My Trip to Tanzania...

The group heading out at 4am... Shonduri, Grace, Joseph, Mercy, Bob, Lewis, Josh, and Blessings

My Tanzanian Experience.....
Over Easter break I had the opportunity to take six of my ABC students and Josh Ketchum on a two week mission’s trip to Tanzania. Most of these students have never even left their own country let alone their own village or city. So, this was an amazing opportunity for them. This would be like travelling to Europe for most of us Americans. Before leaving, these students had to apply for a passport, which only a few people in Malawi can actually get. When they got their passports, they could not believe it....you would have thought they had just received $10,000.00.
So driving to Tanzania took forever.

On the way overlooking Lake Malawi

Just driving through we saw giraffes, water buffalo, zebras, and antelopes.. Our own personal safari... God's amazing kingdom!

We travelled by car 15 hours the first day and 15 hours the second day. Two thousand kilometres later we arrived in Arusha, Tanzania. The students were in culture shock. They had never been in a place where people spoke a different language and where everything was totally different. To them their world was being blown apart. What was interesting is that Josh and I were not really affected by all these differences. It was normal for us to not know the language or the culture. For Americans, there is little difference between the village in Malawi and the village in Tanzania.....village is village to us. It was not like we were going from 1st world to 3rd world or vice versa, but we were going from 3rd world to 3rd world. For the students though, it was like two different worlds. They were looking out the windows like they were on a safari.
We spent eight days in Arusha working together with the Maranatha Christian Center. Pastor Eric Mukwenda is the pastor of this church and is also a very good friend of mine. I have known Pastor Erik for 12 years now. Pastor Eric kept us very busy with construction projects, outreaches, preaching, teaching, evangelism, etc. I was so proud of my students because the only way they could talk with the Tanzanians was through English. When they were teaching or preaching, they had to do it in English while someone else translated it into Swahili. They did great! What was interesting is that these students picked up the Swahili language so quick. I have been to Tanzania five times now and I have learned a lot of Swahili, yet in just eight days, these students knew twice as much. This amazed me at how fast they can learn languages. Most Africans know at least three to five languages, so their brains are accustomed to learning languages, while most of us Americans only know one language. It is very difficult for me to learn much of anything in eight days, let alone a language.

Grace teaching the students at Maranatha Christian School

The team performing for the church

After we said our “goodbyes” to the pastor and to the rest of our Tanzanian friends, we got back into the car and headed for “home”. It was interesting because I was actually looking forward to getting back to Malawi. Malawi had become a second home to me. It was now familiar, comfortable. So, we finally got to the border of Malawi, cleared customs and then drove through the gate. The students let out a loud cheer and were singing and clapping. They were experiencing the sweetness of coming home after being in a foreign land for 8 days. The familiarity and the comfort overwhelmed them. The students were on cloud nine. Although I was excited to be in Malawi after our 8 days in Tanzania, I knew I would be even more excited to come home to America, after being in Africa for several years. The students got to feel in Tanzania a little bit what Americans feel all the time in Africa.
Looking back on our journey, I can see that God did a mighty work in the lives of my students. God used them in powerful ways and we saw his faithfulness in everything we did. God protected us on our journey and brought us safely home. It was a privilege for me to be a part of such a great team. I am so blessed because I am much closer to these Malawian students as a result of this trip,
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this....
Bob

THE EDITED VERSION.... :)

About 25 people came to ABC this last week to visit one of our friends that is here from California. They were here to go on outreaches and to do other short term stuff. There were a couple of comments they had said which I have thought a lot about. One of those comments was "I thought we were going to stay in villages the entire time we were here". My friend had them staying in the ABC Campus Guest Huts for4 days and then staying in the "village" for 3 days.

So after they went to the village the comment that was made was "Oh.... so that is why we didn't stay in the village the entire time! We wouldn't of made it through the entire week." "It was really hard to stay even one night" The "villages" in Africa are really amazing places to visit, yet at the same time they truly show us what we are really made of. It is emotionally and physically exhausting when you come from the 1st world and are plunked right down into the 3rd world. Being people who have grown up in the 1st world, you can't really take that out yourself. That is our culture - 1st world. It is really ingrained in us. The way we live and the things we are surrounded by. Those comments that were made, made me really think.

