week 6

Sunday Mirte and I walked out to the Lintipe River. It was a nice walk—hot and sunny (even with sun block I got too much sun). Not too much extra staring or heckling (no one asked for money!!) when we got to the bridge we sat down and suddenly were surrounded by a group of kids. They kept their distance for a while but then kept getting closer and closer…they didn’t talk to us, just stood around. After a bit we got a little worried that they were going to continue getting closer until they pushed us off the bridge but of course they didn’t. It was good to get out and walk.
Jan and Trudi have been here for 4 years. Jan has been working on the renovations of the hospital and helping with the construction of Ebenezer. Trudi has been working with the long term patients—teaching them to embroider and making bags for them to sell as fundraising. Sunday afternoon was their farewell party. Lots of people invited and lots of people came. They got a band to play and had people bring different things to eat and drink. Cake, salad (potato, pasta), fruit, custard (james and I were asked for 4 liters of custard (pudding)! We made 3.), meat (beef, chicken, pork) coke and fanta, juice. It was a great party but sad too.
Went to 2 Sunday school teachers trainings this week. The first was between here and Lilongwe (not quite sure where). We arrived about 30 minutes early. Met with Rev Jim Young from New Zealand and his team—Verigita and Rita. They spoke again of Jesus inviting the children to him when the disciples were trying to keep them away. And His teaching that we have to be like children to get into heaven. One of the traits of children is that they are teachable. And as we grow older we become less teachable because we learn to think for ourselves—but we don’t do it enough and when we do we often come to the wrong conclusions. We find it very hard to learn from others because we are convinced that we are unique and different and have nothing to learn from others. (not like children). They also tell the teachers how important they are—most Christians are made as children—it is much harder to get older people who didn’t grow up with it. And yet we lose them as well because we are not the good examples that we should be—adults are the biggest impediment for children coming to Jesus (as shown by the disciples trying to keep the kids away). As many here are farmers they use the metaphor of children being crops…you don’t start with already grown trees or maize…you have to start with seeds or seedlings—it will sprout easily but to grow well you must fertilize it and we as good examples are the fertilizer for the children…then they do the examples and teaching part of the workshop—songs, games and ways to teach Sunday school.
The second was in Nkhoma at the seminary for the final semester students who will be Abusa in a few months. They don’t usually teach Sunday school but it will be good for them to have an understanding of what their teachers will hopefully be doing. I get something different out of the presentation each time (good thing as this was the third time)…this one was about being born again—that is a pretty prevalent question—when were you saved? Or born again? And Jim said that he was raised a Christian and so doesn’t have a specific point of being born-again…he was raised and always pointed in the Right direction and that is what we are trying to do here with the children’s ministry. I really liked how he put it…he said that maybe you didn’t have a point when you specifically said yes to Jesus because he was always there…but then have you ever said no to Jesus…
I got a new mosquito net this week. For those who have never had to sleep under one you might not get the joy this gives…there are different types and the one I’d had was blue and had a round top…which works and is fine but I had trouble keeping it around the bed and off my head at the same time as it is centered on the bed. My new one (bought at Shoprite in Lilongwe and in the closet waiting for me to get around to put it up) is white and square. So I needed a frame for it and different hooks (4 corners instead of the middle). And that would take some time for me to get around to…the day before I got my new flatmates I gave the key to reinette and james to get their room ready and I came home to find a new frame and net up! It was a wonderful surprise…and the white gives a much lighter spacier feeling…I slept well that night!
Friday night was the beginning of a youth retreat—CCAPSO (Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Student Organization) in Salima. We went for the opening night—James, Albert, Klaasje and I. through Lilongwe and we stopped just before the salima turnoff—there were 5 buses that were stopped on the side of the road…packed to overfull with youth going to the retreat! Too many so we ended up with quite a few students in the back of the truck and one of the advisors up front. Arrival at the lake at 6 (dark) to chaos…we were told we could go sit at the lake for a while so we went—the wind was up and it sounded just like we were at the ocean with the waves crashing…too bad there are crocs and hippos and you don’t swim after dark because it was perfect weather for it. After a while we noticed everyone gathered in a group of lights so we went over and found that different choirs were singing one after another…nothing planned I don’t think but everyone was around and having a good time. They got the sound system running and the band started playing. It was very reminiscent of youth retreats at home…praise songs and dancing that at times reminded me of energizers. We were of course introduced and said a few words…Abusa gave a homily on Doing the Will of God (theme for CCAPSO this year)…more announcements and songs and then they got dismissed. I couldn’t tell quite for what but I think it was for where they would be sleeping and then they came for dinner (that was after 9pm) I didn’t hear any complaining or questioning—thought that could be that I don’t understand it in Chichewa yet. We jumped back in the truck to head home. I was wishing I could have stayed all weekend but hadn’t gotten any warning so maybe next time. (got to drive part way—first time this year…good stuff)