The End (for now)
I (Frank) just returned from bringing the team back to the airport in Lilongwe. It is quiet and a bit empty in the house but at the same time wonderfully restful. On Thursday we had our final test which we all passed with flying colors. After the test we cleaned the house and waxed the floors. On Friday we first had debriefing in the morning with Victor and Lori. We sat under a nice grass roof on the premises of the Anglican diocese which is their neighbor. They prepared well: a sheet with good questions that we went through and coffee, tea and a basket of mango-muffins. It was a really good time. After that we went to Bonnie's birthday celebration with a lovely pick nick out at the black rocks. It was beautiful to be out in nature, good to meet people and fun to see the kids playing in the water of the stream. We missed Sandra and Judah because our little one was down with fever and a severe cough that had us a bit worried.
For the night we had planned to go out and have dinner to celebrate our graduation but Judah had to stay home so we moved the party to our house. I picked up the food from the restaurant and also two of our guest: Elidio and Sylver who have been translating for us so wonderfully. At home also Victor and Lori were presented with their kids. That night Sandra and I officially graduated from our IPHC and even Judah was presented with a beautiful (mock) certificate that Jill had drawn up. He has been present at all lectures (though he has been known to sleep a lot in class) but his work as a model was an example for us all.
Saturday was a day of rest and last shoppings and packing. And then on Sunday morning 6.00 we stepped into the car to go towards Malawi. Sandra and Judah stayed home because of Judah still being sick (he is clearing up now). We had a long journey ahead of us with a detour to Itepela. Our colleagues had called us to the rescue: they were out of medicines for days and couldn't do their work. The government is still so super-centralized and over controlled together with corruption and bureaucracy that is not easy for supplies to arrive. So the medicines were in Massangulo and it would only be a detour of 2x 20 kilometers so we decided to go for it. We found Geraldo waiting for us at 8.00 in Massangulo and could continue quickly. In Itepela we said goodbye to Geraldo, Luisa, Irene, Ariel and Elias (who was visiting his girlfriend). That day everything went really smooth. The road, the people, the road blocks, the car, the weather, the border crossings. We went swiftly through everything and arrived around 16.00 in Lilongwe. Deliah prepared a wonderful meal for us that night. On Monday we all went into town to do shopping and get souvenirs. We enjoyed a least meal out together (first pizza in three months!) and had a good time. Then on Tuesday morning it was time for me (Frank) to say goodbye. I jumped in the car at 8.00 after a good breakfast of egg-bread. It was weird saying goodbye to people you have shared so much with for so long. Especially for Judah it will be strange; it turns out he only he has two parents instead off a whole bunch.
We look back on a great time and have learned a lot and have seen God moving amongst the people we were serving. We want to thank you for following us and praying for us while we were on this outreach. Some of you will meet up with the other back in England and will hear more of our exciting stories of our time in Africa.
Love from Frank, Sandra and Judah on behalf of the whole outreach team:
Lyn, Karen, Tinashe, Jill, Rachel L, Rachel S, Frank, Sandra and Judah!!!
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
final test
End then we came to the end of our outreach! Yesterday was the last time we went out and do health teaching in the villages. Today we have our final test and (if we pass that is) tomorrow we will have our graduation celebration. We have invited some of our local friends to join us at the restaurant for a good meal of chicken and chips. On saturday we will relax and do final shopping and then sunday morning we are heading for Malawi.
So what have we been up to lately? On sunday we went with one our Ywam collegues to Utemile. That is a nearby village where he has started a work and planted a small church amongst the muslim yao people. I (Frank) was asked to preach and together we had a wonderful time. We worshipped, we sang, we prayed and we preached and the Lord was with us that morning (isn't He always?). On monday we organised 'monday-school' (as in sunday school but then on monday)for our neighbourkids. We played a game, sang a song, read a story about Jesus calming the waves (all with yao translation from Elidio) and then we had a small party with drinks, popcorns and a lolly pop.
