STORM 2

It seems a while ago now, but this is STORM 2.

After getting back from the lake, Si, Vix, Beth and I had one night before the team got in. And of course, we were due to lead worship at the church that morning. We roped ina drummer and it went well, praise God. When you've spent all week worshiping Him with your life, it's easy to find words to praise Him on Sundays.

The team got in ok, but were less a massive 11 out of 18 bags. South African Airlines, eh? Anyway, we got them home, tired but up for their induction chats. The team was big, 14, with Sam still to come. Our itinerary was much like team 1s, having been rearranged a little by Rory and I. We kicked off by talking to the schools, and ran into the first diversion - Mbame School were closing on Friday, so we couldn't teach then. Could we do Tuesday morning before going to Nsanje? Yes, we decided, we could hack that. The Madziabango school group chose to visit Ndayamwana school, in the middle of nowhere, and they were still on schedule for Friday. After leading activities at the Fisherman's Rest, where out rapport was growing, we prepared for the school. Teaching went really well. Lucy and I taught standard 5 and had a fantastic day, teaching agriculture, maths, english and bible knowledge. We then beat a hasty retreat, had lunch and headed into Nsanje - the dark unknown! Simon and I had been the previous year on a diffucult trip, but this year was to prove much better.
The journey was fast and dusty, and we arrived at Nsanje hospital brown but ready at 415. After gaining final clearance from the administrator, we split into 6 groups, each accompanied by a Church of Disciples Pastor. Pastor Rogers came with Lozi, Nish and I, and we went to pray with the maternity ward. The experience began a bit edgily...what do you expect in such a situation? But the further we went the more we loved it, praying individually for patients about their situations. Nisha even had a newborn baby named after her!

We then bedded down, prepared for the next morning. After a lovely breakfast, we went on tour of Nsanje...airstrip, market and port. It's a cool town for somewhere so far out the way. In the afternoon we set off for 2 distant village churches, where we shared from the Bible and held kids activities. Group 1s village was a bit unimpressed by us, but group2, a bit further into the bush, had a fantastic time.

Thursday we left early and in good spirits and headed back for Fisherman's Rest, via Chikwawa market and an unforgettable lunch in a truckers bar :) There we worked at the trust and the Ndayamwana team got ready for school, while the rest of us chilled out.
Saturday's BTM teaching turned out to be a long day - we traveled to Muloza, beyond Mulanje. The teaching was great, the kids were a few too many, but the travel was long and tiring. Two ladies confessed Jesus that day, which is worth the effort.

Sunday, Guy led worship at CPC and I enjoyed a day off! It was a fantastic service, again filled full by the experiences of the week. And then in the afternoon Sam arrived to enormous cheers and hugs.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were spent at the lake for the team. And on Tuesday Coops, Si and I hitchiked off to tackle Mulanje mountain. We made it to base camp by 6pm and hooked up with our guide, Macdonald. 7am the next morning we began, and hiked up the Skyline path to Chambe hut, where we cooked some lunch. It was cold at midday, which didn;t bode well for the night. 4 hours longer took us to Chisepo hut, at the foot of Sapitwa peak - the mountain where no-one should go. The night was cold, but the 4 Turks in the hut with us kept the air warm with their loud breathing!

Thursday morning we began early and started the last climb...and continued, and continued. The angles were ridiculous, 60 and 70% for an hour and a half. But we made it to the first rest, where we came across stunted forest and a series of caves. After the caves came the rock piles, where rock rabbits ran. Then there was more forest, more caves and crevasses, and a final rock climb. And then we were up, standing on the highest point in southern Africa!3000m, but the view was hidden by clouds and it was bitterly cold at 11am. We came straight down for a late lunch, and then force-marched to Lichenya hut, arriving just at dark, tired and worn. Thankfully, there were friendly faces at the hut, in the form of Mr Benbow of St Andrews High School and his family. They were taking their 3-yr old daughter for her first time up Sapitwa! We ate spaghetti together. It was good.

Friday we came down the suicidally steep boma path, again in the clouds, but made it the Pizzeria Basilica by lunch time. Too tired to hitch, we caught a minibus back to Blantyre and Sam drove us home.

Storm 2 had left on Thursday morning amid ticket controversies and hassle, but they had all got away. We had a day to prepare for team 3