March 12-17
Over the weekend was the first time I felt a little homesick ( it hit me while being in church). We get home about 10am and that leaves a long Sunday, and I had nothing special to do. Maralise, a retired nurse from South Africa who came here 5 years ago after her husband died to do mission work, called me and asked if I would like to go to Dedza with her to sightsee and have lunch. I was thrilled to be asked. Dedza is an interesting town in the mountains (elevation 2198m-high) about 60 miles in the opposite direction of Lilongwe which is in the plains. Dedza is a relaxing place with charming African Art and Craft Shops which we enjoyed browsing through. We had lunch at a really nice restaurant at The Dedza Pottery. The goat meat , carrots and potatoes were very good. On the way home we stopped on the side of the road at one of the many market type settings and bought a bucket of sweet potatoes to divide and wonderful mango fruit. They harvest a lot of other potatoes in this area. In the open air markets all over the area they have their outdoor grills frying French-fried potatoes. They are fried on a large round metal sheet in lots of oil. They scoop up a spatula full of fries and put them in a plastic bag and pour a tablespoon of the hot oil on top of them in the bag – very greasy, kids love them. The day turned out to be one of my best days so far.
Maralisa invited me to go into Lilongwe with her on Wednesday. We stopped on the way there to visit the orphan school complex which she started when she came here. Her Methodist Church in South Africa supports her by paying the salaries of the 3 teachers. The Orphan Project in Nkhoma supports 30 schools for orphans. They provide 2 hours schools daily with a meal at the end of the day. This financially helps the relatives who have taken the children into their homes as well as instills a thirst for education in the children and in the parents. They are doing such a wonderful work with the children on such a limited budget that I was moved to ask the carpenter, Lincoln, to build them the same great sea-saws, balancing beams, and ramps that he has made for Ebenezer and also to make them the same beautiful wooden blocks and flannel boards that the Ebenezer children are enjoying. Lincoln is a wonderful carpenter and a dedicated Christian. He built all the furniture in the school and is helping now to make it fit in effectively with the learning center concept. I am so thrilled with his work. Maralisa has fashioned her school after the orphan schools. Her facility is used by the village for all their public meetings and for church services as well as for school. She is hoping that the Ophan Project will take the school under its support.
Last night Rhona, Jessie, and I went to the Guesthouse to help cook dinner for Ewva (Polish)) who left today to return to her home in Germany. Ewva has been a volunteer nurse for 3 months on the children’s ward. She becomes so attached to those little children. Her plans are to sell her house in Germany and move to where her 3 children live back in Poland. She plans to return to Nkhoma in November for another 3 months.
Ebenezer School has its ups and downs. The main concern is that the 1st grade is moving slowly. At first it appeared to be the class who needed less help, but that has changed partially because the other 2 classes have eagerly made some very conwtructive changes. More time will be spent with the first grade.
Saturday is the big local market day of the week with lots of things to sell. I’m looking for things to use in centers like clothes pins for the pinching exercise to prepare for holding a pencil, dust pan and brush to sweep up the cuttings from cutting exercises and the mud tracked in from outside. They are preparing to lay concrete for ride toys and chalk coloring. The soil is jet black. They have dug up so much grass leaving much black soil to be tracked inside. The playground equipment is about ready to be placed in the ground. Installation has been delayed because of heavy rains – have had trouble with getting the paint to dry. Our playground is covered with water, the trenches are full of water and the workers have been emptying the footings for the wall with buckets. This rainy season is a very wet one so they say.

