Perspective

Life is all about perspective. This comes up every once in a while in stark reality. On day 3 Betty and I headed out to install wells and we went down the road that passes the hotel that we stay in our first 2 nights in country. It is this road that we practice or refresh our driving skills (manual transmission on the left side of the road) on our orientation day. I went out on orientation day and remember that road being super bumpy. As we drove out to install wells, the road seemed not so bumpy in comparison with the other roads we’ve been driving on. I mentioned it and Betty said she was just thinking the same thing. Life’s experiences shape how we perceive it. 

T-shirt I saw on a boy walking in the market: 

Life is simple. 

Are you happy?

If yes, keep going. 

If no, change something. 

Animal sightings:  mongoose (ran across the road, very quick), monkey (turned a corner and there he was climbing a tree), lots of donkeys, cows, dogs, chickens, goats

At one well, the headman said that he was very sort thematic there was no time to kill a goat for us, and thus we will have to come back so they can. 

A villager told us “God must love you” as we left her village after installing a well that will keep them from drinking with the animals and knowing that the water is safe. 

Week 1

Betty and I have been in Nkhoma Synod driving all over and installing wells. While we both enjoy hiking, here we’ve practically driven right up to most of the wells. Don’t get me wrong, it is still on rough dirt roads and tracks through fields, over bridges and through river beds that we get out to walk before we drive through (don’t want to get stuck). And we are tired when we get back to the hotel. 

The gogos (grandparents) are here. The children are too (school break is now). The mamas are ready, sometimes singing and dancing. Dads are here. 

On the first day, at our last well, the installation was almost done and we were about to start the dedication. This well is close to a riverbed and there was some water there. It was where the people had been getting their water: almost stagnant, open, easy for animals and all to get to. Wilfred, our field officer, asked everyone to sit as the installation supervisor pumped the first bit of water to clean off the well. A woman was there to get water. She’d been cleaning her bucket and she looked up and saw the water coming out for the first time, crystal clear. She froze with a look of absolute astonishment on her face. Those around were excited, laughter and ululations and she was just frozen. A miracle come to her. 

We were told at many of the wells that they weren’t sure that we would come. Even after all the work they put in.  That is hope for the future. It was in a new area for Marion Medical Mission so the trust hasn’t been built. Thanks is extended to God, to us for coming so far, to the team for the work of building and installing, and to those in the US who help to fun the wells and pray for them. 

Mponela

We start our time in Mponela with orientation. Rev Mwasakifwa led us in a devotion using Luke 4:38-40. He spoke of how Jesus could have stayed in the synagogue but that he left and went to Simon’s house and healed his mother-in-law and then all who came for healing. Then he likened us volunteers as people who could stay in our lives at home but we have come to see the needs here and to help install wells and spread the help to others as they come. I have to admit when he first read the passage I was confused but I loved the interpretation (of course I did). 

We were told that there have been some wells installed in Mozambique as their neighbors in Malawi had introduced them to the program. We are told as one well is installed, the word spreads and more help is needed (likened to Jesus’s healing). At many of the wells, the spokesperson says thank you, thank God, and thanks those in America who make this possible and please don’t forget our neighbors who also need help. 

Betty and I are partners and we are staying in the Mponela area to install. We are working with Wilfred and his great installation supervisors and builders. The roads are bad (even worse than I remember), the distances are far, the people are joyful. Dancing and singing, giving gifts of bananas, ground nuts, eggs, chickens, rice, maize, and greens, shaking hands and greeting, sharing laughter and looks. Oh how it’s good to be back!

Zimbabwe

After South Africa I headed to Zimbabwe to spend time with Ute and family. They live on a beautiful property that is a piece of paradise. The kids are growing so quickly. They loved the water the last time I was there and now they are little fish, able to get around on their own. 

We started the visit with Zimstock which is a school fundraiser with big name bands and food stalls and a huge kids area with bouncy castles and a bull riding station. 

