3:15 p.m. - 2006-05-21
Katy's sermon as presented at Wooddale
Good Morning! For those of you who don�t know me, my name is Katy Fiedler. I have been a member of Wooddale for as long as I can remember, in fact it was over 12 summers ago that my third grade Sunday School classmates and I traveled for the first time to Camp Wapo for a third grade weekend. Little did I know that years later I would find myself on staff at Wapo and also on the Cross Mark mission team.

Camp Wapo is located on Lake Wapogasset in Amery, Wisconsin just 75 miles northeast of here. Last summer my 7 teammates and I worked together between Wapo Main site and the Ox Lake Villages working with various aspects of the camping programs. At the end of the summer we began making church visits to our home congregations raising support for our program. We were met with overwhelming support throughout this trip and I want to thank you once again Wooddale and many family and friends for your generous support through finances and prayers! Your support was crucial to the success of this year!

At the end of September our travels abroad began: we spent last fall traveling throughout Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This is the southernmost state in Brazil, and one of the churches that we were working with was actually located in Uruguay. This winter and spring we spent in Malawi, Africa. Malawi is in east-central Africa, located just south of Tanzania and the Great Rift Valley. The focus of our program was to spend time with our companions from the companionship established between the Lutheran Church Synods in Northwest Wisconsin, Rio Grande do Sul, and Malawi. My teammates and I learned a lot about the churches, people, and cultures of both countries. I would like to share a few examples of what I learned with you today.

If we were in Malawi right now I would be preaching in Chichewa, the local language there. This church service would just be getting started as the average Sunday morning church service we attended was 4 hours long. This was mostly due to the inclusion of a lot of music- both congregational hymns and choral music. One Sunday Kelli and I counted 41 songs in the church service (this is something we resorted to with so much time on our hands and little knowledge of the Chichewa language). It wasn�t unusual for there to be multiple choirs in each congregation- each singing during the Sunday morning services. If I applied this worship format to Wooddale we might have 3 songs each presented by the Senior Choir, the Contemporary Choir, the Chapel Choir, the Bell Choir and the Sunday School kids EACH SUNDAY! And there would be little hope of leaving church before kickoff during football season.

If we were in Brazil this would be the only time this month that Pastor Tim would be joining us for worship. He might be the only Lutheran Pastor in the area and he would spend his time traveling between 9 congregations. Because of his presence today there may be multiple babies baptized, and we�d all be looking forward to celebrating Holy Communion together.

If we were in Malawi today�s lesson would be from the Old Testament, and today, just like every Sunday the sermon would be preached from the Old Testament. The gospel message is shared through the lyrics of the choral music.

If we were in Malawi the women of the congregation would take communion first.

If we were in Brazil, Rosemarie Zipoy would be asking for volunteers to help her prepare for the �Churrasco (or Barbeque) Caf� for the after service meal and Kristina Fruge would be asking for parent volunteers to serve beer at Wooddale�s Oktoberfest celebration which would raise funds for the youth group, instead of asking for people to work at the Dome.

I could continue talking about the differences between the churches, but the truth is that we really do have a lot in common with our companions from around the world.

"We are Walking in the Light of God" is one of the theme songs from our time in Malawi and begins to explain our companionship with Christians around the world. My teammates and I will be teaching you to sing this song in both English and Chichewa after the sermon. The mission statement of the companionship with our church and the churches of Brazil and Malawi is: ��We are Walking in the Light of God�, together sharing the good news of Jesus, and embracing the mutuality of our gifts and mission.�

What is our mission as Christians? It is clear from today�s gospel that our mission is to love. As written in John 15:12 Jesus calls us, commands us to �Love one another as I have loved you.�

Jesus loved his people by walking amongst them and showing us to do the same. During this trip I heard Jesus referred to as the �3 mile an hour God�. I think this is a neat visual, one of God walking at a comfortable pace on earth instructing people how to love through his actions. Jesus died for us in the ultimate act of love and unselfishness. He showed us how to lay our lives down for our friends; how to really love others.

Much of my time this past year was spent walking with companions, finding a balance of teaching and learning, talking and listening, finding mutuality within our relationship.

Are we the same team that you sent off last fall? I would say no. We have all grown as a result of our travels. I think it will take a lifetime to fully realize the impact of this trip on our lives. I feel a personal responsibility to take full advantage of my educational opportunities since having met many girls in Malawi who will never have the chance to go to secondary school. I have been blessed with a lot and feel the need to be a better steward of my possessions and opportunities. I know that our companions in Brazil and Malawi are also changed as a result of this exchange.

During our first four days in Malawi our program was stalled due to the death of Bishop Bvumbwe�s father. We spent our time acclimating ourselves to the church center surroundings and meeting people on the campus. Our free time found us playing games with the kids from the community- something that as camp staff is second nature to us. My teammate Shaina was speaking with Joshua, one of the older youth during our stay. She spoke of some of her frustrations of not knowing how she was really being used here, how she felt that her mission wasn�t being accomplished as she had previously thought it would be. She said that when thinking of going to Malawi she felt as though she�d have so much to teach others, but the opposite was true, she was learning from those around her. At this point Joshua told her that we had already taught them a lot- that they realized that the young kids were valuable too and should be allowed to participate in games along with the older youth. This is a lesson we as a team never imagined we�d be teaching the youth of Malawi. We all realized that we had a lot to share and a lot to gain through this companionship.

For me it seemed to take two dramatic culture changes and over 6 airplane rides to realize that I as a Christian have a great responsibility to love, and also a great ability to respond to God�s call to love. As Christians we are response-able, enabled to respond to God�s call to love others. Jesus gave us his commandments and his example to make it possible for us to respond to the needs of others around us- wherever in the world they may be.

Why are you here this morning?

I imagine that many of the members of Wooddale continue coming to church Sunday after Sunday because this is a place where they renew their hope and confidence in this God of love.

We come to church because this is a place where we encounter God- we see Christ in the people sitting in the pews beside us, in the communion, the hymns and choral music, the Coffee Caf�, in Sunday School, and in TIM team. We see Christ in our companions and are encouraged once again to abide in Christ�s love, to walk in his light.

During the service this morning we will be sharing photographs from our travels. I invite you to look at these photos, pray for our companions, and realize that they are not really much different from you and me.

These are observations I made abroad- that we may worship and function within very different cultures from our companions around the world, but the bottom line is the same: church is a place where we meet God, abide in his love, and are strengthened by this love to respond to the needs of others as we leave this place.

I leave you with three questions this morning: How do you view your responsibility to Jesus� commandment to love? In what ways are you response-able? And how will you respond to this call?

2:10 p.m. - 2006-05-13
A Cross Mark update from Katy
Hello Family and Friends!

Since writing to you last my teammates and I have returned from our trip
to Malawi- in fact we've now been home just over two weeks. At this point
I think all of us are experiencing varying levels of shock- culture shock
and body shock. These last few cold spring days are a great contrast to
the 80-85 degree Malawian heat!

As some of you may know the next part of our Cross Mark commitment is to
work with the programs at Camp Wapo and Ox Lake International Villages to
share our travel experiences with campers and staff alike. Over 3000
campers will participate in our programs this summer and hopefully come to
understand a bit more about our companions around the world. I will be
working specifically with Vacation Bible School teams this summer meaning
that for 5 weeks I will travel within churches in the Twin Cities to lead
day camps with both national and international staff.

I would ask for your prayers as we are experiencing difficulty obtaining
visas for our international staff from Brazil and Malawi. We are hoping
that 4 counselors from both countries will be able to join us for the
summer to represent their countries and speak of the body of Christ as
they know it.

I am thankful to have been able to share some of my thoughts with you via
emails and blog entries. This coming Sunday, May 21 my teammates and I
will be a part of the worship service at Wooddale*, my home congregation.
Please know that you are welcome to worship with us and hear music and
stories from our travels. Worship is at 9:30 (I will give the sermon) and
we will be sharing stories and photos during an Adult Education Forum
after the service (10:45). You'll be happy to know that while we are
sharing our experiences in the church we will not be recreating a 4 hour +
worship experience as we encountered in Malawi.

Please note that I am trying to post more photos onto
crossmark.shutterfly.com.

Thanks again for your support which I have felt in so many ways!

Much love,
Katy

*Wooddale Lutheran Church
4003 Wooddale Ave.
St. Louis Park, MN 55416

2:13 p.m. - 2006-04-13
Katy's fourth mass email
Greetings to my family and friends!

Since the last time that I have written to you, my teammates and I have
reunited as a group of 6 and hit the road for some Peer Education Seminars
and even a bit of vacation time.

The Lutheran Church is split into 6 Deaneries, or regions of parishes.
Within each of these Deaneries groups of students (usually 30 kids) have
been gathered for Peer Education Seminars- or weeklong seminars aimed at
teaching and discussing issues of organization of the church,
spirituality, sexuality, HIV/AIDS, and leadership. These weeks have
provided us with time to interact with the youth and hear their
perspectives of growing up as youth in Malawi. Each of the youth is
expected to take the information they gather here and share it with the
youth in their home congregations.

