friends ....

Here are somepictures of friends... Catherine, Mwai, Me and Atupele. Then my friend from Ireland Pam, my friends that are ABC graduates Alice and Edith. And Analise and I together. (Sara notice the shirts) Yippee... I will type more soon... amy louise

Just sharing life and what God does in our lives...

Okay here are most of the girls that showed up for our first Bible study at the high school outreach that we do. We are playing a game called Dr. Tangle. THe girls all tangle themselves up with out breaking hands. There were 43 girls came. We are studying 2 Corinthians 5-13. Theyare so excited.

I wanted to share an email from a college student that I have been encouraging in her walk with Christ... She helped me with my basketball game with the Junior and High school girls at ABC Academy on Saturday and we had a chance to talk then...

"Hie dear,
I really appreciate so much for whatever thing you told me
on saturday morning. Every word that you spoke to me
mearnt a lot and it brought a relief in my heart. I am really
so thankful and i thank God for you and for the courage
and the right words that He gave you to share with me. I
am now living so peacefully as before. I have realised that
God is the only best friend i should trust for He will never
disappoint me. Thank you so much my love. May God
continue blessing you. Have a blessed night swit. Love you!" a sophmore at ABC college...

So if that was why I came here was worth it. Thank you for being apart of her journey. Lots of love- Amy Louise

Really America has poor people...

That was a question asked last night as we had a group of college students over. Above they are - In the black shirt is Joseph, Blessings, Bob, Fannie, Wanagua, and Funa. They are team that is going in 3 weeks to a village up north to show the Jesus film and work with one of the students churches there. Bob will be driving and be apart of this team. It is really fun to hear there their misconceptions of America. One of them was sooo very surprised to that America has homeless people. What? they couldn't believe it. TV and the travelers seem to have loads of money. You once you experienced Africa and you come back to America in your world you are shocked at it's wealth. And the extreme poverty that you see in Africa. But now being here after 7 months. The shock is gone and it is everyday life. To be exposed to extreme poverty everyday makes you a little bit numb but really understand that you can't change the whole world but change those people in your sphere. I really recognize that it helps to make small impacts than huge ones or do nothing at all. Me what I do to help. Get someone a bible or help a college student here with a job to earn money so they can pay off their schooling, or help those who work for me or work with the orphans. Help someone who comes in to my path. That is the small impacts I try and make everyday. It changes things for the better little by little. Just helping. thats all for now- Amy Louise

The African Plain...

Here are some pictures of plain. We are visiting some friends that work with Childen of the Nations. So this is from their house about 5 minutes from our house... We have been sooo Busy. I guess I tell you all that before but we are! You know that Bob has 4 classes and head of the security and now redoing the Gym floor Busy....With Nya and Analise with doing swimming lessons, school and connecting with people not to add that I am involved with 4 bible studies and 2 that I am teaching. It adds to a busy day on top of that I am helping coach the high school and junior high girls basketball every (it is the school that Nya goes too) day pretty much for last week and continuing on with this week until Saturday. I will get some pictures of the girls in action. It is fun there are about 23 girls that have been coming to practice with about 15 different countries represented there. Fun to get them to play the American way of basketball. Mind you i haven't played since I was 15 and that was 18 years ago. My how time is flying by. I will be taking the college girls and continue our Bible study that we were doing at a high school here in Lilongwe. We have 5 girls and they are so excited to start up again with the high school girls. The clinic is doing great. I will try and get some pictures of that next week too.

You know the talk I had with the women at the college the other week was amazing. about85% of the girls came and that is big for a busy friday night. We talked for almost 4 hours and it could of went on and on. We talked about being single, what type of person to God calls us to a have relationship and purity while dating. We talked about AIDS and all that comes with that. So we had 4 ABC graduates and a Navigator staff girl named Pam and also Me. So it was fun. The girls are still talking about it.

Anyways just a side note are healthy and thankful for our time we have here in Africa. Sometimes it feel very far away from home. But thanks to the care packages that have somehow made it here! thank you for the pieces of Home that makes it easier to continue on here. Thank you for all who are supporting us in prayer, love, packages and support. We could not do what we are doing here and serve people here without YOU! THANK YOU! Love- the stauffy family!!!!! ( That is who we are here.) The Stauffy's ! Carried on from CHS.

It is just a book...

