“Go courageously to God along the way He has traced out for you,
steadfastly embracing the means that He offers you.”
steadfastly embracing the means that He offers you.”
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Nkhoma
I’ve now moved south to Malawi. I’m working at the Nkhoma Mission Hospital. The hospital is quite rural. Farms are everywhere. Lots of chickens and goats running freely through the town; cows and donkeys too. They grow maize, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, onions, carrots and tomatoes.
There are monkeys in the trees but there are fewer of them, because there are fewer trees. Monkeys don’t bother me anymore. They really are just “big squirrels”.
The ground is quite rocky and there are lots of hills. When it gets dark, I really need my flashlight.
My iPhone’s light works well.
The Nkhoma Mission Hospital: The “Brick Hospital”
My nickname for Nkhoma hospital is the “Brick Hospital” because brick is all I see. Every building is made of brick. Brick is also the favorite building material in most buildings in town as well as the farm houses. It functions as a District Hospital. It has 250-beds and provides outpatient and inpatient services in surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics and adult medicine.
Nkhoma is located in central Malawi. It’s an hour’s drive east of Lilongwe, the capital. Lake Malawi is another two-hour drive east. Nkhoma is part of the rugged Dedza Mountain Range running north and south in Central Malawi. This is winter and dry season, so things are a bit brown. Besides English, Chichewa is the local language. It commonly spoken in southeastern Africa.
Along the roads in Lilongwe, puppies are held up for sale as pets. Cats too.
I’ve been told that it’s illegal but you know how that goes. They are hard to resist. The puppies are so cute! But I have to be realistic.
I’ve been told that it’s illegal but you know how that goes. They are hard to resist. The puppies are so cute! But I have to be realistic.
“Mice-On-A-Stick” for sale: on the street!
I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. On the country roads, children hold up their ‘mice-sticks’ for sale to passing cars. This is yet another food I am not curious about. My kitty-cat back home would love them! Fine. But I am not bringing them home!
Nkhoma Mountain
Nkhoma Mountain throws its massive shadow over Nkhoma town at sunset. The mountain dominates the northern horizon. It’s huge, stark, rocky and beautiful. My daily workout is climbing up the trails that lead to the top. I don’t think that I’ll actually ever actually go to the top. It’s a long way and the last major stretch is so steep that it requires all 4 of our extremities to get there. The last thing I need is to fall off that mountain during an afternoon climb. Still, I keep venturing further, higher and higher.
One of the missionaries put a big white cross on one of the ‘sub-mountain’ peaks, and it is plainly visible for miles around.
I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. On the country roads, children hold up their ‘mice-sticks’ for sale to passing cars. This is yet another food I am not curious about. My kitty-cat back home would love them! Fine. But I am not bringing them home!
Nkhoma Mountain
Nkhoma Mountain throws its massive shadow over Nkhoma town at sunset. The mountain dominates the northern horizon. It’s huge, stark, rocky and beautiful. My daily workout is climbing up the trails that lead to the top. I don’t think that I’ll actually ever actually go to the top. It’s a long way and the last major stretch is so steep that it requires all 4 of our extremities to get there. The last thing I need is to fall off that mountain during an afternoon climb. Still, I keep venturing further, higher and higher.
One of the missionaries put a big white cross on one of the ‘sub-mountain’ peaks, and it is plainly visible for miles around.
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