I'll admit it, I'm spoiled) and now I'm spoiled even more with African sunrises. They are absolutely breathtaking- I wish I could run with my camera. My runs have been a great way to start off my day, and I've even gotten Keta to start walking in the mornings while I run laps around her in the neighorhood. We really enjoy each others company, so the living siuation is working out quite well. I'm still trying to convince her to take me to the lake and an animal reserve before I leave! I'm crossing my fingers! Oh, ad I saw my first "wildlife" here.. Monkeys! Haha I was excited.
Please continue to pray for encouragement, and that the villages are open to the opportunities we are providing for the girls!
I went to my first girls soccer game in chilombo this weekend. The girls were excitedfor the shorts as well- I've come to te conclusion that they all just think it's so funny to be wearig shorts. I was told that these 2 teams were the better of the 9 teams I'm training. Their style of play resembled what I call "bumblebee soccer" where they all run to where the ball goes, with no regard to positions or the off sides rule. Luckily each team has coaches, so I am not solely responsible for their performances.. Haha the spectators must be thinking " well this American girl must not be too good of a player if she's coachig them, and this is the outcome.." haha. Bottom line is that the girls are enjoying themselves, which they are, and that makes me incredibly joyful.
Keta has also planned fr Vanessa and I to give nutritional talks tithe mothers and widows in the coming weeks. I'm very excited for this opportunity to grow and expand my knowledge. Our ulimate goal by the end o the month is to create a food pyramid specific to each village (according to their crops) and educate them about boiling vegetables etc. So that will keep us busy too.
The world cup hype is hitting hard here. Keta even decided to pay her cable bill this month so that we could watch all the games.. Hooray! It was a bit of a slow weekend, with the power out for most of the wknd. They have scheduled times whn the power goes out (3 times a wk for 2 hours at a time) but then it will also shut off randomly.. Awesome (not) so I've been getting a lot of sleep and waking up early. This morning I woke up at 5 and I'm starting morning runs. Now I'm used to San Diego sunsets (I'll admit it, I'm spoiled) and now I'm spoiled even more with African sunrises. They are absolutely breathtaking- I wish I could run with my camera. My runs have been a great way to start off my day, and I've even gotten Keta to start walking in the mornings while I run laps around her in the neighorhood. We really enjoy each others company, so the living siuation is working out quite well. I'm still trying to convince her to take me to the lake and an animal reserve before I leave! I'm crossing my fingers! Oh, ad I saw my first "wildlife" here.. Monkeys! Haha I was excited.
Please continue to pray for encouragement, and that the villages are open to the opportunities we are providing for the girls!
Monday, May 31, 2010
For I know the plans You have for me...
Mulibwanji! Dilli bueno!!!
Well the team left on Friday, and I am thankful to say that they have all returned home without any hiccups in their travel plans. We had such a great team, and it was such a neat opportunity to spend with my brother, I will truly miss all of them. The girls and I really bonded, which made saying goodbye that much harder. I am now here on my own, and to be honest, the start was a bit daunting. At the time, I didn't know my role in terms of what I would be doing, what my schedule would look like, and how my living situation would unfold. I am staying with a wonderful woman named Keta, who I enjoy very much. I already know that the Lord is going to reveal so much to me through her, as she is such a prophetic woman, with a superfluous amount of knowledge. She is one who challenges me in my faith, insisting that we never be stagnant, and is always asking "those" questions that no one wants to ask. Our first morning together we ate breakfast together and ended up talking for 4 hours... It seemed like 10 minutes. I know we are going to get along quite well. So I will be staying with Keta for the remainder 5 weeks, and she lives in a beautiful house. She occasionally has girls from the villages that come and stay with her, some of which are coming mid-week, (2 of which I have already met) so that will be fun. She also has another girl that comes form college and stays with her on the weekends. Her name is Vanessa, and Keta has given her a bedroom at her house. Vanessa and I get along very well, as she is 22 ANd is in her 2nd year studying Nutrition (who would have thought?.. God is good). Vanessa has her finals next week, and then is on holiday for 2 months, where she will be spending most of her time at Ketas, so I'm very excited to get to know her and her story. I have been catching up on my sleep these passed couple days now that the team has left. I was never jet lagged once I got here, but I think it caught up with me this weekend. On Friday night i went to bed at 7:30 and Saturday night I fell asleep at 8; both nights getting 12+ hours of sleep! I now finally feel rested and refreshed. Keta continues to make fun of me.. as my sleep habits are wearing off on her, as she is used