I’m approaching my last weekend here, I hope to write some final reflections and upload lots more pictures when I return. Thanks for reading and sorry this is short due to time crunch this last week

Picture: Me with the staff of Christ Cares Ministries

On this topic of giving/donating, I’ve had some really engaging conversations about this with Tinashe and other staff. We’ve discussed and debated about how to support the physical needs of the children in the programs and others in the community. I think we’d all prefer if it was as simple as seeing a kid with torn clothes and just buying and giving them new clothes. But, it’s been interesting to hear about how the dignity of the children needs to be preserved as well as the respect due in their homes for their parents as providers. These two points, along with other concerns about logistics, program and visitor precedents, and perception of the community, have really called me to evaluate how we can help the kids in Malawi and elsewhere around the world. I have been impressed to see the Rise staff being thoughtful in ways they handle these situations. Shortly after I arrived, they had a small award ceremony where the kids with the best grades from the previous term were acknowledged and received a few school supplies and a t-shirt. The standard 6 awardee, Jakob, has without fail worn that T-shirt every non-school uniform day I have seen him since. I just think it’s wonderful to know that he wears that shirt with pride that he studied hard and earned it, which is so much more fulfilling than to be thinking someone gave it to him in pity of his poverty. I think creating and supporting programs where these types of physical and psychological encouragement coexist is one of the best ways people can channel their charitable resources. I’ve been challenged here that the blessing of having resources is also a challenge for the creative side of our minds. I think God wants us not to be lazy and participate in simple, mindless, giving, rather he offers us a chance to be creative, to engage others, and to honor each other as fellow human beings when we share what He has entrusted to us.

I hope to be in touch again before the end of the week-thanks for reading!

Picture: Kids playing doctor during my health lesson at camp.

Sorry for not writing much this week, I’ve had a cold for a few days and we’ve only made a quick stop in town today on our way to visit Rays of Hope Ministry in Blantyre this weekend. I hope to share more when we return!

Another stand-out morning was my shift spent in the Madisi ARV (Anti-Retro Viral) clinic. During this time, I was able to shadow the clinician as he counseled and evaluated HIV-positive patients who have been determined to be sick enough to begin ARV therapy (the drugs are free, but only the sickest are eligible). While I spent my clinical visits at school this year working in the Pediatric AIDS clinic in New Jersey, this experience really put into focus how vast the need is to work on the HIV-AIDS issue worldwide and work for prevention and a vaccine. There was a constant stream of people all morning and it was hard to know that while ARVs will help their quality and length of life, there is still no cure. I really applaud the staff here for the thorough job they do trying to provide counseling and support for the patients. I can only imagine what is going on in the patients’ thoughts as they face this illness. Next week I’m planning a HIV preventive health lesson for the RiseMalawi kids, so my up-close experiences at the hospital have surely ignited my passion for sharing this message with them!
Thanks for all your kind words and support-Have a blessed week!

Pictures-Visiting with Gibozi and the SafeHaven boys and me trying to lead the kids’ first paper mache` experience during arts & crafts time

Madisi is a small town about an hour’s drive north on the main M1 Malawian road from the capital city of Lilongwe.  It has a trading center with some shops and market vendors, but lacks a bank, which keeps it in the ‘less developed’ category according to local residents. Transportation around town and the surrounding village areas is by walking and bicycles. The only paved road is the M1, where there are mini-buses available to take you to other towns along the main road. There is a fairly large rural area surrounding Madisi from which people travel to school or the mission hospital here. So even though the leaders and I consider a weekend ride to the capital city Lilongwe as our trip “into town”, many consider trekking in from the villages to Madisi as their excursion “into town” for business and trading. Most houses are small and made of brick, with iron sheet or thatched roofs, some are wired for electricity while others are not (although rationing power outages average one 2 hr period per day). Some families cook over fire, others on hotplates or small electric stoves. Most households have a garden from which they feed their family and they also farm crops to sell such as maize and tobacco (interestingly- hardly anyone smokes here). Kids in the Rise program have walking school commutes ranging from 25-60 minutes. There is a mix of public primary schools and hybrid/charter-type schools.
The education system is quite different the US, and faces many challenges, so I hope to post a more detailed reflection in the near future that focuses on it. I’ll have lots to discuss with all my teacher family members and friends upon returning-so get ready!
It’s intriguing that many people, both Malawians and Americans, are curious about what is eaten in the other culture. I guess since it’s such a basic necessity and part of everyone’s daily routine, it can be fascinating to compare how others differ in this area. The staple food here is nsima, which is a soft grain dish made from maize or cassava flour. I’m told that learning how to make quality nsima is a sort of right of passage for children here (especially the girls, traditionally). I am still in the apprenticeship stage of learning how to prepare nsima, still requiring supervision and instructions.
The command is always, “too many lumps-keep stirring!” My goal is to cook it independently before I leave in a month and maybe even incorporate it into my American diet when I return! Vegetables and protein such as beans, eggs, or meat, depending on the family’s means, are served with the nsima and it is eaten with hands. The most traditional side dish in the villages actually also comes from the cassava plant by mashing and cooking the leaves. I love that there can be a resourceful and complete meal from using all the parts of one plant, although I also support the public health messages here to encourage variety in the diet to increase nutritional status. A more diluted porridge form is often eaten with sugar for breakfast, along with some locally grown tea. Other common foods include sweet potatoes, bananas, rice, and tomatoes.
Thanks for reading Malawian Life 101 In other news, we’ve had a productive week here, working with the CampLeaders and kids on their term 3 schoolwork as the weeks tick away and exams approach. I had two really good days at the hospital working alongside staff that helped me get more involved. Malaria, anemia, and pregnancy problems are the most common things seen. However, there is currently an outbreak of Measles in the region, so I’ve seen several cases of this and heard about the challenge of re-vaccination efforts by the government health department. I’m quite impressed with how the hospital functions considering the limited resources such as laboratory tests and imaging that are available. I’m also impressed at the dedicated support given by the family members of those admitted. The hospital does not provide any food, so someone must stay nearby and provide meals and other caretaking for the patients.
It seems that most things here usually get accomplished by communal rather than individual efforts, I love seeing and being a part of that!

