Lusaka, Zambia to Blantyre, Malawi in 16 hours

I used to not mind missing some sleep before traveling for long distances, but when you stay up until after 1:00 am have to wake up at 3:30 am to catch a bus that leaves at 5:00 am; suddenly missing sleep doesn’t sound so great. As I mentioned in my previous post, it was definitely an awesome experience to be in Zambia when they won the AFCON Cup Final, but I was not looking forward to the hours of traveling once the game was over and Kayla and I quickly tried to get some sleep.

We were out of the house by 4 am to make sure we got to the bus station when boarding started at 4:30am. There were still people on the streets, walking & celebrating and blowing their vuzuzwelas as we drove to the bus station and got our last minute instructions from Kalengule. We missed the coach bus that goes directly from Lusaka to Lilongwe, so we were going to have to make a couple of extra stops along the way, but Kayla and I were pretty confident that we’d be okay (at least we pretended to be confident J).

We were on the bus by 4:20, ready to go; and we waited, and waited, and waited. Around 5:30am, maybe later because I was in & out of sleep as we sat at the terminal, we finally pulled out of the bus station and started our journey towards Lilongwe. The bus must have been fairly new because the seats were covered in plastic, which made Kayla and I both think of plastic sofa covers that people use back home to protect their furniture. The ride went pretty smoothly, except when I started to get dripped on from the vent above my head. It was raining outside and somehow there was a leak (so much for riding on a newer bus!) right above my head. Thank God for chitenjes (remember those fabrics I told you about) which helped me to stay mostly dry.

We seemed to be making pretty good time and were hoping to arrive in Chipata between 11:30 & 12:00, but our timing was a little off and we didn’t get to Chipata until closer to 1:00pm. Now came the fun part (I said facetiously) of finding a taxi to take us to the border without getting ripped off because we’re white. Thankfully, God was watching over us and helped us get our bags quickly (which were mysteriously muddy even though they shouldn’t have been anywhere on the ground) and the negotiating began. Two different taxi drivers were fighting saying they saw me first and they could take us to the border for only 20,000 Zambian Kwacha (that’s about $4 USD). Kalengule had told us that was the maximum we should expect to pay, so I told them that was a little steep for us and I would have to talk with my friend (Kayla was in search of a paper to document Zambian’s win). One of them said he would give me a discount and only charge 15,000 Zambian Kwacha each. I talked with Kayla when she got back and we agreed that price was good and we went to the taxi. There was a gentleman standing near the car and he asked if we were taking it to the border. We said yes and he said that he would take it also – he just didn’t want to get swindled. I don’t know what it was that made us look as if the taxi driver was honest, but it turned into a huge blessing to have that gentleman with us.

As we were driving, rather quickly, to the border, the gentleman, named Luzzie, asked how much Malawi Kwacha the ride cost and the driver said he only takes Zambian Kwacha and that they’ll just exchange some money at the border. Kalengule had warned us against using those men because they were crooks, so when we got to the border, Kayla asked Luzzie if he wanted us to pay with our Zambian Kwacha and he could just give us the Malawi Kwacha. He agreed and then stayed with us through both border offices and even helped to carry our bags. It was fun to talk with the Zambian Immigration Officer about the game and share in his excitement for his country. J

We got through both Immigration Offices without a hassle and Luzzie continued to help us with our bags as we went in search of our next taxi to take us to Mchinji to find a minibus to Lilongwe. We found a taxi with a woman named Ana Buhl from Argentina. The driver charged us 500 Malawi Kwacha (about 3 USD), which was a little more than we were expecting, but Luzzie said he would pay for it and we figured it would be easier to just get in and go because we needed to try and catch the Coach back to Blantyre.

We had a wonderful conversation with Ana and Luzzie, getting to know them a little bit better. Ana has been traveling for about a month – she plans to be traveling for five months total, though she misses her husband so she may go back to the Netherlands sooner rather than later. She was such a delight to talk with – I’ve posted some pictures (or I will soon) so you can see Ana and Luzzie; two guardian angels that God sent to help Kayla and I along our journey.

Once we got out of the taxi, there were lots of minibuses to choose from and Luzzie again helped us (all 3 of us including Ana) to find one that was about to leave for Lilongwe. It didn’t leave as quickly as we had hoped and we were worried about catching the Coach bus on time. It was about 2:30pm when we finally pulled away and we knew it took about an hour and a half to get to Lilongwe and the Coach leaves at 4:30pm. Nothing like cutting it close! Luzzie helped calm our fears a bit because he said we should make it there in plenty of time. He was getting picked up by his son and he said that he would go with us to our stop and then have his son drop us at the bus station – another huge blessing from God! Luzzie also told Ana that he would help her arrange housing for the couple of nights she would be in Lilongwe, even if that meant having her stay at his house.

We started to get a little anxious about our arrival to Lilongwe because we were stopped at a police blockade and actually had to get out for them to search the minibus. This was the first time we’ve had to do that and we knew it was taking precious time that we didn’t have to waste. Then, once we got going again, we stopped again to fill up with fuel. Thankfully, the fuel crisis has stabilized a little bit and the queue for fuel was not a long one. Still, it took time and Kayla and I began to worry that we would have to stay in Lilongwe and finish traveling the next day. Oh yeah, and it started raining hard enough to cover the roads and cause small rivers to be rushing down the either side of the road; definitely sending lots of prayers to God that we would make it on time!

God heard our prayers, our frantic, worried and hurried prayers. J We arrived at our minibus stop and Pastor Nkosi was there to greet us. We introduced him to Luzzie as we got our bags and put them in his son’s car. This was an awesome ‘God moment’ because when Luzzie saw Pastor Nkosi, he recognized him! They had worked together at the same school before and Luzzie’s son, Louis, also knew Pastor Nkosi. This just confirmed that God’s hand was upon us as Ana, Kayla and I climbed into the back of the car and rushed to the bus station. The first coach had already left and so we were on our way to the AXA coach station – the bus we’ve taken from Lilongwe in the past. It was already 4:30pm and that was when the bus was supposed to leave.

Praise God, we pulled into the AXA station at 4:35pm and the bus was still there!! We rushed inside to pay for our tickets, Luzzie helped to load our bags onto the bus, we took a quick picture with him and then we were on the bus headed for home. Hallelujah! Since we were the last two people on the bus, we weren’t able to sit next to each other, but we were both just so grateful to know that we would be in Blantyre by the evening.

It was a fairly uneventful ride home – I had a nice conversation with the woman next to me and the snacks they served on the bus were a welcome treat since we hadn’t eaten much throughout the whole day. We arrived in Blantyre around 9:30 and were welcomed home by Chisomo and Pastor Nihaka. Pastor Nihaka is such a kind man – he had bought us chicken dinners from the Chicken Inn so that we would have something to eat for dinner. It was a welcome treat to enjoy before falling quickly asleep in our beds.

