Last Post: Some Pictures

The Farewell Concert

The Orphans at the Women's Development Centre

The Party: The Food

The Party: The Gifts

Presentation of Certificate to Modesta

The Gifts

Final Comments

Malawi has been the greatest experience of my life so far! I have loved every single moment and have had the opportunity to meet some amazing people which I can now call friends. I still cannot believe that I have been so fortunate to visit this breath-taking country; it has been a surreal adventure being one which I will never forget. I can whole heartedly promise myself that this will most certainly not be my last time in Malawi! Although Malawi is half way around the world, it is a place that feels like home. The students, the orphans, the volunteers which we have met have reinforced that Malawi will always be the “warm heart of Africa!

Megan Dillon

Even though it seems like ages ago that we left Scotland, the trip has flown in and it doesn’t seem as though 9 days have passed and that its time to pack for home already.   We have all made so many friends whilst out here and it’s not hard to see why: everywhere you go people are coming up to you to chat, shake your hand, and laugh at your pathetic attempts at Chitumbuka!  Malawi is definitely the most welcoming place I have ever been and I have grown so accustomed to stopping in the middle of the street to talk to strangers, that I’m slightly worried that I will be doing the same thing once I get back to Irvine!  There are so many things that I have loved whilst out in Malawi but here are just a few: making loads of new friends; visiting a rural village and trying my luck at carrying a basin full of water on my head up a huge hill; getting to run around playing duck, duck, goose with the orphans at Mary Martha Orphan Care centre and the Woman’s Development centre; learning alongside Malawian pupils in St. Peter’s Secondary School; and the ecstatic looks on the children’s faces when you hand them a balloon or give them a high 5!  Without a shadow of a doubt this trip has been the most exciting, surreal, and crazy experience of my life and I can’t wait to get home to start planning my next visit!

Amy Chambers

A brief comment to thank all of our Malawian friends for their tremendous welcome and their outstanding hospitality for the duration of our stay. We have been treated so well in Mzuzu by all we have had the pleasure to be with, and we will all remember our week with much appreciation.

Thank you also to our pupils who have been exemplary ambassadors for St Matthew’s Academy. They have embraced every aspect of the week with a positive attitude and shown care and compassion. Their families and the whole school community should be very proud of them. All of the staff who have been with them this week certainly are!

Finally thanks to all members of staff in St Matthew’s and here in Malawi for your support, hard work, humour and encouragement over the course of the last few months and especially over the last week. We have had a wonderful time which we will remember for a long time.

Tioanenge sono sono!

Ms McArthur

It’s been a great experience working with our partners in St Peter’s and the staff and students I have had the privilege of accompanying on this visit. Thanks to everyone in the St Matthew’s community who donated the many gifts which were all gratefully received.

Mr McGuigan

Malawi has been the best experience of my life so far. It has allowed me to significantly grow as a person and build my character with an experience that will have an impact on my life forever over the course of the two weeks we were there. The Malawian people I have noticed are the friendliest most welcoming people I have ever met, even as soon as we were off the plane people were saying ‘most welcome’ which was a theme throughout the trip with strangers smiling at you saying hello. The schools that we visited have very much opened my eyes to just how lucky we have it in Scotland. It is easy for people to say we have so many opportunities in Scotland but when you come out here it hits home that these children have nothing. I have been very much out my comfort zone while being pulled in every direction by orphans to  visiting rural villages but without a shadow of a doubt the best part for me is seeing the people genuinely having a good time. I really do love seeing the pure smile of happiness on the people’s faces when we play games with them and/or give them  presents and the feeling of satisfaction I personally get from knowing I’ve slightly helped a person’s life even for a little while is so much better  than any material possessions. The country is absolutely stunning and I have grown to love this country so much… this will not be my last time in Malawi. It will change my perspective on life forever.

