First Presbyterian's 2008 Youth Mission Trip to Mwandi was an absolutely amazing trip. One part of me so wanted to stay. I can't remember when my feet and knees last felt so great. Walking constantly on sand was close to a miracle in pain relief. Who would have figured?!?
The place I most saw God was on the faces of the fascinating Mwandi people. They have such basic, incredible joy with so little and amidst such hardships. However, we stayed in wonderful accommodations at Simba Guest House, for the women, and Kudu House for the men (7 adults and 9 youth). For example, we 8 girls had three bedrooms and two baths in our 'wing' of the house. The other wing housed the missionaries, Keith & Ida Waddell, and their soon to be adopted 16-month old, Mubita. They had moved him into their bedroom, as they were going to need extra guest space while we were there in Mubi's bedroom which was right next to theirs. The great room was quite large, and the dining room often had 19-24 of us around the table(s). The laundry room and a powder room were on opposite sides of the entry. The kitchen was very adequate with its own entry; but the screened porch/veranda across the entire back of the house was wonderful. Our bedrooms all had sliding doors out to it; and the Zambeizi River was a 'spit' away.......you go out the veranda doors and 'spit' and you can reach it. (Kudu house had two bedrooms, one bath, and a large sitting area with a small kitchen and similar screened porch.) Lush, tropical growth was everywhere, due to irrigation from the river and the fact that the rainy season had just ended. The mission, thanks to Keith and Ida, provides more than 60 jobs for locals, so everyone calls them 'mama' and 'papa' and are so thankful for their presence..........but for them and the grace of God, they would not be able to provide for their families. We saw only two mud huts on the mission grounds; but most houses were small. They 'may' have had power but no stoves, so fires were kept smoldering all day and night for cooking and washing. We had power and hot and cold running water (unless the power went out, which happened three times while we were there, which meant no water, too). Locals cooked for us, did our laundry, and cleaned for us.
We had four major projects: first, volunteering at the OVC (Orphans & Vulnerable Children's project) by helping with their daily main meal, leading staff and children's devotions, and playing with the children; secondly, conducting Jesus Quest (a Vacation Bible School experience with games, singing, Bible story, and small group discussions) for 8th and 9th graders; third, getting the computer lab (we took over 12 computers and all the necessary equipment to go with them) up and running at the basic school so we could teach/train the 39 teachers; and lastly, rennovating another possible guest house, called Hippo House........painting the entire inside, painting all the windows inside and out, laying tile (thanks almost entirely to Laura Willson & Jean Troxell) in the shower, and cleaning everything. And, we successfully accomplished/completed all 4 projects.
We were all able to experience an entire day out in the 'bush' country (get up, pack a lunch, grab breakfast, and hope to be back for dinner at 7) . My project, along with Emily Spangler & Cindy Frost, was a traveling immunization clinic for under fives. We went to the village of Kasaya on the Kasai River where we weighed and measured children under five and helped with any immunizations. We had to help record all info, as well. The three of us on this project were also able to play with all the other siblings who came along with their moms. We just set up the clinic in one of the elder's huts, stick and mud walls with thatch roofs. The recent flooding had damaged the walls up about three and a half feet. We saw tiny little lean-to type huts on the high ground across the road where entire families squeezed in for shelter while the flood waters receded. The med-tech gave us such wonderful survival reports from this government sponsored program. Not only were the infants no longer dying from these childhood diseases but their immune systems were boosted so much so that they could survive other diseases as they grew up. Amazing!
One day in my 'small' group of 20 eighth and ninth graders, we talked about Jesus calming the storm and quieting the wind and the waves. When asked (yes, it's an English speaking country but we each had a teacher-translator in each group) what the storms were in their lives, they mentioned hunger, poverty and being poor, no place to put their heads and no cover, and difficulty in keeping warm and/or tending a fire. When asked how Jesus was helping, they said they knew He was because they were alive! Obviously, many were orphans and vulnerable children; but none of our kids deal with survival issues. And, these were all survival issues!
Everyone was so appreciative of us being there. We went to chapel daily and helped out at Kandiana, the old folks home where they live in what looks like a cell with a door, one small window, and two cot-like beds, one for sleeeping and one for storage. However, they have a communal gathering, cooking, and washing area and a helper, thanks to K & I, who helps daily with the cooking and washing and basic care. We made and delivered goodie bags for all 17 members. Our kids were so great with them, too! We made sure they got first choice of all of the shoes, sweatshirts, and t-shirts that we took over with us. We were able to attend church and meet the 'Chief', an educated (Oxford or Cambridge, I think) lawyer who is very gracious and working so hard to improve Mwandi. When he got the call to come back and be 'chief', he didn't hesitate. His wife works as second in command at one of the country's governmental ministries......like the Ministry of Finance or something. All of us were very impressed and pleased to have met him. I'm sure he's a part of the reason Mwandi is such a safe, friendly community.
There were so many obvious answers to prayers, too. Our travels went so smoothly, ease in customs both coming and going, no illness or injuries (well, an occasional cut or two), smooth transitions to Africa and back home, ease in crossing the border to Botswana (the Chobe Animal Park was amazing, beautiful, and provided sightings of many, many animals and birds with our lodge being the only hote rightl inside the actual park)), team members all getting along and respecting each other and those we met along the way, great sharing times with locals and especially Keith and Ida and fun with Mubita, time with the chief, completing our projects, and more. Keith & Ida were able to meet with their attorney (about adopting Mubi) after having several previous appointments cancelled. Enough monies were donated, while we were there, to cover the entire cost of the building of a maternity ward, separate but connected to the hospital. The doctor at the hospital threatened to quit; and after several meetings at Simba House with the chief and other government officials, they were able to re-organize a bit to appease him and get him to agree to stay. And, that's just to name a few.......
Well, as you can see, I could talk forever; but I had best go for now.
Hugs, Pam
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