Then they put in several more
and he was alarmed to see there was a discrepancy between their
calculations and the computer's, until he and they both realized
that the hand calculations had an error which the computer had
corrected. After that their confidence in the computer really
soared! They are now quite excited about getting to use a computer
and Beth has been teaching them every afternoon. The data sheet
is simple and they seem quite able to use it. It will save hours
for them when the end of the dry season arrives and we begin to
see the signs of starvation again.
Life here in Malawi revolves around the seasons just as it does
in the United States, but the seasons here are the growing season
and the dry season. Right now is a time of plenty. The maize has
just been harvested and everyone's corn crib is full. In a few
months, that will be gone and the new crop will not be ready for
a long time. With the help of the grain bank here at Embangweni,
we are hopeful that there will be maize through the rainy season
until next harvest. But in the more remote areas where the mobile
clinics travel and beyond them, there is no extra and no money
to purchase maize. To compound matters, the Malawi Kwacha was
just devalued again. I have heard quotes from 104 to 109 to the
dollar. And so, now, the cost of fertilizer is shooting up. Nothing
will grow here without fertilizer. I fear for those that I see
when I travel out to the remote villages who do not have even
the 15 Kwachas for their prenatal care. They certainly cannot
afford 2000 Kwachas for a bag of fertilizer. I hope that the world
is watching and can step in this year earlier to help, if indeed
famine returns. We are all watching the signs and will certainly
let everyone know if we see another disaster looming.
Our housekeeper/cook, Andrew Karonga, has had a difficult week.
We went to his village today to see his storage shed that burned
down with all of his maize inside. It seems that little Justin
(age 4) found some matches and was playing with them when he lit
some weeds on fire next to the shed, which had a grass roof. The
whole thing caught on fire with the baby and 7-year-old inside.
Justin was frightened and ran inside as well. Someone working
in a nearby field saw it before the family did and ran in to save
the children. They were frightened but fine. Andrew lost his year's
maize harvest, his shed, and his children's clothing, and his
brother Peter lost all of his bedding, which was hanging on the
line outside. They managed to save the other nearby homes with
grass roofs despite high winds that evening. We have gotten some
maize for them. The hospital matron went through the clothing
that had just arrived from Scotland for our young patients and
found some for the six Karonga children. When we went to the village
to deliver the maize, Mr. K. Sr. (Andrew's father) sat down with
us to thank us and gave us a chicken. Andrew watched me intently
as he knew that I gave away the last live chicken that was given
to us because I couldn't kill it.
Fortunately we had enough sense to accept the chicken and left
it there until we needed it as we have no place to keep a chicken!
It was their last chicken and we were really torn about accepting
it. Mr. K. would have been insulted for sure if we had not graciously
accepted it.
We are looking forward to returning to the United States for
six weeks very soon now. Our daughter, Karen, will be married
in New Hampshire on October 4, and we will be returning on September
15. Our last email day will be September 10. We will be traveling
with Rev. Mwale as far as London. He’ll go on to Glasgow
to school and we will travel on to Dulles Airport to be met by
our daughter and son-in-law.
We look forward to seeing many of you and only wish that we could
get around to see everyone! But the time is short.
Bill and Beth
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