Where I was: We started in Lilongwe for debrief (a time of rest, reflection, and re-energization). From there we went to Senga Bay, overlooking Lake Malawi where we camped all month.
What I did: This was an all squad month, so everyone was together. Which was nice. Each team was assigned a different local ministry. A few of us were pulled to help put on a soccer tournament with a group called The Living Ball. The first day we planned for the tournament it had to be cancelled due to a funeral in the village. We were able to reschedule it for a few days later, to complete success. Our team all believed we would have 12 teams show up, and we had exactly 12. It was amazing to see the whole village turn up to watch the games.
What I ate: We had pretty decent food, for the most part. Breakfast was usually oats or a boiled egg and toast. But occasionally we had cream of shima. Which was…. not very good. Lunch was either pasta, shima, or sandwiches. Supper was either pasta, shima, or sandwiches!
Where I slept: Tent city, 2.0!
How I got here: This was much easier than getting to Zambia! We were supposed to leave Lusaka for Lilongwe at 7 am, a 9 hour bus ride away. We finally pulled out around 10 am. By hour 7 we finally got to the border and passed through with no problems. Once we arrived in Senga Bay our bus ran into some problems. We had stopped at African gas stations, aka men with 20 liter jugs of gas that they siphoned into our bus, a couple of times along the way. However as we were making the turn into the property where we are staying, we ran out of gas completely. So we filed off the bus, grabbed packs, and hiked up the hill. We’ll just call it training for when we carried water from the well!
How I got around: My feet. Gotta work off the carbs somehow! And African buses, which consists of fitting as many people as possible (possible, not legal) into a bus. We once road in the back of an oversized pick up truck with 30 people standing up in the back. It was a mixture of trust, terror, and surfing.
Favorite moment of the month: Valentines Day. The men on our squad went above and beyond for Valentines Day. We were told the night before that they would be taking care of water and kitchen duty. Which is a huge gift in and of itself. But we were also told we would have surprises throughout the day. We were served breakfast, lunch, and supper, and the men washed the dishes for us. We were told, “If anyone tries to wash their dishes I will punch them in the throat”. Such love! After supper we had a skit where the men acted out the Sochi Olympics, complete with Opening Ceremony, commercials, national anthems, and some amazing athletic prowess, the likes of which one rarely sees. Afterwards, we were given chocolate bars (!!!!!) and the men washed our feet. The bar has been set seriously high for Valentines Day.
Least favorite moment of the month: At debrief, looking at my pack and seeing it appear to be moving. Then looking closer and seeing thousands of ants. Moving my tent to a new place, finding more ants. Moving again then finding ants and eggs in my pack! Also, the night I determined my air pad sprang a leak and I would be essentially sleeping on the ground. Malawi was not a good month for my gear!
Closest to home I felt: This was a very stretching month. I really didn’t feel close to home very much this month.
Furthest away from home I felt: Hauling water a mile to use for cooking, washing, and drinking. Also, using a squatty potty.
If you come here you should: Visit Lake Malawi and eat mendazi (fried bread). Also, bring sunscreen. It’s easy to get roasted, especially if you’re on everyone’s “favorite” anti-malaria meds!