Ewan Grant

Malawi has been one of the most eye opening and life changing experiences that I have ever taken part in. it has totally changed my outlook on life, these people are the most welcoming and warm hearted people that I have ever met. I definitely intend to return to Malawi it definitely is “the warm heart of Malawi”. Thanks to everyone who has supported and donated to the Malawi fund to make this trip possible I can’t thank you all enough.

  Tom Cochrane

Malawi 2013 is almost over and it’s crazy to think of all the amazing things that I have done throughout this short period of time.  I have made many new friends, shook many hands and smiled uncontrollably. It has been an emotional roller-coaster at times but an adventure to truly treasure for the rest of my life.  I have grown in many ways as a person but in particular my self-confidence has been greatly boosted, something that in my opinion was greatly needed!. I hope that when I come home I will be able to spread the love of Malawi to you all. We have been welcomed with buckets of love from everyone here and I think leaving here will be the hardest task yet. The happy faces of all the children and the songs that they have performed for us will be something that will stay with me forever. I would also like to thank all of the teachers, my family and all those who made this trip possible, you have allowed me to experience so many great things at such a young age.  Thank you!

Heather Rennie

After nearly two weeks of full on work and experience our trip to Malawi is almost over. It’s sad to think that soon we will be on a plane back home to a place where the sun doesn’t try to melt me. Although I can’t wait to see everyone again I’m going to miss all the smiling faces of the children and the singing that greets us everywhere we go. Despite taking some time I feel I have moved out of my comfort zone in regards to hand sanitizer and deet. I feel I have found a confidence within me that I never knew I had which I feel will help me when I return to help me share my experiences with the rest of the community. I will never forget this trip and all the people I have met who have touched my heart. There are so many people I could thank but I will instead say a massive thanks to everyone who was involved in the trip, it has been a life changing experience that I will treasure forever. See you soon mum, dad, and phoebe, I’m coming home.  

Sophie Lewis

Malawi has been a huge eye-opener for me. It has let me appreciate the small things in life and given me a lot of hope for the future. Before coming to Malawi, I was aware of the poverty but I didn’t really know how lucky I was. Meeting new friends and experiencing a brand new culture has been an incredible adventure. I have been given the opportunity to do many things in this week that most people will never do in their lifetime and for this I will always be grateful. I will never forget the people and especially the children in the Orphan Centre and WDC. Their smiling faces when they received balloons and party toys from us will stay in my heart forever. They were so warm and loving towards us, shaking our hands and giving us hugs, and it made me appreciate the loving family and friends I have at home, to depend on. My highlight of the whole trip (it is very hard to choose one) was on the day of the netball and football matches. After winning our netball match against St Peter’s, the primary children were very excited and followed us for at least hour throughout the whole parish. Having 300 primary kids following you as you walk by the side of the road was amazing. Eventually I started to run with them. I ran across an African field with 300 smiling, happy Malawian children running behind me. That is an event that I will never get to repeat and I will never forget. This whole trip was nothing I could have ever expected. It has been so much better and I don’t want to leave. This will certainly not be my last time in Malawi. In my head I have already started planning my next visit. Maybe next time I can share the adventure with my mum who I know would love it out here. Xxx           

Sophie Fulton

This has been my most southerly trip so far.  I have enjoyed meeting new people and experiencing the Malawian culture and their food.  Also great friendships have arisen.  My favourite experience was the visit to the village because it was so different from anything I have ever experienced before.   I will never forget the joy on the faces of the children that a balloon can give.  The visits to the Mary Martha Orphan Centre and the Womens Development Centre were a roller-coaster of emotion, especially when handing out food and the children bowed and curtsied for the food they were receiving.  This was one of the few times this year they would eat meat.  The children were so happy and full of life and getting out of the minibus I felt like a “rockstar” with the children swarming around us wanting to touch hands.  One of the memories I will hold onto forever is the children at the Womens Development Centre singing, “we are happy today, we are happy today, we are happy today, our visitors.”  I have learned new dances although I still have no rhythm, and I have conquered my fear of germs and crossed a pretty terrifying bridge, with the help of Father Philip in order to see the elephants.

