The market in the village of Nkhoma. We arrived in Nkhoma on Sunday afternoon and the next Monday we went to meet the Principle of Josophat Mwali Theological Institute as well as the headmaster of the primary school. Everybody wanted us to take a day to relax before we start our responsibilities on Tuesday. So we went down to the market to buy food for the next couple of days.
Lucky for us tomatoes were in season! Even though Mark does not like raw tomatoes (they are a product of the Fall), he does like them cooked and in dishes and we had them in most every dinner. The Guest House we were staying at had a full kitchen and we were responsible for our own meals. Except for the occasional trip into Lilongwe, we got all our food at the local market and somebody was down there every couple of days.
Walking back from the market. This "tarmack" road we were on was put in last year. You can kind of get a small sense for the landscape south of Nkhoma.
"Chips"! These vendors were at almost every road junction and they are frying Irish potatoes. There was a vendor closer to the Guest House who we frequented quite often for lunch! Some of them had the option of adding "peri peri" (hot chilis), cabbage, or just salt to the potatoes.
Part of the Guest House we were staying at during our time in Nkhoma. The Guest House is owned by the Nkhoma Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) and is for the use of those staying in the area serving the church in some capacity (it cost $5 per person per night).
A shot of a portion of the mountains behind of Nkhoma. This is Mount Nkhoma - we ended up climbing to the top of that mountain (see later pages).
The Beni family. Every Friday evening that we were in Nkhoma we had dinner with a family from J.M.T.I. The four of us (Mark and Michelle were together) would go to four different houses. This time together became a highlight of each week. The people of Malawi are unbelievably hospitable and they really opened up their homes for us.
Some of the more popular topics of conversation was focused on the United States and the way things are there, and we reciprocated asking about Malawian life!
This is along a road in Lilongwe, but it is a great picture of a woman carrying stuff on her head as well as a baby on her back. Okay ladies, try that!!
A small portion of the main market in Lilongwe. It was crazy down there!
v
A visitor while Steve Roberts was about to jump into the shower! Every couple of nights a bat would fly through the Guest House, usually in the kitchen and dining room!
Our first Sunday in Nkhoma was the Harvest/Thanksgiving offering. Since most of the people are subsistance farmers, they are literally giving of their firstfruits. The people were called forward according to their section (essentially their elder districts) and they went outside to bring in their offering while the church sang and even danced! Most of the food given was maize (corn), but there were eggs, potatoes, ground nuts (peanuts), sugar-cane, and even a live chicken!
Here is some maize being brought in. Most of the containers were decorated in some way as you can see here.
More offerings. It was hard to explain to our Malawian brothers and sisters how we do our "Thanksgiving Offerings!"
Click here for the next page.
Click here for the previous page.
Click here to go back to the Malawi index page.
E-mail M&M