God is an awesome God and Kayla and I were very blessed to meet Luzzie and Ana. We’re hoping to see Luzzie again when he comes to Blantyre for a Thanksgiving service with his church next weekend. He sent us a message letting us know that Ana was staying with his family and that he had taken her to see the Botanical Gardens in Lilongwe and would help her get to the train station for the next part of her journey. Kayla and I both agree that Luzzie is a kindred spirit with Pastor Nihaka – both men putting others’ needs before their own and doing whatever is in their power to help.

Prayers & Praises:

-       I had a chance to spend another weekend in Mangochi with Zuriel. It was a wonderful time, though it is bittersweet because it may be the last time I see him for quite some time. Please pray for us both as we figure out the next steps in our relationship and how we plan to deal with the long, long distance aspect

-       Dorothy’s neighbor’s daughter just lost her infant child last week. The baby got sick (we’re not sure with what) and went to the hospital, but they were unable to save the baby. Please pray for the family that they know God is with them in their mourning and that they have support from family and friends around them.

-       This is our last week to teach the kids – I’m excited to see them again since it will have been 2 weeks since I’ve seen then because of our trip to Zambia – I pray that it is a good week for all and that my frustrations are minimal

-       HUGE PRAISES for our safe travel to and from Zambia. It can always be a little nerve-wracking traveling to new places (especially when that travel includes crossing international borders), but Kayla and I were blessed to have a lot of people helping us get the proper transport to allow us to arrive safely.

-       Lots of praises as well for the time spent with the Kaoma family. Spending time in their home definitely made me glad that I get to see and be with my family soon. J Our God is great and it is awesome to know that we truly are brothers and sisters in Him, no matter where we live on earth.

-       Just in case this is my last post before I’m state-side again (I’m not sure how much time I’ll have in these last few days to write and post my thoughts while still in Malawi), please pray for traveling mercies for Kayla and I as we head back to the US. We leaved on Feb. 29^th, arriving early morning in New York on March 1^st. Kayla then heads home to Ohio, while I begin another adventure as I head to Dallas, Texas for a GCI conference.

Trip to Zambia - Part 6 (Church & AFCON Final)

It is interesting to watch a family get ready for church. Everyone has their own routines and ways of getting ready. I used to think that it took effect for my family to get out the door and to church on time, but compared to the Kaomas, we were quick. J I don’t mean for this to sound as if I am putting them down, because I’m not; it is just interesting to note the similarities and differences in family dynamics across the globe. We start with the typical timetable given by the parents, “We want to leave by ‘such & such’ a time” and then the parents continue getting ready for church, thinking that the children are doing the same. Little do they know that the children’s timetable is a lot slower, especially because its morning, and they don’t really pay attention to the time.

I think we made it out the door and on our way to church about 15 minutes after they wanted to leave, which isn’t too shabby considering there were 8 adults and an infant getting ready and piling into the vehicle to go. We picked up their youngest daughter on the way to church because she had spent the night at a friend’s house.

I will never look at Pittsburgh potholes the same way again. I used to think they were pretty bad, and in some areas they are, but compared to the road that we took to get to church, they’re child’s play. I don’t know how the drivers manage to maneuver around some of these potholes without getting stuck – they are very skilled and well-practiced in avoiding them. They have an added obstacle of pedestrians walking throughout the street, usually in the way of the cars because they’re also trying to avoid the potholes as they walk.

The church we went to meets in a school about 30 minutes outside of Lusaka. Similar to the Dzaleka Camp church, they gave Kayla and I and Mrs. & Mrs. Kaoma, seats of honor along the wall beside the podium. There were only about 30 people there, but it was a joyful service. The pastor (Kayla has the names written down, check her blog to find out J) opened us up with a ‘Bible Start’ lesson, going through some scriptures and then asking for some testimonies from anyone who wanted to share.

After Kalengule’s message, the pastor said that they had something to give us to show us how much they love us and appreciate us coming to join them for church. They gave us flowers! Granted, they are fake flowers, but that just means they will last for a long, long time and be a ready reminder of our time in Zambia. J

Before heading to lunch, we had to stop and see about purchasing our bus tickets for the ride home the next morning. Kalengule gave us a couple different options, but we all three seemed to agree on one that would get us home by Monday night. You can read my next post to see all the details – it was definitely a looong day of travel, but worth it to be sleeping in our own beds in Blantyre.

We went out to eat for lunch to Shaka’s Grill (Shaka is a great warrior in Africa – there was some interesting history about him on the menu), though by the time we got our food it was closer to dinner time. This was another reminder of America for Kayla and I because the restaurant was in a mall, right next to the movie theatre! The food was delicious and we had the opportunity to talk with the Kaoma’s son and get to know him a little better.

We had heard that the game was going to start at 8:30 or 9:30pm, so on the way home from eating, we stopped to pick up some ice cream for celebration. The kids also went and found some fun glasses to wear with their chitenjes – I’ve posted some pictures in my Facebook group with them. Kayla and I were also able to stock up on some snacks for the ride home – including 50 cent sugar donuts that tasted delicious! J

We were finally back at the Kaoma’s house and we basically had to hurry up and wait for the game to start. Kayla and I finished up our packing so we would be ready to leave at 4:00 am the next morning. Some other family members came over to join us for the game, so the girls were fixing some food in the kitchen. Kayla and I were both pretty tired from all of our travels the past few days – we didn’t know if we’d be able to stay up to watch the game (which we did find out started at 9:30, ugh!) or not.

Around 8pm, they had the opening ceremonies for the game, which was pretty neat to watch – it reminded me a little bit of the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, though not nearly has intricate or detailed. Once the opening ceremonies had finished, I decided to take a nap since I knew we’d be up for a while. I got about 20 minutes of rest in before the game started and the cheering began.

Kayla and I aren’t big soccer fans and watching this final confirmed that for us both. The game is 90 minutes long and neither team scored during that whole time. Zambia came close a couple of times, though. Since they have to have a winner, they had to play another 15 minute overtime session and whoever was ahead by the end of that time was the winner. Again, neither side scored (and there may have been two 15 minute periods for overtime – I can’t remember) so now the game would be determined by penalty kicks. Each team had 5 kicks – Ivory Coast had the first kick so if they made it and Zambia didn’t, they would win.

I think it was the third kick for Ivory Coast and the player missed it, causing an uproar in the Kaoma household because Zambia now had the chance to win. Well, during the commotion, there was apparently something wrong with the kick and the player was given another chance to kick; and of course he made it in. Five kicks on each team and all of them scored. Now begins the next round of penalty kicks – remember how I said the game started at 9:30pm, and it has two periods of 45 minutes each with a 15 minute halftime – yeah, it was close to, if not after midnight as these last few penalty shots were being taken. I think it was the eighth penalty kick that an Ivory Coast player missed and a Zambian player made it – winning the AFCON Final for Zambia for the first time in their history!! That was an awesome moment to witness, not just on television, but in the Kaoma’s house as well. There was such jubilation and celebration – they immediately went outside to blow their vuzuzwelas, honk the car horn and cheer with everyone else in their city.

