We are two weeks into our trip and are having an incredible time! We have encountered gracious hospitality, glimpses into how God is at work in Malawi, spontaneous adventure and the joys and challenges of travel in Africa.
We arrived in Lilongwe, Malawi on September 7 and met up with David Chimgama, a man whom we met during our time at Princeton Seminary. Although we had met David, we didn’t know very much about the ministry he was involved in and were surprised to hear that we would be partaking in what he explained as a mission; a week long effort to evangelize Area 25, a neighborhood in Lilongwe. This meant loading 15-20 people in the back of a pick-up, along with a PA system playing loud music, and cruising the streets of Area 25 occasionally stopping to preach a 10 – 15 minute sermon. Both Brent and I were uncomfortable with this and as we were riding along in the pick-up looked at each other and said, “Is this really happening?” However, it was helpful to be exposed to what others are doing and how God is active – we certainly don’t want to limit God and how God is at work. David was a gracious host and we enjoyed the time we spent at his home and getting to know his family.
From Lilongwe we headed north to Mzuzu via the bus. We took a bus that stopped wherever its passengers want to get off which made for a long trip to Mzuzu. The busses here have two seats on one side and three on the other, along with anywhere from 25- 40 people standing in an already small aisle plus their luggage; bags of maize, rice, buckets full of clothes, cabbage, HUGE suitcases, mops, brooms and my personal favorite, live chickens. My favorite part of the bus ride was when a live chicken fell off the luggage rack and survived. My least favorite part was when a woman asked if Brent was my son! She said we looked alike.
Once in Mzuzu, we stayed with Jim and Jodi McGill who have lived in Malawi for 20 years! Jim and Jodi have six kids and both work with the Central Church of Africa Presbyterian (CCAP). Jim is a geo physicist and focuses on water and sanitation. We spent one morning hearing about the newest sanitation technology. Basically, human waste becomes some of the best fertilizer there is, therefore decreasing cost and chemicals, all while improving sanitation in villages. Fascinating! Jodi is a nurse practioner and teaches Chemistry and Physics at the CCAP School of Nursing as well as does various work for the CCAP. Having lived in Malawi for 20 years Jim and Jodi had wonderful insight into life, the Church and development in Malawi. They were wonderful, generous and hospitable people and we feel blessed to have spent time with them.
On Sunday, Brent and I traveled three hours to Livingstonia Plateau, the birthplace of the Presbyterian Church in Malawi developed by the Scottish missionaries around 1875. To get here, we drove north from Mzuzu and meandered our way through the mountains getting glimpses of Lake Malawi, as the road twisted and turned. Once down on the lake shore we drove 10 kilometers and then began our ascent up a steep, rocky road with 21 switchbacks, to be exact. As we drove, we looked down upon lush, green hills rolling into the sparkling blue green water of the lake; the scenery was spectacular, and immediately I wanted to stay here for two weeks. Once up on the plateau it was if we entered an English village. I was amazed at how much infrastructure was on the plateau knowing that most of it came up before there were cars to carry any material. Even at the present, transportation up and down is difficult. The Scots built a church, a few schools, a hospital, a post office, and a water system that used gravity to bring water from the surrounding mountains to the plateau – still in use today. I found it significant that when the Scottish missionaries came to Malawi their goal was not only to proselytize, but also to make education, health care and commerce available to the people with whom they were sharing the Christian faith. On Sunday morning I preached, and after lunch we headed back to Mzuzu enjoying the beautiful drive. However, this time we imagined all of the trips taken up the hill on foot to make Livingstonia what it is today.
Monday morning we visited the Mzuzu Crisis Nursery, directed by Paul and Darlene Heller, employed by the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA). Brent found a little friend here, Eunice; it was pretty cute how she was instantly taken by him, and he with her. The nursery does not function as an orphanage; rather its purpose is to provide adequate care for babies during the “crisis” part of their lives. The goal is for the babies, around 18 months of age, to return to their families. The nursery works to educate the babies’ families, so they are ready to care for their child at 18 months. It seems as though institutionalized orphanages aren’t the answer. While orphanages are necessary in some instances, the goal should be to reunite children with their families. Rather than putting money and energy into orphanages, money and energy should be put into preventing the very things that cause orphans i.e. HIV/AIDS, maternity death, poverty, the cultural idea that fathers are incapable of raising children etc. An interesting discussion, for sure.