These seminars have provided me an opportunity to learn more about
HIV/AIDS and how the cultural practices here lend to high contraction
rates of the virus. For example, when a woman is widowed, the day her
husband dies she must sleep with another man to purify her body from her
late husbands spirit- so that it may not come back to haunt her after he
is buried the following day. Also when young girls menstruate for the
first time they must have sex that day to become a �real woman.� These
practices occur with little or no knowledge of the sexual history of both
partners and though these cultural practices are not practiced nearly as
often as they once were they are still practiced in some villages today.
For every one Malawian male who is infected with HIV there are 6 Malawian
women infected. I am quickly learning that the fight against HIV/AIDS is
inherently linked with the fight for gender rights and equality. Malawian
society is extremely male dominated. Abstinence is an ideal practice, but
unrealistic as many women here don�t have the right to say �No� to sex.
It�s been both enlightening and frustrating to hear from the young women
and men about their perspectives of love, relationships, and sex.

Our team attended the National Youth Gathering in Madisi. The gathering
ran much like a Peer Education Seminar, but there were 125 kids, even more
singing than ususal, and the presence of both Bishop Berg and Bishop
Bvumbwe. Bishop Berg and Diane Kaufmann both visited as well as Loren
Teig, director of Wapo Bible Camp, and his wife Debbie. All were
traveling as members of the Northwest Wisconsin Synod of the ELCA- and
companions of the church. On the Saturday of the gathering the programme
was for Team Malawi to play Team America in a game of volleyball. I am
happy to report to my fellow IM volleyball teammates at Luther that Team
America dominated. We had a really fun time, especially when both of the
Bishops and Diane got in on the play.

It was fun to welcome the visitors from home as they brought with them
fresh eyes and a new energy (and snacks and care packages from home). It
was fun to be reminded how exotic this place can seem to fresh eyes. I�m
afraid my senses have become dulled to the surroundings after nearly 3
months here. I forget that it was once unusual for my western eyes to see
many chickens tied to the handle bars of bikes in transit to market, or
hear choirs singing and dancing to the beat of local drums. I forget that
it�s not everyday I can see mountains in the distance or a goat
slaughtered in preparation for the lunch meal. The visitors came at the
perfect time to remind me what a privilege this experience is, and also to
realize how comfortable I�ve grown in my new surroundings.

A highlight of the past month was a trip to Mvuu Camp, or Hippo Camp for 3
days of vacation. This trip was an incredible opportunity for bird and
animal watching, star gazing, and plant and tree identifying. We were
able to see hundreds of hippos and even hear them munching on grasses
outside of cabin at night! Our guide Charles used his acute sense of
smell to locate three elephants so that we could watch them from our boat.
At one point one of the elephants warned us that he didn�t want us to
come any closer than the 10 meters we were from him. Our guides also
enjoy our group singing the "Hippo Song."

My challenge again to you today is to take time in stride- something I'm
continually working on. Put people and relationships first as you go
about your day.

Much love,
Katy

5:10 p.m. - 2006-03-13
Katy answers Wooddale Sunday School Questions

I received questions from the Sunday School classes at Wooddale- my home congregation. The questions show a lot of curiosity and hopefully the answers provide you with more insight to my stay here in Malawi. Here are the questions from the 4th and 5th graders, and the kindergarten and first graders:

Dylan asked: What is the average weight of a 5th grader? What is the average temperature in Malawi? Is it fun there?

The temperature has been around 35 degrees Celsius. I don�t know the exact conversion in Fahrenheit, but it feels to be around 85 degrees everyday. At night it cools down a little bit. Because it�s the rainy season we�ve had rain everyday and it�s very humid! This does mean that it�s not always so sunny- and therefore it�s not as hot as it could be.

An average ten year old weighs about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds. Though some people say it may be as little as 50 pounds!

I am having fun (though sometimes I get homesick). The kids in my host family are between the ages of 2 and 22 and they�re always having fun climbing trees, playing games, and singing or playing drums. My host brother who�s in fourth grade enjoys playing with his pet fish and climbing the neighbor�s avocado tree.

Dana asked: Do you have to speak a different language?

English is the national business language of Malawi- and many of the people we meet can speak English. When we visit the villages it�s harder to find people that speak English though. In the schools they teach the national language of Chichewa, and also English. The church services are held in Chichewa. That means that for 4 hours I can sit in church not understanding much. The hymns in Chichewa are beautiful- and the choirs always sing and dance with a lot of energy.

In the north of the country they speak Chichewa and Tambuka. My friends told me that the pastor they were with had to learn 10 different tribal languages to communicate with each of his congregations- so though Chichewa and Tambuka are the most common there are still many villages that use their own tribal language.

Luke and Graham asked: What is the average height and weight of a fourth grader and the average height? Do the kids in Malawi go to school every day or lay around? What is the transportation like in Malawi and what do they eat? Is it hard living in the hunger season, is it fun? What is the food like and is it different to you?

An average 4th or 5th grader here in Malawi would be about 4 and a half feet tall, and weigh about 66 pounds.

Most kids here are really busy! My host brother Junior goes to his 4th grade class from 7am to 12pm. In the afternoons he helps with chores around the house- like hand washing his own laundry- and playing with his friends. Most people go to be early- around 8 or 9 so they can get up early.

I use public transportation, privately owned 4x4s, and walking to get around. Many Malawians use bikes and the public transportation. The most common form of transportation is a minibus. These are what we would consider to be 15 passenger vans, but often times there are 24 people riding in them (Shaina and Erik counted 31 passengers in one once)! It costs between 40 kwacha, or $.28 and 120 kwacha or $.85 to ride the minibuses between 1 kilometer (just under 1 mile) and 55 kilometers (around 35 miles).

My friend Kelli and I have both learned to prepare nsima- the traditional food we eat every lunch and dinner. It�s boiled maize flour and water, and when it thickens it�s scooped into dumpling like mounds- served hot. We eat everything with our hands and we usually eat nsima, rice, potatoes, boiled pumpkin leaves and fried chicken. Sometimes we substitute potatoes for beans, or pumkin leaves for cabbage salad. We sometimes have corn or pineapple or pumpkin for dessert. For morning tea- breakfast, we have 3 pieces of bread and a cup of tea. By suggestion of Pastor Brunotte, a German mission pastor, we purchased peanut butter and jam to share with the family. So for tea we now have PB and J sandwiches and even corn on the cob! The food is different from my normal diet, but I like it.

It�s hard to be here during hunger season as we meet so many hungry people. Because we are visitors our host families and members of the congregation show their hospitality by presenting us with food. It�s hard to receive this food from people that need it more than we do- however it would be rude if we didn�t accept it. Many people here are very hungry, but they are also very generous with the little food that they do have.

Justin asked: What is the weather like there is it hot or cold? How well are you communicating with them? What is the average temperature over there? What do kids in fourth and fifth grade do for fun? Do they collect Pokemon and Dragon Ball Z cards?

The fourth and fifth graders I have met really enjoy playing outside- climbing trees, playing games, and singing. I haven�t seen any Pokemon or Dragon Ball Z cards- in fact many kids don�t own toys. I see some boys making toy cars out of wire and plastic bottle tops. My host brothers are breeding guppies. My host sisters make clay out of the mud around the house. They are very creative kids and spend a lot of time laughing together!

We don�t have any snow here as it�s very hot! It feels like Minnesota summer here now- but there�s more rain.

I�m communicating well- using English, a little bit of Chichewa that I�m learning, and lots of body language and gestures. Smiles work well too!

Vivian and Emily asked: How is the weather? How are the kids? Are the church religions same to ours? How are the schools?

We are seeing lots of green grass and fields here! That�s a good sign as it shows that they�re now receiving enough rain for the corn crops to grow.

Many kids call us �azungus� or �white people.� We are a pretty rare sight here in Malawi. Some kids are so frightened when they see us that they cry! We have made many friends though and enjoy laughing and playing games with the kids.

We are visiting the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malawi as they have a companionship with the Northwest Wisconsin Synod of the ELCA. We are finding that there are many theological differences between the two churches, but we are also finding many similarities. Just like in the US there are other religions practiced here in Malawi too. There are many practicing Muslims. There are also many people who practice the tribal religions. These are often centered around belief in various spirits and participating in traditional dancing and worshipping. I do not know very much about these practices because we haven�t experienced this part of Malawian culture.

There are so many kids in the classrooms here that I don�t know how they learn! Students are well behaved and listen to their teachers. Sometimes there are over 100 kids to 1 teacher. Can you imagine attending school with 99 other classmates?! Students in primary school only go to school for half days- from 7-Noon. They have homework and tests just like you!

Maddie asked: Are there any malls in Malawi? How many kids do you serve a day?

I haven�t seen any shopping malls yet, though they do have some large strip malls (like Miracle Mile) with large grocery stores in the larger cities. Many people buy the things they need at markets. Bvumbwe Market is an open-air market (there is no building, just stands made of wood or people selling their goods on the ground) and many people bring their goods here to sell. You can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, clothe wraps, second-hand clothes, small electronic appliances, and phone cards here.

When we visit the churches and lead Bible studies or help with food preparation at the Feeding Centres we meet many people! At the Feeding Centres there are 50 kids, and usually 30 women. When we attend a church service there are anywhere from 50 people to 175 people. It�s really neat to meet so many people from the Lutheran Church here!

From the Kindergartners and First Graders:

Gillian asked: Is it hot there? Were you in the earthquake? Do you miss Minnesota and the snow? Are there camels where you are at? Are the birds like the birds we have in Minnesota? Can you tell me about the children you are helping?

It�s very hot here and I�m sweating a lot! I miss the snow and cold of Minnesota- so play extra hard in the snow for me!

I wasn�t in the earthquake though Mozambique is very close to us here in Blantyre, Malawi.