What made this win extra special was the fact that they dedicated it to some fallen teammates. In 1993, the Zambians had made it to the final game, but did not win. On the way home, the plane that they players were in crashed and killed them (reminds of the ‘We Are Marshal’ movie – a great story if you’ve never seen it!). This win was a moment to unite Zambians together as one, and we found out that the Malawians were just as excited and celebrated right alongside their neighbors.

Though it was a late night and only allowed Kayla and I to get about two and a half hours of sleep, I wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything. I feel privileged to be able to say that I was in Zambia when they won the AFCON Cup for the first time. J

Trip to Zambia - Part 5 (Return to Lusaka)

Kayla and I had some time to do a little last minute shopping in the morning before the Kaoma’s came to pick us up for our return to Lusaka. There was football (soccer) fever all over town as employees and patrons alike were dressing up in their Zambian colors and buying snacks, shirts, scarfs and other items for the FINAL against Ivory Coast on Sunday. It was fun to be a part of the preparations – it made me want to make some 7 Layer Dip and Puppy Chow! :D

Our ride home was a little more squeezed because we had two extra passengers – the Kaoma’s neice, Sharon and her one year old daughter (Malumbo – I don’t think I spelled this correctly). Kayla and I slept much more during this road trip than on the way to Livingstone because neither of us slept well at the Backpackers, it was incredibly hot and the mosquitoes seemed out to get us. Thankfully, it did not get too hot during the day and the ride home was a comfortable one.

Lusaka was just as excited for the AFCON Final as Livingstone – there were street vendors at every traffic light and Nsama bought a fabric for each of her daughters and a jersey for their son. I was thinking about getting a scarf that had the Zambian colors on it, but they saw my white skin and raised the price to higher than I was willing to pay. It was fun to watch the children’s excitement as they received their gifts and shared about their time with the parents away. J

The children weren’t the only ones to receive gifts – Nsama had some dresses that we think are from Ghana (I can’t remember for sure, but Kayla thinks Nsama said they were from there) and she let us each choose one to keep. We’re planning on wearing them during our final church service in Blantyre at the end of this month. My dress came with a headwrap, though I will probably be too hot here to wear it. Kayla and I are both excited to have an African dress and we’ve already talked about wearing them during our presentations of our trips once we get back home.

Around 8pm in the evening, I had the opportunity to Skype with my Live 2:6 Discipleship group that I have been a part of for the past two years. My parents and my sisters, Tonya & Katie, are also in the group with me and it was an awesome thing to be able to see and chat with everyone, even for just a few moments. It got me excited to be heading home soon.

Even though we slept on the way home, it was an early night to bed for Kayla and I. We wanted to be well rested for church and the AFCON Final game the next day. J

Trip to Zambia - Part 4 (Victoria Falls!!!!)

I had a lovely swim in the pool the night before we went to the Falls. The water was the perfect temperature and the stars above were gorgeous. It was mid-morning before we were actually on our way to Victoria Falls and I loved the anticipation of not really knowing what to expect. We saw monkeys almost immediately and we were warned repeatedly to put away any food or even just a plastic bag that we might have out because the monkeys would try to take it. Kalengule told us of a time when he had brought his family to the Falls and left a window open in the car while his kids were in the back. A monkey came right into the car and snatched an orange! Though it was an amusing story, I’m sure it would be a little scary to see a baboon coming towards you.

We saw the statue of David Livingstone and heard the Falls long before we saw them. I’ve been to Niagra Falls, but I knew this would greatly surpass them; and boy did it!! My pictures don’t do it justice, which I knew they wouldn’t, but I tried anyway. I also took some video clips and they capture some of the roar from the water, but still don’t give the complete picture of actually being at the Falls.

Kalengule was prepared with a poncho and Kayla and I had our umbrellas; we should’ve just worn our swimsuits with how drenched we got. J There is a bridge called ‘Knife’s Point’ and when it is clear, you can see straight to the bottom of the Falls. We were lucky to be at Victoria Falls during the rainy season because the waterfalls were thick, loud and powerful. We were told that during the dry season, the Falls are sometimes no greater than a trickle. The mist from the waterfalls was covering the bridge, so we couldn’t really see down very far, but it was still a magnificent sight. There were walkways created through the greenery looking to the Falls and in the surrounding area. Some of the views from these areas reminded me of some mountaintop views from back home in the US. I was especially reminded of our long ago church white water rafting outings on the Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle, PA. Our walk down to the ‘Boiling Pot’ brought fond memories of our ‘wet rafts’ & ‘dry rafts’ as we made our way down the river.

It was no small feat to see the Boiling Pot. In order to get down to it, we had to walk down 629 meters (for my fellow Americans who can’t convert that in your head, that’s about 1800 feet). You know the old saying ‘What goes up, must come down’. Well, the opposite was true in our case. As we trekked down the mountainside, all I could think was, “We have to come back up this way. This path is steep. We’re still going down, how much farther do we have to go?” Despite some of my misgivings, I was so glad we hiked down the mountainside. The area is called the Boiling Pot because that is exactly what it looks like. The water from the falls rushes into the area and churns the water before continuing down the river into Zimbabwe. Even though we are just around the corner from the Falls, the roar from them is barely audible; muffled by the trees and mountains all around us. Though I had worried about our hike back up the mountain, we kept a slow and steady pace and made it to the top much faster than I expected. I have no doubt God’s angels were helping us along. J

Once we got back in the car, we couldn’t tell if we were more wet from the water or our sweat from the hike. Nsama was prepared with some fruit and chicken for us to snack on – a welcome treat after our expedition. After our rest, we headed on to a Wildlife Park in hopes to see some animals in their natural habitat. It was a slow start to see any life in the park. We were able to drive in our own vehicle, but we didn’t have a guide so Kalengule was just told to keep his car on the roads that looked more used than the others. Though we did see Impalas right away, it was a good hour and a half to two hours before we saw any big animals. Nsama has great eyes and caught a glimpse of a giraffe. Kalengule was able to pull up very close to it so we could get some pictures and a video. Even though I have been close to giraffes in the zoo, that just doesn’t compare to seeing them in their natural habitat and being in such close proximity (without a fence between you) to them!

The guards at the entrance had said that we probably wouldn’t see any elephants because the ground is too soft and they are fearful of getting stuck in the mud. They did say that we should be able to see some rhinos, but after driving through most of the park, the rhinos had still eluded us. We pulled up to a little picnic area and another guard station and asked them about the rhinos. One of the guards said he would take us to where they are so he got in the car with us – his gun and all – and led us out the park and across the street, where we didn’t realize the park actually continued.

