I can not even express to you the excitement I had as we flew to Africa. I could hardly contain myself. I knew I was in for something I had never experienced before. We flew from Washington D.C. to Ethiopia then from Ethiopia to Lilongwe, Malawi.
We were able to spend a couple of days with our hosts, The Ghents, in the bush outside of Lilongwe before taking a bus from Lilongwe to Blantyre. The bus ride was an experience in itself. It was crowded, hot, and very loud because of the evangelist on board screaming about the gospel right next to my seat.
Our second night there Mama Ghent, as we called our contact’s wife, prepared dinner for us. I have to say it was the most challenging meal on the entire race thus far. The pumpkin leaves were great as well as the the sima, which was a mix of corn meal and water. The challenge came when the last dish was uncovered.
It was goat intestines. Now, I know I am from the south and I should have tried things like this, but the answer is no. I do not even eat fried catfish, which is probably un-American in my family’s eyes. I have never in my life eaten any kind of intestines or liver like some of my have and do, but that changed as we passed around the bowl of intestines.
We knew we all had to eat some or we would offend our hosts. As I looked around the table I saw fear and anxiety in the eyes of all my teammates as they swallowed air and took deep breaths. We all succeeded and ate at least one piece each. Mama Ghent tried to get us all to eat more but we claimed to be full.
When we arrived in Blantyre Mr. Ghent informed us that we would cook our own meals because we did not like Malawian food. We did our best and we were willing to adjust but there was no arguing with Mr. Ghent or changing his mind.
The bus station was packed full of people as we arrived. People were yelling and shouting to persuade others to take their bus and people bargained with them for a good price. We had gotten on one bus and ended up on another. It was hot, crowded, and had no air conditioning.
The scenery was probably some of the best in the parts of Africa I saw. Distant mountains filled the edge of the skyline and clouds scattered through the sky. Everything was rich and green. It was the rainy season.
We stayed with our hosts, The Ghents, at their house in a small community that was on the edge of Blantyre. Their house was very nice compared to many others in the neighborhood. It was made of concrete unlike many of the mudbrick homes throughout the community.
For the ladies, we had two beds. Jesse and Rachel shared a small bed in a tiny room while Kaiulani and Brooke shared a slightly bigger one in the larger of the two rooms. I slept on the floor on my sleeping pad. Our room had no windows and was very dim.
Tom and Ben shared a bed in another small room.
It rained a lot while we were in Blantyre. It rained for three days straight. It caused lots of flooding and power outages. We did not have power for the majority of the time. Many homes flooded and collapsed.
Apart from no electricity we were not really effected by the floods. I gave up internet for the month, but I thought it would be a good idea to let my mother know I was alive and well. It was definitely a good idea. It did cause our parents to freak out.
We had toilet options. We had a western toilet that rarely worked because the water was rarely running. We also had a squatty potty. I must honestly say the squatty was the best one. It was cleaner and easier to use.
There was a shower but since the water was rarely running through the pipes we took bucket showers. Mama Ghent was very insistent on us bathing every day especially in the mornings. The best part was that the water was heated over coals.
We had a very small kitchen, which basically was comprised of a sink, a small and narrow table, and a stove which did not work. We cooked outside over coals. The women around us enjoyed watching us try to start the fires and fan the flames. I know it was amusing for them.
We were in Blantyre for a while as worked with the church there and then we got to spend a week in the bush.
Seeing and living in the bush that week was so awesome. It was great to see a community of people working together to live. We were surrounded by beautiful and hospitable people.
There was no electricity so we cooked over coals and wood and there were no street lights. There were not even streets really. Just a main road made of dirt than ran through the village then dirt pathways off that. Flashlights and headlamps were essential.
No electricity was a true blessing though. Without any light to penetrate the darkness the stars were magnificent. We could see the Milky Way Galaxy. I had never seen anything like it before in my entire life. It was stunning, and just to think God has a name for every star yet we are more precious to Him than the stars.
The women heated water for us every morning to bathe. We did not always want to shower every morning, but it was insisted upon so we did. We dipped water out of a basin with a cup to pour over our heads.
The shower areas were basically mud brick walls without a roof and a door. They also only went just past my shoulders. It was pretty neat to bathe while being able to look around at the village and watch the morning spring into action. The showers were also refreshing.
There were no western toilets in the bush so it was either go in the cockroach, spider, and fly infested outhouses (really just four walls surrounding a hole in the ground, no seat) without being seen or hold it all in until dark and find a spot in the bush and pray a snake did not bite you. This was one of the most challenging parts and we handled it so well. The further on the race you go the more you realize how beneficial training camp was.
It was difficult to build relationships because of the language barrier but smiles and actions go a long ways.
Kids gathered around our tents to watch us. I suppose we were a bit fascinating with our tents and appearance. Sometimes it felt as though we were in a zoo.
It is not always easy for me to connect with kids and love on them like Jesus did, but one day I asked God to help me love the kids in the village like He did and does. It was already dark as I was playing my guitar before dinner one night. As I played, though not well because I had just started learning, more kids gathered. I decided to sing a song with them.
Though their English was very limited as was my Chichewa, I taught them “God Is So Good” and “Lord I Lift Your Name On High.” I attempted and succeeded at learning their names though they will have escaped me by now. It was my favorite moment of the entire month and possibly during my time in Africa. Their sweet voices brought tears to my eyes as they sang praises to God beneath the millions of stars.
We built great relationships with Pastor Ghent and his family. Pastor Ghent and Mama Ghent have seven kids, all adults, and we got to meet all but one. We laughed together, prayed together, joked together, sang together, and even had a dance party at one time in the house.
Their son, Kennedy, taught me a few things on guitar and we all enjoyed the endless laughter that came from Edgar’s riddles and jokes. Mama Ghent always embraced us with warm hugs, the sweetest smile, and the kindest words. Pastor Ghent often left us speechless or doubled over in laughter.
I could not think of a better way to start of our time in Africa than in Blantyre, Malawi working with The Ghents. It was a month full of challenges, blessings, new friendships, and great growth.
