Malawi: Heart of Africa
June 2007
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” Ephesians 2: 19 (Thank you James for guidance to read Ephesians’ five times.)
My heart was broken in Malawi. My heart was warmed and opened in Malawi. My heart was touched in Malawi.
Our team from Western North Carolina Presbytery visited Dr. Barbara Nagy in Nkhoma, Malawi for 6 days. Here is a brief look at my time in Malawi, as I was supported by Bethel Presbyterian Church.
Love and support for Barbara, Melia, Anna, and Happy was the main purpose of the visit. It was a joy to be with them each day. We laughed a lot and sang “Are you Happy and you know it” many times. I was fortunate to spend time with Barbara in the hospital. She is so kind and caring to the patients and is a wise and compassionate teacher to the staff and students. The hospital environment is close to an emergency room. Patients come into the hospital with a high risk of having tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV, therefore high mortality rate. Barbara works a lot with the children and is working to reduce the infancy death rate.
Death in Malawi is high. The average life expectance is 37. I was honored to speak with a man who was 71 years old. The people of Malawi focus on relationships and less on possessions. If a Malawian has some thing they feel obligated to share with others. To have a lot means to give a lot. You should pay for something based on how much you have and you the buyer are responsible for having the correct amount to buy something, “no change”.
Smiles and warm greetings were felt every day from those in and around the Nkhoma Hospital. We had a small make shift Sunday School lesson using Ephesians the Sunday we arrived. Church was amazing, word of God, prayer and singing galore. It was packed, maybe 1000 in attendance. I was struck by the number of small children attending alone or bringing smaller children with them. The number of young boys, including teenagers attending by themselves, some thing is going on here we need to have in America. Malawi has more Presbyterian’s than United States, population about 10 million with 10% orphans.
We visited several orphanages. One outside of Johannesburg, South Africa was a joy to visit. We sang and danced with them. “Thumbs up, elbows out, legs apart, bums out, tongues out”, now sign the song. You have got to see the video, big Tom can dance. We visited two other orphanages in Malawi and were greeted and welcomed warmly.
We had a great group of individuals on our team. Big Tom Burleson is a gentle giant. He was in constant prayer, especially when the car broke down. Steve and Jane Hansel explored many educational opportunities and opened doors to know and assist in Nkhoma schools. The recess the Hansel set up for the students and the big guy was a big hit for all. Teresa Locke did a little of very thing, including counting the 1300 infant caps and pulling together the inventory of medicines and supplies brought by the team. We did get pictures of Teresa, as she was the team photographer always taking pictures of others. Tom Kilgore had the steady hand and the will to stand for hour as he made the renovated room by the team come alive as the new Children’s Examining Room with balls, bottle push cart, and an elephant. He was able to also hear the song and prayers every morning in the hospital lobby area by staff, patients and their families. Grace Boyer was with the team coming and going. She was a grace and comfort to us, especially during celebration of communion (Matrin’s home made bread and coke) through the language of the holy spirit on the day we left Malawi. Kyle Nelson brought youthful joy and energy. He did not think he snored until the men got a chance to be together in one big room at the Guest House of Nkhoma CCAP (Church of Central Africa Presbyterian) Synod. He shared his faith journey, as well as opened and encouraged each one of us in our faith journey. Billy Wilson, our team leader was a blessing and flexible leader. He used his gift as a commissioned lay pastor to lead our evening devotions as well as the men’s sleeping quarter’s nightly discussions under protection of mosquito nets. The ants got through to his bed. God worked through us all in many different ways and I am blessed to have been with such wonderful Christians.
We were also fortunate to be with “The Three Nurses”; Annjo, Wilma, and Geanne in the Nkhoma Presbytery Guest house. They are nursing students from Holland. I was fortunate to work with them in the hospital and see the love and care they gave to the patients as well as learned how to carry children on their backs with a chitjenjie (cloth made into back pack). Annjo and Geanne joined us to climb Nkhoma Mountain and shared on their blog web site, “The view is overwhelming and we realize again how small we actually are.” Dat voelt heerlijk! (That feels delightful!).
