Thursday Aug. 30

Today began just the same as every other day this week with an early morning wake up call from the annoying alarm on our pay-as-you-go phone. You know, one of those phones where the packaging they come in is worth more than the actual phone itself. Complements of China and the C.R.A.P. industry. Since adapting to the new time zone, getting up in the mornings has become a difficult choice to make.

“Oh how that extra bit of sleep would feel superb,” says my tired side.

“But there is a warm shower that awaits your presence,” replies my motivating conscious.

In an effort to make the decision, it seems the choice has already been made. Up it is, and stumbling across the room into the bathroom becomes the second wake up call.

As difficult as it appears, the revitalizing power of water energizes my bushed body and adequately prepares me for the long day ahead. Now into the fourth day of school, the short walk around three hundred yards is accomplished without even the slightest thought. Upon our early arrival we are greeted by an even earlier arrival from some of the students. Entertaining the children before school begins should be worth half a days wage in and of itself. Bouncing off the walls, the kids desperately need something to do. Luckily for me, I just happened to bring a small white board in which the kids begin to draw pictures of Trent and I. Yes, they made Trent look buffer and more handsome than me. Haha. But it’s a good thing they were only cartoons. Wouldn’t want the truth to be displayed publically in front of class this early on… Hehehehe ha… Ha.

The administering of class work juggled in time with grading becomes a full time job as I try to keep up with the students. Since their textbooks have not arrived yet, photocopying in advance with last years textbooks and workbooks has led to an increased stress level. An extra part of the job has now been added: Making sure there is sufficient amount of work for the students to keep busy with. Photocopying doesn’t simply require walking into the next room to copy a few pages. No, it involves a half-mile walk to a local business where I kindly instruct a local which pages to duplicate and how many copies are needed. As I lesson plan the days ahead and monitor the pages left in their packets, I begin to wonder how things would play out if I lacked the maturity to care? If I didn’t do the extra work to calculate how many pages I need to walk a half-mile for to have someone copy them for me? It seems, far to often, that difficult tasks are passed up or looked over in our society and left for someone else to take care of. That little difference between ordinary and extraordinary has become nonexistent. The little ‘extra’ required to make a task run smoothly has evolved into a personal choice instead of the normal thing to do.

In my mind, I applied this lesson to all areas of life. The ultimate goals would be to have the motivation to do everything required of me with sufficient energy and a happy attitude. I have tried to prevent even thinking about the idea of settling for something easier. Replacing it instead, with how fast and how well can I get the job done. Needless to say, as irritating as photocopying can be, it has been neither the worst job nor the most taxing. Just a thought.

The school day ends with an hour of swimming at the local Mt. Soche Hotel. The kids love the water and it entertains them to compete in who can do the best belly flop. For the record I have declined participating. Before long the kids are dismissed and the afternoon becomes an uncharted adventure for Trent and I. During a bickering battle with a taxi driver to take us to a local supermarket, we met the husband of the only Cardiologist in the country who is an Adventist and he offered to give us a lift. Besides stocking up on life’s basic essentials-bread, milk, pasta, and oatmeal we were able to get to know one of our neighbors and create a relationship that will continue to grow as the year progresses. It was a ‘Win Win’ afternoon.

The later half of the afternoon provided itself with time to visit one of the local orphanages. Open Arms as it is called, houses children from 0 to 6. Neglected abandoned and left for dead, the children are brought there either as orphans or by parents who lack the funds to care for them and are looked after by an excellent team comprised of local Malawian men and women as well as 5 or 6 volunteers from Germany, France, and the U.K. Talk about dedication. I don’t think I could see myself successfully baby sitting tottlers while also keeping my sanity. When twenty two-year olds all chip in in a mass ensemble of Beethoven’s Great Scream and Cry Symphony in Ears Ringing Major it is no joyous masterpiece. Ouchiwawa!

Trent and I spent an hour playing a pick up game of soccer with two of the older kids. I passed out stickers to some of the little ones and pushed others in a swing. The happiness displayed over an hour of attention and a few pieces of decorated sticky paper could not compare with much else in life. It was truly rewarding and I will definitely be returning in the near future. 

The First Day for School... Or Was It?

The first day of school was surely to be a train wreck waiting to happen. In fact, the day began before the sun ever had any inclination of arising. Awake at 11:00 PM after going to bed at an early 7:00 and still feeling the immediate effects of jetlag, I laid in bed staring up into the apex of my mosquito net. An invincible blockade for some, a weightless in-the-way nuisance for others, but an important piece of material for the sustainability of health. The locals fear the seeming inevitable mosquito buzzing through the night. Transporting its malaria virus from one to another like a child who’s good at catching his or her friends in the popular playground game ‘Tag’. I could sense the frustrations of the mosquito as it flew full force back and forth into the net, in hopes of a Sunday night Delicacy. After all, good looking men do have some of the sweetest tasting blood around. I began to feel safe, protected by my new found friend, when all of a sudden the buzzing sound grew to a larger choir. There was more than just one. Wide awake, I began to cringe. Multiple times, I checked the only possible entrances. If just one snuck in, doomsday could be upon me. After minutes of tirelessly worrying, and with a growing sense of faith, I relaxed my muscles down against the warm cotton sheets and waited for any sort of sleepiness to kick in. I would have to wait until 4:00 am the next day. When I did finally manage to drift asleep, the rest didn’t last long for I was up before I knew it to begin the first day.

