Monday, May 23, 2011

Last Night in Lilongwe at Kiboko Town Hotel

We left Liwonde National Park midmorning after a few persons took one last safari.


We woke to hippos crashing into the Shire River.

Mary, Sue and Emily will be heading to Blantyre in a few days to train women from Malawi to lead writing circles.

The rest of us are packing, repacking, exchanging money and tending to details. Some have shopping to do and vendors are everywhere. Others are out of Kwacha, but filled with more than teak, ebony, fabric, beads, and other Malawi souvenirs.

We will head to the airport in the morning.

We held a closing ceremony yesterday with baboons, monkeys,and warthogs all around us before we went on an evening jeep safari.

What began three weeks ago is not ending. It is a beginning, an opening.

The people of Malawi, especially the women and children have welcomed us with open arms and hearts. Our hearts have grown larger, beat stronger and our arms are much longer, will reach across the sea.

Again, thank you to all who have blessed us.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

At Mvuu Wilderness Camp

We changed plans and arrived today, Saturday May 21 to Liwonde National Park. We parked the Coaster and took a boat across the Shire River. Hippos are all around us and will lullaby us to sleep.

More after rest and safari!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

On Way to Mayoka

In Mzuzu for lunch, internet, banking, errands and hoping to find diesel before we head to Mayoka, the hot spot party town African style.  Susan's bartending skills will finally be appreciated!

We loved the women we wrote with at Livingstonia University.  We learned much about fabrics, the significance of clay pots and women.  We were most impressed to learn the group of women we wrote with gather together on a monthly basis to support each other.  We hope that writing becomes part of what they do.

We were honored with a goodbye gift, a wood carving of Malawi

Mercy came to the Stone House with a warm letter and send off before we left.

One other thing:  Our wish for Livingstonia, a beautiful place with beautiful people and historical significance for Malawi, is an improved road which will help the university grow in numbers and the businesses have the people they need to be successful.

We learned the difference between chombo and chomba!  :)

Off to Mayoka.  Warm greetings to all our friends and family in Malawi, the Untied States, Canada, Peru, Switzerland and the entire world!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

In Livingstonia on top of Malawi

Threw clay on potter's wheel on Lake Malawi.

At Tukombo Village did everything!   Welcomed by Chief and dancers and Banda family treated us like family.  Some visits were school for orphans, preschool, HIV support group, progressive farmers, women in the rice fields and at cassava wells, health clinics in need of resources including electricity and water, the goat project, and more.  We were joyfully exhausted.

Enjoyed writing with around 400 girls at Tukombo Girls School and were invited to evening dramatic performance.  The thunderous welcome by girls made us feel like rocks stars.  Look out Madonna!  Our only big night out after dark!

Elder ceremony was joyous with dream quilt squares.  Enjoyed our time with the women.  Quilted with others as well and...

Due to this year's rainy season all travel books need updating.  The road to Livingstonia is more than harrowing, but we are alive and well.  After a day of rest today which included some walking to the falls and the elders of the group continued to the bottom of the falls and were late for lunch.  Robyn, Sue and Kari and local women quilted on the porch and m (except the person who told us to go right instead of left on the way to Livingstonia) of Malawi are doing.

P. S.  We figured out we should go left before we took that wrong turn.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Dining with the Birds

In Malawi and we're tired, but happily eating. More after rest if Internet is available.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Mary Promised Surprises

Some hungry travelers in New York:  Blue Smoke BBQ beckons

Pillow panic:  lost and found

Some baggage on the "ramp": luggage in limbo

Other luggage:  curbside crash - soggy clothes

Toilet clog:  plumber at mid-night 

Hotel:  Check-in/check-out/check-in

At front desk light bulb bursts:  glass shower to match the pouring rain outside

Thanks to South Africa airline's technicial problems:  Flight cancelled and rescheduled for Thursday

Having fun in the Big Apple!

Malawi, Friday or Bust.

Saturday, April 30, 2011


It's just three days now before the 2011VFWI group leaves for Malawi. The excitement builds and I sit in the midst of a mountain of amazing supplies and gifts donated by our open-hearted supporters. By tomorrow night I will have packed: pencils, notebooks, t-shirts, erasers, educational scholarships for girls, prayer cloths, quilting materials, a computer, books, Amherst Writers and Artists resource manuals, pencil sharpeners, medicines and more. All contributed by you!

I also carry the many spiritual gifts of love, prayers, inspiration, encouragement, presence and guidance that you have given so freely. Without it VFWI could not thrive.

While only six women make the physical trip with us, there are hundreds of other women, girls and men who will be with us in spirit. One of my favorite aspects of this work is to share stories about you with the people of Malawi and in return to tell you the stories of the people of Malawi. That's what it's all about for VFWI - connecting people through story.

I invite you to check in often to "listen" to a story or two and share a story with us as well.

Many thanks for all your support, inspiration and caring!!
Love,
Mary