There aren�t any camels, though I�ve seen zebras, wildebeests, nyalas, water buffalo, crocodiles, monkeys, snakes, lots of spiders and cochroaches, and many beautiful birds. There are herons and eagles like in Minnesota, but most of the birds are very different. The crows here are black and white. There are also birds that are bright red- I�m not sure what type they are though.

The children here are beautiful and friendly. Many of my friends here spend their time playing games. They also like making friendship bracelets and drawing with us. We are singing songs with the kids- and they really like to sing camp songs like �The Hippo Song.�

Aaron asked: Are you doing good?

I am doing well and enjoying my time here. It�s easy because the people are so friendly and like to laugh and sing with us.

2:25 p.m. - 2006-03-10
Shaina and Erik in the north
Erik and I send special greetings and blessings back home to all of the congregation members, youth, family, and friends from our brothers and sisters in the North (Mzuzu Parish - companion congregation Pilgrim Lutheran in Superior), (Karonga North - companion Little Falls Lutheran in Amery, WI), Karonga, Kavuze, Chinchechay Mission area - 3 congregations, Bwengo, Equendeni,and Nkata Bay.

We had the privalege of staying with Pastor Dean Fungu, his wife Eva, two sons Johanis and Emmanual, and a girl who is staying with them and helping to take care of the boys named Mary. They truly became our family for the 5 weeks we were in the North and will hold a special place in our hearts. We had a lot of fun joking with them, playing games, and best of all cooking for them. We continued to comment to each other what a great husband/wife/family relationship they have and what a great role model they are for others in the community.
We have been able to visit and meet with so many youth and leaders in the church. The church is definitly active here and involved in so many areas of life - spiritually, physically, socially, politically, medically, educationally, and emotionally. The church here is a great representation of God calling us to be his hands and feet.
Through attending 2 peer education seminars and visiting so many congregations and youth, Erik and I were able to share about life and culture in the US. We were also able to hear areas of need and see the strengths of the church and it's youth. The focal issues that we heard time and time again from all of the youth was the lack of educational opportunity. The government only provides schooling through primary school (our grade 8). Even within these schools students will pile into a small cement classroom (some classes are even still held underneath a trees because of lack of building space). There is no real cut off for the number of students a teacher can have so commonly the classes are 60 - 125+ students all in one room with one teacher. Some rooms have simple desks for the students but many don't and the children need to sit on the floor. There is a real lack of basic materials which make it hard for the students to learn. There will often times be only a handful of textbooks they all need to use, even pens and paper are scarce. We continue to be reminded of how blessed we are in the USA to have free and public education for all students through high school, that our class sizes are small, that we have desks and textbooks for all, that we are able to go on to further our education and take out loans to assist us in paying for school. Education is so important and we as brothers and sisters of our fellow Brazilians and Malawians need to help assist them in helping to provide more opportunities for a higher and better education. If Malawi and the people here are to develop, education needs to strengthened. With that said, know that the church is providing partial scholarships to as many children as they can to be able to attend secondary school (our high school) but it is costly and not all children are able to attend.

The youth also shared their frustration and concern for lack of opportunity for finding jobs. The people of Malawi want to be employed and make money but there are few jobs for them to attain even with a secondary and university degree. It is very common for the people to sell whatever they can at the market - mangoes, corn, rice, and other fruits and vegetables from their fields at home, clothing, shoes, knicknacks, and bakery goods. None of these jobs though provide a stable income and the people truly live from day to day. The church though is trying to assist as much as they can with providing jobs for the people. They employ pastors, parish workers, drivers, guest house workers, social development staff members, security guards, evangelists, etc.

AIDS is also an issue that is a definite impact on everyone here. We have been able to hear from a number of youth groups how they are trying to spread awareness and education within their churches and communities. They also shared how for many of them they grow up being told that sex = love and that there is something wrong with them if they don't have several partners before they get married. This issue is the cause of so many infected individuals and the growing number of orphans. We have found that relationships between men and women are very different then in the USA. They really don't have a chance to interact with one another much aside from being in the same class at school. The schools and the church are all trying to promote gender equality and women's rights and working to provide more positive interactions between the genders. Women often stay at home and do the cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children while the men are in charge of putting food on the table. So for dating from what we have been told, if a boy thinks a girl is attractive they will go up to them and tell them they are pretty and that they love them which often leads to sex. Erik and I were able to share how in the US we get to know one another for a long period of time by going out on dates, spending time with friends, talking, playing games, which will lead to either a break up or a continual strengthening relationship that eventually will turn into a proposal and marriage. We stressed abstinence while letting the youth know that in the USA many of our youth also struggle with premarital sex, it is not just here. We shared how we don't have specific men and women roles in the household and that the two are looked at as equals and work together to discuss issues and come to agreement on how they will be resolved and who will do what. It is still common for men to have to pay the girls family money in order to marry them which can sometimes lead to thinking that they own the wife. These are just differences that we have noticed and areas the youth has been interested in and we have been able to try to encourage a shift in thinking about.

Music - specifically singing is a stong part of every congregation we have visited. It is one activity the youth meet weekly for and take a lot of pride in. Many don't have access to bibles, liturgy books, hymn books, or devotionals because of the cost but through song they are able to learn, memorize, teach, worship, and sing about their faith and God's Word. Also through talking with the youth because music is so vital to them they share that by having access to keyboards and other musical instruments others will come and join their church which will help it grow. When asked to buy keyboards for them Erik and I first of all see the need for education scholarships, for bibles, and other church materials but from getting to know and understand the culture more am beginning to see how useful the musical instruments are for them. We hear their choirs without they keyboards and they sound wonderful so it is hard to say yes you need a keyboard but to them it is something very important.

Also during our time up North we were able to meet with a few gentlemen who work for the governments agricultural department. They shared about how they go out into the communities and provide classes and advice to local farmers on new farming techniques, diversification of crops, AIDS awareness, rabies awarness, vaccinations for animals, and many other issues. They shared that the Evangelical Lutheran Development Social Services department of the church also works side by side them on many of these issues.

We were able to visit a feeding center in Kavuze 2. The second time we went back to bring a donation of a sifter, some peanut butter and wheat bread for extra nutrition. When we arrived all of the adults had left to a funeral quite a distance away. We found many of the children at one of the houses and were able to make peanut butter sandwhiches for the children. We feel grateful that we not only went back that day but also that we had brought food with us and were able to provide a meal for the children. I never enjoyed the sound of smacking peanut butter mouths as much as I did when they ate:)

We were able to spend some time at the lake in Nkata Bay. We tried fishing with one of the youth but didn't catch any fish. We ended up reverting to swimming instead which was very refreshing.

Our time in the North went fast. We were welcomed with open arms every where we went. I pray that the companionship and communication between the churches only continues to grow and that we were able to bring hope and encouragement from all of you.

Thank you all for all of your support and prayers. We continue to learn new things everyday and feel grateful for how the Lord is using and challenging us. God Bless your sister in Christ Shaina<><

2:27 p.m. - 2006-03-10
Entry #2 (I rock at making entries)
I am excited to leave the big update number 2 for me, and I am going to quickly challenge my entry record from Brazil. Sadly, I am writing big number 2, because Shaina and I have had a lot of time on our hands this week. We got back in Lilongwe from Mzuzu on Tuesday night, after a 10 hour bus ride that normally takes 3-4 (we had a nice break down of 3 hour halfway through). But the other 4 and all the leaders of our program are in Balaka for a peer education seminar, so we are here alone until Sunday night or Monday, so I have had a good time to read the Chronicles of Narnia and email friends and family. I will try to give an overview of my experience in Mzuzu.

We had an amazing time in Mzuzu. We were blessed to stay with Dean Naboth Fungu and his wife Eva and boys Emmanuel and Johannes, who were originally from Tanzania and was tranferred here to the more newly established church in Malawi. They were amazingly kind and I don't know very many people who laugh and joke around as much as the Dean did, so I tend to enjoy a little joking too, so we had so much fun together, sometimes too much I think. But it was great to be with a family, because we learned about the difficulties and frustrations and joys and things they liked and disliked and were able to be real and honest with each other about so many real issues. So we had a wonderful time with their kids and their work in the church and learning from them what their everyday life is like. We walked to the market everyday to get mangoes or corn and were able to cook for them a couple days to give the women a break, and ride a bicycle and walk through their neighborhoods, it was great to live there for 5 weeks.

We were able to meet the youth in Mzuzu, Karonga, Bwengu, Livwere, Kavuzi, Chinteche, and Nkata Bay, and learn from them and hopefully teach them something as well. We spent our time with them, of course singing, but also in excellent discussions about church and youth programs, culture and politics, and issues facing the youth and the country. The two peer education seminars in Karonga and Mzuzu, were also very very helpful to us, but more importantly providing education for the youth, who don't get some needed information from school about HIV/Aids or basic sex education, and taught them about church structure and involvement and the importance of gender equality and children's rights, and their was lots of singing and dancing and praying and talks on spirituality. So it was wonderful to be there for those and to learn from the youth and get to know them on a friends basis and also discuss important issues in their lives. We also were able to go to the feeding centers in Kavuzi, 1 time for real and then another time, when people were at a funeral(which happen so often, death is very real here), we were able to make peanut butter sandwiches for the kids and give them some bubble gum, since all the parents were at a funeral. My pet peeve is eating loudly, but I have never heard a sweeter sound then those kids monching on those peanut butter sandwiches, it could have been a got milk commercial, and then to hear them follow it up with 3 or 4 pieces of bubble gum was great.

