this week i've been going to junior academy which is a private school in malawi so all of the children speak perfect english which made teaching a whole lot easier!! it was a lot easier to interact with the children and i didn't need joseph to translate for me which meant i could tell the story at my own pace and know exactly what was happening.
the classes were a LOT smaller than in the public school with only about 15 pupils in each compared to 150 but they weren't as well behaved, it is a christian school so they have constant singing and bible teaching and joseph is in comes into the school a lot with the SIM team so i think they have become so used to it that they've started to take it for granted. although that didn't stop them from asking me and kaitlyn to sign their workbooks when we were leaving and queue up to get a hug from each of us.
i had today off because joseph had something to do so i went for a walk this morning for a few hours and found an amazing bakery which reminded me of the one we found in Salou a few years ago and i started to miss all of my friends back home so i bought a bun to cheer myself up.
now i'm in the office updating my blog and trying to plan the lesson i'll teach next week when i go to Kasungu with the sunday school training team.
and that my dear blog readers is everything that has happened in the life of matty the past few days.
i think i'm going to do a sponsered run/walk on saturday so i'll let you know how that goes.
matty :)
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Monday, 3 May 2010
i know, i know, i know, i know, i know
it's been a holiday weekend here in malawi so things have been pretty relaxed.
on saturday i had the honour of going to a wedding. i have never met the bride and groom before (and come to think of it didn't even meet them at the wedding) all i know is that the bride was the sister of the woman kayla and jonathan stayed with during their time in the village.
the ceremony was similar in ways to a wedding back home, the bridal party danced up the aisle one by one, which reminded me of the jk wedding dance video. there was a lot of singing from a choir and the usual vows then the congregation danced up to the couple and gave them money.
after the ceremony we went back to a friend of the family's house for a few hours because we were classed as VIP guests and they served us some traditional malawian food which was amazing, it was a big plate of rice with beef and chicken and vegetables in some sort of relish, at first we ate with our hands the traditional malawian way which was ok but eventually we had to ask for spoons because it was taking forever. the reception was completely different to anything i've ever seen before - the whole time was people dancing up to the couple and throwing money at them (maybe i could start that tradition back home)
went to CURE hospital for children this morning to do some teaching and activities with the kids but when we got there the team wasn't there because it's labor day today so they took a holiday. at least i got to see around the hospital - it's as well kitted out as whiteabbey by the looks of it which was quite surprising.
i'll keep you updated on my adventures as they happen.
matty :)
on saturday i had the honour of going to a wedding. i have never met the bride and groom before (and come to think of it didn't even meet them at the wedding) all i know is that the bride was the sister of the woman kayla and jonathan stayed with during their time in the village.
the ceremony was similar in ways to a wedding back home, the bridal party danced up the aisle one by one, which reminded me of the jk wedding dance video. there was a lot of singing from a choir and the usual vows then the congregation danced up to the couple and gave them money.
after the ceremony we went back to a friend of the family's house for a few hours because we were classed as VIP guests and they served us some traditional malawian food which was amazing, it was a big plate of rice with beef and chicken and vegetables in some sort of relish, at first we ate with our hands the traditional malawian way which was ok but eventually we had to ask for spoons because it was taking forever. the reception was completely different to anything i've ever seen before - the whole time was people dancing up to the couple and throwing money at them (maybe i could start that tradition back home)
went to CURE hospital for children this morning to do some teaching and activities with the kids but when we got there the team wasn't there because it's labor day today so they took a holiday. at least i got to see around the hospital - it's as well kitted out as whiteabbey by the looks of it which was quite surprising.
i'll keep you updated on my adventures as they happen.
matty :)
Friday, 30 April 2010
are you working everyday, are you working just to bleed?
i can't believe it's been a week since i left my house to start my journey to malawi, and now i'm here and the time has just flown in.
i started my time in school with joseph and kaitlyn this week. the first day i just observed and joined in the songs as much as i could. the school we were at this week is a public school so most of it is entirely chichewa speaking with a the oldest class knowing a bit of english.
on the second day i began teaching lessons on the good samaritan (although it wasn't as good as when i taught it in college) which was really weird because i taught it in english and then joseph translated it into chichewa for the children to understand, but it's really hard to teach a story when you don't know exactly what the children have already been told. there were times when i said one line and joseph would talk for a couple of minutes so im not sure what bits and pieces he added in himself.
done a bit more exploring around the town and think i'm finding my bearings. also went to the big supermarket called shoprite and they literally have everything imaginable - i even found a can of mountain dew!!
keep praying
matty :)
i started my time in school with joseph and kaitlyn this week. the first day i just observed and joined in the songs as much as i could. the school we were at this week is a public school so most of it is entirely chichewa speaking with a the oldest class knowing a bit of english.