to staying up late, but I must have put a sleep spell on her as well. Keta likes to spend the weekends watching movies and tv series, so I will have had my movie fix and be quite relaxed upon my return home. I start working with the youth this week in terms of soccer, and I am excited, and anxious. Keta and I have been talking about it, and she is saying that I am the forerunner for this Girl Empowerment MOvement (thru soccer) and so I am the one breaking the ground. One way in which I am doing that is coaching the girls soccer, as well as bringing them shorts to play in. We are hoping that the communities are open to this, as it is very unusual to see any girls or women in the villages exposing their legs. It is more common in the city, but in the villages, girls wear 2 sometimes 3 skirts (or wraps) at a time to ensure that their legs are covered. Please pray that with the introduction of soccer, it does not ruffle too many feathers, and that the communities are accepting what we are trying to do. I am not trying to introduce shorts to the community, we are trying to use Soccer to empower the girls; to give them something that is all their own; a skill, a pair of shorts, a ball, a team, a sense that they can be a part of something that is bigger than themselves.
The food here is getting better, as long as I am not in the villages. Haha. I will say that I have never drank so much soda and rolls in my life...Im just crossing my fingers that I will be able to fit in my bridesmaids dress when I return home for my cousins wedding, which is 2 days after I get home! :)
Please pray for me to have an open heart, and for the people in the villages to have an open mind to this great opportunity that we have to offer the girls. Pray for courage, and determination, as I am stepping into a role that neither I, nor the staff here knows what to expect. Miss you all
Well the team left on Friday, and I am thankful to say that they have all returned home without any hiccups in their travel plans. We had such a great team, and it was such a neat opportunity to spend with my brother, I will truly miss all of them. The girls and I really bonded, which made saying goodbye that much harder. I am now here on my own, and to be honest, the start was a bit daunting. At the time, I didn't know my role in terms of what I would be doing, what my schedule would look like, and how my living situation would unfold. I am staying with a wonderful woman named Keta, who I enjoy very much. I already know that the Lord is going to reveal so much to me through her, as she is such a prophetic woman, with a superfluous amount of knowledge. She is one who challenges me in my faith, insisting that we never be stagnant, and is always asking "those" questions that no one wants to ask. Our first morning together we ate breakfast together and ended up talking for 4 hours... It seemed like 10 minutes. I know we are going to get along quite well. So I will be staying with Keta for the remainder 5 weeks, and she lives in a beautiful house. She occasionally has girls from the villages that come and stay with her, some of which are coming mid-week, (2 of which I have already met) so that will be fun. She also has another girl that comes form college and stays with her on the weekends. Her name is Vanessa, and Keta has given her a bedroom at her house. Vanessa and I get along very well, as she is 22 ANd is in her 2nd year studying Nutrition (who would have thought?.. God is good). Vanessa has her finals next week, and then is on holiday for 2 months, where she will be spending most of her time at Ketas, so I'm very excited to get to know her and her story. I have been catching up on my sleep these passed couple days now that the team has left. I was never jet lagged once I got here, but I think it caught up with me this weekend. On Friday night i went to bed at 7:30 and Saturday night I fell asleep at 8; both nights getting 12+ hours of sleep! I now finally feel rested and refreshed. Keta continues to make fun of me.. as my sleep habits are wearing off on her, as she is used to staying up late, but I must have put a sleep spell on her as well. Keta likes to spend the weekends watching movies and tv series, so I will have had my movie fix and be quite relaxed upon my return home. I start working with the youth this week in terms of soccer, and I am excited, and anxious. Keta and I have been talking about it, and she is saying that I am the forerunner for this Girl Empowerment MOvement (thru soccer) and so I am the one breaking the ground. One way in which I am doing that is coaching the girls soccer, as well as bringing them shorts to play in. We are hoping that the communities are open to this, as it is very unusual to see any girls or women in the villages exposing their legs. It is more common in the city, but in the villages, girls wear 2 sometimes 3 skirts (or wraps) at a time to ensure that their legs are covered. Please pray that with the introduction of soccer, it does not ruffle too many feathers, and that the communities are accepting what we are trying to do. I am not trying to introduce shorts to the community, we are trying to use Soccer to empower the girls; to give them something that is all their own; a skill, a pair of shorts, a ball, a team, a sense that they can be a part of something that is bigger than themselves.
