Fourth of July and More!

What a wonderful way to spend the 4th of July! You see in Malawi their freedom day as they call it is the 6th of July so both are very close. This year we had a group of boy scouts in Malawi visiting and they scheduled a Guli Wonkulu performance at Mua Mission. We have been to Mua many times but never seen the dances so we went! They actually presented not only Guli dances but Angoni and others from around Malawi!

Guli pics, the first a women and the second a monkey.




We went with several other Peace Corps volunteers two of who came back to our home to celebrate the 4th with us. We decided being a special occasion and all we should kill one of our roosters… we have 6 too many anyway and chicken sounded good for dinner!

First however we have to select the best looking or the most annoying in the morning to eat! So Bryan goes in and with some help from me we got one.



Dinner time comes around and we ate a feast! We had instant mashed potatoes with dark gravy and stove top stuffing (Thanks Mama Roggow!) with our chicken!




It wouldn’t be a proper fourth without some fireworks! Bryan and I picked up a few in Salima, some sparklers, a few high pretty ones and of course some loud annoying ones. Our neighbors had never seen such things as fireworks let alone hold or light them! They had so much fun… a little scared at first then they were dancing with the sparklers!


Jen and Jason were the two volunteers who came to help us celebrate, here with Bryan showing off their sparklers!


I too had my fun!


Our Agogo (Grandfather)


Bryan helping Yohan


Tengani


Mrs. Liwonde lovin it!

Everyone looking up at the high air ones. We had about 12, so Bryan and Jason would lite two together and the color was beautiful… Can you imagine what our neighbors are thinking?



Other things that are going on…

We had our 2nd Treadle Pump distribution to 21 families, here is the group (1 member from each family)


This is what they receive with their treadle pump… seeds, tomatoes, onions, maize, and beans. Fertilizers too.


Our grass fence was in need of repairs so Mr. Liwonde and Bryan got to it and put up new grasses. Bryan also put in a wonderful new gate in for me beside the small fenced in garden. It gives me a direct path to and from the borehole from our bucket.




Our chickens are laying eggs!!!!! We get 10 to 15 a day right now but they are only 6months old, so by next moth we could be getting up to 25 eggs a day! I guess we don’t have to worry about getting our protein in!



Our neighbor kids got to try out the ground nut sheller before we took it to the Nanyango group. So here Yohan is shelling while Ida is winnowing.




We use the shells for our gardens so the kids come over and help by pounding the shells to smaller pieces. Here is Lucky and Mordesta.




I am still getting organized… we got a new shelf and Bryan put up some small shelves for our spices.



When we are at home sometimes we take the time to have a really good breakfast like french toast! Yes over a fire… but we have enough eggs to make a lot now!



I am daily reminded of Gods Promises. Aunt Cindy Perkins sent us a small wind chime that I hung in our living/dinning room window. It just so happens the sun rises on that side of the house so every morning our main room is showered in dancing rainbows! It makes me so happy every time I see them! One can’t help but smile!





Well that is all for now… I have been looking ahead at our calendar pages ( I print them off google and then color them!) not much coming up here… we will be working on several projects… but not much planned at the moment… The next few big things are not until the end of the year… Thanksgiving at the Ambassadors and the rainy season starts in November and Christmas in December but in January we have our Close of Service Conference (COS)! Of course we are trying for a third year, but the COS is at a resort on the lake… all paid for by Peace Corps! We are excited!

Until next time take care!