Back in Malawi

We've made it safely back to Malawi after a very long few days of travel.  A week ago today we left our home and flew out of New Orleans headed for Washington, D.C.  We had to spend the night in D.C. so that meant that all 6 of us and our 3 carry-ons and 9 pieces of luggage had to catch a shuttle in the cold of D.C. and head to a hotel.  We made it without any hiccups and were thankful for a nice bed to sleep in and a nice hot shower.  Little did we know how long it would be until the next shower.

Friday morning we got up and headed to the airport very early.  We had no problems and made it to our gate in plenty of time.  The flight that morning was our big one.  We flew from Washington, D.C. to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  It was a 14 hour flight.  We were very blessed that the seat next to Jeremy and CJ was empty!  So J had a seat that he could sleep in and sit in.  God pays such amazing attention to details!  The people sitting behind us even mentioned as we got off the plane that we had amazing children.  I think they were surprised at how well our children did on the flights.  But I wasn't surprised at all.  We do have amazing children!  And when you put a personal t.v. with videos, music, t.v., and movies in front of them they are happy for hours!!!

Poor AJ started feeling bad the morning we woke up in D.C.  Her throat was hurting and she ran a fever off and on for the next couple of days.  She was pitiful!  Once we made it to Lilongwe (after more than 30 hours of travel) we quickly found out that the water in the city is non-existent.  I'm not sure about anyone else, but for us after traveling for three days in airports the first thing you want to do is take a bath.  That was not going to happen for us! The water never came on on Saturday.  And Sunday it finally came on late that evening for less than 1 hour.  It was just enough time for the kids to take baths and Jeremy to get a shower.  But just as mom got in the shower....no more water.  It would be another two days before I got a shower.  Yes, gross.  But we do live in Africa.  This entire week we have gotten water for only one hour a day (and that's usually around bedtime, thankfully).  Power is one thing that I have learned that I can live without.  We barely even flinch when our power goes off anymore (and it goes off at least once a day....today it's been off more than it's been on).  But water....that's not something that I can ever get used to not having.  Remember that bug that AJ had on the plane?  Well it's now been through every member of our family.  It's very hard when your babies are sick and you can't cool their temp down with a cool bath.  Or when one of your babies throws up and you can't bathe her to get her clean.

It's been a hard week of adjustments and sickness.  But we are thankful that we're on the mend and getting better "pongono pongono" (little by little).  We miss our friends and family.  We miss the easy life in America.  We miss running water and electricity.  But we know that the Lord has a plan and we pray that each trial we face will produce in us a result that is pleasing and glorifying to the Lord. Hopefully tomorrow we'll all feel well enough to get out to Rainbow.  We miss those kids!