Invasions

My house has been attacked lately by creatures. This huge, thick, hoard of ants attacked my trash pit behind my house. One of my dogs jumped in the pit, and the ants just started biting him so that's how we found them. They had big pinchers on the heads...it was crazy!

 

THen, these puppies invaded another part of my yard. This is the termite and they started building one of those huge mounds in my back yard. My gardener started digging through the mound to get to the bottom to find the queen and kill her so they would move on...but after a 2x2 hole in the ground, we still hadn't reached the bottom of the ant pile, and we couldn't find the queen. So...I might have one of those crazy high any piles in my backyard. :)

 

Oh, and I accidentally pulled my IPod docking station plug out of the wall, and broke off a prong. This is how our local shop fixed it...

It works. Barely. :)

Shirley and I go Camping!

 

I guess I haven't mentioned Shirley on my blog. She is a volunteer Med Student from the UK and we met literally 30 mins after she arrived in Mzuzu. She's not shy at all, so we hit it off right away. 

We've gotten to hang out a lot from her bag getting stolen and us going on a police chase to find it, to having tea time, to going to Chinthechi beach together.

The best part is that I got to talk to her quite often about the Lord. She isn't a Christian but believes she should be a good person. We talked a ton about what I believe. 

By the time her 6 weeks in Africa were up, here are some of the things she had said to me:

"I really want that peace that you have"

"I think that what the Bible says is true. I beginning to believe that Jesus is who he says he is."

Her last statement to me concerning Christ was that she wants to make the decision but she isn't ready to leave her current lifestyle yet. She is back in the UK now with plans to come back next summer. You can keep her in your prayers. 

The coolest thing we got to do together though is we got to go camping out on the lake. We had a blast! They aren't allowed to have fires in England, so her dream was to have a campfire. Get this: she had never roasted a marshmallow and didn't know what a s'more was! Bless her heart. :) So, we made a campfire and roasted hotdogs, kabobs, and boiled potatoes. She was quite excited. She even tied up the bag of our rubbish in a tree to "keep it from the bears" (she said that in her best southern accent). We pretended that we were camping in South Carolina. :)

I must say, I was really grateful to have a good friend, even if it was just for 6 weeks.

There is currently no diesel in Malawi.

My truck is diesel…yep, that's a problem.

I have less than half-a-tank, so driving places and extraneous trips are out of the question, and lots of walking has to take their place.

Yesterday, there was a rumor in town that the Total stations were going to be getting diesel, and there were over 60 cars lined up in the queue waiting for it. Craziness!

But the real reason I wanted to write this blog was to let you know how expensive/cheap things are here. I think that people assume everything is cheap here, but that is definitely not true. It's my theory as to why this country is so poor; people can't afford to live decently.

Now, there are some things that are cheap. For instance:
A glass bottle coke: $0.30
A pair of brand new real-deal Crocs: $1.60
5 tomatoes: $0.25
Watermelon: $1.60
Oranges: $0.06 each
a maid twice a week: $4.60 a week
1 loaf of bread: $0.66
4 yards of authentic Africa material: $4.60
Having a tailor custom make you an outfit out of the material?: $8

But here are some things that ARE expensive (most things are)
Gas: $6.00 a gallon
Apple: $0.45 EACH
1 small box of Laundry Detergent: $20
4 sticks of butter (1lb): $8
1 gallon of shelved milk: $10.60
1 can of corn: $1.60
1 package of Bacon: $5.30
7 lbs of dog food: $13
1 block of cheddar cheese: $8
1 box of instant oatmeal: $7
and 13 cents per text, and about 50 cents per minute on the cell phone.


After writing all of that, it really makes me feel guilty that I live here like I do....
The 45 cents an hour my night guard makes, doesn't quite cover costs of living a decent life. Granted, he doesn't need gas, bacon, or instant oatmeal…but he can barely afford the cheaper food.

Have you ever watched one of those TV shows that tours you around movie stars houses, and the extravagance that they live in is somewhat covetous yet revolting at the same time because that money could be going to more profitable endeavors?

yea….I think I'm that movie star…and I have been my whole life.

Especially since I'm sitting here writing this on a Mac in my $80 jeans.

Nothing like a little Africa to put life in perspective.

Alive

Since coming here, its amazing to see how the Bible has really come alive. Verses that I've read a hundred times now seem like they were written just for me during this period in my life. Changes, new situations, and mostly suffering plays a big part of that. (and of course the Holy Spirit).

But today, a parable came alive for me.

I was driving down a road I hadn't meant to drive down a few hours after I was intending to be in town. Its a holiday today, so my usual bakery was closed, so I was going to try a random one.

As I drove down the street, I look over and a man is having a seizure right there practically in the road. No one is around him and his is dressed like he may be a street person.

Immediatly, the parable of the Good Samaritan popped into my head. Honestly, my first instinct wasn't to stop and help him. He could be a crazy man...he could be a drunk...and he could seriously do this white girl some damage.

But, I parked and ran quickly to him anyway. By then, a couple of guys had wandered up to him and were dragging him out of the road. They knew him and said he was known to have this kind of trouble. He was then unconscious, and I was starting to get worried.

I then ran to the bakery and got him some bread and a Fanta for when he came to. He then moved and went right to sleep there on the sidewalk.

We sat there and waited for about 10 mins when his brother showed up. I started asking him questions about his medicine and how often these happen. About every 2 or 3 days he says, but he takes his medicine regularly. Sometimes, he said when the moon is during certain phases, he can have them twice a day.