Monday Sept. 13th was also Brent’s 30th birthday which I don’t think we really celebrated until the 15th. Our original plan was to take an hour mini bus (vans that function as busses with as many people as possible squeezed in) to Nkhata Bay and from there catch the Ilala Ferry to Monkey Bay; a 36 hour ride. Unfortunately, Brent and I were both suffering from a stomach bug and it seemed neither wise nor appealing to be on a boat for 36 hours. So, we decided to catch the ferry in Nkhatoka reducing our trip by about 20 hours. This meant we needed to catch a bus to Nkhatoka, so we headed to the bus station around 3:30. Due to a fuel shortage, we stood on the bus (there wasn’t any room to sit) for an hour and a half and then we FINALLY started moving. I cannot describe how many people were on this bus! And, we were going down a very steep hill which for Brent, who was at the very front of the bus staring directly out the front window, was a little nerve wracking. Four and a half hours later, around 9:30 pm we arrived in Nkhotakota. Just in case you were wondering, there aren’t taxis in Nkhatoka. So, in the dark we started walking up and down the road with our huge backpacks in search of a place to stay. Grace Hotel had huge cockroaches, Nowa Guest House was full, Chamba Guest House was completely dark, but Pick and Pay Guest House saved the day, which for $9 a night wasn’t bad. On Tuesday, we learned that the ferry usually doesn’t show up until about 3 or 4 am – I’ll spare you the details, but this took about 2 hours to figure out. Fortunately, there was a nice guest house on the water where we could wait for the ferry. The ferry didn’t come until 6 am on Wednesday and wouldn’t leave until 9 or 10 which meant we wouldn’t get into Monkey Bay until the middle of the night and wanting to avoid a situation similar to that when we reached Nkhotakota we decided to skip the ferry and take the bus south. We also had a reservation at Boadzulu Lodge, a nice hotel on the beach where we wanted to really celebrate Brent’s birthday. Wanting to make the most of our time there the bus seemed like the best option.
We started off around 8 am on a mini bus which reached Salima two and a half hours later. From Salima we needed to get another bus to Mongochi. A large bus was leaving and I pushed my way in a got two tickets; again, standing room only. For whatever reason, the bus company decided to take us off one bus and move us to another bus. The only way I can describe this experience is shopping at Walmart the day after Thanksgiving in hopes of getting a flatscreen for $200. It was insane! Malawians are peaceful, but not when they want on a bus. I tried to get on the bus, but finally gave up and just watched. We did manage to get on, again standing in the front, which made our bus ride from Mzuzu to Nkhata Bay luxurious. Eventually, we got one seat in the very front. A guy came on with a bag of fish and put his hand on the wall above Brent’s head to help him balance. The bag of fish was dangling in front of Brent’s face. That lasted about two seconds and Brent swatted the bag out of his face, and subsequently the guy moved his hand. It took us about four hours to get to Boadzulu Lodge and I was so ready to get off that bus. While relaxing under a grass thatched umbrella on a beach lined with papaya trees I finally told Brent, “Happy Birthday!” and meant it.
From Boadzulu Lodge, our friend Kay Day picked us up and drove us to Blantyre where we have spent the last few days. She is a PCUSA minister and works with the CCAP and has graciously shown us around Blantyre as well as introduced us to the wonderful work that she is doing. We have enjoyed good food and conversation wit Kay as she has been a wonderful host. On Tuesday, we’ll head further south to Mozambique.
Selling rats at a market in Lilongwe
The chicken on the cargo rack right before it fell
The 8 hour bus ride from Lilongwe to Mzuzu
The view from our seats
With CCAP Livingstonia General Secretary Rev. Nyondo and Mrs Nyondo
On the road from Mzuzu to Livingstonia
Lake Malawi
The Livingstonia Plateau in the distance
The top of the Livingstonia Plateau
We picked up some passengers on the way up the plateau
Sunset on Livingstonia Plateau
Sunset on top of the plateau
CCAP Livingstonia Church
Stained glass window of David Livingstone
Erin preaching at Livingstonia
Holding 2 week old babies at the crisis nursery in Mzuzu
Mzuzu crisis nursery
Erin on a bicycle taxi in Nkhotakota
The Ilala Ferry that we didn't end up taking
The chaos of getting on the bus in Salima
This guy next to Erin was helpful and he was the one guy who easily shoved his way through the crowd
Lake Malawi
A woman selling fish
Another woman selling fish
Daily activities at Lake Malawi
Brent's bday cake
Erin relaxing on the beach