One thing that is funny to me is that in all of Africa, only village life is all that is shown to the rest of the world. Urban African is never shown. Cities are never shown - A normalish grocery store - never shown. (When Madonna comes to visit here in Lilongwe, she stays at a really nice lodge that some really nice people from South Africa built. - Ok side note... Bob and I went out there (were Madonna stays) for a 2 day get away. it is about 45 min from town and there is a horse farm next to it and a huge area to hike and bike around. Super nice place to stay. They had wonderful food and they had a huge flat screen TV in the lounge and we watched Animal Planet and a movie.... Cozy beds and amazing bath tubs and showers. Anyways- the only problem I had was that they played the greatest hits of Madonna at the restaurant the entire time. Ok back to my original thought) But when Madonna comes, the paparazzi only shows her out in the villages. They don't show anything else but the village. So the perception of Africa to the outside world (and I am so guilty in doing this), is that the entire continent of Africa is one huge village. It isn't. There needs to be an expose' done on "Urban Africa". But who wants to see that. The rest of the 1st world wants to see the village and rustic settings of Africa, so that is what is seen. I thought when I would be moving to Africa I would be living with my cow for milk and trying to wash my clothes by hand. Ahhh I have about 6 different places I shop at and I have an amazing washing machine. Of course we do have other aspects of life that are more complicated than what we are used to. But we don't live in the village. We live with about 150 college students and about 75 Americans and 40 other Malawians on this 50 Acre campus. We are a village but an urban village. I teach the senior college girls and I think they are more urban than me. Many of them grew up with TV in their room. I think that is more urban than me. They have travelled to the UK and many other western countries in the world. The media, even National Geographic, shows only the village, and fyi - Africa is more than just a village! Anyways- just some thoughts.

Along with that comment from that team came another. They got out of the bus that brought them from the airport here to ABC and were saying "We can't take pictures of ABC because it is too nice" Ok this was made about the housing that was provided by ABC for short term teams ( the guest huts).

What are we thinking that we can't show the rest of the world that something is actually nice in Africa. Are we supposed to suffer on mission trips. When we show people the pictures of the missions trip and how we "roughed it", does that make it a better mission trip that you had to sleep on the ground? I think it would make you more crabby! Why do we have to suffer to make it sound like "you did it". You survived. Go on Survivor to suffer and survive! A missionary as God calls us - a real Missionary... is not someone who is suffering and showing the world we are able to handle survivor.... but it is to share the gospel by going out unto the world and sharing how Christ changed your life from the inside out. We have this mentality that you have to go and suffer to be a real missionary. Maybe going out just means going out your front door. I may be called a "missionary" yet at the same time have a bad attitude and a fake walk with Christ. I will not accomplish what He has called me to do. First I have to love God , and then love His people. It is so simple. Many days I should just stay inside my house and not come out until it's not about me anymore, but about what He is doing. Yep. I still am not perfect. :)
Just some side notes on life. There are some days that I really think about Africa and how amazing it is and yet it is so different from what I had originally thought, and many times it is exactly what I thought. Other days I am so ready to have my comforts and run home to my mama! I have learned so much of the African culture and at the same time I know nothing. So, this journey that I am on is ever changing. I wake up loving it all and then I go to sleep dreaming of home and familiarity. One day this seems like home and within that one day I feel like a total stranger. It is one thing to visit for a few weeks and then go back home, but to stay for a few years, that is where you see what you are made of. ( I personally am not impressed with myself most days. For some reason I thought I was tougher and not so crazy! ). I love the story that God is developing in my life and somedays I just want to stay in bed.... Oh well- Thanks for reading my thoughts on life.... Amy Louise

The comments of a visiting team....

About 25 people came this last week to visit one of our friends here from California. They were here to do outreach and short term stuff. A couple of comments that they said, I have thought about allot. One of the comments began was - "I thought we were staying in the village the entire time we are here" My friend had them staying in the ABC Campus Guest Huts and then after 4 days being here they were going to stay in the "village" for 3 days and 2 nights.

