Disaster

[note: When I looked at this post, the date listed was Sunday the 10th. I'm actually writing this on Monday the 11th.]

"It's going to be a beat-up-on-you-Malawi-day," Paul just said, when I mentioned that internet seems quite slow this morning.

The disaster is that we turned on the computer this morning, not this one but the new one we brought from home, that had pictures and videos downloaded on and also the printer driver for the new printer, and also work Gayle and Darlene had begun in order to produce a new brochure for the nursery, the computer that worked fine last night as we looked at pictures and videos from the day, and this morning the computer was dead. It looks like power is getting to the computer but that's it. Nada. Squat.

So, after wailing and gnashing of teeth, we have to assume that this is one of those blasted tests of character and ingenuity. "T.I.A." the expats all say. This is Africa. We will take the computer back home, get it fixed, maybe have to do all the reconfiguring and re-downloading, and have the Hellers' daughter bring it back when she travels here next month.

There are pages to write, but for now, we had a good day yesterday, first worship at Mchengewatuwa Presbyterian Church, a couple of vestry meetings, one before and one after the service, a 2+ hour service which included singing by three choirs, English hymns and everything else in this service in English. Paul prayed, I preached, the clerk read a godawfully long petition from the synod to the President of the country about the new quotas for who gets to move on in schooling (20 minutes), and the children's story for 30 or more children was about helping your parents as Jesus did, plus the memory verse from Luke 2 (Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man). This was the church from which came the choir that visited NNY and Bennington 2 years ago. Norman Harra has been transferred, so we didn't see him, but we were graciously invited not only to tea but lunch at Grace Obama Chiumia's. Grace (the former director of the choir) is now a member of parliament! She actually changed her middle name for the campaign. Grace and Sam (who had been in the choir) are a couple. They took us afterwards to property several miles away that they have acquired which will become a training place for widows in agriculture and fish farming and cooking. It is a beautful spot with plenty of work to do.

Funny incident yesterday afternoon: We went to the market and found the stand that had plant hangers that Gayle wanted to buy. Price, 1,000 kwatchas. Darlene said no, she paid 600 for the last one. Answer, oh, no. Darlene, "Well, then, how about 500? Or $450?" Laughter and response: You'll make me so poor you'll have to take my baby to feed it milk." Öh, no, Mama; your own milk is the best." More laughter. More banter about when she is due. Finally we paid 600.

This is our last full day here; tomorrow we head for the lake. Don't know when we might get to write more. Maybe later this afternoon. But the sun is out, there is singing in the nursery, Victor is going to a home, and God is still with us. We don't need a computer for that.