Yep, I don't know what else to tell you other than that we are having a great time and learning so much, and that you are all in our prayers. And keep praying for the church and the people here, they face such difficult circumstances everyday.

Peace, Erik Ervin Mons Teig

11:19 a.m. - 2006-03-04
If you're looking to send mail...
Mail address by request:

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malawi
Attn: Cross Mark Team Member _______
PO Box 650
Lilongwe, Malawi
Africa

Expect mail to take 3 weeks

12:33 a.m. - 2006-03-04
Feeding Centre information as documented by Katy:
Who: The ELCM (Evangelical Church of Malawi) has enlisted the help of many women throughout the rural areas to prepare and serve Lakuni Pala to orphans or extremely malnourished children in villages throughout Malawi. Each Feeding Centre is prepared to serve 50 registered children 3 meals a week (usually Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Children are selected based on need, not on their affiliation with the ELCM. The financial support for providing this program is provided by churches in the Northwest Synod of the Wisconsin ELCA.

Consideration for registration is as follows: those who are considered first are orphans, then children with one parent, and then children with two parents who are extremely poor. Registration entails asking for kids� names, age (they must be under 5 years old), weight, their home area, and denomination (if any).

What: The kitchens are mud huts used to prepare Lakuni Pala, a porridge meal. The porridge is made from ufa (corn/maize flour), soy, cooking oil, milk, sugar, and water. This is brought to a boil in a large iron pot over an open fire. The kitchen is used in case of rain (or high winds) and the women often cook outside.
Our visits begin with a greeting from the women of the Feeding Centres. They sing and escort us to the kitchen where we greet the women by shaking their hands. We then listen to the women tell us what they do at the Feeding Centres:
-They teach hygiene and general care to prevent diseases (such as how to wash clothes and how to bathe children)
-They supply basic medications and encourage doctors visitations if necessary
-They clean the church and kitchen by sweeping
-They encourage the building of toilets in homes to prevent diseases
-They weigh the children once each week to track their weight progress.
After this introduction the women organize the children to wash their hands. The Lakuni Pala is distributed to the children in bowls- usually two children to one bowl. They proceed to the church and eat together there. After everyone is finished used cooking and eating materials are cleaned.

They use 5kg or 11 pounds of Lakuni Pala for 50 kids, and 25 kg of Lakuni Pala costs 2,000 Kwacha, or about $20. So each day it costs less than $4 US dollars to provide food to one Feeding Centre!

Where: Kitchens are located at 134 rural churches throughout Malawi. There are 15 Feeding Centres in Blantyre Deanery, where I�m visiting this month.

Why: There are so many orphans needing assistance in Malawi and this is one way the ELCM has responded to the need. The ELCA has responded by sending medications and funding the Lakuni Pala. The combination of education for mothers and caregivers and food for the children is proving to be an effective and well-needed program.

Problems: Funds allow only for 50 children in each Feeding Centre to be fed. At Kasungulu there are over 90 registered kids! This means that many children still go hungry- sometimes looking on as their friends are fed! Other churches are anxious to begin their own Feeding Centre but don�t have the funds to do so.

Dean Mofolo encouraged us, and I encourage you to, �Pray for us! Pray for Malawi! Pray for our church! Pray for our orphans! Pray for those who care for our orphans!�

12:32 a.m. - 2006-03-04
A bit about Blantyre- by Katy F
I want to start by describing our host family to you. Kelli and I are staying with Dean Moforo and his family. He�s a Parish Pastor (responsible for 17 congregations) as well as overseeing the Deanery- or collection of other parishes in the Blantyre area. I think that means that he oversees about 100 congregations and at least 7 other Parish Pastors. His house is always accepting visitors and with 6/7 children still living at home there�s always something going on. We�re in a unique position as we�re guests for the month and being served constantly by the females here. Dean�s family consists of Mama Deanie- his wife who only speaks Chichewa and laughs a lot (mostly at us) but who is very kind and joyful. Children at home are as follows son William 22, daughter Cathy 18 (with 2 year old daughter Chisomo), son Samson 16, daughter Esnart 14, son Junior 10, daughter Ruthy 8, and granddaughter Glory 3. The Dean is also caring for his nephew Japhet 10, and niece Eliza 8 who where both orphaned. Esnart, Samson and William speak English well and help us/hang out with us. William may work with us at camp next summer.

Kelli and I have both learned to prepare nsima- the traditional food we eat every lunch and dinner. It�s boiled maize flour and water, and when it thickens it�s scooped into dumpling like mounds- served hot. We eat everything with our hands and we usually eat nsima, rice, potatoes (hello carbs!), boiled pumpkin leaves and fried chicken. Sometimes we substitute potatoes for beans, or pumkin leaves for cabbage salad. We sometimes have corn or pineapple or pumpkin for dessert. For morning tea- breakfast, we have 3 pieces of bread and a cup of tea. By suggestion of Pastor Brunotte, a German mission pastor, we purchased peanut butter and jam to share with the family. So for tea we now have PB and J sandwiches and even corn on the cob!

During lunch and dinner we eat in the living room with Dean and Deanie. The TV is always on- if it�s lunchtime and we�re home then we watch BBC, if it�s nighttime we watch TVM or TV Malawi. This station provides local news and also Tunes Hour. During Tunes Hour they play homemade music videos of Malawian bands. Sometimes they are good, most of the time they are bad! Our host brother William goes by the alias of DJ Scorpion when he�s making his music. He has a band in which he writes, produces, sings, and plays keyboard, while his brother Samson sings and dances. Their cousin and another friend are also in the band. DJ Scorpion is busy writing music right now in order to produce another record. He then hopes to record a video to play on Tunes Hour- a video including his family and also Kelli and I! For 6000 Kwacha, or $42.53 he can record the video, and for another 3000 Kwacha or $21.28 he can send the video to TVM so they can store it in their video vault and air it frequently on TV. Can you say international superstars?!

12:31 a.m. - 2006-03-04
Katy's Mass Email #3
Greetings from the warm heart of Africa!

Our time in the Blantyre Deanery is sadly coming to a close. Kelli and I have really enjoyed our stay with the Mofolo family. Kelli is a great friend and travel partner and together we�re trying to keep from peeing our skirts from laughing at the Dean�s jokes and making the most of our time here.

Blantyre is the industrial center for Malawi and provides many job opportunities for the locals. Town is a much different scene then the villages. Here in town we�re more likely to see brick houses covered with corrugated tin roofs and people riding in minibuses carrying 20-25 passengers instead of the 15 they�re supposed to fit. Most village homes are constructed of mud and roof leaf, and people (and goats, 25kg bags of maize flour, stacks of lumber) ride bicycles through dirt roads. We find ourselves traveling rather seamlessly from the tar mark to the mud roads almost daily as we�re traveling and seeing everything the Blantyre Deanery has to offer.

The Dean has kept us busy with a full �programme�. Highlights include visiting 5 Feeding Centres* which provide meals to orphans and malnourished children in the villages, attending the local Sunday church services (the choirs always give me goose bumps!), hiking the local mountains (including part of Mount Mulanje- the second tallest mountain in Africa), visiting the Conforzi Tea Factory and the Carlsberg Brewery, and making Pastor�s visitations with the Dean.

This month has passed so quickly that I think Kelli and I have missed our chance at international superstardom. Our host brother William is a musician, using the alias DJ Scorpion when producing music. During our stay he�s been writing music (mostly with HIV/AIDS messages) to produce a second album and a music video. Each night on TVM (the only TV station in the country) during �Tunes Hour� they play home-produced music videos of Malawian bands. DJ Scorpion was hoping to have Kelli and I dance in his music video, but our time in Blantyre has passed too quickly and we�ll (sadly) miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Sunday the 22nd, I was �Abusa Katy� or �Pastor Katy� giving the sermon at our 4 and a half hour worship service! I preached on 1 Cor. 12:1-10, on Spiritual Gifts. The services are usually about 3 hours, yesterday it was longer as there were:
4 choirs singing
3 congregations worshiping together
8 babies to baptize
Reconciliation of those under Church Discipline
Holy Communion
Sunday School student recitation of memorized verses
and a presentation of gifts to Kelli and I (wood carvings of symbols of Malawian culture).
I was so hot after the first hour of service that I thought I�d have to strip out of my robe in front of the church!

My role on this trip is to listen to needs of the people and find ways in which I can make a difference both now and in the future. The needs of the church are great indeed- and though I am seeing money from organizations such as the ELCA and Oxfam well at work I feel overwhelmed by the never ending list of requests. I�m anxious to return to Luther and join the Student Global Aids Campaign and find other ways in which I can use my voice on the behalf of those I�m meeting with now. If anyone is interested I can share names of quality organizations looking for donors to support their programming.

This is a unique experience indeed- and one I�m glad to be sharing with you!

Love,
Katy

Malawi photos are now up on crossmark.shutterfly.com, and this time I�m not lion.

