Pictures from the Jesus Film

This was my view from the van. The kids surrounded it on all sides.

The introduction of the Jesus Film

Day 17 in Malawi, August 31st

Today Thandie and Peace went to school and I got up early and went to the Children’s Home. There was lots of work going on at the Children’s Home in preparation for the unsealing of the new container which is set for Monday. Brother Gentry had hoped to come to the Children’s Home first thing in the morning but he had some business he needed to take care of off campus. When he arrived at the Children’s Home in the afternoon I was already in Zomba so I wasn’t able to see him today. Two of his suitcases arrived tonight, still one missing.

You will remember that Village Project #4 took place in Tagaluka Village in Zomba. There were 140 hands raised during the invitation but there isn’t a church in that area for the people to go to. So tonight we went back to the same village and showed the Jesus Film. There were 570 people there and 325 hands rose during the invitation. The people were so hungry for the word of God. A new church will be planted in that village this Sunday! The name of the new church, Lighthouse Good Samaritan Baptist Church. This is the second church that has been planted since I have been here (17 days). It is so exciting!

Today my leg and foot swelled up like a tree trunk. It is the first day since the day I broke my leg that I have had pain. I think it is a case of too much too soon. I have been running around like it was never broke. So today, since I wasn’t going to miss the Jesus Film my compromise was to stay in the van. So I went to the Jesus Film drive-in-movie style, without the popcorn. It was still very exciting even from the van. We were able to see a 14 month old orphan boy that we met during the village project. He was the first born in a set of twins, the mother died while giving birth to his twin sister. The father died shortly after the twins were born. This twin sister died at the age of 4 months due to diarrhea and malnutrition. The little boy is being raised by a neighbor. It is such a sad story, but not uncommon here in Malawi. So many orphans! The children we saw today were so dirty and dressed in rags. One boys shirt had so many holes that he actually had is arm through a hole and not the arm hole. I just wish I could drop boxes of clothes, shoes, food, walls, roofs, bibles from an airplane. The needs are so great here it gets overwhelming, they need so much. But the gospel and a church is the best way to start.

Tomorrow is village project # 5 in Jacket. We hope that Brother Gentry will be able to join us.

More pics

For some reason I am able to post pictures tonight easily so since I am on a roll, here are a few of my favorites.

This is Thandie's niece Kezia Elliana and my favorite baby in Malawi. This is her doing the I am afraid of the white person face.

Caught holding hands. This is Jonathan and Heather. Jonathan is Lloyd (staff) youngest son and Heather is Rodney (staff) youngest child and only daughter. They are so cute together. You can't tell in this picture but Heather has a baby on her back.

Here is Heather with her baby doll, Grace.

These are Thandie's nephews. Please pray for them they lost their father on Monday. They are Dinnera age 10, Leonard age 7, and Kela age 5.

Pictures from Village Project #4

Some of the children from the village.

Hands being raised during the invitation.

The people receiving the care packages

Sibling set of six orphan children living on their own with no electricty, running water, or roof.

Day 16 in Malawi, August 30th

Today Thandie and Peace went to school and I was able to sleep in. I spent most of the day reading my bible and meditating on God’s word. This afternoon the bigger boys from the Children’s Home sorted the items for the last village project. I am so proud of them. They took the items and created an assembly line on all their own. They were finished quickly. The children are so willing to help and serve. Brother Gentry rested today, we hope to see him tomorrow. There was a huge fire close by today and it rained ashes most of the afternoon. It was a bummer because the children and staff had worked hard to make the campus look nice for Brother Gentry’s arrival, and now everything is covered in ashes. Praise the Lord though that the fire stopped before it got to us.

Village Project Update:
The fifth and final village project will take place on Saturday in the village of Jacket. We have three children from this village Jason, Alinafe and Ida. This was also Ivy’s village. I am looking forward to this village project and excited that Brother Gentry will be coming as well.

The Dress Project Update:
The tailor has finished sewing all the dresses! Tomorrow he is putting the buttons and then they will be ready to distribute to the girls. I am so pleased with how quickly the dresses were put together and the quality is great too. The girls are excited about getting a new dress. The boys are wondering if they are going to get something new as well. I was able to bring with me a polo shirt for each boy, so they will get those the same day the girls get their dresses.

Brother Gentry is Here! Brother Gentry is Here!

Brother Gentry arrived in Malawi safely. Praise the Lord! None of his suitcases made it. Hopefully they will come soon. It is so good to have him here. Well it is super late here, so I will post more tomorrow.

Day 15 in Malawi, August 29th

Day 15 August 29th

Today was a pretty quiet day. I got Peace off to school and then went back to bed. Thandie arrived back at Good Samaritan around noon and then we went to the Gentrys house to make sure it was ready for his arrival tonight. Then we picked up the high school kids. Five of them had touched some kind of a stinging plant and were very itchy. We did some quick grocery shopping and then came back to Good Samartian. The electricity is out so we are sitting in the dark. I wanted to make tacos tonight but we will probably end up eating sandwiches since there is no electricity. I forgot to mention that I ate nsima yesterday for the first time. It was made with bottled water just for me. It was alright, I was able to finish it. Today I am craving a fillet-o-fish from McDonalds. Aw that sounds so good.