Tuesday we went first to Mitawa for the last time. We visited our grannies, we said goodbye to the nurse in the health post and left him with a sphygmomanometer (blood pressure thing)and a stethoscoop (he had to share one with the maternity ward). In the afternoon we went shopping (some stayed home because Karen, Jill and Rachel all have a acquired a cold and are sneezing and blowing their noses). Yesterday morning we went do a teaching at our local health post. We taught on malaria and fever and it was a good session. In the afternoon we went to Ntoto at the house of Elidio. He had gotten some good feedback on our last time when we teachend and treated for worms. So a big crowd came this time (over 80 adults and kids) to listen to our teaching on malaria and fever.
It was a really good time. When we took out the baby doll the whole audience got really excited. They never have seen a doll that is so life like so they all wanted to touch it. It was hilarous and with a lot of giggling. Karen and I also attended two elderly ladies with astmathic problems. We listened to them and gave some advice and we were allowed to pray with them. At night we played another game of Carcassone and Rachel won her first game of the outreach (she lost on phase 10 and settlers).
Please keep praying for us: for health (Judah is sick at the moment, Frank and Sandra both have infected toes and the rest suffers from a cold), for a safe journey and for new energy for the next thing that God has in store for us.
Love you all
Frank, Sandra, Judah, Karen, Rachel and Jill
So what have we been up to lately? On sunday we went with one our Ywam collegues to Utemile. That is a nearby village where he has started a work and planted a small church amongst the muslim yao people. I (Frank) was asked to preach and together we had a wonderful time. We worshipped, we sang, we prayed and we preached and the Lord was with us that morning (isn't He always?). On monday we organised 'monday-school' (as in sunday school but then on monday)for our neighbourkids. We played a game, sang a song, read a story about Jesus calming the waves (all with yao translation from Elidio) and then we had a small party with drinks, popcorns and a lolly pop.
Tuesday we went first to Mitawa for the last time. We visited our grannies, we said goodbye to the nurse in the health post and left him with a sphygmomanometer (blood pressure thing)and a stethoscoop (he had to share one with the maternity ward). In the afternoon we went shopping (some stayed home because Karen, Jill and Rachel all have a acquired a cold and are sneezing and blowing their noses). Yesterday morning we went do a teaching at our local health post. We taught on malaria and fever and it was a good session. In the afternoon we went to Ntoto at the house of Elidio. He had gotten some good feedback on our last time when we teachend and treated for worms. So a big crowd came this time (over 80 adults and kids) to listen to our teaching on malaria and fever.
It was a really good time. When we took out the baby doll the whole audience got really excited. They never have seen a doll that is so life like so they all wanted to touch it. It was hilarous and with a lot of giggling. Karen and I also attended two elderly ladies with astmathic problems. We listened to them and gave some advice and we were allowed to pray with them. At night we played another game of Carcassone and Rachel won her first game of the outreach (she lost on phase 10 and settlers).
Please keep praying for us: for health (Judah is sick at the moment, Frank and Sandra both have infected toes and the rest suffers from a cold), for a safe journey and for new energy for the next thing that God has in store for us.
Love you all
Frank, Sandra, Judah, Karen, Rachel and Jill
Thursday, February 17, 2011
and yet: more worms!
Apparantly Africa is full of worms. Today we de-wormed the Ywam primary school kids: 86 kids and 4 adults. We went class by class with our teaching, drama and songs and in the end helped all the kids taking their medicines. It was a busy but really succesful day. After that we went into the kitchen to prepare a really African meal: pumpkin leaves with maize porridge. It was a good meal. Tonight we hope to relax a bit and go to bed early.
Yesterday we went to the health post here in our own neighbourhoud Lulimile. We made good contacts and watched a bit how they worked. In the afternoon we went shopping and prepared a meal for 12 persons because we went out to the Iris Ministries Base to have a time of worship and fellowship and it was our turn to provide the food. We made pasta and salad (we even managed to get some feta cheese for the salad! Trust me, that is a big thing!). We had a wonderful evening of being in Gods presence and being encouraged by prophetic words. We did come home late (past 22.00 which is extremely late in Africa).
