Early Days

---

It is hard to believe that I am almost at the end of my first week - I have done so much and the time has flown by.

On Thursday I travelled with Vasco and Rev Jeleky Kachipanda to the site where the Bible was first translated into Chechewa in 1923. Christian faith and following the teaching of the Bible is very strong here and many pilgrimage to this site. There were three young women (20/21) there at the time, they had walked three days carrying all that they needed and were staying for three nights to pray. I felt very privileged to have visited on only me second day in the country and be taken by car.

On the journey, as we headed out of the buzz of Lilongwe City into the countryside, small villages, some compromising of traditional African homes where dotted along the roadside. It was always possible to tell when you were coming to a market area where absolutely everything was sold by the lines of people walking or cycling along the roadside with their goods.

On Friday I spent some time at M'buka priimary school. It was a great pleasure to meet with the children, so enthusiastic for their education. The class sizes are huge compared to ours in Scotland, over 60 in one class and no problems with discipline. One of the most noticeable things about M'buka is the easiness with which people live and care for their children and one another as part of extended family responsibilities. This is seen from an early stage with even the young children seeing to one another in a responsible and caring way. There is no real sense of conflict or fighting for attention or to have needs met - this in a poor area where there are many challenges.

I also met with Elaine who has recieved some support from the Church at New Deer and heard of the challenges accessing health care and support.

I will be spending more time at both the school and withe Elaine during my time here.

I have recieved a very warm welcome at a number of Church Services lead by Vasco (including one at 5.00 am which over 300 people attended) You can't help bit be moved by the amazing sound of African singing which is central to every service and is immensely uplifting.

It is apparently very unusual to have a white person in this community still so I am an object of interest, particularly to the small children who will not have been away from M'buka and at the end of my first week I sense that I am very fortunate in having the opportunity to stay with local families and experience first hand a rare insight into living in this very warm community.

---