IN THE BEGINNING:
Through sharing experiences in Laos with Aloha Medical Missions, we became friends with Sheree and her daughter Levani. The Ananda Foundation funds various projects to help bring women and children out of poverty. After funding and visiting some projects in Malawi beginning in 2004, they returned home to Hawaii and asked us to consider doing a mission trip with particular focus on the Dzanja La Chifundo Christian Orphanage. They felt that our particular gifts would be a good fit to help encourage the children, staff and volunteers of this orphanage in a country ravaged by AIDS/HIV and overwhelmed with orphans and dependent elderly. In God’s time (2007) everything came together.
PLANNING, PURPOSE, SUPPORT:
We love to travel and we want to use the gifts that God has given us BUT we weren’t sure just what use we might be in Malawi. We had several meetings with Sheree and Levani to clarify what they desired of us and to learn more about the culture that we would be entering. We are well aware that God is in Malawi and we were anxious about how God might use us in this far off country. We are open and say “here we are Lord and if it is your will, the plans will all come together and Your purpose will become clearer as time goes by.”
We took what information we had with our heartfelt prayers and presented this to Makiki Christian Church’s Stewardship and Missions Committee. We felt strongly that we needed to “be sent” and prayed for by our home church. Support was overwhelming and most of our transportation cost was covered by donations.
Sheree and Levani wanted maize and bean seed taken to several projects and we found a source right in our congregation! We were able to take 30# of seed donated by the University of Hawaii Department of Tropical Agriculture that should do well in Malawi. As well, the children of Makiki Christian Church each sent a Hawaiian tee shirt and their laminated photo. UCC Judd Street folk made “rag dolls to love” and others donated toothbrushes, school supplies, embroidery thread etc. etc. Our plans were in motion. Our purpose to be open to God’s will, to come from love and to deliver some specific supplies seemed clear. The support of prayer, supplies and monies was awesome!
PRAYING, PREPARING AND PLANE RIDES:
Those of you close to us know that from June on, our condo apartment was undergoing renovations and we were residing with daughter Tammy and her husband Bart. Our prayers for housing were answered as the renovations took much longer than we hoped. So during this time, Don’s office at UCC Judd St. became the “staging area” and I even used his computer when ours was unavailable.
The UCC Judd folks wanted to become more involved and took on the task of praying and making more than 40 lovely “rag-dolls-to-love” with love and prayer knots tied into their hair. Individuals donated soccer balls, embroidery thread, yarn, material, crayons, toothbrushes etc. The bags were going to be heavy!
We probably didn’t get the cheapest itinerary (used United and South African Air) but we had United frequent flier miles. By using United, we were able to use miles to upgrade to first class which permitted #70/bag for our 4 check in bags AND they let Pastor Phil’s guitar go for free! Let us say that 35 hours (to Johannesburg) of plane travel is not easy no matter how you go but we were prepared and South African Air coach was almost as nice as United First Class.
Praying, looking forward to the experience, dressing comfortable and Thermacare hot packs for Judy’s arthritic knee and hip helped to make the trip successful. After a few days layover in Johannesburg, we braved the Joberg airport for the 3 hour flight to Blantyre Malawi and again our overweight luggage was permitted!
CULTURAL IMMERSION:
Before missions, we always get some good travel books for the area. The Lonely Planet Malawi is out of print but we found other resources to give us some information. Sheree and Levani also had “an evening of Africa” in the fall of 2006 and we met and talked with graduate students from Africa. We even had some cultural food. Sheree and Levani shared more including lovely photos about their various Africa projects.
On our flight from JFK to J'berg, we began seeing lots of Africans and some in cultural garb. The plane stops to refuel in Senegal and new folks joined the flight. One of the cultural things that we noticed at JFK airport was that Africans are not very good at staying in que or line….lots of pushing and jockeying for position…hmmmm. Noticed the same thing on our flights in and out of South Africa.
While in Joberg, we visited Lesedi (a cultural center similar to our Polynesian cultural center here in Hawaii) where 5 different South African tribes demonstrated, village life, garments, song and dance, food and other cultural aspects. Even in the drizzle of rain, it was a good activity to also help us get more into that time zone. Once we arrived at the Chileka airport in Blantyre, we were ready for whatever God had in mind for us. Mulibwanji ! Hearing some different languages…initially, even English with a British, Afrikaner or Malawian accent was difficult to understand. We were cool/mellow while people rushed in and out the only door at the airport.
Since we had so many bags, we were in no hurry but it was nice to be met by an English speaking blonde woman, Anne Davidson, the director of the orphanage. All our bags fit into her van and we were whisked off to the Dzanja La Chifundo (The Compassionate Hand) Orphanage which was located in Bvumbwe about 30 minutes south of the Chileka airport in Blantyre (on the Limbe-Mulanje road).
