End of team 2

Saturday we all came together again. From Zambia, Tanzania, and Malawi we met back where we started in Mponela. We have dinner all together and then joined in a conference room to share our experiences, thinking about how to tell the story, raise the money for wells, for clean water, for our neighbors. 

We got the numbers. Of the 4,450 wells that is the goal this year, 3,227 wells have been verified and installed so far!! Team 3 (the Africans) will finish up in the next couple of weeks. We also were told that only 2,109 wells have been funded so far…but that we have until January to fix that. 

So once again $475 will get you a well card, all money goes to wells unless otherwise designated, and any amount helps! Donate here 😃💰

It started with a surprise birthday party for Mama Jocelyn. Her 80th is coming up and she told Tom that she wanted to celebrate with the field officers and coordinators. She had no idea this was coming (as it is about 5 months early). She was crowned, jeweled and sceptered. Each of the 4 programs brought a cake and sang to her. It was elaborate!

Babies & Kiddos

A big reason I’m here: 

The smiles, handshakes, big eyes, faces and games. Dances. 

They sidle up wanting to be close. Or they make sure they are as far from you as possible but keeping you in sight.

 

I sometimes try to mimic postures to get smiles, following one around until they break down in laughter. I also like to continue shaking a hand long after it would be normal to let go. 

I hold babies, and thumbs up those who won’t get close. 

Agogos & Amayi

(Grands and mamas)

Another reason I’m here

Rheumy eyes, big smiles, strong handshakes, slow walks with canes to the well. Heartfelt thanks as they look into your eyes. High pitched ululating celebrations. They carry little ones on their backs and sit with them during the dedication. Grateful that clean water has finally arrived in their village. 

Diesel

Fuel here is nationalized. So there is no looking for the cheapest station. All sell for the same price. 

2734 MK per liter

3.785 liters per gallon

10348 MK per gallon

$5.42 per gallon

We filled up our double cab truck last week:

We filled our single cab (it has two tanks) one was empty the other was about half full. We heard that petrol was missing from the stations and that usually puts a run on all the fuel  

A good thing for me is the drinks are much cheaper. A kuche kuche beer is 1400 MK at my current hotel ($.73)

And yesterday we found a hole on the side of the road. Oops! 4wd and some big rocks and a little digging got us back on the road…no one was hurt and the truck seems pretty ok too!

Gifts

At the end of the dedication we open the floor to comments and we are thanked and blessed with God’s presence and continued strength. We are presented with all sorts of gifts: chickens, mangos, doves, maize, tomatoes, greens, bananas, beans, rice, onions, ground nuts, to name a few. 

At other villages they apologize for not being able to give us more than thanks and blessings. They promise to take care of the well and we are given hugs and handshakes. We are sung to the truck dancing and celebrating. One headman said, ‘it is due to poverty levels here in Malawi. We would want to give you a goat, but we have only a chicken for you.’ 

It is of course more than we need and our workers take most of the gifts (I do eat some ground nuts and bananas and mangoes)