As the African sun sets on this trip, the sun will never set on my experiences.

Jennifer Brady

Had an amazing week in Malawi. It was everything I had hoped for and much more! Malawi is truly the ‘warm heart of Africa’. Had a week of memories and experiences that will last a lifetime. Feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to be here. A huge ‘thank you’ to all involved in making the trip possible. Special thanks to my fellow travellers. Wouldn’t have been the same without their support, friendship and laughter!

Jane Lennon

This is my fifth trip to Malawi; each time I fall more in love with the country and the people. When I have to leave it becomes more and more difficult to say goodbye.  This time I have been impressed with the exuberance and enthusiasm of this group of students; I have particularly enjoyed seeing Malawi from their perspective. The highlights of the trip for me have been seeing Tom showing the primary children how to wear his kilt and Tom along with Heather & Sophie L. teaching the primary pupils the song “Head, shoulders, knees and toes.”

Paul Carmichael

Well it’s fair to say that it has been a magical trip. All the hard work of St Matthew’s staff and pupils to fundraise has paid off and has been truly appreciated by all in Malawi. All of our packed suitcases have been shared out and sent where the need is greatest. To see the little orphans enjoy playing with a balloon with big smiles on their faces made it all worthwhile.  We have been the lucky ones as we got the chance to shake everyone’s hands and hug the orphans but hopefully when we get back we can try and pass on the warmth of the Malawian’s to everyone at St Matthew’s. Everyone here has welcomed us as their family and it has been quite overwhelming how lovely this trip has been. I am really grateful for this experience and probably won’t shut up about it when I get back. I apologise in advance.

 Janice Henderson

This has been a fantastic trip.  I have felt so lucky being part of the St. Matthew’s Group. Everyone in the group has gelled together like one big family.  One of my favourite memories is the visit to the Primary Schools watching the students lead the activities in class and seeing the learners smile.  Tom’s kilt will be remembered for a long, long time. I also loved the visit to the village, Joto where I learned a lot about village life and we all had the opportunity to participate in the activities.  Finally may I complement all of the students in the group who were excellent ambassadors for the school and great friends.  Special thanks also to the members of staff who were super company.

 Anne Carmichael

Pictures to follow.

Friday 11 October

Today: early mass 6.30 am, farewell school assembly, joint St Peter's & St Matthew's concert, farewell to the staff at St Peter's, party at Women's Development Centre, all before 3.00 pm.  Finally relaxation for one night at the Lake at Myoka Village.
 

"We were up early again today for church. Megan had a reading which she did really well. We came home and got ready for going to St.Peters. As we walked to the school we could hear the kids singing and it filled me with a buzz of excitement. I still haven’t gotten used to the fact that the kids are so excited to see us and they sing every time we see them. We presented the school with the gifts and the kids cheered even more! After the presentation we went to the house and got ready for the performance. I looked out the window as we got ready to leave and I could see all the other students gathering around the church hall. There were so many people!! We had to push our way into the hall to get seats. The concert was interesting… I can’t really find the words to describe some of the acts but our performances were very successful. After pushing our way out of the crowd again we went round to the school for drinks. We sat and chatted with the staff but my mind was really looking forward to Nkhata.

We came home after the drinks and got changed for the Women’s Development Centre. The girls got to dish out the food to the children which was an amazing experience. We then got to play games with kids which involved duck, duck, goose and silly races. We gave the kids a small toy, balloon and sweet each and the joy on their faces overwhelmed me. It makes you realise how lucky you are to have so much. We then said our thanks to Modesta and I received a letter from the WDC as a thanks for donating the rosary beads which made me very emotional. I’m glad that they will go to good homes. After leaving the WDC we got changed ready for the road trip to Nkhata.