I am thanking God everyday, especially with it getting warmer everyday that I don’t have to wear that plaster cast. I am moving around great now without the crutches. We are leaving soon to go pick up Brother Gentry from the airport. I am so excited to see him! I really can’t believe that my trip is almost half over. It is going by way too fast.

Pictures from village project #3

Elizabeth from Good Samaritan was reunited with her brother Isaac who still lives in the village. They were so happy to see each other
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Lots of babies raising babies.

Day 14 in Malawi August 28th

Today Peace and I slept in until 9am! WooHoo! We were so tired and slept like two pieces of wood. Then we got ready for the funeral. The funeral for Thandie’s brother took place in their home village. Because Thandie’s brother didn’t have a home in his village the funeral was at their mother’s house. When we arrived the casket was inside the house and many women were sitting inside the house with the casket singing hymns and crying. I went in for just a couple minutes. Then the Jorgensons and I were escorted to a neighbor’s house to wait. I think it was the nzungu (white person) waiting area because we were the only ones in the house. There was a huge fire nearby and ashes were falling on us through the roof of the house. Then it was time for the funeral to start so they sent for us and we went back to the front yard of Thandie’s mom’s house. There was a huge tent set up. Under the tent were all ladies sitting on the ground. Around the edges of the tent were benches that looked more like low balance beams. That is where the chiefs, the elders and we three nzungus sat. There were about three hundred Malawians there. The men sat on the ground outside the tent.

Then it was time for the family to pay last respects. The casket is opened and the men line up and go in a single file line into the house and walk past the casket. Then the women go in. Thandie wanted us to go with the family and she wanted me to take a picture. Mrs. Jorgenson went in with me. I have to say it was a bit uncomfortable to be non-family going in where only blood relatives go, be white, and take a picture when there were no other cameras at the funeral. But I would have stood on my head for Thandie, so I went in. Then the casket was brought out under the tent. A few men said a few words and a choir sang a few songs. A pastor from Blessing’s church preached. Then the casket was taken to the cemetery on foot. I stayed behind as the cemetery is down a steep slope with only a foot trail. I am not quite ready to go mountain climbing although I really did want to go. The entire service was about 3 hours and then the Jorgensons took Peace and I back to the Good Samaritan campus. The Jorgensons went to show the Jesus film at another village.

I walked over to the children’s home and saw the children and took some pictures. All the kids were so excited to see me walking. I decided this morning it was time to take up my mat and walk. So I wrapped up my foot stuck it in a shoe and I have been walking ever since. I have no pain. I am taking it easy so I don’t fall again, but I feel great. Thandie is spending another night in the village, but Peace stayed with me. We are all looking forward to Brother Gentry’s arrival tomorrow night.

Day 12 and 13 in Malawi

Day 12 and 13

Day 12 Sunday August 26th

I went to church at the Good Samaritan Campus. Then Thandie and I went to town to check on her brother and go to the internet café to update the blog. Peace was with us and this was her first time to see her uncle in the hospital. He is no longer talking and rarely opens his eyes. It is clear though that he is in tremendous pain as he tightens up his face and moans. (This is Thandie’s description as I still haven’t had the opportunity to go into the hospital to see him because of my leg). Thandie’s mother hasn’t left his side in over a week. The whole family is exhausted. When we returned to Good Samaritan Thandie helped me sort out four suitcases full of items for the children. The clinic is getting the medical supplies right away but we are waiting until the tailor is finished with the girls dresses before we hand out the rest of the clothes and other items.

In other news:

The Jorgensons went to Mulungi on Saturday to show the Jesus Film and over 500 hands were raised for salvation. They are showing the Jesus Film on Saturday in the area where they went soul winning last week. They hope to plant a church in this area. We are also hoping to show the Jesus Film on Friday in Zomba where village project number 4 was and hope to also plant a church in this area. Village Project number 5 is scheduled to take place this Saturday morning in Jacket.

Brother Gentry arrives Wednesday night. I am so looking forward to his arrival! I am sure I wont see him until Thursday, but I am still holding out some hope they will take me to the airport. I am still being treated like the egg.


Day 13 Monday August 27th

*Thandie’s brother died today*

Today we got up early and headed to town with Lloyd when he took our high school kids to school. We were going to visit a woman named Chrissie that I met last year. She was very sick last year and had 1 year old twins. This year she again is very ill and has a new baby. I wanted to go to her village to check on her and bring her some supplies. On the way, we stopped by MalawiNet to see if we could get Thandie’s internet problem fixed. While we were there Thandie got the call that her brother had just died. We then went straight to Queen Elizabeth Hospital where she met with her family to make arrangements for her brother’s funeral which will take place tomorrow. Lloyd took me back to Good Samaritan where I spent the rest of the day at Thandie’s house. The Jorgensons left at 4pm to go to Thandie’s village where they will pay respect to Thandie’s family and pick up Peace and bring her home. Thandie asked me not to go with them so I am waiting at her house. She will be back to night and then I will go with her to the funeral tomorrow. Please pray for Thandie’s family. They are happy that Blessings is with the Lord and no longer suffering, but they miss him so much. Blessings worked for the department of Forestry in Malawi. He has a wife and three sons ages 5, 7, and 10. Blessings was the first born of 7. Thandie is the seventh born. I have met three of Thandie’s other siblings this week and look forward to meeting the other two tomorrow, just wish it was under better circumstances.


