The Ledbetter Family... and our walk into missions: Malawi- the countryside

Malawi- the countryside

The countryside of Malawi is breathtaking! The dirt is red and the wind was constantly blowing there, so by the end of the day, our skin and clothes were tinted red. It stained our socks and shoes, and yes, we blew it out of our noses too! The sky was a brilliant blue most of the time, though early mornings and late afternoons gave rise to a smoggy look. At the village of Katondo, where most of our work was done, it seemed that we could reach up with our hands and touch the sky, it seemed so close to us. Even at night, the stars shone close, bright and brilliantly. Since we were in the southern hemisphere, we saw constellations that we cannot see here, such as the Southern Cross.

Once we were off the paved roads, everything was dirt, and since we went before the rainy season hit, the roads were mostly maneuverable. There were deep ruts here and there, which our driver Amos got around easily, but it was a very bumpy ride to those villages! The terrain was mostly flat in and around the city, but once we were an hour outside the city, it got hilly and we saw some mountains (or either very large hills) in the distance. Men, women and children alike were all walking down these dirt roads, which connected the villages. Most had bundles of goods or laundry on their heads. We saw some wagons being pulled by mules. People had stacks of sugarcane for sale, which we all tasted and was delicious. To eat raw sugarcane, you simply cut off a small piece and chew out the sugary liquid, then spit out the pulp. Very, very good!!

There were many fields being cultivated and tended to along the dirt roads. Houses and small villages were everywhere, and mostly consisted of bricks they make themselves, dirt and thatched roofs. There were a few buildings as well and were made of bricks as well- the only difference was that they usually had some colored paint on them, and no thatched roofs.