This is Africa

I am in landlocked Africa, in the middle of a country so full of mosquitos that they are the national animal, a country so hot that you get sunburnt in the shade, this is the heart of Africa, this is my temporary new home, this is not Spain, this is Malawi. Ive been here for about a month and have seen enough of this country to realise how special this place is. The more I learn here the more i find i don’t know. For example: This country is very religious, church attendance is high and those who don’t go are looked at as wacky. However crime is high, adultery and teen pregnancies are frequent and corruption everywhere. Unemployment is so high (ive heard 85%) and poverty is rampant however many Malawians, ministers and Christians exist here and do a lot for the less fortunate. Spend a few weeks here and you will see a country thats not made for tourism (like the many ive been to so far) but a genuine nation struggling, trying to use its weak economy like a feeble crutch to stand up and declare “We are Malawi and we do not need aid”.



I am grateful for the warm welcome i have received from Rev Lewis who works with the Presbyterian church. My first 4 weeks have been mixed. As you can read above this country has made a big impression on me. Its people culture and history are a new experience and impossible to relate but i will try. On a sorer note I unfortunately arrived in this country minus my phone and camera (Hence no photos yet). I think some South African Airways baggage handler has an unfortunate habit. It sux that they were nicked but if he needs to steal to have a good life then I feel more sorry for him than for the loss of a couple of things. On the positive I have been provided a place to stay at the Presbyterian Synod in Blantyre at The Resource Centre for the 8 weeks that I am here. Apart from the occasional black-out, water outage, heat and mossies it’s a luxury.

So why am I here? Good question sonny jim. Unfortunately my role here so far has been limited. The task I was to be working on: ORBUS the orphanage construction project has been scaled back and the buildings are being used to accommodate orphans in the most need. I’ve been helping out fixing and sorting things out at the resource centre but theres only so much i can do. I spend more time in prayer and bible reading than I have before and although I am grateful for the opportunity to relax, learn about Malawi and its struggles and read from the Christian library i’ve been praying that an opportunity to serve here will grow. Pray for the Christians of this country, the poor, the sick, the widowed, the corrupt, its leaders, the unemployed and the criminals. I have had a lot of time to pray and I have been praying a lot for everyone I can think of. Recent scientific surveys show that I pray more for those who read my blog.

Congratualtions to Charlie Kuiper on his amazing escape from the womb. I reckon you’ve joined a good family mate and you should have a lot of fun. See you in a few weeks.