Feb.22-23 First day of Holiday – Went to School to check on materials and to see what could be done to make the administrative office more accommodating for the 1st Grade which is using it until they finish the 1st and 2nd Grade building around late April or early May. The class is half over for the year and it is packed full of building materals, administrative materials etc., etc--. We will move out building equipment. I stacked all the adm. materials in 1/3 cabinet space to allow Miriam room to empty some of her stacked up boxes. She will have more space to develop learning centers for the children.
The builder is to replace the 3 classroom doors. I couldn’t get them unlocked or locked again yesterday. Dry wood is difficult to find much of the year and doors are hard to fit properly anytime. It took 4 of the builders from the school to get them opened and then locked again! A carpenter has done a fabulous job of making building blocks for us. Spent Tuesday afternoon making drawings for balance beams, seesaws, and ramps for physical exercise. Ordered mats for the Kindergarten and hope the other classes will want them also for group times. Doors still not fixed!
Willeke has her gardeners planting pretty blue flowering shrubs all across the length of the building. NICE
Bathrooms are not quite finished. Coming in near future hopefully, so I can have 2 cups of tea or coffee in the mornings instead of just a scant one!s
I love getting the comments to my blog. Please keep them coming they really mean a lot to me.

Feb.18-21 Thursday was a good day working in centers. Group time had a few good moments. The children are learning slowly to come together and share. Friday was the last day of the 2nd quarter. The parents came early to get papers that the children had completed during the term. At the end of the next quarter we plan to have the parents to visit in the classrooms the last hour of the day and see how the children are using the learning centers. After school Miriam and I planned to make learning centers in her classroom during our vacation time between quarters. The teachers helped go through some equipment that needed to be sorted for the school. We ended our day by holding hands in prayer thanking God for Ebenezer School and asking for His blessings on the children and us as we work with them. We also asked for His blessing to be upon all the families and us during our 2 week vacation. Saturday we had Lawrence, assistant at Ebenezer School to knock on our door. We invited him in for tea. He shared some of his life with us and asked for an advance in salary until Tuesday. (That’s an issue dealt with often, sadly). Naomi and Fenne came for tea and brownies. Then 4 young workers from the Guesthouse came for tea and brownies. In the afternoon 7 of us in truck went to Lilongwe to the grocery store and to the bank. We had pizza in a nice restaurant before returning home. Picked up 2 men walking to Nkhoma. We saved them a very long walk in the dark. Electricity was out when we got home. Sunday we walked to church in pouring down rain. Had a good crowd for rainy day. We borrowed a computer to look at a movie this afternoon.

Feb.11-12 Things are beginning to settle down. I observed all three classes this week. On Thursday, Jessie Stitt and I stayed after school and arranged a classroom full of learning centers for her class. The maintenance man is also an assistant director of the school and luckily he does speak English. So I had him to come in on Friday, to interpret my instructions to the children as to how the room was to be used. That helped a lot for many of them know so few English words. I am really beginning to feel I am in Africa because yesterday there were 3 over 2 feet tall monkeys in our yard. One was swinging in a tree and two were running in the yard. At four o’clock on Friday, Jessie and I were invited to a birthday party for James, 11 years old, at his home. Many mission working families came. There was an abundance of pastries, puddings, cakes, coffee, tea and juice. They say that’s normal. Tomorrow, Saturday, there will be a morning meeting of the Ebenezer School Committee. I was asked to come.

