10 Weeks. 10 Thank-yous.

It has been ten weeks since we arrived, as a family, in Malawi. It’s hard to believe that it has been that long, and hard to believe that it has only been that long. Either way we have much to be thankful for.

Let’s keep to tens. So here are ten things, from many, that I’m thankful for.

1. A God who leads. These points aren’t any particular order, apart from this one. We were greatly assured of God’s leading and guidance in our decision to come to Malawi. Now that we are here that gives us great confidence when things are testing.

“Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

This has also been a wonderful reminder that we must pursue His will as determinedly here as we did in the decision to come.

2. A family calling. When I used to visit Malawi myself over the last 6 years, I always missed the family. Not always that I wanted to be home with them, but that I missed not sharing those experiences together.
Yes, we have tired days and grumpy days, but we have this adventure together. I learn so much from the way I see Jacqueline and the girls respond to life here.

Morven is taking to her feet and some of her first steps have been barefoot on Malawi’s red earth. Eilidh shows confidence and resilience daily, despite the massive changes she has seen. Yes, there are tears for friends and familiarity of home. However, she says she’d miss Malawi too if we left and she doesn’t want to live on airplanes going back and forth.

It’s wonderful too to watch, listen and walk with Eilidh as she thinks about the world she’s living in.

3. A great ‘home team’. Decisions about help around the house have been among the hardest we’ve had to make. Mostly because the idea of ‘domestic staff’ is just alien to us. We have husband and wife, Felix and Kettie, who help in the garden and house respectively and Amos as a guard (plus other guards from time to time). With advice, we concluded it is good to offer people jobs and an income, and that we do genuinely need help with some things that just take longer (laundry with no washing machine). But it’s more than that.

Felix, Kettie and Amos help us navigate a new culture and we share something of our culture (cakes, flapjack, pancakes) with them too. These are also opportunities to get to know people really well, to build friendships. We felt very privileged to be invited by Felix and Kettie to visit their home. Morven made it up to three solo steps today as she rushed to wave goodbye to Amos.

4. Elephant spotting. “Daddy, I’m bored. I want to go home.” Fateful words from Eilidh less than 20 minutes after arriving at a reserve. We turn the corner to see elephants just meters from the car. “I’m the luckiest girl ever! I’ve never seen elephants in my life!”

We were later treated to the sight of around 50 of them crossing the shallows of the lake. I’m not sure what I’m more thankful for, the incredible sight or the rapt wonder of the girls as they watched.

5. Correspondents. We’ve been really touched by the letters, cards, emails and parcels that have found their way to us here. We had many cards before we left but we’ve been able to keep the display of good wishes fresh with new items arriving each week.

We know that our pictures are on church noticeboards and in newsletters from Kirkcudbright to Kirkintilloch. We too have a noticeboard of sorts with photos of friends and family, but also some of the many cards and notes that arrive.

In particular, we’re grateful to those who hardly know us but, because their churches have adopted us as mission partners, have been keeping in touch and upholding us in prayer.

6. Faithful prayers. We are no more on the ‘frontline’ as Christians than we were at home. But there are times when it’s good to be able to rest on the prayers of others.

Just this week a quick message before a tense meeting brought equally quick replies and the confidence that, through prayer, I was not in that situation alone. It also gave the opportunity to share of answered prayer and I hope that encourages those who walk this journey with us as intercessors.

7. Opportunities to be stretched. Sent to meetings with sometimes less than an hour to prepare. Drafted in for a perspective on something you’ve only known about for a few hours. Making requests of the Chief Commissioner of Prisons.

While I don’t always appreciate scenarios like these in the moment, when I reflect, I am thankful for the opportunities I have here. Even if simply that His power is made perfect in my weakness.

8. Simple things. A mercifully ‘short’ four hours to register our car. No delays or bribes for our additional luggage. A house to live in. A place in school for Eilidh. Friendly northern Irish midwives on our plane.

There are so many things that you just can’t take for granted will happen easily when moving continent. While we know there are no guarantees of a trouble-free life, we are thankful that, on the whole, the practicalities of life have gone smoothly. We are grateful that God is in the detail as much as He is the big picture.

9. Unplugged days. The power is off most Sundays but with a little forethought (and late-night cooking on a Saturday), we are instead rewarded with some time to disconnect and unwind as a family.

It was nearly a month until Eilidh realised we don’t have a television. We do have laptops and iPads, but entertainment cannot simply be streamed on demand. It takes at least a couple of days forethought to give films a chance to download!

10. Homemade bread and the arrival of our pancake griddle. With one slot left I couldn’t choose. There are supermarkets in Mzuzu and one has a bakery with a great variety of shapes of bread. However only one bread recipe it seems, that is quite ‘processed’ tasting. So, we’ve been making our own together (when Eilidh’s patience permits) most weekends.

Weekends are also home to Saturday morning pancakes. Something of a tradition from home in Scotland. Jacqueline thought it would be good to keep it up here to give the girls continuity. Or perhaps she likes getting to lie in and wake up to hot pancakes. You decide.

(11. Thankful for you reading this far!)