Pet vs. Plant

This lovely little deer is actually a small antelope called a dik-dik.  His name is Guape (Chichewa for small deer) or Ndiwo (also Chichewa for relish).  He makes a great little pet and likes to be right up under us when we are outside.  He romps and plays, even trying to butt our legs (a game that stings a bit now that he has horns).

 

Now we find it quite novel having an antelope for a pet, but we are suddenly faced with a dilemma.  It seems that Guape loves to eat plants and flowers.  That is a problem now that it is spring/summer, and all of my plants should/would be blooming if not for the appetite of one little deer, especially my rose garden. Fun pet or not, if we don't find a solution soon, I fear that Guape will become ndiwo and only a photo and a memory!

A Work in Progress

I thought you might like to see what a difference three weeks has made in the church construction site at Sani, Malawi, a village in the Nkhotakota District.  This has been a TEAM effort that began when the Malawi A/G leadership invited a ministry team from Sachse, Texas, to come and minister alongside them in a week-long crusade in the town of Nkhotakota.  Two weeks later a construction team from Madisonville, Tennessee, came and worked with our national brethren to begin construction on two new church buildings.  Three weeks later, the first of those churches nears completion, and the second should be completed within the month.  TOGETHER God is building His church in Malawi. 

 

               

So you think you're having a bad day.....

The city has gutters along most of the roads in town to help with drainage during rainy season.  We have seen more than one person get too close to the edge and slip into the culvert.  This has to be the worst case of that we have seen to date.

  

We saw this truck on the way out of town yesterday morning.  It was still there yesterday evening when we returned.  Maybe you're not having such a bad day after all! 

Scenes from Lake Malawi

Malawi is home to Lake Malawi (also known as Lake Nyasa).  It is the third largest lake in Africa and the ninth largest in the world.  It is oftentimes called the "calendar lake" because it is 365 miles long and 52 miles wide.  It has more fish species than any other lake on Earth.

When we have ministered in the Nkhotakota District, we have been fortunate to stay in lodging on the beachfront.  What beautiful examples of God's handiwork we have seen from daylight to dusk.

  

     

  

 

 

  

   

  

Gifts Galore

This weekend we were blessed by the generosity of our Malawian friends.  After preaching the Matumbi crusade, the ladies group presented us with pieces of fabric.  Gaylord draped his over his shoulder, and I tied mine around my waist as a chatinji (tied skirt). 

Already Gaylord is envisioning his as a nice shirt once it makes a trip to the tailor's shop. 

I may have mine made into a top or keep as a wrap.

When we stopped at another of our churches on the way home, a gentleman with whom we had become acquainted previously, told me that his family had a gift for us.  You can imagine my surprise when he brought me a wrapped box with triangular holes cut out of the sides.  It seems that they were blessing us with a pair of hares (rabbits) - one male, one female.  We graciously accepted and were grateful to have a dog crate to put them in upon our arrival home.

          

           

       Bosco, Catherine and children -aren't they precious?

Check back in a month or so - we may be having rabbit stew with rabbits to spare!  God is blessing us through his family in Africa, and we are very humbled and grateful.

It DID get better

In an earlier post, I was bemoaning the fact that I was stuck in a room sick while Gaylord was enjoying an evangelistic outreach crusade in the fishing village of Matumbi.  Well, PTL I did get better and so did my weekend.

    It is hard to describe the wonderful time that we had with Pastor Mayamiko Biza and her husband, Taza.  They pastor a village church and were gracious enough to invite us to minister in their community.  We showed the "Jesus Film" in Chichewa over a 2-night period, taught sessions during the day, and preached at night and on Sunday morning.  Since I was sick, poor Gaylord had to bear the load of all the services.  Somehow, I don't think that he minded too much.

 

WOW!  If you have never sat in the dark of night as the only while couple surrounded by well over 1000 Africans sitting and standing to watch a film and listen to preaching, you won't fully appreciate this experience.

         

                    

A time or two the generator failed, and the lights went totally out.  There we sat in the darkness of night with only the stars shining overhead.  For a moment, I wished that the lights would stay off a little longer. 

I felt just like a missionary in one of the slide shows I saw as a child when African missionaries would come to our church and share their heart through their stories.  Some 40+ years later, the scene is still the same:  wood fires, buckets of water, houses of mud blocks, people in need of the gospel, pastors and missionaries yearning to share.

We were able to minister to the chief of the village and to see him convert from Islam to Christianity.  He invited us to his home and asked that we take a photograph with him and his family.

 

What a privilege God had afforded us to be here at this place and time doing His work...thanks to all who continue to partner with us to make it possible.

Another hard day at the office...

Now those of you who know my husband, know that this is posted in fun, but I couldn't resist!  Gaylord's snoring was interfering with MY work....I LOVE THIS GUY!

          

Interesting Sights....

Well, this weekend we are showing the "Jesus Film" and preaching a mini-crusade in the city of Dwangwa at a church in the rural fishing village called Matumbi.  Since we arrived in town, these are the sights I have seen so far.     

To the left of me are the windows to our one-room lodging; above me is the mosquito net; and directly in front of me are my feet, as you can see.  These may seem like odd sights to you and not quite what you expected.  I feel the same.  Unfortunately, I am experiencing a stomach virus, I do believe.
Gaylord had to make my apologies to the pastor and go to the church without me.  That was 7 1/2 hours ago, and he is still not back.  I have been too sick to mind, except for the excursion I had to make to get some bottled water.  I have never been the only white woman at a bar in Africa before!
Thanks to liquids, imodium, aspirin and some sleep, I am feeling better.  Hopefully, tomorrow's pictures will be of the fishing village of Matumbi and great crusade scenes.

Canaan Watson Kamwana

Last year when our daughter Shelby visited us in Namibia, she was given the honor of naming a baby boy of one of our Bible school students.  She was instructed to select a name and give the significance of that name.  She chose "Canaan" with the explanation that it denoted the name of the land that God promised His children.  Though they struggled and had difficulties, "Canaan" represented their assured provision and promise from God.

Last week I was given the same honor when the newest  member in our neighborhood arrived.  His dad, Watson, works for us.  When this little guy entered the world weighing 5 kg (11 pounds), his parents told me that I could give him his name.  I thought long and hard but felt that the name "Canaan" would, again, be a good choice.  So I present to you Canaan Watson Kamwana.  May he, indeed, live a life filled with provision and promise from God.

Canaan Watson Kamwana

Watson, Ruth, and Canaan
  
Me and My New Little Friend

     

Would You Eat This?

I know that we all have different preferences in food choices.  Gaylord likes salty foods; whereas, I like sweets.  As missionaries who travel the globe, we have the privilege of tasting items that we would NEVER have opportunity to sample otherwise.  Thought you might like to consider what food choices you would make when given the chance.

  

The round orange object is actually a fruit with a very hard shell.  It goes by different names in various parts of Africa, but it is very tasty.  Though it looks like a brain, it tastes like banana, peach, and orange combined.  The plate of snacks is mopane worms, and the gentlemen are holding boiled mice-on-a-stick.  The mopane worms don't taste bad, but I didn't like the gritty sand texture.  What can I say about mouse meat?  It tastes like dark-meated chicken.  Yes, I have tasted all three, though Gaylord cannot say the same.  He is much more a meat-and-potatoes man!

Proof Positive

  

I just want it duly noted that the women on our field KNOW how to work.  Now we joked about picking up some bricks for a photo op - but that only lasted for a few snaps.  All of the women on the Cornerstone team from Tennessee were very involved in the initial construction of two new church plants  in the Nkhotakota district.  And yes, in the villages of Africa, women work in skirts/dresses.