Our Gardener

            When we moved into our house it already had a gardener and his family living on the property, Dada Cheerwa (spelled phonetically), Mama Cheerwa and their 3 children, Susan, Robert (pronounced Lowbot) and Blessings.   The landlord had let him live free of charge so the house wouldn't appear vacant; apparently vandalism is a problem if a house is vacant.  We agreed to keep him on temporarily for 3 months to ensure that everybody could work together.  It is accepted to hire help temporarily so you can let them go if you have problems and apparently not as easy to let them go if they are permanent.   He is a very hard worker as we have quite a large yard with a lot of trees, roses, and other flower beds.

The other day he climbed into a large tree in the back and started chopping off some branches—we thought he was just pruning it.   By the end of the day the tree had no branches and he was cutting the branches into pieces for firewood.  As we've said before it is very cold here and most people cut down whatever they can for firewood.   The next morning he had piled all the leaves at the base of the tree and was preparing to light the leaves on fire.  He was going to burn the base so the tree would fall down so he could cut it all for firewood.   The kids ran in to to tell us and Andy quickly went out and said to stop.  He was very apologetic about it all and stopped.  In talking to another missionary we were told that they will cut down everything in your yard if you let them. 

We had tried to contact our landlord to tell her what was happening but were unable to reach her.   She called later and when I explained what Dada Cheerwa had tried to do she said, "No problem."  I told her that we stopped him and she said that we can tell him to do whatever we want.   It didn't matter to her if he cut the tree down but if we didn't want him to then that was okay too.  The African ways are still a mystery to us.

Another interesting thing when you have house help is that your garbage is picked through and used by them.   Since there is no garbage service you burn everything but compost material.  They are to put the garbage in the burn pit but most things end up back on the driveway or are used as toys by the children.   I'll see their children using tomato sauce cans and peanut butter jars when they play.  They roll the cans down our driveway; when you have nothing you have to be creative.   I asked Jodi McGill to tell them to stop and she said they won't because they all do it. 

The family is moving out on Friday as our house help that is coming from LLW will arrive on Friday and will move into the servant's quarters.   Their names are also Dada and Mama Cheerwa.  I guess we'll have Dada 1 and Dada 2.

 

Heading North

We left the comfort of the AOG house in Lilongwe at 5 am on Saturday to travel north to Mzuzu.  About sunrise, it got foggy, but the truck carrying our stuff couldn’t go fast anyway, so it didn’t really matter.  After a couple of stops to remove the tarp that was trying to blow off and tie everything down tightly after shifting, we drove with only on potty break to Mzuzu.  We got to town about 11:30 with no particular difficulties except a couple of semi-trucks that were across the road in the mountain area. 

 

After unloading and getting stuff into the house, the reality of being here set in.  We have rented the house for almost 2 months already in order to provide the landlord with some money to get things in order.  Unfortunately, in Malawi if you aren’t there to watch something get done, it probably won’t.  So, all the toilets leak in some fashion except one that doesn’t seem to know what flushing is supposed to do, no sink has hot water except the kitchen, the lights in two of the bedrooms and hall don’t work.  Besides that and the general mess made by painters and carpenters doing work, things were in good shape.  The Lord definitely wants to get our eyes off of the worldly needs.

 

By the middle of the week, we had found our way around town, paid for our phone hookup, got a new security service for night (one that will actually show up), and gotten most of what we needed to make things more homey.  We are all freezing, as the weather changed in concert with our move north.  Each day starts with rain showers or clouds at about 50 degrees, then transitions into sun/cloud mixture by mid afternoon and warms up to about 65.  The house stays a constant 64-68 degrees since it is all brick, including all the interior walls.  Good thing we brought some warm clothes.

 

Our purpose has already been made known to some and we have had one offer to take a child by a woman who was supposedly sick.  I’m sure there will be no shortage of occupants for the infant rooms when we get approved and are “open for business”.