Now into my third day of only cold water in the shower, the memory of shivering pains were engrained within my head. Oh how I wished for even a luke warm dunk of the noggin. Further more, I have regretted taking every steaming hot shower for granted. After a quick rinse, soap, and rinse again of the hair, I was outta there like a chicken on caffeine…What? Bounding through the curtain for my towel I was certain that the relief of warmth was well on its way. And it was.

The trip to the school classroom took place an hour before school was to commence, 7:00. Finishing touches on the week’s lesson plans as well as last minute tidying up became a top priority for me. All day Sunday, Trent and I spent a larger portion in the internet café/printing office/photocopying business Biltel. Page by page we instructed the copy man on what to replicate.

Students arrived early for their first day, like most of us all did. The atmosphere was quiet, tense with uncertainty and anticipation. I was first to break the short silence. “Good morning and welcome to your first day of school.” Before long, all seven students were comfortably seated at their desks. A short devotional was given as well as the layout for the rules and guidelines of the classroom. From many failed attempts before, I was not going to let disobedient behavior slide right by enforcement. Especially within the first week. The rules were fair and just. Stressing the importance of RESPECT seemed to go over well too. Each student fully understood the power behind achieving this simple task. It was like they had had the opportunity to see it’s power working in their lives all around them. For now, it was a chance to catch my breath and move on with the first day’s schoolwork.

The school uses a curriculum called A Beka. Based out of Pensacola Florida, the American system has posed no real noticeable issues with the culture and society influenced by British rule. Perhaps one of the greatest blessings that I have not fully appreciated yet is the self-teaching mechanism built into the curriculum. With in-text explanations along with sufficient examples, the need to prepare, understand, and present is not necessary-for the most part. Who remembers how to do long division with remainders and all that jazz? I own a Ti-89. Forget it. Hahaha. For now, I will continue to assist the puzzled with the answer key in hand and my brain for what ever it’s worth.

Arrival!

Filled with excitement and sleep deprivation we finally arrived in Malawi. Now I shouldn't say "finally" because it suggests that our trip went out of the ordinary and took extra time and heart ache. In fact, it was completely opposite. Much to our surprise and I'm sure yours too, we made it with no major hiccups along the way. The only delays came in SFO when the departure screen read "waiting for a plane" and departing at "12:38 am" instead of 11:11 pm, and a 2.5 hour delay on the tarmac in Addis Ababa. We boarded the plane on time in Addis but came to find out there were some British folks that wanted a ride as well. 27 of them to be exact. With the ground control's watch set to "African time" we sat for a little while and waited for their arrival. 

Customs in Lilongwe couldn't have gone any better. My passport was physically abused as two enormous and powerful pounds came slamming down with the 'Seal of Malawi' stamp.  Continuing around the corner 25 ft, we came to baggage claim and found all of our checked luggage rushing around the corner on the carousel. Our bags were there within 5 minuets of deplaning. Beat that Alaska Airlines with your 20 minute delivery promise! Maybe the western world can begin to take lessons from Africa? Even the carry-on duffle I had to check in Dulles because it was over 15 lbs (it was 42lbs hahaha) arrived safely. 

From the airport we rented a cab "in style" as we walked with Amurican Swag out of the terminal and into the cab. Well, thats not how it occurred through our eyes but to the 250 other taxi drivers and other locals waiting it probably did. 500+ eyes gazing on us, we stuffed the small toyota to the top and squeezed in for the 30 minute ride to the bus station.

From the bus station we boarded a coach bus bound for Blantyre. The hostess treated us with some "Fanta orange water." It wasn't just Fanta to her. It was "Fanta orange water" hahaha. I thought it was entertaining as she asked each row up and down the aisle. The ride soon became dark as the sun did not set at 9 as customary in the states but rather 5:30. Dark=6:00 sharp. And I mean dark. 

For the rest of the ride I sat and watched out of the large windshield as we came barreling down the narrow, shoulder lacking, paved road. With every passing car came a short panic attack as the oncoming vehicle looked to be in our lane. However, remembering that Africa drives on the opposite side I was overcome with sufficient comfort for the time being. We drove through at least 8 police road blocks during the 4 hour 45 minute air conditioned trip. With each road black came a flashlight waving us through. Thank goodness. Who knows what they would have tried to tax us for. (The local physicians have told us the Malawian Police look for any little thing to tax on; i.e. the length of a reflector sticker on the bumper of your car. Yikes!

 

Settling into our studio for the night, we dosed off for 12 hours and 50 minutes. Yep! Completely missed First and Second Serve as well as Sabbath School. Our alarm clock came via knocking on the front door by our neighbors. We had a 1:00 potluck appointment and he wasn't about to let us miss that too. 

This afternoon we socialized with a few of the local adventist families and their students and reflected upon some of the past SM's here. Hahaha... 

School begins at 8:00 on Monday and there is much lesson planning ahead.

From Blantyre Malawi, good evening and good night!