The trip to Lake Malawi with the kids was a success!
Loved spending quality time with everyone and trying fun new things. This was the second time the Esther's House kids have ever tried swimming, and they enjoyed every minute of it!
Unlike in the States, swimming activities (if any) are at least a 2 hour drive, so trips are not very common. Hence the excitement when we went!
The 9 residential Esther's House kids went with, the Wilson fam, and so did our house moms!
Hours were spent splashing in the water, going down the slide, jumping off the diving board, learning how to swim, and getting "close" to the deep end. The only break was for lunch, which was soon followed by getting back in the water.
As you can see, we swam at the resorts' swimming pool instead of the actual lake (which was in seeing distance). The water is clearer in the pool, 100% guarantee crocodile free, and no chance of getting a parasitic disease called bilharzia. Very kid friendly!
After swimming and eating, we walked to to the sandy shores of the lake.
Group pictures were taken, and then saw.....camels! So, all the kids got a ride. I thought about taking a turn myself, but had enough excitement already watching the kids do it!
It was a priceless moment. So many laughs, and a few scared expressions.
The camels were well trained, the only "scary" part was when they would need to stand up once the kids got on, and then sit back down after they finished their walk along the lake shore.
Thankful for this "family" The Lord has blessed us with.
Malawi Market
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Whew... today we spent hours in the local market getting monthly supplies for Esther's House.
Usually once in town, we try and get every possible thing we need so we don't have to make multiple trips back. The drive is about 20 minutes, which honestly doesn't sound too bad, but once you add in our bumpy dirt road, it gets real.
My favorite thing about the market? FRESH PRODUCE. It's everywhere.
And it's a better value than even your local Walmart.
I am uploading some photos I took today while out and about.
Don't mind the quality, just snapped some with my handy dandy phone.
The market is a poppin' place. There is constantly loud music playing, people coming and going, and if you're ever in the mood for some goat intestines - you're ALWAYS in luck! (nope didn't get a picture of that to display)
The farmers who sell produce just lay their food on a tarp or mat. When I buy vegetables (carrots, onion, green pepper, cucumber, tomato, potato, etc) they are laid out in stacks/bunches and are at a fixed price. I'm so glad Malawians don't typically do the barter thing. The price usually is what it is, and I don't have to work it down.
There are other things besides food to buy, as you can see in the below picture.
These "shop owners" have wooden stands and shelves.
You can buy anything from socks, cups, bowls, brooms, mops, to cell phones.
Luckily Tyler and I's Chichewa is improving, so it's easy for us to greet the sellers (hi, how are you? I'm good, thank you) and ask how much each thing is (we pay everything in Kwatcha). Sometimes they start talking more in Chichewa and I have to let them know I'm not fluent. Some do know english, which is helpful.
In the village, almost all Malawian women wear chintinjes (shown above). Since chintinjes are so popular, a lot are on display at the markets. You can wear them as skirt wraps, dress wraps, head wraps, or as a baby carrier on your back. They get so creative, and so are the patterns!
So far I have 2 patterns, and Tyler is thinking about picking out a design and getting pants made out of them. Trust me, if this happens, you will all see a picture of it.
Now you know where we do our personal shopping, and shopping for Esther's House.
It's no Aldi or Walmart, but it's always an adventure.
Plus, we always get to follow what Michael Pollan suggests "Shake the hand that feeds you."
Village Clinics
Sunday, June 11, 2017
What an exciting, crazy, eye-opening 10 days with the JBU medical
team.
The JBU team consisted of: 19 nursing students, 3 non-nursing students, 3 nurses, and 2 doctors.
The JBU team consisted of: 19 nursing students, 3 non-nursing students, 3 nurses, and 2 doctors.
We had 3 clinic days, 1 at Esther's House and 2 in surrounding villages.
We transformed a church and a government building into a useable space to treat patients.
When resources are limited,
creativity is key.
As long as we had room, health providers and medicine, we
were doing well.
The day before our clinics, we passed out medical
cards. Each card was a ticket that could
be used to be seen the following day. We would be limited on the amount
of people we could see. While passing
out cards, we split into teams to talk about Jesus and pray for any needs they
had.
The morning of the clinics, we created rooms made of boards and tarps, set up plastic chairs and tables, and rolled out caution tape to ensure kids wouldn’t huddle all around the buildings (I later found out how essential this really was).
The morning of the clinics, we created rooms made of boards and tarps, set up plastic chairs and tables, and rolled out caution tape to ensure kids wouldn’t huddle all around the buildings (I later found out how essential this really was).
Lines and crowds gathered outside our doors, but we only had
limited amount of time. We saw everyone
who had a ticket, and tried to squeeze in the rest. Instead of lining up all day, they set their
health passports in a line as a way to know who would go next (genius).
Side note: a Malawian health passport is essentially a medical record. Each time they go to a hospital or clinic, the doctors write in it and use it as a frame of reference to know medical history.
We saw over 70 patients each day. Different health needs entered our doors. Adults, kids, chronic diseases, allergies, arthritis, malaria, and more.
Translators were there to break the language barriers and 3
of them were pastors.
We had a prayer room (in our fancy tarp divided building) to encourage those who were needing hope and to ask for healing.
We had a prayer room (in our fancy tarp divided building) to encourage those who were needing hope and to ask for healing.
At the end of our day, we packed up everything we previously set up. Tarps down, chairs stacked, boards unscrewed, car packed. And just like that, the buildings were back to how they were before.
I was able to learn a lot from the doctors and nurses who
came to serve.
I am definitely not a nurse, and never plan to be one (needles- no thank you!). But their knowledge + extra medicine left behind will be useful for our kids at Esther’s House.
I am definitely not a nurse, and never plan to be one (needles- no thank you!). But their knowledge + extra medicine left behind will be useful for our kids at Esther’s House.
Faithful
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
If I could write a list
of all the ways God has shown Himself faithful
I would have pages upon
pages.
5 years ago I was a
frazzled, homesick freshman at Winona State.
Yet that is the year I first felt called to serve in Africa.
I didn’t feel capable to live 2.5 hours away from home, yet God was stirring a desire to move overseas, and allowed me to leave my fears behind.
Now, I am caring for orphans and widows in the poorest country in the world. In a village in the middle of nowhere.
There were definitely hills, valleys & multiple seasons that got us to where we are now. I wouldn’t trade them for anything, yet I won’t be raising my hand to re-live them anytime soon (I can just see Tyler nodding in agreement).
Truth is, leaving everything behind is hard.
Saying goodbyes are hard.
Change is hard.
Yet that is the year I first felt called to serve in Africa.
I didn’t feel capable to live 2.5 hours away from home, yet God was stirring a desire to move overseas, and allowed me to leave my fears behind.
Now, I am caring for orphans and widows in the poorest country in the world. In a village in the middle of nowhere.
There were definitely hills, valleys & multiple seasons that got us to where we are now. I wouldn’t trade them for anything, yet I won’t be raising my hand to re-live them anytime soon (I can just see Tyler nodding in agreement).
Truth is, leaving everything behind is hard.
Saying goodbyes are hard.
Change is hard.
BUT…..
He who calls is faithful. And He will continue to be faithful as we live life halfway around the world. Our city may change to a village, our "home" church may look different, even our hygiene may (will) change. But He doesn’t.
I am sitting on the edge of my chair, waiting for what He has in store for us here. Knowing when days get tough, missing family gets real, and when craving Culvers custard becomes to hard to handle, I can remember we are here for a purpose. And no matter what, He won’t leave our side.
There is a song I’ve played about a zillion times since boarding our first plane. You’ve probably heard it before. It’s called “Faithful Til The End” by Bethel.
This song encompasses why fear hasn’t ruled my thoughts when transitioning to another culture and country. I’ve noticed that fear tends to leave when focusing on the faithfulness of our Father. And when I remember His faithfulness in the things behind me, I can trust Him for the same in the future.
Even when our income soley depends on others?
Even in a country where healthcare is lacking?
Even
in a place where witchcraft is more prevalent? He who calls is faithful. And He will continue to be faithful as we live life halfway around the world. Our city may change to a village, our "home" church may look different, even our hygiene may (will) change. But He doesn’t.
I am sitting on the edge of my chair, waiting for what He has in store for us here. Knowing when days get tough, missing family gets real, and when craving Culvers custard becomes to hard to handle, I can remember we are here for a purpose. And no matter what, He won’t leave our side.
There is a song I’ve played about a zillion times since boarding our first plane. You’ve probably heard it before. It’s called “Faithful Til The End” by Bethel.
This song encompasses why fear hasn’t ruled my thoughts when transitioning to another culture and country. I’ve noticed that fear tends to leave when focusing on the faithfulness of our Father. And when I remember His faithfulness in the things behind me, I can trust Him for the same in the future.
Even when our income soley depends on others?
Even in a country where healthcare is lacking?
yes.
“He who calls is faithful.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24
///////////
I will sing of all You've done
I'll remember how far You carried me
From beginning until the end
You are faithful, faithful to the end
There wasn't a day
That You weren't by my side
There wasn't a day
That You let me fall
All of my life
Your love has been true
All of my life
I will worship You