3:27 p.m. - 2006-02-17
Tony in Malawi
Dear Friends and Family,

How are you? I�m doing really well. Me and Dave are half-way finished with our rotation in Phalombe. We have been here in Phalombe since February 1st and as it looks right now, we�ll be here until March 4th. Our rotation in Phalombe has been great. Phalombe is a very small mountain town located in the southeast of Malawi and is only say 10 miles from the country of Mozambique. It is absolutely beautiful. It is a town that is bordered by two very beautiful mountains. The smaller being Mt. Michesi, and the larger, which might be the second largest in Africa, is Mt. Mulanje. Phalombe is a small town and the mountains just sit there as if they�re unreal or as if someone painted them there. Imagine yourself waking up and going outside and as you look to your left and to your right, you see very large and beautiful mountains. We�ve actually climbed Mt. Michesi twice since we�ve been in Phalombe. The first time with a large group of Malawian youth, we just went to the mid-section of both mountains. The second time with our two host brothers, Chikumbutso and Levson and a friend named Fresco of our congregation. The second time we climbed close to the top taking a rock-river pathway and doing some swimming in the mountain along the way. It is so beautiful. The town of Phalombe reminds of a town out of the old west. It has no paved roads and so it is very dusty. In the center of town there�s a main street and a market place where you�ll find people living and doing they�re thing. We have been hosted in the home of Pastor Banda. He is a Dean in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malawi and he has a beautiful family. He and his wife, Mama or Amayi Dean, have 7 kids, and two that are sort of adopted into the family. The oldest son is Levson 25 and he has actually worked at a bible camp in North Carolina. He has been our main host in that his English is very good and he�s close to our age. Then there�s Janeter 24, and here twin brother Binwell. Then there�s brother Chikumbutso 22, Catherine 16, Alinafe 14, and Alepha 12. Then there�s Getrude (we call her Kate), and she lives here, but she�s not one of the kids. She helps out around the house and is a very strong leader within the church. Lastly we have Tsanzo who is actually Dean Banda�s nephew. I don�t quite know what happened to his parents, but he lives here and is referred to as brother. It is very common for a household in Malawi to have extended family members living with them do to extreme poverty and high death rates. The family doesn�t have a lot and I often wonder how they fit everyone in, but God provides and things have worked out well. They don�t have running water and there is no flush toilet or shower. What we use to go poop is a squat toilet. It�s basically an outhouse with a hole that you squat over and handle your business. To wash we heat up water to put into a small blue tub, take a cup, and go into the wash room which is a cemented tin roof room without lights. The family has no stove and therefore cooks everything over an open fire. We eat very well here. For breakfast we have tea or hot cocoa with bread butter and eggs done sunny-side up. For lunch we have Nsima (which is Malawi�s staple food and is simply corn flower and water used to make a thicker dumpling like substance), rice, �greens� or cabbage, and chicken or goat. We have the same thing for dinner and our meals are the same each day. Once we were given three pigeons as a gift from a fried and so we ate pigeon with lunch. The chickens and goats are killed right here at the Banda home and Dave took advantage of the opportunity to kill a chicken for lunch. Sometimes I go into the market and buy peanuts to roast at night, pineapple, and pop for a treat. I�ve also developed a love for sugar-cane and eat it quite often. For Valentines Day me and Dave treated the whole family to Fanta soft drinks. We said cheers and danced to some Malawian tunes. It has been so much fun being a part of this family here in Phalombe.
We�ve had some programming, but a lot of what we�ve done here in Phalombe has been BEING. Just being with the family, and the people, and working on building relationships and making connections. A couple of our days have been spent visiting congregations in the surrounding communities. When we�ve visited these congregations we�ve had the opportunity to meet the members, see the feeding centers in action, and have dialogue with the youth in these churches. All the churches have choirs and we have been gifted with the opportunity to listen to beautiful music here. When meeting with the youth, we�ve listened to the things that they�re involved in and have shared about the youth of America. One of the issues that come up with every youth group that we speak with is the issue of HIV/AIDS. All the youth groups of the Lutheran church here in Malawi have HIV/AIDS groups and are involved in activities to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in Malawi as well as Africa and beyond. One of the most touching things for me in visiting congregations has been the opportunity to witness the feeding centers. The churches in this feeding program usually feed up to 50 children with their mothers or caretakers. The 50 that are selected are usually the most at risk and are fed every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. They are fed a type of Porridge made from corn flower, sugar, water, oil, and other things to provide nutritional value for the children. At one station there was a baby who was being cared for by his grandmother. The baby�s mother was having emotional problems and was unable to provide. The baby had suffered so much from malnutrition that the grandmother had to dilute the porridge for the baby to be able to eat it. Another baby boy kept refusing the porridge and would cry every time his mother took her breast from him. He wanted to keep being breast fed, but it was clear that the mother had no milk remaining in her breasts because they were as flat and as shriveled as can be. There was another girl who was said to be an orphan and looked to be less than two years old. She fed herself, in spite of most of the kids her age and older, who were being fed by a mother or caretaker. It said a lot about her learned independence as an orphan. The children were fed in a chapel that was full of people. Everyone sat on the dirt floor and there was crying and silence despite a few remarks from some mothers and from the church elders who were leading the program. As I was sitting there witnessing this feeding center for the first time something really hit me hard and it was very overwhelming. At camp last summer we did a hunger activity called the �feast of nations.� As I sat watching those kids eat and cry, I all of a sudden remembered �feast of nations� at camp, and suddenly the �feast of nations� was real, it was very real, and it was very sad. As all of this was going on a few youth stood up and began to sing. Their singing amongst the sadness of the situation really touched me and provided hope I think for everyone present. We�ve spent a lot of time getting to know the church members here in Phalombe as well. They treat us like family and feel as such. The church is here is right outside of the Deans home and so there is constant activity here. We�ve been privileged with the opportunity to sit in on the Phalombe choir�s rehearsals and Dave who is a choir expert says that they have a sound that most choirs can�t achieve. I really believe that. While we�ve been here we�ve visited a couple schools. I actually was able to teach a lesson at one of the high-schools here in town on African American History. Since we�ve been here we�ve already attended two funeral services for two members of our church. The life expectancy in Malawi is only 38. Can you believe that? This is caused by poverty, hunger, and disease. In the case of the first funeral that we attended, we were told that the woman died of HIV/AIDS and that she was somewhere in her 30�s. The hardest part was to see her daughter of maybe 13 cry as she said Amayi, Amayi (mother, mother) again and again. So, although from our side of things we can�t always see these issues; hunger, disease, and death caused by them, has found its ways of peaking its ugly head out at us. There are some cultural things that have been hard to witness. Women in Malawi aren�t always treated with the highest respect in my point of view. In many cases, women of all ages, bow down and lower their eyes as they greet men. A lot of the time they will get on their knees to greet men. This really disturbed me when an elder woman who must have been near to 60 got on her knees to greet me. A big issue in Malawi is violence against women. We saw in the news that a man had been jailed for cutting off the forearms of his wife because he thought that she had given food to a local man. Just today in town there were actors doing a play to address the issue of violence against women. Don�t get the idea that it�s everywhere and everyone cause it�s really not, but it has been an issue.
We do a lot for fun as well. Two of our host brothers play on a local soccer team and so a couple times each week we watch them compete. Lev brought a DVD player home with him from the US and on some nights we enjoy movies with the family as well as videos that we�ve taped with our camera. Tomorrow we�ll be traveling to Blantyre to renew our Visas, check in with Katy and Kelli, and use the internet. From there we�ll be proceeding to Zomba to visit a congregation there. We�ll be there for two days because its about 70 kilometers away and transit is tough and especially tough during the rain season. It�s actually raining right now and our home has a tin roof. It has been fun at night when me and Dave have to scream to hear each other over the sound of the rain on the tin roof. I really think it sounds like we�re chickens in a frying pan.
Well, I really hope that all of you are doing well. Remember that our team blog site is crossmarkdiaryland.com. Please keep us in your prayers and hearts as well as Malawi and the issues that Malawi faces. Until next time �Ya�ll be cool. I know that ya�ll know how to make some music and that the music ain�t supposed to stand still.� � It�s like that, mos def and Kweli.

Love Tony

3:26 p.m. - 2006-02-17
Story from Malawi

Story from Malawi,

On February 1st I met man while in transit to Phalombe. I don�t remember his name, but I remember him being really kind. We were waiting in Mulanje and were very tired. He spoke in what little English he know and told us a little about Mt. Mulanje. We asked how old he was and so on and he said that he was 29 years old. Then he said something that really struck me. He said with broken English that for �29 years, no shoes, no shoes for 29 years.�

-Tony

3:24 p.m. - 2006-02-17
Story from Malawi
Story from Malawi,

Myself and Dave were visting our first feeding center here in Malawi. We listened as the church leader explained what was in the Porridge and how many kids would be fed. We watched as children with their mothers or caretakers washed their hands. We listened as they sung grace in Chichewa. We followed as the children with their mothers or caretakers went into to the chapel and seated themselves upon the dirt floor before being called up, based upon need, to receive their one cup of porridge. I put my camera away and I sat in the back of the chapel and I watched. As I watched, I saw a baby who was being fed by his grandmother. It was said that his own mother was unable to care for him. The baby had suffered so much from malnutrition that his body was too weak receive the porridge as it was. His grandmother had to dilute it in order for him to be able to eat it. As I continued to watch, I saw a child of less than two years feeding herself. We had been told that she was orphan. Most of the children there of her age and older were being fed by a parent of caretaker. The fact that she sat alone and fed herself said a lot about her forced independence as an orphan. I continued to watch and right in front of me I heard a child and he cried. He refused to eat the porridge and would cry loudly every time his mother took her breast from his mouth. He wanted to breastfeed and was very obvious to me that his mother had no milk in her breasts to feed him, because they were flat and drained. As I continued to listen, I heard more cries and a few comments here and there from mothers and church leaders. As I continued to listen, I sensed a very sad silence. This sad silence came from a suffering caused by hunger and as I looked around I could see the pain in the faces of the mothers as they without speaking fed their children and from time to time looked at me as if to tell me something. As I sat on the dirt floor of the chapel that was crowded I thought back to last summer. I remembered sitting in the chapel at camp as we facilitated the �feast of nations� activity. I remembered the Malawi meal that was only water that had been �contaminated.� I remember the silence of so many campers who participated in �feast of nations� and had come to the realization that there was immense hunger in this world. Of course there were campers who complained, and some who even decided it would be fun to throw rice at each other. However there were campers who sat in a thoughtful silence as they realized some things. There were campers who came up to me in tears because they felt the sadness of knowing that hunger existed. As I sat on the dirt floor of the chapel here in Malawi and remembered the �feast of nations�, the �feast of nations� all of a sudden became very real and it was very moving. The �feast of nations� went from being an activity to being a reality and it is a reality I shall never forget. In the midst of all this a group of four Malawian youth stood up and began to sing. I didn�t know what the words meant, but I do know that hearing them sing in that moment brought me hope and I believe that it brought hope to all those who heard it.
-Tony