March 9-12

At Dr Barbara Nagy’s house one doesn’t need a radio. In the late afternoon you can tune in to the most beautiful sounds of music by just sitting on her front porch and listening to the wonderful sounds coming from the Nkhoma Hospital, a church and a school as choirs in each are having their rehearsals. There must be a number of choirs in each facility.
The Secretary General’s office is the building just across from the church. Grace Boyer form WNC Presbytery wrote me a letter of introduction to give to the Secretary General of the Synod. I walked down there shortly after coming and had a nice short visit with him as he welcomed me to Ebenezer School and to Nkhoma.
Since then I have received an invitation from the General Secretary inviting me to the 2100 Missionary Partner Personnel Conference, April29-May 2. The conference brings together missionary staff who work with the CCPA (Church of Central Africa Presbytery)and affiliated churches in Zimbabwe, Zambe, Malawi, an Mozambiue.. The purpose of the conference is to meet for fellowship, worship, and mutual encouragement and learning. I’m trying to decide if this is something I should do.
The church we attend is about a couple of city blocks away from us. The Order of Service is printed in the back of the hymnal and is used as the bulletin each Sunday.

VOTUM: Let us worship God. Our help is in the Name of the Lord who made heaven and earth, who keeps every promis, and does not forsake the work of His hands
GREETING: Dearly Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ,
Grace, mercy and peace to you, from God our Father,
and Jesus Christ our Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
HYMN; Look upon us, blessed Lord,
Take our wandering thoughts and guide us;
We have come to hear Thy world
With Thy teaching now provide us,
That, from earth’s distractions turning,
We Thy message may be learning.
THE LORDS PRAYER
HYMN OF PRAISE
ADULT BABTISM must be administered after this hymn.
THE LAW
The Lord God gave His Law to order our lives according to His will; and since through the Law also comes the knowledge of our sins, let us respectfully, and searching our hearts listen to the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20.
THE SUMMARY OF THE COMMANDMENTS, AS GIVEN BY OUR LORD JESUS IN Mark 12:29-31; Rom. 13:8-10
REPENTANCE
HYMN: Sinful thoughts and words unloving,
Rise against us one by one,
Acts unworthy, deeds unthinking,
Good that we have left undone.

Lord, Thy mercy now entreating,
Low before Thy throne we fall,
Our misdeeds to thee confessing,
On Thy name we humbly call. Amen
THE CREED: We now call upon all communicant members to stand and make profession of the universal Christian faith. (The 12 points of the Apostle’s Creed)
Hymn: Lord, strengthen Thou our faith, we ray;
Increase it always, this our shield;
And comfort Thou with true belief
Our hearts in all adversity. Amen
HYMN: (Praising Christ, of love and gratitude, or of joy and peace)
INFANT BAPTISM, Confirmation, Induction of Elders and Deacons, and other ceremonies must be afficiated after this hymn.
PRAYER: Adoration and Praise, Thanksgiving, Confession, Pray for opening of Scripture:
SCRIPTURE READING;
HYMN: OPTIONAL
SERMON;
PRAYER: Surrender and dedication, Supplication, Intercession
CHOIR: (While the offerings are taken) (there has been at least 5 choirs every Sunday)
OFFERINGS: When the deacons have taken the offerings, they stand before the preacher, who says a prayer of dedication.
HYMN: (relating to the sermon, or of encouragement, or a closing hymn)
BENEDICTION: (ordained Ministers only)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
And the love of God
And he fellowship of the Holy Spirit
Be with you all. AMEN
A hymn or Choir may be sung while the people leave the church.

The four church services that I have attended have been from 11/2-2 hours long. The wonderful music takes up a lot of the time.

