Hello everyone,

Its been such a busy month as usual.  I long for the day when I can write I have had such a relaxing few weeks!!  Its been fruitful in many ways though as well as challenging!  

In August, we had a zonal meeting in Karonga with our Early Childhood Presbytery Trainers from Livingstonia, Rumphi, Karonga, Ngerenge, Chitipa and Wenya.  This was an orientation for training which is happening in September and October in 11 Presbyteries.

I am the Vice Chair on the Board of a mental health organisation in Ekwendeni called Vwira.  At the end of August the CEO and Board Chair and some other members of Niamh Mental Health from Belfast came for a few days to see the work that is happening.  Vwira is supported by Niamh.  We spent a few days visiting clients in their homes and listening to their stories of how they are being helped by medicine and counselling from Vwira.

Mrs Barbara Mangwazu the co-ordinator addressing some of the clients in Ekwendeni

Singing to welcome the visitors in Dunduzu

Visiting a client in their home in Dunduzu

Meeting a group of clients in Dunduzu

I took a weekend and went to Nyika national park with a friend Jane.  The park is about a 5 hour drive north of Mzuzu on a dirt road.  Its a beautiful place - roaming hills almost like Scotland except it has amazing African wildlife such as Zebra, different types of antelope, elephant and leopard, as well as amazing bird life.  So for an avid photographer I was in my element!  We spent a whole day out on the hills.  Unfortunately I got something in my eye which became infected, and I spent the next week in agony!  Its fine now!  Here are a few pictures of the weekend.

Jane is a talented mandolin player!

Back from the weekend and the GAC (General Administration Committee) of our Synod was meeting and of course I had to go and present the report for Early Childhood Development.  Thankfully there were no questions!

A gift to the GAC meeting....probably what we had for supper!

Some of the Umanyano (PW or womens guild) members

At the GAC meeting my successor was appointed.  He is Rev Godwin Chirambo, currently a serving minister in a congregation in Njuyu Presbytery.  I am not sure when handovers will take place but that will be made clear in the next couple of weeks.

My colleague Matt left Malawi on 1st September after 4 years, and I was invited to a farewell party a couple of days before!

I think he is pleased with his gift!

This past week has been busy too.  Last sunday I went to Lilongwe as I was invited to be part of a PCUSA joint meeting with the General Synod of our church.  CCAP has 5 synods, 3 in Malawi, 1 in Zimbabwe and 1 in Zambia.  Representatives from all 5 synods were invited and we had a very productive conference on education.  I was presenting a paper on the first day in the afternoon and it caused quite a stir - I had a lot of feedback and questions which was great!  We are hoping to implement ECD in all 5 synods of CCAP in the near future.  We had two facilitators from Madagascar helping us to think outside the box when it came to implementing education!

Facilitators from Madagascar

Bonface, a colleague from Mzuzu, presenting a session on Special needs education

Most of the delegates

the delegates from Zambia Synod (Deputy General Secretary on the left)

Delegates from Harare Synod Zimbabwe (General Secretary on the left)

I left on the third day of the conference to travel to Dwangwa as we are training our Early Childhood Presbytery Committees, and I wanted to make sure training was going on well! Participants were enjoying the training and hopefully Dwangwa Presbytery will improve. My ECD trainer in Dwangwa Presbytery was chosen to go for the ministry and has just joined Zomba Theological College, so we have to find another EPT for Dwangwa Presbytery.

Khwima facilitating

Participants

The next day I supervised the same training in Bandawe Presbytery and here you can see Mercy the trainer from Jombo Presbytery in action!

Note the Christmas tree in the background - I think it is in the church all year long!

Now its the weekend, and today I am catching up with emails and blogs and things that I don't have time to do during the week.  For the next 6 weeks we are training 2 committees per week in different Presbyteries so I will be travelling a lot.  Please keep safety for travel in your prayers.

I will finish with a few extra pictures of the past couple of weeks.  As I prepare to leave Malawi after 20 years, I would value your prayers for handovers in my job, for packing up, for saying goodbye to so many colleagues and friends, and for plans to move to Lusaka after Easter in 2016.

Wishing you a good week,

Diane x

Early morning fisherman

bee eater in my garden

Baobab tree

boiled eggs for the journey...

sunset at Nyika