Bush life is community life!
The place or compound we are staying at is about a 20 minute walk to the nearest paved road. It sits ontop of a hill overlooking beautiful Lake Malawi! I do believe the area we are in is called Senga Bay, but the lake is to the east so we get awesome sunrises. On the far side of the lake is mountains, to the south of us is another row of mountains, the west is rolling corn fields with hills in the back drop, and to the north is more fields with some hills. The clouds are really low and appear to be skimming over the water. We get regular storms from the east or south and the lightning in the mountains and over the lake is stunning.
Yes, this is probably the most beautiful bush in the country.
On the complex there is one concrete building that serves as the kitchen and bible study, chicken coup with some people are currently sleeping in, 3 outhouses/area to take a bucket shower, and a house for where the director and his family lives. The camp area we are staying at is just down the hill from the bible study building on the lake side!
The only signs of electricity is two light bulbs….one to light up the open bible study room and one for the kitchen. There are two containers that catch rain off of the roof of the building and that is about it. Also to cook they have 2 charcoal cookers.
God has definitely stripped away another level of comforts to rely more on Him. Charging personal electronics is out of the picture, Wi-Fi was never an option, and comfy chairs don’t exist either.
If it doesn’t rain enough then two teams (approximately 15 people) wake up at 5 am to fetch water at the WELL. The WELL is down the hill on a dirt road, through a corn field, and half mile later you take a right on a small trial into the corn and the WELL is there. After you take your empty 20 liter bucket, it takes anywhere from 80-100 pumps at the WELL to fill it up! It is a great arm and shoulder work out. The object for the morning water team is to make sure the 2 – 50 gallon drums by the bathroom are full, and all the 20 liter water jugs are fully too for the kitchen crew. Typically each person will have to take 2-3 trips in the morning and possibly some more in the afternoon. It is hard work, no doubt about that and you appreciate water that much more.
Oh to shower or to do laundry……you have to walk to the WELL to get your own personal water.
Each day a team will serve half the day at a ministry site and the other half working at the compound. Ministry ranges from schools, orphanage, health clinic, evangelism, house visits, sports, ATL (Ask the Lord), etc. Helping at the compound is anything to improve it so it looks like gardening, planting trees, fixing roof, installing solar panel, cleaning bathroom, sweeping, cooking, fetching water, picking up trash, and whatever else they think up.
Over the days are very “structured,” I put it in quotes because lets not forget this is Africa and time has a way of not running on time. The jist is 5 am wake up, 7:30 am breakfast, 8 am morning devotion, 8:30 am team assignments, 9 am morning session starts, noon back at complex, 1 pm lunch, 2 pm afternoon session, 6 pm back at complex, 7 pm dinner, 7:30 pm is squad time/team time/worship, and finally lights out at 10pm. Very full productive days and you just never know what God has instore for you each day.
Overall bush life is all about building community, relying on others, and seeking the Lord to direct your day.