Something that I have noticed there are not many books here in Malawi. I asked my friend Mwale if he had any books. No he replied. I am thinking to my self No books. Surely he has a Bible... No he says most Malawians don't have a Bible especially those in the villages which is most of the country. My brain starts to go to all my bibles. Which one should I give him. I have 3 here with me. I justify that I need them all. They all serve different purposes. I am a rotten horder. So I ask him did he want a Bible His eyes light up and responds Oh yes He had one a long time ago and wishes he could save and get one. But with hard times it has been hard to save much less survive. He asks if he could have a Chichewa Bible. Whew I am off the hook I can keep my 3 bibles. (my yucky attitude stinks) Anyways so I go on search to find a Chichewa Bible. 2 weeks later of asking around I found one for 7 dollars. That is very expensive when 7 dollars feeds a family on maize for a month. I am glad that we get to help and I get to my selfish, non sharing attitude. Not much more from me- amy louise

Here is Nya and her class...

Thought you all would love to see who is in her class. This is kindergarden photo and class photo. I added along with that the teachers here at the academy. She has students from Malawi, south africa, zimbabwea, canada and zambia. Her teacher is Miss Zude from Illinois and other teacher is a ABC graduate Rachel Mvula.
Amy louise

Rain in Africa...

What a treat to finally not have Rain. It has rained every day for the last 3 months. What is Rain for Africa. It is the lifeline for this country. The rain allows the crops to grow and that is the Maize. The main staple so there is no starvation. The Malawians harvest in March or so. If it rains too much it will ruin the crop. We are right at the point of are the crops going to be ruined or will it stop raining and allow the crops come to their full harvest. I am so amazed with how they all handle the rain. Mind you that there is not much cement here so every thing is soooo very muddy. I am so not a friend of mud. The city girl in me. Of course before there were big cities there was mud. And that is what we got here. MUD... They handle it so well. I am the big sissy. But it is also very hard on their houses and many fall down when it rains too much. So many families are left homeless. We are so blessed and even living right next to it, it is easy to remain insensitive. I have a wonderful house but I still want to fix it and make it better. But yet my neighbors house may be falling down. I need to continually make that concinsess choice to invest in my neighbors. I will go and take some pictures today of the crops and countryside green so you can see. I will post them tomorrow. We are in very busy mode. It is a very busy semester now. Continue to pray for our health and that we would invest in our neighbors. Love- amy louise

They are Back...

Some of the cute College Girls came over to play and visit yesterday and I just wanted to capture how much fun they were with the girlies. This Is Cristina and Funa (Christina is the Pink and Blue and Funa just Blue) both sophmores. The girls just ate this up. As you can see in the video below. Please be praying for me tonight. I along with 5 other ABC graduates will be talking to all the college girls about Marriage and Sexual Purity. Pray that as the women live their lives that they would strive for a heart of Christ. Their should be about 80 girls there. I will be sharing my story and how amazingly God has turned my life around. I so hope and pray that sharing our stories will affect thier lives and that they will not settle but for God has for them in lives. Thank you and I will let you know how it goes with all the fun details. Amy Louise

Hanging out with the College Girls...

Loving on the people...

That is what Analise does the best. ( Don't mind the messy hair :)) She is so full of life when we have people over. Daily she asks who are we having for dinner. So we had some friends over and she couldn't keep her hands off the baby. Dennis works for us as our gardener. He does such a wonderful job. We get to impact their lives and provide a living for this family.As Americans we are expected to employ someone. We came to ABC and Dennis and his cute family were already working at the house we live at... We love helping an local family here. His wife's name is Esther and his son's name is Alex and Victoria is the baby. She wanted to hold Victoria the moment she saw them. You can see that Esther is not very sure! It is so fun to have relationships that deepen who we are. They give us a deeper perspective. Life is simple and don't complicate it. We will keep on loving people especially Analise! Lots of love- Amy Louise

Ahh missionary life...

You all know that we have been here for 6 months now. We are loving living here and what are doing. The daily life is still adjustment. As we are told you (as Americans) will never fully be adjusted. It really is just a whole other world over here. Things are just different. Not bad different just different. Ask me in person one day. Maybe I could explain it to you. So- Okay so I am looking for things I love and that is the people. The people here are amazing. They live life to the fullest way they can. They work very hard and life is simple. They don't have much but They are such a community in every sense of the word. They don't do it alone. It really does take a village to raise a child. They all invest in each other. So awesome to be apart of. We get to see it even in our kids. We went over yesterday to a students house (Good and Christina)for an official Malawian Meal. Including Goat meat, Nsima (what they eat as a staple) cabbage, and other things that I don't know the name of. So much fun. But as Nya and Analise played with the Christina's kids that all I heard was laughing. As we left she tells us that Those kids were the "funnest kids in the world" How fun for her. They didn't even speak English. What a treat to hear that. That is an experience I pray that she will never forget. So next week they come to our house for a real American dinner! Spaghetti! Oh I don't what I will have! I pray that we will invest in people like that and that be apart of the community. We are thankful that we get to be here and impact our community. Students, staff, and workers that come and go. I pray that we will radiate Jesus in all that we do. Thank you all that are supporting us! We feel it daily. Thank you- Amy Louise

Happy New Year...

