Dear Family in Christ, November 2010

Our mobile college took another trip to encourage the churches in the Monkey Bay area, which is right on Lake Malawi. It was a good trip, but we had a group much smaller than expected. There was a communication breakdown, so there were no ladies present to be taught. Fortunately by evening, a group of ladies was gathered. The men, however, were in place and eager to be taught when we arrived. As usual, we integrated the plan of salvation into our lessons. We had several who had never accepted Christ totally by faith and they made that glorious decision. The eagerness of the people to hear God’s Word was such an encouragement to me, especially because it was so hot and physically taxing to teach in those conditions. We had two more trips planned for this year, but they had to be canceled. The rainy season is upon us, which makes travel in many areas difficult and some impossible. The men are already scheduling trips for this coming year. I am ready and excited to go.

At Mapanga, school is in progress and doing well. We have had nine computers and two printers donated to the school. Two gracious gentlemen bought all the equipment, paid their own way to come over here, modified the room, and installed all the equipment. Our children our enjoying the fruits of these men’s diligent labor. Over all, I see a more seriousness among our students this year. Last year we implemented study hall for forty five minutes after school hours on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday for grades 5-8. The children did not like it and were quite rebellious during that time. This year most of the students are utilizing that time wisely. As they have seen their grades go up, their rebellion has decreased. Our high school students get home quite late, so they have study hall 7-8pm. I have purchased textbooks for them to prepare for their JCE tests and the MSCE tests. Without passing these tests, the students have no hope of entering the university. Four of our six graduates this last year passed. I have made many changes on the primary school level to ensure that we send strong students into high school. Our first term ends on December 10^th and will resume for the second term on January 3^rd. During the break I have made arrangements for a teacher to tutor our grade 8 students who have a special test to qualify for high school. I will also have tutoring for our students who are taking the JCE and MSCE tests this year. I know that the year will go by quickly just as the first term is about gone.

Malaria season has arrived. I beg prayers for all of us. There are no screens on the orphanage windows, so mosquito nets are the children’s only protection. We have had four already with Malaria. Two of the four had a temperature of 107 F. I really had to act fast. I had the sponged down, and had them chomp several bwabwa (Their version of a popsicle in a bag) to help cool them down. The one child fainted, so we immediately headed to the hospital. Doctors and hospitals are not like home. We had to go to the doctor’s house to wake him up, then we left to meet him at the hospital. Simon was admitted and kept for a couple of days before he had any strength to come home. Both of the children with the temperature of 107F would have died if they had been in the village. Our children have a good diet and medicine right away. Malaria is a real killer!

On a lighter subject, I am becoming more Malawian every day. I had too many things to carry that were heavy the other day in town. My backpack was loaded, and I still had a bundle of school exercise books to carry. I had a guard at the store help me put the exercise books on my head like everyone else does. I can’t balance it on my head with no hands like the other women, but using my head did help to get my purchases to the mini bus to get home. I am eating “ngumbi” (flying termites). The rain flushes the “ngumbi” out of the ground, and they are a great treat for everyone. The procedures is to pull the wings off and roast them in a pan over the fire. All I taste is a salty crunch. If and when I start eating mice, I’ll let you know.

Love in Christ,

Sharon Goodman

(Malawi, Africa)