Then to Ngomakarira for a hike.  We found baboons, an echoing cliff and the top with a view. A lovely morning!

During the week I had restful days as school’s in session and work had to happen. Afternoons playing and swimming, climbing and finding mulberries, dinner and bedtime. We put together a grill and used it for the first time- drumsticks and sausages. Went to the garden show/market with lots of plants and crafty things for sale. 

Always too short visits when it is time to move on to the next place. But next to Malawi!

Marion Medical Mission

 I volunteer with Marion Medical Mission. They operate in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia. They started in 1989 or so helping to supply hospitals in Africa with machines and medications and realized that if they could get people access to clean water there would be about 50% less sick people in the hospitals. Now they work with Africans (all but about 3 paid positions are in Africa) to help install protected water sources out in villages.

The organization trains people from the villages to take care of the well as well as how to build it and then fix it when it breaks.  They are hand dug, lined with bricks and covered with a concrete cap. When we (volunteers) arrive it is to 'help' with the final installation: driving the pumps and pipes to the well site and installing it. We have a dedication service and demo of how to use it correctly and then we take a picture and move on to the next village. 

I say 'help' because even during covid there were over 3000 wells installed each year. We aren't needed for the installation. But we build relationships with people as well as return home to tell the story of how God is working through us and raising money to fund more wells in more villages. The money for a well ($450) pays for the concrete, pipes and pumps - that which would be out of reach for the villagers. The villagers provide the land, labor, sand, gravel, and bricks as well as a small yearly payment (~$2) as guarantee of care and replacement parts when needed. 

I think it is an amazing organization and absolutely love seeing the immediate change that takes places when the clean water comes to the surface for the first time.

Sun City

Reinette and I headed to Sun City for a get away. The guys stayed for school and work but she was needing some time away from the ash and chaos. A conference center, hotel, casino, waterpark, time share community. This was different. (And lucky for us close to Pilanesburg National Park.)  Once checked in we went exploring and found the Valley of Waves water park themed on a lost city in Africa. The entrance bridge has a line of elephant statues and a monkey fountain and carvings in the rocks along with drumming and roaring piped in...

there is a maze that reminded me quite a bit of the beginning of Labyrinth and so we definitely did. 

Our first dead end

The wave pool. 20 minutes of each hour the pool flattens out for the chance to ride the waves. You know the big wave is coming when the seven lion fountains are all spitting water, follwed by a large thunderclap and the wave. The water is cold but we had lots of fun. (Pics aren't of us but we definitely rode the waves as well as went down the water slides) 

Sunset with piña coladas

Pilanesburg National Park

Reinette and I visited Pilanesburg and had an amazing time watching the animals! Sometimes they were far away but other times I felt like we could almost reach out the window and touch them!

They have taken off their horns as then the poachers don't come after them. 

We passed lots of cars pulled to the side of the road...we couldn't see anything when we looked out and so we started to pass and I asked what they were looking at. Somewhat confused sounding, the first 3 vehicles responded 'nothing'. ?!? The next driver explained that sometimes down on the field there is a leopard kill and they were waiting to see if tonight would be the same...we decided used not to wait in what was quickly be coming A traffic jam looking at nothing! And thus we found many other animals but no leopards or lions...I imagine they saw us but were well camouflaged. 

Family outing!

South Africa

Sunrise boarding from Johannesburg

Off to see the Veitch family in Bloemfontein. Always lovely to see them, having watched the boys grow up in Malawi and SA. At the beginning of August, they had a fire due to a solar inverter that torched the garage (lots of storage) and made the kitchen quite useless. Insurance still hasn’t come through and so they are making it work but haven’t been able to start any rebuilding and of course it’s a challenge. But they were gracious as ever. 

 The pack that greets you upon arrival to the house (4 Ridgebacks and one that doesn’t realize he isn’t)

Pets out back!

Couple of games of settlers in which my numbers weren’t rolled often enough!

Church’s 32nd birthday celebration dinner (I didn’t understand the service but think the party was postponed due to COVID)