It has been a quiet start to the year 2008 here in Africa. The College is still on break and the campus is quiet. Nya has about 1 more week of Christmas Break. It has rained every day here for a month. It is beautiful rain. Something special about rain in Africa. One day you all should experience it. It is so refreshing. We are healthy and plugging along. We have had many of the students over for dinners ( the ones that stayed on campus to work at the clinic, radio station or work as a guard at night.) It is been fun. They say that it has helped with their loneliness! Good! As we were able to take a small getaway to the lake. It was fun to go away as a family. We are doing very well here in Malawi. We have about 2 1/2 more weeks until the students come back and we are in full swing again. Bob will be teaching open air evangelism- he is going to do some thing fun like the apprentice type thing - more to come on that. 1 and 2 Corinthians and a political science class. I will be actually a class to the senior girls here on campus. That will be fun. I also will be involved with the outreach to the Lilongwe high school as you saw from earlier blogs. Also I will be helping in the clinic too. So with also being involved with the local orphanages we will be busy. As you know we have been attending a local church here which has been good. But there has been an opportunity to get involved with a new church that is being planted here by a local Malawian graduate from ABC. Yippee! we got to be apart of its beginnings. It is connected to the church in San Diego actually Flood. So it is Flood Malawi. What a treat and pray for us as we get connected with the community here! Good news from this side of the world. I found my camera! Thanks for praying. Small details that God gets involved in I love it.
So here what you can be praying for:
That as we start classes these next few weeks we would be able to see what God has in store for these classes.
That we would continue to be healthy! We have been healthy so that is huge! I love to feel good.
That as we continue on here at ABC - Lilongwe that we would be able to see God in the midst.
That our family would continue to grow stronger in our relationships and that we would be able to be an example to those around us.

We love you all and love emails! Thanks for the care packages! A little piece of home. What a treat! Thank you all for who are supporting us in prayer, financially and love. We feel it. We couldn't be here without you! Love- Amy Louise for the Stauffachers
P.S. I will be posting more pictures soon. Yippee Movies and pictures! If you have any requests of things you want to see let me know!

Christmas time in Africa...

Just a note to say what we have accomplished this year. We moved to Africa. That is a big one. We have started our new positions here on ABC Campus. Bob is thriving teaching at the College. The students have enjoyed his classes and many stop me to tell so. We have impacted the community around us doing outreaches with the students. I ( Amy) have helped set up the xray department to run more efficient and also have done many off hour xrays here. Nya has started Kindergarten and started to read. She is loving having new friends and trying to find food she likes ( she is like her mother in that area) it should taste American. She loves the deer we now have, her very own Rudolph. Analise is loving life. Potty training, learning chichewa and is so excited when we pull up to our campus and exclaims with enthusiasm "We're home!"
So as we adjust to "We're Home" We will continue to update our little stories- Merry Christmas! Amy Louise

Merry Christmas...

Here are some pictures from my friends camera that I stole for a weekend. I took pictures of the Monkey that we didn't keep and my friend Christina dancing with Analise. Last weekend the Ambassador of United States had a Christmas Party and even Santa showed up. They girls loved it after the shock.

Christina and Analise dancing to Christmas Music

The monkey that was brought to our house but we didn't keep( Thank the Lord, I don't need another animal!)

The girls not too sure

Nya and her friend Sydney from School at the Christmas Program
The school christmas program with 300 hundred kids- they were soooo good and cuteUs at the Christmas Party at the Ambassador's House About 200 Americans showed up. We had to have our passports to get in. Official!

Nya and our friends that live on Campus. The 2 girls on the right are our neighbors
Not too sure
Okay we can do it!Our christmas tree that I had shipped on the container. I love it! It is perfect Size

So here are the stockings that I sewed! WOW I know I have never touched a sewing machine until this. Have a wonderful Christmas! Love- Amy louise

Merry Christmas from us in Africa!!!