The bus ride was filled with beautiful scenery. We got to see parts of Malawi we had never seen. When we got to the bay I was almost disappointed. I couldn’t see the water and there were stalls everywhere but then we came round a corner. The view was absolutely stunning! Our hotel is on top of a massive cliff that leads down to the lakes edge. The bar sits on the edge of the water and it looks incredible. Our room is beautiful and spacious. The view from our room is something like we’ll never see again. I honestly can’t believe that we’re here. It seems unreal. We’ve all opened tabs and are settling down for drinks and food tonight so that we can watch the sun rise in the morning."

Sophie Lewis

"After an early mass this morning we had the closing ceremony at St Peter’s Secondary. It was sad to say goodbye to the many new friends that we had met throughout the week and it had finally sunk that this was our official last day in Mzuzu. After the closing ceremony we started to prepare for the Scotland and Malawi concert. This was especially nerve-wracking for Me (Sophie) as I had to do three solos of highland dancing. Sophie was amazing, and her dances went down a storm, especially with the Malawian boys (due to her kilt flying up every time she jumped). The Malawians also had some interesting dance routines that made all of the students’ mouths fall open and the teachers laugh at their reactions. The only word we can use to describe these routines was RISQUE! After the concert we headed off to the WDC where we helped feed the local orphans. We personally served them their lunch and played all different party games with them. This was an amazing and unforgettable experience especially when they received their gifts (toothbrush, sweets, balloons and small toys). However,  it was a very short visit as it was time for us to head to Nhakata Bay.

The scenery on the way to the bay was phenomenal. Both of us were speechless and had our cameras hanging out the windows for the whole duration to Mayoka. When we got to the hotel we were shocked at how beautiful the atmosphere was. Everyone was so chilled out (even the teachers!!) and we enjoyed food and drink on the lakeside. Just recently we have met some Scottish volunteers from Dundee and Edinburgh who are staying here for 9 months. This has encouraged us both to travel more and definitely return to Malawi."

Megan Dillon and Sophie Fulton

Thursday 10 October

The group has been away for almost a week. Today was no exception: another action packed day.

" Yesterday I dipped my toes in the pool of teaching in the primary schools and discovered a hidden talent. I thoroughly enjoyed my time working alongside the teachers and helping the children in particular. Whilst I was there with Tom and Sophie L we did some maths games (the children were better at this than me), some dancing and singing and I  also took a class for Art and Design. I really did enjoy what this visit did for both myself and the children:  the pupils though they learned off of us for me I developed a greater self confidence in myself."

Heather

 "Yesterday was a productive day for myself as well.  I visited St. Peter’s Secondary school again with Miss Brady to take some of the form four pupils for a fitness exercise: the Bleep Test.  Most of the students seemed a little cautious to begin with and didn’t want to volunteer, but once it started they all seemed keen and became rather competitive with each other.  In order to track their fitness rates, we took their pulses before, immediately after, and five minutes after exercise.  We had already taken results from our school back home, but as soon as the Malawian boys started we knew straight away that there would be no comparison: some of the Malawian boys almost tripled the Scottish boys scores, and their fitness levels were incredible, with their pulse almost returning to normal after five minutes. 

Amy

 The Jungle Book

"As always an early start to the morning with mass at half six with breakfast swiftly following at 7am.  Our day was packed with little time free time.  We visited St.John's hospital, in particular the maternity unit where we had the chance to see and even hold the new –borns; we also had the opportunity to visit the paediatric unit.  This was a very emotional start to the day for all.  Later we then visited the school which 27 of the students that you help with School fees attend. We were very impressed with the standard of the school and the behaviour of the pupils.  This was all achieved by 11am.

We arrived home to find 12 eager students from St Peter's Secondary School at our door waiting for their trip with us to the marsh. Even though the journey was long, hot and a little cramped, we eventually made it to the St. Patrick’s Seminary where we were welcomed warmly by the boys that attend the school.  The teachers were taken into the staff room, while the rest of us St. Matthew’s and St. Peter’s students were led to the dining hall to have a kindly prepared lunch with the boys that attend the school.  We were interested to learn about the exchange programme between St. Peter’s Seminary and St. Benedict’s school in Scotland.

