BABIES!

I went to the crisis nursery again this weekend and finally took some pictures! There about 20 babies there ranging from new born-2. There are about 5 workers there at once so needless to say, they need help. We walked into a room with the oldest babies and they were all standing up in their cribs holding their arms out for us to pick them up. SO SWEET! I can't even imagine what it would be like to not have at least one parent that you want to go to. These kids see different faces all the time and don't care who picks them up, as long as it is someone!

This little guy is named Chisomo Joseph. He was the biggest one there and wanted all of the attention! Most of the kids were fine playing by themselves because they were used to it. But he cried everytime we put him down.

This is Theresa. She is about 2 months old but very very small. I think her eyes are
bigger then her little body.













If you stay here for 2 years you can adopt........ That'd be awesome! When we went to the nursery, the workers prepared their dinners and changed diapers. They're so busy and need a break! We took some of them out of their cribs and they had fun just bouncing around.

They each eat porrage in the morning, then porrage again for dinner. These little guys can eat a huge bowl of it! It doesn't have much neutritian in it so they need a lot to be full.

We sang songs with them and they all clapped their hands. I wish I lived here.

Show me your ways, O Lord, Teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4

rats and fender-benders

Hey!
I have a lot to update you all on this time. I didn't think I was too squeamish until I got to Africa. First of all, we have rats. We noticed rat droppings in our kitchen cabinets and our trash was everywhere about 3 nights ago. The night after we noticed, my housemate came into my room and screamed bloody murder. A rat ran behind my bed as I was sitting on it. Needless to say, we freaked out. Then, she went into her room and I was in the hallway that connects the rooms. She started screaming again and a rat ran out of her room into the kitchen. All three of us ended up crouching on top of the dining room table screaming. It brought my confidence in our outside house guards down because they never checked on us after we screamed for 10 minutes. So the next day, a guy came to put rat poison around the house. He climbed into the Attic and fell through the ceiling into my bedroom. The good thing is that he didn't get hurt. The bad thing is that I came home to rat poop all over my bed. It is hard to wash things here because I don't have a dryer. Anything I wash needs to have at least a day to hang dry.
Next story:
Since the ABC rotation cars don't work very well, they were so nice and bought a new car! It is an automatic so that me and my housemates can drive it! We got it this afternoon and I was so excited to drive it! Katie and I had to get gas on the way to the market so we stopped. While still in park after our gas tank had been filled, a HUGE semi flatbed truck drove right in front of me and took the corner too sharply. I honked when I noticed he was getting too close but then he ran right into the car. all three sets of tires went over the front bumper of the car. It was a frightening thing to see it coming but not have enough time to back the car up. Katie and i were fine and the car isn't in bad shape, but the irony of the situation is great. I got my first experience dealing with Malawian police, truck drivers, and gas station owners.

My class is doing well. I am becoming very attached already. The more I enjoy my kids, the more motivated I am to teaching them well. I am motivated when I see improvement. Thanks for all of your prayers for that!
My roommate Megan might have malaria so keep her in your prayers. My roommate Katie has been having a lot of health issues since she's been here so just pray for our whole house I guess. I have been healthy since I've been here and owe it to Gods grace. It is common to get sick here, especially with malaria, but I haven't had any severe problems. Thanks for your prayers!

Did you know you can put blue food coloring in mashed potatoes and then you have blue potatoes? Try it, it's awesome!

Hey guys!

So this weekend I had to get off campus. I haven't been able to drive and had cabin fever. Its not like college when you can just walk up to anyone your own age and have a conversation. There are 4 single missionaries and girls tend to get a bit petty. I am a girl so I am alowed to say that. So, we took another hiking trip on Saturday. This time we went to Ncohma Mountain. It was so hard! I am not a cross country runner and never should be. Running up rocks is fun until you can't breathe anymore. Anyway, we did that for a couple hours and finally made it to the top. There is something about being on top of a mountain looking over Africa that gives me chills. Gods knows how to make scenery. I used to think the vast nothingness in Africa was dead and boring, but now I think it is beautiful. I appreciate the way the Malawians live such a simplistic lifestyle.

I don't think I ever wrote about the Malawian wedding I attended a couple of weeks ago. It lasts all day for a week but I only went to a couple hours of the first day. It is neat because nobody is rushed. They have bridesmaids and groomsmen but they dance down the isle. Its not like that youtube wedding dance, it is a slow step. Each couple takes about 10 minutes to get down the isle. People are cheering the whole time and scream moving their tongue back and forth in their mouth. I can't do it right. Then After the bride and groom get down the isle, groups of people take turns dancing around the couple throwing money all over them. I got to participate in this but felt a little akward since I stuck out like a little sore white thumb. Here's a picture of the maid of honors dress:

Yeah, its pretty fancy. The groomsman carries the flowers, and the bridesmaids carry the groomsmans coats.

Anyway, I thought it was fun and interesting. For my wedding I'll do the money throwing thing for sure but I might pass on the dress.

