Here is a piece that I wrote for the WESM newsletter that offers a complementary perspective to the post from yesterday. Who can turn down an invitation like this: “We particularly need people with some experience to volunteer, but we also invite ‘amateurs’ to join in. It is an excellent chance to really get to … Continue reading WESM Game Count 2017
A few weeks ago our family went on a three day holiday to Nyala Lodge. It was the kids’ mid-term break. They had a week off, so we decided to spend some of the time with the Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM), taking part in their annual Game Count. We stayed at a … Continue reading It Used To Be Better
Any kind of theological training in Malawi is tough, lay training especially so. The logistical barriers are staggering. While Malawi’s overall literacy rate of 65.8% is better than some of its neighbouring countries, it is still far below the world average of 86.3% of countries such as Canada who are roughly 99% literate. Most often … Continue reading Theological Training is Tough
Knocks at our gate are quite common. It serves as our front door and people come calling regularly. I normally have some difficulty answering the gate because frequently the visitor does not speak much English and I speak little Chichewa. When a man I eventually came to know as Charles came knocking this wasn’t a … Continue reading Charles and Tidzalerana
As it has been reported in international news I thought it best to give a short reassurance to those who follow us here in Malawi. Since the start of September there has been increasing civil unrest in the southern part of Malawi (the part we are in) surrounding rumours of “blood suckers”. Fear has been … Continue reading Bloodsucker Violence
Here is a new report out regarding the relative purchasing power of different people. It is worth going to the report to see their methodology. Two quick things. First, women and children and the elderly have less earning power and therefore will have a harder time managing the costs of food. Second, Malawi is in … Continue reading Expensive Meals
Photos of people living in poverty in the developing world often appear beautiful, which is something I find perplexing. They often show lush fields with people clothed in traditional, colourful clothing or beautiful, smiling children. This is something I’ve been struggling with since our first day here on September 3rd. As we were driving from … Continue reading The Beauty of Poverty?
People here in Malawi want to know, “Where do you stay?” They mean where do I live. I tell them the Blantyre Synod mission grounds near St. Michael and All Angels (the church pictured). Often their response is, “Ah, so you are a missionary.” I smile and nod while my internal response is, “Sort of. … Continue reading The Problem With Missionary
On the evening of our third day in Malawi, during a power outage when I was trying to find a flashlight, I dropped my phone. The screen smashed on the cement floor. Instantly I lost contact with family and friends in Canada plus all new contacts in Malawi. I had almost no contacts so I started … Continue reading My Cell Phone Saga
On August 3rd, after selling our house, our car, and most of our possessions, we said some teary good-byes in British Columbia and boarded a plane to begin our long trek to Malawi. When we arrived for our 3-week stay in Ontario, we were greeted by family and a festive sign that said, “The Party’s … Continue reading The Party’s Here
Missional-aries 