Finally the trip to the Safari had begun which to our delight included getting up close and personal with some hippos, 3 herds of elephants and some monkeys too.  Whilst in the warm heart of the African terrain we witnessed gorgeous sunsets, bush fires and plenty of big beasties which no African adventure can do without!

A rather scary ride home when our bus was swarmed by fruit and veg sellers making their way home from a long day at the market and attempting to make one final sale. Arriving home we discovered a power cut which was quickly resolved and dinner was served. 

 As ever, we are writing this well into the night (10pm, its been a tiring day guys) with lots of other planning and packing to be done for the coming days.  Have a nice October break! "

Heather and Amy 

Pictures from Vwasa Marsh

 

Wednesday 9 October

Power cuts have been a problem over the last couple of days. But life here goes on as normal. The group spent the morning carrying out activities with pupils in the primary and the secondary schools.

"Today was a very fulfilling day. In the morning I went to St. Peter's Secondary school and we asked them to write down 5 things that they loved about Malawi as we had done the same thing with first years in St Matthews and we swapped them round. It was very nice to see the pupils excited and laughing and joking with each other while I also learned about things Malawian people liked that I previously wasn’t aware of.

 After we had finished the tasks I went down to St Peter's primary to meet with Tom, Heather, Anne and Sophie where they had been all day. I joined in as they taught the kids how to do ‘heads, shoulders, knees and toes.’ It was brilliant to watch the younger children get really into the routine and Tom showed the children his kilt that he had brought. In every class we went into it caused an uproar of laughter when Tom wore it then another round of laughter every time a different child put on the kilt. It was satisfying to know that for a moment I had made them genuinely laugh and have a good time.

 Then later on it was a first for me. I took part in a football match with Mr McGuigan and around 30 secondary school pupils. At first I thought it was going to be a bit of a carry on but as soon as the game kicked off I realised that the guys were taking this very seriously, asking me which position I played in etc. It was a great game that was well competed and I would never pass up on a game of football… I’ll never moan about a bumpy football pitch again that’s for sure!"

 Ewan Grant

 

"An early start today up for quarter to six to prepare for a morning in both St. Peter’s and Lunyangwa primary schools working with form 1, 4 and 7 doing multiple maths based exercises with the show me boards. Due to the pupils lack of English I was not able to do a mathematical version of bingo with the form 1’s; this meant that Sophie Lewis, Heather, Anne and myself split into groups of around fifteen working with them doing exercises such as “find the missing number”. afterwards I brought out my kilt firstly explaining the background to it, then giving the children a chance to try it on; the reaction was amazing  and the teachers also really enjoyed trying the kilt on in all the classes. We then went on to do art lessons by asking them to draw what they loved about Malawi. By far my favourite time in the primaries was when we shared different songs with actions: we taught them the action and words to “head, shoulders, knees and toes” which provided a wealth of entertainment for the children watching us doing the actions and singing the words. After lunch we went to St Peter’s secondary where we participated in their football and netball matches. Obviously St Matthews won the netball there was a great atmosphere with everyone being very warm and welcoming in the usual Malawian way. "

Tom Cochrane

 

More pictures to follow.

Tuesday 8 October

 Apologies for no blog entries yesterday. Encountered technical difficulties and then a typical Malawian experience, power cuts for a couple of hours. So 2 posts published today: Monday 7 October & Tuesday 8.

A classroom at St Peters with 75 pupils

 

"After a wild night out last night the bells waking me up was to be quite frank, rude. All the same an exciting day lay ahead. Coming in for breakfast all the students were in school uniform ready for a full day of learning at St. Peters Secondary. On arrival we were lead to our classes by the head girl. Heather and I were in class 4B. We sat down the front of the class and I started talking to the people next to me. Soon our first teacher came in and a day of madness began.