As it has been raining at least for the last 5 days. It is feeling officially chilly at 70 degrees and grey skies. What a treat to wear a sweatshirt! We are even wearing socks once in awhile. well-
All the students have gone home and many of the staff have traveled back to america and so the campus is feeling quiet. We will spend Christmas here each other and were able to give others a good christmas too. That was fun. Just wanted to connect with you all and with a wonderful Christmas and great New year. Remember we love and miss you- Amy Louise for the family...

Working to Survive...

Today I went with my friend Dennis (he is on the newsletter we sent out over thanksgiving) to get some Maise (corn and it is not sweet corn they call it Nsima) They eat it everyday here. It is a staple! It is yuck for me. I think it is an aquired taste! So we went to get about a 50 kg bag for some workers here. It cost about 12 dollars to last about 2 months. Anyways they buy the bag and have to take the corn mill and have it ground down to make the nsima. These women that work at the mill work soooo hard all day. I asked Dennis how much money do these women make a day. I was thinking about 1 dollar a day or something like that. It took my breath away when they said they don't get paid. They work for the little bit of leftover food everyday. So a tiny little bucket of food and that what they get. My heart sank. You look in these women's eyes and you can see the hopelessness! I remembered what the vcrse that God taught me this summer- "Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Romans 12:13 So my heart jumped I gave Dennis some money to give them and I got to hug and kiss them. Malawians are not huggy people but with a tall white girl asking for it they can't deny it. They were crying by the time we left. Me too. I really am faced daily with people asking for money and help with food and I never know what are scams or not. But these women didn't ask, they are just working to live. I respect that. They didn't expect anything. They didn't beg. They just worked and I got to see their heart encouraged. Especially mine. Thank you to you who support us because you get to support them. Those women who daily work to survive. What a joy to know that we can be used in our daily sphere we call life and those people that come into our sphere. What a joy to serve the King! Love you all- Amy Louise

Christmas Malawi Style...

So this last week was fun. We were healthy to start off with. Really Nobody sick! Yippee! Thank you for your prayers. We started the week off quiet by Wednesday I was helping decorate our Gym for the Christmas College Banquet. We set up for 350 people. That is including the staff and students. It was such a lovely dinner. Music and fun hang out time. I got to greet at the door! Oh so much fun. All the college girls came all decked out. The next night Nya had her Christmas Program! 300 KIDS! And about 600 parents. It was a packed house! They sang and did a christmas skit. There were 31 countries represented there. So cute! Never did I think I would be apart of something like that. Then the next day Nya had her Christmas Parties and then we started our first official Christmas vacation. Nya was beside herself that she doesn't have to go to school for a whole month. Below we took off on Saturday to visit the lake. It was fun, warm water and great memories for the girls. They were in the water the entire time. Then it came another animal across our path. Someone had got it off the side of the road and they didn't know what to do with it. So of course we will take it. It is not that we don't have enough animals along with the tortoise, spider, chamelion, and dolly. We need another. A baby deer. it is called a bush buck and the malawians eat it. So now we are raising it until we can't anymore and we will take it to the sactuary refuge for wild animals. So below is Analise at the lake right before we left. My friend Bethany used her camera to get these shots.

Analise looking so old.

Putting the deer they (nya) are calling Faline (off of the Bambi Movie)

The animal lovers loving the New Addition

Here is Bob tackling the daily driving hazards of Malawi

Oh by the way we have a deer in our house! Actually Dolly gets along with the deer.

The tortise named GeorgeThe Spider named you are so scary. It is as big as your hand. And it crawls super fast.Papa feeding the baby! He is bonding there! Papa and the Baby!

So that all for now. We are adjusting better to Africa as we are healthy. The daily stories I wish I had time to tell. Like for example, I am potty training Analise and we were in the biggest grocery store that Lilongwe has and Analise had to go to toilet! Mommy was making sure she did too. During that trip we went about 4 times. Well to get to the potty we had to go past these guards. Everytime I went past them, I had to be throughly frisked and patted down and it was a serious pat down.(by a woman guard) Every thing was checked, I mean everything Seriously people, we are just going to the potty! It sure is not like I am stealing things and flushing them down the toilet. After the 3rd time I just looked at them, It is just the potty! Maybe they didn't know what I was doing I even tryed to explain potty training. Yeah right. I miss the good old days when you are rushing to the Bathroom in Target to make it to the "potty"and you can push your cart in there! No pat downs just strolling in there with all my stuff! Barely making around the corner with my cart full of stuff. Anyways just a small story. Love you lots and merry Christmas- Amy louise

WOW only 9 more days...