2:44 p.m. - 2006-02-17
Dave Peet
Over Here in Africa #8
February 2, 2006

Today, Wednesday, February 2, 2006 marks the first day that Tony and I are on our own from the rest of the team. The last two days have been pretty crazy.
Day 1 We were supposed to leave on Monday morning from Lilongwe around 11 am. All six of us got to the airport around 10 and we sat and waited in our mini bus (old school van) in the shade until our bus was to come. Finally, somewhere between 12-1 (I don�ft have a watch so I�fm not exactly sure when it came) the bus for Shaina and Erik to go up north came. We sent them off and we settled back down to the wait the half an hour that usually occurs between the two buses. Finally around 3 or so, the bus shows up. But at this time, Pastor Evannes decides that it would not be the safest idea because the bus would arrive in Blantyre around 10-11 at night, which is towards the middle of the night around here. It happened that the bus had broken down and they had to send a replacement. The ironic thing is that we were taking this bus because it was supposed to be the most reliable. So we decided not to take this bus and wait for one tomorrow morning. We headed back with Evannes to the church campus and helped unload 500 more bags of corn flour. The plan for the next day was to take the bus at 6:00 in the morning so we could get down to Blantyre around 11 or so in the morning. We were going to take a bus called a truck bus because it is a body of a bus pulled by a semi truck cab and engine. So we went to bed around 9:30 and got up around 5:30.

Day 2 In the middle of the night, there was some sort of intruder or fight or something going on outside on the campus because there was a lot of shouting. Luckily, I was in a sleep haze which allowed me to not get too freaked out or anything. We got up with out much problem and were off for the bus station to leave at 6. We managed to leave about at 6 and we were off!!! We hoped to arrive at Blantyre by 11. The countryside is beautiful and whenever we stopped at a market/bus stop, we got a good view of some of the daily lives of the people. We were relatively on schedule when we stopped for a break about 70 km south of Balaka. That�fs when the adventures decided to start. All of a sudden, a charging group of elephants came running at us from one side of the market. The people scattered and chaos ensued. The only way we were able to stop them was by finding the magical plant that makes elephants sleepy. We found it and then it was ok.
So maybe that�fs not what really happened�c.BUT! what did happen was that our bus broke down when it stopped and we all had to get off the bus. We were supposed to wait for the next bus to come so we could all fit on it. When the bus came, it was already pretty much full so we packed as many people as we could on it. There was not enough room so we waited for the next bus. We got on that bus and had to stand the rest of the way to Blantyre. We made it to Blantyre around 2:30. The deans had been waiting for us since 10 that morning. We went and had lunch at the dean�fs house and then Dean Banda, Tony, and I hopped in a mini bus to bring us to more mini buses so that we could come down to Phalombe. Unfortunately, the mini bus for Mulanje (the one that we needed) had already left, so we walked for a while until we came to the other mini bus place. We piled into the mini bus and we were off for Mulanje. There were 21 passengers and a driver in this van. It was packed and we held our smaller bags on our laps. Once we got to Mulanje, we waited to get picked up. We got picked up around 7 and we were headed for Phalombe. It was only 37 km away. Not bad right? However, these were probably the worst roads that I have ever seen in my life. It took us over an hour to travel the 20 miles or so. I�fm telling you, it was right out of a movie or something. We finally made it to our destination around 8:15 or so. We had supper and proceeded to pass out in our beds and had a good night�fs sleep.
I hope that Shaina and Erik made it up to Mzuzu uneventfully and safely. Or maybe eventfully and safely. Tony and I are way out in the rural area. We are right next to some mountains that are shrouded in clouds. They are gorgeous. We are excited to be here and can�ft wait for the things that are in store for us. We walked around the town all morning and now we are waiting on lunch. We�fve gone over our schedule and it looks like a very good time. We will be visiting each of the parishes in this deanery and hope to be working with the feeding stations at each place.
There is the ELCM, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malawi. It is run by the Bishop. After that, the church is split into regions or deaneries. Each deanery is run by a Dean. Within each deanery, there are parishes. And within each parish are a number of congregations. That�fs how it is broken down here in Malawi.
There were a few instances this morning as we were walking around the town that it hit me that we were in Africa. Walking through the town and seeing the people go about their daily business really makes you sit back and think. Not always sure about what, but it sure does make you think. I look forward to working at camp next summer as I think my perspective on many things is going to be very different. After three summers in a row, I noticed that my patience seemed to be growing shorter and shorter. But it seems that we are all achieving a better understanding of ourselves and the things we call values and the emphasis we put on various objectives in our lives.
I really challenge people to figure out what it is that they are prioritizing and if it really makes it worth it or not. There are a lot of things that give us comfort and pleasure, but the task is to not achieve those, but to realize that they are by far second in priority to preaching the gospel. Oswald Chambers brings up a good point in one of his devotionals. He says that the way to preach the gospel is not to proclaim Jesus to people on the street corners, but to pursue Him and to love him and attempt to live our lives by following him as much as we can. That�fs how we preach the Gospel. And also understanding that yes, Jesus did die for each of us, but he didn�ft do it as a personal favor to each individual. He died for the world of people. I�fm not trying to take away any of the personal closeness of Jesus, but rather point out the fact of the emphasis that we put on the individual. What is so special about the individual? We wouldn�ft be considered an individual if it were not for everybody else. We lose the sense of community when we strive so hard for ourselves. And let�fs not forget the pure selfishness that we exhibit when we go for the gold for ourselves. This is not a reason to not apply or to slack off, but merely to sit back and think, �gHey, I�fm not that important. I should not be the first thing in my life that I worry about.�h
On a less serious deep note, I read this book called Maya. It�fs really, really weird. But it posed this line of thinking. We look at things as the cause always comes before the effect. However, what if it were the exact opposite? Let�fs look at it this way. Let�fs go back to the time when man was inventing the wheel. Let�fs say we are the man. And we are playing with a rock and rolling it on the ground. If we were to die that very instant, the meaning behind the playing of the rock would be nothing. It could be deemed pointless. However, if we didn�ft die, and we eventually figured out how to invent the wheel based upon that action, the action of rolling the rock on the ground suddenly has meaning. But it did not gain its meaning until afterwards and other events had occurred. So the cause of the meaning is actually chronologically after the effect, so the effect comes first. Also, it poses the idea that we have a memory of what happened during the Big Bang. Though we were not alive and were not alive for a long, long time, (strictly speaking from an evolutionary standpoint) we now have a living memory of what happened back then. That�fs weird. I really don�ft have much of an opinion on either line of thought, but I thought they were interesting none the less. Ok, I think that�fs about it for now! I�fll be writing more later. And this won�ft get posted for a while either. I�fm not sure when we�fll have access to the net! We�fll cya!
davepeet