A typical village house

So after they went to the village the comment that was made was "OH so that is why we didn't stay in the village the entire time! We wouldn't of made it through the entire week." "It was really hard to stay even one night" Really it is amazing this thing called the "village" and at the same time you see how much you are made of. It is emotionally and physically exhausting when you come from the 1st world and are plunked right down into the 3rd world. As people that have grown up in the 1st world, you can't really take that out yourself. That is our culture - 1st world. It is really ingrained in us. The way we live and the things we are surrounded by. But what that comment has made me think is that It is funny to me that of all of Africa- village life is all that is shown to the rest of the world. Urban African is never shown. Cities never shown - A normalish grocery store - never shown. (When Madonna comes to visit here Lilongwe. She stays at a really nice lodge that some real nice people from South Africa built. - Ok side note... Bob and I went out there (were Madonna stays) for a 2 day get away. it is about 45 min from town and there is a horse farm next to it and a huge area to hike and bike around. Super nice place to stay. They had wonderful food and they had a huge flat screen TV in the lounge and we watched Animal Planet and a movie.... Cozy beds and amazing bath tubs and showers. Anyways- the only problem I had was that they played the greatest hits of Madonna at the restaurant the entire time. Ok back to my original thought) But when Madonna comes The paparazzi only shows her out in the village. They don't show anything else but the village. So the perception and I am was so guilty that this Continent is entirely a huge village. It isn't. There needs to be an expose done on Urban Africa. But who wants to see that. The rest of the 1st world are the ones who want to see the village so that is what is seen. I thought when I would be moving to Africa - I would be living with my cow for milk and trying to wash my clothes by hand. Ahhh I have about 6 different places I shop at and I have an amazing washing machine. Of course we do have other aspects of life that are more complicated then we are used to but really to. But we don't live in the village. We live with about 150 college students and about 75 Americans and 40 other Malawians on this 50 Acre campus. We are a village but an urban village. I teach the senior college girls and I think they are more urban than me. Many of the them grew up with TV in their room. I think that is more urban than me. They have travelled to the UK and many other western areas in the world and they get it. The media even National Geographic shows the village and fyi - Africa is more than just a village! Anyways- I just have thought about that comment alot.

Along with that comment came another. They got out of the bus that brought here to ABC from the airport and immediatlelty were saying" We can't take pictures of where we are now because it is too nice" Ok this was made about the housing that was provided by ABC for short term teams ( the guest huts)

ABC Campus Guest Huts

What are we thinking that we can't show the rest of the world that something is Nice in Africa. Are you supposed to suffer on mission trips. When we show people the pictures of the missions trip and how we "roughed it"! Does that make it a better mission trip that you had to sleep on the ground? I think it would make you more crabby! Why do you have to suffer to make it sound that you did it. You survived. Go on Survivor to suffer and survive! A missionary as God calls us - A Real Missionary: is not someone who is suffering and showing the world we are able to handle survivor.... but it is to share the gospel by going out unto the world and sharing how Christ changed your life from the inside out. We have this mentality that you have to go and suffer to be a real missionary. Maybe going out just means going out your front door. I maybe called a "missionary" over here and have a bad attitude and really have a fake walk with Christ. I will not accomplish what He has called me to do. First love God , and then love His people. Simple and yet so many days I should just stay inside my house and not come out until it's not about me but about what He is doing. Yep. I still am not perfect. :)

Just some side notes on life. Some days- I really think that Africa is amazing and so different of what I had thought and many times it is what I thought. Other days I am so ready to have comforts and run home to my mama! I have learned so much African culture and at the same time I know nothing. So this journey that I am on it is ever changing. I wake up loving it all and then I can go to sleep dreaming of home and familiarity. Then I realize one day that this is home and within that one day I feel like a stranger. It is one thing to visit and then go back to home , but to stay. That is where you see what you are made of. ( I personally am not impressed with myself most days. For some reason I thought I was tougher and not so crazy! ) I love the story that God is developing and somedays I just want to stay in bed.... Oh well- Thanks for reading my thoughts on life.... Amy Louise

Easter- What a full day...

Just wanted to connect and let you know that we are doing great. Bob is having a wonderful time in Tanzania. The team has done amazing. Thank you for your prayers. I only get tidbits when he phones for a few minutes.

We had a good Easter. We went to church and feed the team that sets up for church and then after we ( the girls and i ) had about 13 people over for an Easter dinner. We played games and laughed alot. It was great.

Definelty am missing family during this time. We can't believe that it will be 2 years in July since we were able to see family last. That is a long long time. Thank you for loving us as we are so far away! Wish each and everyone of you as you journey on. Please remember we love you and cherish you! Lots of love- amy louise

Things aren't as easy as they should be...