So we have been so busy! I wanted to let you that we are healthy and feel very loved by those care packages, prayers and emails and love- I will write more hopefully tonight. plus pictures of our new addition. We borrowed a friends camera...Just know I miss you all and loved talking with some of you! Love- amy louise

It's sad not to add new pictures...

I crave to do it. Just like the moments I find out that we don't have water, I am soo thirsty and want a shower. Even though 5 minutes before I was fine. I long to get pictures to you all. I think daily that would be a great picture or I should video the Christmas Concert here at ABC we had on Friday. I can't :( As far as we know our camera is still missing. So I will have to get a new camera as soon as I can. They are 3 times as much here so I will hopefully getting one from Amazon. And have a friend bring it.
But I did want share what we did have here at our house on Thanksgiving. Remember I was sick sick sick on that day and our internet was down. But At the Stauffy's Zoo (as we are know on campus) We had a real live turkey. Bob wanted to keep it forever with the conditions that it wasn't loud and didn't wake up Analise since it was right next to her window. Well- it wasn't loud but it pooped way too much. Bob had to clean that up too. So after day 3 he was sick of the poop. So he did not stay. But I did find out the female turkey call and made it and he puffed and looked beautiful and I took that picture. We have had a monitor lizard, every other lizard, a tortise, a chicken, every kind of spider and various bugs. I know that you are jealous. He wants a monkey next. If he has deal with the Poop (Big what we call it) That will be a passing fancy. Anyways just some fun notes for you... Love and miss you And 15 days till Christmas! Amy louise

Our paper snail mail we sent out...

Hey there for those that didn't get to read our update that we sent out over thanksgiving...
Dear friends and family,

Happy Thanksgiving…We will be celebrating Thanksgiving here in Africa for the first time, and with lots to be thankful for. We have been here in Malawi, Africa for almost 4 months. WOW! We are adjusting quickly to life here on campus and slowly to life here in Malawi. Fortunately time here in Africa comes in abundance…

What’s happening with us?
• Bob has been teaching Genesis, Ephesians and World Religions
classes at the college and a High School Bible Class at the academy
• Amy has been busy being a momma, helping at the clinic in the
x-ray department, and ministering to the women at the college
• Nya is in Kindergarten and has made many new friends. She
loves her teacher and really has started to read! Yippee!
• Analise has loved every minute of being here in Malawi. She loves being with Momma each day; going to local African villages; and playing with the locals without any fear. She relates well to everyone and everybody. She is even talking a little bit of
Chichewa.


What’s happening on campus?
• Students are finishing their first semester…just 3 weeks away.
• The building process for the pediatric ward has begun. This
ward will be built next to the main clinic in order to serve as a
hospital for the children in the local villages
• The students here on campus have been serving the
communities weekly through various outreaches, which have
proven to very impactful.


What are we thankful for?
• We have know we are right where God wants us to be.
• We have good friends already.
• We are making an impact for Africa – we have had many
students who have expressed much appreciation for the
teaching, servitude, and commitment God has given us.


What do we need prayer for?
• Health – Moving here to Malawi has taken a little toll on our immune systems.
• We currently need a car that can transport more than just our family. So often we have to turn down requests from students and staff who want to go to church with us or who want to go on outreaches into the villages, etc. We are looking to raise about $5000. This would help us buy an 8 passenger vehicle.
• That God would protect our family against harm and that we
would not allow Satan to have any way into our lives.
• Travel safety -as this country has a very high traffic fatality rate.

Support and Contact Information:
• Email us at: amystauffacher@yahoo.com or bobstauffacher@yahoo.com
• Follow our Blog with our Africa stories at: www.stauffacherfamily.blogspot.com
• Stateside address: Stauffacher Family
c/o Susie Pearson 5418 N. Jefferson Spokane, WA 99205

• Malawi Address: African Bible College
Attn: Stauffacher’s
P.O. Box 1028
Lilongwe, Malawi
S.E. Africa

• If you are supporting us monthly or have a one-time gift, please make the check payable to “African Bible College” with “Stauffacher’s” in the memo line, and include your address, phone number, email and if it is a monthly or one-time gift. The ABC will send you a receipt each month and they will include an envelope for the next month. The mailing address
for this is:
African Bible College
Attn: Stauffacher Family
P.O. Box 103
Clinton, MS 39060

• All checks written to ABC are tax deductible. Your donations are
so much appreciated.