 

Getting Ready (again)

 Our time in Lilongwe is about done.  We have been oriented to the workings of Ministry of Hope, especially the Crisis Nursery that we are going to be functioning like.   We have purchased home furnishings from the Dimmocks, since they are liquidating before returning to the U.S. for a year.  So, all that is left is to register the Land Cruiser, get car insurance, get an oil change, load the truck that will haul us north and we're set.   Sounds so easy, but when the day was spent we got about half of it accomplished.  The insurance company was actually a breeze, a nice building with professional staff that understood what was going on.   It only took a half hour to get insurance, and that was before we transferred ownership.  Next stop, the Road Traffic Office (read Motor Vehicle Department).   Thankfully I had Mr. Kamonga, the "do it all" guy from Ministry of Hope with me.  After arriving at the shabby offices with a dirt parking lot, we milled through a line to ask where to change ownership of a vehicle.   We were directed to the back of the building and found a tiny office labeled Vehicle Registration.  After presenting the bill of sale, previous registration, and road tax receipt, we were told that the documentation was insufficient because the owner was an Indian citizen and had only a passport for identification.   We must return to the owner and get something Malawian as I.D.  So we returned and found that even though the wife was the registered owner of the Land Cruiser, she doesn't drive or have any Malawian I.D.  So I filled out the 4 page form for transferring ownership and put in the info that was provided and we will try again tomorrow, since the office begins to wind down at 3 pm.   In the meantime we did get the lorrie (code word for a flat bed truck with sides about a foot tall) that will transport our stuff partially loaded with appliances purchased in Lilongwe and the other home furnishings.   So tomorrow (Friday) we will try for the other half of the list, oil change, car registration and finish loading.  The Lord must be teaching yet another lesson in patience here, as almost everything takes much longer than expected.

 

On the bright side, Lisa had another success with her "miracle drug" for stomach trouble (grapefruit seed extract).   The gardener/day watchman was sick for the past day or so and showed up late for work today.  When Lisa found out that his symptoms were similar to what our Sarah had suffered, she offered him the same treatment.   He reported that it helped and he was feeling much better after one dose.  He was given some medicine from the missionary in the other house but he said it hadn't worked.   He had gone to the hospital and they had given him Immodium but he said that her medicine had worked when the others hadn't.  Sounds like the wish list of things to bring or send us may include this handy item since it's also good for general disinfecting as well as stomach ailments.

Things to get use to

As we live here in Malawi there are many things we see that are so much different than the states.  Here's our list of things that we are going to need to get used to.   We'll try and keep adding to it before they become normal to us…

• Seeing 21 men painting lines in the middle of the road instead of a machine
• Men riding bikes with goats and chickens hanging off
• Being surrounded by beggars begging for money
• Buying beans or sugar at the store one day and then not being able to find it the next time you go
• Handing your housekeeper the grease from the meat you just cooked and asking him where you should throw it away and he says that he'll take it home and cook his beans in it AND he is thrilled
• Throwing away your peanut butter jar and when the housekeeper separates the trash he takes it home because there is still some left in the jar
• Giving your help a half a bag of rice and he tells you that tonight they will have a special meal because they can't afford to buy rice
• Being in the middle of cooking your dinner and the power goes out
• Being in the middle of eating your dinner and the power goes out
• Sleeping under a mosquito net
• Cooking meat and having a child walk in and say, "What stinks?"   The meat definitely has its own smell but so far we haven't got sick—keep praying!
• Not being able to find anything by its address even if it had one
• Just because your help has a job, don't assume that they are doing well.   The average salary for housekeeper, gardener, nannies, etc. is $50 - $60 a month 
• Sharing the shower with a HUGE cockroach (you southerners don't think it's a big deal but it is for those of us from the west it is)
• Cooking dinner and having a gecko fall from the ceiling and land right at your feet
• Having huge lizards climbing on the window during bible reading (the boys loved it)

Cars and stuff

Well we finally bought a car.  After the phone call about the van, we received another call about a Land Cruiser that was for sale.   We drove both cars and realized that the van wouldn't survive very long on Malawi roads; too many potholes and shoulders that just end abruptly.  The Land Cruiser was more money but was a great buy considering that new Land Cruisers can sell for $90,000 because the duty they charge is so high.   We no longer have to depend on the Dimmocks and others for transportation and we are thrilled.   Andy isn't so thrilled about driving on the wrong side of the road but he's actually doing really well.   I (Lisa) am not about to try it yet.  

