Hi There!
I finally found a way to contact you. All is well here. All of my travel went smoothly and on time. Compared to many of the others here that is a miracle. We have people who were held up for 24 hours at border crossings, missed flights and were delayed 24 hrs., luggage still missing, and other travel difficulties, so I have a blessing in having everything go so well.
Just finished teaching the AM session on Tues. The first few days have gone so well. I arrived here right on time on Thursday. Was met at the airport by the Blands, Kathy Vanderpool, and Matt & Henne Wiley. The Wileys are field coordinators for Malawi. They oversee a total of nine orphan units each staffed by two facilitators, 5 staff members and 15-20 BMW Students. They own 160 lake front acres here at the base. They oversee a farming operation that grows maize (a type of corn) pigs, goats, chickens, ducks and fish. Each unit also has some land where they grow some agricultural things to generate income and help feed the people.
On Friday I went to visit 3 of the orphan units up in the mountains about 3 hours away. It was so beautiful! Kids came to greet us at each stop. At one place they stopped school and all the kids came out to sing for us. At another the chief dressed up in his best ceremonial garb and came out to greet us. They were all so impressed to have Mr. Bland the big Director from America come to visit. And rightly so, the more I am with him the more I am impressed too. They are doing an amazing work here.
Saturday was spent mostly in rest, prayer and study. On Sunday AM I preached in one of the local churches. Then in the PM I preached at the opening rally for the summit. Monday preached twice and twice today.
It is warm here, probably near 90. It is the rainy season so we see some rain most days. Sometimes a lot of it. It is a beautiful place. Monkeys run around the base daily. If we don’t watch them they try to steal food from the pots when they set up the serving line for meals. I have seen a mongoose twice and various lizards and birds. I went to the garbage dump and ran into a three foot monitor lizard. Boy did I scare him. Hippos come up from the lake at night and eat grass on the property. Have not seen them but we see where they have been the next morn. Sometimes jackels come around the animal barns at night looking for a goat or baby pig. Some of the students sleep down there just in case.
The people are very open to truth. This conference is designed to help each staff member be more effective in their work. There are about 100 of us here, 85% African, it is a great thing to be a part of.
Give my greetings to all.
Chuck Whitmire
Dear Chuck and all the others in Malawi,
I enjoyed your email report. It brought back some good memories of our time there in 2004. Many things have changed since then… now 9 Rescue Units… then there was only one… the House of Joel.
Tell them abusa Bob and Eleanor said a “Hello” from Ohio. And may God bless your time and ministry in Malawi! We pray for you and them!
Bob C. <