It's Friday in Malawi!

Well, the last 2 days have been banner days for our trip here! I am happy to report that the project is fuly underway, the contractors appear to be taking things less casually, and are working daily digging the foundation. Our drainage ditch is functioning well, and keeping the spring water off the work site, but it has rained off & on for the last 2 days, so it hasn't dried out as much as we might like. The pastors are very good at taking assignments seriously and, in fact, are enjoying the responsibility.

Wanda and the girls went to Chirimbe to the ladies' Bible Study there, and had an amazing time. Wanda had her first lesson in negotiating minibus fares (overcharged on the way there, then the Malawian ladies took it upon themselves to negotiate a better fare for them on the way back). So many things here cost only what you can negotiate for them. Craziness. Well, the Bible Study itself was very mind-bending. The people in this area live in a cross between a hut and a cardboard box, most of the ladies in the church are already caring for 2,3,4 or even 5 orphans, and have very little food or clothing necessities. However, even in poverty, they show a pride in their home and an ability to raise respectful and obedient children unmatched in the west. The ladies asked good questions, and Wanda addressed some of their concerns; Erika and Liz charmed the crowd with their attempts at singing Chichewa songs, and some medicines were distributed by Doctor Wanda. She came back with a list of needs and a list of potential medical problems that will be addressed over the next few days.

Today, Wanda went to a market in a nearby town with Madalo, fiancee of Aubrey (one of the pastors) and looked over fabrics for dresses. The girls were measured for fitting, and they had a ball! In the afternoon, they returned and spent the afternoon talking with Rhoda, a widow from the Ndirende church who has a lot of needs, but has a rare spirit and a love for the Lord.

Much of my time has been spent in the "nuts and bolts" of the orphanage project, but, this morning, we had a pastors meeting, starting at 8:00 AM and lasting until after 1:30 PM!! We were covering the book of Romans chapters 7-13, and each pastor was covering one chapter. I was praying that we would have an opening to address the real needs of the pastors in the group, and the Lord just blew the doors wide open. I think this was a very important healing time for past hurts and for jealousies that satan has been fanning for months. We started with the need for the leaders to lead by example (1 Cor 11:1 - Paul tells the struggling church at Corinth to imitate him, since he is imitating Christ), starting with a true love for each other - then proceeding with a study on the Scriptural verses about different gifts and personalities, then how failing to respect other personality types and gifting can lead to false strife (this will sound familiar to Donnie & Carrie, as well as Shawn & Heather). Finally, in the pouring rain, huddled under a thatched hut, we approached the need for the pastors to repent of their strife-causing habits that have produced some of the friction here, and the effect was very powerful. All prayed for a renewed spirit of love and acceptance, and for patience to wait for the Lord to place them in true areas of giftedness. Many seeds were planted this morning, and the group of pastors is responding very well.

Tomorrow, we are going out into the country to visit with Tendai in the morning, and visiting a couple of houses with sickness in them in the afternoon. Sunday we will go to the Kolokot (sp?) church and then rest, getting ready for a full next week.

Pray for us:
1. Unity in the pastors, that the seeds planted today will sink deep into their spirits. I could see them thinking as they walked during the later part of the day.
2. The truck price has dropped from 1.590 to 1.350 - the man needs to sell. Meanwhile, uncommitted funds have risen from .800 to 1.020 - so that the difference between available funds and selling price is now 330,000 Kwacha = $2300 US. We are praying about the wisdom of this - we will save so much money on transport costs, but are not ceratin that the "status" of having a nice truck is driving much of the desire. I'm not certain about that motive, though. Also, the truck could easily be sold after the project is complete for almost all of the buying price.
3. We are encouraging absolutely ethical behavior on the part of the pastors. We also strongly desire that they see themselves as equal in the ministry here. This is tough with Frank Maini being such a strong figure - he tends to dominate, and we are trying to encourage a servant's heart in him. Pray for this.
4. Wanda is still struggling with some of the late effects of a virus that has been plaguing her for the last 2 months (I suspect a latent mono), she has painful glands and fatigue. Pray for her.
5. Erika has received at least 3 marriage proposals during her travels here. Wanda is learning how to say in Chichewa, "Erika has a very big father, you can deal with him>" (smiling)

We love you all!!

Rick & Wanda & girls