Friends, Family, & Famine

July 26-29, 2016

Hello everyone!  Sorry I've been off the grid for a few days - there has not been much time as I've (we've) been prepping for teaching in and out of power outages....that's just the way things roll in beautiful Malawi :)

Even though today is the last official teaching day at the academy, I suppose I should take the story back a few days so we can catch up together!

Tuesday morning our team enjoyed breakfast again together - I am reminded daily by the staff here what hospitality looks like - although I may forget their names, I hope I will never forget their sweet, smiling faces.  

I had the privilege of meeting the famous Chicco on Tuesday - he graciously invited the three of us to his home during one of our breaks - and, I was able to see what life was like for many Malawians.  As we were invited into their home, we were greeted by his wife, two of their children, and another child (a nephew?) staying with them for the day.  John asked about their family and schools...and about the effects of the famine....it's not good.  The price of maize (a staple in Malawi) has tripled in price and is being rationed equally to all households, no matter the size of your family......not great news-- in fact it broke my heart wide open.  People here are having to make very difficult choices and unfortunately important things like education must be sacrificed to afford food.

We explored the surrounding area, and were invited to see the mill where maize is usually ground into flour...usually....the mill is completely empty...nothing....and John mentioned that in all the visits he's ever had here, this is the first time it has been empty.  And there are still four more months until they can try to plant for the next growing season....if it rains....

But you wouldn't know there is scarcity here when you meet the people...smiles, gratitude, and hospitality come LONG before fear.  Some families in the area are growing crops during the winter season - it's onions for Chicco - some have gardens with tomatoes, and others small gardens with corn....the trouble is trying to get water to them when it's not the rainy season - bucket after bucket from the creek to the garden....it takes nearly 3 hours a day to water the growing plants in that area!   I was honored to meet Chicco's family, and will remember their soft smiles, and their genuine kindness - they will be in my prayers for many months to come.

Wednesday and Thursday was mostly spent prepping and teaching, interspersed with lots of conversations about church, Holy Spirit, geography, families, companion congregations, exchanging email addresses, and tea breaks.  What a delightful gathering of pastors!   Thursday, I snuck away from John's afternoon session (shh!) to take some pictures of the ELCM compound.  The grounds are meticulously maintained and there is a lot more to see than I realized!  Of course, perfect strangers on the road stopped by to say hello and see how my day was going :)  I  also had the chance to witness a field of children playing a game of soccer.  It made me think of my own kids...I miss them.....

Teaching this week has been amazing - what an honor to be among these pastors from Malawi, Zambia, and Germany, too.  It didn't take long to notice that there were pastors who have had a great deal of theological education here - hopefully more and more can be encouraged and supported each year!  It was great to see such lively interaction during class times - we teachers often posed discussion topics and invited conversation among the pastors - good choice, as they were ON FIRE with thoughts and questions.  Sometimes the conversation got loud and rambunctious - there were several friendly disputes about theology.  And, holy cow, these pastors know how to use their Bibles - quoting, or at least knowing exactly where to find scripture verses as the foundation for their answer/interpretation. They were incredible.

Friday came too soon and I realized this was the last time I would see these pastors for a long time.  As I looked at their faces today, I prayed that I could keep myself together!....After some good, final, theological conversations, Abusa Kathy lead a short healing service.  All the pastors lined up and received anointing oil on their foreheads- a first for them.  It was awesome to see them so eager and excited - many even asked me to take their pictures as they were being blessed.  To top it off, they were singing the entire time!  Not just everyday "nice"singing- rather, is was, I'm-gonna-sing-at-the-top-of-my-lungs-in-harmony-while-dancing-around-the-room-and-clapping-and-holding-a-chair-above-my-head singing! It. was. AWESOME.  We thanked the group for their hospitality and for the opportunity to be with them this week.  And, during the official closing of the academy by Bishop Bvumbwe, the three of us were gifted with a beautiful piece of Malawian fabric -a thoughtful gesture of thanks that I will certainly cherish.  Afterward, we said goodbye to many pastors between Luther Hall and our car - I'm sure gonna miss these guys...and this place.

After we all packed into the truck, we headed back to the lodge to change into casual clothing - Derrick then drove us to Four Seasons to meet Mphatso and his wife Chipi, for dinner.  DELICIOUS!  It was fun to wind down after the week of teaching.

Now I'm comfortably back in my room at the lodge.  I'm playing with my new, beautifully, hand-carved Noah's ark as I sit on my bed...I know each time I look at it, I will remember these incredible people......yep, there are some tears....although it's difficult to explain exactly what I am feeling, I can say this - my life has changed.  My perspectives have changed.  My expectations have changed.  And my heart has changed.  Before I left for this trip a good friend told me that I would never be the same after visiting Malawi - I'm so glad she was right.