Please also pray for Ida from the children’s home. She has a terrible eye infection. She has been on antibiotics and it is just getting worse each day. Today she went to the Lyons Club Eye Clinic and was given a different medication. She is just miserable but is still smiling and singing. Lloyd’s oldest son Joseph had a tooth infection and was too sick to attend school today.

Thanks for your payers.

Day 11 in Malawi, August 25th

Village Projects #3 and 4

Today we went to Nsusa Village in the Chiradzulu District. This is where Roderick and his cousin Elizabeth are from. Roderick is the only child from Good Samaritan to be adopted by an American couple. He lives in Tennessee and turned 14 years old yesterday. This village really touched my heart. There were so many children most of them orphans, left to care for themselves. So many young children caring for babies. Many of the children were so malnourished and had bloated bellies. The children were so sparsely dressed and the clothes they had were torn and full of holes. Elizabeth gave her testimony and became very emotional. I then told the bible story and then Lloyd gave the plan of salvation in Chichewa. The Jorgensons estimated that 85 hands were raised. We handed out the care packages and I hobbled down to the center of the group. We also handed out a box of dresses to the smaller girls. They people were so happy. It was such a blessing. On the way out we threw the candy out the window. This is such a poor village, I am so grateful we were able to help them and show them how much God loves them.

The next village was Mtagaluka in Zomba. At first this area looked so deserted, I didn’t think we were going to have a very big group. We headed on a bumpy narrow dirt road to the chief’s house. The chief wasn’t there but his second in command was there and rang the village bell. All of a sudden people came from everywhere. They just came and came. There were so many I didn’t think we would have enough bags as we only packed 200. Lots of orphans in this village as well. Most of the orphans we saw today were part of sibling groups and between the ages of 4 and 9. Zainabu gave a testimony and encouraged the other orphans in the village to trust in God and he will make a way for them. I told the bible story and Lloyd gave the plan of salvation. Well over a hundred hands were raised. We passed out the packages. I was nervous that we wouldn’t have enough. There were so many people there. But it was like the feeding of the 5 thousand with 5 fish. The bags just kept coming out of the mini bus. We even had some left over! It was amazing. The families held the bags up in the air and praised God for sending us to help them. We don't have a church in this area and so many got saved. We are hoping to show the Jesus Film in this village on Friday and then hopefully get a church planted there. We took lots of pictures and then it was time to go. Most of us headed back to Good Samaritan. The Jorgensons went on to Malika to show the Jesus Film.

Note: I added a Day 10 part 2 below this post. It includes adoption information for those who have requested more information on Malawi adoptions.

Day 10 Part 2 and ADOPTION info

Day 10 Part 2

NOTE ADOPTION INFO INCLUDED IN THIS POST

We did so many things after I posted on Day 10 that I am going to add a part 2

Our high school children get out of school at 12 noon on Fridays as well as Peace. So I took the 13 children out for ice cream for Peace’s birthday. The children enjoyed it and then we went to the outdoor market. Thandie bought me an avocado so I could make home made Malawi guacamole. We also got some pineapples, apples and spinach. We did a couple other errands and then headed back to the children’s home.

I made the guacamole which is far from homemade San Diego guacamole, but it was better than no guacamole. The avocados here have more yellow on the inside and are watery.

After dinner we had a visit from the adoption attorney. He was kind enough to make a home visit. I met with him last year and then shortly after I returned to San Diego Madonna adopted from Malawi and there was lots of publicity and we decided to wait a bit. This attorney actually assisted in the Madonna adoption and has also completed adoptions for families from America, Australia and France.

I have had so many people express interest in adopting from Malawi, so here is the run down on the Malawi adoptions. There are a few changes from what we were told last year.

A homestudy in America is not required.
The adoptive family does not have to reside in Malawi
There are no post placement reports required
The attorney fee is $2000, this covers finding a child, the social welfare interview in Malawi, filing of the adoption petition, Court fee, Visa application, and adoption consent from village and or birth parents.
Both parents have to be present in order for them both to adopt. If only one parent can be present the other parent has to send a signed consent saying that they are in agreement with their husband or wife adopting. The other parent can adopt the child once the child is in US.
If the child is under 1 year of age the adoptive mother must be present.
The timeline looks like this.
Once a child is chosen by a family (there is no referral process), the attorney starts the process of getting the consent from the village/orphanage/birth parents. Then the social welfare interview is scheduled, the family flies to Malawi (plane tickets are about $2500 each). After the interview a court date is scheduled for the adoption hearing. The attorney will try to rush this appointment to have it with in one to two weeks after interview. Once adoption is complete the paperwork is submitted to the US Embassy in Malawi for the Visa. This usually takes three weeks and can not be rushed by the Malawians because it is completely up to the US as to when they will grant the VISA. So the entire process will likely take 5 weeks. If the parents can not stay for 5 weeks, they may arrange for the child to be transported by someone else, but this will likely add to the adoption cost.
It is also strongly encouraged that the adoptive family give a donation to the orphanage or village. This is not required and a certain amount is not set. It can be items and/or money.

