August 7: We arrived in Lilongwe around noon on Thursday. It’s crazy going through all the checkpoints and the lines are LONG!! But we have really had pretty smooth sailing so far.
As soon as Joe grabbed us at the airport we went on a sight seeing tour in order to keep us moving until bedtime. We really had not slept much since Tuesday morning when we left…we had the night in Johannesburg but none of us really slept a lot…still on Tennessee time, plus, Lanny and I were separated because we only had two rooms. Lanny and Brandon bunked together and Lisa and Me. We don’t sleep well when we aren’t together.
Joe took us to the carving market. Not to buy, just to look! It was amazing. The vendors are on you every minute but they are all so friendly and personable that you can hardly resist them. I just kept saying “no kwacha”, no money, and they allowed me just to wander the wares. They are so talented but unfortunately their art is only of interest to visitors, to tourists. Malawians would never buy their wares so it’s not a very good full time income. Joe says that there are only two months that they make any real money. There are lots of professional beggars and they are very convincing to the first time visitor. It hurts my heart.
We went to an Indian restaurant in Lilongwe called Huts, for dinner with the large team from Texas that will be leaving Friday. It was their last night and they were so excited about their week. It was fun to hear their stories of “Micky on a Stick” (that’s the local delicacy of dried mice kabobs), of monkeys stealing their lunch, the animals they had seen on safari… but most of all their stories of the awesome response to the Jesus film and the joy of evangelism to the village people of Malawi. Our adventure starts tomorrow so I know we will have similar stories by the end of this week.
August 8: I am sitting here doing my devotions and will go down for breakfast shortly. We are staying in the Longonut Guest House for two nights. We are in a small room with concrete floors and walls, and a very interesting bathroom…when you shower the entire room gets wet so you have to be sure the toilet paper is NOT in the room :-) We slept under a mosquito net because there is no glass or screen on the windows. There is no difference in the outside and inside temperature, but even tho it’s winter here we were not really cold. We had warm blankets and each other.
Mike Howell and Steve Lyons joined us, along with the team from Ohio, Jennifer, Danny and Sarah, and we headed for YouTurn Ministries Nathenji Lighthouse Orphanage. Joe bought 50 new blankets to take out to the orphanage. Lanny, Brandon and Danny witnessed at the hospital nearby while the rest of us stayed behind playing with the kids - they reached 27 souls in that hospital. We watched as the women made lunch for the children: goat meat, greens and nsime (sima). We had the privilege to help serve the children when it was time to eat. Joe tells us it costs about $1 per day to feed each child. They have 40 to 50 children at any given time.
It was an amazing morning as we watched the children sing and dance and play. We spent some time watching them play organized games equivalent to our Simon Says and sing in the most beautiful harmonies about Jesus. I joined in as we all stood in a circle, singing hallelujah to the Lord taking turns going to the center to show off a bit, dancing to the beat of the music - the kids are so precious and shy as they move forward from the line and dance - they have such a natural rhythm and movement and voices that thrill your soul!
We walked the dirt streets sharing the gospel with anyone willing to listen, which in Malawi is nearly everyone!
Dipping and serving lunch for the children.
After we left the orphanage we ate “chips” in the market area which are fried potatoes, crispy brown and delicious, especially with Joe’s special hot sauce (that he carries around with him at all times). One young man walked up to us, calling Lanny “preacher” and wanted to know more, and Danny witnessed to a man that said he had been sitting there on the side of the road just waiting…he didn’t know for what but knew he was waiting for something…he gave his life to the Lord and praised Him for leading him to sit and wait for the “preacher”.
We drove miles of rough, dirt roads, passing scores of people walking or riding bikes to and from the city. Some were loaded down with firewood to sell in town, others carried sugar cane or cassava root. We saw nsime drying in the sun on blankets and countless women carrying water, pots, sticks or large bags of cloth on their heads while carrying their babies on their back in a sling. The people are hard workers here.
When we approached our destination for the Jesus Film we stopped to request permission from the chief and Lanny preached to a crowd of around 100 that gathered there and shared the gospel with them - many raised their hands desiring to receive the gift of salvation. And as we drove to the “playground” the children ran behind waving and smiling. I will soon post a video so you can hear the joyous sound of the children's laughter and song? Most of the children had never seen white people and a few of the babies even cried as they saw us. But they are so friendly and eager and soon warmed up to us and anxiously waited to hear the great news we brought to them. The previous chief was wicked and cruel and had forbidden our entry but he is dead now and the new chief was eager to welcome us.
The crowd gathered, coming from everywhere as we set up the screen and played gospel music videos, in their language and style of course! They watched the movie, standing or sitting closely together on the dusty ground and when Lanny preached again nearly every one raised their hand to receive the Lord - around 400 souls were added to the Kingdom that night! After the movie one man offered land to build a church there in the village so a new church was born. One of the local pastors will preach there and oversee until one of the villagers can step in. YouTurn Ministries will provide the new church with a starter package of bibles and curriculum for Bible study and Sunday School. In the particular area we were working they have planted nearly 40 churches.
When we returned to Lilongwe around 10:00 we ate dinner at Pastor Chewinjas house. We had rice, nsime, goat meat, greens and fried boiled eggs. Delicious!
The entire day was very moving as Lanny, Brandon and I saw for the first time how eager these people are for the gospel - Lisa had told us about it, but you really must see it for it to really sink in. They know there is a God but they just don’t know how to get to Him. When they hear the truth of the gospel they desire Him! It was an amazing day and we are falling deeper in love with Africa and her people!
August 9: We ate breakfast around 8 this morning and then headed out for another day of ministry!
We had devotions at the Guest House after leaving Longonut this morning and then went into town for American style burgers and pizza for lunch, then headed west in three Land Rovers. The one we always seem to draw only has two gears, second and fifth so need I say more? The roads are dirt, and believe me, the worst dirt roads at home could never compare. The torrential summer rains wash out large gullies and “pot holes” that make the coal roads of home look like fresh laid asphalt.
We stopped at a few market places to share the Good News and ate chips again… you know, the fried potatoes that just seem to taste better in a dusty little market place. Then we were off to the village to share and show the Jesus film.
The children LOVE to have their picture taken!
The ladies let me try my hand at pumping water...I did pretty well for an old lady!
The part the children most love about having their picture taken is SEEING themselves!!
My interpreter Edwin.
Beautiful people!
We were able to reach over 800 people on this second night! Brandon preached for the first time and we are sure that God has a great plan for his life…he says he feels called to the ministry and we have no doubts! This number is just from the film we showed…the other two Rovers also carried equipment to set up for the film in other villages, the other evangelists and their interpreters, so you can imagine the numbers we are reaching every day in Malawi!
We stayed in Mchinji at the Rewards Guest House overnight. Around 10:30 the lights went out…we thought it just meant bedtime but Joe says that’s just the way it is in Malawi - electricity comes and goes.
August 10: We ate early and headed for Mfuwe in two vehicles. We had to cross the Zambian border and that was an adventure. It seemed long and involved but we learned that ours was actually an easy crossing…getting back might be different! About halfway to our destination of South Luangwa National Park our Rover overheated and stopped…right in front of a little village where we were able to share with the people and 13 were saved…God has His plan and even a vehicle has to follow His orders. We had to all pile into one Rover while several of our interpreters and drivers stayed behind to take care of the disabled ride. It was quite a ride with ten of us in one Rover with no air conditioning and all our backpacks in our lap. Good thing about that is that none of us could bounce too high when we went over those huge bumps so no one was injured!
We still made it to Mfuwe in time to worship at the Baptist Church there. Brandon shared again and Joe preached and one young man was saved! I don’t think I will ever get over the beauty of their voices singing songs to Yesu (Jesus)…I am hearing them in my head in Chichewan! Zikomo Ambu Yesu! Thank you Lord Jesus!
We arrived at the Mfuwe Lodge and they were waiting for us with hot towels, juice and lunch. I have never been to a place like this. Our “hut” has a giant bed, a living area, large bathroom and shower and our own deck overlooking the river. As I am typing I am watching a family of hippos, momma, daddy and baby bathe while giant crocodiles swim by. Just now a family of baboons skipped across our “back yard”, momma carrying her baby on her back. I am in heaven on earth! We will be going to “tea” at 3:30 and then for a four hour night safari at 4. I will have trouble picking out only a few photos to blog, so look for a video/scrapbook after we return home…
The buffet table...
We had “tea” at the appointed time and left for our night safari at 4:00. We don’t have to drive far to see animals because they are literally in the park around our huts. But as we went farther from the lodge we saw elephants, with little ones (my favorite animal!), zebra, impala, water bucks, baboons (with babies), chameleons, hyena, mongoose, genets, and what we all wanted to see, lions and leopards. God’s creation is more than beautiful, and seeing these animals up close is more than I ever dreamed I would experience on this side of heaven. And when we returned at 8 the staff were again awaiting us with hot towels and juice. After a supper that I can only say was fabulous, we were escorted back to our rooms because we are not allowed out of our huts alone after dark. There are critters everywhere! On our walk back with our guide we saw impala, more baboons, and genets…we were hoping to see a bush baby. But safari photos will be another post...there are SO MANY great photos I need a little time to think about it. I may just put up a scrapbook....
I am almost embarrassed to show you just how much we are roughing it for the next night and day...God is so good to us! This is the most beautiful place on earth!
When we returned from the safari we had dinner in an outdoor dining area that was breathtaking. And the meal was so good I have no words to describe it. Tomorrow we will head back for more work in the villages, but for tonight God is giving us sweet rest as well as a glimpse at what I consider to be the place that showcases His most awesome creation...the South African plains.
I’m sitting here now in our hut for the night, recalling the day and listening to the creatures of the night…no sound machine tonight!! We have hippos to sing us to sleep…
Oh Debbie, I love your post. You wrote it so well it was almost like I was there with you. It is so exciting to hear all God is doing through you guys, how many souls are being a straight into heaven, the amazing work you are doing here on earth. God bless you all and I pray the rest of your trip is as exciting and fruitful as the first part. Thank you so much for sharing. Christina F.
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