 

On our first outing we got horribly lost and we were just trying to find the Dimmock's house which we had been to many times.   The roads here all look the same.   In addition, when we tried to call Nancy for help our cell phone wouldn't work.  We finally just drove back to the house and called from there.   Thankfully, Jim McGill (missionary from Mzuzu) drove us around the rest of the day.  

 

We will be leaving for Mzuzu at the end of the week.  Ministry of Hope has a truck that can transport all our stuff which now includes 16 pieces of luggage, a refrigerator, stove, washer and dryer and some furniture.   Having someone you can trust for transportation is a huge blessing.

 

So far we've only had 1 person get sick and it was Sarah.  She complained one night that her stomach hurt and the next day she was worse.   She finally did get sick which made her feel better but only for a short while.  She was "writhing in pain" according to Matthew.   It gave us a few anxious moments until I prayed and asked for wisdom on how to treat her and "grapefruit seed extract" came into my mind and even more specific "3 drops."   We use it for a disinfectant and for washing our vegetables with it as it is supposedly 2 ^nd only to garlic as the best natural antibiotic.  I have never used it for stomach problems but know that some do.   Anyway, within minutes of drinking it she felt fine.   The next time her stomach felt funny we gave her another dose.  She has been fine ever since.  God is truly the great physician.

 

We took the kids on their first outing to the grocery store.  Shoprite is like a normal grocery store except for all the vendors that hang outside trying to sell produce to you when you get in and out of your car.   We then went to look at the Land Cruiser and we were not only surrounded by vendors but also crippled beggars asking for money.  Thankfully, Andy and I had already experienced this last fall but it was something new for the kids.   It was very unnerving for a few of the kids but the others took it in stride.

 

Tomorrow (Tuesday) we will head back to the nursery.  We haven't been there since Thursday and the girls are anxious to get back and hold the babies.   The sanitation practices at the nursery are probably great in comparison to living in the village but it definitely takes faith to hold the babies and change their diapers.   Please pray for continued health and protection for us and the kids.  

 

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.  

Psalm 91:2

 

Our time at the nursery…

             We have spent the last 2 days at the crisis nursery here in Lilongwe (LLW) and will spend a lot of our remaining time in LLW at the nursery.   Currently there are 25 babies living at the nursery ranging in age from 5 months to 18 months.  It is difficult to guess their ages because they are so small in general and some are obviously less healthy than others.  

            Our days there have consisted of holding any crying baby and then handing them to the mamas (nannies) when they need a diaper change.   As each day wears on they seem to cry more and more—I believe that they have quickly figured out that crying brings action from these white people.  It has been a blessing to watch my children reach out to these little ones.  Sarah, Alina and Jared are natural caregivers with Kris helping more than I expected.   Andrew tolerates them and Matthew will help when we need an extra arm.  After the first day Matthew said to Andy, "I know why you had to come back."   As you can see all our hearts have been touched by these helpless children—children who are precious to God as well.

            Yesterday we stayed later in the day and helped with porridge feeding.   It was quite an event with baby after baby being brought out and laid on the mat—we would feed one and then move on to another.  The mamas use a tablespoon to feed them and they just dump a pile in and scoop up the rest as it falls out. I fed an 18 month girl who arrived at the nursery yesterday after being abandoned at the market.   She only ate about ½ the porridge so I fed another baby with the rest.   Once she saw me feeding the other baby then she was hungry again much like all children can be.   It was very heart breaking to watch her as she didn't want to be held but she would lean against my leg and let me rub her neck.  Her eyes were the saddest eyes I've seen yet.   I just prayed that someday she would know Jesus.

            Sarah has found a favorite baby named Wezzie.  She is very cute and about 10 months old.   Sarah has her on her hip the entire time we are there.  The ladies said that Sarah knows how to feed the babies and is a natural.   Alina always wants to hold a baby and asks, "Mom, can you get me a baby that doesn't cry?"  The problem is that they aren't crying when we hand them to her.   We give her the smallest and she is delighted.  The ladies put a baby on her back using a chitenje which is a large piece of material that they wrap around their waist and head and they use to carry babies or anything that they carry on their head.   It was so cute; this little white girl carrying an even tinier black baby.

