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

 

 

Funeral

The funeral for Bro. Mpinganjira was suppose to start at 2 p.m. but it took longer than expected to pick up the body and dress it etc.   It started about 4 p.m. instead.  They made the funeral service very quick with one speaker because they needed to get the body out to the village which was about 50 km. away.   We ended up driving the casket and family to the village as they have no other means on such short notice.    We got there and they put the casket into a living room and the singing started and oh yeah, the crying and wailing as well.   The Relief Society President handed me a cloth (can't remember the proper name) to wrap around my waist in case I needed to sit, she said.   The ladies all wear those here  - all the time.  We stayed for a little while and then brought the Branch President back with us.  We got home a bit after dark.   The Relief Society President and some ladies stayed there for the night.   I ask where they would sleep but she said they don't sleep.  They sing throughout the night. 

 

Tomorrow at 1 p.m. they will have the burial.  We may be going back -- it just all depends.     Our landlord, Lodzani, is coming to church again tomorrow, we think.  If he is there and stays the whole time we will stay with him, of course.     Also tomorrow evening he and his wife, and Pres. Chinyumba and his wife are coming to dinner here.   :)  

 

We also have another young man that called to say he will be at Church tomorrow too.  We met him this past week in Ncheu (2 hrs. away) when we were waiting to meet up with Elder and Sister Prete.  We talked to him and gave him a couple of pamphlets and Elder Bullock told him that he shouldn't drink beer anymore (he was a bit tipsy) and he would be more successful with his schooling.   He is from Blantyre and was there visiting his brother.   He goes to Poly-tech here.   Should be an interesting day.  

 

We had an appointment this afternoon to teach Miriam and her family (we met her at the Internet office).  We had to cancel due to the funeral.  she cancelled on us last week due to a funeral.  Hopefully the next appointment will work out.

 

We are settling in for the evening. 

 

Love to all,  Elder/Sister Bullock

Phone bill - continued....

Hi,

 

We picked up the printout of the phone calls made and there was one call made from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31.  It was made on Dec. 1st and cost about 350 kwacha ($2.50).  However, the phone was not even connected or working on that day so......    Besides they want to charge us 7000 kwacha for some reason.   Anyway -  we did write a letter and attached copies of the bills, printout, etc. and left it with 'someone' who will figure it out hopefully!!!  :)  

 

Today, Saturday, we have another funeral of a church member.  Bro. James Mpinganjira passed away last evening from tuberculosis.  We knew him well as he has done some carpentry work, etc. on some of the church buildings for us.   He is a good man and we will miss him.   His death was unexpected.   He got sick and they took him to the hospital where they did tests and determined after 3 or 4 days that he had tuberculosis and would be in the hospital for a couple of weeks.      Jim is with the District Presidency and Branch President visiting Sister Mpinganjira and helping arrange the service which will be at 2:00 p.m. today.   They have just now gone to the hospital to pick up the body.    We had a set of burial clothing so they will dress him.     After the funeral service at the Church he will be taken to his home Village (not too far from here) and the burial will be tomorrow.    I am not sure if we will be helping transport him to the Village or if the family has made arrangements.     The church helped pay for part of the cost of the casket.     

 

Another busy day!

 

Elder & Sister Bullock 

Re: Frustrations!!!!

LOL. I LOVE YOUR RANT. (Sorry to laugh).

I love you.
Diane
On Jan 26, 2012, at 5:46 AM, Jim & Nancy Bullock wrote:

> Some days we would like to scream! How can they have such idiotic, crazy systems here?
>
> We went in to MTL (landline telephone company). They sent us a bill (printed from a computer or whatever) and the figures on the invoice don't even add up right. They are over charging us. She said "well, they must have left something off". I said but the numbers showing still have to add/subtract correctly for what is here. She looked on her computer and couldn't figure it out either. Then she does a printout to show we actually owe more than the invoice states because there were calls made in December (AFTER WE HAD MOVED AND THE PHONE WAS NOT EVEN CONNECTED THAT MONTH)!! They are printing off a record of the numbers called in December when we had no service! :) We are to go back in an hour or two because their system is kind of slow!!!!
>
> ALSO --- the phone hardly ever worked anyway and so consequently we hardly ever used it (use our cell phones instead). She looked at the printout and said that all the charges are just rental charges and there are no consumption charges -- I said that is because the phone never had a dial tone for weeks on end. I ask why we should pay for rental charges when we didn't even have service provided.
>
> Anyway -- she said we will have to write a letter! I ask why we could not just talk to the person. But, no, that is not possible. We have to write a letter with our grievances and I'm sure it is almost a guarantee that no one will ever sort it out for us. But we will write the letter........
>
> To be continued........ Grrr!!
>
>
>

Frustrations!!!!

Some days we would like to scream!  How can they have such idiotic, crazy systems here?