Tomorrow we go to Mitawa again to do some teaching. Apparantly they mobilized halve the village to come and watch so we will see what for exciting things are going to happen. C U!
PS: Judah has got a tooth!
Yesterday we went to the health post here in our own neighbourhoud Lulimile. We made good contacts and watched a bit how they worked. In the afternoon we went shopping and prepared a meal for 12 persons because we went out to the Iris Ministries Base to have a time of worship and fellowship and it was our turn to provide the food. We made pasta and salad (we even managed to get some feta cheese for the salad! Trust me, that is a big thing!). We had a wonderful evening of being in Gods presence and being encouraged by prophetic words. We did come home late (past 22.00 which is extremely late in Africa).
Tomorrow we go to Mitawa again to do some teaching. Apparantly they mobilized halve the village to come and watch so we will see what for exciting things are going to happen. C U!
PS: Judah has got a tooth!
Monday, February 14, 2011
worms, worms and more worms
Hi everybody,
Thank you all for your e-cards and emails for my birthday. I had a fantastic day. In the morning we did shoppings (and internet)and baked 'boterkoek' and 'oliebollen'. It was pouring rain so for a moment I was afraid that no one would come (the world stops here when it rains) but at 15.00 the rain stopped and the people came; 54 adults and children so that was a house full of friends. In the evening we ate steak with potato salad so we had a good-food day.
Today we are in guerra again but this time right behind the house of our collegues Victor and Lori. They asked us to come back after we succesfully treated three kids for worms. So today was another worm-day: teaching about prevention of worms and the treatment of it with a drama and a short lesson. And then we treated about 50 people for worms. There were also quite a few with fungal problems on their scalp (usually poor hygiene).
We had a wonderful time and the community was really glad that we came out to help. It is strange to see how few people go to the health posts on their own. They just believe it is witchcraft so the remedy should also be found in that. So they just wait and go the witchdoctor and leave the child suffering.
Right now we are going to the anglican diocese to hear more about their HIV/AIDS project and see if we can visit it (apparantly their work is quite far out of town). We will see. It is strange to plan the last two weeks and think of debriefing and going home.
I am sure everybody will be happy to see their family again so prepare: they are coming soon!!!
Thank you all for your e-cards and emails for my birthday. I had a fantastic day. In the morning we did shoppings (and internet)and baked 'boterkoek' and 'oliebollen'. It was pouring rain so for a moment I was afraid that no one would come (the world stops here when it rains) but at 15.00 the rain stopped and the people came; 54 adults and children so that was a house full of friends. In the evening we ate steak with potato salad so we had a good-food day.
Today we are in guerra again but this time right behind the house of our collegues Victor and Lori. They asked us to come back after we succesfully treated three kids for worms. So today was another worm-day: teaching about prevention of worms and the treatment of it with a drama and a short lesson. And then we treated about 50 people for worms. There were also quite a few with fungal problems on their scalp (usually poor hygiene).
We had a wonderful time and the community was really glad that we came out to help. It is strange to see how few people go to the health posts on their own. They just believe it is witchcraft so the remedy should also be found in that. So they just wait and go the witchdoctor and leave the child suffering.
Right now we are going to the anglican diocese to hear more about their HIV/AIDS project and see if we can visit it (apparantly their work is quite far out of town). We will see. It is strange to plan the last two weeks and think of debriefing and going home.
I am sure everybody will be happy to see their family again so prepare: they are coming soon!!!
Friday, February 11, 2011
and we are back online!
Hello lovely people,
We are back online after a wonderful week of outreach in Itepela.
