September 21st

We took off from Addis almost an hour late. Somehow still due in at the same time.

We landed in Malawi at 1pm, and were greeted by dear friends from Home of Hope; Lucy, Thompson, Chisomo (currently studying in Malawi), and Dingase and who works at the airport.

We then headed to the supermarket to exchange some dollars for MKW and also to do a small food shop. Of course we also treated our drivers (Thom and Lucy) to KFC.

The roads are being built into dual carriage ways - a far cry from the newly tarmaced road that had been laid in 2007.

Both Anna and I slept in the car most of the way to Home of Hope and this view was the most welcome!

Of course we go into Home of Hope and were greeted by a few of the children. As you can see, they are wide awake whilst we are weary from travelling.

Now time for dinner and rest. Matrida and Carolyn have cooked us such a tasty dinner. They are so wonderful. Nsima, beans and cabbage. (I started eating before I remembered to take a picture).

Time to rest, with church and finding our feet waiting for us tomorrow.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2025-08-11 The Education Challenge

Image
<< Next Post: 2025-08-12 - Bravehearts >> At a little past six o'clock this evening, as we arrived at Home of Hope, Malawi, the tropical sun had already slipped swiftly behind the Mchinji Mountains. In the cooling dusk, we found children and mothers waiting outside to greet us. They sang songs of welcome in Chichewa; we shared a few words, we prayed. Most of all, we were happy — happy to be back in a place we’ve come to love, among people who embody what it means to love life and live joyfully despite disadvantage and difficulty. Before we travelled from England, some of our group shared what they were looking forward to: “Renewing friendships and seeing wonderful people at Home of Hope responding to challenges with resilience and positivity.” – Gillian “Revisiting the warm heart of Africa, returning this time with more insight and knowledge of the people, their passions, and their needs — which I hope will support me when working alongside the school teachers and shari...
Read more

2025-08-12 - Bravehearts

Image
  << Previous post: 2025-08-11 - The Education Challenge >> << Next post: 2025-08-13 So Much to See >> A proper day for us at Home of Hope includes playing with the children. Even though it's winter here in the southern hemisphere, Malawi's colonial past means that  August is the long school holiday, and almost all children are back in villages with one or more parents or relatives. Most of those who remain during our visit are children who have no safe context to return to. They live here all year round. Lucy Chipeta (daughter to Reverend & Mrs Chipeta who had the vision to found this place) always used to tell us, "You don't realize how much it means to these children that you spend time with them. They have no-one outside. You make them know they are noticed and loved." Hannah Applegarth, pictured above, is Youth Minister at our home church in Bedford, UK. She's heard a lot about Home of Hope over the last while and is here with ...
Read more

2025-08-13 So Much to See

Image
  <<Previous Post: 2025-08-12 Bravehearts>> << Next Post: 2025-08-14 Helen's Day >> If you come to visit Home of Hope (more on that later), don't expect to see everything quickly. There's so much!  These photos from this morning give just a flavour: Home of Hope from above, this morning ⓵ Primary School ⓶ Secondary School ⓷Vocational Training Centre ⓸ Clinic Home of Hope's Vocational Training Centre (VTC). Learning practical skills  Students not going on to Higher Education (University etc.) can learn a practical course at the VTC. Four skills are offered at present: Carpentry & Joinery; Tailoring & Fashion Design; Brick Laying; Fabrication and Welding, with more to follow. Electric Maize Mill The low hum of the Maize Mill Second to the cockerels and call-to-devotional bell (think school assembly), an early sound each day except Sundays is the low drone of two electric milling machines - housed not far from Home of Hope's main entranc...
Read more