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| Darcy and Jonathon |
Friday started off in the way Friday's always start here
in Malawi, early.
We had water but no Escom but John being the fine man
that he is offered to run the generator for 15 minutes so the Master Chief
would have his coffee, nobody here likes a cranky Master Chief, in case you
think I am talking about me, think again, I am talking about Darcy.
We held our morning devotion and song service and had a
fine breakfast of cereals, juice, fruit, breads and COFFEE and began to ready
ourselves for class. Friday classes are short as the students go home for the
weekend and we want them on the road by 10:00. John is still doing homiletics
and I presented an introduction to the book of Galatians which is the book the
students ask me to do. After the book of Daniel, I would do just about any other
book gladly.
After loading the lorry with much stuff(see pictures) and
students Nelson and James, we headed out to the Makwasa area to visit two of the
churches John has helped establish and teach in. As we were passing through the
Bvumbwe market area we happened upon a very bad situation, apparently a man who
was riding on the back of one large truck was bounced off and was ran over by
the truck behind it. It must have happened only moments before we passed by as
a crowd had not formed as of yet. It was most obvious he was dead. At our next
stop I talked with the students and pointed out as an illustration that this
man when he got up in the morning and started his day he was probably thinking
of all the things he had to do and what he would be doing tomorrow, only he has
no tomorrow and that's why preaching the Gospel is so important and doing so
NOW.
After a long hard drive we reached our first destination
Utenja Church where we ran out of road (see pictures) we walked a very
difficult trail to the church, well I thought it was difficult, it took about 15
minutes to reach the building and see
what had been done on its construction, it was ready for the roofing materials
John had brought. We went back to the lorry,15 minutes of a very difficult climb and the men unloaded
the lorry and signed the receipt of delivery.
So far we had been on the road about two-three hours and
I was done or so I thought.
After another interminably long drive we literally ran
out of road on top of a mountain, this may not have been the back end of
nowhere but it was within two miles:) we started one of the most arduous walks
I have been on and that takes in account of Camp Pendleton which is up hill in
every direction, it was a 30+ minutes to where we were going and when we
got to the Benini church I WAS done, I just thought the road we just came down
in the lorry was bad, boy what a rookie I am.
We checked over the building and took the measurements
needed to buy the roofing materials and I had a little rest and we started
back, after stopping every few feet and bitterly complaining, John said I did a
lot of that. When we finally got back to the lorry the real adventure was about
to start. Did I mention the village kids ran along side of me on my trip back
to the lorry and had great sport of me stopping just to breath, (a pox on them
all).
We all climbed in and we were off and on our way home,
life is good, not so fast big guy. When we came to our first of three hills we
had to traverse it was evident we were not going to have an easy time. Going
down was bad enough but going up was really going to be a problem. The lorry
has a low center of gravity and a short wheelbase and is rear wheel drive and
just like a pick-up it is lightweight in the rear. John got a good run at it in
granny low but about one third up he hit loose stones and the wheels just spun.
As he tried to back down to get another run the lorry began to slide to the
side and he slipped of the road and over the edge, the only part that had a drop
of about 300 feet any place else it would have had a ditch. What to do? We
assembled a whole lot of villagers and we physically moved the lorry back on
the road, saying it sounds easy but trust me it was hard and very dangerous.
We loaded as many people in the back as the lorry would hold and once again we
were off. This time with the weight in the back and a steady foot on the gas
and me picking what side to be on we made it to the top. John gave each person
a 100 kwacha (30 cents) for riding the lorry, (I think he loves these people too
much). We made the rest of the drive without any mishaps and arrived home to a
hot shower and a great meal and I went to bed and slept the sleep of the dead.
Having said all this I have to say God had his hand all over us and safe,
otherwise we could not do what needs doing here in Malawi. Till next time, God
bless and keep you all.
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