Monday, Sept 5th update

Hi, 

We arrived in Lilongwe this evening.  We brought Elder & Sister Howell, the audit couple from the area office, up so they can do the audits and training here with the branches.  They did the Blantyre ones on the weekend.   We have a lot to do here ourselves as we are getting the missionary housing prepared and set up for more that are to arrive on the 20th.  We arrived here at the Crossroads Hotel and for the price we usually pay, they upgraded both of us couples to a Deluxe suite!  Sweet!!!  It is pretty nice. 

On our way here we stopped at Liwonde.  We decided to help Sister Chisambo (the group leader's wife) start a rice selling business.  They desperately need to have a way to earn a little money.  We bought her a big bag of rice and gave her enough to buy some small bags so she can repackage it.  I gave her some instructions and hopefully she will follow them and after selling the rice she has should be able to buy 1 1/2 - 2 bags next time.  At that point she will start to pay us back.  (the equivalent of about $60).   We do not normally do this but.....  decided to help her and will see how it goes.  We think she can make it work.  We will be back there on Sunday and will check and see how things are going.   On Sunday we are taking the Branch President from Blantyre with us (the group falls under that Branch).  The Br. President will interview the two men who were baptized last week so they can receive the Aaronic Priesthood and oversee the ordinations. 

Young Maria called us yesterday to tell us that her mom, also Maria, (the one who has cancer), is in a lot of pain.  We went to see her and she was laying on the couch.  Apparently there is a lot of blood in her urine and her face is swelling.   She was hurting a lot.  We got her little medical book that they take when they go to the Doctor and went to the pharmacy and got her some medication for the pain.  We thought it was going to cost about $60 but it was only about $10 and should be enough for a couple of weeks or more.   We hope it helps.   Jim and Elder Howell gave her a blessing.  What a difference from just 9 days ago when she was baptized.  She was feeling pretty good on her baptism day.   It is hard to describe how eager she was to be baptized and soooo worried about doing that before she died.  Now that it is done we wonder how long she will last.  Was she just hanging in there waiting for that?   I had a hard time controlling the tears today when we saw her.    The daughter, Maria (20 yrs. old) is such a sweetheart.  We just love her already.   She will be one of our special Malawi friends (like Merci, Seka and others in Zimbabwe). 

We hope everyone at home is doing well.  We miss you but stay too busy most of the time to think about it too much.

Love you,  Elder & Sister Bullock