DZANJA LA CHIFUNDO CHRISTIAN ORPHANAGE:
This orphanage had is beginnings in 1997 when Anne Davidson and friends began outreach to the orphans of the area. By 2000 they had a single room house as an orphanage…it was barely a roof over their heads but food and clothing was provided and some tender loving Christian care. Sometime in 2002 the property/estate on which the present orphanage resides was available for purchase by a friend of Ann’s moving out of the country. A trust was set up so that donations and other funds could be managed for the sake of the orphans. I think there are 5 trustees and Anne Davidson is the trustee designated as director of the orphanage.
Details of the property are sketchy but I estimate that it is about 5 acres with high stone walls surrounding it. There are a few big termite hills and has a fair woods of eucalyptus (used for firewood etc.), lots of vegetation, some of it planted for food, some obviously residual beauty from prior estate owner and much of it wild. It is an easy walk to nearby churches and market in Bvumbwe. There are some old shacks on the property where the 2 couples (gardeners and their children) reside. There is a 2 bedroom 1 bath cottage where we stayed and a one bedroom cottage attached where a nurse Rose Carter (also one of the trustees) stayed with some family members.
Presently the orphanage has 41 children – 19 girls and 22 boys. There was a shortage of 3 wood beds on order but everyone had a good mattress and a small trunk to keep their personal clothes and treasures. There are 7 “housemothers”….one is mostly responsible for the little ones who do not go to school, one is primarily a housekeeper and the others cook, assist with laundry etc. If a child is hospitalized, one of the housemothers always stays with them so they seem to need all seven. At least 3 housemothers sleep each night in the girl’s dormitory. There is rotation of chores performed by the older children including some of the gardening. Most of the children wash and iron their own clothes and have at least 3 sets of clothes and shoes.
There is a separate bathing area with a solar panel on the roof but obviously not functioning as there is only cold water throughout. The bore hole provided by the Ananda foundation is working well and the children can pump it by hand if the electricity is not working (a daily happening while we were there) but otherwise the electric pump does a good job of pumping it up to a high tank for gravity flow.
So this present location of the orphanage is just 4 years old. They obviously were able to take in many orphans that first year of operation as most of the children have been there for 4 years. Managing the orphanage is a challenge. The flora and fauna could easily overtake the buildings (especially termites, mice etc.).
The rapid growth of space, facilities and children required a major increase of workers. The director does not speak the local language and depends on an interpreter. Though she was born and raised in southern Africa, she speaks only English and Afrikaans. Hiring, mentoring and supervising primarily Chichewa speaking staff to care for property and children (who are supposed to be learning English is school) is a daunting responsibility.
THE CHILDREN OF DZANJA LA CHIFUNDO:
To a person, the children seem to be happy and thankful for their life at the orphanage. All, except Mphatso (who has AIDS) seem in very good health. They eat plenty of a very simple diet similar to what they might have in the villages…lots of sima (cooked finely ground maize), some greens and occasional beef sausage. Mush and milk are common for breakfast. They have beautiful teeth, clear skin and eyes and the most common snack is bananas. Most of the school age children attend and walk to the nearby village school but a couple of the older boys attend special high school. The children have praise time each evening usually led by the older children.
There are several Christian volunteers who work with the preschoolers and tutor and mentor the children after school. The children can choose where they go to church but all do go to church on Sundays….its a big day to wear your best clothes and shoes and walk to church with friends and maybe get a special treat if you happen to walk with Pastor Don and Judy. We always needed to stop to buy bottled water.
The time spent with the children was precious. Sometime during our stay, each child was entertained at our cottage and interviewed to find out a little bit about their history and their hopes and dreams. During the praise time, we taught Christian songs with motions, led prayers, showed gospel tricks and danced and sang and clapped along with them.
During the day, if we were on campus, we spent time with them just visiting, playing a bit of volleyball, teaching a few gospel tricks or in Margaret’s situation, tutoring her in proper behavior and English. We tried to encourage “family” even to having one session with all the girls and housemothers talking and sharing about the importance of their family (everyone at the orphanage) and how you might share and show Godly love in your family. Sharing all the gifts was fun as well and we had a silly time with new tooth brushes. The older girls spend most Saturday mornings with Ann’s “right hand”, Elizabeth … actually walking to her home to spend time doing crafts together and having lunch…how special to spend that time with them and also watch African soap opera
One weekend, Pastor Don escorted the children (reminiscent of the Pied Piper) to a revival being held right next to the orphanage. He also visited their elementary school to share his gospel magic ministry (along with donation of some school supplies and soccer balls). I think it was important for the children to see us with them, walking with them, holding their hands, at their church, shopping and at various activities outside the orphanage campus.
These are all precious children of God! They are the future of Malawi which has lost so many of their parent’s generation. All the children will say that they are happy and thankful to be at the orphanage. We had been told that the children exhibit a lot of jealousy, trying to get what someone else has. However, when you listen closely, you notice that they are all “wanting”. Sometimes it looks like jealousy, to want something someone else has, but I think it is more a basic survival skill that helps them develop their “hopes and dreams”. They have not had parents encouraging them toward a good future. That is part of our ministry – to help them articulate, to encourage them to strive for a good and realistic future.
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To read about Don and Judy's experiece with Paradiso Home and in the villages of M'chenga click here.
