DIY

Over the last few weeks I have found myself DIY'ing like I have never done before. I have cut a door to size, installed it including the locks, sorted out a some of the electrics and 2 light fixings, changed about a zillion plugs, re-wired quite a few appliances and finished up by installing 2 smoke alarms! I have thoroughly enjoyed it!

Life is great here, I love the different challenges it brings. Our truck has had it's problems, and this week I have spent a full 3 days trying to sort them! Right now someone is leaving for South Africa to try and find us a part, that's how crazy it's been! However it's going, and someone's done a patch up job for us, so it's nice to be driving again. It's a weird thing, but I kinda enjoy the challenge. It's not like in the UK where everything is done by the mechanic and has a price. Here you have to go around the whole of town trying to find the right bit and even if you find it you've got a fight on your hands to get it at the right price!

Last week I did manage to get along to a football clinic, and out to Kudoko village, and tomorrow I'm visiting the local prison and out in Kudoko again, so things are up and running again and I can't wait to get completely into the swing of things.

It rained today, about a month early. I don't know the implications of early rain for farms, but it's really cooled things down temperature wise - which is lovely!

Sally-Jayne is now sitting up and eating solids, it's absolutely crazy how fast she's growing up, and tomorrow Brian, Val and Debbie arrive from Sidcup and are staying for a few weeks, it's really exciting to share what life's like here with them.

Lots and lots of love x

1st trip to the airport

Sally-Jayne and her beloved Oscar!

Nahlia (Our neighbor) and her Beloved Sally-Jayne

Sally-Jayne’s first trip to the airport

We made it! We are settling in to life in Malawi. But the last few days in the UK seemed to fly by, and were a little bit hairy at times!

We were really counting the cost of leaving. It hit home that it’s not just a cost that we pay, but one that our family, friends and church pays too. I have to say that it felt like I was being ripped in two. Then, on Sunday night, I got a call from my Dad. My mum, while walking in the Lake District tripped and fell of a ledge. She had to be air lifted of the mountain to hospital. At that point we weren’t too sure how serious it was. After a bad night, I managed to speak to my Dad and my sister, and the really serious damage was to her knee. It’s actually incredible nothing worse happened. It was so great to get the church praying for her, and then I got to talk to her and then we decided we should still fly out to Malawi.

Thank you Jesus.

Debbie gave us a lift in the church mini bus. The logistics of 9 cases and bags, and a pram were absolutely mind blowing! We got to terminal 4 at the right time, and then realised it was the wrong terminal! There was traffic all the way round to terminal 3. We were now pushed for time. Debbie was helping us at the drop of point, when literally behind her back she got a parking ticket!! I couldn’t believe it. God bless the traffic warden, and I pray she does well in her job. It’s the kind of thing you know you should complain about, but that just puts the fine up, and makes things worse for you.

Inside the terminal was carnage. There was arguing everywhere about luggage weight, people we pushing and I dropped the cases numerous times. But once we were on the plane, we had a great journey. Sally-Jayne didn’t cry once, she was so content, and seemed to find the whole thing fascinating and funny. She’s the only person on the plane that squealed with delight as we landed each time (a total of 3 times!).

Well now we are back. The Husbands had got our car running and filled the fridge with supplies, Guise, who lives in our house with us, had cleaned and got our bed ready, and our friends were round for dinner! We felt we were home, and had a great nights sleep.