Trip Back Home

Well I definitely miscalculated how busy I was going to be my last few days in Malawi.

After my last post I had quite a few things to do, which I did not think would take me that long.  That night after my blog post I decided to go for a run to the local mountain (of which there are many).

The kids in the adjacent village had not seen me in a while and they were quite excited to and so they decided to venture up the mountain with me.

The original purpose of going up the mountain was to have some "luke time" before I left.  Well this did not turn out to be the case.  Once I reached the top (with this Luke-Time still in mind) I was walking all over, hoping that the boys and 1 girl would lose interest and go back home.  This again, was not the case.  I finally decided that I could not win this battle so I headed to my favorite rock overlooking everything and sat down and began to watercolor.

Well it was not long before I realized I was completely surrounded by all the children, 12 I believe in total.  They were all looking at the watercolor with amazement.  Not because it was good but rather because they had not seen something like it before.

So I spent the next hour or so watercoloring for each of them, some different part of the view.  They all enjoyed it and we had some fun.

I left there and they were all cheering and quite happy from the visit.

The next few days were spent driving to different cities and talking and meeting with different people.

We had a clinic on Thursday which was meant to treat malnutritioned children.  We got a total of 25 malnutritioned children and treated them all.  The cases were severe, but I think the results in 2 weeks will be much better.

After all of this running around I had to pack up my room and move out of the rectory.  Finally on Saturday we headed to the airport.  My body does this weird thing when it knows it is going to get tired.  I get this weird taste in my mouth and I begin to feel tired, like it wants to sleep.

Well this works out great for me because I slept most of the flight to Addis Ababa.  Once there I enjoyed the lounge with some nice dinner and a beer.

Jefferson Memorial

The trip to Washington went by quick also.  Once in Washington I got to spend 10ish hours there so I headed straight for the city.  It was a great day because all the museum's were free to get into.  So I went all over.  I started with the Jefferson Memorial then made my way through the Korean War memorial to the Lincoln Memorial.  From there I headed to the Vietanm Veteran's Memorial and then to the WWII Memorial.

At this point I decided it was museum time and I wen to the National Museum of Natural History which was really cool.  I felt like a little boy in there in complete amazement.  Then I headed to the National Museum of Art and then to the National Air and Space Museum.

In Washington

Well after all this walking (which was a lot) I just went to the park and sat down and chatted with Araceli until my bus came.  Once back on the plane I headed to Dallas and my mum picked me up.  Along with a hamburger, fries and a milkshake.  I was delighted to see them all.

I am back now but I have to say that it is quite overwhelming to be back.  The stark difference is apparent and is affecting me.  I think I will get used to it just in time to head back to Malawi.

The Final Days

Time is wrapping up.  Things are almost done.  Life is moving on.

These are a few of the thoughts which are racing through my head as I pack up all my belongings in my room.  As I organize all of my belongings into the crates I realize how may things I accumulated over the past 9 months.

On the many nights the power goes out.  We have charcoal ready to be lit to cook dinner

I will be returning back to America here in less than a week.  And in just over a month I will get married to Araceli.

The plan is to go on our honeymoon and then once that is finished, head back to Malawi just in time for the next group to arrive here.  That is the plan.

What  I have learned in Africa is to have many many backup plans because the first, second and third usually don't work out.

As I think back on all of my time living with the priest's I am astonished at how fast the time flew.

But this time that remains I have been working on one project in particular which is to help feed malnourished children.  I took a trip, as I wrote in a previous blog, down to Blantyre to get some training down there and this is what it was for.

We are working with a local Malawian organization to get the medicine out to the children.  This Thursday, after re-organizing the program, we are having the first clinic here to test it out.

A couple weeks ago we had a boy come in who was in pretty bad shape.  His legs were all red and he had trouble standing.  So I gave his mom a handful of packets of peanut butter and sent them off.  Well he returned this Thursday to get some more and he walked over to me and asked for some.  I was very happy to see improvement in this boy.

here is the boy

So we got him some more and will check on him again in 2 weeks.

That is where a lot of energy has been focused.  Other than that I have been working on finding a house for Araceli and I to rent.  So far, as Malawi has proven, nothing has worked out.  But am still trying and hopefully will find something soon.

I cannot write too much of my experience here because I have not fully realized that I am not coming back to live with the priests.  I believe though that after the change I will get a better idea.

