Well, once again we are experiencing a power outage. These have been happening very often since my arrival in Malawi, and I’m sure from before, and will continue. I remember these from last year, but they were never this bad. I read in the newspaper that ESCOM (Electric Service Company of Malawi) had lost a generator, and hasn’t fixed the problem yet and they have been performing rolling blackouts. It happened this morning at about 7am, and now again 12 hours later at 7. It’s usually out for two hours, which with it getting dark by 6 makes it even worse. I’m thankful for batteries, flashlights and candles. Maybe I’ll have to go out to dinner tonight…I think I will. The last few days dinner has consisted of a variety of peanut butter or cheese sandwiches, which is fine dining with the price of cheese so high. Until this past week, when I had solved the problem with the lights, the light wasn’t working in the kitchen. Cooking is not my forte, and cooking with a flashlight in my mouth is no easy task, not to mention my dentist would not be happy, nor my mother. She’s not paying for my dentist bills anymore so she’d probably rather have me eat than worry about my teeth. I guess it kind of works together, teeth and eating. It does make the mouth quite tired trying to hold a flashlight without breaking your teeth! No need to try it, just trust me! Now your going to try it, aren’t you? So, here’s for hoping the power is not out across town. Either that or I will eat another cheese sandwich and some cookies, and maybe another apple. I would like some rice and beans, but maybe I’ll just go without it tonight.

Justin

A friend I used to work with had a saying when he was really hungry. It was along the lines of eating a specific part of a cow. Yesterday, after spending all morning sorting supplies, I finally sat down to lunch. It looked to be, not fish. There were some veggies, plenty of rice and what appeared to be meat, maybe cow. As I sat down one of the staff member decided to enlighten me before I ate. She asked me if I had ever eaten this meal before. I said I never had. I asked some questions, giggled several times and, learning it would be chewy, I dug in. I can’t say it was the greatest meal I’ve had, it wasn’t the worst either. I will probably never eat it again, I hope, but now know I can stomach it. In a world where you don’t have much, that which you do have is completely consumed, so nothing is wasted. Every part of the chicken, goat, or cow, is used. With all the other surprises I should have expected this. I never wanted to consume, nor did I ever want to know that I was consuming cow intestines. Sorry, I didn’t take a picture of it, but I’m sure they’ll serve it again. The staff was discussing the other parts of the cow they love to eat. One said she would prepare the tongue for me one day. To this someone said, “I can’t eat the tongue because I think of the cow eating when I do.” I said that eating cow intestines makes me think of something else the cow does.

Justin

I had a title for this post, "Impractical Donations" because at first that's all it was about. But after the Lord was finished touching it up a bit, I've come to realize the title must change. I've been trying to figure out what to call it for several minutes…

An young orphan girl attends Bible School at Matapila Feeding Center, Malawi

I just started sorting through all the donations that groups send, bring and leave behind for the Ministry of Hope. There is so much stuff it’s taken all day to sort through, and most of the things are in new piles back where they were before. When I saw all the stuff left for the staff to deal with, individuals that are already completely busy seeing to the details of over 3000 children, I shrugged my shoulders and wondered, “Why do we find it necessary to donate items that will, in all actuality, be of no good use to the receiver?” I understand that many items are just left behind, extra craft items, but Malawians don’t throw much of anything away. I thought about the other items, some sent over, some so impractical. How can impractical donations be helpful? I think part of it is that we want to feel good about giving something to someone in need. We like to give many things. The more we give, the more we feel we’ve accomplished something. Not only that but we have so much, so we can give more. More glitter, more glue, more wooden sticks and temporary tattoos. Do we think we are doing a favor, which these children in some far off country will be able to make Popsicle sticks shine like the stars, and somehow better their lives by material glitter or body art, without us actually working with them? Another part is that we are just getting rid of our excess. We don’t need all those craft items, bottles of glue or ping-pong balls. I wonder who thought that six ping-pong balls would be a good gift for 3,500-orphaned children. Maybe 3,500 ping-pong balls would be great, but how are they all going to share those six balls, maybe one ball for each center? I have yet to see a Ping-Pong Table in Malawi.