Working as a nurse in the hospital was incredible. I observed surgery (skin graft, intestine repair, fallopian tubes tied, TB on a liver and removal of a uterus) and participated in critical infant care (twin just about died), out patient examinations, removal of a stuck catheter tube, and patient intake with Mrs. Harry. Mrs. Harry was my home base, I could always go their and join her and Edina to welcome patients and take their initial vital signs. I also got to meet Mrs. Harry’s daughter and grandson, Wisdom. What a joy to meet Wisdom.
On the children’s ward I was struck by a young child, maybe 8 or 9 on the floor crying scream and swing at her mother. I sat on a bench near her and sang gently. She came and cuddled next to me, we sat for a while. Later in the day I heard the screaming again. She was in getting her bandage changes from the burn on her right arm. She had fallen in a fire during an epileptic fit. I joined Mr. Vincent Kuthinoi, a nursing assistant to change the girl’s dressings. Every day he leads the morning prayers and singing in the children’s ward for all the patients and family members. I assisted him in changing bed sheets that morning. Vincent was so gentle in cleaning and caring for the girl’s burn as I held her head and arm from jerking away. The blood poured out in the tub as the old bandage was removed and he cleaned and cared for the damaged arm. It was a tough and emotional time, I saw the hand of God in Vincent as he cared for this young girl and as he comforted me as I cried after. God provides comfort in and through us all.
Thanks be to God for this time in Malawi. My heart was broken. My heart has grown. I look forward to being closer to God… so close to hear his heart beat as I call out, screaming and crying.
“The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame, you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11 (Bedankt)
Zikomo,
David
PS: More pictures. More stories.
June 2007
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” Ephesians 2: 19 (Thank you James for guidance to read Ephesians’ five times.)
My heart was broken in Malawi. My heart was warmed and opened in Malawi. My heart was touched in Malawi.
Our team from Western North Carolina Presbytery visited Dr. Barbara Nagy in Nkhoma, Malawi for 6 days. Here is a brief look at my time in Malawi, as I was supported by Bethel Presbyterian Church.
Love and support for Barbara, Melia, Anna, and Happy was the main purpose of the visit. It was a joy to be with them each day. We laughed a lot and sang “Are you Happy and you know it” many times. I was fortunate to spend time with Barbara in the hospital. She is so kind and caring to the patients and is a wise and compassionate teacher to the staff and students. The hospital environment is close to an emergency room. Patients come into the hospital with a high risk of having tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV, therefore high mortality rate. Barbara works a lot with the children and is working to reduce the infancy death rate.
Death in Malawi is high. The average life expectance is 37. I was honored to speak with a man who was 71 years old. The people of Malawi focus on relationships and less on possessions. If a Malawian has some thing they feel obligated to share with others. To have a lot means to give a lot. You should pay for something based on how much you have and you the buyer are responsible for having the correct amount to buy something, “no change”.
Smiles and warm greetings were felt every day from those in and around the Nkhoma Hospital. We had a small make shift Sunday School lesson using Ephesians the Sunday we arrived. Church was amazing, word of God, prayer and singing galore. It was packed, maybe 1000 in attendance. I was struck by the number of small children attending alone or bringing smaller children with them. The number of young boys, including teenagers attending by themselves, some thing is going on here we need to have in America. Malawi has more Presbyterian’s than United States, population about 10 million with 10% orphans.
We visited several orphanages. One outside of Johannesburg, South Africa was a joy to visit. We sang and danced with them. “Thumbs up, elbows out, legs apart, bums out, tongues out”, now sign the song. You have got to see the video, big Tom can dance. We visited two other orphanages in Malawi and were greeted and welcomed warmly.