March 4-8

It’s not true that you will received a sheet when you arrive at the airport that will allow you to stay in Malawi up to 2 years. They merely stamp you passport as of the date you enter Malawi. After 30 days of being in the country you have to go to immigration to purchase 60 more days, then after that time you must file for an extension which becomes quite confusing and complicated or you can just leave the country for one night and reenter the next day to receive another 30 days, etc., etc., etc. It just keeps on repeating itself. The later choice seems to be the popular way to accomplish the task. Last Thursday I went to immigration office in Lilongwe to purchase 60 days. That was an experience! You approach the building with lots of people standing at the door. Thinking that’s the line you fall into place. Sometime later you discover that’s just people standing around talking. So you push ahead to get inside of the building and there you find 2 men behind desks. Both men are reading the newspaper with 8-10 people waiting to see one of them. We waited and when we got to the chair at one of their desks, the man took my passport and gave me a sheet to fill out. Then he told me to go the the next building to pay for the 60 days and come back and he would return my passport. At the next building, I had same confusing process getting to the window to pay, and when I did finally get there the guy charged me 10,000 kwachas and sent me back to the first man without any receipt. After another wait, I was thankful to get my passport returned marked with 60 additional days to remain in Malawi. On May 3rd we are considering going to the closest town across the border to spend one night and then return to start the process all over again for my next extension.
The Malawian 5 minutes is anytime after the announced time. The people are just not in a hurry to go anywhere or to do anything. They feel it’s fine to go or not go according to how you feel at the moment. That includes workers in hospital and teachers in schools. Today was first day back to school after a 2 week holiday. One teacher just decided not to come to school today. The 3 year old class had 2 new students starting their first day of school today and no teacher! I had a busy morning teaching the class with the help of the maintenance man who translated English into Chichewi so the children could understand some instructions. I had stuffed the bean bags that Covenant Village ladies made for us and I took them to the school this morning. The class had a grand time singing about the beans bags, throwing and catching them, marching around the room with them on their heads, putting them on their different body parts as we sang about it all. It was a most rewarding experience for a weary teacher. Beverly, tell the ladies how successful the bean bags are!
We continue to loose electricity about three times a week usually around dinner time. We are fortunate to have gas back up burners. Ruth from the Guesthouse had dinner with us tonight. There are only 4 guests there at present and the three boys were off to dinner elsewhere. We had corn beef(canned) and cabbage, squash, fresh green beans from the local market and cucumber, tomatoes, and onion salad. We also had homemade loaf bread dipped in olive oil with spices. Good meal! Well, that’s a lot about daily living here in Malawi, so I’ll sign off and go to bed.

Family

Mom

Sounds like you are having a great time. Teresa and I have had a challenge trying to post comments, but maybe we have figured this out. Reading your blogs has been great way to keep up with you.

Everything here is going well. I am working to many hours as normal. Girls are looking forward to Spring break 13 - 21 March. Courtney will be working and Kara and her roomate will be going to Nashville to look at a school. Jim just got his license, so it is probably good that you are off the roads right now!!

Take care and keep blogging. Love you Jim

Feb.24-Mar.3
How time flies! It’s hard to believe I haven’t written in my blog since. Feb.23. I have spent the time during my holiday break between quarters in the classrooms cleaning out old stuff, rearranging the areas for learning centers and putting some pictures including children’s drawings on the walls. They have been learning letters and numbers, a little phonics, and reading. My slogan is quickly becoming Practicing Learning Activities – Yes. Play is practicing learning activities and hopefully, we will begin doing more of it in the classrooms so the children can have fun learning and developing a greater understanding about the wonderful world God has given to us to work, to till and to subdue. We have been talking about God’s gifts of our bodies and how they work. We talk about nature and what beautiful things God has created for us to take care of and to enjoy. Lots of lights dawn on children as they explore, experiment, and discover our wonderful world, including reading writing and arithmetic.
I have been entertained some during our break. I enjoy eating with the Guesthouse crowd and having tea with friends. I have also been in Lilongwe two times shopping for groceries and school supplies mainly. It feels good as I begin to recognize places and things. Going to the local market is an experience in itself. We take a short cut through the hospital to get to the market here in Nkhoma.. Many things are learned just during those trips. It’s overwhelming to see how the families camps out at the hospital to care for their sick. We hear lots of stories from the hospital since we have Rhona, the UK doctor, living with us. Today is birthday of Trina, a young doctor from Australia. A crowd of us took got two cars and took her to lunch in Lilongwe. Getting transportation is tricky business. It’s finding someone who is going, or someone’s car that we can borrow or rent, etc. You don’t find car rentals on jungle paths. On the way to lunch today I got a neat picture of children on a merry- go-round similar to the one we use to have at PWS. As the children rode round and round they were pumping water into the reservoir high above their heads. Lots of children were having fun!
We have been without electricity since Friday, Feb.26. The electrician came to help this morning. Electricity is wonderful.