 

We went in to MTL (landline telephone company).  They sent us a bill (printed from a computer or whatever) and the figures on the invoice don't even add up right.  They are over charging us.   She said "well, they must have left something off".   I said but the numbers showing still have to add/subtract correctly for what is here.   She looked on her computer and couldn't figure it out either.   Then she does a printout to show we actually owe more than the invoice states because there were calls made in December (AFTER WE HAD MOVED AND THE PHONE WAS NOT EVEN CONNECTED THAT MONTH)!!     They are printing off a record of the numbers called in December when we had no service!  :)   We are to go back in an hour or two because their system is kind of slow!!!!

 

ALSO ---  the phone hardly ever worked anyway and so consequently we hardly ever used it (use our cell phones instead).    She looked at the printout and said that all the charges are just rental charges and there are no consumption charges --   I said that is because the phone never had a dial tone for weeks on end.    I ask why we should pay for rental charges when we didn't even have service provided.

 

Anyway -- she said we will have to write a letter!  I ask why we could not just talk to the person.  But, no, that is not possible.  We have to write a letter with our grievances and I'm sure it is almost a guarantee that no one will ever sort it out for us.      But we will write the letter........

 

To be continued........  Grrr!!

 

 

 

Rain

Well it looks like the rain is letting up finally.  They say it used to rain like this years ago but this is the worst in 15 years or more (according to our landlord).  

We hear that there are lots of houses that have collapsed - a few church members.  They were renting the houses so they are looking for different ones but the price is up because people are a bit desperate.    These are the little houses in the villages that are mostly built of home-made bricks etc.   This much rain just washes things away and they collapse.   Jim went with Pres. Chinyumba this morning to look at a couple of the members houses and there isn't much left.  One has a place to stay and one has found a new rental. 

 

It quit raining this morning but then we had a pretty good downpoor again a little while ago.  Now the clouds seem higher so maybe it is finished.

 

We have a bit of a leak in our house along a wall --  they checked the roof and decided what the cause is and I think they fixed it.  We will see.  They don't get too excited though because everything is made of brick and stucco and the walls where the leak is are all tiled (kitchen).   It will dry out just fine.

 

Our landlord told us today that he would see us at church again this Sunday and wanted to know when we could come and teach them.  :)   He liked the meetings that he went to last week and liked the fact that it wasn't just a Priest standing up in front preaching a sermon.    The other lady we met at the Internet shop  wants us to come and teach her family but she  had a funeral to attend so we have to reschedule. 

 

I better go make supper.  Love, Sis. Bullock/mom/Nancy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rain, rain and more rain!!!

It has now been raining for 3 days and 3 nights and still coming down steady.  It is raining hard right now.   It is rainy season but.....  

At least we have a dry place to stay.  I have been thinking about all the people who live in the villages and don't necessarily have water tight homes.  They must be cold and wet and this rain just doesn't want to let up.   We see lot of people out walking in it and they are drenched.    We are blessed to have a vehicle and a nice place to stay. 

 

This morning we went to Zingwangwa for church but it was so muddy and there was a a huge puddle near the stairway down to the Church.  There was a narrow pathway beside the puddle that sloped towards the puddle.   I refused to go any further as I did not want to wade through the water or slip on the mud.  Honestly you just really do not know what is in the water here considering what it runs through.  I won't elaborate!     I don't think Jim was too impressed with my decision but.....      We returned to the truck and went to a different Branch. 

 

It is raining hard still  and we hope the crops are getting what they need.   We just stayed inside this afternoon and kept dry.  

 

I don't think I told you about the rain storm they had in Lilongwe when we were there with Padovich's and Elder & Sister Cook.  It really poured and the streams filled up quickly.  There is a low area in the roadway to Prete's flat.  We got there and it was so full of water we did not dare try going through.  It had stopped raining and so we just sat and waited for about 30 or 40 minutes until the water went down a bit.  A girl walked by us and said, Ït's ok to drive through there now".  We did but barely made it.   By morning it was all gone but still a bit muddy.

 

Pretes took Elder & Sister Cook to Kauma Village to visit a few member's very humble homes.   The rain started but they thought they were fine - not so!   They got totally drenched and then on the way out of the Village the bridge over a small stream was covered by a raging river several feet deep and very wide.  They waited for an hour or so and then finally called the Branch President and he came and took them a different route to get out.    What an adventure they had!!   Elder Cook only had the one suit with him so I guess he dried it out the best he could and sponged it off for the Sunday meetings.    Even General Authorities have a sense of adventure!

 

We just got word that we will drive half way to Lilongwe on Wednesday to meet Prete's, who are bringing a Sister missionary from the airport there (flying in from Lusaka, Zambia).   The flight to Blantyre are just so unreliable between the two countries since Air Malawi is not flying right now.  We are guessing that their one plane is grounded (maybe just as well).    The Sister who is coming is Sister Seiben from Raymond, Alberta.   The two sister here are excited because they were all in the MTC together.  They will be a threesome for a few weeks. 

 

Well - I am going to curl up with a good book and keep warm.    It is about 22 degrees C. right now.  It feels ok to us but the Malawians are very cold.

 

Love to all and thanks for your prayers.  We love to get emails!!!  (hint!!)

 

Elder/Sister Bullock etc. 

 

 

 

 

Jan. 19/12 -- Maria Namabande's funeral

It was an interesting day.  We arrived about 11:30 as the funeral was to begin at 12:00.  It didn't start until about 2:00 but there was lots of singing while we waited.  It was held at their house (Namabande's).  The furniture was moved out of the sitting room so people could sit on the floor.  There were also many people outside.  We figured there were possibly 300 there.   A vehicle arrived with the casket and some family.  The casket was put in the centre of the living room and people continued to sing.

When the grave diggers had finished their preparations at the graveyard then came back and a Red flat that was in the yard was taken down.  That meant that the funeral could start.  The casket was put out in the centre of the yard and people gathered around closer.  There was periodic crying/waling going on - mostly by the children.  It seems like it got turned on and off at the appropriate times.   

Branch members participated and gave the prayers, sang a couple of songs and a family member talked about Maria (we think -- it was in Chichawa).  Elder Bullock gave a talk with Bro. Chisambo, the Group leader, translating.   He talked a bit about Maria and then about the Plan of Salvation.  He hadn't talked too long when it started to rain.  :(    People were trying to find a bit of shelter and he did have to end his talk quickly with his testimony.   

Gabriel commented on the way home that people had liked his talk and that Bro. Chisambo did a really good job of translating it. 

The good thing about the whole day is that is was really good exposure for the Church.  I am sure that most people there had never heard of it before but I think they got a good impression and it may create some interest.  All in all it was a good day.   Petros, Maria's husband, didn't show a lot of emotion but seemed pretty somber.  The children were crying.  Young Maria had a hard time.  She was really close to her mother and was by her side through all the sick days and gave her constant care.    Maria stayed with me for most of the funeral (except when she needed to be with the family).  She is a sweetheart.  She will be in charge of the household now that her mom is gone.     Her dream is to put in papers to go on a mission and we will help her with that in a few months.  She will be a member a year in August.   We talked with Bro. Chisambo after and with Maria to check on their need for food.  They have none - especially with feeding some of the funeral people (they didn't feed a lot though and that is good --- sometimes they have to feed EVERYONE).   We left Maria with a little money so she could buy some food for the family.  We will check on them when we go back next week.   The Church did pay for half of the casket (about $100) and the extended family paid for the other half. 

 

Apparently this past week at church, the Village chief and his two counsellors attended.  Also an investigator who has been coming regularly brought his wife and 7 or 8 children.  The older boys speak English well.  We need to go visit them and start teaching them the missionary lessons.  There was also a member (Melch. priesthood holder) that has been to the temple, that has moved back to Liwonde.  We will find out  more about him.   Things are looking good there.  They are asking for more chairs for Church on Sundays.

 

Must run -- things to do.  I have Gladys coming to clean my house today.  I decided that I should take advantage of that luxury as it is so affordable here ($10/day).  I can't afford that luxury at home in Canada.  

 

Love to all,  Elder/Sister Bullock/mom and dad

 

 

Maria

Hi,

 

Maria, in Liwonde, passed away today from her cancer.  She had some problems this week and we told them to just give her morphine so that she could be comfortable.  She has been in a lot of pain so she will be happier now.   The funeral will be tomorrow.  We are just waiting to hear what time.  They do it all pretty quick here because they do not embalm the bodies generally.   

 

Will report on the funeral later.

 

We have a new internet provider as of today and it seems to be working much better.  We will try skype tonight and think it should be good.  :)

 

Love,  Elder/Sister Bullock

Monday, Jan 16th

We attended the two Branches that meet at the Blantyre chapel yesterday. One meets at 8 and one at 10. We had invited the man that is the foreman here at our compound where we live and he said he'd come. He oversees the building etc. here. We almost had given up hope but he walked in with his wife and daughter after the talks had begun. They stayed through Sunday School. The Sacrament talks were good and the Sunday School investigator's class was really good and the teacher did an excellent job. This family is the kind that live behind the brick walls (for security) that the missionaries can never get to. We wish we could get inside those walls and reach those people as they have the leadership skills that are so needed. We will pray that he felt the spirit and will want to learn more. He knows Pres. Chimyumba, our District President, as they went to school together. We may have to arrange to have both couples over for supper one night.

Anyway -- it was funny to see him pull out his I-pad and bring up his Bible. We just don't see too many of those here - actually none, except Padovich's and Prete's. We just have to get him to want to add the B Of M etc. onto his I-pad. He is a good man. He is the one who has helped us get diesel from Mozambique.

It's been an okay day. We realized we haven't been checking the missionary flats for a while. We went in a couple last week and found that they were not very clean so we left a list of thing that needed to be done. We went back today and checked and they had done quite a bit but they still didn't earn a big chocolate chip cookie each that I had made. The Zone leaders and the Sisters got cookies though.

I actually sat down and fell asleep this afternoon. I haven't done that for a very long time. I was feeling a bit off - I guess I was tired as I felt better after.

It has been a bit rainy and cloudy lately. We hope the crops are getting the rain they need. It's going to be iffy! The rain cools things off a bit but we are sleeping with the air conditioner on and that really helps.

All is well. Love, Elder & Sister Bullock