down home

So I just found out that someone stole a check from my checkbook out of my purse and cashed it for $800.90. as I don’t write checks often (but I do keep records) I feel fortunate that I found this out. But it has given me more to do…having to close accounts, file reports with the bank and the police and it gives me no end of wondering what will happen or who did it or when. The possibilities are pretty endless I feel as it was over 2 weeks ago that it happened. So if anyone knows a Robin Boynton let me know—I’m on the lookout.

On another note, I’ve gotten two part time jobs…one is typing a history for an elderly friend of the family who wants to get down the stories of her grandmother for the younger generations. So far we have 19 pages of stories and pictures scanned in for the report. Every time I think we’re through she calls and says we’ve forgotten something (how can I forget something? I didn’t know her in the first place). Very interesting though. The second is waiting tables at a small diner here in black mountain. Philly’s is small restaurant and emma and I are splitting the job (if you can really call it that). We work lunches as last week the owner/chef had some really busy days and felt the need for help. Since we’ve been there we haven’t really seen it. So far we’ve not really made money but I guess it is more than we would make sitting at home or even looking for jobs…sometimes joked that we seem to be volunteering at the restaurant, but we do get good lunches out of the deal…I’d highly recommend checking it out if you’re around.

update on my fundraising: $2000 out of the $7000 goal

the countdown

Preparations:
*I bought my ticket!! I leave on December 26th and arrive on the 28th in Lilongwe, Malawi with an overnight layover in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is really happening!! And much faster than I had thought. Originally, school started in mid January. It has been changed to more closely correspond with the European school year and the next session begins Dec 7. Obviously, I'll be late but not too bad...

*I have spent two mornings with the 4 & 5 year olds at Black Mountain Presbyterian Weekday School so far. Trying to pick up pointers and tips on what to do with kids that age at school. They run a great program—centers, group time, centers, snack, more centers, playground time, and group gathering before heading home. So many options for the kids to choose from—flubber, drawing, painting, sand station, legos, home station/restaurant station, blocks, computer, matching, people dominoes (dominoes shaped like people to line up and knock down), books. Lots of good ideas though I don’t know what kind of supplies and resources I’ll have in Nkhoma but very creative and helpful. One of the best things I think I learned was that if you need their attention you sing whatever you want to say…calms them down and they listen. You can make up the tune and it doesn’t matter a bit but it seemed to work every time.

so much more to do!!!

fundraising

so now i've started the fundraising--sending letters, emails and now to the blog...(most of you have seen this already but if you check out the bottom you'll see how it's coming along)

Dear Friends,
After spending eight months in South Mississippi (Pearlington) doing Katrina relief with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, I decided that it was time to flee the country again. I was at a loss on where to go (there are so many places that I still haven't been). But after five months of agonizing, wavering, wondering, praying and planning--I've figured it out (for another year).
I'm in contact with the Ebenezer School in Nkhoma, Malawi (Africa). They are a new school (started last year) and they want to add a Kindergarten and a Reception (pre-k) class. They have invited me as a volunteer missionary teacher to teach one of those classes along with one of the Malawian teachers beginning January 2010 for a year.
Since I've been looking into serving in Malawi, I've been reading articles and talking with many people who have been involved in mission work there. The official languages are Chichewa (which I don't know) and English (which I'm normally pretty proficient in). School is taught in English. I'll spend the next two months getting ready to go, reading more, learning some Chichewa, and observing Kindergarten and pre-k classes (since I've never done this before).
I'm writing to ask for your support of this trip. The school has agreed to pay my rent and I am now raising money for my travel, food and incidentals while in Nkhoma. My estimated costs are:
Flight $2000
Food $150/month = $1800
Utilities $500
Incidentals/Bus fare $150/month =$1800
Vaccinations, malaria pills $900
Total $7000

This averages out to about $19 per day, $135 a week, or $575 a month. Support for even one day would be a great help. I will be sending email updates (send me your email if you would like to receive them) and posting to a blog (travelcontinued.blogspot.com). When I return I would be glad to share pictures and stories, answer questions and give presentations.
I greatly appreciate your support whether it is financial and/or spiritual. Any funds that I raise above my goal or that I over estimated will be donated to the school to continue its ministry and purpose including scholarships for students. Checks can be made out to Black Mountain Presbyterian Church (and are tax deductible) with "Jessi Stitt-Malawi" in memo line and sent to either:

Jessi Stitt
203 Tomahawk Ave
Black Mountain, NC 28711

Black Mountain Presbyterian Church
117 Montreat Rd
Black Mountain, NC 28711

Thank you in advance for your time and prayerful consideration of this request. Please call or email me at 828-242-6790 or jessi.stitt@gmail.com with any questions or comments.

Peace and grace,

jessi

here's the breakdown of what i've raised so far and i'll keep updating as i go (700 out of 7000)...

Malawi here i come

i'm headed to Nkhoma, an hour north of Lilongwe, the capital. i found it on google maps. the things i've learned about Malawi so far:

very, very friendly people

decimated by AIDS

over half the population is under 17

Chichewa and English are the official languages

the school year goes from jan thru nov

i will be working at the Ebenezer School teaching either kindergarten or a reception (pre-k) class. i will work in partnership with the malawian teachers.

Next

"what next?" is the most often asked question from those i've known for ages and those i've just met. well, i still don't have an answer but i thought that you might want to know what i've been up to this year and the possibilities for what's next...(warning: this could be a long one)

last i wrote was new years...i was working with presbyterian disaster assistance in pearlington, mississippi. i stayed there for 8 months--leaving at the beginning of june. i filled the position of village manager most of the time, worksite manager sometimes. this involved correspondence with incoming volunteer groups, keeping camp working--food and housing, and making sure that our olunteers had work to do. work was constant and varied--shopping (food and building supplies), transporting tools and supplies and occasionally volunteers (30 college students came to work arriving in a charter bus and no other transport...news flash-pearlington roads are not built for buses), staff meetings, troubleshooting (remember to check the kerosene tank and the propane tank...don't run out (which we did). one day i got my truck stuck in the mud and then got the truck that came to get me out stuck too. that was a great morning full of laughter.

i got to meet so many people--week long volunteers (many of whom came back again and again), long term volunteers, homeowners--it was great. wonderful wonderful people. it was hard to leave pearlington but summer was coming (so hot and humid in ms) and pda was moving my camp (i didn't like the idea) and i needed some time away--7 days a week all day long is a long time. there is still so much to be done on the gulf coast, many people still not in their homes.

i spent most of june at home in black mountain decompressing and thinking of the future...took off to visit college friends on a whirlwind tour of the west coast...park city, ut--honolulu, hi--seattle, wa--portland, or--moscow, id (volunteer group)--san fransisco, ca--and then home again. it was so fun to see new places but more than that to spend time with so many friends and have so many adventures--fireworks, hikes, running out of gas (in a prius hybrid--really i did). didn't stay home long but headed to visit my sister in indiana with a trip to lake michigan for a family visit and to ohio to visit another volunteer group. 2 rafting trips down the freezing nantahala with family on cloudy days and about a week spent in hilton head. that brings us up to today (ish) which finds me currently house/kid sitting for a week and a half for a missionary who is talking at churches in ny state...

as to the future i'm still not sure but am looking at working/volunteering in malawi, africa either in a school or an orphanage for 6 months to a year. i'm working on specifying a project (maybe kindergarten teacher an hour out of the capital) and figuring out how to fund it.

i hope this finds you well and under beautiful skies. love jessi