I am typing this as we wait to be picked up to go today (Wednesday).  We asked to be picked up at 9 am and it is 11:02 and still no sign of them.   We are definitely being exposed to "African" time; if it happens sometime today then it is not late.  We are considering renting a vehicle to give us the ability to go when and where we need to.   It will also help in finding a car to buy.  Please pray that we will find a vehicle soon as we need one before we can head up to Mzuzu.

 

UPDATE:  Soon after I typed this we received a call from Jodi McGill, the missionary from Mzuzu who has done everything for us, found us a house, purchased furniture, etc. and she just happened to know of a doctor who had a van in great shape that he wanted to sell but she didn't know if we had already bought one.   He wanted to sell it for ½ of what we were expecting to buy one for.  In addition, they are coming to LLW tomorrow and if we were interested they would drive it down for us and leave it with us.   God is so amazing.  Our prayer had been that God would bring the car to us and we wouldn't have to run around town which would take away from our time at the nursery.

"In all thy ways acknowledge HIM and HE shall direct thy paths."

Life in Malawi...so far

We've been here 4 days and are hoping to sleep through the night tonight.  Our bodies want to be awake during the night and asleep during the day.  The kids are sleeping fine but then they aren't old like us.  We have been having quite a few mosquitoes at night which doesn't help when you can't sleep. 

We are staying at the Assemblies of God compound in a very nice house—3 bedrooms, 2 baths and beautiful grounds including a basketball hoop.  We have all the modern amenities so we don't feel like we're roughing it too much.  Last night the power went out while we were eating but came on in less than an hour.  We are supposed to have a scheduled power outage tomorrow from 9am to 4 pm.  I'm sure a lot of the power outages won't be scheduled.

The house we are staying at is the home of missionaries who are currently on furlough through the end of June.  They have a man, Whiskas, who is the housekeeper for both houses on the property.  He works at the main house until 3 pm and then comes over to our house and works from 3 till 5 or 5:30.  The first day he was quite offended because all the dishes were done when he came over and I had started a load of laundry.  I was making some muffins so I just started putting the dishes in the sink and he washed them as fast as I dirtied them.  He then cleaned all the bathrooms and swept the floors.  I told him that we are used to cleaning up ourselves but he said that in Malawi they do the cleaning.  We agreed that I would leave the lunch dishes for him the next day.  He was much happier but mentioned that it really wasn't very many dishes.  He has been working for the Assemblies of God for 38 years and I can see why.

Nancy (ex director of Ministry of Hope) took me to the grocery store when we first arrived.  It cost me about MK22,000 ($160) for all the groceries. (The money is called kwacha and is represented by MK.  Currently, the exchange rate is 145 Kwacha to the dollar.) I did buy cheese and lunch meat which is pretty expensive. That also included 2 chickens and 5 lbs. of hamburger or minced as it is called here.  Today, (four days later) I went back to the store and spent ~$55.00 for more staples like produce, milk, bread, sugar, eggs and laundry soap—a small box of laundry soap was $6.50.  They have eliminated all the street vendors so you have to shop at the grocery store.  As you can see it is not an inexpensive place to buy food.  If you buy any canned goods, pasta, seasonings or anything that has to be imported it is very expensive. 

In case you were concerned about the kids adapting you don't need to.  We were at the crisis nursery today and they fed us lunch.  It consisted of nsima (corn porridge), fried greens, tomato and onion sauce and small fried fish.  The fish were about 5 inches long and were cooked whole—head and tail included.  All the kids dug in and then Sarah says, "Look Mom, the eyes popped out."  I was totally grossed out but the kids continued eating.  They dutifully pulled the head and tail off and proceeded to get the miniscule amount of meat off the bones.  When we finished a little boy about 3 walked up took one of the backbones and just put it in his mouth.  He then grabbed the head and popped that in his mouth too.  I'm expecting Andrew to do that the next time as he complained about how long it took to get the meat off the bones.  Why waste time, you know.