But the reason we are here is not to live with this, or live with that, or have certain
accommodations and certain cars.  We are here to help the people as best as we can.  And this is quite a motivating thought.  I do have to say that living "like" a priest for the past 9 months has shed some light on my own life and how I live it now.  It is quite interesting the effects of living in solitude, silence and no electricity has.

I will see how this life-of-a-priest interacts with the life-of-a-married-man.  Interesting results.

I asked a guy for a few tobacco leaves and he gave me some.  This is one of them.  I cut it up and rolled it like a cigar and smoked it but it did not really work out.  I guessed on how to roll cigars and really did not know what I was doing.  But it smelled good.

I appreciate the support which everyone has given me over the time so far I have been here.  I plan on staying much longer as I feel I am called to be here for longer.

Since Araceli is coming back and staying with me (of course we will be married) she will be taking on a lot of responsibility also.  I am proud of her taking on this type of responsibility and life, it is not a walk in the park to live in the one of the most under-developed and under-industrialized countries in the world.

So we will continue to be here, taking it a day at a time, and God willing, continue our work here to help those who need it.

And I will also have someone here who can take pictures of what we are doing.  I find doing this stuff solo I always forget to take pictures.  So now we both can remind each other.

What a Time

How do I begin to describe the events which happened over the past 2 weeks?


Well I guess I will start from the beginning.

The last time I posted a blog was recently after surveying bore holes.  Since then I prepared myself for the coming of the team from America and even more the arrival of Araceli.  I cannot remember how many people told me that wanted to meet her, I kept on talking about her.

There is a lot to cover so I might get abbreviated at some points.

Timeyo and I headed to Lilongwe on Friday.  We had a few things to do that day so we left early.  We stopped at a village where I wanted to interview some of the people there along the way and then we finished heading to the city.

Once we arrived everything went like a blur.  We spent the night at a friends house where we had good eating and good beer.

Luckily I was tired that night which overwhelmed the excitement which I had.

The next morning I woke up and we all had some breakfast.  Big E drove in that morning and we all sat around waiting for 10 o'clock when we would head to the airport.  Finally it arrived and we were off.  The team got in at 11.

So we waited at



the airport, Big E and I talking about marriage and stuff.  Once 11 reached we went inside the airport and were waiting.  I told Big E that there was a large thumping in my heart which, as time passed, moved down into my stomach.  The anticipation was too much.

As we were talking, I glanced over and I noticed Ray emerging from behind the wall and as he did this short little red and white striped Mexican did also.

Oh how exited I was.

I went over and kind of ignored everyone, did one quick handshake and then Araceli was in my arms.

It was great to have her there.  I was so excited.  We left the airport and headed to the village.  It was a 2 hour drive.

The whole time we where chit chatting and such, until the jet lag kicked in and she fell asleep on my shoulder.  That night we relaxed at home and she told me all about her trip.

The next day we went out and since it was Palm Sunday we had a big celebration in the church which lasted for about 3 hours.  Araceli and I were dancing away.

After mass we headed to Kalembe and went and met up with Father joe and Livinus.  It was good to see them.  We spent the day then and at dusk we left back to Bowe.  On the way back it became so dark that all the stars and galaxies illuminated themselves.  It was quite a sight to see.

Monday came around and the group went into the city while Araceli and I stayed at Bowe.  We enjoyed the day together and I revealed to her where we were going for our honeymoon and we talked about that.  I showed her around the village and introduced her to people.

The group returned that evening and we all sat around talking and preparing for the next day when we would start medical clinics.

When Tuesday morning came we were off.  We had mass at 6:00 and by 8 we were gone.  The village we went to was called Phoka and we stayed there for quite a while and saw a total of 183 people.  It was a lot of fun, but at points I had to remind the doctors to get out of my pharmacy and just tell me what they want.  They finally caught on to this.

Heidi and Ray at Phoka

Araceli worked the pharmacy with me but I encouraged her to go and spend time playing with the villagers and handing candy out.  She enjoyed this and the people loved it.  We finished the evening with a cold bottle of beer and relaxed and shared stories.  This was a great group.

Araceli manning the Pharmacy 

The next day we woke up and we held clinic in Bowe.  We again started around 8 and we worked.  Araceli and I were working the pharmacy again.  We spent the day working and working and ended up working till around 8.  It did not seem like that at all.  We saw around 213 people.  We were exhausted but spent the rest of the evening around some cold bottles of beer and good chat.

 Timeyo explaining Chichewa to Araceli 

Thursday morning came around and the doctors had meetings in the city.  Araceli and I stayed in Bowe again.  It just happened to be her birthday also, so I spent the day doing as she wished and those types of things.  It was a good relaxing day.

That evening when everyone returned home, they had bought birthday gifts for Araceli, along with cookies and some liquor (similar to Bailey's).  So we ate dinner and sat around and had some cookies and drink and really enjoyed the evening.

Friday came and it was our last day for clinics.  We headed to a village called Nkanga.  There was a school there so there was many children.  We saw around 183 people here.  Unfortunately the people here were not grateful yet highly demanding, so it was tougher working here.  But we saw them all in the end.

The set up at Nkanga

We returned again when it was dark and I got a nice view of the stars which were beautiful.  I have begun to study astronomy and am able to start drawing out different constellations in the sky.

The next morning we headed to the airport.  we had to drop the doctors off.  After a sad goodbye all that was left in the car was Araceli, Ray, Timeyo and I.  So we headed South the Dedza where there was a famous pottery factors.  It took 3 hours to get there but we finally did and enjoyed the scenery very much.  We pursued around and bought some cool things.  We headed back to Bowe and got in just in time for dinner.  We ate and went to sleep.  Anticipating the next day was Easter.


As we woke on Sunday I got up early and went over to the guest house.  I knew which window was Araceli's and I went to it and whispered, "Chica....are you awake?"  After a few turns I heard, "Yes".  Excellent!!!!  Every morning of the week I had been doing this but before I had I brewed some coffee so that when she woke up we could sit together and enjoy a nice cup.

Araceli's wardrobe no-no being fixed

The day before we had a pig delivered to the compound.  We were preparing for a roast on Sunday.

Before church we got a few guys to come by and slaughter and prepare the pig.  It was not the most lovely of sights but just how things are.

We all got prepared for Easter mass which was planned for 10 but turned out to be at 11.  When we went there Araceli was wearing a dress which was above her knees.  This turned out to be a nono and one of the villagers gave her a skirt to wear to cover her knees.  The celebration was long but it was filled with a lot of dancing and singing.

Araceli and I after mass.  Both in traditional garbs

When mass finished around 2 we all hopped in the car and headed back to Bowe, we bought a large bag of Charcoal on the way.

When we reached Bowe I assigned Ray to fire crew and Araceli and I were seasoning crew.  So we went into the kitchen and the pig was in there all nice and butchered up and I began to salt and season it as Ray started the fire.

Preparing the meat and having too much fun while I do it ( I ended up chasing around one of the ladies there with the head.  I do not think she liked that very much)

Once all was ready we put the pig on the grill and let it cook.  it took a total of 5 hours to fully cook.

During that time we sat around and enjoyed the day.  Laughing and talking and spending the last day as it should have been.  Father Joe and Livinus showed up and we all sat outside as the sun set, drinking beers and enjoying ourselves.

Ray and I working the pig on the grill

I have to say the pirests were skeptical of the meat.  I am not sure why.  I think because they decided with their eyes rather than their stomachs.  When I saw this I called them all to the grill and cut into a nice thick piece of meat and pulled out a few pieces for them.  To say the least their minds immediately changed and they became very excited to eat the meat.

Finally it was done and everyone was inside.  As I prepared the meat there was also maize and rice.  I set the platter inside just and Little E started up the radio.

The set up in the living room for the party.

We sat there and opened a bottle of wine and began to laugh and eat.  It was a lot of fun.  Once we finished the dancing began.  All the priests, Araceli, Dinge, the cook and I were up dancing.  Oh my how fun it was.  Dinge had also prepared a cake for us so we brought it out and cut it up and ate it.....and then danced some more.  It was quite a ball.


The night finished, Father Joe and Livinus left and we all went to bed still dancing and being merry.

Araceli and I cutting her birthday cake.  It was a tradition the Priest's held for both of us to cut it together.

The next morning was when Ray and Araceli left.  We left for the airport around 8 and got there around 10.  We said out goodbyes and Timeyo and I went to the city to take care of business.  But as it turned out, everything was closed due to the day after Easter being a holiday.

We returned home and I went to my room and began organizing.  As I was I came across some of the used clothes which Araceli had left.  One of them was her old t-shirt.  I picked it up and happened to grab a scent off of it and immediately started to miss her.  The t-shirt held her scent which she always carried around with her.

So I was happy and sad at the same time.

Life is very busy again here.  I do not have much time left before I come back to America.  I am still preparing for the wedding and doing that stuff but also preparing things here.

I just returned from another trip from the city and am completely exhausted.  Tomorrow will be more relaxed yet intense at the same time.