Over Here in Africa #9
February 7, 2006

First of all, let�fs get the serious stuff out of the way. Everyone should go out and find the movie �gRing of Darkness�h ERICK HORREMANN (I can�ft remember how to spell your last name) you especially need to go out and find this movie and watch it. You owe it to me. It�fs something that the viewer will never forget.
We�fve begun to settle into a nice routine around here. We get up anywhere between 7-8 and take breakfast, which usually consists of bread, eggs and tea. In the past mornings, we have walked around town and met various people or gotten acquainted with the town. We come home and have lunch around 12:30 or so. This usually consists of nsima (which is corn flour and water), rice, some form of meat, greens, and water. We sometimes have a fruit for dessert, which also includes cucumbers. This is usually what we have for supper as well. We eat most of it with our hands. You take the nsima and roll it up in a ball in your right hand and then use it to pick up the rest of the food. It takes some practice, but is pretty fun. In the afternoon, we rest for a bit and then go out and do some more of the same as we did in the morning. Bedtime is usually around 9:30 or so.
Dean and Mother Banda have seven children: ( in order from youngest to oldest)
Levson, Binwell and Jennifer(these two are twins), Chikumbutso, Katherine, Alinafe, and last but not least is Alefa. Four guys and three girls. Also, their cousin Tazoo lives here and there is a girl named Kate who spends a lot of time here as well. It�fs a big family and it�fs been really fun getting to know them. We have gone to watch Binwell and Chikumbutso play soccer.
We have walked a lot more than I probably have walked in my life. We ended up walking probably about 4-5 hours a day around town. This wore Tony and me out quite a bit. However, yesterday we learned that that is not that much. We went hiking and walking up in between the mountains and it was fun and relaxing. Once we got to the spot, we went swimming in some small rapids that were quite cold, but very refreshing. After that we walked back down to Phalombe. We ended up walking between 10-12 miles yesterday. The crappy thing is that Tony and I are not supposed to drink the tap water, so we only had one bottle of water each and we didn�ft stop for lunch. We left a little bit after 7 and got back a little before 2:30. It was a great day and was fun to get to know more of the youth.
This afternoon, I will be working with the church choir from here. This choir is amazing. We went to their rehearsal last Saturday and they just started to sing and it gave me goose flesh and a few tears may have been shed. The sound they have is amazing. The joy that they sing with and the fervor in which they sing is something that I have not heard in many choirs. I could sit and listen to this choir all day long. I look forward to working with them today and to see what they may sound like when they have a bit of tweaking.
Tony did a presentation at a secondary school on history of African Americans. It was good because they do not get much of that information over here. They had some good questions and I know that Tony enjoyed sharing that with the students because it is one of his passions. As I sat and watched Tony it was very evident to me that he loved what he was talking about. It is always fun and encouraging to see people engage in the joys of their life.
One of the interesting thoughts that has crossed my mind occurred while we were walking yesterday. I started thinking about sneezing. I wonder how much our environment and culture affect our sneeze. I originally thought that a sneeze was very individual and a person�fs character was shown through their excretion of snot and dust. However, after thinking about it, and if you do too, I think that you will notice that there are certain aspects of your sneeze that may be similar to those sneezes of people who have played an influential role if your life. So I have to question how authentic our own sneezes are. How much is our sneezed forced into its current state by our environment? Can we ever truly have a sneeze that is our own? I know, I�fve reached an all time deep level.
Tony and I have been staying relatively healthy and haven�ft had many health problems. I think I had heartburn the other night which is really weird. So I took some mixed berry TUMS. They taste really good!!! I might be developing a craving for TUMS to munch on as candy. Also, I can�ft remember if I blogged about this earlier or not, but pineapple fanta is amazing. It tastes like�cpineapples. Ok that�fs about it for now I think. Don�ft know when all of this is going to get posted, but hopefully sometime soon. I hope all is going well back home! Take care everybody and see ya soon!

davepeet

Over Here in Africa #10
February 10, 2006

The time seems to be going by rather quickly here in Malawi. Tony and I are continuing to meet more people and build up the relationships that we have started here. There are so many names that I think I forget more than I can remember. Yesterday, we set out on our second hiking adventure. We went up the mountain that is the little sister to Mount Mulanje. It�fs called Mount Michesi. We left a little before 8 and didn�ft get back til about 2. It was very fun. We found a small pool with a small waterfall that we swam in. We hope to take the team back up there when we all come back to Phalombe in April. We also saw some monkeys and that�fs always exciting. I think that you can actually classify this as mountain climbing because there were stretches where it was steep enough that you needed to use your hands, otherwise you might fall backwards and tumble a ways down. It was good. Very tiring, but it had a great view!
We visited a nearby congregation in the small town of Migowi. We were introduced to their congregation and the youth of two other congregations. It was there that we first witnessed the feeding stations here in Malawi. It was something else to see. Some of the orphans were quite small or malnourished. It was a pretty intense thing. The thing that struck me the most was right after that, they all got up and started singing praise songs to God. It was the second or third time that the thought crossed my mind that our faith must be strong enough to not rely upon the blessings that God has put in our lives. We should have a faith despite the blessings that we have. The thought has also been posed to us that God loves people from the U.S. more because we are a rich country. It sure makes me upset to hear that people thing that. For one, many people in our country are not happy. They continually turn to material things to fill the holes in their lives that they will never fill with money and objects. There are many people who are not happy, but who have convinced themselves that they are comfortable and because they are secure, they are happy. I have seen and met more people over here that have true joy in their lives. They struggle and have next to nothing, but they are happy and at peace. So as these people over here struggle with their lack of material possessions, I think that they are far better off at this point than we are. I can�ft help but wonder sometimes if God holds back on certain blessings to certain people because the fear that they would become more of a distraction and pull the people further away from their faith than they already are?
All the pastors are meeting today and are planning on the cay of celebration when the dean gets officially inducted. It will be fun when we all come back down to Phalombe to bet witness to that celebration. We will be heading to a different congregation this Sunday and it should be fun to see how they do things.
We played soccer and Frisbee the other afternoon with a bunch of the kids from the area and the secondary school. Did I mention that all the kids must pay for secondary school? It�fs a big problem here. Education is not free. So it limits a lot of the kids who want to go. Ok, that�fs about all I have for now. I�fll write more later.
I hope everybody is doing well. Shoot me an email if you�fre bored. Not sure when I�fll be able to write back, but it�fll be nice to hear what�fs going on at home! Ok, take care now.
davepeet

Over Here in Africa #11
February 10, 2006
I must tell you something. It will be short and quick. It is lightly raining outside. I am under the tin roof of the house that I am staying in. Have you ever heard the sound of rain on a tin roof? At times it can be overly loud and scary, but a soft rain has a sound and a melody to it. It�fs very soothing. We just got back from walking around in town and brought back some sugar cane and some bird to eat for supper. As I am laying in my bed and my legs are caught in my mosquito net that is hanging from the ceiling, the temperature is finally starting to cool down because of the rain. I just put on the computer and turned on some music and sat down to start reading Memoirs of a Geisha. Have you read it? I am reading the first chapter where it talks about her home she grew up in. And all of a sudden, Debussy�fs Clair de Lune comes on. It�fs one of those moments in your life that you think is from a movie, but you stop and think and you discover that it is actually happening to you. But right when you realize that this moment is real, it is gone; for the magic of the moment was stored in the fact that you weren�ft quite sure if it was real or not. I wish we had more of those moments.

davepeet

Over Here in Africa #12
February 15, 2006

Alright, this is the last time that I let five or so days go by between journaling entries. I don�ft think I will be able to recall everything that has gone on. I guess I�fll try to work backwards.
Today we traveled in the back of a pick up to the Mulanje parish. We visited with 5 congregations or so and witnessed our second feeding center. It was fun to be there and as always it was fun to talk with the youth. I wish that we could get more time, but traveling takes quite the time here. The feeding center was a little bit more hectic than the last one that we were at. The women were trying to make sure that the children who needed it the most were the ones that were getting the food first. Tony and I were talking the other night and you know those programs like if you give seven cents a day, you can make a difference. Well, we figured it out and once you convert it to the Malawian Kwatcha, seven cents a day can make a huge difference. It equals about one-fourth of what a person with a study job can earn in one year. I understand that we all are not rich. And we are probably better off that way. But being here really challenges me to the fact that we all actually can make a difference in a person�fs life. It will cost about 400 U.S. dollars for a person to attend college. And that is all of his or her tuition fees for four years. My father has always taught me to value even a penny. And when you add to his teaching how much a penny is worth to someone else in another country, you have to wonder how many people could further their educations by going around and looking for loose change on the ground. Ok, so that�fs a pretty abstract thought, but you get what I mean.
Yesterday was Valentine�fs Day. Tony and I celebrated our lonely lives (just kidding) by buying fanta for everybody in the family and we danced to some reggae music and drank pop. It was a Valentine�fs Day to remember.
On the 13th, we attended a funeral in the church. It was quite the experience. The woman had died of AIDS and was somewhere in her thirties. We waited around in their village for about 4 to 5 hours. We were waiting for word that the casket and the graveyard were ready to go. Once they were ready to go, we walked through the town and to the graveyard which was about two to three kilometers away. It was very interesting to see how things are done. Brought to light a lot of emotions and thoughts. For one, I don�ft want my funeral to be super sad. And two, I don�ft want my funeral to be super sad.
I have taken drastic measures while here in Malawi to becoming a real man. The first step is that most of the family here, Tony, and myself have now watched the first three Tremors movies. You know, the original stars Kevin Bacon and Reba McEntire plays a small role as well. They live in Perfection, Nevada and are cut off from the rest of the world and are being hunted by the giant underground worms who sense things by vibration. We have now watched Tremors 1,2, and 3. Tremors 4 awaits us tomorrow night. The other step that I have taken is that I killed a chicken yesterday. I cut its throat with a knife. We have that on tape as well. It took a lot of nerve on my part, and I thought for a while that I wouldn�ft be able to do it, but I pushed through and did it. Strangely when we ate it a few hours later, I felt oddly detached and felt little to no guilt.
We also ate �gdove�h. However, what they call dove over here is really pigeon. Yup, it�fs pigeon and we ate it. It�fs on tape too.
We visited the primary school and found out that for about 1800 students, there are only 20 teachers. Mom, how would you like those ratios? It was usually just over 100 students in a room for one teacher.
We are adjusting nicely and Tony and I have been quite lucky and have not gotten sick. We are growing quite attached to the family and I think that we wish that the end of February would come slower and slower. But it seems to be doing just the opposite. I�fm going to try to write more often and in shorter bursts. But I�fm not very good at the daily stuff like that. I�fll try though. Ok, we�fll cya later!
davepeet

5:19 p.m. - 2006-02-13
Blantyre Update from Katy
The adventures have begun here for us in Malawi! Kelli and I arrived in
Blantyre last Wednesday after traveling with Tony and Dave from Lilongwe.
This trip was an adventure in itself as our bus broke down 45 kilometers
from our destination leaving us with the promise of �another bus within
the next 4 hours,� hot afternoon sun, 2 bags apiece, and no way of knowing
when we�d be able to communicate with or reach the Deans at our final
destination. Thank God for cold Pineapple Fanta, shade, good conversation
and a bus 2 hours later!

