Tinakusowani ana a Chiwengo Kids!

(I miss the Chiwengo Kids) It has been so hard not being with them today. I am finally realizing that having them around me all the time seemed normal after a while but it wasn’t. I feel like I got closest to the kids at the end of the trip.

Speaking of which I want to talk about my last night in Chiwengo. We had a fun field day type of thing on Friday which was so much fun and then I went and hung out with some of the secondary school boys who love playing cards and learning how to play American Football. So I hung out with those kids till about dinner time and then we went to go see the sunset for the last time in Chiwengo. Then we had Potluck (that’s every Friday). It’s not the pot luck you are thinking of. We all bring beans and rice, enough for our group and each home would bring enough for their kids and then we have different kids sing songs and such and there is like a devotion at the end of the night. So they asked if anyone was prepared and it is always spur of the moment, so I said I would do it because no one else wanted to. So I shared a story of when I went to Lake Malawi and I met these two 13 year old boys they were asking me to take them to America. This is very normal for Malawi. I always hate it though because I love Malawi so much. I told him look at this beautiful lake you have here. You have to understand in Malawi they are looked at as so blessed for having that amazing lake to take baths in, to do laundry, to drink…even though it’s not very good for you. And I said you have a beautiful family, you aren’t starving, and you look so happy. He said “Oh Chimwemwe we might look happy on the outside but that does not mean we are happy on the inside”. I said okay so what do you know about America? He said oh I hear it is a beautiful land with lots of big building, many stores with things, many wealthy people, snacks (they consider that very American to have enough money to have snacks), and I have seen pictures they all look so happy. I said oh but Mark we might look happy on the outside but that does not mean we are all happy on the inside. He said “Oh Sister you used my words!” It was really funny. But it brought up such a good discussion about how we are all the same. We are all trying to find happiness in things and I told him I have tried and it doesn’t work. I asked him if he believed in Jesus and he said Oh I am covered in the blood. So I told him to pray because he mentioned to me that he wanted to be a lawyer and he just doesn’t have the money to do it. So we talked about the power of prayer and I really spoke into his life. He understood all I had to say. When I told the kids this they were so interested. They asked many questions about America and by the end I explained to them that we are all the same. Many kids at their schools will ask them how Americans are and I told them to say. They are just like you and me. They are actually my family. Because the only thing that brings true joy to our lives is what binds us all together and that is the love of Christ. Everyone including the parents really enjoyed it as did I. It was completely the Holy Spirit in me. It was a simple concept but tangible for them. So then afterwards they had a goodbye ceremony for us which was extremely emotional for me. The girls were like great Kara is already starting. I couldn’t handle it. I am going to miss hearing those beautiful voices sing to my God. So as we were having our goodnights one of the girls were like Kara you can’t have tea with Dad Alfred right now (this is something I do whenever I can because he is so amazing!) and I said why.

There was a surprise waiting for us at the house…and not the kind you are thinking of. It was good and bad, depends on how you look at it. Since the water is off all day we will leave the facets on so we know when the water comes on. And it came on for sure just while we were gone. So our entire house was full of 2 inches of water. Everyone’s clothes were soaked, some Bibles ruined, but we didn’t have to mop the next day. It took a good 3 hours to get the water out of the house. And that just made packing even later. So we finally were packed and my friend Shiloh and I said we wanted to sleep outside one night and realized this would be our last night to do it so we did it! We pulled our mattresses out to the courtyard so it was fenced in plus we have a really nice guard who is up all night. It was awesome!!! The stars are just amazing here. I wish I could get a picture of it but you can’t. I woke up with a few bites on my face but it was completely worth it. I got up at 5:30a to see the sunrise. I have this automatic alarm that goes off in my head at that time here, the girls think I am crazy. Then I went for my last run in Chiwengo. Uhhh what a beautiful place to run. You can go from village to village but you are right there. The mountain is there and just fields and fields of grain. It’s so pretty. So then we had to be ready to go. We were to leave at 9 but that is never the case. We didn’t end up leaving till 3 and it was the day Dad Chris and Mom Deb (The Founders of COTN) were to come to Chiwengo. They wanted to come after us so we could have a nice goodbye but they came while we were going. I liked it though because yes some kids were really sad but other were so excited to have Mom and Dad there. I left with so many letters from the kids I got close to and I handed out a lot to with my address so hopefully we will stay in touch. I gave each Auntie an article of clothing and some of the women I have gotten close to in the village as well. They loved it. I was also able to pray over Mom Charity (from House of Joy). She has been suffering from Diabetes and I was so sad to hear they haven’t had like someone lay hands on her and pray for her or the boy Myanko. So I made sure to do that before I left. I was crying through the whole prayer but I know it touched her and I know God is doing great things in her during this hard time. Since she doesn’t have the proper treatments, she will have to retire from COTN but she loves it so much. It’s just sad but I am going to keep in touch with her no matter where she goes.

I also got a letter back from the one boy Steven who went off to secondary school and called me. It was so good to get that. So then we left with kids grabbing my hand while we were about to pull away. This boy Alan just kept saying “Auntie please don’t go, please don’t go” I was a wreck by that point. I cried all the way back to Lilongwe (3 hours). And today has just been tough.

I have loved seeing the Malawian interns but I miss those faces. It is really hard being back at Njewa where we first started out in Lilongwe. We went to the African Bible College Church Service today. It was so Americanized. It was exactly what I didn’t want to go to before I went home. I know that it is good for us though so it will be an easier transition when I am back. We will go on the Safari tomorrow early morning. Apparently the ride is really bumpy and many people usually get sick while they are on it. One thing I have definitely realized on this trip is that really anything can happen in Africa. That is just how things go. So many times we end up waiting 2 hours for our ride because it will have broken down, or one of the girls on the team has an infection inside her so whenever she gets any kind of cut it gets infected…like yesterday she got one on her nose and by the time we got back to Lilongwe it was all big and was like oozing. It has been pretty interesting. So needless to say I need prayers for the extremely long trip we are taking to Zambia. Apparently it is really nice where we are staying so that will be nice. Running water all the time will be so nice. Well please keep me in your prayers even though this trip is coming to an end. Drew our director was saying his favorite part is debriefing time because you really see all that the Lord has done in everyone’s life and some don’t even realize it till that point or even later. So please pray that God opens my eyes to see the things I don’t that he has done in and through me. Alright well next time I write will probably be the last. Thank you for everything. I love you all so very much and miss you!