Team Malawi Update

From Sami Allen...

Hey all so here in Malawi we are quickly coming to a close. Many tears are being shed as 2 months with the same groups of kids has caused many good relationships to be created. Amy had her last day of sports ministry on Thursday at a field that is just down the road from where we stay. As the rest of us got home Amy was standing just inside the gate with a bunch of girls yelling her name and reaching through the gate to try to grab her. Her face showing exhaustion and sorrow, she marched right back out to them for just one more time! She is really doing some good work here!

Tracy and I have had a bit of a different experience with our sports ministry field at Muzu village. This is a village COTN has not been in and has been trying though the chief is requesting money in order that COTN be allowed to feed the kids there. A few weeks ago while COTN was there officiating a soccer match in which the Muzu boys were a part of chaos came out. We haven't received the entire story but the Muzu boys were kicked out of the COTN league for being to violent during the game. Upset they threatened the ref and threw stones. During this time they said the Azungus (white people) were not allowed back. A Malawian staff Frackson went back to try to smooth things over with the chief but to our sadness we were not allowed back. The hardest part was we had made connections with the kids and never got to say goodbye. We had talks planned and never did a full wrap up. We know its in Gods hands but it is a difficult thing to not say goodbye.

This last Friday we had staff appreciation day with loads of games and a big lunch. There were kids here from some of the COTN houses and some of the staff came though the staff dinner was moved to Monday so more will come to that. As games were occurring we saw some mgwayi kids hanging around the back of our compound. Mgwayi is the village that backs our compound split only by an open field. We have been going to mgwayi five days a week for the last two months really making a connection with these kids. They sat watching us run around and laugh and play. All the interns hearts were breaking wanting these kids to come join us, though we were not sure what our directors would say so we avoided it. After some time they just started coming in. Looking at them they had gone home washed and put on their finest clothes before coming in. Lunch was approaching and looking around there was a lot more people then originally planned. Though that was not about to stop us, we started calling groups up to eat and mgwayi was included. These kids stood patiently in line while cooks rushed to make more food. Happily they sang songs and smiled in line. One by one they got their own plate of food and a fork. They went outside looking like they had won some sort of prize. After some coloring, food and games we walked them home. Looking back at the line of kids we were taking home there was more then fifty mgwayi kids that got to come play and eat! And still there was food for the interns! God provides!

Wednesday we leave to go to Zambia for Safari and will return Friday night. Saturday we leave for Salima (in Malawi) which is where we will spend the night at the lake and get a chance to swim, relax and debrief with all our interns!