The food here is getting better, as long as I am not in the villages. Haha. I will say that I have never drank so much soda and rolls in my life...Im just crossing my fingers that I will be able to fit in my bridesmaids dress when I return home for my cousins wedding, which is 2 days after I get home! :)
Please pray for me to have an open heart, and for the people in the villages to have an open mind to this great opportunity that we have to offer the girls. Pray for courage, and determination, as I am stepping into a role that neither I, nor the staff here knows what to expect. Miss you all
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Unceasing worship
Ohhhh the last few days have been busy, and interesting.. To say the least. Let's see- where Do I start? We did a vision clinic in Mngona on Monday which is in the slums whch we thought was going to be completely chaotic. The Lord was faithful and it was by far the smoothest clinic we have had yet. Kelly and I were able to go into the market and explore a bit, and bought some techingis (wraps) so that we could wear them over our pants in the villages. Tuesday we spent in chikudizlire and then spent the night there with the youth group. We slept on the concrete with some of the girls, while the guys cuddled up on the schoolhouse floor. We started singing and dancing at around 4 in tr afternoon - and didn't stop until 11 at night. Malawians can sing and dance.. And they never stop! We played trivia games with them by yhe light of a kerosene lamp, and went to bed at 11 to wake up at 4am so that we could start worshipping again. It was humblig to see them in unceasing worship. They are so dedicated, so faithful.. And I am so challenged in this... To see 12 year old girls worshipping our God, shouting praises to His name... Waking up at 4 am so excited to do it again.. Gosh, it brought me to my knees-- literally. God is good, and His presence was so obvious that night.
We hung up mosquito nets the next day (well the guys did) in the girls secondary school dorms, and then went home and out to dinner for a nice meal. We are so sick of the food that is served here in the villages- not sure how I'm going to stomach it here the next 6 weeks.. Ugh. I'll find a way--I'm slowly learning how to make it bearable to eat ( try eating bait fish whole; head, eyes, bones, fins ... Everything). We went back to the same village today to bring them seeds to plant a garden, and were able to help them plow their small plot of land and we began to plant the seeds. The girls an I were instructed to go fetch manure for fertilizer so we walked back to a hut and started scooping manure into buckets to brig back to te garden. The women carry everything on their heads here- from firewood to tree trunks ( seriously) to suitcases and buckets of water. So the girls and I heaved 25 lbs each of manure in the buckets onto our heads and delivered it to the men. We all had a good laugh. There was a celebration in the village today where we were honored, along with Theresa, who has really been the one to help sustain these villages by spreading the love of God. It was a wonderful day, an spent tonight at Theresas house for dinner with the rest of the staff from SomebodyCares. The team leaves tomorrow mornig and I will say I am very sad for them to leave. We have had a wonderful team dynmaic this trip and I have really been welcomed by all of them, especially since the first time I met them was when I set foot in Malawi. Please pray for safe trAvels home for them, and for courage for me. I am anxious for these next couple weeks as I'm transitioning into my new role here, and sense some apprehension in myself. I've been told that I will be workig with 9 girls soccer teams- a number that is expected to increase, and I will be starting on the 5th of June. In the mean time, I'm trying to polish up on my chechewa! Haha. Zicomo con beelie!