We stopped after driving a little ways into this side of the park and the guard called one of his co-workers to ask where the rhinos were. He said, “Wait, I see something moving like a baboon; maybe that’s you.” Which made all of us laugh. When his co-worker, Dickson, arrived, we had the opportunity of a lifetime. Dickson said he would take us on a walking safari to see the rhinos! This was not technically part of the fee for our admission to the park and some wildlife parks would charge 90 USD and up for a walking safari (we paid 15 USD/each for this park). We started walking in a single file line behind Dickson. He also had a gun slung over his shoulder, which was mostly comforting to see.

Nsama didn’t feel up to walking, though she did want to see the rhinos, so the other guard stayed with her at the car. Turns out, God didn’t want her to miss the rhinos. J Soon after we had left the car, Nsama heard some rustling grass and wondered at our quick return. It didn’t take long for her to realize her mistake though because right in front of the car walked four rhinos – two males, one female and a baby rhino. The guard radioed to Dickson and told us to come back towards the vehicle. When we made it to the vehicle, we had a clear view of the rhinos and they were magnificent. Just about the time I figured Dickson would stop us and allow us to take some pictures of the rhinos, he kept going; closer and closer to the rhinos. I trusted him because I knew he knew what he was doing, but I was absolutely amazed that we were able to get as close as we got! If you’ve seen my FB profile picture, you’ve seen how close we were to the rhinos – magnificent! Dickson even pulled us closer for the pictures! J It was an incredible miracle to have seen & done all that we did at the park. We even saw a herd of water buffalo on our way back out of the park.

Our evening was pretty low key. Kayla and I took a walk to find a restaurant that took VISA cards & we finally found one close to where we were staying; which was nice. We enjoyed some good food and fun conversation with Victor, our bartender/waiter. We also got to enjoy walking some music videos on VH1 – when we saw ‘YMCA’ playing, we knew this was the place for us to eat. J We had tried to go to a Mexican restaurant (I have really been missing good Mexican food – it’ll be one of my first meals when I get back to the US), but they only took cash and we knew we wouldn’t have enough to cover dinner and the rest of our expenses.

I enjoyed another dip in the pool – Kayla too – before we headed to bed and prepared to leave for Lusaka the next morning…

Trip to Zambia – Part 3 (Lusaka to Livingstone)

As Kalengule drove us home, Kayla and I felt like we were back in America. We passed a couple different shopping centers, a KFC!, a mega store and a University. The whole area was much more modern than anything we’ve experienced in Malawi. When we turned off the main road, though, we were reminded that we’re still in Africa because the streets which the homes are on are still dirt and full of pot holes. Thankfully, the Kaomas only live about 15 minutes from the bus station so it was a quick ride to their house.

There was excitement in the house when we arrived because the Zambian football (soccer) team was playing in the Semi-Final game against Ghana in the AFCON (African Cup Of Nations) Tournament. Their son, Mutoko, is a huge football fan and I felt bad that our arrival pulled him from the game.

Once we got settle inside, though, we had dinner in front of the TV as we watched the game. Again, Kayla and I felt like we were at home because we’ll do the same thing at home – and we heard a microwave! That is one piece of technology that Kayla and I have missed while in Malawi. It was a precious sound to hear the ‘ding’ and hum of the microwave as it worked its magic to heat up our dinners. J

Zambia’s team won the game with a single goal towards the end of the second half. The excitement in the house, and outside, reminded of our celebrations in Pittsburgh when the Steelers went to the Superbowl. There were vuzuswelas blasting, horns blaring and people shouting; some people even set off some fireworks! It was a fun night to arrive in Zambia and we looked forward to being with them when they played the FINAL on Sunday evening.

The next morning, we set off for Livingstone to go see Victoria Falls! J I was excited for our road trip with Kalengule and Nsama. We had been told we would leave around 9:30, but it was closer to 11:00 before we were finally pulling out of the driveway. Nsama told us that that is typical of the Kaoma family (while Kayla and I both had expected it anyway because it also seemed to be a typical occurrence in Africa in general J) to leave later than expected or planned. Before we started off, Kalengule prayed for our trip – reminding us both of our dads and praying before our road trips back home. We stopped to get some food for the trip, a SIM card and units and exchange some money so we were ready for Livingstone.

It was a pleasant ride – much more comfortable than the coach bus to Lusaka – with the Kaomas. We enjoyed chatting with them and getting to know them a little better. Nsama runs an Interior Design School from her home and she was working on some uniform designs for her daughters’ school. She asked us if we had any ideas and so Kayla and I brainstormed some ideas with her a little bit. I’m not much of a fashion designer, but it was fun to help out and Nsama said she would send us pictures of the new uniforms once the school administrators choose the ones they like.

We arrived in Livingstone around 5:30 or 6:00 in the evening. There were a lot of options for places to stay, but Kayla and I were again asking to find somewhere cheap and safe. We were glad to have our own vehicle because it would have been a lot harder to find somewhere had we just taken a bus to Livingstone. The first place we stopped to check for their rates turned out to be a restaurant. Hehe J Kalengule pulled into it because it used to be a lodge that he had stayed at before. We stopped at four or five places before finally finding ‘The Livingstone Backpackers’. Not only were the rates affordable (10 USD/person/night), but they also took VISA cards (so we wouldn’t have to use all our cash on the lodge). I’ve posted (or will soon post) some pictures of the lodge – Kayla and I stayed in a dorm style room with two bunk beds. The room could hold up to four people, but it was just the two of us for the two nights of our stay (which was a nice blessing!). There was also a swimming pool, climbing wall, library and kitchen area where you could prepare your own food if you wanted. Meals were available from the kitchen and they were very reasonably priced – we had breakfast there both mornings. There were people, mostly college-age, from all over the world and it was fun to swap stories about what we were doing in Africa and where else we were traveling. The beds were surprisingly comfortable and Kayla and I both slept beautifully! We also enjoyed sleeping in a little bit as we waited for the Kaomas to come and pick us up to take us to Victoria Falls…

Trip to Zambia - Part 2 (Lilongwe to Lusaka)

When we first got on the bus to Lusaka, we thought we had gotten lucky and that it wasn’t going to be very full. One side of the aisle had two seats together and the other side had three. We started out on the two seat side so that we wouldn’t have a random person with us, but we were actually able to spread out and each have our own seat all the way to Chipata, Zambia (the city just past the border). It was a little after 5 am when we finally left the depot; we had a nice hot breakfast of eggs, toast, beans & sausage from the hotel.

It was a quick ride to the border, just under two hours. No one from the bus company told us what we needed to do when we stopped at the border, which was a little frustrating. Kayla and I finally got off and followed the rest of the people to the Immigration Office on the Malawi side. I got a little nervous when they said my Temporary Residency Permit wouldn’t be valid when we got back into Malawi, but then I remembered that they give us a 30 day visa when you first enter the country, so I would be fine. When we came out of the office, we had a moment of panic because the bus was not where we got off. We quickly looked around and found that it had just pulled up to the Zambian side of the border and that we had to go into the Zambian Immigration Office next.