After double Social (more like business) and double Biology we were allowed to take the first of our 15 minute breaks. It was roasting outside and sitting in blazers was quite challenging. All the children were gathering around us getting photos taken with us. I felt awkward and like a celebrity all at the same time! The 15 minutes didn’t last long and we were back into class for double Physics (yay!!) and a free period of study. During our free period Heather and I worked our way around the class chatting to people discussing football, jobs, school and would we come back to Malawi to marry in the near future. You won’t be surprised to hear that we were glad to take our 15 minute “lunch” break.

The rest of the day was filled with double English which was hard to sit through without correcting but as soon as the final bell rang we left for the house. Miss McArthur suggested we took a walk down to town to get some food. This sounded a good idea at the time as I was starving but after walking for near enough an hour in the sweltering heat without getting food I regretted my decision to come.

We had been in the house no more than ten minutes when the teachers from St. Peters arrived. The house was busy with talking and laughing. Bob came to show us the things we could buy when we go to Lake Malawi and most of us bought things then. After everyone had left we settled down into a quiet night. Quote of the night came from Heather when she said “the apples taste really appley”. The rest of the night was spent playing cards and relaxing before another busy day tomorrow. "

 Sophie Lewis

 

 

"After learning which class we were all going to be in last night we were all very excited but nervous! Waking up with the bells at 6 wasn’t pleasant but we somehow managed to be ready and showered for 6.30am. We plodded down to the school for 7 and were taken to our organised classes by the head girl. Being in the classes was an interesting experience which neither of us ever wishes to repeat. We were stuck in the same classroom for eight hours and were delighted when Miss McArthur came to collect us at 2pm. After no scheduled lunch during our school day (living like a true Malawian), Miss McArthur thought it would be a GREAT idea to walk through Mzuzu city to get ‘lunch’. This was a BIG mistake! Once in the city centre we realised that there was no electricity in the full city therefore no food for us. However, all was well as we got our hands on some munchies and stuffed our faces walking back up the road! Once returning to the house, we were swarmed by our teachers from St.Peter’s Secondary school. We hosted a small gathering for all involved in both schools, we had some food, drink and got to socialise with our guests. At 6:30pm we all gathered round for our usual supper. To our dismay, Jotto the chicken (the live chicken we were given at the local village) was lying in the pot! Safe to say neither of us had the heart to eat poor Jotto. If this wasn’t bad enough, after eating our dinner we all heard another chicken last screams, coming from outside, as it was killed for tomorrow’s dinner. Yum! We finished off the night by all playing cards on the floor and brushing up on the Espanola thanks to Miss Henderson. We had an amazing yet tiresome day! Our time in Malawi has been truly amazing and we love every minute of it! We are especially looking forward to tomorrow as its Art Time!!!!!!!!

  

Sophie Fulton & Megan Dillon

 

 

Monday 7 October: Coffees and Dancing

Another perfect day in paradise.

"Another busy day today. Woke up to the bells and grumpy room mates. The fight was on for the hot water! Rice porridge for breakfast? Not what you would call the usual but with a little bit of sugar (or in Mr Carmichael’s case, a full banana) it was tempting to lick the plate.  After the havoc of breakfast was over, we were introduced to our friends and family at the surrounding schools, including our partner school St. Peters Secondary School. They were very welcoming, however, they laughed at us a lot especially at our accents whilst saying Monire. We then headed off to the Women’s Development  Centre after having second breakfast (note the Lord of the Rings quote) at St. Peters Primary School. Modesta and Lucy (two volunteers and foster parents for needy children) greeted us warmly and explained the difficulties that they are having due to the current famine and lack of government support but also their thanks for our continued support for the centre.  Times are hard in Malawi, much harder than any of us realised, but this has only made us more motivated to aid in every way that is possible.
 

One of the schools visited today - Lunyangwa Primary

 

After the hard truth of this morning it was time for a relaxing tour of the Malawi Coffee Bean Factory. It was very interesting to see the journey of the bean from Malawi soils to Sainsbury’s shelves and also the high level of care and pride that the workers take in the sorting process to ensure the best possible coffee is provided.