We had a great group of individuals on our team. Big Tom Burleson is a gentle giant. He was in constant prayer, especially when the car broke down. Steve and Jane Hansel explored many educational opportunities and opened doors to know and assist in Nkhoma schools. The recess the Hansel set up for the students and the big guy was a big hit for all. Teresa Locke did a little of very thing, including counting the 1300 infant caps and pulling together the inventory of medicines and supplies brought by the team. We did get pictures of Teresa, as she was the team photographer always taking pictures of others. Tom Kilgore had the steady hand and the will to stand for hour as he made the renovated room by the team come alive as the new Children’s Examining Room with balls, bottle push cart, and an elephant. He was able to also hear the song and prayers every morning in the hospital lobby area by staff, patients and their families. Grace Boyer was with the team coming and going. She was a grace and comfort to us, especially during celebration of communion (Matrin’s home made bread and coke) through the language of the holy spirit on the day we left Malawi. Kyle Nelson brought youthful joy and energy. He did not think he snored until the men got a chance to be together in one big room at the Guest House of Nkhoma CCAP (Church of Central Africa Presbyterian) Synod. He shared his faith journey, as well as opened and encouraged each one of us in our faith journey. Billy Wilson, our team leader was a blessing and flexible leader. He used his gift as a commissioned lay pastor to lead our evening devotions as well as the men’s sleeping quarter’s nightly discussions under protection of mosquito nets. The ants got through to his bed. God worked through us all in many different ways and I am blessed to have been with such wonderful Christians.
We were also fortunate to be with “The Three Nurses”; Annjo, Wilma, and Geanne in the Nkhoma Presbytery Guest house. They are nursing students from Holland. I was fortunate to work with them in the hospital and see the love and care they gave to the patients as well as learned how to carry children on their backs with a chitjenjie (cloth made into back pack). Annjo and Geanne joined us to climb Nkhoma Mountain and shared on their blog web site, “The view is overwhelming and we realize again how small we actually are.” Dat voelt heerlijk! (That feels delightful!).
Working as a nurse in the hospital was incredible. I observed surgery (skin graft, intestine repair, fallopian tubes tied, TB on a liver and removal of a uterus) and participated in critical infant care (twin just about died), out patient examinations, removal of a stuck catheter tube, and patient intake with Mrs. Harry. Mrs. Harry was my home base, I could always go their and join her and Edina to welcome patients and take their initial vital signs. I also got to meet Mrs. Harry’s daughter and grandson, Wisdom. What a joy to meet Wisdom.
On the children’s ward I was struck by a young child, maybe 8 or 9 on the floor crying scream and swing at her mother. I sat on a bench near her and sang gently. She came and cuddled next to me, we sat for a while. Later in the day I heard the screaming again. She was in getting her bandage changes from the burn on her right arm. She had fallen in a fire during an epileptic fit. I joined Mr. Vincent Kuthinoi, a nursing assistant to change the girl’s dressings. Every day he leads the morning prayers and singing in the children’s ward for all the patients and family members. I assisted him in changing bed sheets that morning. Vincent was so gentle in cleaning and caring for the girl’s burn as I held her head and arm from jerking away. The blood poured out in the tub as the old bandage was removed and he cleaned and cared for the damaged arm. It was a tough and emotional time, I saw the hand of God in Vincent as he cared for this young girl and as he comforted me as I cried after. God provides comfort in and through us all.
Thanks be to God for this time in Malawi. My heart was broken. My heart has grown. I look forward to being closer to God… so close to hear his heart beat as I call out, screaming and crying.
“The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame, you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11 (Bedankt)
Zikomo,
David
PS: More pictures. More stories.
2 comments:
Hi David! I'm not sure or you are still using this website..? HOw are you doing? Did you do some more traveling after Malawi?
This summer I went to Beijing, an olympic outreach, it was great!
Greetings from 'the dutch student' (i'm a nurse now!), Annjo! (annjootje@hotmail.com)
Annjo,
Thanks for your note…… What a surprise!
I am studying to be Physician Assistant (between a doctor and nurse) and working in a free clinic as a nurse assistant. I plan to go back to Malawi, but for now I am taking care of my mother and going to school.
How about you, are you going back or been back to Malawi? I did enjoy my time in Africa and especially meeting you and the other nursing students. Do you still carry babies on you back like you did then?
Take care, God Bless and thanks again for your note.
Zikomo,
David
PS: Congratulations on becoming a nurse.
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