Pictures:  Za and Tinashe hard at work in the RiseMalawi office, Regina and Veronica enjoying small group paint activity, and me enjoying a nsima meal.

The parents of each home were so welcoming to us and my fears left (or rather just shifted to slight awkwardness as the crowds of younger siblings and cousins gathered from near and far to look at the weird American visitor). Annette and Jane spent time discussing the children’s progress in school and any issues that are challenging in the home. They mentioned things ranging from a lack of soap to wash school uniforms to inadequate food for the large families to difficult relationships between stepfathers and children. Annette shared with Mphatso’s mom that she has faced similar challenges when her education had been halted due to the death of her father and limited family resources. She encouraged her to trust God, and shared how she is now a CampLeader and able to further her education at teacher training college in September. At another point, Jane also shared a bit of her story about how she has made it through issues of divorce in her family. It was a good time to give the kids some personal attention that can be difficult in the large group setting, and let them know that there are adults rooting for them and caring about their futures. Seeing Annette and Jane in action, I was struck by the importance and power of equipping indigenous leaders who can relate to members of their communities in ways that outsiders never could. Even with noble efforts or immense resources, I would not have been able to minister to their needs in the same way. I still think there is a call for cross-cultural service for myself as well as the church as a whole, but it was beautiful to see these young women sharing their experiences and gifts in a setting where they are uniquely relevant.

Picture: walking back to town after home visits with gift baskets of groundnuts. Back row: Jane, Annette, & Henry Front: Florence, Anastasia, & Mphatso

As a hospital volunteer, I’ve had some opportunities to observe different areas, including pediatric ward, outpatient department, and the HIV anti-retroviral clinic. I’ve mostly been just shadowing the clinical officers (they do not have any full medical doctors on staff currently) and trying to understand how things work here. My limited training and language barrier make it hard some days to really feel like I’ve accomplished a lot during my morning shifts. How humbling to remember that I’m just one person with nothing to offer on my own merit except whatever gifts and love God fills me with! I’ve been reminded of how some friends at the Romero Center in Camden speak of “ministry of presence”, that sometimes the most selfless service we can offer is just to be present with someone else and not be concerned about fixing their situation or completing a project. I’m trying to cultivate that attitude here; listening, learning and validating those around me by being fully present each day and offering my prayers, if nothing else.

Our trip last weekend to Nkhata Bay, Tinashe’s parents’ village in the Northern Region, will definitely stand out in my memories from my time here. We were so graciously welcomed into her family’s home and spent our time visiting her extended family that populates the lush, green hills covered with trees and tea plantations. I had my first classic village experiences of eating raw sugarcane, pounding groundnuts into flour, and pumping water from the borehole, although I was a bit ungraceful and messy at all of these tasks! It was interesting to hear from Tinashe’s parents how they have tried to influence their community by promoting education. Her father is a retired schoolteacher and has really set the pace to break the cycle of poverty by supporting many members of his extended family through school, who have subsequently supported others. While major change efforts are warranted in Malawi at the level of systems and infrastructure, these grassroots efforts of family and friends lifting one another up by sponsoring children through school can really have more genuine and lasting effects. Most of the UrbanPromise International fellows have stories of how someone helped them and how it has motivated them to give back, so they are living proof of this phenomenon bearing fruit in Malawi. What a privilege to meet and share this time with the Saka family, it definitely makes the world seem like a smaller place to travel so far, but still feel so much at home!

