March 3, 2003

Embangweni #2

Dear Friends and Family:

The last week has been a full one.

On Tuesday we made the two-hour trip by hospital ambulance to Mzuzu where we were able to email Embangweni #1 to you. While in Mzuzu, we had an introductory meeting with the deputy general secretary of the Synod of Livingstonia, the Reverend Ted Mwambila. Rev. Mwambila is a dynamic and gregarious man who is ready with a story of some kind for every occasion. He particularly seems to relish stories about the early days of the church here, including the exploits of such as David Livingstone, Donald Fraser, and Robert Laws.

However, they were reluctant to accept Bill's Davidson diploma, saying it was a poor copy and difficult to read. We looked at it and saw that it was, indeed, rather faint and fuzzy in some places. However, we also noticed that it was not in English, but in Latin. Not only did we have no way to provide them with a clearer copy, but they couldn't have made out what it said in any case! So, what to do? Well, Rev. Mwambila's secretary, Mary, came up with the solution. She took us over to a magistrate's office and got them to put some sort of official stamp on the diploma, certifying it as a true copy. We wondered if the magistrate could read Latin or just had a better pair of glasses! Whichever the case, the immigration officials finally accepted it with the magistrate's stamp and all was put in order. Actually, there is some rationale to their procedures because they are trying to ensure that we have sufficiently unique qualifications as not to simply be displacing a Malawian worker from something that they could do themselves. Now that Bill is able to work legally, it would appear there will be an expectation that the printer will immediately begin working!

We also took advantage of the opportunity to do some shopping in Mzuzu, getting fans, food staples, garden tools, etc. We spent one night there with Jim and Jodi McGill and their children Michael, Jason, Salome and Salina.

The second night we spent in the home of Hayden and Margot Boyd on the campus of Mzuzu University, where Hayden is filling the post of research director.

On Thursday we returned to Embangweni in a pickup truck with several young people who are here working on the shallow wells program. The drive between Mzuzu and Embangweni goes through some very picturesque scenery, with numerous startling rock formations that are said to make excellent climbing. The road traverses highlands with evergreen forests that are reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest. Thursday evening, we were invited to dinner in the home of Mr. Simazuwo, where we dined along with Mrs. Godwin Jere, Mr. Fletcher Chirwa, Mr. and Mrs. Owings Gausi (currently acting headmaster of the primary school while Mr. Jere is studying at Newcastle University) and the new science teacher, Mr. Gumbo. We were sumptuously served with rice, chicken, potatoes, greens, nsima, salad, stew, soft drinks and several other side dishes and sauces. Desert was composed of homemade doughnuts and hot chocolate. On Friday night, we again ate out—this time at Mrs. Jere's house, with Blandina Tausi. Blandina is director of the community AIDS project, TIKOLERENIKO, and, as we learned, she is also Mr. Jere's aunt!

Again we had a feast of good Malawian dishes and an opportunity to discuss Mr. Jere who is in England in school. (Mr. Jere, are you reading this?)

Saturday was the big event of the week. Starting at 9:00 a.m., we attended the wedding of Victoria Banda and Save Kaunda. Victoria was one of the acting co-headmasters at the primary school during Mr. Jere's absence, prior to her recent transfer to the local community school. Save is the chief accountant at the Embangweni Hospital (now renamed Loudon Hospital). In Malawian weddings, the processional of bridesmaids and groomsmen down the aisle is actually done as a dance, accompanied by loud cheers and ululations from the congregation. The groom then goes halfway up the aisle to meet the bride as she comes down and returns down the aisle with her. The ceremony itself includes many of the elements we are familiar with, including the vows, the exchange of rings (but done with much more elaborate ritual than we do), a formal blessing while kneeling on pillows before the minister, and a sermon. The ceremony ended about 11:00 a.m. and was adjourned for the reception beginning at 12:00 noon in the new chapel at the Deaf School. In addition to a full meal of the same basic staples described above, there is much dancing and speechmaking. In particular, various groups (eg: all hospital personal, all teachers, all friends of the bride, all friends of the groom, etc.) are invited to come forward in turn, dancing around a center table and depositing their gifts and/or cash for the honored couple. Since everyone belongs to more than one of these "groups," everyone ends up coming forward multiple times. It is a joyous and celebratory scene to see dozens of people dancing around and throwing out 5- and 10-Kwacha notes with exaggerated abandon at the table and at the couple! The exchange rate is about 90 Kwacha to the dollar, so you get the picture. The whole thing ended about 3:30 p.m.

We have found our Malawian hosts here at Embangweni to be so helpful and so accepting of us and our Western idiosyncracies. They seem to go out of their way to make us feel at home, and they have included us in all of the activities of the station. Mr. Soko smiles and tries one more time to get our water running even though I suspect that he has a hand-pump in his yard for water and an outhouse. Mr. AK smiles and nods at some of our strange American ideas about how a kitchen should be run. Loudon Station just celebrated its 100th anniversary and so the people here have been dealing with missionaries for a long time. They are genuinely appreciative of our presence—many have learned of the extreme differences in the style of living and level of luxuries in the States and have commented about why we would want to leave that. Just today we had a discussion with Mr. Simazuwo about the fact that Americans do not seem to be any happier than Malawians and that owning "things" does not make one happy. God has blessed the people of this country with a capacity to bounce back from disaster, disease, and poverty and maintain a positive outlook on life in general. Almost everyone here that we have met is Christian although not all Presbyterian. They begin meals, work, travel, and even visits with prayer. The physicians begin surgery with prayer. We are wondering here just who is ministering to whom!

Beth will have her first full day in the clinic on Tuesday. Because Monday is a holiday, there will be a heavy load of patients. She is anxious to see how they handle their HIV patients and to observe the testing and counseling. She will not be doing clinics solo until she has gone though the process of licensure with the Malawian Board of Nursing. This may turn out to be a similar trial to the work permit ordeal. It will also involve an orientation at Ekwendeni Hospital that could mean a month's stay in Mzuzu.

Our love and appreciation to all who are following this adventure!

Bill and Beth