With Love- Bob, Amy, Nya & Analise Stauffacher

Our 1st day of no sickness in a month...

Yippee! So what do we do to celebrate. Who knows! As for right analise is in her ballerina dance outfit and dancing to christmas music! I say right on let's dance. It is amazing to be healthy. I have heard from so many of you that you have dealt with sickness also. Sorry! We been really thankful for our campus. They have really rallied behind us, besides once in while asking what is up with that Stauffacher family. First the dog missing and found, then sick for a month. But really when you serving Christ is Satan going to try and take you down. He has been busy trying but he doesn't know he has already lost. We are more than conquerers in Christ and really we have life eternal. So what ever he tries we have that hope! Anyways- that my story as of now. We still are missing our camera so sorry no pictures or movies. I will have to buy a new one but I won't get it until after January 15th so please know I would love to post pictures... Lots of love- Amy Louise

You would have loved being at my house last night...

So last night we had 6 freshman students in our house for dinner last night. It was a meeting to plan the upcoming trip 5 hours away in one of the Students village. They are planning to show the Jesus film and do evangelism and discipleship there with one of the local churches. It was so refreshing to hear their hearts and how excited they are to go and share and make a difference in their hometown. Blessings ( the freshman who had this on his heart to do it) recruited 6 students to go with Bob (Bob is his Genesis teacher here) in March to do this about 5 hours north of here. There are 3 girls and 4 guys and Bob. Their excitement to clearly share the gospel and impact these people's lives was refreshing and so neat to hear their heart as they want more for these people that live in this village that I don't remember the name of. So Blessings, Gordon, Joseph, don't know the other guys name, Fannie, Wanuga, and Funa will go with Bob to Blessings hometown which is a rural village and share the hope that has transformed their lives. So the bigger car comes in handy for this. I wish i had my camera so I could of given you a picture of it. But they are fun, teasy, passionate kids that range from 19-24 going on this trip. They are what this campus embodies. Teaching Africans to reach Africans. They do it best. And We meaning Bob- gets to be apart of it for real. Me I stay home and pray for them! Of course I want to go! But where would we sit! :) On the top! Anyways just a snipet of our nights here in Malawi.

So Analise is feeling better, no more fever just crankies! Maybe 2 year old crankies or maybe tired of being sick crankies. Who knows she can't tell me even though I ask. But sadly Nya got a fever last night and it is throat infection that is going around campus. So I officially say that are in the moving to a new country sickies. We are really done being sick! But we have to continue to press on! So I am doing better, Analise better but cranky, Nya on antibiotics and Bob is doing pretty good. We love you all and miss home a lot these days. Applebees anyone! I would love to go to have my Oriental chicken salad! I miss it. Sure I would love to go shopping at Target! Just for nothing and walk out with 5 bags of nothing...I miss it. Anyways blah blah blah! Love - amy louise

I am back...

So thank you for your love and prayers. On day 10 I was up and by day 11 I was moving and doing things. Wow What a difference to be healthy. I am so glad to be back to normal whatever normal is. Analise is the one who is sick again. What more sickness you maybe thinking so did I. She has had a fever for the last 2 days. It could be random like 2 year old molars coming in late or it could be another virus. Could I ask that we continue the prayer! I really have deep faith that God hears our prayers and it really has blessed me to see how many people are with us on this journey. Thank you to all of you and you know who you are who email us and continue to pray and support us! We feel loved and cherish and WOW Loved! Nya is doing well- She has an empty left leg as my mother would say. She is loving finding foods that taste like America foods. She is picky like her momma! She has found some yougurt that is from South Africa actually it is Dannon they have it in the stores here pretty cheap. She loves that. And I found some good orange juice that she loves. She took one sip and said did you bring this from America. I said no it is from Here WOW she said I love it. Good. Baby steps to loving american tasting food in africa. A family brought homemade cinnimon rolls here to us today and she said it tasted like america. Well - that what her life revolves around. "Do you taste like america?" We love you all and wish we could share more with you like pictures but my camera is missing at the moment. So a small prayer that I find that too. You want pictures right and videos right. So thanks and will update soon- love amy louise

Sickness...

