Christmas is coming.....

Hello everyone, 

Much has happened since my last blog post so I will just give a brief update.  In October we worked with a local Community Based Organisation providing training for 4 of their Early Childhood centres - it was a fun time and I hope things are working well for them now!

Some of the parents and children

Ernest - one of our Trainers!

October is beautiful in Mzuzu - its when the Jacaranda trees come into blossom....

Near the end of October I went on a short break to Northern Ireland to see my friend Margaret who was terminally ill.  It was a difficult time but I thank God that I was able to spend some time with her before she passed away.  I miss her very much - we had been through a lot together especially during her time in Malawi.

While I was in Ireland it was great catching up with family, even at an 8 year old's birthday party which made me feel really old!!

Back to Malawi and on the road to Karonga and then Misuku to do some training with the Ministers and session clerks in the Presbytery!  On the way this guy wanted to share his bananas with me.....

The first view of lake Malawi.....

The road to Misuku is difficult - it is extremely hilly terrain and while it was dry, it was sandy in places and really slippery - such a beautiful place to have the privilege to visit and have the excuse that it is work!!

Children in Misuku don't see many vehicles and they were fascinated by what Nicolas was bringing out of the car!!

This little girl was very worried that I would not be back from Ireland in time to make her birthday cake - its Bongiwe and as you can see she is very happy!!

At the beginning of November, we received a new member of staff from Holland.  Her name is Gerrie and she will start properly with us in January.  However, we took her out to a couple of ECD centres in Mzuzu Presbytery to give her some orientation into her new job!  

Its the time of year for the rains to come.  So far we have only had a few days of heavy rain, one when I was in Ireland and the lightning struck my house so I was glad I was not there!  It burnt the telephone and the internet both the router inside the house and the external device outside so I had to buy a whole new system!!  With the rains of course come snakes and bugs like this bongololo (a large millipede) - they are harmless but when you stand on them in your bare feet they are a bit squishy!!

As I write this I am in Lilongwe - I travelled down yesterday as I had a meeting at UNICEF this morning.  Before I left yesterday I had to go and get the Wildlife people to come and see if they could take away the swarm of bees who had made their home in a tree in my house  - of course when I went they said it was no problem to remove the bees but they had no transport as I was going to Lilongwe I had to leave them money for transport - the joys of Africa!!

So was we are now in the Christmas season, it is probably around 35 degrees here today and the sun is shining, so its does not feel at all like Christmas.  I have seen one Christmas tree today in a shop but apart from that there is no sign of all the materialism that we find in the West and for that I am grateful.  In Malawi, many people see Christmas as a time of celebrating the birth of Christ and a time when they eat rice on Christmas day instead of Nsima, a time when they may have chicken instead of beans.  This is a difficult time here, what we call the hungry season, as many people's harvest from last year is about to finish and the next one is just about to be planted.  Prices are going up daily as the kwacha continues to devalue against the dollar.  It is a time when people struggle to survive and yet.....somehow on Christmas day people celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, giving thanks for the little that they have.

As we reflect on the real meaning of Christmas, consider what is important- is it time spent with family celebrating the birth of Christ or is it the latest gadget that Santa is going to bring!

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas season,

With love,

Diane