Visiting Msilitza with the COTN Organization...

Today we (Leanne, Nya and I) went to the local village where ABC College students do their outreach leading a bible study with the children there. They feed them and do a bible study. We got to be apart of that. I brought Nya to expose her to life there... Here she is helping clean hands as they prepare to eat. She did a great job.
As Dyna the girl talking was giving the Bible study to the girls, We were being watched closely by some kids that haven't seen whites before. They were so fun to play with...
Here is Nya being shy....
Here is Dyna teaching the Bible Study and Leanne sitting there listening. It was taught in Chichewa So we really didn't understand but we know that they are making a impact...
Here is Nya playing and having so much fun with her new friends...

So I tried again to download videos and put it on here.... Who knows what is wrong but if you click on the blue it will take you to the video. Enjoy. The poverty is undeniable shocking but it is amazing what with the sponsors the difference they make....

So Here is Nya with the kids helping wash hands...

http://s206.photobucket.com/albums/bb313/amystauffacher/?action=view&current=MVI_1356.flv

Here are the girls in the bible study singing a worship song...

http://s206.photobucket.com/albums/bb313/amystauffacher/?action=view&current=MVI_1360.flv

Here is the outside of the classroom in the COTN building...

http://s206.photobucket.com/albums/bb313/amystauffacher/?action=view&current=MVI_1365.flv

Anyways just wanted to share a little bit about what we are doing these days...

Thank you for your prayers. We have been healthy and adjusting very well. We feel like we are settling in! Lots of love - Amy Louise

Friends and milk????

So here is a picture of my sweet friend Linda holding Analise on her back as Malawian women carry their children. Analise loved it. So cute. They start carrying the children on their back after the umbilical cord heals until they are tooo heavy and can walk good on their own. I put Analise on my back and I have soooo much respect for these women. They not only have a child on their back but also carry something on their head and have things in their hands. Amazing. And I complain about my stroller. They don't have strollers here or special baby bjorns or special swaddlers or special joggers or anything like that here. Just a piece of material and you are good to go. About Linda she is an ABC Graduate here and is working at the radio station here. She is truly a treat to know and have as a friend.


Okay so here is my milk. It is not in my fridge it is on my pantry shelf. This is about 3 gallons worth. Each one is 500 ml. Total it is $6.50 gallon. Crazy. I also have orange juice that is $4.00 a gallon. So it can be spendy. They are both warm until I put in the fridge and they are cold when they are served... Yuck who wants warm milk or juice...

So what does our week look like this week.
Nya goes to school everyday until 12pm.

Bob teaches until 12pm everyday

Tomorrow I will work in the clinic with the x-ray tech to help organize and create some structure for him. Then in the afternoon I will go with some college students to an outreach they need a ride to. Then on Thursday I plan to go help with COTN. The organization that I talked about before. I will send pictures when I get them. Then on Friday, I plan to go help at a local Crisis Nursery. They take children with AIDS, Unwanted, Malnutrition, and Unable to take care of by parents because they are too poor. SO I will be going with my friend Mary( who is a freshman student here) and my friend Megan who you all saw before. There about 22 babies there right now and about 3 people to help them. So they always need someone to help rock, change, feed, And be an extra set of hands.

I plan to take Nya with me and Analise will be napping. So I will keep you updated!

Lots of love- Amy Louise

P.S. My dear friend Leanne broke her wrist on Saturday. So please pray for rapid healing for she is a teacher at the academy and momma and wife and really needs her right hand. She is right handed. :(

For some reason it didn't work...

So here is the link if you want to watch the video...
http://s206.photobucket.com/albums/bb313/amystauffacher/?action=view&current=MVI_1333.flv

technology! We love it until it doesn't do what we want!
Amy louise

Nya singing in chapel...

So the previous video I posted was Nya at her school. She is in back on the left. She has chapel every Friday where they do something. I did not video as well as I would have liked. Analise kept pulling my leg. It made me dizzy. But thought you all would love to see it anyways. I do know that it is a grandparent movie but since we are far away I would show it to everyone :) You know what I mean by grandparent movie...meaning grandparents want to see their grandchild in anything. So this was the anything...

Analise loves holding the geckos. She calls Gook Gooks. Pretty close. They are everywhere and Bob catchs them for her and she loves them.

Here is Nya's first grade teacher for next year. Her name is Megan and she comes over to hang with us weekly. She is 2 houses down. Now Analise was in "I just woke up mode and you are taking a picture of me. "

I will tell you that I will get more of Africa for you as our journey continues. Love you all- Amy Louise

We are alive and doing better...

So thank you for you prayers and love. Nya got better yesterday. She threw up for 2 days and ate barely nothing until Tuesday night. When she got her strength back she was bouncing around. We said off to school for you missy. So we are thankful that Analise did not get the crud.