This has been the longest journey yet. You know how you love the DMV! Well just know that the DMV here is even more amazing. That is all in a sacartastic voice! :) Last year when we tried to get our Malawi Driver's License and were denied because we only had a reciept of our visa ( we hadn't been given our real visa until this last December) The Man - told us " I don't know if you will get your visa because this piece of paper is only a receipt." Ok. So what are we supposed to do about driving and being pulled over. ( Pulled over here is not the same in the US.) Pulled over means a man standing in the middle of the road waving at you to make you stop and check our your records. So we had his boss make us a piece of official paper that says we can drive here in Malawi. So we had to get Bob's his license here becasue since he was traveling it would make sense not to deal with any problems. The journey began at 7am. We got there and waited 2 hours. Here is analise taking pictures...

Waiting...

Still waiting...

By 2:30pm we had come and gone back and finished the process. We had it done...

Then the Man who I didn't take a picture of because I know he would of been cranky... Had to clear it... With....

Money... It is what makes the world work....

Waiting... To .... Pay.....

Still Waiting......

Ah the Temporary until the real thing comes in 2 weeks. Bob ended up getting his faster with a little Malawian help.... So You think things in America can get on your nerves. Just come to a place where the system doesn't work right and see how it all goes for you...

So the latest on bob and the team. they got there with no problems and are doing great. They are helping build as school and in the afternoon working with the church there. Us girlies are doing good. No problems. AHHH....

Lots of love- amy louise

Happy Birthday Nya…

Our baby turned 7 this last week. Hard to believe that she is that old. We had a little bit of a party for her. So here are some snapshots. We did a slip and slide party/ relay races/ movie night/bbq (braii)/ have fun night with her....

We rented a blow up slip and slide...that a daddy went on and broke so I had to make up games - relay races for about an hour/ and daddies Braii (south african term for bbq) and then Kung Ku Panda was shown on our wall and cake was given and presents were opened. Just a normal birthday party for her.

So here are some of the kids( and adults) watching Kung Fu Panda
Daddies bbq with a mom in the mix of it all

Opening presents with friends...

So this is what is happening this week for us.

1. Busy teaching – like usual
   
2. Bob leaves with 7 others to Tanazania. So really would appreciate prayers for the team, the traveling, dealing with border issues, and also as they work with our friends up in Arusha, Tanzania
   

3. We 3 girls will be alone for at least 12 days, Safety and protection.

4.There has been many many break -ins on this campus for the last month. It has emotionally worn all of us out. As Bob in Head of Security he has really had to deal with alot.

Well- chat with you again - amy louise

For those who didn't get it here is an email update that I sent out just recently...

Last month at this time, we were in South Africa. But thankfully we were able to come home a week later with a healthy little girl. Since then she has been amazingly healthy. She has been back to school and loving her friends. We are so thankful to have her healthy. She turns 7 this next week March 24 and she is growing up. My baby is not the baby anymore.

We have been back to "normal" life here. Bob has been teaching his classes and weekly going out to the local village to do train people deeper in God's word. Spring break for the college is coming and in 2 weeks he will be taking 6 students and Josh Ketchum (who is from San Diego working here at African Bible college as a operations manager) to Tanzania to work with our friend Pastor Eric Mukwenda in Arusha for 10 days. He will be taking Blessings, Joseph, Lewis, Grace, Mercy and Shonduri. They will be traveling by car. They will be doing outreach as missionaries. They will experience cultural shock as they will not understand the language and have to taste new foods. I am so excited to hear the stories. It will be amazing for them to interact in a brand new culture. A team from San Diego will be meeting them and working with them as they serve in Tanzania

As for Analise she has gotten her first haircut and really is growing up. She still is at home with me. She is loving that she can be with mama but really craves to go to school. Next year she will be at the academy full time at the preschool class.

Well- what is happening with me (Amy). I have been busy with this and that. I love teaching my bible study at the college. We are working on growing deeper and being open and honest about Christ and life. I am also helping with many of the college happenings. Also I am still helping out at the clinic with xray. I have been helping Bob at the High School talking to those girls about sex issues, what it is to have a relationship with Christ and fight for their futre. I also am working on being a better mama and better wife. It is a journey!

We have some prayer requests...
- For safety as Bob and the team travels to Tanzania, Us girls will stay in Lilongwe while they are there.