Please note that this is general adoption information for Malawi. Brother Gentry would need to give concent and approval for any child adopted out of Good Samaritan.

Day 10 in Malawi, August 24th

Today is Peace's birthday she is now seven years old. I am so thrilled to be here on her birthday. She is just a darling girl. She has been sleeping right beside me since I injured my leg. We have enjoyed watching Anne of Green Gables DVDs together while I am resting my leg.

Yesterday the Jorgensons ended up leading 239 people to the Lord! Today they have taken one of the staff members, Amy who works at the property on BCA Hill where Brother Gentry's House is, to the hospital. She is sick and is having trouble getting the care she needs.

Yesterday Thandie had three family members at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Her brother Blessing's IV came out and they couldn't get it back in. The hospital staff said there was nothing else they could do and encouraged Thandie's family to take him home where he would likely die. They eventually tried again and were able to get the IV back in so they agreed to keep him as a patient. I really wish we could move him to a private hospital, but the doctors at QH say there really isn't anything that a private hospital could do for him at this point because he is too week for surgery. Thandie's cousin was admitted for fluid in his lungs and a 5 year old daughter of one of Thandie's cousins was hit by a car. Praise the Lord that she just suffered minor scraped and bruises. After one night in the hospital she was discharged. This really has been a trying time for Thandie. She is back at Queen Elizabeth now checking on her brother and cousin.

Dress project update:
We have one full time tailor at Good Samaritan. I am so pleased by the preparation this man took prior to my arrival. He pre-arranged to have a friend of his help him so that he could finish the dresses before I leave. When I arrived he had already measured each girl and had made a detailed list of the supplies he would need. He is taking such care to make sure that each girl's dress is beautifully made. I am so pleased.

The Village project update:
The 400 care packages are already for village project 3 and 4 tomorrow. We will be visiting two villages in Zomba. I am so excited to how the Lord will use us tomorrow. I am so grateful that I am still able to go and be a part of this project!

The Suitcase Project:
All the suitcases are here now and I am hoping to sort out the items Sunday afternoon. There is a little bit of everything in each bag I have been wanting to get it organized, won't be long now. I am excited and looking forward to passing out the items to the children.

Thanks again for all the prayers for my leg. I have enjoyed reading the comments. My leg is great. The swelling goes down more and more everyday. I have taken some great pictures of it. I can't wait to share them. Its funny because here they call me a Nzungu which means white person. Now I told them they can't call me that because I am white and purple. They have never seen a white and purple person. It is so funny to see the reaction of my bruising because on their skin it doesn't show up quite so dramatic. Lots of big eyes! My connection to the people here at Good Samaritan has grown so much deeper through this experience. They have been caring for me with such love and tender care. I have had many visitors and people checking on me. They have even created a special path to get me in and out of the property. It is so much safer for me now to move around. I didn't post about it, but I will confess now that on the way back from my first post-injury outing I fell down the stairs near Thandie's house. It was really a miracle that I didn't break my neck. Now with this new path it is so much safer, the staff here are so special to me. I feel so at home here. Sometimes I wish could move San Diego and Malawi closer together......like they are in my heart.

God of Miracles, Malawi Day 9

Thank you all so much for your prayers. It was my left distal tibia (leg, not foot) that I fractured. But when I went today for the cast they re-xrayed and found no fracture! Praise the Lord! You should have seen the doctors! They couldn't believe it. They even called the doctor who saw me on Monday to come see me again. Then they had an expert in radiology review the xrays. They said it just disappeared, but I know I was healed. So I don't have to have the plaster cast! I have it wrapped and will be on crutches for three weeks and then I should be fine. I will probably follow up with my doctor when I get back home for my family's peace of mind. But I feel great! I am praising the Lord for my miracle!

The Jorgensons went soul winning this morning in a nearby village. By 1 pm they had already led 100 people to the Lord!

Thandie's ground phone is working so I hope to be able to use the Internet at her house tonight.

Thandie's brother is still very ill, please keep him in your prayers, would love to see another miracle!

Day 8 in Malawi, August 22nd

The balance

There is a lot of balancing going on here in Malawi. Not only am I learning the art of balancing on one leg, Thandie and I are working on finding a balance between me laying in bed like a blob (her idea) and me doing what I would have done before (my idea). On a more serious note, Thandie’s brother lays in the balance between life and death. Thandie’s family is balancing between advocating strong for him and not making the doctors frustrated to the point where they won’t help at all. Lots of balancing and leaning on the Lord.