Pictures: Me attempting to carry a bucket of rice to after-school program & some happy campers L-R Folace, Ivy, Christina, Florence, & Enala

I was also able to volunteer at the Madisi Mission Hospital two days this week. I did a lot of observing since my Chichewa language skills are not quite good enough to be interviewing patients nor are my clinical medical skills very advanced yet. I’m trying to keep my eyes open for exactly how I can be helpful there over the coming weeks. There are very limited resources and many challenges there, but I’m not sure how I can fit into the picture. The most exciting thing was that I got to see a baby get born in the operating room via c-section! While I felt a little light-headed at moments and had to sit down, it was a special moment to witness!

I’m sorry to keep this short and picture-less this week, but I hope to do a better job next time. Tinashe is taking me up to the Northern region of Malawi this weekend to meet her parents and see her home village. I’m quite excited to stay with her family and see another part of the country! Have a nice weekend! ~Janelle

    However, things moving slower has manifested in two ways this
week that have been making me think a lot.  The first is the slower
pace of business getting done.  This is frustrating not only for me,
but also the local people who are trying to make a difference in the
community.  My approval as a hospital volunteer, Rise’s effort to
register with the Malawi NGO office, and two interns’ visa
applications are all currently victims to this difficulty.  Even Za’s
simple trip yesterday to the bank took over two hours inside!  We’ve
been having conversations about the causes and possible solutions to
this and cultural, bureaucratic, technological, and political aspects
all seem to contribute.  There was a consensus among the leaders that
this inefficiency majorly hinders efforts of development and growth in
the country. While the complexity and size of the problem can be
enough to paralyze those trying to navigate the system, I’m trying to
pray that creative and innovative solutions can be found to move
things forward for our own issues and for the future of Malawi.

    The second slow thing that has come to my attention is the pace
at which many in the community are able to move through school and
establish themselves in a career.  A hallmark of UrbanPromise
programs, the CampLeader program at Rise Ministries employs high
school students to work as counselors for the younger children.  I
have spent most of the week with the Rise team of Jen, Linda, Annette,
Chikondi, and Mpatso evaluating the past term and preparing lessons
and activities for the next term, starting Monday.  (I can’t wait -we
have lots of fun things planned and I’m realizing how much I miss
formally working with kids!)  I assumed they were mostly in their
teens due to their level in school, but I was astonished several days
into meetings to discover that I was the second youngest person in the
room at age 25!  Education has been delayed for different reasons for
each of them, but many times the poor quality or availability of
teachers and schools meant that they must repeat grade levels multiple
times before passing the exams and moving on.   Other delays have
occurred because of family or health issues that prevented the
students from attending for months at a time.  When these factors are
unfortunately coupled with a lack of expectations and encouragement,
many will never finish or reach their full potential.  This is
discouraging to see in the community, but it is promising to see the
CampLeaders eagerly working towards passing their national exams and
moving into professional schools or colleges.  Rise requires them to
be pursuing advanced education and provides the support necessary to
get there, such as tutoring, help with fees, and an encouraging staff
to bring optimism in the midst of a difficult journey.  My goal is to
add my voice and inspire others to join that chorus of hope here this
summer and in the years ahead.  Even though I sometimes get frustrated
to still be in a ‘training’ stage of life and not free to do medical
work yet, how humbling to be reminded of the many opportunities I have
to be thankful for that have fit into my first quarter-century of
life!
    Thanks for reading, keep us in your prayers and I hope to share
again soon about the new term of after-school program!  ~Janelle

Picture outside Rise office after a planning session (from L-R:Tinashe
and Campleaders Annette, Jen, & Linda)

    I appreciate the slower, simpler lifestyle here so far.  It is a welcome opportunity to refocus and understand how millions of people live around the world.  While things may not be as convenient, such as the lack of a sink, refrigerator, or internet at our home, we have more than most in the community.  I hope that I can continue to grow in my contentment not only in my time here, but also in whatever setting I find myself in the future.  We are visiting the capital city this weekend, about a two hour minibus ride from Madisi, where I have the privilege to stay with some of Tinashe’s family tonight and visit her college alma mater tomorrow.  We hope to make it back to the internet café next week to share more updates!

Pictures: Me receiving such a warm welcome to Malawi & Tinashe and her nephew Chikondi outside her home