- We would remain healthy. That last sickness was too much. We don't cold here and there but we really don't like the flu. :)

- We were hoping to come home this summer for a few months to visit family and friends, but have been turned around financially due to Nya's hospital visit in South Africa and because of a few other financial strains. Tickets to go home will be around $9000. At this point, we will have to wait another year, already having been here two years. Please pray for the Lords provision.


Thank you for loving us and praying for us. Love the Stauffachers - Bob, Amy , Nya Beans and Analisey.

The life on the Stauffy farm...

Well 2 new additions have made it here to the campus farm. Above are the 2 baby pigs that have been added ( bob and josh added). Along with the deer and the dog (now 2 piglets) that we have and neighbors have 3 turkeys, 3 bunnies, 10 chickens and about 5 dogs on campus. we are actually growing these pigs to have some baby back ribs. Sorry those who are animal lovers.

Here is a picture of Kim and I. That is Jordan's mom from Zimbabwe. She is a science teacher at the academy and a truly lovely friend. She helped us tremendously when Nya was sick and she barely even knew us. I love people like that. Just like family after a week of knowing them. I have been fortunate to have many people in my life over the years like that. ( you know who you are!) Anyways here is a couple pictures of life here...

Nya, Jordan, and Analise and the dogs and Dainty Toes our bush buck deer!

Pork Chop and baby back ribs! That is what we see when we see them. They are truly pigs!

Nya and Dainty Toes! She loves our girls and runs from any person that is big.

My beautiful girlie Miss Analisey! She is so delicious!

Here is picture of Bob preparing with his weekly village outreach team! They are such an amazing group of people that want to transform Africa person by person! The man that has crutches had polio when he was little.

Such a sweet girl that stopped by! Her name is Funa! My girls love her! Funa is good friend and is so refreshing!

Here is my pink girl! Tina! She has been in many of my pictures! Her and Funa come over very regularly! One day I just have a day in the life of pictures So you can see who all comes over! lots of love- amy louise

Life in the rainy season...greenery and allergies

Here is the front gate from our driveway at the ABC Campus...

The rainy season is about to end. It has been an amazing rainy season. This is picture above is our house on campus... See how green that plant life is...

After this being my second rainy season, I love Africa rain even more. Something amazing about it. It gives life - it really does to plants and people. There is no real irrigation system here so it really gives life and feeds the people. Unfortunately is not going to be a good year for food. The Malawians plant maize ( corn) here and that is there staple of food - they eat it with every meal. It is called nsima. (look we even like it. we meaning Bob, nya, and analise! Me still trying to) They plant and fertilize their crops but the problem is the fertilizer went up double the price so many many could not afford to fertilize their crops. So the food that plant to eat all year will only last 1/2 the year or less. Below is a picture that I borrowed from a friend here on campus... http://robbinsabroad.blogspot.com/ She captures life here so great!

This is a picture is of some cute mamas with healthy maize but bad maize is yellow and half the size. It usually doesn't produce a corn husk. Sad no food for cute families. This broken world. makes me a bit upset. But It is not heaven yet until then Life is not easy! But we do have the hope of heaven and that really I know from the bottom of my being that He uses all things for good in our lives when we give them to Him. Beauty from Ashes. Seriously - i have stories in my life that only God of the entire universe could use for good.

Hmm.... Moving on to the next story.... Really this is light conversation and a big change in topics . You see this beautiful tree... They are everywhere on campus and town. They are gorgeous. Just another tree that flowers... Well this one gives me allergies. Lovely. never had allergies until last year. It is a pollinating tree. But boy it beautiful. So beautiful but yet such a headache - really!

Well - that all for now! just snippets of life in the land called Africa. The land I now call home. (Home away home) I am finding myself loving this land even more than before with this rawness of life and allergies. lots of love- amy louise

What a journey...