It is a little pricey to get into Zambia – we had to pay $50 USD each for our visa – but it was fun to have even more stamps in our passports! J We got in and out of the offices fairly quickly and decided to use the restrooms before getting back on the bus (because there wasn’t one on the bus and we didn’t know when our next stop would be). Of course, it was a paying toilet (K50 each – about 20 cents), though it was barely worth even the K50 to use it.

We started off again from the border and quickly arrived at Chipata, Zambia. Kayla and I assumed this would be another short stop, but we were wrong. We sat at the depot in Chipata for almost two and a half hours. This is where the rest of the seats started to fill up. I moved back over to the two seat side with Kayla so that we wouldn’t lose our seats and we talked while we waited. Neither of us thought to buy a Sim card for our phone to work in Zambia while we were here, or to change some of our Malawi Kwacha for Zambian Kwacha; we just complained about having to sit and wait and not know what was going on…

Just before we started to leave, a gentleman got on the bus that we thought might be a steward for the company, but again, we were mistaken. He started preaching to everyone on the bus and quoting scriptures about being saved, etc. It was an alright message and we appreciated that he wished all of us safe travels to our destination. We weren’t surprised when he started asking for an offering, though we were surprised that so many people gave him some money! He left the bus and we sat for another 20 minutes or so before finally pulling out of the station. The only good thing about having to wait was that was two hours less bus riding than we had expected. We knew the trip was going to take about 12 hours, so with our stop in Chipata, we were almost halfway there already!

The rest of our bus ride was a bit of a blur; some sleeping, shifting, trying to read, staring out the window, wondering why we slowed down and/or stopped at seemingly random spots – you know, the usual ‘road trip’ symptoms. We tried at one stop to use our Malawi Kwacha to buy a Sim card so we could contact Kalengule and let him know where we were, but it didn’t work (which didn’t surprise us at all). Kayla and I had a mini battle with the gentleman sitting behind us. We had our window open because the bus was very stuffy and the guy behind us reached up and closed the window. Kayla immediately looked at me and asked if I wanted it open and I said yes. So she opened it back up so we could get some air. He then tapped me on the shoulder and asked if we could close the window because it was blowing on him a lot. I said that we needed air and we could shut it a little bit, which I don’t think he was happy about, but there was no way we could handle not having any air flow as we traveled.

Kayla and I got very excited when we finally saw signs for Lusaka! J Though we again weren’t sure where to get off because we hadn’t been able to contact Kalengule yet and of course there was no one on the bus telling us anything. We figured it was safe to just get off where everyone else got off and that turned out to be a good plan. We gathered our belongings and saw Kalengule standing right near the door as we got off. He helped us gather our bags and took us to his car where we met his wife, Nsama. We were thankful that our day of traveling was over and we looked forward to meeting the rest of the Kaoma family at their home.

Trip to Zambia – Part 1 (Blantyre to Lilongwe)

I was barely recovered from one trip before I had to get ready for our next one – Zambia!! We left Tuesday (Feb. 7^th) morning around 6:30am (not fun to have to wake up at 5am to finish packing and get ready to go). We had missed the ticket agent the day before to try and get an afternoon bus ride to Lilongwe. When we got to the depot, the coach was already there and we went quickly to the office to see if there were still tickets available. Thankfully, they did have some available, though they had gone up again in price (our first trip to Lilongwe was 4,000 MK and now it was 5,000 MK).

We started off and had a fairly comfortable ride to Lilongwe, meeting Pastor Nkosi at the AXA office and walking to the hotel he had found for us the day before. Unfortunately, this is where we started to get a little worried about our trip. We knew it was going to be a little expensive to travel, but when we arrived at the hotel, we were flabbergasted by the price. We had explicitly asked for them to find us cheap lodging since it was just for a night, but we ended up paying double what we paid on our last visit to Lilongwe!

Now, to be fair to Pastor Nkosi, he was just looking out for our well-being. In the past few weeks, there have been riots between some of the street vendors and the police, causing some areas in Lilongwe to be unsafe. The day we arrived in Lilongwe, there had been riots bad enough to close some schools and that was where the cheaper lodgings were; so Pastor Nkosi found the safest and closest place to the Bus depot in order to save us the cost of a taxi in the morning.

We got settled in our rooms, went and bought our tickets to Lusaka, Zambia for the next morning (the bus left at 5am so it would be another early morning) and then had the afternoon to walk around Lilongwe for a bit. We did enjoy that part of our day because we were familiar with the area from our previous visit a few months ago. We went into a couple of shops to get some snacks for the long bus ride and had a good dinner and dessert (Mango/Papaya smoothie!). On our way to one of the shops, a random man was walking by and said to us, “You were on the bus from Blantyre.” We nodded our heads yes and he said, “Me too!” then asked us how we traveled and where we were going, etc. It was a really random conversation and threw us both off a little bit to be recognized in Lilongwe (though we know we do stick out a little more than others J).

As we were looking for a place to eat – we had seen a sign that said ‘Macdaudy’s’ and the font was similar to McDonald’s so we wanted to check it out – we asked a young girl if we were close to where the restaurant was. It turns out it was farther than we thought, so we started to leave, but Ellen (at least that’s what we think she said her name was; she could have said Erin though because their Ls & Rs get mixed up sometimes) wanted to talk with us some more. At first, we were glad to chat with her because we enjoyed getting to know the locals and she seemed really sweet. Then she asked us to pay for her school fees because her father was sick and they didn’t have money. Ugh! You would think we would be used to this by now, but Kayla and I both still get a little frustrated whenever this happens.

After that incident, we got our food and headed back to our hotel for the evening. We had a wonderful surprise after dinner because Anthony called and was in the lobby to meet us! We weren’t sure if we would be able to see any of the youth leaders since we were only in town for the one night, so we were glad to get to talk with Anthony for a little bit. The electricity had gone out, so the hotel gave us a candle to use in the lobby and placed one in our room as well. The surprise got even better when Monica and Edith arrived to visit with us too! J Edith had sent us a message earlier in the day saying she probably wouldn’t make it and Monica told us she would try, so we weren’t really expecting to see either one of them. It was such a blessing to see all of them and it definitely lifted my spirits and mood to talk with them for a while.

Another random incident that occurred while we were visiting with our friends; apparently, the police had to use some tear gas nearby and the hotel staff had to work quickly to close the lobby doors so that none of the gas came into the hotel. Thankfully, we had already shut our windows because it had rained earlier so our room was okay. This incident also underscored our thankfulness for being in a safe place, even if it cost a lot more than we had expected.