on the second day i began teaching lessons on the good samaritan (although it wasn't as good as when i taught it in college) which was really weird because i taught it in english and then joseph translated it into chichewa for the children to understand, but it's really hard to teach a story when you don't know exactly what the children have already been told. there were times when i said one line and joseph would talk for a couple of minutes so im not sure what bits and pieces he added in himself.
done a bit more exploring around the town and think i'm finding my bearings. also went to the big supermarket called shoprite and they literally have everything imaginable - i even found a can of mountain dew!!
keep praying
matty :)
Sunday, 25 April 2010
a lucid life you never thought you'd lead
i'm in malwai!
the flights were great. from belfast to london i had all 3 seats to myself, on the flight to Johannesburg i had both seats to myself so i got to spread out a little, then on my flight from Johannesburg to Blantyre i didn't have the row to myself but i just cracked open the macbook and watched some tv that i had downloaded before i left (the malawian guy beside me on the plane seemed quite interested in what was happening in flash forward) The most annoying thing about the traveling was that i couldn't find a starbucks in any of the airports :(
i spent the rest of the day unpacking and getting to know Lionel (one of the guys i'm living with) and learning bits and pieces about malawian life. bed was a strange experience because it's the first experience i've had of sleeping under a mosquito net, which felt like i was trapped there, hopefully i get used to it quickly)
this morning i experienced church in africa for the first time at chilomon african evangelical church. i didn't have a clue what was being said most of the time but i sat beside a woman called Ruth who works at the bible college here and she let me know roughly what was going on. the singing was all done in chichewa but i sang along with the hymn book because its pronounced exactly as it is read - i didn't have a clue what i was singing but God did and that's all that matters. there was a time of free praise and worship lead from the front by a few people without hymn books so i couldn't sing along but there was actions which i could follow (which i loved) and lots of clapping.
when i arrived yesterday it was 26 degrees but it's a lot cooler today and overcast - although its still quite warm for me compared to back home, all of the missionaries were talking about how cold it was and telling me i must have brought the irish weather over with me.
i begin orientation tomorrow and then start my ministry mid week but already my schedule is filling up as people invite me round for tea, lunch, dinner, or even for a game of mafia!
i'll blog again soon
keep praying
matty :)
the flights were great. from belfast to london i had all 3 seats to myself, on the flight to Johannesburg i had both seats to myself so i got to spread out a little, then on my flight from Johannesburg to Blantyre i didn't have the row to myself but i just cracked open the macbook and watched some tv that i had downloaded before i left (the malawian guy beside me on the plane seemed quite interested in what was happening in flash forward) The most annoying thing about the traveling was that i couldn't find a starbucks in any of the airports :(
i spent the rest of the day unpacking and getting to know Lionel (one of the guys i'm living with) and learning bits and pieces about malawian life. bed was a strange experience because it's the first experience i've had of sleeping under a mosquito net, which felt like i was trapped there, hopefully i get used to it quickly)
this morning i experienced church in africa for the first time at chilomon african evangelical church. i didn't have a clue what was being said most of the time but i sat beside a woman called Ruth who works at the bible college here and she let me know roughly what was going on. the singing was all done in chichewa but i sang along with the hymn book because its pronounced exactly as it is read - i didn't have a clue what i was singing but God did and that's all that matters. there was a time of free praise and worship lead from the front by a few people without hymn books so i couldn't sing along but there was actions which i could follow (which i loved) and lots of clapping.
when i arrived yesterday it was 26 degrees but it's a lot cooler today and overcast - although its still quite warm for me compared to back home, all of the missionaries were talking about how cold it was and telling me i must have brought the irish weather over with me.
i begin orientation tomorrow and then start my ministry mid week but already my schedule is filling up as people invite me round for tea, lunch, dinner, or even for a game of mafia!
i'll blog again soon
keep praying
matty :)
Friday, 23 April 2010
a million miles an hour, while lying in your bed
I'm getting more and more excited but more and more nervous at the same time.
Keep praying!
Matty :)
Sunday, 18 April 2010
and ideas are flowing through your head
URGENT PRAYER NEEDED!!!
Please pray that the flight ban is lifted before Friday and that I am able to fly out of the country and make it to Malawi.
Please pray that the flight ban is lifted before Friday and that I am able to fly out of the country and make it to Malawi.
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
you can look alive, but you are not at rest
i've got 2 essays to write, clothes to wash and pack, spend time with rachel, sunday club lessons to plan, college presentation to give, an exam to study for, an exam to do, work, a concert to go to, placement orientation to go to, classes to go to, and a bible to read
but hey if i can succeed in ticking each of the boxes in the picture everyday i'll be happy
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