The blog has been silent due to a whirlwind nightmare that began about 2 weeks ago... Feb 19th. Nya began with getting sick with a fever and throwing up. She began to dehydrate quickly. She was put here at ABC Clinic and put on a drip for malaria and antibiotics. It wasn't confirmed that she had malaria. But it was best to treat her if we could. The 2 doctors that were on Campus came and checked on her regularly. She continued to have kidney issues. It seemed to get better and then at 4 am on Thursday we had more throwing up and fever. So we decided in her condition that was not good she really needed to Medically Evacuated to South Africa. We were able to get same day tickets and were sent down south. It is about a 2 1/2 hour plane flight. She continued to throw up on the way down. We arrived in the Johannesburg airport , rented a car and drove to the Hospital and she was admitted that night. She was severely dehydrated and we were put in the pediatric ward for 7 days. She finally got better by the 6th day after been tested negative for everything under the sun and was released. Seriously due to major prayer warriors we have a healthy bouncing 6 almost 7 year old. They never found anything wrong. It is a mystery. So we are just thankful to be this side of it. That was a nightmare, but God was gracious to carry us through and we are so thankful to be back in Malawi living the simple life. The students at the college have come by continually so excited to have us back. We learned that we are apart of a big big family here and in the states. Nya was sad to leave South Africa because all she experienced was the hospital while Analise and I "had fun" ! But she came back here and was so excited to come and see her friends at school. We waited until the end of the day to go say hi. Below is the reception that she had... Truly loved and missed..... Here is a typical African tea party. Jordan Hulley , Analisey and Nya yesterday were loving life as I served tea to them. This is Nya's new buddy. They are are in the same class as you can see in the group shot... She was born in Zimbabwe, but her parents were kicked off their farm at gunpoint when this whole crisis with Mugabe began and they moved to Zambia. Due to lack of work, they have moved here to Malawi. These girls are 2 peas in a pod. It is so sweet to see them play all so great (even with a little Sister who ruins things)

So our the life marches on. We are back to being busy with students and teaching and pouring out our little lives here. We are so thankful for all your love and support as we had this going on. We really felt like God's arms were carrying us through. Please continue to pray for strength as we continue on. thank you again and so sorry it has been so long since I posted. I will definetly do more as we are back in malawi! love - amy louise

just in busyland...

Hi! We are just in life right now full on schedule of teaching and connecting. We have had such a busy last year we decided to just have a quiet month. Well- at least in the evenings. Nya has needed some one and one time with us to hang with just family and also get some quality in practicing reading. So here are some couple snaps of life... Below is some of the junior college students hanging out before class.

Nya holding a hedgehog that she caught. Bad picture of her but she wanted to show it.

Some of my ladies in my bible study that I teach. We are working through some videos and discussing them. So good to be stretched.

Here is Bob's high school Bible class. Students are studying Case for Faith and they say they are loving it. These students are from America, Canada, Taiwan, Egypt, Portugal, Zimbabwe, Germany, south Korea. It was valentines day at the school then! Hence the rose in one of the boy's mouth.

So i want to look at my friends blog if you have chance. She always is thinking the same way I do about life here. She is great at pictures and capturing life here in Malawi.

http://robbinsabroad.blogspot.com

She captured some of the main pictures that I wanted to get for you about the harvest of maize here. And the greenery of the rain.

Well- enjoy the blog and will update again. Amy Louise

Living a little bit of life with a whole lot of perspective...

At least 4 times a day I think of something that I should write about. The way life is here in daily life in Africa, how we are all the same but just a bit different, why does the world not just do everything the same, why Target is only in America and things of those nature. I think oh that would be great to write about and then about 15 minutes later I forget.

But one thing that keeps on coming back that I should write about is living in perspective. Right now I live in the perspective of hopefully coming back to visit San Diego and Spokane and all the in between places in about 4 months. Seriously after almost 2 years - Home has become a huge fantasy. I can just feel home in my brain, I can smell, I can taste it - oh need it and I so miss it. We need come home and see family and friends. Also for Nya and Analise to see grandparents and cousins and aunt and uncles and feel connected to our friends too.

But as I live here daily with those Home sensors always on... I can handle the no electricity, the leaking roof due to too much rain, being exposed to so much poverty that I can't help it all... and I can handle the small things that add up when you are not in your home country with the perspective that Home is close. When things are different than you are used to and you have to live everyday life in it you find yourself questioning everything? Why does blah, why does blah... It doesn't help you but you get a little bit more aggravated about it and you think you have the better way of handling it. But with the perspective that I am going home in a few months, I find myself going why ask why?... it is amazing with that perspective that i have patience for things that I didn't have earlier. With my eyes on the goal, (America) I can put up with the things that exhaust a foreigner. But i find myself living in the future than just rooting in and digging in the right here right now! I remind myself - right here - right now!