So I have been in my bed or couch or parallel to the ground for the last 10 days. It amazing to be up now to type a blog. I really can't tell you if it is was a virus or a bacteria infection. Two doctors have two different opinions, All I know is I have been in Yuckville for way too long. But I ready for a new city. Somedays literally somedays not. I kinda have hit the 4 month mark of missionary life that is where I miss home and I am ready to end this adventure. I am ready to come back to where I know and understand. It is a wierd place to be at. You really aren't hating where you are at but you don't understand this deep craving that happens when you think of home. It is so deep you can't explain it to even your spouse. So at the end of 4 months I have learned so much and I am ready to come back to where I know. But that is not apart of the deal. You just can't stop and do what I want to do. I would miss out and what God has in store. :) Really I know we are here for at least 2 years untill we come back so I will just have to be deal with it. I am glad that God know better than me. I appreciate His Plans.
While I have been sick I appreciated the Malawian Culture so much more. Maybe it is even African, They come and visit no matter how sick you are. You could be contagious and they don't care. They have to come and say hello and pray for you. They even do dishes or do something that makes life a little easier for the sick person. THey all ask the same question, is it something you ate, or have you taken your medication. Something I appreciate they connect with you when you are at your worst. Us Americans, We wait to see if contagious and we might drop by a meal outside the door and run. We love each via phone or non contact, going to the store for you. The Malawians they come in your yucky messy house and love and touch and pray and make you feel valued. I really want to be more Malawian when people are sick, Isn't that what life is about. Loving each other and making a difference in each others lives... I am as guilty as the next American but I want to learn and be bigger. My american friends and non american non malawian friends have really been there for me too, though I must say. The love, prayers, babysitting, dinners and support that they have offered have been priceless. I will write more when I am not soooo sick. Well- that's all for now - amy louise

Analise Singing Cinderella Song to Dolly Video

The Cranky Birthday Gift Video

Children imitate life...

So the other day I came outside to see what the girls were doing and they were walking around with bowls (baskets they say) on their heads. What they were doing was imitating what they see around them I don't even remember if we ever talked about why the cute mommas carry things on their head with Nya and of course Analise is going to do it because she watches her older sister. It is amazing how they copy their surroundings without us even talking about it. So it made me think about all that she sees and the impact it has on her. If this little thing she saw made her do this what a huge impact we make in her in our actions. What a change in perspective it gave me. My words have huge impact but boy my actions carry more than I thought. I really can speak volumes without talking at all. I already knew it but then I saw it acted out and NOW I really know it. That is all for now-Amy Louise

On the mend and Bob's Birthday..

WOW Prayer works... Thank you so very much! Seriously it was a long 5 days of up chucking not fun. But a treat was that both Bob and I did not catch the bug...


Here are the girls and Bob eating lunch yesterday for the first time in 3 days...




Here is Bob's Birthday present a chameleon



Nya going back to school and wanting to walk and push the stroller...


Here is the road to school about .03 of mile to school from where we are at.

So thank you for you prayers and love what a treasure to have intercessor for friends. We love you all and will keep you all updated in our little life. Keep connecting with me in your stories too. Lots of love- Amy Louise

thank you for all your emails and prayers...

Here they are this morning watching the Wiggles for the 3rd time to pass the time...



Nya woke up this morning with a little twinkle in her eye. The first since last thursday. She said she felt better and got up to make a card for her dad since it is his birthday and ate some cereal. She lasted up for about an hour and is now laying down again but no throw up yet. Analise is doing still the same so we wait and see I am really asking God to intercede that they don't get dehydrated. But they seem to do okay so far. Thank you for praying. We have our friends that have a 2 week old named Kate who has a fever and had since Wednesday. Please pray that God will heal her and all the sickness will go from this campus and her family has been sick for the last 9 days... I will keep you all updated. thank you again for all those email I got. Such love and support! Soooo Wonderful to feel it all the way over here.
Love you- Amy Louise

Prayer please...