The swelling is going down in my foot. Praise the Lord! Tomorrow I hope to get the cast on. Not that I really want it on, but the 3 week count down to getting it off doesn’t start till I get it on.

Today I am going to town! WooHoo! I am so ready for an outing. I am going just to the internet café and then to meet Thandie’s Aunt Mary who is in town just for the day. I would really like to visit Thandie’s brother in the hospital but she won’t let me go, maybe after I get the plaster cast. She says I would have to walk very far and the cement is slippery and uneven. So for now I am just going to be grateful for my one small outing. Thandie has been taking great care of me but, she thinks I am made of glass. I have learned that Malawi is not very handicapped accessible. It is quite an obstacle course to get me from Thandie’s house to the road where the car is. So far I haven’t left Thandie’s house since I broke the foot. There are many narrow and short steps from here to there. With my big foot, very sore good leg and two wore out crutches, I really am a site to behold. I am determined to master it.

The Jorgensons headed out this morning for a day trip to the new property in Ntcheu. It’s about a 4 hour drive. I am still holding out hope of making the trip there. Of course they wouldn’t take me today, but I am hoping Brother Gentry will let me go when he gets here.

All the children at Good Samaritan are doing well. Praise the Lord!

Day 7 in Malawi, Aug 21st

Today was supposed to be Village Projects 3 and 4 but we postponed them to Saturday because I fell and broke my foot. It should work out fine because the villages weren’t expecting us. God willing the swelling will be down enough to put the plaster cast on by Friday. Then I should be stable enough to make the trip to Zomba.

I wasn’t going to post about my foot because I am determined not to let it take the focus away of this trip. But I figured it may be of interest to some and I would also like to share how God is blessing me through this small trial. So here is the story of my broken foot:

I was stepping down off a curb onto uneven ground when my foot spun around causing a incomplete spiral fracture on my ankle near the bump that sticks out on the outside of the foot. It may technically be my leg that is broken but I am calling it my foot/ankle. Anyway, I knew it was broke right away and was suspecting a spiral fracture because of the way I fell. I was concerned about it being a spiral fracture because they are typically harder to set. But God was so good to me and the injury is not severe. It is a crack in the bone and it doesn’t go all the way to the outer edge of the bone which is why they are calling it incomplete. This is a tremendous blessing as I would have needed a cast up to the thigh and possibly surgery. I am so blessed! The foot was much too swollen (I didn’t have access to ice until an hour after it happened) to put the plaster cast. The plaster cast will be on for three weeks. I am praying that I can get it before Friday and then I will be able to get it off the day before I come home. This would be the best scenario, since the heavy cast and long plane ride are a recipe for Phlebitis, which doesn’t sound too good.

I received excellent care at the private hospital. It was clean and I was the only patient in the emergency room! It was so nice not to have to wait at all, I went right in and I wasn’t exposed to any sick people. I had two wonderful and kind nurses taking care of me. I received the most wonderful injection as soon as I arrived. It took my pain from a 10+ to a 0 in about two minutes. Such an awesome blessing! The total cost was much less than I expected. I even got to take the pain medication home and let me tell you it is good stuff. I have no pain! I am taking it easy today and have to be very careful with the foot until I get the plaster cast on as the doctor told me that the crack could easily spread causing a much more serious injury. I am drinking tons and tons of water, icing and elevating the foot to promote the reduction of swelling. I am staying with Thandie for now as I need a bit of extra help.

I am determined not to get discouraged or let this injury get in the way of me doing the Lord’s work. I am praising the Lord for everything he has done fore me. I still have one strong leg and two strong arms and am able to use the crutches with ease. I am looking forward to getting back on my feet soon, but until then I will do what I can to serve God with one foot. Thanks for the Prayers.
Please continue to pray for Thandie’s brother Blessings, he is very sick, getting weaker everyday. Thandie’s sister Martha is slowly recovering form Malaria. She is a teacher at Peace’s school. She wasn’t strong enough to teach today.

Day 6 in Malawi, August 20th

Today we bought the material for the girls dresses. We purchased 165 meters of material, buttons, zippers, binding, thread, etc. Can't wait to see the dresses. There will be two tailors working full time on the dresses. They should be finished before I leave. We also purchased the supplies needed for village project number 3 and 4. We will put the packages together tonight and the village projects will take place tomorrow in Zomba and Chiradzulu. I am thinking we will do the last village project in the village of Jacket when Brother Gentry arrives.

Everything is going great here. The weather here is beautiful and so are the people.

Day 5 in Malawi, August 19th

Day 5....a day of babies!

Today I went to church at Good Samaritan. They translated the message into English for me which was a surprise. Brother Jim Jorgenson preached in English at another Good Samaritan Church but I didn't go with them as I had an outing planned with Thandie after church. I felt bad that they translated the service just for me, and was actually looking forward to the experience of the Chichewa only service, but they just started translating. The service was great. The people are so kind and welcoming and they love the Lord. Oh and there were two sets of twin infant boys there. I was able to hold one set, 3 months old. They had African names that I couldn't understand, the other set was named Frank and John.

