Off we go!

So here we are, T minus 15 hours! Hannah as usual is leaving everything to the last minute, and is choosing to publish our group programme now! Have a read over it, and keep us in your prayers as we go on this amazing mission. For the next day or so especially, if you could pray for our bags to all turn up in the same place that we do, that would be sterling!

really sorry about the formatting, blogspot doesn't like windows vista word programming and it's 1am and I am just too tired to try and change it!! Will try and make the programme more readable this week when we get a chance :-)

Hannah xxx



2-Aug-08
Sat
depart London Heathrow
3-Aug-08
Sun
Arrive Blantyre (via Jo’burg), 14:10
Drive to Fisherman's Rest, unpack and settle in.
4-Aug-08
Mon
Introduction to Fisherman's Rest. The group will be introduced to the ‘home’ from which they will be working. FR serves as a safe, comfortable and beautiful base from which to regroup, reflect, rest and relax after demanding and challenging work in the communities
Visit villages – FR is located in the midst of rural villages. There are an estimated 20,000 people living on the escarpment, dotted around in locations that can only be reached on foot. These folk are most welcoming and the team will be introduced to the way of life here for the majority of the population.
Visit Trust – The FR Trust is a developing center, presently a property in an acre of land, 10 minutes walk from FR itself. The Trust has been purchased and is being developed for the community to serve the community.
The expected functions will be; children’s ministry, care for the vulnerable elderly, children and infirm, literacy training, bible teaching etc, and practical projects; a social center, looking into the needs of water supplies and solar energy and looking at how that might be applied into the needs of the communities
5-Aug-08
Tue
Days work at the Trust, work with children – The opportunity here is to connect with the children, to learn about them, to play with them as well as to teach as one would in a ‘Sunday’ school in the UK. A crossing of cultures will be challenging and rewarding.
6-Aug-08
Wed
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blantyre - deliver nappies & visit
This is a program Africa Link is connected with called Kangaroo Care, a special care baby unit focusing on
7-Aug-08
Thu
visit Majete. Tracking Elephants, game walk, game drive and braii –
A whole day at Majete National Park. 10 years ago in ruins after neglect and the consequences of poaching etc. Now funded, developed and supervised by Africa Parks (a Dutch consortium) the park is being restored. This day is a lesson on development, conservation, National Park and community development and co-operation as well as time to appreciate the beauty of Malawian heritage and quality time together as a team.
8-Aug-08
Fri
Visit schools at Madziabango –
There are many primary and secondary schools around FR. We focus on the primary schools although we also connect with the secondary schools. The opportunity here is to see what the schools in Malawi are like, quality of facilities and circumstance of the schoolchildren. The team will also be able to spend some time with the children in the classroom, teaching simple reading and writing skills, English, art, RE and subjects the team is skilled in. Also time in the playground will also be a good cultural exchange.
9-Aug-08
Sat
BTM - youth ministry –
Bible Teaching Ministries takes the Word of God into the villages. Most Christians from the villages are unable to attend seminars nor receive regular Bible teaching offered in the towns and cities. BTM strives to visit each center at least four times each year. Children’s ministry is substantially neglected in Malawi, particularly in the villages. When ‘teachers’ are available we offer children’s ministry in parallel to the Bible teaching seminars. The team will have the opportunity to assist with youth ministry and assist with the seminar should appropriate teachers be available.

10-Aug-08
Sun
City Pentecostal Church –
Sunday service in Blantyre, preceded by -
Street Children ministry – This is offered to street children at the CPC premises before the church service. The team may wish to participate in this. Rory and Charlotte amongst others assist here and the team would work under their guidance.

11-Aug-08
Mon
Nsanje, formally known as Fort Herald is the southernmost town in Malawi, short of the Mozambican border. Livingston and the early missionaries transferred from barge to dug out canoe here.
Rodgers is a pastor we have worked with for some 20 years. The team may stay at the Church of Disciples Mission house for two days visiting churches, the hospital, the prison, the town and villages in this area.
It is intended to distribute Sena Bibles in the Lower Shire – Maxwell, one of Barry Funnels early assistants will help here.
12-Aug-08
Tue
Nsanje – program as above
Travel on to Tyamike either Tuesday or Wednesday.
13-Aug-08
Wed
Visit Bangula - Tyamike orphanage – Introduction to the orphanage, participation in the childrens activities for the day.
Stay over night.
14-Aug-08
Thu
Travel back to FR and break the journey with a pleasant stop at Nyala Park, see giraffe and an abundance of some antelope spp. –
Picknic at Nyala Park and return to FR
15-Aug-08
Fri
HHI – Visit the Henry Henderson Institute. The Mission from which Blantyre was developed. Learn some Malawi history.
Participate in a lunchtime service at CPC
Visit Blantyre, buy curios etc as required.
Pack and evening fellowship at FR
16-Aug-08
Sat
depart after lunch for Namwera - Keith Moller – stay o/n at the camp and receive a brief of work and life as a missionary to the Muslims.
17-Aug-08
Sun
Keith Moller – Namwera – depart for the mountains, live with the villagers and participate in/ with events with the Muslim Children.
18-Aug-08
Mon
Keith Moller – Namwera – return to base for relaxing and a debrief,
19-Aug-08
Tue
Depart for Club Mac - Lake Malawi – enjoy 2 days of relaxing, fellowship, and experiencing another side to this extraordinary country.
20-Aug-08
Wed
Club Mac – Lake Malawi
21-Aug-08
Thu
Depart for Mvuu Camp, relaxing and consolidating as a team.
Full board, river trip, game drive and/ or walk.
22-Aug-08
Fri
Mvuu Camp – as above
depart late morning for FR
Fellowship & Reflection with other Mission groups
23-Aug-08
Sat
Depart morning for Blantyre airport for Jo’burg
Evening, Depart Jo’burg
24-Aug-08
Sun
Arrive Heathrow (6:25am)
Arrive St Mary’s Church for ‘Welcome Home’ (8am)


An expectation of this trip is that the team receives a wholesome and in depth insight into rural life as well as an insight into the rich Malawian heritage.