2025-08-20 A Great Big God, a Sad Goodbye, and a Laptop That Changes Everything
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It was only just light when the first gentle strains of singing began echoing through the grounds, as the day began with morning devotions at 6.30am. A whole 30 minutes later than their usual start time, just for us soft Brits. This morning, it was Hannah and Helen who led the way.
They introduced the song "Our God is a Great Big God," complete with actions and the kind of energy only early-morning faith can spark. With every line explained in English, and then again with love and care in Chichewa, the words speaking to everyone in the room: that they are held in the hands of someone far greater than themselves.
Afterwards, we wandered back to the guest lodge, where the now-familiar aroma of Nsima porridge waited. Warm bowls, full bellies, and full hearts.
But then came the part we’d quietly been dreading – saying goodbye. Hannah, Helen and Alex were heading off, their journey home beginning with bags packed, final hugs exchanged, and one last photo beside the car, parked in the soft shade of a tree. Rev Chipata stood proudly beside them - at 96 years young, still a beacon of vision, strength, and joy.
The rest of us – Gillian, Phil, and Ruth – are still here for a few more days, with plenty still to do, see, and learn.
Later in the morning, a quiet knock came at the guest lodge door. It was Caroleen, who had travelled all the way from Lilongwe, a two-hour journey, to collect her university laptop and mobile phone, donated by firms back in the UK. Just a few months into her Pharmacy degree at the Malawi College of Health Science, she carried the kind of determination you can’t help but admire.
She smiled as she held her laptop, knowing it would mean fewer handwritten assignments, and more time focusing on her studies. Submitting assignments before the deadline, something so small, yet so powerful, is now finally within her reach.
The phone will help too. It’s a link to her lecturers, to research, to community. To possibilities.
The devices she received were generously donated by businesses back in the UK. A heartfelt thank you to those who made that possible. And a quiet question to others: does your workplace upgrade devices before they’ve truly reached their end? Laptops and smartphones might seem “outdated” in one part of the world – but here, they’re keys to education, confidence, and a brighter future.
We've already met 12 university students this trip alone. All with potential. All with goals. All with dreams made harder by simple lack of tech. That’s a gap we can help close.
Speaking of innovation – Phil and Gillian had the chance to tour the Home of Hope office today and were impressed by the solar setup. Four rooftop panels feeding into two neatly stacked batteries tucked into the corner of the room – powering everything from lights and laptops to the printer humming in the background. All totally off-grid.
It got us all thinking… could the same be possible for the Health Clinic?
Today held more than we can squeeze into a single update – there were other visits, conversations, and moments of laughter that deserve their own space. But for now, we rest in the richness of what’s already been shared.
As the sun slipped behind the mountain tonight, I kept thinking of the voices in the assembly hall this morning, lifting the words:
"He’s higher than a skyscraper, and deeper than a submarine."
That’s the kind of God we sang to today. And the kind of love we’re witnessing here – big, bold, and wonderfully beyond measure.
Ruth xx
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