At the well

Mary and I were based in Nkata Bay. On Thursday of week 2 we are moving down the lake to stay and work in Dwangwa. There are many different languages in Malawi, the main two are Chichewa and Chitimbuka. Of course the area we worked in speaks Chitonga. So I've learned yet another greeting that is similar and not to what I know. Of course when I get confused I revert back to Chichewa and that works too as it is the national language.

When we park the truck there are often many villagers (or at least children) around as we pull from the back the pieces needed to install the well. They help us carry the parts sometimes singing, sometimes chatting along the way. I nod and pretend to understand or song along. At the well we greet everyone. 'Mwe uli?' (Pronounced mway) (it is a phonetic language) responding 'te o mampa. Kwal imwe?' (how are you? I'm fine and you?) Lots of smiles and misunderstandings and me getting my words confused. The laughter is contagious and fabulous.

The greetings go on as the installation supervisors and builders work on measuring the depth of the well and assembling the parts. One of us volunteers puts information into an Android for office purposes and the other will lead the dedication.

The dedication is an official handing over of the well. It has belonged to the village the whole time but this reinforces the idea. we begin with a prayer often lead by a villager. (They pray for the water and the night of God. They pray for us the visitors who have come so far as well as those who support from America. They pray that God continues to guide us as We continue our work for their neighbors.) We emphasize our partnership between Christians in the US and Marion Medical Mission, the synod that we work with here, and the village and water committee. We explain the maintenance plan and who to call for repairs if the well breaks. There is a demonstration and we ask if there are comments. (They talk about the problem they had of unsafe water and how far they had to go to get water-pointing up and over and emphasizing way far away. How now they won't get sick, that God has provided them life now with this clean water.)

Then we head back to the truck where more handshakes and hugs are exchanged. Gifts are given and we take off for the next village.

When we left Nkhata Bay, we had helped dedicate 73 wells. We are still working for another full week and while I'm tired, I'm definitely not done!