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.












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Lilongwe-city scape

The city life of Lilongwe is bustling.  People are everywhere; most of them walking or riding a bike, some of them taking taxi's (which are in the form of micro buses!)  Bikes seemed to be the main mode of transportation in the city, and it was truly amazing at what they could strap to their bikes.  We saw live chickens, piles of firewood 6 ft. tall, and even a goat strapped on!  The women wear the most beautiful fabrics, bold and bright and will mismatch patterns and colors which give them a look all their own.  They carry their babies and small children on their backs, securely wrapped around them with a bolt of fabric.  People will build fires on the side of the roads to cook for themselves or to cook to sell.  On our way back from Lake Malawi one weekend, there were fires covering the countryside- fires everywhere.  It also was not uncommon to see chickens and goats for sell, both live and skinned, clothing, hand-made items- anything really.  Many of the people in this country speak English so many of the signs we saw were in English too, which was nice.  The third image down has a sign that reads Mississippip- of course I had to get that shot!  All of these images were taken in and just outside the city of Lilongwe.

















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Expedition: Africa!

Just an update of what's been going on in the Ledbetter household:  Luken is in his 6th week and things are going well with him!  He is sleeping about 8 hours at night already!!! woo hoo!  And I am starting to feel somewhat rested.  We are definitely enjoying our summer.  We have been watching a new series on the History channel called Expedition: Africa.  It is about a team that is retracing the route that a journalist named Stanley set out to find the missing missionary Livingstone back in the 1800's.  I am going to have to do more research on it and read Stanley's accounts, but the show is awesome.  Most of the trek is through Tanzania, which is directly above Malawi (where we were), and the landscape is just breathtaking. So far, they have hiked through swamps and mountains.  Next week they venture into the plains and see some of the 'traditional' African animals- lions, zebras, etc.  Sierra and Fulton are hooked on it just as much as Ryan and I... I think they are ready for Africa!  Everyone should check this show out.  It shows so many of the different terrains of Africa.  One day soon, we are praying that the Lord will graciously send us back.  I am gathering images for my next few posts, so they will be coming soon!

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Fundraising ideas

Ideas for print finishes, presentations and fundraising shows were popping into my head even while we were in Africa.  One idea was to transfer images onto textured canvas.  Here are 4 canvases that I experimented with as gifts for four of my friends who threw me a baby shower.  I shot these with my point and shoot camera, so the quality isn't the best for viewing, but you can at least get the idea.  As soon as I get a chance, I'm going to do some experimentation onto fabric, hides and maybe even some wood panels.  The possibilities are endless, but to see what media works best with the images to get the feel that I want, lots of testing and experimentation will be done!  Prayerfully I will be able to show a group of work in a gallery setting and raise money for MOH (Ministry of Hope... scroll down a couple of blog posts to read about MOH).  Even a little bit of money can go a LONG way in Africa.  I do have some other ideas for fundraising for Ryan's seminary costs and living expenses... that will be another post!



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Our little blessing is here!

Our sweet baby boy entered this world on April 27th!  He is "wonderfully made" and we thank the Lord for him every day!  Luken was 6 lbs. 15 oz. and 20 1/2 inches long.  Here are some of the photographs I took of him over his first two weeks:








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The Ministry of Hope














I want to talk about the Ministry of Hope, which is the incredible organization we worked with while in Malawi.  It was founded by a Malawian named Fletcher Matandika for the Malawian people in Christian response to the AIDS epidemic.  MOH's mission, and this is taken straight from their website, is "to glorify God by reaching out the the orphans, widows, disabled and the destitute with the Gospel of Jesus Christ as [they] minister to their basic needs, providing hope for them."  They sponsor feeding centers, crisis nurseries, and discipleship, evangelism, widows and educational programs through a Christ-centered, community-based approach.
Our mission team worked at four of their feeding centers (I will be making posts about each center).  Their centers were very simple... spacious, open buildings with two enclosed rooms at one end and a roof spanning the entire structure.  The floors were concrete.  The enclosed rooms were used for an office for the head overseer  as well as for serving food or storage.  Our team delivered a VBS story and craft to the orphans, presented a hygiene clinic teaching them how to brush their teeth and wash their hands with soap and water, offered a medical clinic, and read scriptures and prayed with the older kids. Also at one village, we built a chicken house... more details to come later.  I had an idea in my mind that we would most likely be seeing many orphans and very sick people.  But it didn't really sink in until I saw ALL the orphans sitting side by side listening eagerly to the Gospel being presented and ALL the sick people lining up to see our doctor and nurse.  Sometimes issues don't hit home until you SEE them with your own eyes.  We had heard about it, read about it, saw it on the news... but in this case, seeing with our own eyes made it real.  It has impacted Ryan and I forever.
MOH provides the only meal for most of the orphans three times a week. Their meal consists of Nsima, which is just like our cream of wheat except their's is made of ground corn. It contains absolutely no nutritional value at all- it is merely a hunger filler.  The centers now have maize mills, complete with a generator, to grind the corn at a much faster rate than would by hand.  Also, the orphans are fed some type of bean and green, which are grown in their gardens.  MOH introduced gardens at the centers to help the villages become more self-sufficient. And it is working!!  Ladies from the surrounding villages cook and serve the food, but at one center, the kids were serving each other!  And helping each other rinse their hands with water before eating, as well as washing the plates off (with water only) after the meal. Even at their young age, the kids are being taught to serve others!  
We also visited one of MOH's crisis nurseries.  These nurseries provide a refuge for infants who are orphaned or abandoned.  There were about 15 babies- from infants up to age one- at the nursery we visited. They were being loved, fed, clothed and cuddled.  At the age of one, the workers try to locate an extended family member who will care for the child, or they try to find a loving family to adopt. One of the workers told us that they had found baby Moses in a basket by the river.  Another baby was found in a plastic bag.  His umbilical cord was still attached.  It was a miracle he survived.  All the babies were HIV positive, but because of the antiretroviral medication they were providing for the children, none of them had AIDS. The good Lord is providing these precious babies with their needs, and more importantly, with love.  We got to rock and hold the babies, and even feed some.  Our time there went by way too fast.  It was hard to leave.
The Lord had us do His work there- and though we presented the Gospel, though we helped to meet their physical and medical and spiritual needs, just being there- spending time with them, playing and running and kicking their homemade soccer ball back and forth with them was such a blessing to all of us who went. Holding their hands... and showing them the Love of Christ!
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12: 30-31

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