Babu and Bibi visit Malawi and Kimande

Sorry we haven't been updating the blogs recently ... technical difficulties! Thankfully it seems to have sorted itself out! So we are back!

We are in Dar es Salaam at the moment, but we have been all over the place recently! We have had a great time with Tim's parents, who flew home last night after a lovely stay at Kipepeo Beach. Since our last blog, when we were exploring tea in Mufindi, we have been down to Malawi. We had two nights up in the mountains near Livingstonia and two nights down by the Lake. We stayed at The Mushroom Farm on the steep, 15km winding road up to Livingstonia, a "don't-look-down" rough road with hair-pin bends! The Mushroom Farm is just incredible with spectacular and breath-taking views. The best view is from the shower in the only ensuite banda which is perched on the edge of the mountain. Without a wall of any kind across the back, you sit on your throne or stand under the shower on the edge of the mountain, looking over mountains and the lake. Another lovely view is from the hammock in the eating area which hangs from two trees on the very edge of the cliff! A fantastic place to stay! 

Relaxing in the hammock

The sunrise view from our bed

 

Louisa on the "throne!"


Bathroom with a view!

At the Lake

 

We had a day exploring Livingstonia, with its rich history from its beginnings with the Scottish Mission of Dr Robert Laws. We saw the rocks which in 1959, spelled out a message to the world of living together peacefully, breaking down dividing walls. It was during a time of racial tension as Malawi sought its independence. The British, knowing that there were Brits on the mountain in Livingstonia, flew over and dropped a message, asking for a return message regarding their safety. They would fly over the following day and wanted to know if they needed help/evacuating so would look for a sign on the ground. After prayer and discussion, the people in Livingstonia wanted to give a message to the world, so they took stones and spelled out EPHESIANS 2:14 on the ground in front of the mission house. They wanted everyone to know that black and white could live together as brothers and sisters. They were doing it in Livingstonia. The photo of the stones and their story was published in the newspapers the next day. What a brilliant message to the world. And the stones still stand there today.


Ephesians 2:14

We also hiked to the caves behind a large waterfall, which was where locals fled to hide from the slave traders. It was a sobering feeling to crouch in those rocks behind the noisy falls, thinking of those people and families who had crouched in the same place in fear for their lives. But another awesome and spectacular part of God's creation! Standing on the edge of the falls, in all its power and beauty.


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The caves behind the waterfall

 



Soon after getting back to Iringa from Malawi we were off to Kimande. This was our first overnight visit to the village where we will be starting the new stoves project. The work on the house has been completed, with the dirt floor covered with a layer of concrete and doors and windows put in and an outhouse (which is bigger than our Magozi one, with a separate area for washing, which is pretty exciting really!) We were so warmly welcomed by the Pastor and his family who have given us the house to live in and served us so generously with food while we were there. It was good to be with the Church. Tim's Dad preached and Tim translated on the Sunday morning. In the afternoon, Tim's Mum led an English class for a small group. Several people had asked if we could teach some English while we are with the village, and this was a lovely way of starting something. We had chai together and Tim's Mum started, with a couple of whiteboards, on some basic English phrases and vocabulary.

English Café

People in the village are busy getting their rice harvest in and will soon be finished and we are pleased the house is ready for us to move in then. We are probably going to move in next week (beginning of July) which is exciting. But feeling slightly daunted as well at the thought of all that needs to happen before that, and all that living there will entail!