Our bags are packed...

Well, we are getting awfully close to leaving for Malawi! I cannot believe that the time is already here. We have been thinking about this since October/November of last year! Amazing how time flies when you are busy with other things. That busyness makes us nervous in a way because we have not had a whole lot of time to devote all our minds and energy to this trip, but I think we are going to be just fine.

Our leaders, Steve Roberts and Fletcher Matandika have been in Malawi for over a week getting all the details of the trip worked out for the rest of us - and it was a good thing too.

We found out just the other week that we might not be able to do exactly what we were hoping on this trip, and it could be that we wouldn't be able to teach at the theological school at all. It is a long story as to why there was that possibility, but we are praising the Lord that Steve and Fletcher have worked out the details and we will be teaching at the Theological School alongside their faculty there. So we are thankful for that, and it should be a great time. We have had to change around our subjects and classes a little bit to better accommondate everything, but we were expecting that from the beginning.

Our Schedule

I mentioned in my last post that I would try to give out something of a schedule for you to "keep track" of where we are supposed to be. I am really not sure of the details once we get into Nkhoma, where we are going to be spending most of our time, but up until then we have something of an itinerary: (all times local times)

Tuesday, June 12

• 2:45am - Leave Escondido for LAX
• 7:00am - United Flight 020 to New York City, JFK airport
• 3:30pm - Arrive at JFK
• 5:20pm - South African Airways Flight 204 to Johannesburg, South Africa

Wednesday, June 13

• 4:45pm - Arrive in Johannesburg
• Find a hotel to spend the night

Thursday, June 14

• 10:20am - South African Airways Flight 171 to Lilongwe, Malawi
• 12:45pm - Arrive in Lilongwe
• Go to Katondo and Matapila - visit and play with kids there
• Evening - meet host families, eat dinner and spend the night

Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16

• 8:30am - Arrive at orphanage
• 10:00am-2:00pm - VBS with kids
• Afternoon - play with kids
• Evening - At host family

Sunday, June 17

• Morning - Worship at Mkuza Presbyterian Church in Matapila
• Early Afternoon - Drive to Nkhoma
• Late Afternoon/Early Evening - Arrive in Nkhoma

From this point on I am not really sure yet what our schedule will be for the next few weeks. Quickly upon arrival we will be meeting and interacting with the faculty and students of the Theological School and when we actually begin to help in the classroom, I am not sure yet.

It looks as if there is very limited internet access while we are in Nkhoma, so I am not sure how much I will be able to post here. I would love to because I am hoping to post some photos and updates for those not on our e-mail list. However, I am definitely going to try to e-mail as much as possible (but don't expect more than one a week, if that!)

We would covet your prayers especially for our final preparations, our travel, and as we teach and serve that we would have humble and servant hearts.