We're sorry for the long delay. A week ago Tuesday we took off for Lake Malawi and some R & R, especially so for Paul and Darlene, who needed to get away from the nursery for a few days. It was fun for us, too. Gayle took a dip in the lake, Scott succeeded in a short paddle in a dugout canoe, we played Quiddler and enjoyed the view of the lake and talking with the woman who runs the resort Paul and Darlene found. Here's how they heat water by wood at Nkota Bay.
On our way, we stopped at an open air market for carvings, and Darlene was our very fine negotiator of prices.
On Thursday we headed to Lilongwe, the capital, and on the way stopped to see twins whom the nursery had cared for until the father and his new fiance (after the twins' mother had died in childbirth) could take them. Darlene and Paul were very excited by this placement. Not only
does everything look good, but the babies didn't want to go to Paul or Darlene. This means they're now at home in their new home. Sometimes the reaction has been just the opposite, which can be distressing.
Chicken coop at this home.
On Friday, we flew out of Lilongwe and were home in 24 hours by way of Addis Ababa and Rome. We're about recovered from jet lag, and maybe even from intestinal distress! But before we say goodbye we want to back up and show you some other pics we never got a chance to write about:
Anna, the long-serving nurse (with a Phillies cap from the Swarthmore Goodwill); Darlene, Gayle, and Memory.
Darlene (Mama Mariskia), and the collared Reverends Paul and Scott, at the Mchengewautuwa Presbyterian Church outside Mzuzu.
Grace Obama Chiumia, her mother, and Sam, at Grace's home where we were served lunch after worship. Grace was the director of the
youth choir that came to Northern New York and Bennington in 2007. This past year, she added Obama as a middle name and won a seat in parliament! We think she was helped in her campaign by some Watertown, NY folks. They have recently acquired a large piece of property which will be a home and training center for widows learning new farming techniques, including fish farming and cooking.
We drove to this spot on our way to Lilongwe for a great view. The man on the left was a host who had us sign a guest book.
We bought a couple of hanging baskets from this 7 months-pregnant woman in the Mzuzu market. She appreciated Darlene's haggling humor. After Darlene's counter offer of 600 k was denied, Darlene then said, "OK, how about 500? 450?" The woman laughed and said we'd be taking food away from her baby and did we want to care for it since she'd have nothing? So Darlene made sure she planned to breastfeed.
The Mzuzu Crisis Nursery, where up to 15 orphan babies at a time are cared for round-the-clock by a staff of nannies, nurse, administrative assistant, matron, director and guards, often having been brought bac
k from the brink of death, and treated as the children Jesus spoke of when he said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of God."Thank you for being a part of our excellent adventure!
For more about the nursery, see http://suffer-the-little-children.blogspot.com.
Love to all,
Scott & Gayle
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