One more exciting announcement then i'll end this; I drove on the main roads today!! I went to the market and the grocery store and only stalled twice! haha. I am starting to build up my confidence and will soon be able to venture out without a coach.

I really appreciate all of your prayers! I mean it when I say that I can feel them in my everyday life. I haven't gotten sick or been chosen as a carrier by putsi flies(not cool) yet so I think that is a major success! Love you all! Thanks for your encouragement! It means a lot to me!

Bunda Mountain!

Sorry its been so long since I last posted! I finally have something to write about! I'm amazed with the number of people who are reading this! No pressure!

Something fun:
I've been on the ABC campus the majority of my time in Malawi so far because I'm so busy with work that needs to be done here. This weekend, 7 of us decided to go hiking. Owen said he knew a good mountain to hike up called Bunda Mountain. We get to the mountain and Rebecca and i were a little skeptical about getting up the big rock. It was not the grassy trail I envisioned. They assured us it'd be fine so we went on. After about 10 minutes of rigorous hiking, we got to a giant rock mountain going straight up. I joked about not bringing my parachute but I was actually pretty nervous. I've never been mountain climbing and wasn't prepared for doing it with my bare hands for the first time. Luckily there were 4 guys and 3 girls so they helped us when we almost died. There were moments when I just laughed because my feet were gripping the side of a mountain with the rubber of my shoes, holding on to a little groove in the rock with my finger tips, and not knowing where to go from there. Talk about being scrrrrrrd. I sang songs to make the time a little lighter. I got more and more confident as I went and loved it! Anyway, we got up the mountain in a couple hours and there were about 50 Malawians at the top worshiping and praying to God. Many of them were in tears pleading with God. They paid no attention to us. It was an amazing experience to be looking out over Malawi listening to the Malawians sing praises to my God. My friends got pictures so i will try to post them soon. The funny part of it is that by the time I got up, I looked like I got into a fight with a rabid cat or something. My hair toolie (rubber band) broke, there was dirt all over my face, and my legs were bleeding in 8 places. Haha doesn't get much better then that. But the funniest part is that there was an easier way the whole time (The way the smart Malawians went) so we went down that way.
About 10 Malawian boys met us at the bottom and "escorted" us around the mountain to our car. They were awesome, but unfortunately, I don't speak their language:-(

I went to my first Malawian home today! We ate Nsima (the food staple of Malawi). You eat it with your fingers and use it to pick up "relish." This relish was spinach and peanut butter mixed. Nsima is made of Ufa flour and is kinda like play dough/grits.

I've been here for one month, but am already beginning to think about all of the things that can be done in Malawi. There is a need for so much and such a great opportunity to bring it to them. I love ABC, but thoughts are running through my mind for things I can do next year. I was asked by a college student if I could teach a college ballet class. I wish i had the time!!! I honestly don't have extra time right now.
Anyway, those are my unorganized thoughts spewed out. It seems so hard for one person to make a difference. Especially when I still have so much to learn from the people here. But, I know my concentration needs to be on my classroom right now so I will devote my energy towards that. Please pray that I teach my kids in a way that they will succeed. I'm scared I'll ruin them!
haha Alright, I hope everyone at home is doing well! Thanks so much for all of your prayers! I need them all the time! Especially when I'm scaling mountains and such.

Skype me sometime! Gracefuller218

Whitney

Moni!

The first week of school is OVER! I was a wreck. Everything was hard, tiring, long, stressful...

My schedule right now is

Wake up at 5, go to school at 6, teach until 12:30, stay in my classroom to work until 6pm, eat dinner, skype, then go to bed at 10. haha so people keep asking me if "Africa" is SO exciting? I laugh because right now, I am doing the dirty work. Tuesdays and Thursdays I teach dance, Friday is ABC missionary potluck, Sunday is pancake night, Wednesday is missionary Bible study, Thursday is girls bible study, and then shopping takes like 3 hours for me.

So thats my life right now. woohoo!

During my hard first week I have thought a lot about why I'm here. It was very hard for me to figure out why God would send me here if I'm not doing a good job, I don't feel like I'm helping anyone, and anyone could come here and do what I'm doing, but better.

I wonder if I am the one benefiting from being here more the the Malawians. Just last week I have been learning to trust God with everything. I am out of my comfort zone in every situation I encounter here so there is no way I can lean on my own understanding. This place has shown me my weeknesses instead of building up my pride. I feel broken. That is what God wants from me to be able to serve him. I need to know that I can't do anything without Christ's strength and guidance. My challenge now is to learn what it feels like to do my best and work overtime to serve and to glorify God, not to make myself look like a better teacher. That is the hardest thing for me to do because I want to serve God, but feel like I'm working so hard so that I don't show everyone my failures.

Anyway, I'm not ragging on myself, but I am saying that it is good for me to be here because I need the slap in the face. I need to know that I can't help to build Gods kingdom without God directing my every step. God has taught me this time and time again. Maybe one day I'll get it. Before I try to change the world I need to be changed.

I know this is random but, I said I would post pictures of my classroom so here they are.

Before:

After: