Time.........where does it go???

Hello everyone and thank you for visiting my blog once again!  Its been a few weeks since I updated it - it seems I never have time as it takes a couple of hours to upload the photos on our good old internet!!

Have been really busy with some travelling and I thought I had better update it as I am on the move again on Monday!  Here is the latest billboard in Mzuzu which I think is great - we have a lot of child trafficking in Malawi with it being a landlocked country and borders are not secure.

About 4 years ago, I asked on the blog if anyone would be able to help me with fees for this young man - this is Fidelis who I met in Chitipa in 2008 when he was also working in child development.  He left in 2009 to join African Bible College in Lilongwe where a couple of weeks ago he completed his degree and graduated.  I was able to get help for his second semester and then a few people gave me some a little every now and then so its been a struggle, but at last he has finished.  You can see he is a happy guy and is now thinking about the future!  Thanks to those who have assisted me over the four years in paying his fees at college.

While I was in Lilongwe for graduation it was a real joy to meet Peter in the photo below.  Peter stayed in Zomba when I first came to Malawi and we were neighbours for a couple of years before he moved back to the states.  Since then we have met a few times on and off in Malawi and in South Africa!  He just happened to have a couple of days in Lilongwe when I was down and we met up - great to catch up on what has happened over the years  (and to compare each other's grey hair!!).

Back from Lilongwe on Sunday night only to find out that I am due in Mangochi on Tuesday for a workshop........so Monday was a hectic day trying to get organised to leave on Tuesday morning for the long drive to the southern lake shore.  Going down the lakeshore road I passed the rubber plantations and there was good light in the morning to take a picture of the rubber tapping process!!

I had not been in Mangochi since my time in Zomba 7 years ago and the roads have vastly improved!  There are more people and more cars too.  However the villages are mainly just the way they were all those years ago!

Part of the reason for going to Mangochi was to visit a pilot project of Save the Children's where they have been using a community radio in their nursery schools to assist in rural areas where teachers are not trained and there is low level of literacy.  Here you can see children in one centre waiting for the programme to start - the radio is on the floor in the middle of the circle!

After the programme it was playtime outside and this young lad was having a great time beating the drum!

Another early years centre where we arrived as the children were having their morning porridge!!

The Southern lake is very beautiful but I did not expect to find camels wandering along the lakeshore!  We were in the meeting on the second day up to 8pm so we did not see the lake at all really.  At 5pm we broke for afternoon tea!! and I noticed these camels on the beach - they belong to the owner of the lodge we were staying at!

The main mode of transport here is bicycle and on the way home to Mzuzu I was driving along and saw these two poor pigs on the way to market!  The one on the right did not look too alive but the pink one on the left was squealing his heart out!  The irony of it all is that the area I was passing through is a Muslim area (where people don't eat pork!!)

Back home and the sunrise the next morning was quite stunning!

A few days ago, Matt in Ekwendeni (who many of you will know) and I were invited to go and have lunch at this guy's restaurant.  He has opened his restaurant in one of our markets - we had great food and it is good to see him so happy!

This morning I had a call from a colleague that the Girls Brigage in Mzuzu and Ekwendeni were meeting for the GB world day of prayer which is on Monday but they were having their worship today after marching round the city!  I was called to photograph the event! It was great to see and be part of.

Apart from that I am organising training for caregivers and committees in our rural areas, organising monitoring by our trainers and organising a workshop in July to be held in Ekwendeni and another one in August!  So its a busy time.  I am due to go on deputation in September but what I really need is a holiday!

Have a great weekend and a good week ahead!

Blessings,

Diane