We have been sick. Nya has been the worst. It is a flu bug that has hit the campus hard. There are 13 people sick here on campus with the fevers, vomiting and cha cha chas. It has hit us too. Nya has been sick since Saturday morning throwing up and fever. She has not stopped throwing up. Even tonight she is still sick. Analise got it Saturday night and still is throwing up. We have a doctor who is taking very good care of us that lives 2 doors down, but even his whole family is sick. So please intercede for us that the girls will get healthy. And that the other 13 people on campus will get better. Four families out of 14 families are down with it. Thank you and I will keep you updated...
Amy Louise

Outreach at Girls High School

Thought I would give you a snipet of my outreach. This is what I do on Wednesday afternoons. I take 3 students from ABC and bring them to this secondary (high school) for girls. Mind you this is the highest class of schooling there is in this city okay. Look around on the chalkboard and about all the chairs are broken and so aer the desks. The windows are broken and this is the top of the top. Anyways I bring these students to teach a bible study to these girls that live there at this school. It is a non christian school and so they face all the same struggles as kids in american public schools. They need encouragement, love and support and that is what we get to offer them. They come from various backgrounds and come together on a common ground as christians. It is a boarding school and they speak okay english. They are able to meet in clubs and this is one of the clubs. Our club is a bible study. We sing some worship songs and study one the books of the bible. It is refreshing to be with 14 year olds that are serving Jesus with everything that they got and that is not much.

The other azungu (actually it means foriegner or what they say for white person is Pam) Pam is from Ireland and been leading the bible study for the last 5 years. She was in a bad car accident this summer and just returned from recovery this last month. I kinda took over as leader for her as she recovered. I will continue to meet with the girls next year also. So fun for me. The other girl in the pink shirt is a college student named Christina. She is so much fun and has a great laugh and voice.
Well just a snipet. Love- Amy Louise

Life always throws a curve ball...

It is just what you do with that pitch. Make a home run or strike out. I don't know baseball. I thought it would be fun to pretend. So I was so ready to give up on dolly. She was gone for 4 days. Dead probably. Someone else loving her. Probably. Never knowing where she would be. probably. We grieved ( Nya and I Mostly) Saturday was about looking for her everywhere on Campus. We had about 100 people looking. There was no way to get out but she did. By Saturday night it was pouring rain and life was pouring rain too. Sadness is an understatement. But then when we were driving home from dinner. ( I had canceled cooking anything) We came upon a man on the side of the road that had been hit by a car. We turned around and too find him alive. We stayed there until other people came. We called the ABC doctor and took him to the city hospital. So many people drove by and did not stop. When we stopped we were the first ones to stop. Then about 4 other people stopped. They were all Christians and we prayed for him. The girls were really worried about him but we prayed and it was good opportunity to show them to love others and help even when we are scared too. because it is the right thing to do love your neighbor. So by the end of the evening we were toast. I woke up the next day to find out that a good friend of ours lots their son to Malaria( a different kind of Malaria that happens when you don't take the medicine that we are taking!) Most Malawians can't afford anitmalaria medicine. He was a year and seven months. Okay Lord That is too much. First Dolly, then the man on the side of the road and then a baby. But I really felt like God was saying do you trust me even when things don't make sense. The same place I had to be when we lost Will. Do you continue to serve a God that always does not make sense. I choose too and will continue too. He is all I have to lean on. HE is my rock. So to continue on with the story of course I felt silly to pray that Dolly comes home. A friend just lost their child Who I am to want a pet. But the loss of Dolly was really connected to the Loss of our son Will because his Birthday is Tomorrow the 7th of November. So It was all connected. I really believed that God could bring Dolly home but wasn't sure if it was in His plan. In my plans yes His I had to trust Him. Well- to say the least we got a message that some 7 men had found Dolly in the fields. They thought she was a baboon but they had heard on the radio or by posters that there was a lost missionary dog from ABC. So they chased here to ABC which was about 5 miles. She ran as fast as she could. She ran and they ran. They brought to the gate and she took off and Bob was there and saw dolly and she was home. you know it was like why do I get my dog and my friend loses his child. But He says Do you still trust me. Yes but I still got my opinions :)But I will still choose to trust. So here she is home right where she belongs sleeping with her friend...

We are going to go bring dinner to our friend Patrick and wife Dorothy and visit with him and his family tonight(We are bringing rolls and a live Chicken). Please pray that God will transform this heartache to peace and that they would be more like Him through this hard time.

Love you all and thank you so much for all your prayers for Dolly and us! We felt it!
Love- Amy louise for the family

Sad loss....

So on Friday night there were some fireworks set off by some friends and it was in the front of our house. Our dog Dolly that we brought from San Diego somehow got out and ran away as fast as she could. She ran until she was lost. She has not been seen for 2 days now. The campus that we live on is supposabley secure but really not as we thought. Somehow she got out of the campus and ran away to somewhere! We have searched the entire campus and there is no sign of her. We are devastated. Nya especially. She cried herself to sleep last night. So keep her in your prayers as she adjusts to life without Dolly. I will update more later. Love- Amy louise