Here’s just a quick snapshot on some aspects of Malawian culture that we have encountered so far. I just want to try convey something of the flavour of life in this wonderful country.

The staple crop is maize (sweetcorn). Unlike the stuff we get off the shelves in the supermarket, this has a white colour. Normally it is prepared by beating it to pulp and then cooked by boiling. The maize (‘nsima’) has a consistency that is somewhere between kneaded dough and mashed potato. Bland in taste but very filling, it is eaten without any cutlery, just rolled into balls and dipped in sauces, or eaten with meat and vegetables, depending on the resources of the host.

Family and friends will know full well that I do like my food, so I will try my best not to turn this post into a culinary bulletin. Our hosts in Lilongwe have looked after us exceptionally well and made us feel very much at home. We were also similarly welcomed by the local church we visited this morning. Service started at 7:30 AM (the same time that the working day starts in Malawi) but there was nothing sleepy about the congregation – certainly one of the most vibrant and passionate that I’ve ever seen! It was thrilling to witness people completely uninhibited in praising and worshipping God. We introduced everyone to a contemporary hymn, which was warmly received. We’re all looking forward to returning next week, maybe one of us could be asked to preach, so must prepare just in case.  

Below is the breathtaking, shimmering expanse of calm blue water that forms Lake Malawi, crowned by wisps of a majestic sunset. The countryside is equally picturesque, with lush undulating landscapes covered in maize fields.  It is hot and humid, with temperatures rising to 30*C. 

An ideal holiday destination this may sound like, but that is certainly not the reason why we are here. Although the Malawian people match the warmth of their climate (I have seldom encountered such degrees of cheerfulness and kindness), this is a nation fraught with problems. 

Poverty is everywhere to be seen. People get by as best they can, but with an ever-worsening economic crisis out here, times are tough. We moan about rising food and fuel prices in the UK, but it is minimal compared to what is happening in Malawi. The currency was recently devalued by 50% (a long overdue economic reform, recommended by the IMF and World Bank), which, added to poor harvests, has seen the living costs shoot up.

Many people (85%) live in rural areas and rely on subsistence agriculture. This often is insufficient to meet their needs. They also face issues with regard to clean water access and sanitation. HIV/AIDS is also prevalent, destroying families and leaving appalling numbers of orphans.

It is problems like this that we will be seeking to address over the next 3 months. I will detail more of what our projects are up to next time.

D-Day approaches, countdown can now begin!

Flying out tomorrow with the rest of our 9-strong team. Overnight flight to Lilongwe, with stopover in Nairobi. Fortunately there's no chance of jet-lag, as we're flying almost due south to Malawi and not therefore through multiple time zones.

Feeling rather shattered at the moment, having spent most of yesterday and today repeatedly losing and then finding vital luggage items for the trip (mosquito net, shoes, clothes, medication, the list goes on). Moral of the story: pack well in advance, and ignore life lesson learnt at uni about doing everything at the last minute.

Before I forget, I must say a huge thank you to everyone so far who has supported me in relation to this venture, whether in prayer, in advice, in encouragement or in finance. I'm am immensely grateful to you all and it is wonderful that so many people have taken an interest and decided to invest (in whatever manner) in this project. I hope that I can keep you all adequately updated through this blog and, at least in that small way, repay you for your generosity. Know too that your input will, in turn, benefit the Malawian people whom we will meet and work alongside.

1 WEEK TO GO!!!

Soon I'll be glad to finally put away my hat, scarf and gloves, as I depart the freezing shores of England for the warmer climes of Malawi. But what about my coat, I hear you say, the fourth member of this essential winter quartet? That unfortunately will be coming with me. Turns out that Malawi is currently in the midst of its rainy season, which means 2-4 hours of torrential rain a day, 5 days a week. This month in Lilongwe (where I'll be initially based along with the rest of our awesome team) we'll be getting 4 times as much rain as London gets during the April showers. 

Wet it may be, but this can do nothing to dampen the growing sense of excitement and anticipation among our team. As I've already mentioned, it will certainly be warm out there, and this description also applies to the people we will meet. Malawi is often portrayed as 'the warm heart of Africa', for the simple reason that its population is renowned for its friendliness. We sincerely hope that we can reciprocate that trait during our brief stay. 

We've now got a much better idea of what we'll be up to once we arrive, but I'll leave that to another post (after all, I want to whet your appetite and make you come back to read this blog again!). If you've not checked out the tabs at the top of this page (especially the 'What? Where? When?' and 'Prayer Points' tabs), then I encourage you to do so. 

That's all for now folks!