It was a great surprise when pasta was served for dinner in addition to mince and tatties. Didn’t think that being 30 hours away, we could still get a taste of home!  The mince here is far better than Galloway’s mince and everyone asked for extra potatoes. With full stomachs and a smile on our faces, we headed to a social gathering to meet old and new Malawian friends.  The night flew in with Scottish themed activities and plenty of shortbread and delicious tablet (thank you Catriona)!  In addition, we taught(or in our case, tried to teach) them some traditional Scottish dances.  In reply, we had the opportunity to join in some Malawian songs and dances.  A good night was had by all.  Drinks and banter led to a late night, slightly worrying as we have our first day at school tomorrow!

Hope everyone is safe and well, love from us all."

 

Heather Rennie & Amy Chambers


 

 

Showing off purchases from the Tanzanian Market

Sunday 6 October

Another uplifting action packed day: 2 masses lasting 2 hours each, a tour of Mzuzu, a trip out to a village, called Jojo, right out in the bush.

 

 

 

 

" Today has been the most eventful day that I have experienced in Africa so far, also equally as rewarding as the trip to the orphanage centre. The day started at 6am as I woke up to the sound of the bell to let people know about church. We attended two masses-an English speaking mass first then a Chitumbuka speaking. I was taken aback by the way that the men sit separately from the women and that they start dancing and singing all together during every hymn, which I have never experienced at my local parish in Scotland. Later on we went to the market place in downtown Mzuzu which is a complete shock to my system as a westerner. It is an extremely run down tight market place where people are constantly shouting at you asking you to buy things, as we casually walk past 6 or 7 chickens in lots of different cages. Then we visited a local village which is about half an hour from our home on bumpy typically African style roads. This was the most fulfilling moment as I was given a chance to play with the Malawian children away from the city that otherwise would not have had a chance to see a white person ever in their lives. The children instantly took to us and they were laughing and joking and scrambling in for pictures. I extremely enjoyed giving the children and adults the balloons and lollypops and my particular favourite was giving a ball to the group of boys and the group of girls. The funniest part of the night for me was as we were leaving the village, the leader of the village walked up to us and gave Mr Mcguigan a live chicken, which Ms Henderson had to hold all the way home during which it flapped and squawked giving everyone a massive heart attack.

So far Malawi has been a breathtaking experience, I have never experienced people as warm as the Malawians as they always look for handshakes and always shout ‘you are most welcome to Malawi’. I have loved every minute of it and the memories that I have gained throughout my time in Malawi will stay with me forever. "

Ewan Grant

 

 

"I am having a great time in Malawi so far. The people are so warm and welcoming. The masses this morning were certainly interesting with a seven o’clock start everyone was up dancing and singing. The first mass was in English lasting an hour with a short break for breakfast then back down to the church for a 2 hours mass in chitumbuka which was filled with lots of dancing and signing. My highlight of the trip so far has been the visit to the traditional Malawian village today. From the moment we arrived they had us involved in their tasks such as grinding the maize, making shovels by hand, and collecting the water from the spring down in the valley below the village (which Mr McGuigan done especially well). After we gave gifts to the villagers they returned the generosity by presenting us with a live chicken !!! Much to Heather and Miss Henderson’s dismay so much so that Miss Henderson sat with the chicken on her knee the whole way back. I am looking forward to meeting all the pupils at the various secondary and primary schools around St Peters tomorrow."

 

Tom Cochrane

 

 

Mary Martha Orphan Centre

Just some more pictures to show what a wonderful day we had with the children at Mary Martha's. Click on the pictures to see a clearer picture.

 

Saturday 5 October

Saturday was spent in Mzuzu.

