MY GIRLS IN MALAWI

I have just returned form leaving my two girls, Katy and Fiona at the airport. I am sad.
They have been with me for 9 days and we were able to take a short trip to the lake and the game park and thus introduce them to a little of Malawi, of Africa.
It has been a wonderful time for me. I have enjoy their company, their love and their interest in everything.

During the first few days I was able to take them to Bwaila hospital to show them where I am working and the conditions under which the poor women of Lilongwe are being attended. They were both amazed and saddened to experience, first hand, some of the things they have been following in my blog and our regular phone calls. They were particularly interested in our nursery and the tiny babies that are being cared for. Just 900 grams and very premature it was difficult for the girls to hear that these babies have very little chance of surviving as both the facilities, the equipment and the medical expertise are not available.

Katy had been busy collecting money, clothing and toys, crayons, books and note pads for the past months. The response to her call was wonderful making it possible for her to bring not only a large number of these things but also more expensive items such as a doppler for listening to fetal heart rate, and weighing scales much needed by the Traditional Birth Attendents in the villages. We were able to visit an orphanage, a small mission clinic by the lake, two TBA's as well as distributing to the many women and babies "camped out" in the grounds of Bwaila hospital.

We visited my twins in the village and also one of my "miracle babies" These were both wonderfully enriching experiences for the girls who were able to appreciate true Malawian village life. We we received by the head man of the village which was a great honour.
We were entertained to homemade doughnuts sitting inside a cool mud hut and much time was spent blowing up and playing with balloons with the numerous children many of whom had never seen nor touched a balloon. We warned them that it may pop making a loud noise but it still suprised them!
The twins were looking big ! They are now nearly 8 months old. Unfortunatly they were suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea so we took them all, in my small jeep, to the clinic and left Pilirani with money for medicine and transport home. It was quite a squash... 6 adults and 2 babies ...but nobody seemed to mind!

The girls soon became aware that wherever we went there was poverty and need. They were able to give small gifts to the children as we travelled and were rewarded with dancing, with obvious joy and huge smiles. But they too soon found that there was never enough to give. Where they thought there were just 2 or 3 children, suddenly, out of nowhere, dozens of little ones appeared. At times it was very frustrating. They too felt the conflict and confusion of bargaining for every small wooden carving or craft that they wanted to buy. How much to pay ? Was it enough ? Maybe they could pay more? Should they pay more?

I am looking forward to going back to labour ward tomorrow after a week off. I know it continues to be very busy and there are many new students. I feel strong and positive. There is much to do...