Sunday, January 29, 2012

New missionary couple for Malawi

We are getting a missionary couple for Seminary and Institute.  They are presently serving in Zambia but will be transferred here in the next month or so.   The church is hiring a full time coordinator for Zambia.   The couple are Elder & Sister Shields from Calgary.   Isn't it amazing that all three couples serving in Malawi are from Alberta??!! 
 
After Church yesterday we took some of the leadership and drove out for the burial of Bro. Mpinganjira.  It was pretty much the same as Maria's burial.  Lots of people gathered in the yard and the casket was placed in the middle on a mat.  There were a few speeches and then they loaded the casket into the back of our truck and they all walked behind to the graveyard.  It was a pretty good distance.   A dedicatory prayer was given, the grave filled in by the villagers, and then some flower wreaths that the Sisters had made from greenery and flowers from trees, were place on the dirt.  The wife place one, the Village Chief, Blantyre 1st Branch representative, and then two brothers of the deceased.   Then there was a couple more speeches ---- one asking for donations so that they could buy new hoes and a shovel to dig graves as their's are about done for, and also the chief reprimanded the women for talking too much.  They are suppose to be silent, unless singing (or weeping) during the funeral process.  
 
As soon as everything was finished we returned to Blantyre with a truckload of people.   We had people coming for dinner so we had to get home.   We had our landlord, Lodzani  and Pres. & Sis. Chinyumba.  It went well and we had a good visit.
 
The Sister just called and one needs to go to the Dr. this morning.   Also reported that their kitchen tap started spraying in the night and the guards woke them up when they saw water coming out from under their door!!  They woke up and cleaned it out and of course got the water shut off.  It is frustrating because we have had a lot of trouble with that tape and the landlord isn't quick about fixing anything and then when he did finally buy a new tap, it was the cheapest possible and wasn't installed well.   I think we may just have to  go buy a good tap set and be done with it.  So frustrating! 
 
Must go get ready for the day.  Always something to deal with!!
 
Love, The Bullocks
 
 

1 comment:

Michele said...

Yay for the Shields. They will be great. It will be so exciting for them and great for you too. It is amazing that everyone is from Alberta. We now know two couples that are out in Africa from the old Parkland ward. How exciting! Go Parkland.