We stacked the car once again with the whole team, a lot of luggage (Lyn and Rachel S were contuining to Malawi so the had all their luggage with them) and a lot of food (no stores in Itepela). After 15 minutes of driving I heard banging on the car in the back (that is the sign for me to sanitary stops etc.). But it was even much more funnier. We brought 50 eggs with us and the had fallen over because of the horrible roads and after a little while we heard Rachel L say "something is dripping on my foot". After cleaning up the mess we drove another 2 and a half hour and then we were there!
We stayed at the Ywam centre and in the house of Geraldo's family. Geraldo (mozambican) runs the microlab together with Ariel (american)and they work closely together with the local nurse and midwife. The next morning we went out the meet with the director of healt of the Ngauma district to introduce ourselves; we were very welcome and could work freely with her consent. In the mean time we were getting a bit worried because our great and fearless leader Lyn had fallen sick again. We suspected a rebound of the malaria. After another day of feeling weak and miserable see decided to a test. Funny that we are abolutely in the bush over there but one of the best malaria test centres is run by Geraldo so help was close at hand. It turned out to be malaria again and probably a resistant type because we guessed it was the same malaria that came back. But Malarone was the answer and in three days time Lyn was back on her feet again: praise the Lord.
In the mornings we would go out to the lab and the healthpost and maternity ward (all conveniently at the same spot) and some would help stabbing the mothers and kids with needles in the lab (Jill never made so many kids cry in her life!) and other joined the nurse with diagnosing and handing out medicine, and every now and then Sandra would lead part of the team to help with check ups for pregnant moms. On wednesday we weighed all the babies and filled in their healt cards wich was very interesting because you the problems that are there. The main problem is that the whole thing is about statistics and not about care for the child. So we would weigh small kids that had dropped a kilo in weight but nobody cared about it as long as the figures were written down correctly. Another big problem is the distribution of medication. On the first day we tested 71 people of which 42 had malaria (26 kids and 16 adults) but the medicine had run out. That is very frustrating because people die because of problems like this.
At a certain point we would all gether in front of the healtpost and do one our teachings (breastfeeding, malaria, fever, nutrition). The people we helped were really grateful and it was an encouragement to them. Ariel was so happy to speak english for a while that she wanted us to stay. Geraldo's family really made us feel at home so saying goodbye was little bit sad. We also visited the new founded Yao church with Pedro and Aldenice and looked at his carpentry school that he has started. It was wonderful to hear to new Yao songs that they have created now.
Today is another happy day: Frank's birthday! So I am going back home now to prepare for the visitor.
PS: I brought Rachel S and Lyn to the border and we heared later that night that they arrived safely in Malawi.
We are back online after a wonderful week of outreach in Itepela.
We stacked the car once again with the whole team, a lot of luggage (Lyn and Rachel S were contuining to Malawi so the had all their luggage with them) and a lot of food (no stores in Itepela). After 15 minutes of driving I heard banging on the car in the back (that is the sign for me to sanitary stops etc.). But it was even much more funnier. We brought 50 eggs with us and the had fallen over because of the horrible roads and after a little while we heard Rachel L say "something is dripping on my foot". After cleaning up the mess we drove another 2 and a half hour and then we were there!
We stayed at the Ywam centre and in the house of Geraldo's family. Geraldo (mozambican) runs the microlab together with Ariel (american)and they work closely together with the local nurse and midwife. The next morning we went out the meet with the director of healt of the Ngauma district to introduce ourselves; we were very welcome and could work freely with her consent. In the mean time we were getting a bit worried because our great and fearless leader Lyn had fallen sick again. We suspected a rebound of the malaria. After another day of feeling weak and miserable see decided to a test. Funny that we are abolutely in the bush over there but one of the best malaria test centres is run by Geraldo so help was close at hand. It turned out to be malaria again and probably a resistant type because we guessed it was the same malaria that came back. But Malarone was the answer and in three days time Lyn was back on her feet again: praise the Lord.