Tomorrow, our good friend Mabel Madinga's son will be married at the ELCM cathedral and we have been invited to the wedding.  It will be fun to go, see friends, and celebrate this JOYFUL event with their family.  I promise to share the next chapter of this story tomorrow night after the festivities are done!

Zikomo for listening, my friends.

~Laura

                     

Teaching, Pastors, & Struggles

July 25, 2016

After a lovely weekend, our team woke early this morning to eat breakfast before heading to the ELCM compound for our first teaching day at the Pastor’s Academy.   We met in the cathedral just before 8:00 a.m. for a time of devotions (and SINGING!.....honestly,…… I can’t get enough!)  Bishop Bvumbwe (Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi) was there to officially open the academy, welcome the 60+ pastors who are present this week (the largest number of participants who have attended the academy so far!), and to give some announcements.  His words included gratitude to the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin for the generosity through continued companionships, and for the gifts that were collected for famine relief.   Again, I am proud to be a part of a synod that embraces this companionship and responds to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Malawi through such generosity.  I challenge us to double these efforts in the months to come - the struggle is significant here. 

Morning sessions included introductions (It was fun to share pictures of my family, church and colleagues) and overviews of our academy topics - Abusa Kathy is teaching the Healing Stories of Jesus, Abusa John is teaching about the Reformation and the Creeds, and I am teaching about the Holy Spirit.  We ate lunch together with the pastors and I was introduced to many new friends. 

One special introduction was to Abusa John – the pastor from the Mkhota Parish (Gethsemane’s companion congregation) – he is so thankful for the partnership and is excited for future communication.  He and I will be sharing information throughout this week so that we can be a consistent presence in one another’s prayers and mission.   

We also had the chance to meet a pastor from Germany, Michael, who is in Malawi to learn the language and continue his studies in ministry – he works in and around the ELCM compound, and has been attending some of our sessions.  It’s been fun to visit with him. 

After teaching in the afternoon, my Synod Communicator friend, Mphatso and I traveled into Lilongwe to run an errand – it was fun to ask him questions about his experiences in Ethopia, Switzerland, and Germany, his trips to the US, his studies at the university, and his love for both the church and his work in the church.  He’s a wealth of knowledge, and loves to learn.  It has been a privilege getting to know him. 

After the day of teaching was complete we headed back to our lodge to eat dinner and continue preparing for Tuesday’s classes.  In the evening, the power went out (a very common occurrence here), while trying to prep…..which means I got to use the candles I packed! 

 

I do believe it was a great first teaching day for our team.  Although I had no idea what teaching in Malawi would be like (language barriers?....technology issues?.....questions I cannot clarify, …etc….)  I felt good about the lessons I taught (that’s ok to say, right?!?), and was excited about where these pastors’ hearts were – great questions were asked, fruitful conversation happened among the Abusas, and more singing was heard before tea times and meals (I was one happy girl!)

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here, and honored to be teaching  - although I’m fairly certain that I am learning just as much from these Malawian, Lutheran Abusas as they are from me…….probably even more…..

Through our conversations, it’s becoming evident that there is a variety of suffering and fear that is resting in the hearts of the communities here.  The famine is one major issue…for good reason. And the Abusas seem to be seeking tools that will help them address these concerns in their parishes – although I am unacquainted with their specific contexts, I hope the messages we are teaching will be effective with the help of the Spirit. 

But, it must be said that the Malawians have a joy and peace about them that often overshadows whatever troubles they might have – what a gift to have faith like that…..

I look forward to another day of teaching tomorrow. 

My prayer for today: That we can put ourselves aside long enough to see the suffering in the world and hear the Spirit’s call to help; that we be fearless in standing up for those who cannot defend themselves; and…that we remember to take a break from our electronic devices from time to time so that we can talk to people.    Amen.     

Salima, Worship, & Bricks

July 23-24, 2016

Muli bwanji, friends! 

The weekend has flown by, and was filled with so many good things. 

Saturday morning, the five of us packed into our Toyota truck, and Derrick drove us through the mountains to Salima.  There, we explored the Kuti Wildlife Reserve – a large habitat near Lake Malawi that is home to several indigenous animals, birds, etc.   Although Malawi is not a typical home for giraffes, they have a few there that we were hoping to see.  No such luck.  BUT, we were able to get up close to a couple of zebras, a camel, several baboons, an ostrich, and many unique bugs - the coolest one was the “ant lion” and our introduction to this new bug came with a childhood story from our friend Mphatso.  We ate lunch at Kuti and then packed back into the truck for a little more driving.  So much driving.

