Here - alive and well

Well, after being here in Malawi for just a week, I feel like I'm getting settled in nicely. We'll start with the flight... I just love how much nicer -aka food- you are serviced on international flights (at least with my few int'l flights I've taken). I also spent a night in Johannesburg at a bed and breakfast, which was very nice and refreshing to have a shower and a bed after a long flight (18 hours) across the pond. Then once I got here I was able to share with the celebration of Lydia's (the middle child) fourth birthday (see picture :) -->).
The people here are great; from the Malawians to the missionary families. I have gone to two different churches already - the Maone BIC Church and the Blantyre Community Church. Both services were very good, and for some different reasons. The Maone Brethren in Christ Church is where I will be helping to build the church building. There we met in the house that is on church property and the service was almost all in Chichewa (the national language of Malawi, whereas English is the official language). The Blantyre Community Church, where I went today, was very nice because it was all in English, since it is in association with the Church of England in South Africa. The sermons were very good in both (I got a summary of the Maone sermon afterwards in english by the person preaching) and was nice to meet many of my brothers and sisters in Christ here in Blantyre.
This past week was just a lot of getting settled in and familiar with the area. I have been able to help out the Lloyd's with some general upkeep of the house/property. [On a side note, the hospitality of Jonathan and Erica Lloyd and family is amazing. I feel like family already, which I'm sure is helping to the ease of moving into a different culture and area of the world.] Anyways, I now have a cell phone so if I want I can venture outside the walls... but needless to say that hasn't happened yet :). I also got to experience driving... a little different than in the states - especially when you drive on the other side of the road, the driver's seat is also switched and the vehicles are almost all manual transmission = fun stuff.

We also had a meeting about the Maone BIC Church building project. As of now, we are ready to start building. The plot is dug out, ready for the footers/foundation to be poured. The only hold back now is funding. The church has been able to provide volunteer labor and raise some finances, but not nearly enough to get the building built. This week I will try to come up with 'accurate' estimates of the costs of the main areas of construction. It's kind of crazy that this building has been in the works for the past 10+ years, with the drawings being drawn up by Erica's grandfather; and now that everything is all set, the funds aren't there. I think this is where God will really step in and provide donors if this construction is to happen while we're here. It would be awesome if you would pray for the church and their building project; but that the focus will always still be the people and their relationships - with God and then with each other.
Well I think that's the big stuff that's happened thus far. I hope and pray that all is going well with you, especially today as you spend with loved ones.

God bless,

Tim