Hello everyone,

Its been a busy few weeks since my last blog.  Nicolas and myself have been out in the field quite a bit and will be for the next few weeks too!

We had a workshop in Ekwendeni with the ToT's (trainer of trainers) and it was the first time we were all together since I came back to Malawi.

Unfortunately we had to let two of our ToT's go as they had not really done much for the past couple of years, and it was a difficult decision.  We also have lost Enala who was one of the first ToT's and worked in Mzuzu Presbytery.  She was probably the best trainer in the bunch and has gone to Zomba Theological College to train for the ministry......so what could I say as its where I began my work in Malawi!  We will greatly miss her but I know she will be an asset to the ministers in Livingstonia Synod.  Here you can see her receiving a gift from George on behalf of the ToT's.

All in all, it was a useful workshop as we shared experiences and also had the opportunity of doing some observation in some of the local ECD centres.

Children lining up to wash their hands.......

one of the centres in Ekwendeni....

Our trainers are doing an exercise where they are volunteering in their local ECD centre for one month.  This is to enable them to be caregivers so that they understand the problems caregivers face when they are training and monitoring the centres.  We visited Madalitso in Ekwendeni Presbytery.......

Mercy in Jombo Presbytery.......

This centre had received a donation of lego from one of the local NGO's and the children were really enjoying it.

Of course, these are not sustainable in our centres so we also use locally available materials and here you can see Mercy playing with the children using what you would probably call 'rubbish'!!

We also visited Rodney in Limphasa Presbytery..........

Rodney talking to a child

In this centre, we had given them some puzzles a few months ago.  When we arrived I was surprised to see the puzzle there but it was still wrapped in its original wrapping. This is because the caregiver had no idea what to do with it.  So we unwrapped it and showed the caregiver and the children what to do, and it was used the whole morning as one by one children played with it.

We have had some really heavy rains these past few weeks and the day at Limphasa was no exception - this poor lady was soaked as she passed by the centre.

Nicolas also went to Njuyu Presbytery to visit Ernest.  Transport to Njuyu is not easy and on the way back he had to walk for 3 hours to find transport home!!

I also had to go out to visit on of our Primary Schools this last week.  It is a CCAP school called Thandazga and is only four years old.  The school has 7 classes but only four rooms so the other classes meet outside which is not great in the rainy season as you can imagine.  In fact, I was glad it was not raining the day I visited because I would have needed the four wheel drive to get there!

The other excitement this week was that I had an owl in my garden for two days - I have never seen an owl here before - this beautiful creature was looking straight at me when I opened the curtains the other morning.  Then the next day I heard the birds making quite a racket in the garden and when I went to investigate they were yapping at the owl.  Its a Pearl Spotted owlet for anyone who is interested!!

Hope you all have a great week!

Blessings, Diane