A Tale of Two Nights (Slightly borrowed from a tale of Two Cities)
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times....
Pat's Tale: I had a very busy day, drove to the clinic about 140 Km from Lilongwe. I got to meet the staff and was quickly immersed in the details of the work. It was great to feel like I was finally getting started! Chris Brooks and I worked late into the night preparing his information for the upcoming fundraising trip. I had called to see how Ann was and knew she was nervous. When I called the next day she seemed alright and she had survived, so that was a good thing!! It is hard with all of the new things, and from here on it may get easier, I certainly hope!!
Ann's Tale: You must have good STRATEGIES!! Knowing I had the dog on hand made things a little easier. So, I was thinking, and bingo, a Lightbulb Moment!!
Knowing my missionary friends advice was NO horror films ( fat Chance!!) and even NO Murder Mysteries, and we do not get TV reception yet, it left few choices. So my idea was to turn on EVERY significant light in the house (note to self- pay the bill later)
Then I went to the Kitchen and turned up the radio (YES we actually have Radio in Malawi!) to the BBC News of Africa - All night. I woke up to a burning smell in the night the BBC calls the Hell Nights of Africa. It is when they burn all of the fields to ge them ready for planting and the smell is EVERYWHERE!
Someone else guessed I would sleep with the bible clutched in my hand. Not quite, but I read Psalms until my eyelids would not stay open any longer. I also remembered what I used to tell my kids at Christmas "You know, Christmas will come faster if you go to sleep NOW!!
At five AM I smelled coffee and knew I had survived! My best sleep was actually from 5 to 7 am!!
I had a great morning as I went to a local school ( I walked of course) and had a chat with the pricipal, Sylvester. He was very friendly and has great hopes for his school. It is a private school and charges pretty hefty tuitions. He was telling me that in the government schools they often have up to 120 students per teacher! How can they possibly learn anything??
The adventure continues, please keep us in your prayers!!
Pat's Tale: I had a very busy day, drove to the clinic about 140 Km from Lilongwe. I got to meet the staff and was quickly immersed in the details of the work. It was great to feel like I was finally getting started! Chris Brooks and I worked late into the night preparing his information for the upcoming fundraising trip. I had called to see how Ann was and knew she was nervous. When I called the next day she seemed alright and she had survived, so that was a good thing!! It is hard with all of the new things, and from here on it may get easier, I certainly hope!!
Ann's Tale: You must have good STRATEGIES!! Knowing I had the dog on hand made things a little easier. So, I was thinking, and bingo, a Lightbulb Moment!!
Knowing my missionary friends advice was NO horror films ( fat Chance!!) and even NO Murder Mysteries, and we do not get TV reception yet, it left few choices. So my idea was to turn on EVERY significant light in the house (note to self- pay the bill later)
Then I went to the Kitchen and turned up the radio (YES we actually have Radio in Malawi!) to the BBC News of Africa - All night. I woke up to a burning smell in the night the BBC calls the Hell Nights of Africa. It is when they burn all of the fields to ge them ready for planting and the smell is EVERYWHERE!
Someone else guessed I would sleep with the bible clutched in my hand. Not quite, but I read Psalms until my eyelids would not stay open any longer. I also remembered what I used to tell my kids at Christmas "You know, Christmas will come faster if you go to sleep NOW!!
At five AM I smelled coffee and knew I had survived! My best sleep was actually from 5 to 7 am!!
I had a great morning as I went to a local school ( I walked of course) and had a chat with the pricipal, Sylvester. He was very friendly and has great hopes for his school. It is a private school and charges pretty hefty tuitions. He was telling me that in the government schools they often have up to 120 students per teacher! How can they possibly learn anything??
The adventure continues, please keep us in your prayers!!
posted by Pat Laforet | 4:17 PM
11 Comments:
Well, well, well it certainly seems as if you both are having some new and interesting adventures.
Pat I'm hoping you and I can have a chat about some of the things that you are working on. I need to put together a proposal for someone. If you don't know my email contact Naiomi and she will give it to you. When you do can you please give me your phone number as well.
Mom, 120 students per teacher. Wow. Its amazing they can get anything accomplished. What is the age range of the students? What is their curriculum? What is the structure of a school day?
Did you get any pictures of the sky during the Hell night? I've heard that the sky lights up in an eerie way.
Love you both and Char and I are extrememly proud of you both. Until soon, be well,
SDM
Hello great adventurers,
It sounds like you're both off to a start, be it a busy one or a sleepless one. Ma, I hope you can get some decent shut-eye before your next trip back to Canada or you're going to look worse than Sender that one X-Mas!
You're both in our thoughts and prayers. Look forward to reading the further adventurs of, so keep the stories coming and we'll keep praying.
Love you both,
Tom
Hi Mom & Pat,
Riv was the 1st one on the blog tonight and was excited to see a new message.
Loving hearing the adventures.
Have to say you guys have trained Riv well, she LOVES to do dishes !!!! Actually her help is great, I don't need to ask, she seems to be buying me about an hour a day which lets me to the 'fundraising thing' (which I will be address under seperate cover).
