Plumbing and Dedza

Thursday Joseph took care of some needed things at the house (groceries, money, etc) while Sue and Katie worked with the physical therapy group at the ABC clinic and I worked in the clinic itself. In the afternoon, James the curio guy, came to the house - it was fun to see Katie and Sue shopping for curios on our driveway!

Friday, Joseph, Katie and Sue went to Michelle Clark's while I worked in the clinic (morning). Michelle teaches some of the village ladies how to read and write their language (Chichewa) and English. Sue helped with that as she teaches some reading techniques. Joseph was busy working on Michelle's bathroom plumbing - long story but it entails lots of hammering, chiseling, replacing pipes, gluing, and dirt, lots of dirt. My day at the clinic was pretty much the same - our ward patients Anatashia, Chikumbutso and Taona are all improving. One of the chronic patients, a little guy named Aman, took a dramatic turn for the worse. He has some underlying congenital disorders that we all seem to lack the knowledge and / or tools to adequately diagnosis, and his situation is always poor; Friday it became more so.

In the afternoon, we ladies went to Michelle's village, leaving Joseph behind with the plumbing. Sue and Katie seemed to enjoy walking to and through the village. We had the little guy with the grease burn (much earlier posts) come by - he is almost completely healed! He still has some hypopigmentation on his foot, but the skin is healing back wonderfully. Thank you Michelle for your daily work with this kiddo - whose name, Pilirani means 'persevere' or 'patience'.

Saturday we drove down to Dedza, where one of the pottery factories is located. It is a nice drive and allowed Katie and Sue to see some of the countryside. We had lunch at the pottery place, again always nice! On the way out we stopped at some small roadside shops. We met Enoch, a carver who trained at Mua Mission - that means something to those that know Malawi - and he has trained some of his friends. His carvings reflected that training and were lovely and nicely priced. We next stopped at a paper recycling shop and found Henry N'gambi and his family. Henry does the paper recycling, makes cards and is starting to make paper mache artwork; his wife, Ester, makes dolls in the traditional Malawian dresses and his brother, Patrick, is an awesome painter. Henry graciously showed us his paper recycling set up (all by hand). He said 'paper built my house and my business'. His shop was pretty bare - he said a group had just come by and bought most of his stuff. Sue bought one of his brothers paintings - it is very striking... I am glad she bought it because I was so tempted myself! Meeting folks like Enoch and Henry - working hard, combining their natural talents with learned skills- is always a pleasure!

Once we arrived back in Lilongwe, we found fuel on the outskirts of town! Today, church and a barbecue at Michelle's house.

Thanksgiving / Praise: for our continued travel safety and finding fuel; for the chance to meet and interact with great folks like Henry and Enoch; for our 'wellness'; for the chance to be a small tool in the hands of God; for the continued improvement of some of our ward patients; for Pilirani's recovery from his burn.

Prayer: Aman, our little guy in the ward; for continued safe travels; for Michelle as she struggles with her water, her plumbing, and the financial needs of her ministry; for Sue and Katie that they will see more and more of the wonderful folks of this country; for Fredna (illness); for Joseph (ear ache).

Photos:

Katie, Sue and Joseph looking at James' curios on the driveway.

Village kids in 'Michelle's' village

Sue and Katie enjoying the village kids

Henry and Joseph working on the plumbing project.

Aman when he was 'well'.

Pilirani's almost healed burn.

Enoch outside his wood carving shop.

The N'gambi family - Ester, baby Grace and Henry, in the back of his paper recycling shop.

Joseph leaving Henry's shop - the sign reads 'Environmental Friendly'.