We hung up mosquito nets the next day (well the guys did) in the girls secondary school dorms, and then went home and out to dinner for a nice meal. We are so sick of the food that is served here in the villages- not sure how I'm going to stomach it here the next 6 weeks.. Ugh. I'll find a way--I'm slowly learning how to make it bearable to eat ( try eating bait fish whole; head, eyes, bones, fins ... Everything). We went back to the same village today to bring them seeds to plant a garden, and were able to help them plow their small plot of land and we began to plant the seeds. The girls an I were instructed to go fetch manure for fertilizer so we walked back to a hut and started scooping manure into buckets to brig back to te garden. The women carry everything on their heads here- from firewood to tree trunks ( seriously) to suitcases and buckets of water. So the girls and I heaved 25 lbs each of manure in the buckets onto our heads and delivered it to the men. We all had a good laugh. There was a celebration in the village today where we were honored, along with Theresa, who has really been the one to help sustain these villages by spreading the love of God. It was a wonderful day, an spent tonight at Theresas house for dinner with the rest of the staff from SomebodyCares. The team leaves tomorrow mornig and I will say I am very sad for them to leave. We have had a wonderful team dynmaic this trip and I have really been welcomed by all of them, especially since the first time I met them was when I set foot in Malawi. Please pray for safe trAvels home for them, and for courage for me. I am anxious for these next couple weeks as I'm transitioning into my new role here, and sense some apprehension in myself. I've been told that I will be workig with 9 girls soccer teams- a number that is expected to increase, and I will be starting on the 5th of June. In the mean time, I'm trying to polish up on my chechewa! Haha. Zicomo con beelie!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Things are going well here. On Saturday I split from the group and went to the girls empowerment conference in a new village. It was great, but with little translation, which made for a long day. On the way to and from the conference (almsot 2 hour drive) we had 28 people, yes, 28 packed into a mini van. Figure that one out!
We get to spend the night tomorrow night in the village ( so excited) and some girls are coming from nearby villages (meaning 15+km) to come stay the night with us in the village. Some of those girls are the soccer players, so that will be a neat experience for me. Oh, and I just found out that I don't have to wear a skirt while playing soccer!
Yesterday was a relaxing day with church and then we drove out to Dedza pottery place. Apparently it's known world wide, but we were able to buy some things that were made here in Malawi-- defintely a tourist hot spot as there were only azungus ( remeber our chechewa? Haha it means white people) there. It was on an asokute gorgeous plot of land, and while we were there a thunderstorm rolled in, which the smell of rain reminded me of Seattle. Apparently we are getting into the rainy season but it was probably around 80 degrees today with high humidity. We did another vision clinic today in Mgona. It is considered the "slums" but things went fairly well. Probably the highlight of my day was when I heard a little girl say "Kelsey" ( they pronounce it "kow-sey" and i turned to see Ellen, a 10 yr old girl I had met on Thursday in mnguangwa. Mind you these 2 villages are probably 25-30 miles away, and she's an orphan, so I was very shocked to see her, let alone that she rememebered my name.
Tomorrow we are spending the day in chikudizlire and then venturing a bit further north in that village to do our last vision clinic, and I'm bringing a few soccer balls for the kids up there. Chris and Steve got to go up there earlier last week for a few hours, and they said it was evident that most of the people up there had never seen white people before. The pastor was so excited about them taking the time to go up there that he literally could not speak- so tomorrow is going to be a special day for us, paired with spending tr night in the village. We are told that the kids have activities planne for us til midnight, and they wake up at 4, so we know it could be quite a long night. No one has ever been allowed by the SomebodyCares organization to spend the night in the village, which shows how much these villages have really grown over the years, in terms of responsibility and whatnot. Please pray for safety and some decent shut-eye, and that the Lord will continue to work thru us as a team. The team leaves on Friday, and it will be hard to see them go, as we have had a great team dynamic! Ok, off to bed for a decent night sleep in preparationfor tomorrow!
We get to spend the night tomorrow night in the village ( so excited) and some girls are coming from nearby villages (meaning 15+km) to come stay the night with us in the village. Some of those girls are the soccer players, so that will be a neat experience for me. Oh, and I just found out that I don't have to wear a skirt while playing soccer!
Yesterday was a relaxing day with church and then we drove out to Dedza pottery place. Apparently it's known world wide, but we were able to buy some things that were made here in Malawi-- defintely a tourist hot spot as there were only azungus ( remeber our chechewa? Haha it means white people) there. It was on an asokute gorgeous plot of land, and while we were there a thunderstorm rolled in, which the smell of rain reminded me of Seattle. Apparently we are getting into the rainy season but it was probably around 80 degrees today with high humidity. We did another vision clinic today in Mgona. It is considered the "slums" but things went fairly well. Probably the highlight of my day was when I heard a little girl say "Kelsey" ( they pronounce it "kow-sey" and i turned to see Ellen, a 10 yr old girl I had met on Thursday in mnguangwa. Mind you these 2 villages are probably 25-30 miles away, and she's an orphan, so I was very shocked to see her, let alone that she rememebered my name.
Tomorrow we are spending the day in chikudizlire and then venturing a bit further north in that village to do our last vision clinic, and I'm bringing a few soccer balls for the kids up there. Chris and Steve got to go up there earlier last week for a few hours, and they said it was evident that most of the people up there had never seen white people before. The pastor was so excited about them taking the time to go up there that he literally could not speak- so tomorrow is going to be a special day for us, paired with spending tr night in the village. We are told that the kids have activities planne for us til midnight, and they wake up at 4, so we know it could be quite a long night. No one has ever been allowed by the SomebodyCares organization to spend the night in the village, which shows how much these villages have really grown over the years, in terms of responsibility and whatnot. Please pray for safety and some decent shut-eye, and that the Lord will continue to work thru us as a team. The team leaves on Friday, and it will be hard to see them go, as we have had a great team dynamic! Ok, off to bed for a decent night sleep in preparationfor tomorrow!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Mngwuangwa and Chechemba
The past 2 days we spent in 2 different villages; continuing with our vision clinics. We are greeted with a warm welcome at each village-- the children screaming 'azungu azungu' (white people white people!) and they crowd the van once we open the doors. They all want to touch you and shake your hand. The 6 yr olds that have the babies strapped to their backs come up to you and want you to touch the baby, they all just want a simple hello from you. It's incredible. Yesterday during te clinic we had a man who was completely blind in one eye, and was almost blind in the other give us his prescription. As it was very strong, an we didn't know how much we could help him, we began scowering thru the thousands of glasses that were layed out across the floor.. And the Lord answered. We found a pair almost exactly as to what he needed. The second he put them on, his eyes widened and his arms went into the air. He could see! He started to read out of the bible and continued to dance. Praise Jesus! He then had to tell everyone that he could see and made his way back home as we watched him walk down the road.. Looking at Gods creation. Hallelujiah! Tomorrow I am going with Edward, the youth pastor to a girl empowerment conference while the team takes a break and heads out to lake Malawi. I will have the honor of meeting some of the girls I will be working with in the coming weeks and get a feel for what this new movement is all about.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Yesterdays recap
So I wrote this last night in regards to what happened yesterday. I don't have time on our Internet card to post a blog about today, so I'm a day behind. Whoops, but I willsay one thing about today was giving glasses to a man that was blind in one eye, and almost blind in the other, and he was able to see- it brought us to tears.. Okay .. So here's yesterdays blog:
Today we spent more time in the village of Chikudzilire. We were welcomed with songs and dancing by the older women, and the 2 Kellys and I were encouraged to dance along and sing. Although they worship our Father in an entirely different language, I have never been so moved by worship than from my experience today. I was "cooing" along... Trying to muster up any word from their language as I could remember.. And I finally picked up on "Hosanna" and tapped my feet along in a somewhat choreographed manner to mimic the rest of them. After about an hour or so of dining an dancing, we spent time in the community center that Mission Church helped build on their last trip here, and I was able to play soccer with the kids. They are a bit weary seeing a girl trying to play with them, as they all Stand scattered aroud trying to kick 1 of 3 "balls" that may come near them, and then I began the chase ( which soon was never ending). Once you try and take the ball away from a kid, they try and dribble passed you, and all the kids begin to chase after this one kid. I must say I was schooled pretty good by a few kids, and I'm not making excuses, but you can't say anything until you've tried to play soccer in a floor length skirt.. Yea, you step over the ball and the ball gets stuck between your legs and the skirt, and you proceed to fall in the dirt if not cautious.. Don't ask. We handed out more glasses today; Jeff the optomitrist must have examined 100 people, and we were able to find glasses for all of them. I had the privelege of finding glasses for the chief of a nearby village, and cannot even describe his reaction as he looked down upon the words of Bible and was able to see clearly. What an unbelievable moment. We spent all day in the village; from 9am-430pm.. So we were exhausted. One of my favorite things about today was getting my Chechewa (their language) name. I opened up my piece of paper and read 'Chimkiemioe' (Che-mey- mey) which means "joy" . It's been a long day, and we are exhausted. Headed to a new village tomorrow so I'm excited to meet all new faces. Zicomo (thanks)!!!