So I wanted you to see the outreach that Nya went with Bob and his college students do weekly. They go every Thursday into the local village and gather all the children in that area and teach them. It is kinda a Sunday school format but it is Thursday. :) Nya loves it, but the only complaint she has is that every kid wants to touch her hair. She has the most tender head I know. But she tells its fine and she doesn't cry when they touch her hair. She doesn't want them to be sad. Such a sweet perspective.

Here is Nya with her Kindergarten class! They are singing a song they prepared for chapel. I will put it on the blog so you can see Nya singing in Chichewea! In this picture she is in the back with her arms up. Who knows why. Maybe checking to see if her deoderant is working. We sweat alot here! Just teasing only the adults stink not 5 year olds.

So we are just plugging away here Still adjusting. We have been 6 weeks and It really feels like 6 months. I am missing american candy and Target these days. I know its dumb but somedays you just miss comforts of what you are familiar with.

Thank you for loving us and emailing us. We keep the stories coming. Love - amy louise for the family!

I take it back...

Tonight sweet little Nya started throwing up. So keep her in your prayers. Sickness has spread like wildfire since school has started. Chicken pox, the achey break flu bug (which I had), throw up and cha cha chas and continual nausea flu bug. So not fun. So pray for us when you have a chance... Especially that Analise won't get it. A 2 year old sick is so not fun. It adds another dimension when you are in Africa. You always worry a little bit more when you are sick.
I will keep you updated on our conditions... Amy Louise

We got a bug and no water...

Pretty much on Monday morning I woke up with the chills ( my eyelashes even hurt) and was sick pretty much until Thursday. Yuck! Also Bob also got really sick with the bug. So we were down for the count until Friday. Really wiped us out. But the girls didn't get sick and that was a treat. When do the parents get sick and children do not? I have never experienced that.

And we have been without water off and on these last couple of days. It is amazing when the water goes out, you find yourself soooo thirsty and craving a shower. But what an American I am - I lose water for a day and I am hyperventilating When is it going to come back on? Hurry who is going to fix it and what is the problem and please who can fix it now! We have water every minute of every hour of every day in America and we don't think about it. But when you see here the cute mommas pumping their bucket full of water at a community well pump and putting it on the head to take home mind you with a baby on their back you say man I am so spoiled. I need to hush it!

Here is a website of the outreach that I am going to (along with my friend Leanne and will probably be bringing Nya) hopefully start helping these next couple weeks. It is called Children of the Nations! The village that we would go work in is about 5 minutes from our house. The village is named Mtsilitza

Here are the website details:

In the village of Mtsiliza, COTN operates a Village Assistance Program feeding 450+ children on a daily basis. This village is located in the capital city of Lilongwe. In addition to biblical instruction and English lessons, orphans are given nutritious meals and love from our caring staff. The most vulnerable orphans are given two meals a day and schooling.
A small Skills Center provides training to caregivers and guardians as a means to help them care for their children and “adopted children.”
A Teen Girls’ Home and a Teen Boys’ Home provide residential care for vulnerable youth who otherwise would have to fend for themselves on the streets.
Additional villages have been identified in the general vicinity and are being ministered to through emergency food supplies, medical attention, biblical teaching, and clothing. COTN has also provided food and supplies to an additional 1,500 children through approved missions or churches.

So in this village it is not drive able with my car because I need a truck to get in. So we need to work out transportation but it seems like there is a contact that will work out. But check out the website it is pretty detailed in what they do.

http://www.cotni.org/29-malawi

The college students go there weekly and really make an impact. So I will be keeping you updated!

Well that's all for now Lots of love - Amy Louise

Bob teaching in Chapel

The days are flying by and being pokey at the same time...

How is that possible. Flying and pokey... who knows but that is what is happening here. The previous video is of Bob teaching in the daily chapel that occurs here on campus. He was teaching out of the Book of Mark he was encouraging the students when you have doubts to take them to Jesus not other people.

We are doing great here. Thank you for your prayers and love... Our container arrived safely YIPPPPPPEEE Now that Big truck is not all of ours. My friend Leanne who helped pack it said we have 1/3 of 1/4 of that big truck if that makes sense. We got our bed and couches, dressers, and kitchen staples which was crucial for sleeping and living. At least for me. What a treat. For us it was just staples that we brought over on the container. We have so much stuff it is embarrassing when our friends here in Malawi are thankful for the cardboard box it came in. It is embarrassing and humbling and trying to find the balance for living here in Africa. Do we deny our culture and live just like the Africans or do we bring our culture and our comforts of home and try and find that balance... all of us here on the campus struggle with that. So if any of you find that balance let me know.

So here is Analise looking at the truck bringing the container full of supplies from my living room window for the college here and some families that moved here and the academy ( the school that Nya goes to...)