I texted a good friend who volunteers at St. Johns Hopsital, and she said to take him in.

So, we woke him up, piled him in my car, and I drove him to the hospital.

Unfortunately, today was a holiday, so the hospital closed at 12 and it is 1:15 by this time. Luckily, I was just in the hospital on Monday getting tested for Malaria, and I ran into the young doctor that treated me.

I really pulled the "Mzungu" card and pleaded for him to look at my friend. This is a miracle because first of all, we hadn't paid, and second of all, it was an hour past closing time. The hospital will only look at someone if it is serious trauma on a holiday.

Anyway, we are coming back tomorrow to see a doctor about changing his meds.


Talk about scriptures coming alive.
Pretty cool.

A Wedding!

I went to my first African Wedding last weekend and I have to say it was quite different than anything I've ever experienced.

The first of many differences was that the ceremony was at 8 am. Yeah...can you imagine what time you would have to get up to be ready for that wedding? and they do the rehearsal before-hand. Crazy.

But the other insanely weird part is that not a lot of people attend the ceremony. In fact, only the bride's mother, father, aunt and grandmother attended from her family. None of her siblings or other relatives were there. They said it is too short to waste their time, and they will just go to the reception. I know...crazy.

So, I get to the wedding at 8:05 and just about 20 people are the there and the camera guys are just now setting up. I end up sitting..get this..NEXT to the Bride's father and mother on the FRONT ROW! and not even in the middle of the row, but on the edge of the aisle! Seriously! I felt kinda weird because I've never even met the bride or groom and here I was this stranger in the spot of honor at least in American standards.

So, finally around 8:30 the ceremony begins. Its starts with really upbeat fun music, and then bridesmaids and flowergirls coming in the back of the church and dancing their way up the aisle. They stopped halfway, and I couldn't figure out why they weren't moving, till I realized the groomsmen had come in the side door and were dancing their way to them!

After they joined, and danced up to their CHAIRS (!) to sit in at the front, the dad, mom, and grandmom danced their way back to the bride and danced up with her, until the groom danced over to her and "danced" her up the aisle. If you haven't caught on, there's a lot of dancing going on.  By the way, I would like to impliment the grandmother dancing part in my wedding...because watching Granny dance up the aisle at my wedding, would just be hilarous.

So, they finally get to the front of the church, and sit (!) up front. The rest was a lot like an American wedding. They exchanged vows, exchanged rings, and there was a sermon.

My favorite part was that we all danced out of the church with the bride and groom. SO fun!

Then, it was time for the wedding photos. I was asked to take a picture with the bride and groom, with me standing in the middle of them.....I HAVE NEVER MET THEM AND THEY DON"T KNOW WHO I AM! but because I was white, I was told I would honor them with a photo. Crazy what the pigment of your skin can do.

So, I went home to eat lunch...now its about 11:00...and then its time for the reception at 1:00.

I meet up with the bride's brother, Watson, and we hang out at the reception hall. The bridal party, you guessed it, danced in and then they all went to sit on stage.

The Master of Ceremony begins the party. The whole aim of the reception is to give money away. All the guest bring money in bills equivelant to dimes, quarters, and dollar bills. The MC will then give you reasons to dance to the front and throw money: friend of the bride, your a baptist, you liked the mother in laws speech, whatever. So, you dance to the front, and start throwing the money in the air, still dancing, then dance back to your seat.  This went on from 1:00-7:00...NO LIE! I was SOOOOO tired. The only thing similar to an American reception was that they had a cake cutting ceremony. They fed each other but then the rest of the cake was sold. You could come up and buy a piece of the cake.

We did get a glass bottle drink and a small piece of a doughnut, but they ran out like 3 people before they got to me.

It was a lot of fun, but such a long, long day.

Plus, I got stared at alllllll day long because I was the only Mzungu there....and I don't think they were expecting me to dance...and ask Julie Charron...I have MAD dancing skills.

Funny African Signs

Some of my favorite African names for stores or slogans:

Rupture Tailoring!

Leave Them Here Coffin Shop
 
Money Comes, Money Goes Investments

Carlsberg: Probably  the best beer.


Comfort Mattresses: Beatable Prices!


Wholesale Store: Stockists of car parts, oil, car supplies and mozzerella cheese. (no lie! there's a fridge in the back with the cheese!)

My favorite I think is the sign that you see when you get to the town of Mzimba. One day I'll get a picture of it for you...

"Vasectomy: show your partner you care." hahaha.

Sometimes you just needs these little "gifts" in your day. :)

p.s. It's "mice" season here in Malawi. They burn the fields and catch the mice and then sell them on the side of the road...

Appetizing, I know. And no, I haven't eaten them. Shocking.

Sunday Drive...

I remember when I would be running late for church and get really ticked that I hit a red light.
Or when I would sometimes think about not going to church because I wasn't up for the 40 minute drive to get there.

And then you have Sunday's like today...where you drive 2 hours to get there. Then, you have to walk 3 km because there is no bridge to get to the church.

And you have to cross a river...and walk across a bridge.

And other people are out washing their clothes wondering why in the world you are out this far into their village.

And then you really start to appreciate cars and roads and places being so close in the states.

But don't feel sorry for me, because I got to see these beautiful faces...

I love my life. :)

p.s. plus we got a chicken!