After the service Thandie, Peace and I went to visit her brother at his village. He is the one that had a baby while Thandie was visiting us in America. I had the honor of giving her a name. So today I was able to finally meet little Elliana. She is such a doll! I even got to tie her on my back like a Malawian. She didn't even cry. Of course she cried on an off while I was holding her, but not when she was tied to my back. A neighbor came by while I was there with an 11 day old baby boy named Vison. I got to hold him too. It was a day of babies.

The lost suitcases came today! Praise the Lord! Tomorrow we will head to town to buy the items for the next two village projects. Hoping to purchase the material for the girls dresses tomorrow as well. I am hoping to meet with the Adoption Lawyer on Wednesday. Oh, I forgot to mention that there was another black mamba snake found at the Jorgenson's house on Thursday.

Prayer request: Please pray for Thandie's brother Blessings, the one who has cancer. He has taken a turn for the worse and was hospitalized last night. His esophagus is almost completely blocked. Thandie's sister Martha has Malaria (2 plus) and is very sick.

Day 4 in Malawi, August 18th

The Village Projects!

Today we had the first two village projects! The Lord blessed us with a beautiful and fruitful day. The Village Projects were amazing!

The first village we went to was William Village in Bvumbwe. There were about two hundred families there. They were expecting us. We gathered around outside in front of the church. We had a brief introduction of us Americans and then opened with a prayer. Lloyd and Thandie shared Simion's testimony. He is from William Village and was near death when we took him into Good Samaritan. The people were very encouraged to see how strong and healthy Simion is now. They were praising and thanking God for the work of Good Samaritan. I then used the Child Evangelism Curriculum One Way. I taught the one way song and and then the story of Cain and Abel. The children and adults were very attentive. Lloyd then gave the plan of salvation in chichewa and over a hundred people raised their hands and received Christ as their savior. Praise the Lord! Then it was time to hand out the care packages. Lloyd had each family sit together and then we handed a package to each family containing, 6 bars of soap, 3 bags of sugar, 3 bags of salt and a Gospel Tract. It was very orderly. It was such a wonderful blessing! The people were so warm and friendly and so happy to receive the packages. I had the opportunity to meet Simion's sister, Ethel. It was so hard to see her dressed in rags and looking so dirty and unkempt. Even harder to see her standing next to Simion dressed up in a suit. It was so hard for us, especially Thandie to leave her behind. Next was candy time. The once orderly group became a bit rowdy with the passing out of the candy. When I started having trouble keeping my feet on the ground, we handed the candy to the Pastor and headed to the next village.

Village Number 2 was Chisitu in Mulanje. James from the Children's Home came from this village. We have many children from the Mulanje area, but just James is from this particular area. The second village wasn't expecting us but a crowd grew very quickly. We had about 160 families gather around a shady area. Reminded me so much of the Bible Clubs at Lighthouse. The children just kept coming. The order of events was the same as the last village. James gave a very touching testimony of how when he lived in the village he had knives and made bad decisions, but how he found Christ at Good Samaritan and is now living right and full of hope and joy. The people were very encouraged. Again over 100 hands were raised for salvation. The people in this village were even more excited to receive the packages they began singing praises to the Lord and thanking God for sending us. The people in this village were even poorer than the first village and many had gone without these supplies for quite sometime. I was wishing we could have done more. They even asked us if we could come every month. My heart was so full of joy for what God was able to do through us, but still the need is just so great. This time I threw the candy out the windows of the vehicle as we were leaving. It was so fun and I wasn't in the middle of the mob. My favorite part at this second village was to see the look on James' face as he was able to give back to his village and be a blessing to them. The whole day was a great blessing!

After we left William Village we stopped by Lucia and Edna's villages, also in Mulanje. We realized that there were some more packages still in the back of the minibus, so we handed a few packages out at each of their villages and took pictures of the girls with some people who remembered them. We had about 25 packages left and decided to go to the Mulaje Hospital. In Malawi, the hospitals are not able to provide food and linens for the patients. Each patient must have a guardian to take care of those needs. At each hospital there is an outside are where people can cook on hot coals and wash linens. We went to that area and handed out the rest of the packages. This was such a blessing because we got to see people open the packages and actually use the items. We got some great pictures.

It was a great day!

P.S. I added an update to the bottom of Day 3

Day 3 in Malawi, Aug 17th

Day three already! Its going by too fast!

Day three started with no electricity. But there was enough warm water in the water heater for a warm shower! I still can't get over being able to take a shower. It is so wonderful to have water here, definitely an unexpected blessing. Lloyd brought me to the Internet cafe this morning so I could post on the blog. It is still the morning of day 3 but I thought I better post now as I am not sure when I will have another opportunity before Monday. Tomorrow we will be busy with the Village Project and I'm not sure if we will go to town on Sunday.

