Updates from Malawi!

Updates, Updates!! Looking back from the last time I updated, it has been a while!!! I am sorry about that!! I kept delaying writing an update until after I did the next thing on my list... and then time got away from me. Anyway, the good thing about that is that I have a lot to update on! Let's see. Swim season is over, which is a sigh of relief. I love my swimmers dearly, but the running around from the clinic to the pool and all over creation on the weekends for swimming was getting a bit tiresome. Our last couple of weeks were stacked full of an invitational in Zambia and our nationals competition. (On a side note- I actually swam in a relay and got a medal at nationals... there were only three teams, and we got bronze, but still... never thought I would see the day, haha) Our swimmers did really well in both competitions- we were very proud coaches. After we got back from Zambia we had a week until our big Swim for Malaria event. Last year we had a swim for malaria, but we threw it together in a week. We ended up raising 50 nets, which we were very happy with and proud of, but we knew we could do so much more if we put a little time and effort into it. So that's what we did... but a little (or not so little) effort into it. But man, was it worth it. I couldn't sleep the night before the event thinking about all of the little things I was forgetting to do, but once it started, everything just fell into place. The weather wasn't phenomenal- it actually poured on us at one point in time- but the kids came out and swam more than we could have imagined. We even had one adorable little Aussie girl who is...6? Years old (whom I love :-) ) kick a kilometer... we were blown away by what our swimmers could accomplish when they put their mind to it! I remember walking away from that day on top of the world. I knew we had raised so many more nets than I had ever dreamed possible. After everything was collected, we ended up raising about 1542 nets.... ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND FOURTY TWO NETS. I was/am shocked and in awe about that. God is good. There is no way we could have done that without Him. It was a team effort and together we all made amazing things happen. Now that we finally got the number of nets sorted, the fun begins and we can start distributing them. We already have a couple of places in mind. Last year there were organizations that we couldn't donate to because we didn't have enough to fit their need. This year we are seeking out organizations because we have more than enough nets. (Well, not more than enough nets, because we don't have one for every person in the country in need, but you know what I mean. ) I will say it again, God is good. :-) Let's see. After Swim for Malaria I think the next big thing I was a part of was the Easter weekend in Gusu village. One of the nurses at the clinic's husband helped start an organization (which does phenomenal work!) called E3. They work in a village about two, two and a half hours from Lilongwe called Gusu. Over the Easter weekend they organized a massive mobile clinic, as well as a soccer tournament, and a portion where they showed the Jesus Film. (A lot of people still haven't heard the gospel here, and people have found that showing this film is a great way to reach people.) I was so happy to be a part of this wonderful event, but MAN was I tired after it. We saw somewhere between 1200 and 1400 patients in two days... well, actually a day and a half. (I think there were somewhere between 5 and 8000 people attending the soccer tournament.) I feel like I never had time to look up from counting and distributing medicine. I don't think I sat down once the first day we were there. And through all of it, the one thing I learned was that I am a very selfish person. I fall so short of being Christlike and having a servants heart. I would like to think that I have a servants heart, but come 4:00 on Saturday afternoon when I had been setting up and distributing meds since 7:00 pretty much non-stop, the last thing I wanted to do was keep serving. I still have a long, long way to go to be a servant. Easter Sunday was made perfect by partaking in a big service and school dedication. We listened to the six or so choirs that were there sing praises to God while sitting outside under the beautiful African sky. There is nothing like it... After multiple cars in our caravan breaking down at least three times on the way home from Gusu, we finally made it back Sunday night. The next morning I was off with two dear friends to go hike a mountain (Mulunje Mountain) for four days. We took public transport south through Blantyre, arriving at Mulunje late Monday night. We stayed the night at a local CCAP hostel and started our hike bright and early Tuesday morning. If any of you ever have the opportunity to travel to Malawi, DO NOT MISS Mulunje! It is absolutely stunning. The hike was so much fun, and it was wonderful to see a new part of the country. It was a very refreshing spring break. Through all of the craziness with swimming I haven't been able to go out to Chinsapo with the Chisomo Idea as much as I would like. I still go as much as I can, and when I go I tried to lead a bible study, but time didn't seem to be my friend the last couple of months. We did, however, organize a party for the girls which we had last Saturday. We ended up bringing 28 girls from Chinsapo to ABC campus to come hang out, watch a movie, paint our nails, take pictures, and have facials. (The girls do not have the opportunity to have a lot of pictures taken of them, so we set up a make shift “photo booth” type thing, where we let them take silly pictures that we will print out and give to them.) I think it was a really good experience for the girls. Not only did they seem to enjoy themselves, but it was a good opportunity to show them what a college campus looks like. We had a few girls coming away from they day inspired to work harder in school so they could one day go to a college like ABC. It has been wonderful to be doing so much and to be so busy lately, but as much of a blessing as it has been, it has also been somewhat of a curse. I have now passed the “month mark” with going home. I leave Malawi May 22nd. That is in about three and a half weeks. Part of me is really excited to go home and see people.... but beyond seeing the people I miss, I can't fathom what it will be like living in America again. I was thinking about it on Sunday and I realized how hard it will be for me to go back to a country with rules and restrictions. There won't be the sense of freedom in most of what you do. The more I was thinking about it, the more I started to panic. I feel like I will have quite a few similar situations with many different aspects of life as I am adjusting back to life in the States. Everyone asks the question “what's next”. The 100% honest answer is- I have no idea. I have been looking a little for a job, but haven't found anything yet. I know that I will be returning to San Diego and Flood, both of which I am very excited about, but past that I am not sure what life will bring me....I guess will continue to look for a job and what my next step in life will be (Anyone want to give me a job? :-)... just kidding... kinda... ) I guess the world is at my footstep and I should be very excited to have the freedom to make my own path... I just wish I had a little more nudging in which direction to go. Prayers for direction would be much appreciated. That's a synopsis of my life the past couple of months! Thanks for reading!