Feb.13-17 Saturday at 8 am I met with the Board of Directors of the Ebenezer Institute of Learning. They requested that I become the Principal of the School. My response was that I would, if I could have a lot of guidance and help not only from God, but also the Board. Language is a bit of a problem for in depth conversation and instructions. Later in the day we had missionary workers to drop in for tea and entertained a missionary nurse for dinner, after which we went to a Doctor’s home for dessert to say goodbye to a wonderful surgeon, Dr. Warren DeCray, who returned to Iowa on Sunday.
Sunday 8 to 9:40am we attended the English service. The Chichewa service followed immediately. Their African Choir sang an amazingly beautiful song for our service.
Elspeth and Henni, a South African missionary couple, invited Rhona and me for tea. Jessie spent the weekend at the lake with all the young mission workers. Sunday night we helped the Guesthouse crowd cook dinner. We enjoyed their fellowship. The people of the Guesthouse are always coming and going. So we constantly meet new mission workers, doctors, nurses, teachers, maintenance people, students etc.
Monday morning we’re back to Ebenezer School in the Reception Class. Jessie and I greatly lacking in ability to give much needed detail instructions, are constantly trying more effective ways of communicating. We’re determined we’ll get there SOMEDAY. New learning centers help because they speak to the children. The i-pod music that the deacons sent helps and the many items from PWS are often LIFE SAVERS. Tuesday was our first rainy day that caused us to miss our outdoor play time.
Being with 4 and 5 years old for 41/2 hours in a classroom with teachers who lack communication skills CAN BE A PROBLEM. Thanks for all the self-communicating materials you have sent!! A Malawian carpenter has made a set of 20 wooden blocks like the wooden blocks in PWS. He has done a lovely job. He is making 3 sets for each of our 3 classes. Thanks for the money sent for supplies. Tues. night is ladies Bible Study night. We meet in the homes. We are studying the book of Proverbs and are getting to know people through Bible study.
Wednesday was a good day until the rain started at play time and the 1st grade teacher left due to illness. I was there to finish the day working with manipulatives and puzzles and reading to the first graders books in English. We got through the day with the help of Lawrence our assistant and his guitar.

feb 10

Feb. 10 I observed the 3-4 year old class today. Pauline is an excellent teacher of the old school. She seems to be eager to add learning centers to her room so I am excited about working with her. I will put the $600.00 gifts of money in the Ebenezer School Budget and begin collecting items for centers. Willeke is enthusiastic about the process and will help with the actual picking out the items. I took drawn examples of the wooden blocks that I want to have made to Willeke, who will get a carpenter to make them out of 2 x 4s. Came home and created a lunch from olive oil, onions, tomato and home-made brown bread. I took a walk to the Guest House to meet Jessie. Got lost on the paths. Malawians are helpful in leading me to my destinations. Hope I improve in my jungle travels. The electricity goes off about three times a week. The first time it happened to me was when I had just started cooking dinner. We have a gas back-up stove.

We can communicate!!!!!

Mom, YOU ARE AWESOME...Thanks so much for giving the blog a try. We will all enjoy being able to communicate with you!!!

When you are reading your blog, not posting, which means you went in under the dotinafrica.blogspot.com way to just read your blog, make sure you check the comments after each post. If it indicates a comment was made (which means a number is in front of the word comments--located at the end of each blog entry), click on comments and it will let you read what people have written to you. Love you lots. Keep Blogging!!!! Lynne

Hey mom!!

Glad you arrived and are doing well!! We are all proud of you and your willingness to follow your heart. It sounds like you have been welcomed to Africa by many people. What should I expect from a woman like you. We were excited to see that you have blogged. Who knew that my mom who has trouble with e-mail can get into and post a blog. A lot of people keep asking about you and your trip. Keep posting the blogs. It is a good, fun way to keep everyone in touch. You are an amazing woman and an inspiration to all and I am proud of you.

Love your son
Dan

week 1

Feb. 3 Lynne had 2 nervous houseguests, her daughter, Kristen, who started her first day of Public School teaching and her mother, Dorothy, who began a new teaching/directing adventure as she departed for Malawi, Africa. All workers at airport were friendly and helpful. On flight to Johnnesburg I met 3 different groups of people going to do mission work in South Africa.

Feb.4 Lost 6 hours going east – made for a short night. Landed in Dakar early morning on Thurs. to refill and spray cabin. Landed in Johnnesburg at 6pm. Had to exchange $5.00 just to get a coin to make a call to Emerald Guest House for shuttle.
Lodging was adequate and breakfast in the inner courtyard was good.

Feb.5 Lodging was adequate and breakfast was delicious in the inner courtyard. Shuttle
returned guests to the airport. I had over twice the amount of carry-on luggage allowed on the African Airline, with some begging they allowed me to check another piece of luggage. I landed in Lilongwe at 12 noon. Was nice to be met by smiling Willeke. All luggage arrived in good condition. We piled all luggage into van and picked up a man and 10 school children to return home to Nkhoma – a LOADED van.