Thandie has the Internet set up at her house except the ground phone line at Good Samaritan is not working. We suspect that it has been stolen again, but will have the phone people come out to check for sure. Do you believe people steal the telephone wires right out of the ground! Such a bummer! Hopefully we will get the ground line installed or fixed soon so I can post without having to come to town. Thandie is also paying for monthly Internet service, so this is costing double with me having to pay the fee at the Internet cafe. But I am grateful that I can connect into blogger from Malawi and post on this website. Huge Blessing!

The weather here has been so beautiful about 65 at night and 75-80 during the day with a nice breeze. A bit cooler today but still very nice. The people here are so warm and friendly.

This afternoon the children will help us package up the items for the Village Project. I am hoping for electricity as it is still out from last night. It will be great to work with the children. I have spent much of the past two days in town and they have been in school. I had the opportunity to give Rodney's daughter Heather a black baby doll yesterday. She was so cute with the baby. It worked out so well as it turns out her mother's is expecting a baby soon. So now Heather will have her own baby to take care of while her mom is tending to the new baby. I brought a couple of doll bottles for her, the kind that looks like the milk is disappearing when you turn the bottle upside down. She got such a kick out of that, thought the baby really drank all the milk. She is such a cutie. I hope to post some pictures once we get the Internet connection working at the Children's Home. I visited Heather's kindergarten class yesterday. So funny to see three year olds in kindergarten. One of the kids in the class is named Opportunity, she is so darling! I am looking forward to spending more time with the kids in the upcoming days.

Update: I had the opportunity to go to the Child Development Center, the one that Bro Gentry did a fund raiser for in April. The best part of this visit was holding a 6 month old baby boy named Praises. The special part as he didn't cry! Most, actually I will say all of the babies I have come into contact with have never seen a white person before...and they scream like crazy!


We then went back to the Children's Home where the staff and children helped us put the packages together for the Village Project. It took less than two hours! The packages ended up weighing 7kgs each which I am thinking is over 15 pounds. I felt better finding this out because I was feeling bad that I could hardly carry two at a time. You should have seen the children carrying the bags on their heads...so cute.

Day 2 in Malawi, August 16th

Everything is going great here!

Here is a bit of background info that will make future posts easier. Who are the Jorgensons? Jim and Tammy Jorgenson are a couple from North Carolina who are currently raising funds from individuals and churches in order to move to Malawi full time as missionaries. I had the opportunity to meet them last year when they were here for a one month visit. This year it worked out that our travel schedule is the same so we arrived on the same day and will go home at the same time as well. The Jorgensons have rented a house three doors down from the Gentry's in an area of Limbe Malawi called BCA HILL. The Good Samaritan Children's Home is about 20 minutes away in an area called Mponga. I am staying on the Good Samaritan Property in the Round House.

Happenings of Day Two:

I started day two by unpacking my clothes and settling in more at the Round House. Then we went to town. The Jorgensons bought a fridge and some other stuff for their house. There is a new store here called GAME it is the closest thing they have here to a walmart. It is on the pricey side, but much cheaper than shipping large appliances here and then trying to convert the voltage. We then met up with Thandie and had lunch. I ventured out a bit and actually ordered chicken. So far so good. We then went shopping for the first two village projects. We consulted with Thandie and Lloyd about life in the villages and what would be the best items to put in the packages. 200 families in each village will receive a package containing 6 bars of soap (used both for bathing and clothes), 3 bags of salt, 3 bags of sugar, and a Gospel Tract explaining the plan of salvation in their native language chichewa. So we loaded 1200 bags of sugar and salt and 80 boxes of soap into two vehicles and headed back to the Children's Home. The electricity was on long enough to get the vehicles unloaded, but we weren't able to sort out the packages before the electricity went out. I am so excited about handing out the packages on Saturday! The children are looking forward to the village project as well. They are so happy to bring these items back to their villages.

Day 1 in Malawi, Aug 15th

We made it to Malawi!

I was able to get my suitcases through to Malawi from South Africa without paying the excess baggage fee again! Praise the Lord. It didn't look to hopeful at first but God intervened and they let the bags through. The flight to Malawi was 2 hours. The Jorgensons and I had 9 suitcases combined, 6 made it and 3 are missing. I am grateful that the suitcase with my clothes and most needed items made it!

We were greeted at the airport by Lloyd and two boys from the Children's Home. We visited the Jorgenson's house first and then were on our way to the Children's Home. It was great to see all the children again. They have grown so much in a year. They seemed very surprised that I remembered most of their names. It was sad of course not to see Ivy's face among them. It was nice to see so many of the progression and completion of so many projects. I was able to see the container, solar water heaters and the bakery house.

I am staying at the Round House. It is just beautiful. The staff have worked very hard to make it nice and have it ready for me. It has two bedrooms, I will be staying in one and Eda from the Children's Home will be staying in the other to keep me company. The Round House is very secure with lots of security bars, locks and even an alarm system! I feel very safe there. And there is water at the Round House! I feel like a queen!

We then went to town to pick up some groceries. Thandie met us at the shop, she had been at school when the plane arrived. Then we had dinner in town...cheese pizza! The electricity was off when I returned to the children's home so we went to bed. A great first day! So happy to be here!