But funny when I think about this - it is deeper than just me. It is about me - looking forward to home- but really it should be me looking forward to Heaven my real home. It really is the same thing. My eyes are on the prize (Paul wrote about that in the bible) with Heaven being the prize.

It is different when an immigrant comes to a new land to make it home- really there is no looking back, there is just the promise of a new thing, a home that will be in home in that foreign land. But for me I always have the promise of the coming back to my home land as a missionary when I live in a foreign land, it is just the when am I coming back.

With that I need to be living with that same way - whose hope is in Heaven. And as a person who lives in the Shadow of eternity - the little things shouldn't bother me, shouldn't add up and wear on me. They do of course ( I haven't arrived at perfection) , but I still need to live in the here and now but with perspective of heaven right around the corner.

Anyways- just wanted to share deep thoughts with you... Lots of love- amy louise

Just need prayer....

Hi- yesterday we got a call that Bob's grandpa had passed away. Please be praying for his family as they process this loss. It is always hard to be away as these things happen. Bob's parents did get to say good bye so at least that happened. It was Bob's dad's dad.

Thanks- amy louise

Happy New Year! It has been a long time...

Wow it is amazing how a month flies by and then I realize I haven't blogged. We were in CapeTown. We had a great time. It is amazing to see God's amazing beauty all around the world. Captivating. We came back with things up and going. Bob is preparing for his classes next week. He will be teaching... a Bibleology class ( an apologetics class - to understand the Bible and how it is put together), 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Christian Education for Adults. Also still teaching at the high school the bible class. I will continue on teaching the College Senior Bible Study class.

Between Bob teaching classes and me with xray and teaching we are able to make a small dent here in Malawi. Some days I wish I could change the world. I wish I make it a better place for all. I wish I could give it all away and it would be enough. But one person or even 2 people can make a small difference and that is why we are here to help educate and advance people's lives. Without education, things only stay the same and people live in 3rd world poverty. It is always a pleasure to be able to give our skills away.( Thank you to those who make it possible for us to be here and do that!)


Things that are planned to happen this next couple of months besides regular life...
-Bob is taking 7 students up to Tanzania working with a local church in Arusha. Teaching students to look and see that the world is a huge place where lives can be changed.
-Work in a Dzuwa village that we are friends with the people that work there, helping show Jesus film and outreach.
-Help with the local village that we have been doing outreach with students
-Work with babies at a Local orphanage
-Continue to disciple and encourage the students on the this campus!
-Hopefully be able to come to the States in early June for 2 months! That is really exciting for us since we will have been gone for almost 2 YEARS! We miss our family and friends!

Thanks for praying and encouraging us as we are here in Malawi! I will post pictures soon! Amy Louise

A Christmas Party...

We just came back from the Amassador's House for the American Embassy Holiday party! I know it sounds official but it is really just simple fun. Food, caroling and seeing Santa! Here is a couple of pictures!

Lots of love- amy louise

The journey of motherhood...

I am such a proud mama of my girls but here is a day I am so proud of my cute daughter Nya. They had a swimming competition for the entire school and she had to swim in a relay... So here Nya is getting ready to dive in and swim! They won and were so proud of themselves. My friend captured this on her amazing camera!

You know as the days that Nya and Analise get older the journey of motherhood grows deeper. I love these deep moments. Nya was so nervous to swim but has now caught the passion to be a swimmer. We will see how Nya does in the years to come. I never knew that swimming is a big part of the community here.

Speaking of water and swimming. We were out of water for about 2 1/2 days. Thank you for praying! It is amazing how much you need water for everyday life. We are thankful for the simple things! Lots of love- amy louise

We need water...

We love water don't we. The world needs it and so do we. Well -we really would appreciate some prayer over here. The people that run the water for the city decided to go on strike and turned off all the water for the entire city including us. We have reserve tanks but that will not last for long. This has never happened before here so hopefully they will sort it out soon. But in the mean time alot of people suffer due to this. They say it could last for at least 5 days or probably more! I would appreciate some prayers for that. We really live in Africa! Thank you in advance! love- amy louise on behalf of the city Lilongwe

So below are some videos of the Christmas Program...

So the first video is of the dance recital. There was a girl that helped bring analise back to back at the end. She was sick so Analise at the end was left out in front. It was priceless! Also in the other video is Analise winging it. She didn't know the song and didn't know the hand motions. So cute!

the christmas dance recital

Nya and Analise ringing those Bells...