Here is Nya and our friend with his baby His name is Ekton and that is his daughter Shalom. Can we say sooooo very cute. They came over for dinner last night. What a treat to have them as friends.

Well lots of love and thank you for your prayers. As we live Malawi pray that we will impact those around us and also they will do the same. May we live as simply and serve Jesus fully!

Well that all for now! Love us!

Hi we are taking our sunday naps...

But with that I thought I would post some fun pictures... The blue headed lizard that Bob caught with great joy...
It of course needed to bite him...

Analise and her first big bed experience with the mosquito net. She was in the pak and play prior to that...

Nya in her bed with our dog Dolly...

So we went to the church I have mentioned before...

So loving it...

Here is the website to look at it for those who are curious.

We brought a freshman that is one of Bob's students Alenani with us. So fun for us!

http://www.ccbcministries.mw/

Anyways that is all for now! I will write more when i have not a crying 2 year old on my leg.
Amy Louise

Here are some pictures for you...

So here is Bob's classroom from our door... Oh that poor Bob the Daily Commute - the Bumper to Bumper traffic he has to deal with daily!
Can you see the students mingling around...
Now can you see Bob... He kinda stands out! This was all taken within 1 minute with me running and I am out of shape!
For those who enjoyed the car ride.... here is the vehicle that it took place in! Can you see Analise!
Here is my favorite grocery store. I know you all are laughing (it's a gas station) but this is called foodworth and it really is a good grocery store. I will take you there another day!

The video posted before this is Analise favorite place to hang out with the neighbors. They have tea everyday about 10:30 and she loves hanging with them and the dog. Sweet people! I just want to eat them up.

So the rumor hear today around campus is that the container will come today! I will believe it when I see it.

Well- Lots of love- Amy Louise

Analise with our neighbors

So below are some vidoes..

I went out today to get some groceries. Here are the driving adventures that I face. I really was driving safe. All those mothers out there don't worry this is the safe part. The first video is just outside of the campus. the Campus is to the right and the next one is a fun one of the buses in Malawi. Meaning trucks.
Lots of love for now. Not much time to blog...
Amy louise

Buses in Malawi...

Driving in Malawi by ABC

our life...

So we are still adjusting to no electricity. Here we are at dinner last night. No stove, no lights just pitch dark. It gets dark daily here at 6pm all year long. We have a rechargble lantern that charges while we have electricity and when it goes poof we have a light. Candles are not smart with little chickens so we have this. This one actually my dear friend Leanne's. Our is on the container. Yes the container who knows when it will be here. It is really stretching at this point to wait. But we wait. :) I really haven't really taken you to the places where I want to take you all because my brain is daily in the container is coming today. No sorry the container is not coming today maybe tomorrow. I am in the zone too much. SO I will start to take you into Africa and what we experiencing here. The campus, the classes, the outreaches, the city, goats in the middle of street along with everyone else, the market that plays 80's soft love songs. It will be fun. Really I will take you there just be patient with me as I have this container story ongoing. Thank you for all your love and prayers. Amy louise for now.

The previous post was chapel tonight...

Every Sunday there is Chapel for the Students at the college and us too. It was delicious to hear the singing. Here is sample of what worship in Chichewa sounds like. Chichewa is the local language spoken here in Malawi. Can you not wait for heaven when we are worshiping Him together. I can't.

So If you subscribe to my blog and you get a blog that just has a title on it: that usually means there is a video that I put on. So just go to the blog it self to watch the video...

To go to the blog from the email update : It is at the end of the email that says You are subscribed to email updates from The Stauffacher Family

Just click on The Stauffacher Family or go to www.stauffacherfamily.blogspot.com

ANother week for us here begins. We think we have found a church here in Lilongwe. We are really excited about it. We will keep you updated.

Love- Amy Louise

Tonight at the College Chapel

So we fed giraffes too...

Petting lions in South Africa

Petting lions in South Africa

So I am trying out my video downloader thing. It seemed to work this time. I will video more since it works. I want you see Malawi the way I am seeing it. This is an older video of us when we were in South Africa. As you can see these were just babies. I will add more!
Tomorrow we are head into town to visit a church. We had visited there before but the pastor was out of town. We really enjoyed it and look forward to see how it all works for us. They have childrens church and there are many families for the city of Lilongwe there. So fun for us get involved with local church. Maybe I will video for you if I remember.
So Nya did great in school! She really loves recess. What kindergardner doesn't?
Bob is so excited to teach these classes he has. He had fun this last week. He said he loves it. Preparing the future pastors and educators of Africa. That is really what is all about. Educating the Africans so they can accomplish so much more than some one who doesn't know the culture or the language.

So thank you for your prayers love and support of us. We couldn't be doing this without you.
Lots of love- Amy Louise