Our last frustration in Lilongwe came with our early morning wake up (4am) and finding electricity had gone out again. We packed up our things in the dark, double checking that we had everything from the room, then headed off to the bus station. We had one of the security guards from the hotel escorting us, which was nice since the sun was just coming up and it was still pretty dark outside. We got our bags loaded onto the bus, found some seats and got ready for the long ride to Lusaka…

Mangochi & Lake Malawi

I had an exciting adventure just before exam week – I got to spend the weekend in Mangochi (near Lake Malawi) with Zuriel. We had originally planned to have all the Young Adults (from Blantyre & Lilongwe) get together for a retreat at the lake, but finances were a little tight for most people so it didn’t work out. So instead, it was just Zuriel and I who went to the Lake on Sunday – we were able to go to a resort and use their beach area to swim, then we had lunch there before heading home.

I got to experience some different transport options while in Mangochi, which made the trip extra fun. I started out on a minibus, which I’m used too, but I was all by myself again, not something I’m used to. Next, Zuriel and I rode on the back of some bicycles to his house – I think he said they call them ‘Bandas’. There were more bicycles on the rode than cars or minibuses; they seem to be the main form of transportation in and around Mangochi (as long as you’re not going too far). On our way to the lake, we hopped into the back of a pickup truck – I’ve ridden in the back of a truck before, but never with 15 people, 3 bags of maize, one large basket of roasted maize and some paint buckets in the back. One thing that really amazed me was one woman who got into the truck handed her baby to the man sitting in the front passenger seat (not someone she knew) before getting into the back of the truck. I cannot imagine anyone doing that in the US – just handing their child to someone they don’t know who is traveling with them – craziness! On the way home from the lake, we were again on the back of a truck, but this time it was more of a diesel cargo truck rather than just a pickup truck. Again, I’ve never felt so smooshed – every time I thought we were full, they would stop and pick someone else up, and this time we had large boxes and baskets in the back with us, not just people. I also felt bad because the conductor (the one collecting the money) charged us double the regular rate because I was white. I knew something was wrong because Zuriel started arguing a little bit with the conductor, but it was in Chichewa so I didn’t catch all of it. I’m not surprised that they overcharged us, it is just frustrating that there is such a strong perception of all whites having lots of money. I mean, I do realize that I have more than most of those in Malawi; I just don’t have it with me or have ready access to it so I do have to be very careful with my spending.

Other than that last incident on the truck, it was a really nice weekend and I almost enjoyed the minibus ride home as well (it is just a long ride & hard to enjoy when you’re squeezed in between two people the whole way). I was very fortunate to have been able to ride in a minibus with a driver I knew – he was a friend of Dorothy’s and I was able to ride with him to and from Mangochi. It was a huge blessing to have a friend during my travels.

Cultural Differences in Relationship Etiquette

So, a couple weeks ago, we were eating lunch and Dorothy started telling me things that I should be doing now that I’m dating Zuriel. Apparently, here in Malawi, the girlfriend is supposed to visit her boyfriend’s mother (they already call them in-laws, even when they’re just dating) and offer to clean her house and wash her clothes. It is also expected of the girl to cook and clean for her boyfriend when she goes to visit him.

Kayla & I were cracking up when Dorothy was telling us this – especially as we imagined someone having these expectations back in America. Yes, a girlfriend might cook & clean for her boyfriend, but actually go to his mother’s house and offer to do her laundry? Not something we’re likely to see.

As fun as this conversation was, it got even better the next day. I got a phone call from a number I didn’t recognize and it was Zuriel’s mom. She called to invite Kayla and I to her house for a birthday dinner for her niece. Dorothy got so excited when she found out & then she told me again that I have to help cook and clean the house when I get there. Dorothy told Kayla to just sit back and relax because she didn’t have to help. When we arrived at the house, though, we both offered to help and Zuriel’s mom said ‘You will’. Oh I laughed so hard (on the inside of course) when she said this because it seemed to confirm what Dorothy told us. Kayla and I were prepared & ready to help; we even had our chitenjes (fabric that we wrap around our skirts) to put on while we worked in the kitchen. Mrs. Chirwa told us to make a salad however we wanted and gave us some veggies to use. We started cutting up some green peppers, carrots, tomatoes & onions, but she didn’t have any lettuce, so we used cabbage leaves instead. It looked like a fairly nice salad, but there was one problem – they don’t have salad dressing, so our salad was very dry. They asked if we needed mayonnaise or salt and we told them that we don’t use those on the salads we make, but that if they wanted us to we could put it in. They said it would be fine and then I started helping Shupa (one of Zuriel’s sisters) make salad the way they are used to making it (shredded cabbage, grated carrots, onions, tomatoes, mayo & salt). It was really nice to get to talk with Zuriel’s sisters as we prepared the food. Shupa wants me to teach her how to bake because she doesn’t bake a lot; I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I would have to learn how to bake here before I could teach her anything. J

I think I have mentioned before how our meals with others are sometimes a little awkward here in Malawi. I was expecting this dinner to be the same; especially since this was my first time being around Zuriel’s mom for an extended time without him there. I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the evening was for me. I mean, there were still some awkward silences and pauses throughout the night, but overall, I really enjoyed spending time with Zuriel’s family. It was fun to talk with his sisters (Shupa, Sibongale & Nedis) and his mom. It helped that I knew Roland, his cousin, and fiancée who’s birthday we were celebrating because I had met them briefly on Christmas day. It reminded me of our family get-togethers back home that we have for special occasions – nothing too fancy, just having everyone come together to celebrate and spend time with one another.

Some other cultural differences that we’ve learned about while we’re here include a lot of the extended family. Kayla and I have almost given up trying to understand how they are related to their extended family members because they’ll say ‘Uncle’, but they could be talking about a cousin, nephew/niece or grandparent. It definitely throws us for a loop when we’re trying to figure out how they’re related, but as I said, we’ve given up trying to understand & we just accept that they are somehow related to one another.

Meeting the extended family, though, is a big part of relationships here in Malawi. Chisomo (Pastor Nihaka’s son) told us a little bit about it when we asked him about how he and Faith started dating; Zuriel was also telling me a little about it when I was in Zomba with him & Samuel. It is traditional to introduce your boyfriend/girlfriend to your extended family members and the actual uncles on each side get together to discuss the relationship and whether the couple is a good match for each other or not. There is a whole ritual between the uncles when the couple does decide to get engaged, which Chisomo told us about. It was interesting to hear the stories from Chisomo and Zuriel. It has also been fun to be able to meet some of Zuriel’s extended family while I’m here. I’ve met some of his cousins and his aunt when we were in Zomba for the day.

Happy February! (as it is almost half over already, oops!)

I cannot believe it is February. I mean, I guess I can believe it because it is true (unless the whole world has conspired against me, which is highly unlikely)….