In the mornings we would go out to the lab and the healthpost and maternity ward (all conveniently at the same spot) and some would help stabbing the mothers and kids with needles in the lab (Jill never made so many kids cry in her life!) and other joined the nurse with diagnosing and handing out medicine, and every now and then Sandra would lead part of the team to help with check ups for pregnant moms. On wednesday we weighed all the babies and filled in their healt cards wich was very interesting because you the problems that are there. The main problem is that the whole thing is about statistics and not about care for the child. So we would weigh small kids that had dropped a kilo in weight but nobody cared about it as long as the figures were written down correctly. Another big problem is the distribution of medication. On the first day we tested 71 people of which 42 had malaria (26 kids and 16 adults) but the medicine had run out. That is very frustrating because people die because of problems like this.
At a certain point we would all gether in front of the healtpost and do one our teachings (breastfeeding, malaria, fever, nutrition). The people we helped were really grateful and it was an encouragement to them. Ariel was so happy to speak english for a while that she wanted us to stay. Geraldo's family really made us feel at home so saying goodbye was little bit sad. We also visited the new founded Yao church with Pedro and Aldenice and looked at his carpentry school that he has started. It was wonderful to hear to new Yao songs that they have created now.
Today is another happy day: Frank's birthday! So I am going back home now to prepare for the visitor.
PS: I brought Rachel S and Lyn to the border and we heared later that night that they arrived safely in Malawi.
Friday, February 04, 2011
out of reach (again)
Hello lovely people, once again we are going on a trip and will be out of the air until thursday night. We are going to meet up with a the team of Itepela which is 110k away from Lichiga and pretty much in the bush. So we are going to pack our car to the roof with people and supplies and join with the team that is doing the micro lab and visit the newborn church of Yao people; there are some 30 believers amidst thousands of Muslims.
But we also did a lot since our last update on the sunday.
On monday we went shopping and we spend ours and hours at immigration in order to get the visa extended (and we have been back another 4 times and it is stil not fixed, maybe this afternoon we will get lucky)and we did a lesson prep because it was raining and there was nothing else we could do.
Tuesday we went to visit Mitawa, be with the granny's, treat Adidia's wound (the epeleptic girl who fell into the fire)and the rest of the morning we joined the nurse in the healthpost. Karen and Frank stayed with the nurse and saw patients that needed diagnosis (a lot of malaria but the tests run out) and an array of other diseases and saw how the nurse prescribed medicines. Frank could translate and Karen was able to explain what the medicine were for. On the other side Lyn and Jill organised the pharmacy; handed out all the prescriptions and gave a few injections (in the bottom, always nice to do). In the afternoon we went to the Farm to do a health teaching on worms and we dewormed a small twenty people. Lyn is going to have dinner tonight so I am sure she will hear some 'interesting results'.
On wednesday we went to the hospital to visit the maternity ward. Lots of women that had cesarean and who were in pain, some had lost their baby in the operation. We handed out baby-hats to the new mothers, tried to comfort everybody with prayer and a kind word and temperatured all the new babies. Some were really to cold so we helped them 'kangaroo' their baby with their babies with their own bodyheat. The hospital is also a place where you hear lots of difficult stories: a ten year old girl was raped. Another 14 year old give birht to hear first baby. We gave them a lift home (she would have to walk otherwise), remembered her house and told her we would visit again. In the afternoon we repeated our handwashing song with our neighbour kids and did a small sunday school lesson with them.
Yesterday morning we visited the baby again that we had brought home. Sandra checked the baby and gave some clothes. The were very encouraged by our visit. After that we went to a restaurant and did some team-processing. It was good to hear how everybody was doing. One conclusion was that we are really breakin ground here. There is a thick cover of islam and animism and that has its consequences for our spiritual lives. Please pray for persevearence and an uplifted spirit. In the afternoon we went to the house of our translator to do a health teaching on worms. It went really well and we de-wormed 63 kids and adults. We also treated and infected ear and somebody with high blood pressure. We give some advise to some mothers and had a full IPHC day.
And now we go back home to Sandra and Judah,
hugs and love from Lichinga
But we also did a lot since our last update on the sunday.
