Sorry it has been a few days… I have no good excuse. Let’s start with an update on ‘the kids’ – baby Anatashia is holding her own, but barely. Minimal weight gain and her oxygen level drops pretty quickly if she is off of oxygen. Jonas (burn boy) is home in the village and reportedly doing well. One of the ABC clinic nurses will try to check on him next week. Taona with the leg infection – she did get surgery at the central hospital, KCH, and the surgeon there reportedly did not think the bone was broken, but that the patellar tendon was ruptured and the infection had set in. She is still at KCH, but should be back at ABC for continued antibiotics and wound care in 1-2 days. I saw the child with the burn at Michelle Clark’s village today – her wound looks so much better! She is well on her way to recovery!
Today (Wed) was very eventful. We went to Michelle Clark’s home where Joseph worked on getting her solar / electric water heater fixed and improving water pressure. Hopefully it is fixed and she will get real, hot showers (or at least baths!). While he was busy working, Michelle and I walked down to ‘her’ village. One of the ladies there, Dorothy, shows lots of incentive and is building some mud brick houses in ‘her’ compound. She has been attending Michelle’s permaculture classes and has a nice garden by her house. She is also a ‘traditional healer’, which can mean ‘witch craft’ but also can mean using herbal treatments. I spent some time with her, picking her brain on what plants (and parts) she uses for what ailments, etc. Pretty interesting. I also met some of the other ladies from the village and saw the pig project that COTN is helping them with. Michelle has a brilliant idea to use the plastic bags that are ubiquitous here – mainly as trash blowing down the roads – crocheted into purses and rugs! It would help solve both income for the ladies and some of the litter issue. Mom brought the little one with the burned foot by while I was there for a dressing change. The foot looks so much better! The baby cried while we worked, but more of a worried cry than a painful cry. Thanks for those who prayed!
We also got our car back! Yeah, after almost a week and all kinds of new and different things found wrong. Cost slightly more than 78,000 kwacha (over $400). Bad news – we did not even get home before the brake light came on. AARRGGGHHH!!! However, on the way home, Joseph spotted a petrol truck at one of the BP stations. We pulled into line. Things were looking good as we inched forward, until the station representative (we were not really sure who she was) decided that ‘our’ queue was not really a queue – ha, Joseph got out and joined the other irate Malawians, as by then we had been there well over an hour. They finally decided to let the ‘real’ line go 5 cars to each one car in our line. After fueling it took another 20 minutes just to get out of the parking lot. I think we spent almost 3 hours on getting fuel. I promise I will NOT complain about the line at WalMart gas again!! Oh, and the cost for a fill up in our little RAv 4 - $72. Ouch, but we were glad to get it!
We also got by the World Camp office and spent some time with one of the ‘sponsors’ in country right now. We would like to do some village clinics with their group, but she will have to get it approved by the home office. I guess we will see!
Gaylord Brown stopped by this morning, asking Joseph if he would like to help erect a tabernacle next week. Looks like he will be doing that and I am trying to wiggle in a little village clinic where the church is being built. As Michelle Clark says, you learn you will need all your skills in Malawi - Joseph (so far this trip) has been car mechanic, medical personnel, plumber and looks like 'construction' is coming soon.
Michael Perry, a scribe from Fort Worth, arrives tomorrow. We now have the fuel to make it to the airport (yeah). If you see his name appearing in this blog, now you will know who he is!
Prayers: continued fuel for us and others. Recovery for Anatashia and Taona. Prayers for Michael's safe travels and that he has a blessed time in Malawi. Prayers for Michelle's projects and ministry. She is an amazing 'woman alone' out there, doing good work under difficult circumstances!
Praises: fuel and the car! Jonas's recovery. The little ones (I didn't get her name) continued good progress with the burn. And praises for every day we are here - this is such a lovely country with such beautiful people, we feel blessed to be here!
Pictures: Michelle Clark in Dorothy's compound. The burn child (note the big tears still on the cheeks) and Mom. Joseph and Michelle on Michelle's roof, working on the water heater. Michelle and Cecily, 'her' grandbaby!
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