Ter Haar Home - I was served tea. Then Willeke settled me into Barbara’s house. My housemates were on weekend trip visiting a missionary doctor in another village. At 6 pm Wianna, one of Willeke’s 6 children , came to walk me by path to their home for dinner. Raynier Ter Haar (he’s a doctor and director of the hospital), walked me back to my house at the end of the evening. They are a lovely family.

Feb. 6 I found home-made banana bread in frig for breakfast. Not being too steady I was very careful about what I ate and drank from Wednesday until Sunday when I began to feel more normal. Wianna came to walk me back through the jungle to her home to spend a delightful day. Neighboring mission workers came for tea (Carolyn, Scott, Jim, Sandra and husband and Ruth). Dr. Ter Haar was at home for the day. He played a lot with his children and took them and me to the village to get chips (deep fried hashbrown potatoes) and cokes for lunch – a special Saturday treat for the family.
Mid-afternoon, I walked home getting lost only once. Sorted through the supplies I brought and took a little rest. Then I walked back to the Ter Haar’s for dinner.
Carolyn and Scott had the Ter Haar’s and me for a game night, lots of fun.


Feb. 7 Got an early start, church was at 8am and lasted until 9:45. When we got out there were a lot of villagers on the grounds waiting for us to finish so they could have a service in their native tongue. A little further out was a group under the trees practicing their songs for the service. They sounded fantastic. Willeke invited Sandra and husband and 4 of the male students (short time mission workers) from the Guest House to come for coffee or tea and cake at her tea house in the back of their property, a place of natural beauty. After dinner I returned to Barbara’s for rest. 5:50pm Jessie Stitt from Black Mtn. and Rhona from UK returned. Jessie is teaching the 5 year olds and Rhona is a doctor working in the hospital for 1 year. Jessie, Rhona and I went to the Guest House
for dinner. Met a missionary doctor from Wisconsin who was with Dr. Roberchek(?) in
Charlotte during the 70-80’s.

Feb.8 Went with Willeke to take children to school in Lilongwe. We spent the school day shopping -house building materials, shoes, groceries from large stores as well as the local fresh air markets and exchanging my money into kwachas. I cooked vegestables I bought at Lilongwe and Jessie, Rhona and I had dinner here last night.

Feb. 9 spent morning with Willeke learning the history of school and visiting the classes with the students and children. Learned what paths to take to find the school. Second phase of school will be finished soon.

She arrived!!!!!

Received email from mom of her arrival. Her email "Trip was good. I arrived 10 minutes early after a 3 day trip!!! It was great to be welcomed by smiling Willeke who took me to Barbara's house ( the missionary who is in the States until Aug. 1, 2010) and got me settled in for my stay. I am now (Saturday - Feb. 6th) at Willeke's home having tea." Dot

Dancing With God

Well, like you I am waiting to hear from my mom that she arrived safely in Africa ---until then, I found this passage that I felt mom would use to describe what has been happening in her life the past few months...

Dancing with God

When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.

When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.

When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another.

It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other. My eyes drew back to the word guidance.

When I saw "G"; I thought God, followed by "u" and "I".
"God, "u" and "I" dance.

God, you, and I dance.

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God, as God abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.

Thank you for all your prayers!!!! Lynne

Life is full of 1st....

Well, off for what seems like the first day of my first job. Kristen is experiencing the same butterflies as she also starts her first teaching job today. We are both excited and ready for the adventure....stay tuned.

Preparing for Africa

Lunch with friends and family at Covenant Village, dinner with Lynne, labeling 50 lb. air packs, craming duffle bag (my pocketbook)containing a little of everything. Borrowing Kristen's waterproof boots for the rainy season in Malawi. Well wishes, hugs, prayers, goodbyes. Leaving for airport at 11:30 am Feb. 3. Charlotte to Dulles - Dulles to Johannesburg Arrival Feb. 4 at 6:20 pm.