Worst Case Scenario Guidebook:
If you are traveling through the bush in Malawi, Africa and find yourself
hiking through a �prohibited area� owned by Kefa, a bushman and
self-proclaimed "God of the Cave" you should:
a. Take this opportunity to drink more water and rest
b. Stand silently and look scared
c. Only speak when spoken to
d. Travel only with church officials who can logically explain the situation
e. All of the above

Saturday was my most adventuresome day by far! Kelli and I accompanied
Dean Moforo, his wife, son, and niece on a hike of Soche Hill. The
weather was comfortable as we started- 75 degrees and partly cloudy with a
nice breeze and Kelli and I were prepared for the hike clad in sunglasses,
sunscreen, tennis shoes, tanks and skirts (skirts are the dress code
here). We left at 9 to return after 1. Our 4 hours were spent doing the
following:
-Passing wild monkeys on the hill (thankfully we didn�t encounter the
hyenas!)
-Running past heaps of fire ants and hundreds of 4 inch long millipedes
-Climbing through brush that was at times taller than our heads
and meeting Kefa, the Cave God

Dean Moforo saved the day (while trying to save the bushman�s soul). He
peacefully talked with Kefa and managed a safe passing through the
prohibited area and to the summit of Soche Hill.

In our program we are participating in many activities which are teaching
us a lot about local life here and the programs of the ELCM. On Monday
Kelli and I traveled to the countryside to visit 2 feeding stations-
locations where women from the church gather 3 times a week to feed the
local orphans a porridge meal. This was an incredible opportunity to seek
the church programs in action, and donations from the ELCA well received
by those in need. The kids are beautiful, and hungry! Lack of resources,
specifically corn flour, or ufa, and infectious diseases- specifically
malaria are leading to the death of many children under the age of 5.
However, the women and children feel a lot of hope knowing that there are
people around the world praying for them and supporting the programming
here!

In e-mailing with my friend, Laura Pepper, who�s studying abroad this
semester in Denmark I�m realizing how contrasting our experiences are in
relation to time. My U.S. standards of time and efficiency are not valued
here. The rhythm of life is that of a comfortable pace, and one that
honors family and personal relations rather than busyness for the sake of
busyness.

So with that, I challenge you to take your time today- no excuses! Enjoy
watching the snowfall on your morning commute, make time for tea (here in
Malawi we have tea twice each day with the Dean!), and breathe! Thank you
for your prayers for our program here, and the church of Malawi.

Love,
Katy

ps. Kelli and I are in the process of uploading photos to
crossmark.shutterfly.com. Check out photos of the youth at ELCM Church
Center, and photos of maize and the feeding centers.

4:43 p.m. - 2006-02-13
Setting questions for Malawi
My friend Katie Erickson sent me an email with some great questions. While answering these I realized that others may be interested in the answers as well...

How do you like where you are now?
Blantyre- the largest Malawian city is busy, and good! I really like our host home with Dean Mofolo and his family!

Are you learning a lot about private local, small businesses?
Right now the government is trying to prohibit street vendors from selling goods on the street- and move into market places where they need to pay stand fees and in turn not receive as much foot business. The vendors sell anything- sandels, printed clothes, lots of food- tomatoes, pumpkin leaves, pineapple, melons, rice, beans... milk in bags, mops, phonecards, etc. Most families live below the poverty line and living in Blantyre gives us a unique perspctive of the discrepancy of wealth.

What is the most common area for business? Agriculture?
Yes, though most goods are imported and many families are using sustainable agriculture- growing their own food which they supplement by buying maize flour for their staple food of nsima- dumpling like food, made solely from boiling water and maize flour. There are large tea factories here, a sugar production company, Coca-cola, and a Carlsberg Brewery.

Are they still having drought problems in Malawi?
As I'm typing this it's threatening to poor rain outside. This is rainy season, and in the Central Region they're receiving good rains. There have now been problems of flooding in the North and South Regions.

Do they have a special nickname for white people there? Or are caucasians common enough so they don't?
"Azungu" is the Chichewa plural form for "White Person"- often shouted by kids, even adults as we walk the streets downtown, but more specifically in the villages. In Blantyre we're encountering a greater ethnic variety. There are many Indians who own businesses here and in Lilongwe, the capital.

Is it disheartening for individuals to strive in academics because they do not have higher education as readily available for them as people do in the U.S.?
That's hard to say because many people I have encountered are itching for educational opportunities, though don't have the money. Secondary education isn't provided by the government. School fees begin at $20 USD a semester- out of budget for many families as there are often 8 kids in a family! Those who are lucky go onto school for business or teaching- though again it doesn't appear that there are many available jobs. Many girls give birth in their teens and begin taking care of their families- they feel there is no need for higher education. The purpose of many Malawian women is to have babies- care for and raise their families.

Is the church fairly into liberation theology?
This doesn't seem to be as apparent as it was in Brasil.

Who do you hang out with?
Malawi is known as the "Warm Heart of Africa" and we found ourselves surrounded by many friends at the Church Center in Lilongwe. Now Kelli and I spend our time with Dean Mofolo and his family of 10.

Is it safe to go out at night?
No. Night begins when the sun drops (6:30). We have not been out after this time. Violence in the city is frequent and we have neighborhood patrols visit the house nightly. Kelli and I are an added security threat- so the police check the house every night to make sure no one is bothering us. We're often asleep by 10 to be up by 7.

12:08 p.m. - 2006-02-13
Shaina entry 2: Koronga Deanary - peer education
Hi everyone, Well, Erik and I surprisingly survived our week up north in Koronga. The drive was so beautiful - we drove through the mountains and along the shore of Lake Malawi. God's creation - landscapes, sunsets, animals and scenery continues to amaze me day after day! We assisted with a peer education seminar there for the deanery (similar to our synods). Youth from the surrounding congregations came and stayed for the week. The youth coordinator - Evance, Pastor Pierry, Ruth, and Annika led sessions on HIV/Aids, spirituality, what love is, how to be more involved in the church, encouraging them to not have sex and wait until marriage - 2/500 people are still virgins by the age of 20 (age of marriage is 18 for girls and 21 for boys and their life expectancy is very low - many die before 30). Young girls getting pregnant and have children at young ages is so common here. I have never seen so many babies and young children. From what the youth shared, there is a belief that the more children you have, the richer you are. They don't look at children as a gift and that they are to be loved but often more as an insurance policy for someone to take care of them when they are older. They also recieve money for the girls when they get married so it becomes a money maker. It is really hard to hear how the women are perceived and that they aren't more educated. For dating, a guy is attracted to a girl by the way she moves and physical characteristics - big boned, big hips, and plump. They then will go up to them and ask their name and tell them they love them and then go and have sex. There is no building up of a relationship, no common interests, or really anything for a relationship to be built upon. I had a good chance to talk with the girls in an individual session and they were amazed that I was 26 and still a virgin. They couldn't believe it and couldn't understand how I was able to not give into that temptation. Sex here is considered love - yet so many boys use it to take advantage of young girls. After a girl gets pregnant they end up dropping out of school and just continuing to work at home. I asked the girls what they did for fun and they responded wash the dishes, do house cleaning, pump and carry water, work in the field, take care of the children - this makes up the typical day for the women. They are always working. A mans role here is to provide food for the family - they are the bread earners and if food is not available it is their fault. I asked the girls if they ever did anything for fun again and they shared they play soccer, sing in the church choir, and jump rope when they get a chance. Erik and I have been learning so much about the youth and their struggles here. It is hard to hear a lot of their thinking and what has been taught to them. We just pray that a few of the things we shared will sink in and this generation can start slowly making small changes. I was also given a chance to share on discipline pollicies I used as a teacher in the classroom and at home. I told about pointing out good behavior, no hitting and physical punishments, talking with the child and having them share what they did-why it was wront- and how to change it, I talked about close proximity, teaching good behaviors, time outs, and the most important is being good role models and discipline is to point out wrong and teach good behavior. This again was a very totally different approach then they have ever heard - yelling, hitting, not giving food, tieing the kids up are common here.
We were definitly ready to leave though - 5 days and nights of unbearable heat to where we never stopped sweating - always drinking fluids, using paper to fan ourselves, and just couldn't ever cool down. I sure have a new respect for the people up there because I truly don't know how they do it - there were no fans, not even at night did the weather cool down at all. We got a chance to visit Erik's companion congregation and he was given an alive chicken as a gift. We took it back and it was prepared for lunch. He was given the chance to go back and worship with them on Sunday too, while I stayed at Koronga central and worshiped - the service lasted 3 hours and was great other than the unbearable heat and absolutly packed church. We are now back in Mzuzu and taking in the cooler weather. We will start the peer education program for the youth in this deanery tomorrow - the youth start arriving later today. The involvement of the church here continues to amaze me. While we were up in Koronga the bishops wife and other women from the head office in Lilongwe also arrived. They are providing Lutheran World relief aid - clothes, medicine, food, mosquito nets, etc. to the congregations there, assisting at the feeding centers, and providing womens education. They are there for 2 weeks and then will join Erik and I in Mzuzu next week for relief and visits to the feeding stations here. The donations from our home congregations in the US are definitly recieved and sent out to the churches and those in need here. Know that your contributions are being used appropriately and getting to those most in need.

I am enjoying my time here but do definitly miss you all. I wish I could have both worlds. Education in the US though is where I feel more called and then taking small trips as I'm allowed. Wow, Education there is such a gift and it makes me sad how much we take it forgranted - e