Anywho, after our Blantyre adventures, Kayla and I decided to stick close to home for a while and just focus on getting the kids ready for their mid-term exams. It was so nice to only prepare an English exam instead of English, Life Skills and Bible Knowledge. I also felt good about all the material I was able to include on the exam. At first, I didn’t think I had really taught enough new things in this second term to actually test them on, but once I wrote down what I had taught, I realized there was a lot that I could include on my test. I had the most fun coming up with this exam, probably because I finally felt like I knew what the teachers expected us to include on the exams and I had a better understanding of the level of understanding that my students had.

I also was glad to not just do revision with them during the week before the exams. Last term, we were told to spend a whole week on revision, which Kayla and I felt was such a waste because we had only been teaching them for about four weeks – not really enough time to do revision for a whole week! This time, though, I went ahead and started a new unit, not introducing too many new topics, just reading a new story and incorporating some practice for different sections of their test. I am hoping that the work I did with them during that week was enough to help them feel prepared and know exactly what they needed to study for the exam.

Blantyre Walking Adventure #2

Kayla had to make one last trip to the Immigration Office to extend her visa for the rest of our trip. As with our first walking adventure (see previous post), we didn’t want to use the fuel for the church minibus, so we decided to walk to town. We went during the day this time so it was much safer.

We left in the morning after teaching English. The day had started out fairly sunny, but about halfway to town, it began to downpour. We got very wet, very quickly and decided to take a minibus the rest of the way to town. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long for one to pull up and we were both able to sit up front because the people had just gotten out. We knew that the price into town was K50 per person (about 30 cents), so when we got in, we handed to conductor a K100 bill. He said no, it is K100 each. I got a little frustrated when I heard that because I figured he was just trying to take advantage of us because we were white. So I said, “I thought it was only K50 from Shoprite to Blantyre; is it because we’re azungus that it is K100 each?”

He didn’t have an answer for me and the rest of the passengers on the minibus starting laughing and so I knew I was right. We didn’t give him any more money and they dropped us right where we needed to go. It was a good feeling to know that I didn’t just give in because I was told something and expected it to be true. Now, I realize that knowing I would only have had to pay another 30 cents is not much, but it is the principle of the matter that really counted.

We stopped at the bus depot area for a while because it was raining so hard. The driver started chatting with us and asked us where we were from and what our names were. We asked him for his name and he said, “George. George W. Bush.” and then laughed. He was really nice and we were glad to have a friendly driver willing to drop us as close to the Immigration Office as we needed.

It wasn’t raining as hard on our way home, though we were still pretty wet once we got to the house. We did catch another minibus part of the way home, mainly because we wanted to be able to say goodbye to the kids before they left for the weekend.

Kayla and I both felt like more seasoned Malawians because we ventured out on our own. I was also excited to show her another way to walk home that I had learned when we went on our hike during YEP Camp. All in all, this walking adventure was much more productive, safe and fun. J

Blantyre Walking Adventure #1

Kayla and I were invited to an event hosted by the US Embassy last Wednesday (Jan. 26^th). That’s right, we’re a pretty big deal here in Malawi, especially since we’ve been on TV. Okay, so I might be stretching the truth just a little bit. J Kayla and I are both signed up to receive email updates from the US Embassy (based in Lilongwe) and sometimes they will email us events that are happening in different regions of Malawi. Last week, they happened to be hosting a Jazz Quartet from Chicago at the Mibawa Café in Blantyre. Kayla and I are both jazz fans, and American, so we were excited to be able to have an evening out.

We didn’t want to use the fuel for the church’s minibus, so we decided to walk into Blantyre and we planned to take a public minibus on our way home since it would be dark. Dorothy had given us directions to get to the Mibawa area in the city – she did not know exactly where the café was, but said we could ask someone when we were close by and we would find it. The show was scheduled to begin at 6:00pm. We had wanted to leave by 5:00, if not before, but Dorothy stayed longer to talk with us and we wanted to eat dinner before walking, so it was almost 5:30 by the time we actually started walking. Thank God for small blessings: it had been raining most of the day, but it stopped in the evening so we were able to enjoy our walk into town and not get completely soaked.

We made it into Blantyre by 6:30ish and found out where the Mibawa Café was, or at least where we thought it was… we were told it was across from a Hotel, but we went to the wrong hotel at first. Thankfully, there is only one other big Hotel in the city and we were near it and able to find the café pretty quickly. Kayla and I are both very much used to our American timetable and like to arrive early, not just on time, when we’re going somewhere, so we were both a little sad to be arriving so late and hoped that the performance wasn’t over yet (it was around 7pm by the time we found the café). Even though we’ve been here for four months, we still haven’t seemed to learn that what we plan and think will work out, is not how it happens.

The show hadn’t even started yet because the café didn’t have electricity (not a huge surprise). They were working on the problem and hoped to have some power soon. One of the workers directed us inside using his cell phone light – yeah, it’s not creepy at all to walk into a random café that is dark inside and hardly has anyone else in it… We decided we would wait around for at least 30 minutes to see if they would get started and then head home if not.

Long story short (well, at least not as long J), we waited until almost 8:15 for them to start and then decided to leave at 8:30 because we didn’t want to miss the minibuses to take us home. While we waited, I enjoyed a couple Carlberg’s (Probably the best beer in the world – that’s not me claiming that, that’s their slogan J) and Kayla was a love interest for our waiter – hehe. He wanted to get to know her better while she was still here in Malawi and gave her his number in hopes that they could get together. For quite some time, we were the only azungus (white people) in the café, but a little bit before 8pm, a large group of them came in. We’re figuring they must have gotten a memo about the concert being later or they just understood Malawi culture better than we did and knew not to show up on time or expect it to start on time.

We heard one song and part of a second before we started off for home. We had to walk to find the minibuses and by the time we found them, neither of us wanted to wait for the bus to fill up. That was not our smartest decision of the evening. It is only a little before 9:00pm at night, but it felt more like 2am with how quiet the streets were. There wasn’t near as many street lamps as we expected or thought there were – we mainly had to use the flashlight on our phone to guide our steps so we wouldn’t fall or trip over something.

Our next wrong decision came when we walked on the right side of the road (as opposed to the left, not wrong side) and we missed our chance to catch one of the minibuses as they drove past. Vehicles drive on the left side of the road, hence our need to be on that side to catch a minibus.

It wasn’t until we were about 20 minutes from home (after walking for about an hour) that we had some cars slow down and ask if we were okay and whether we needed a lift or not. Only once or twice did we get whistled at, which was a good thing. We turned the first car down because we were already at Shoprite and knew our way home from there very well. The second car that pulled up asked us how far we had to go because they had passed us once already. They had turned around to come and see if we were okay and if they could drop us where we needed to go. Again, we said we were fine, but then I noticed that the car pulled up to the curb just in front of where we were walking. A gentleman got out to talk with us and told us he was a police officer. He showed us his badge and said that he didn’t want us to get hurt or robbed by thieves and asked if he could please give us a ride home. We finally agreed and thanked him for the ride.