Today we spent more time in the village of Chikudzilire. We were welcomed with songs and dancing by the older women, and the 2 Kellys and I were encouraged to dance along and sing. Although they worship our Father in an entirely different language, I have never been so moved by worship than from my experience today. I was "cooing" along... Trying to muster up any word from their language as I could remember.. And I finally picked up on "Hosanna" and tapped my feet along in a somewhat choreographed manner to mimic the rest of them. After about an hour or so of dining an dancing, we spent time in the community center that Mission Church helped build on their last trip here, and I was able to play soccer with the kids. They are a bit weary seeing a girl trying to play with them, as they all Stand scattered aroud trying to kick 1 of 3 "balls" that may come near them, and then I began the chase ( which soon was never ending). Once you try and take the ball away from a kid, they try and dribble passed you, and all the kids begin to chase after this one kid. I must say I was schooled pretty good by a few kids, and I'm not making excuses, but you can't say anything until you've tried to play soccer in a floor length skirt.. Yea, you step over the ball and the ball gets stuck between your legs and the skirt, and you proceed to fall in the dirt if not cautious.. Don't ask. We handed out more glasses today; Jeff the optomitrist must have examined 100 people, and we were able to find glasses for all of them. I had the privelege of finding glasses for the chief of a nearby village, and cannot even describe his reaction as he looked down upon the words of Bible and was able to see clearly. What an unbelievable moment. We spent all day in the village; from 9am-430pm.. So we were exhausted. One of my favorite things about today was getting my Chechewa (their language) name. I opened up my piece of paper and read 'Chimkiemioe' (Che-mey- mey) which means "joy" . It's been a long day, and we are exhausted. Headed to a new village tomorrow so I'm excited to meet all new faces. Zicomo (thanks)!!!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Made it!
So this will be Short and sweet but I made it to Malawi without any problems! Thank you for your prayers, as I was a little nervous flying into london as the airport was closed when we had left LAX. All my bags made it here, and the soccer balss made quite the commotion in the airport in Malawi- with police questioning me and people nagging for balls. We spent some time in the village today doing a vision clinic, and singing Songs with the children. Can't put words to describe it yet, just trying to grasp that I am here. I will be starting the soccer camps with the girls the first week of June, and Edward the youth director has told them all about this "Kelsey girl" who is bringing them soccer balls. I am very excited to be here, and slept almost all the way here on my flights, so I'm quite rested. I will blog later when i have more time! Love you all!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Departure in T-7 Days: My first post
I've never "blogged" before; so you will have to forgive me as I get used to this new form of mass communication. I am seven days from embarking on a new journey, and I find myself trying to overprepare- getting this, picking up that.. and now I've learned that my "have to plan everything" self is coming out in full force. I haven't had a hand in planning any aspect of this trip, which has been a challenge for me, as I'm such a planner, it can sometimes be "too much." The Lord has definitely grabbed hold of my heart, and given me peace of mind about my lack of planning in this trip! The anticipation is killing me,but I have much to do before my flight leaves at 9:20pm next Sunday. Last week of work (I am going to SOB saying goodbye to those kids!), parents and sisters coming into town, graduation (yippee!), grad night, and saying too many goodbyes before I leave! Please pray for calming nerves, and an open heart! Love you guys!
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