Around dinner time we arrived at the Red Zebra (to my surprise, the red zebra is not a mammal…it’s a fish…) where we were able to snag a few pictures of the sunset.  Red Zebra is a lodge on the shore of Lake Malawi, and the views from this place are breathtaking.  As you stand on the pier or on the beach, you can see the mountains and a small island. On the shoreline is a meticulously maintained garden that surrounds the lodge – there are beautiful flowers, succulents, palm trees, jasmine, and roses. (There were many more, but I have no idea what they are called).  :)

In the morning, I awoke early to catch the sunrise over the lake – totally worth it!  As I sat at the end of the pier capturing the pink sky, I witnessed an eagle scoop up a fish and eat in on the mast of a nearby boat.  And, as the sky became brighter, it was fun to watch, as one by one the fishermen grabbed their boats and headed out to the lake – no motors, which was a nice change.

After breakfast, we got on our "Sunday best" and headed to the ELCM parish in Salima – (First Lutheran Church in Eau Claire helped raise funds for this building and former Bishop Pederson helped to dedicate it in 2008.) As soon as we stepped out of the car, we were warmly greeted by everyone who was already gathered.  The two from our group who are clergy were whisked away to the pastor's office to talk about preparations for worship….I got to stay and take pictures and visit with people :)  While the sanctuary is typically full in Salima, there were many adult women missing because of an area conference being held over the weekend. While these women were missed, it certainly didn't affect the morale of those who were gathered, even though they were a small group.  

The entire worship service was spoken in Chichewa, except for an introduction by Mphatso, Abusa Kathy’s greeting, and Abusa John’s sermon.  There were nearly as many youth as adults, and they were quick to share their smiles.  The next best thing to the relationships being built was the music….WOW the music…….this small congregation of 20 sounded like 100 when it was time to sing – and everyone did…..with harmony…..and energy…..and JOY!  It was glorious, and I was thankful to be a part of it.  After worship we stepped outside where the conversations continued.  We were invited to walk behind the church where the village houses were located.  There, laid a large pile of bricks – ready to be made into a wall.  (That’s one thing that has caught my attention in Malawi...walls everywhere)  On the walk I was befriended by a small girl who took my hand and walked with me for a bit.  There were also a handful of requests for me to take pictures - again, the kiddos loved seeing their own faces :) 

On the way back to Lilongwe, we stopped at a market in Salima to do a little browsing and shopping for some authentic, handmade Malawian goods.  I was told we should negotiate the price of these goods (NOT my strongest gift!) and I begged John and Mphatso for their help, which they gave :)  I eventually got the hang of it and was ok on my own.  Malawians have a knack for wood carving, painting and basket weaving – I was very impressed. 

(I’d tell you or show you what I bought, but I can’t ‘cuz my kids might be reading this :)...)

Once we get back to our rooms in Lilongwe, the three of us weary travelers began finalizing our lesson plans for Monday’s first teaching day at the Pastor’s Academy.  From what we understand, there will be around 60 pastors in attendance, all different backgrounds and levels of education, and from all different regions experiencing different challenges.  I am anxious to meet the pastor from the Mkhota parish (Gethsemane’s companion parish) – it would be so nice to make a connection with him and explore their current situation.    

As I settle in for the night, I am feeling excited to teach the first set of lessons on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.  We’ll see how it goes…..not sure what to expect!  I will update tomorrow after the first day is complete.  Take care, friends!

Love from beautiful Malawi,

Laura

July 22, 2016

This morning, after a great night’s rest under my first-ever bed net, I was feeling refreshed and ready to go…….except is was 4:00 am and still dark outside :).  For those who know me well….you understand that this is not typical for me…  Nonetheless, I took advantage of the time by leisurely getting showered and ready, and as soon as the sun began to rise, I sat on the porch with my book. It was chilly this morning – probably in the 50’s - for those who, like me, do not know much about the southeastern African climate, it’s dry season here, similar to our winter months – no rain, so no crops, and a lot of dust.  

John meandered outside with an offer for tea (which is wonderful here, btw), and I gladly accepted.  We chatted outside, enjoying the cool air and the sounds of Malawi.  After Kathy joined us and the three of us ate breakfast we headed to Kasungu National Park, a 2 hour drive, ….more sitting…..but definitely worth it.  On the way, we stopped by the Linde Motel where we will be sleeping tonight after Kasungu.  

We also made a quick stop for a snack - pineapple Fanta and a box of oatmeal white chocolate cookies for the road.   After driving a while we notice the beautiful mountains which pop up all around Lake Malawi – they are amazing to see.  And, along the way we pass a lot of villages where the people are busy – boys on bikes heavily loaded with large branches, (seriously, we could learn something about physics from these boys!) girls and women (some with infants and toddlers carefully swaddled to their backs with beautiful fabric) carrying produce or water on their heads (for the record, these women are STRONG!), men leading teams of oxen or donkeys, and goats and chickens roaming in and among it all.  It’s a delight to witness.  I briefly realize at this point that I haven’t checked my phone all day…and I don’t care. 