During our walk, Zuriel had called and wasn’t too happy when I told him that we were walking in Blantyre, at night, by ourselves. He was glad to know we arrived safely, and I promised we wouldn’t do it again. Chris was also none too pleased, even though we were home safe and sound by the time he heard any of the story.

I think the funniest reaction, though, was Dorothy. She had told us to be sure and not stay out late and to be careful as we walked. When we told her that we got a ride home with a police officer and that we were out walking at 9:30 at night, she wanted to beat us, literally; she raised her hand as if she was going to slap us. I know I probably shouldn’t laugh or think it was funny, but it all turned out okay in the end and I thank God for His protection over us throughout the evening. So now it is a fun story to share! J

2012 is on a roll!!!!

How quickly these first few weeks of 2012 went!! As of last Saturday (Jan. 21), Kayla and I have been in Malawi for exactly four months and have just over one month to go before we’re heading back to the United States. It is with mixed emotions that I think of returning home. I feel like we’ve just gotten started with these students, and now I have to begin transferring their learning back to their main teacher – we’ve only got about two weeks left of actual teaching left because they have their mid-term tests and holiday break coming up.

I’ve already started to miss them – I find myself spending more time with them in the afternoons after school and sometimes at lunch time if it isn’t too hot or raining. I bring my camera out with me as well – wanting to capture as many memories, smiles and laughter as I can. I know as I get closer to going home, I will get more excited about seeing my family and friends again because I have missed them a lot, but I also know that I am leaving pieces of my heart in Malawi and will miss the children very much!

I think that some of the older children are also beginning to realize that we are leaving very soon. We have had a lot of the Standard 6 learners asking us about when we’re leaving and asking us questions about home & our families – they also ask us when we’re coming back and it is hard to not have a definite answer for them. On our last trip, Kayla and I were both certain that we would return to the school in a year, so it wasn’t as bad to say goodbye, knowing we would see many of them again. This time I don’t know when I will return (though I have a strong feeling that I will) and it is hard to tell the kids that I don’t know when I’ll see them again.

Prayers & Praises:

-       My cough is gone – thank you so much for your prayers!!! It has been wonderful to breath normally again. I still have a random cough once or twice every couple of days, but even those are dwindling

-       This afternoon (Friday), one of our students in Standard 1 slipped in front of the minibus and was partially run over – the Deputy took him to the hospital and as of right now, we don’t know much more than that; his face, hand and arm were injured and they said he lost a lot of blood – neither Kayla or I saw it, but the kids came down to tell us about it

-    Dorothy says thank you for the prayers!! She has been able to repair her house for now and she almost has enough funds to build a new house (which she has been planning to do for a long time anyway); She’ll have to wait until May (I think that’s what she said) when the rainy season is over to start building her new house, but her current house should hold up until then – at least that’s what we’re praying for!

And then there were two... Kayla's dad is back in the US

It felt a little surreal to be taking Rick to the airport on Wednesday, Jan. 19^th. It seemed as if he had just arrived. We enjoyed a lovely meal with Pastor Nihaka and his wife on Tuesday evening. As we were loading the minibus to head to the airport, many of our students came up to Kayla and I to ask if we were leaving. We explained that we were just escorting her dad to the airport because he was going back to America and that we would be back & teaching them the next morning.
I had one little girl, Mirriam, from Standard 5 who almost broke my heart. She asked if I was leaving and I told her no and that I would be back to teach her, but she started crying anyway! L I gave her a hug and told her again that I would be in class the next morning and that I would not leave without saying goodbye.

We made it the airport without incident and waited for Rick to get checked in. We started to get a little worried because it seemed to be taking a lot longer than normal for him to get his ticket processed. When he came to say one last goodbye, we found out why the wait – there wasn’t any room on the plane. Thankfully, the person at the counter knew Pastor Nihaka and made sure to get Rick processed, but not everyone was so lucky. Some people were going to have to wait until the next day or even Friday to catch the plane that they needed. Yikes!

It was a sad ride home as we didn’t have Rick with us anymore and I realized that my next trip to the airport would be when Kayla and I leave Malawi in a little over a month. Our house was very quiet when we returned from the airport. We could feel his absence and even Dorothy wasn’t near as talkative as she normally is. Kayla and I got a small taste of what it must have been like for them when we left last year: quiet, lonely and empty.

Long Weekend = Trip to Zomba

We left Mwanza on Sunday morning, around 11:30am and enjoyed a cool and rainy trip back to Blantyre. It was a much quieter ride going than coming, no singing and not even much talking. Kayla and I both napped in the back seat of the minibus. J When we got back to Blantyre, I was able to continue my journey and head to Zomba with Pastor William and Chrissy (that is where they live). Zuriel was going to Zomba to see his friend Samuel, so I met them for dinner Sunday night. I had planned to return to Blantyre that evening, but Zuriel & Samuel didn’t want to send me on a minibus by myself in the dark, so I stayed at a lodge in Zomba. Monday was a holiday so I didn’t have to worry about school. It turned out to be a beautiful day in Zomba – not too hot, though I did get burnt – and I enjoyed the time I got to spend with Zuriel and Samuel. We walked to Zuriel’s aunt’s house – it was up a very steep hill (it reminded me of a hill by my friend’s house in Ohiopyle, PA – only a lot longer & steeper!). I was just glad that we walked up it first, because that meant we got to walk down it on the way back. J Sarah (Zuriel’s aunt) prepared a lovely lunch for us and we enjoyed resting in her living room after our long hike.

As we headed to the bus depot, we got caught in a rainstorm. Thankfully, we were close to a house with a porch, so we stayed dry. It was an awesome sight to see, though. We could tell that it was raining in the distance, but I didn’t notice that it was coming towards us fairly quickly. Seemingly out of nowhere, Zuriel said that we need to find shelter & Sam found the house – I didn’t realize how close the rain was until I heard it coming up the mountain towards us. I tried to take a picture of it coming, but a video would have been better. We heard it before we saw it – it kind of reminded of the movie ‘The Happening’ when the wind would start to blow & you could hear it coming closer to you – and then all the sudden we were in the middle of a downpour. It was nice to just sit and watch the rain, until it started to get kind of late and I thought I was going to get stuck in Zomba again…

It finally stopped, though, and we made it to the bus depot in plenty of time. I was glad to have Zuriel & Sam with me so I wasn’t charged too much for the minibus and so I got on the correct one. I even got to ride up front – which was an interesting experience. I don’t know that I liked seeing all the potholes and obstacles that the driver swerved & curved around so quickly. J It was a quick trip, which I was glad for because it was almost dark – and I had a nice conversation with the other passenger riding in the front. He even helped me find my connecting minibus to get home once we were in Limbe (near Blantyre).

It was nice to get back home and swap adventure stories with Kayla and her dad.