You knew about the burning, but I guess reality is very different. And you knew you would have L-O-N-G nights, esp. true if Pat's not there to talk your ear off. The Bible is a good thing (hope you see the humour in that). I just started reading Matthew and came across - ok let me pull it out - Matt 6:19-34 and was thinking about you and Africa. I think I will listen to my handy dandy Blue Bible Study and hear what Jon has to say about these verses. What struck me was "Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be." - something to chew on for sure. But Jesus keeps re-stating throughout don't worry, don't worry..You have so little faith (that's me - I confess) But I took solace that "My heavenly Father already knows all my needs, and he will give me all you need from day to day IF you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern." - of course I have personalized but I'm not referring to the Pomes checkbook, I really was thinking about you and Lifeline. So, I will work on building my faith muscles through prayer and studying and reading my Bible. Don't worry about fundraising we are plugging away at it. I just keep praying that God will lead me through doors...and He is..it will not be my brillance for sure...it will be God's glory shining through. A-men.
Oh yeah - talk about fruits - the kids have really gotten into doing Grace anywhere, anytime that food is placed in front of them and they sing this song Amen over and over again. And then they say Sing it louder, Sing it softer and the cutest...Sing it God's Way (real Gospel like). Mykala loves it and joins in, its amazing to see what pouring into their spirits can bring out and I mean they will do this anywhere !!!! just ask Riv. I'm sure the angels are clapping with them. I beleive it is my bit of heaven everyday.
Anyways, Tom's off to Mtl tonight, I'm going off to bed to read Just Give Me Jesus (based on John), love it, but it wakes me up a bit, but it really is my Heart's Cry as a mom, wife, daughter, sister etc....when I am so tired I just want that connection and it is so good for my soul, I feel such peace.
Love you,
Naiomi
Hi Ann and Pat,
It's good to hear that you are doing alright.
What kind of dog do you have? Do you get to keep the dog for the four years?
Ann, if you were nervous, are you in a dangerous area?
I find that when I'm afraid, it's always the scriptures and songs that I learned as a child that stick with me.
West Edge is in full swing of our fall season.
Kid's ministries is making some big changes. The team is leading me in the ways of simplifying! And that's a good thing. Kid's ministries is on it's way to being more pleasant to serve, more relational with the kids, and more likely to gain a full staff one day.
We have three values: Fun, Faith and Friends. Our programs need to answer to these values. Of course, under each of those three headings is more detail.
Kid's ministries is going to have a GREAT year.
I will send another note later.
You are very much in my thoughts and prayers.
from Cassie
Hi Ann and Pat,
I just found your blog. I'm so happy to hear that you are safe and in your new home. Hell Nights huh? I hate when that happens! Just another day in deepest, darkset Africa eh Ann! I will check with you regularly now that I've found you. You sure make life in Mississauga seem dull.
We are preparing to leave for our women's retreat tonight. We've got 33 women going and we are geared up for a lot of fun. I know that if you were here you'd be right in the middle of everything. We will remember you this weekend in prayer and in celebration for your new adventure.
Please keep the news coming. You are in our thought every day. Mike and I pray every night for your safety and success in your mission.
Love,
Cathy
Mom and Pat;
Well, it seems that you are becoming the galenventers now!!! HAHA!!!
Mom, when you get scared just think of happy things that works for me. I love to pray about all the womderful things in my life. That should help you forget about the bad things. I know how you feel remember the nightmares that I had when I was there but it is just your mind playing tricks on you.
Pat, we miss you very much but know that you are doing wonderful things. Remember this is Africa and is on African time. They are not as quick to do things. So to think that you made it over to the clinic in a copuple weeks that is progress.
Ryan and I are praying for you everyday and we miss you. But remember we are only one phone call away.
Love
Tova
Hi Mom & Pat,
Loving you guys sooo much. Can't wait to hear about the painting ventures, bug men, snakes !!! Get some sleep, Pat. Like Tova said your on African time baby.
Love, Naiomi
Hey Patman.....nice to hear some of your latest news. Have missed you a lot, especially at Wed. Euchre game. Mark still hasn't gotten rid of AOL and got another server!!! I've been speaking to Naiomi. She is busy getting things arranged for Chris' visit, hoping to optimize that for FR and visibility purposes. I am looking for funds here for you. Big hugs to you and Ann. Send an email address when you can. Love from all of us, Mimi Stevie and Ben
Hi Pat & Ann! Just found your blog and it is soooo great to hear from you guys. I miss you!
We had the first annual WE Ladies Retreat on the weekend. It was amazing. The speaker was great and she really touched the women with her powerful story. Her name is Joanne Goodwin. She had us laughing one minute, then crying the next. The Holy Spirit really filled the room on Sat. night and a lot of women experienced God in a way I think they never have before. It was awsome! And the singer we had was so gifted. Her worship was beautiful. Some of the women said that we need to do this more often than once a year.
Ed says hey! And he misses you too! Send us your emails as soon as you have them up and running.
Lots of Love from both of us.
Hi Ann & Pat:
I hope all is going well.We all miss you. I talked to the head office of Operation Christmas Child in Calgary about the shoeboxes. They said that linguistically, our shoeboxes from the church go to South America. Shoeboxes from England and Germany will go to Africa and Australia's shoeboxes go to Indonesia. Unfortunately we can not get any boxes from Westedge to Malawi. We are working on the dolls and hopefully we will be able to get some to you. Take care and GOD bless you.
Tracy Letts
hey Mom and Pat;
I hope that you are doin well. Naiomi and I went to Just Give Me Jesus. It was amazing. But I started to cry when I thought that 71.5 of the Air Canada Centre are Orpans. That brought numbers to reality.
Well otherwise life is good.
Oh ma how was the refugee camp. I bet that it was a hard thing to do. But you are now the eyes and ears for us and share your story.
Pat We miss you too. I love you too.
love
Tova
Post a Comment
<< Home