After 36 hours of travel.. We are all here, safe and sounds in Zomba! We were very lucky in that we made all of our very tight connections! We also made it with only one bag left behind, hopefully it will turn up within a couple days!
From the moment we left the airport, we were overwhelmed with the beauty of Malawi. Some first thoughts from the team were...
"The beauty is amazing! The colors, hills and puffy clouds! It's a beautiful country! But the amount of poverty was hard to take in.. There is a huge contrast between the classes.." -Kathy
"I got a really good concept if how the villages are from flying over them. They are grouped together in such tight communities" -Tammy
"I had a rough awakening when we landed in Blantyre as the pilot missed the landing & landed on the bumpy dirty road. We tilted back & forth feeling like we were going to tip over; and by the Grace of God landed safely!
I saw a girl whom I greeted before getting on the pink bus & I told her she was beautiful. I sat by the window & she was still standing outside looking at us with droopy eyes. Our team doctor handed her a bag of raisins, it was then I realized she was a 'silent beggar' She turned around & she had two holes in the butt of her shorts. She walked barefoot to the side of the road where she met her young siblings. My heart went out to them. It was crazy to drive through the township of Blantyre & see all the little villages on the side with women tilling the crops, carrying water basins on their heads with babies on their backs, & washing clothes against the rocks in the streams. Children were walking along the streets sometimes alone, no shoes mostly, & playing in their villages. There were lots if stands with crops, coal, & pots the Africans were selling...
Seeing the women & children in the villages touched my heart.
I was Awestruck by Gods beauty as we drove up the mountain to where we graciously get to stay in Cottages in the midst of the forest. It's captivating to see the lushness of Gods creation! I'm so thankful to be here now" -Lisa
"Upon arriving in Malawi for my 16 month stay, the first time I touched soil I got this computing feeling of 'this is home.' Not because I do not enjoy what I left behind, but because I knew God was here. The smiles, the warm hearted people and the welcome that I received- I now know why they call Malawi the warm heart of Africa." - Daniel
"Praise, honor, and glory to God for traveling mercies and good health; we asked God and surely He provided! I am honestly astounded by the beauty of this country and the generous hearts of the Malawian people." - Lynsie
"First nite devotions and prayers were felt. Amazing spirit among us Feels great." -Annita
I just want to thank everyone for all of your prayers of travel mercies!