Hannah's photo of the Milky Way from two nights ago.
Yesterday I'd really wanted to sign off with a photo of the night skies we've been seeing - not realizing that Hannah already shared some in our team WhatsApps group.
No special equipment required. Heavens. Phone. Are you surprised the sky can look like that to the naked eye? Many of us Northern-Hemisphere-dwellers are around too many street lights to see much star light. But just because it's uncommon to see doesn't mean it's not out there.
Some of us sat down today with a paper list of "stuff that needs doing" here (doing = purchasing; constructing; maintaining; repairing...), typing it into a spreadsheet. We added estimates - Phil's job is all about estimating - and it didn't take a huge number of rows to blast past the budget. But that's OK. It doesn't mean its not possible for this place to keep thriving and growing. We'll just need to keep looking up.
Clinic roof repair
A little looking down can help, too. This evening we checked out the final metal patch to the Clinic roof. Rain test, anyone? The trees to the front of the Clinic (right, in this shot) have been cropped back hard to leave the structure clear. At the rear, some work still needs doing.
Left to themselves, trees win!
Plenty more drone pilots in training
Looking forward (last one I promise), it was wonderful to see the students still digging in to tech setup today with Chisomo, and to welcome another student who travelled from Lilongwe especially to collect his gear from Ruth.
Looking back (ok ok).
Actually, can we go back to the Clinic for a moment? A late request for an item to bring this time was a very large lockable box suitable for keeping expired medicines until disposal - something like 140 litres capacity. Unobtainable in Malawi. We found one, and used it as "Oversized" checked luggage - but disappointingly it took quite a beating, picking up some long splits, and even a few holes.
Joseph has a friend in town who does carbon-fiber work - car body repairs etc. - and he fixed it up solidly. Mmm, that fresh plasticky smell!! Like a hundred rolls of cling-film.
A chilly afternoon breeze kept the usual colouring-in clientele away today, but when a few came looking for fun, Gillian was ready with a Jackanory re-boot. She says Hi:
"This morning I was excited to visit the town of Mchinji. I went to prepare for the mini party we will be giving the children tomorrow before Hannah, Helen and Alex leave on Wednesday morning. I loved the busyness, the vibrancy and the variety of things to buy. I bought bottles of fizzy drink from a shop which also sells corrugated iron sheets and other hardware! From a stall I bought 50 apples. Apples are a rare treat for the children, usually only a special thing at Christmas. Eggs and sweet potatoes [The sweet potatoes were delicious! Ed.] for the team completed the shopping list. We're hoping to return tomorrow to choose from a wide selection of colourful fabrics." - Gillian.
A picture taken by one of the children.
Final photo of the day. We all joked as Norah propelled the drone ever higher: "Look, you can see Lilongwe!" (Wrong direction, actually - perhaps Blantyre...)
What's possible? In these children's lifetimes, will the terrain on the left be restored to look more like that on the right? What strengths will they find to bring to their challenges? How high will they rise? How far will they travel? We can't know, but this is certain: what's possible for them can be utterly transformed by support you sow at this "seed time" of their lives.
Alex
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