 "The early morning was a killer, could have stayed in bed all day quite happily. The Bishop was a kind man and made me laugh. The heat is something I’m struggling with a bit. The walk around the complex really reminded me how much I need suntan lotion! The people we met welcomed us warmly and it was great to see so many smiling faces as opposed to the frowns of Glasgow. I even had the chance to use a bit of my chitumbuka which was a good laugh. The trip to Mary Martha was an experience I will never forget. The children were so happy and smiling. They loved the cameras and were desperate to see themselves on the screen which made me smile. Giving out the presents was slightly like a double edged sword. It was amazing to see how happy people were but at the same time I felt slightly awkward giving out gifts already. Shopping was an interesting experience, I was very scared when walking out the shop and very conscious of the money in my pocket. Since getting home it has been a great laugh! Everyone is starting to settle down I think and are coming out of their skin. I’m missing home and still feel a bit strange being so far away from home but I’m enjoying the experience and can’t wait to see what comes next."

Sophie Lewis

 

" So today we had an apparent ‘long lie’, which is 7 o’clock in Malawian time.  Our alarm went off about 7 but none of us were in any state to get out of bed so at quarter to 8 we ended up shoving on clothes and managed to be at breakfast for 8. Breakfast was really good, we had omelettes, boiled eggs and toast. Not forgetting the Malawian coffee which is amazing! After breakfast, we made our way to the Bishops house which was really good to see. He was extremely welcoming and friendly towards us making us feel right at home. We then headed back to the house where we had a walk around St.Peter’s school, meeting some of the students and their teachers. After lunch, we headed off to Mary Martha’s orphanage which was an absolutely amazing experience and one which I will never forget. As our car pulled up we were greeted by hundreds of smiling children all eager to meet us. As we stepped out of the car we were greeted by all of them; shaking their hands and trying out our Malawian greetings. We were then introduced to the orphans and volunteers and got the opportunity to help with their lunch. This was a real eye opener for us all! We  played games and races with the children which was by far the best part of the day for me! After giving out our gifts (lollipops and balloons) we took some pictures of the children which they seemed to find hilarious. Spending time with the orphans really brought home where we actually were. It was heart breaking to realize that this was all they had and sickening to think of all the things we have at home which we simply take for granted. In the evening we went to the Mzuzu Coffee Den and afterwards the local supermarket where we bought some food and drink for the house. When we got back home we began to pack the gifts for the next day. There was a great atmosphere in the house as everyone was much more comfortable and relaxed. It has finally dawned on me that we are in Africa; which is crazy! I had the most amazing day today at the Orphan centre and can not wait for tomorrow!"

 

Megan Dillon 

 

The wheelbarrow race at Mary Martha's

 

 

"The night before I had set my alarm for 7am to be ready for 8. Our ‘long lie’ wasn’t enough for me and so I didn’t get up until 7.30am. That was the quickest I have ever got ready in my life! Breakfast was good. We had boiled eggs and omelettes. We made our first trip to visit the Bishop and he was very nice and welcoming. After Lunch and a quick tour around the St. Peter’s buildings, we travelled to Mary Martha’s Orphanage. As soon as we arrived the bus was surrounded by smiling children and welcoming faces. Stepping off the bus, we were swarmed by children shaking our hands. Once we were formally introduced we served the children their lunch. This was heart breaking. There weren’t enough plates for all the children to eat at once and so most had to wait for a finished plate in order to eat. Some of the children also had ripped clothes and no shoes. We then played sporting games with the children which they loved. We played games such as Duck, Duck, Goose and Tunnel Tag. The kids especially loved the cameras and seeing their own faces. Afterwards all the team gave out the small gifts to the children (balloons and lollipops) and gave the volunteers a donated t-shirt. Later we went to the supermarket. It was shocking to see the price drop in a bottle of coke from roughly £1 in Scotland to under 25p in Malawi. There we bought all our cravings (chocolate and crisps) and headed home for a nice meal and quiet night in. The night has been a great laugh and everyone is really settling in. I had an amazing time today and it was great to see all the children with their smiling faces."

 

Sophie Fulton   

 

 

  

Meeting the Orphans at Mary Martha