I'm in South Africa!

I made it to South Africa! I met up with Jim and Tammy Jorgenson in Washington and then we all flew together to Joberg. The flight here was 15 hours and 25 minutes but it went by fast and we all slept well. The food was good too. The Jorgensons were able to check their bags all the way to Malawi, I wasn't so fortunate. But it worked out because they were able to help me with my bags....all 310 lbs of them. I am praying that they don't charge me the high fees again tomorrow when I have to re-check them to Malawi. Tomorrow morning we will head out to Malawi. I haven't spoken to Thandie since I left the US so I don't have any Good Samaritan news to report.

Soccer Game....and I'm on my way...

The Good Samaritan Soccer team played Makalanga Primary School today. It was a tie game. The children had a good time and played hard.




I leave Monday 8/13 at 8am to go to Malawi. I will land in Malawi at 12:40pm on Wednesday 8/15. Yes, It takes two days to get there! I am all packed and ready to go. I am traveling with 5 suitcases weighing in at 310 pounds! This website "blog" will double as a travel journal. I hope to post updates daily from the Good Samaritan Children's home. This will likely be my last post from the U.S. See you in Malawi!

More August Birthday Girls!

Maria's birthday is August 15th. She is one of the "unsupported orphans". Maria is in the 5th grade and wants to be a teacher. She enjoys school and playing netball.



Loveness celebrated a birthday on August 1st. She is in the 4th grade and wants to be a secretary. Loveness enjoys school, singing and jump ropes.



Betty's birthday is August 15th. She is in 8th grade and would like to be a teacher. She has a beautiful voice and loves to sing. She also enjoys playing netball.

Alinafe's birthday is August 12th. She is in the first grade and wants to be a teacher when she grows up. She loves to sing.

Project Updates

All the funds needed for each project have been provided! Praise the Lord! Thank you for giving and praying! In less than a week the material for the girls dresses will be bought, the care packages for the Village Project will be put together and the medical supplies will be distributed. I am excited to share with you how each of these projects are received in Malawi. I will arrive in Malawi on Wednesday August 15th. The first two Village Projects are scheduled for Saturday the 18th.

Thandie's home and computer are Internet ready! I should be able to blog daily. I have a couple back up bloggers ready to help in case I am not able to post from Malawi. The electricity has been connected and is working in the Round House! That is a great blessing! Speaking of Blessings, please continue to pray for Thandie's brother, Blessings. He will be going to the cancer clinic tomorrow.

August Birthdays!

Annie's birthday is August 12th. She is in 5th grade and wants to be a nurse when she grows up. She is recovering from her shingles. She is looking forward to playing netball again when she gets better.












Dalitso's birthday is August 7th. He is in the 2nd grade and wants to be a driver when he grows up. He loves to play soccer.



James will be 15 years old on August 14th. He is in the 6th grade and wants to be a mechanic. James likes to ride bicycles.



Joseph's birthday is August 9th. He is in the 9th grade, or what they call in Malawi "Form 1". Joseph is the type of kid who is always looking to help out. He often takes the corn to the maize mill to be ground. He doesn't have to be told to help out, he just takes it upon himself to do what needs to be done.



Richard's birthday is August 10th. He is in the 2nd grade and wants to be a driver when he grows up. He enjoys playing soccer.



Sungeni's birthday is August 9th. He is in the 6th grade and enjoys playing soccer. Sungeni works hard at everything he does.




Tsungane's birthday was August 3rd. He is in the 6th grade and wants to be a mechanic when he grows up. He enjoys playing netball and riding bicycles.

These are Brother Gentry's puppies. They were tragically killed by a Mamba Snake this week. Brother's Gentry's grounds keeper, Rapson was able to kill the snake before any other animals or people were hurt.

Please pray for Thandie's brother Blessings. I have posted before that he has had an ongoing problem with his esophagus. This week he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his esophagus. There is an American Cancer Project at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Malawi. Blessings has an appointment at this clinic on Thursday August 9th. Please pray that he is excepted into this program. Please also pray for God's healing.

The children at Good Samaritan are all healthy and doing well. Praise the Lord! We have many birthdays to celebrate in August. I will be posting pictures of the birthday boys and girls soon.

On the Mend!

Here is a picture of some of our boys!

Praise the Lord! All four of our sick children are feeling much better. Three of them even went to school today. When I spoke to Lloyd today (staff member at the Children's Home) and asked what Simion was doing, he said Simion was praying. It is great to see our children's faith grow as their prayers are answered. Simion's fever broke and his appetite is back. Praise the Lord for the healing of these little ones.

Not much other news to report. Thandie is taking her computer tomorrow to town to have the computer man set it up for her. Still hoping to have internet at the Children's Home when I arrive. Thandie is looking forward to learning how to upload and email pictures. That would be great news for this website! Thandie set up an appointment for me to meet with the adoption lawyer as soon as I arrive. I am looking forward to getting updated information for those interested in adopting from Malawi.