Training and travel...........

Hello everyone,

I started this blog on Saturday but then I had visitors and today the electricity was off from 4.30am and just came on around 6pm.........so lets hope I get it finished this time!

We have been doing a lot of training in different Presbyteries, and the last few weeks have involved a lot of travelling!  We are training Presbytery Early Childhood Development Committees, to see if we can have sustainable ECD in our church.  During one week we went to Ekwendeni and Henga Presbyteries, where the training was being run at the same time.

Ekwendeni...........

Henga.....

While the training was taking place at Henga, I was also interviewing for an Early Childhood Presbytery trainer in the Presbytery.  We had 3 candidates and after a lot of laughter and deliberation, we finally chose a new EPT!

On my way from the interviews to the training I passed by the ECD centre and some of the children were very happy to pose for me!

The following week, Nicolas and myself headed out on another roadtrip to Wenya!  The first day we arrived in Chitipa to a wonderful sunset (mind you every day these days we have amazing sunsets).  Its is so nice to travel to Chitipa on the tar road nowadays - apart from the dust and the bumps it takes much less travelling time!

Next morning we set off early for Wenya - the road was not so good this time - it is very sandy due to having no rain for some months and in some places it is very dangerous and narrow!  However, we made good time....

After arriving at Wenya, I was training ministers and session clerks about ECD for a morning session!  There was a lot of discussion and its interesting as they are all men!

In the afternoon, I was interviewing again for a new EPT, and we chose an energetic and enthusiastic young man!

Later afternoon, Nicolas and myself went for a walk and met this child with an enormous heap of grass on her head!  She said it was to feed the cows at home!  Of course, with it being a rural place, I was like the pied piper with many children tagging on behind the whole way!

The following morning we stayed in Wenya for the opening of the ECD Presbytery training, and then left to go back to Chitipa to supervise the training there!

The following picture shows the main street in Wenya - very beautiful but very dusty!

Arriving in Chitipa just after lunch, we found that not all the participants had come to the training which was disappointing!  However, it went on as usual!

We spent overnight in Chitipa and the following morning headed for Misuku Presbytery, where once again I was interviewing for new EPT's.  We had good interviews and again found 2 people to assist us.  Here you can see me with Rev T Gondwe who was doing the interviews with me!  Again, we had a lot of fun!

Last week, we set off again, this time to Karonga and Ngerenge to supervise training!  George was doing a good job facilitating in Karonga, but it was really hot!  I think, had I been a participant, I would have been sleeping!

Later the same day we moved on to Ngerenge Presbytery where the training was very energetic and enjoyable!

Sometimes during our training, we have goats or chickens that come to visit us as we usually meet in churches or halls with open doors or no doors at all!  At Ngerenge, it was a dog who came in, probably as it was cooler inside, he lay down behind Mercy and she kept talking and didn't even notice he was there!

Last week I had a lovely surprise 'farewell' party!  I had been visiting some of the EPT's doing training in remote areas and suddenly they were in Mzuzu for a party!  Of course not everyone came, but most!  It was very humbling and touching to hear what some of them had to say and I received some beautiful gifts!  I still have some weeks to go before I leave Malawi, but I think the EPT's were not sure of the date and wanted to make sure I didn't leave without a party!  A very special day!  I will miss them!

And finally for this blog.........a container arrived on Thursday from Ireland and there were some ECD boxes on board.  I want to say thank you to all who put things on the containers for Malawi.  ECD received boxes Ballysillan mothers and toddlers, Ballywalter Sunday School, Glengormley PW, Bushvale PW, Pots of Clay, Ballygoney & Coagh PW, Cregagh Presbyterian Church, and some others with no labels!  Tawonga chomene on behalf of all our ECD centres in the north!

More travelling ahead this coming week, so please remember us in your prayers!  Have a good week.

Blessings,

Diane x

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