We continued with our sunny ride down the M1 (kind of like a US highway) and attempted to take pictures of the “phiri” (hills/mountains).  Mphatso points out the clinics and churches and schools that are possible because of the generosity of our synod (NWSWI) I have a moment of pride/gratitude for the money and time people have given to make it happen.  I hope ministry, by this definition, continues.  We made one last stop in a village at the base of Kasungu Mountain; nearby, many women and children were pumping water into large bins.  (The well was a gift that came from some donors in our synod)  Some of the kids were excited to take a few pictures with us, and even more excited when we showed them the pictures afterward :).  I will never forget the joy on their faces and the warmth in their smiles – we waved goodbye to each other as we drove away – in the truck I say a silent prayer that none of them go hungry – and I thank God for the gift of that well – my prayers don’t seem like enough.    

We arrived at the park around noon-ish…still not really sure what time it is!  The Lifupa Lodge is our host for the day.  The grounds are gorgeous!  It’s filled with small huts that rest at the base of a lake, which we quickly found out is also a watering hole for many local wildlife.  After we explore the grounds for a bit, Grant and Blessing lead us to the Jeep that we take on a two-hour adventure through the bush.  It was unbelievable – I felt like a kid the entire time, my head practically hanging out the window, as I took photo after photo of native animals in their natural habitats.  

When the safari was done, we ate a late lunch at the lodge (delicious!) and headed back to the Linde Motel.  About half way home it began to get dark, and we ran into a few “diversions” (detours) that made our drive home kind of adventurous – I am grateful for Derrick’s driving skills – he has LOTS of experience on the narrow, bumpy Malawian roads filed with vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, and large trucks. 

I have since settled in to my new sleeping space for the night.  Tomorrow, we will be traveling to Salima  I have been very grateful for the opportunity to be among the people and in some of the villages where the local pastors are serving – it will certainly give me a little added context when teaching next week. 

My prayer for the day:  That generosity will always overcome greed, that kindness will always overcome hatred, and that relationships will always be the most important thing we invest our time in.  Amen. 

July 20-21, 2016

Hello Friends!

Well, we have made is safely to Malawi! 

When we boarded the plane in DC (bound for Ghana), nearly everyone was ready to sleep after the long flight delay.  I did not even introduce myself to my seat partner, as I selfishly didn’t want to sacrifice sleep for conversation.  HOWEVER, after a REALLY good 5 hour rest, we awoke to the flight attendants serving breakfast, and my seat buddy and I had an amazing conversation…funny thing is, as I traveled farther and farther away from home, my world got smaller and smaller through our conversation – Kwame (my seat buddy) is originally from Ghana and currently works with a company providing solar energy (really cool pilot project he’s currently involved in) - he now lives in Minneapolis (we took the same flights from Mpls, to DC and then to Ghana).  To top it off, he and his siblings all went to Luther College (Go Norse!) and we all graduated around the same time.  Oh yeah, and he’s married to a Luther grad too! 

Kwame’s kindness, his memories of Luther, his passion for clean and alternative energy, as well as his curiosity and quesions about my family, my call to ministry, the ELCA, & challenging issues in the church made the next few hours breeze by.  I was grateful for him and the distraction he offered after so, so many hours in the plane.  Thanks, Kwame – I hope to meet again sometime!

After half of the plane disembarked in Ghana, and new passengers boarded, we headed the rest of the way to Johannesburg (another 5 hours).  The flight was fairly uneventful....

Once we landed in Johannesburg (around 10:00 p.m…..I think……) we took a cab to the hotel where we could shower and get a full night’s rest.  We enjoyed a unique and delicious breakfast in the hotel the next morning and traveled back to the airport for the final leg of our trip.  The airport in Johannesburg felt more like a mall than an airport – although there were some unique places to shop.  I think all three of us were happy the plane boarded and took off on time.  We were getting anxious to be upright for a while!

Landing in Lilongwe, we obtained a visa for Malawi, went through customs, and were greeted by Mphatso!  It was fun to see the joy on his and John and Kathy’s faces as they reunited.  He also welcomed me with open arms (literally!) and introduced us to Derrick, our driver.  We loaded our bags into the back of the truck (which proudly display a Luther rose on the door) and headed to Mutheto Lodge to drop off our bags.  (Side note: It may take me some time to get used to driving on the left side of the road!) Our rooms are beautiful, the food is delicious, and the hospitality of the Malawians is amazing.  But I’m also having a difficult time receiving so much generosity knowing the conditions that surround us which have been caused by the famine here. 

There is so much I want to ask – but for now I will listen….and pray that the Spirit will guide questions when the time is right. 

Tomorrow we are off for a fun adventure to Kasungu National Park to hopefully see some wildlife. 

Until tomorrow.....