December 21, 2004
Embangweni #24
Dear Friends and Family,
Christmas greetings to you all. We are missing home, family,
and friends very much this season, but are looking forward to
the traditions here at Embangweni. We have no tree, but do have
decorations and are looking forward to a very special Christmas
dinner. And of course, as we described last year, there is the
very wonderful hospital Christmas pageant, which will be presented
in the hospital courtyard on Christmas Eve.
As we think back on the year 2004, we are grateful for all of
you and for the support that you have given us in the form of
prayers, letters, emails, packages, visits, and donations to our
support and to the hospital programs. The Integrated Preventive
Health Center has now received pledges for over half of the funds
needed to begin building. We, at times, have been overwhelmed
by your support.
It is now rainy season and as we write this, torrential rains
are falling outside. The world here in Malawi has changed from
a dusty brown to bright green. Maize fields are planted and the
seedlings are growing rapidly, although the fertilizer crisis
remains, and the new seedlings in many fields will not be productive.
We are still concerned about the possibility of extensive starvation
in a few months. Children’s ward is full and the nutritional
rehabilitation unit is very busy now. This will increase over
the next few months. We are hoping that the government will step
in and that the cost of fertilizer will be reduced. The grain
bank has started its annual season of selling grain at below-market
cost for those whose food stocks from last year’s harvest
have run out.
We recently travelled to the south of Malawi to visit the original
Presbyterian mission station at Cape Maclear founded by followers
of David Livingstone in the mid 1800s. We also spent three days
at Liwonde National Park, staying at Mvuu Camp there. We were
transported the 30 kilometers to the camp in a boat, as the roads
in rainy season were not safe for the van we were using. It was
an amazing trip up the Shire River, which is devoid of any signs
of human habitation. There were no other boats or even people
along the shores—only the eyes and ears of hippos barely
visible above the water, watching us as we passed. We came upon
a large bloated old hippo, who was apparently dying, with two
crocodiles behind him waiting for their chance. Indeed, it was
a beautiful trip and enjoyed by both of us and our young friend
from our home church, Tyler Brown, who has been with us for the
past seven weeks.
When we arrived at the camp, we were met at the lodge by our
waiter, Mathews, with a glass of delicious juice. We were sure
this was not the reception David Livingstone received when he
traveled up this same stretch of the Shire to Lake Malombe 150
years ago, but we suspect that the river looks very much the same
now as it did then. After Liwonde, we traveled on to the beautiful
town of Zomba where the University of Malawi’s Chancellor
College is located and then to the largest city of Blantyre. From
there we took a day trip to see the Mulanje Massif, which is the
largest mountain in this part of Africa. Bill is interested in
climbing it and looking for friends who are willing to visit us
and join him. |