We need to start investigating, just a little, before we start giving our excess as donations. If we did, we would find that none of the schools here use glue or glue sticks, glitter, wooden sticks or ping-pong balls. Then we’d realize that simple things like pencils, erasers, notebooks and clothes are what we should provide, not useless item that, once were gone, no one will use. Certainly, if you’re going to donate books, shirts, stickers, and enough toys for all the children, or if you are going to work the craft with them, then go ahead. If you’re just trying to feel good or get rid of some extra crap you have collecting dust, maybe you should think twice about it. Or better yet, pray twice about it and see what God really wants from you! We need to remember that these children are just that, children. The way they feel love isn’t by the things they have or receive, not even by clothes. They barely have anyone in this world, but profess their love for the Father and His love for them by how He gives them all they need. I’ve seen what it is He “gives” them. Clothes that are tattered, torn and too big, dirty because no one cares to clean them up, American handouts that, in many cases, are already dirty or torn, and that’s why we’ve ditched it. He gives them one meal a day, a meal consisting of nothing more than rice and beans. The water He provides them with is water from a dirty well contaminated with all sorts of bacteria, which you would probably never drink from, nor have to. How can this be love? It is, more than our minds can comprehend. We view love based on material things, good things, not by love. Love goes beyond the things we are given, and these children know this, they understand it better than we ever will!

This isn’t some TV add showing you starving children, malnourished maybe, but they have food. We’ve forgotten what it means to starve, or for that matter what it means to fast. We’re busy with life, food and time, and forget to give things up for others. To make sacrifices to provide for the needs of others.

I’m thinking about going the next two months on less than one meal a day, just so I can understand what it’s like. Maybe I would understand God’s love better then. I probably wouldn’t be able to partake in all the activities that these children do. No more sweets, no more soft drinks or coffee (hit a nerve, did I?). No cheese, no peanut butter, no steak, chicken or hamburgers, and thank goodness, no fish!

If you take away everything we have to give, the material things, what do we have left to give?

Justin

Her clothes may be torn, but her heart is whole. After enjoying a day of fun activities, foam stickers now cover the children's faces.

I decided today, after days of being prodded by Charles (Executive Director of Ministry of Hope), that I would drive myself to the lake. I visited Lake Malawi last year and, besides having to use public transportation to get here, I really enjoyed it! A portion of that story is #1 on my “Don’t tell mom” list. The place I had in mind to stay was the Carolina Hotel. The Carolina is located right on the beach. With low rates and crashing waves to block out the sound of, well, anything, who could resist? I befriended the owners last year, a Catholic Sri Lankan man and his wife, and was delighted to find them here, and they even remembered me. I started driving myself here in a big minibus (…a big-minibus…?) and, after about an hour and a half, arrived in Senga Bay. I spent the afternoon relaxing on the patio overlooking the lake. You can see the mountains of Mozambique across the lake. The wind was really blowing from the east causing big waves and a cool feeling. There were plenty of self-proclaimed beach bums, who are, in all actuality, craft vendors. Two of them were a new sight to me. I had never seen entrepreneurs young as these. One boy, Adi, was 13 years old, and his fellow salesman was only 12 years old. It was an odd, yet exciting site to see. Both boys are still in school, and are Yao, which seems to be a predominantly Muslim tribe. I’ve noticed that you can see the signs of the Yao tribe by the increased number of mosques. I was able to sit on the beach with them, and several of their mentors, and talk about Malawi and the United States, how to make the painting, carvings and bracelets they were selling and about faith and God’s love. I don’t think the younger children could understand enough English to catch what I was saying, but they know I’m a follower of Christ. Hopefully, I ministered to them, just in my love, the Love of Christ, just how we’re supposed to. The Love of Christ being shared with all.

Justin

Over the past several weeks I’ve seen the powered milk tipped over on the counter, or a plate of leftover food nibbled on, and the special rodent “presents” on the counter. I’ve wondered how they get up on the counter. There are times when I figure that they’ve climbed under the cupboard and up through the drawers. Then there are times when all the cupboard doors and drawers are closed, and still there are signs of rats on the counters. I guess they are just really good climbers. Well, I found out the second part, the part I was forgetting. How do they get down? Last night, as I was going to the kitchen to grab some food and relax, I heard a rat in the kitchen. I’ve known that they are in there since I last posted about them. I’ve come to learn that if you open the door to the kitchen all the way it makes a loud creaking noise. This sound, combined with a couple of hard stomps, usually sends them running. Most of the time they run under the stove. I really don’t care where they run as long as it’s not in to my feet! This time, I opened the door, heard some scurrying, and when it stopped I entered. All the kitchen lights are out so, with a flashlight in my mouth, I entered the room. I approached the far counter, the one with my peanut butter and honey. I was certain I still heard the rat moving. I saw the tail beyond the items I needed. I thought that he’d stay put, but as I moved towards the counter he started to run. Instead of running away from where I was he ran towards me. I kept the dimly lit flashlight on him like he was on Broadway, trying to anticipate his next move. He moved across the counter in only a fraction of a second. With a big jump, him not me, he was on the floor. And when I thought his next move would be at my legs, he disappeared under the outside door. With a little chill, and much relief, I was able to collect the things I needed. Now I can’t help but notice the really big gap at the bottom of the door.

Justin

Me, probably typing one of my blogs.