On monday we went shopping and we spend ours and hours at immigration in order to get the visa extended (and we have been back another 4 times and it is stil not fixed, maybe this afternoon we will get lucky)and we did a lesson prep because it was raining and there was nothing else we could do.
Tuesday we went to visit Mitawa, be with the granny's, treat Adidia's wound (the epeleptic girl who fell into the fire)and the rest of the morning we joined the nurse in the healthpost. Karen and Frank stayed with the nurse and saw patients that needed diagnosis (a lot of malaria but the tests run out) and an array of other diseases and saw how the nurse prescribed medicines. Frank could translate and Karen was able to explain what the medicine were for. On the other side Lyn and Jill organised the pharmacy; handed out all the prescriptions and gave a few injections (in the bottom, always nice to do). In the afternoon we went to the Farm to do a health teaching on worms and we dewormed a small twenty people. Lyn is going to have dinner tonight so I am sure she will hear some 'interesting results'.
On wednesday we went to the hospital to visit the maternity ward. Lots of women that had cesarean and who were in pain, some had lost their baby in the operation. We handed out baby-hats to the new mothers, tried to comfort everybody with prayer and a kind word and temperatured all the new babies. Some were really to cold so we helped them 'kangaroo' their baby with their babies with their own bodyheat. The hospital is also a place where you hear lots of difficult stories: a ten year old girl was raped. Another 14 year old give birht to hear first baby. We gave them a lift home (she would have to walk otherwise), remembered her house and told her we would visit again. In the afternoon we repeated our handwashing song with our neighbour kids and did a small sunday school lesson with them.
Yesterday morning we visited the baby again that we had brought home. Sandra checked the baby and gave some clothes. The were very encouraged by our visit. After that we went to a restaurant and did some team-processing. It was good to hear how everybody was doing. One conclusion was that we are really breakin ground here. There is a thick cover of islam and animism and that has its consequences for our spiritual lives. Please pray for persevearence and an uplifted spirit. In the afternoon we went to the house of our translator to do a health teaching on worms. It went really well and we de-wormed 63 kids and adults. We also treated and infected ear and somebody with high blood pressure. We give some advise to some mothers and had a full IPHC day.
And now we go back home to Sandra and Judah,
hugs and love from Lichinga
Sunday, January 30, 2011
sunday update
We celebrated Rachel S's birthday with a simple but nice dinner on the terrace of a restaurant (we had the rats walking the beams above our heads, but hey: it's Africa). It was great. Another thing that is great is that Frank's perforated eardrum is healing really well. This week we kept low in order for everybody to restore. Rachel L and Karen are almost there but not quite yet so your prayers are welcome!
Yesterday was a day off so most of the group went into town to do email and eat pizza and ice cream (spoiled missionaries). Frank and Sandra were the whole day with the local Ywam team for they had their start-up weekend. Today we went to the baptist church to encourage the local Christians. It was good they didn't knew we were coming because now they had arranged a speaker and all of us could just sit.
We are going to do some planning now on the program in order to speed up the ministry-side of outreach a bit. We haven't seen quite the number of sick (except for those within the team) and wounded that we want so we will device a plan. From the 5th to the 10th we will go to Itepela where Ywam has a micro lab. We are looking forward to spend time with that team and hope we can put all our knowledge into practice.
Love you all
The Team
Yesterday was a day off so most of the group went into town to do email and eat pizza and ice cream (spoiled missionaries). Frank and Sandra were the whole day with the local Ywam team for they had their start-up weekend. Today we went to the baptist church to encourage the local Christians. It was good they didn't knew we were coming because now they had arranged a speaker and all of us could just sit.
We are going to do some planning now on the program in order to speed up the ministry-side of outreach a bit. We haven't seen quite the number of sick (except for those within the team) and wounded that we want so we will device a plan. From the 5th to the 10th we will go to Itepela where Ywam has a micro lab. We are looking forward to spend time with that team and hope we can put all our knowledge into practice.
Love you all
The Team
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)