Just another week......

Hello everyone from a nice sunny and warm Mzuzu!  However, you can't have it all - no water since yesterday and electricity has just come on after more than 12 hours!!  

The past couple of weeks have been busy as always, with work and visitors.  

At the weekend I had a visit from Amos from Malosa near Zomba who comes here to sell paintings and carvings.  He was showing me the talent of a young guy called Gilbert who I know from Zomba - its great to see he is still painting well!

A few weeks ago, I showed pictures of Claire and Flo who had arrived to do their medical electives in Ekwendeni.  Last weekend was Flo's birthday and together with some of her travelling friends from Ekwendeni we had a birthday celebration!

It was a weekend of birthday's - I was priviliged to join Rev Dr Joel Manda and his family for Joel's 65th birthday celebration.  His grandchild is a student at our nursery school so we had a lot of fun!!   Joel worked together with me when I was in Zomba so its great to be close to the family again.

On Monday, Nicolas and I travelled to Nkhamenya Presbytery where we met with some of our ToT's to discuss some issues relating to training and monitoring.  We had a good meeting and it is wonderful to see Nicolas really settling into the job.  He received his certificate this week from London so now he can show people he has qualified!  (Note the maize in the background - and this is in the vestry of the church!!)

This is Senzeni one of our trainers from Luwerezi listening intently..........I hope!!

Miness joining the discussion,  with Naomi and Kettie

When I was in Ireland for 3 weeks in April, part of my avocado tree fell down on the roof of the car port.  It has grown really tall over the last while and so last weekend we decided to cut some more down as it has been very windy the past few days.  The red blob in the middle of the tree is the brave man who climbed up and chopped off the branches!!  We must have retrieved over 100 avocados from the cut branches - this tree has been producing fruit since last December!!

Annex watches as the branches fill the garden!!

Yesterday morning as I was getting up I noticed the most wonderful sunrise, so camera to the ready, I rushed to take a photo over the glass on the wall!!  I thought it came out quite well! 

Today Nicolas and I travelled to Mzimba to meet another group of ToT's to give them the same briefing - we will be travelling over the next couple of weeks to meet ToT's in different locations.  

Back row: Fidelis, Emily, Mloyiso, Nicolas and Angella
Front row:  Grace, Daniel, Khwima, Hlezipe and Mary

Of course, we had some serious discussions but its always good to have some ECD songs and fun and laughter in between.......

Nicolas and Mloyiso in action!!!

Grace and Emily

Mloyiso and Daniel

Fidelis found a puppet and was having some fun....

and just as I was dropping people off this evening the sun was setting and it was beautiful - this picture does not do it justice but its a good note to end on.

Wishing you all a good week as I now head off to have a well earned rest!!

Blessings
Diane x