Tuesday 31 August and Wednesday 1 September

Our last full day was spent around Blantyre, shopping, packing, relaxing a bit. I bought some hymnals to share with my choir back home and some other small things. We had lunch at an Italian restaurant, which seemed a little odd to me, but was good. Usually when I travel, there's some food that I'm excited about having when I get home. (When I was in Mexico, it wasn't food so much as having a glass of cold milk!) We had so many different things in Malawi, familiar or not, that I wasn't determined to have anything in particular upon my arrival.

I packed like a champion. Because my duffel bag was so full of donations on the way over, it was very light and mostly empty for the return trip. I even put my second carry on in there to check it all as one bag, just taking my backpack with me for the flights.

We cooked dinner together. After the meal, we cleared the table and played a really lively game of spoons.





I didn't lose!

The night was peaceful and quiet. The team spent some time together before we went to bed, reflecting on the adventures of the past two weeks. I think this has confirmed what I've long believed-- my life is definitely leading me to serve others. I don't know if that will be with the church, or the government, I don't know if that will be close to home or really far away. I just know.

The last day arrived without any rush. I woke up pretty early on my own and took my time dressing and wandering over to the Machinjili's main house, where I helped Liz slowly set the table for breakfast. This is the first thing you heard about when I returned. It was a peaceful morning filled with oatmeal, bananas, papaya and tea. It was bittersweet goodbyes with Bonongwe and Mwalabu at the BSHDC. It was the shortest car ride of the entire trip to the airport. It was holding back tears as the Chinupule Women's group and the Machinjili family bid us safe travels.


Liz and Serah Machinjili, followed by the Chinupule Women's Prayer Group

It was amazing.



PS: We did not bring the chicken with us for our long journey home.