A Journey to the village of Dzuwa in Malawi...

To just take you into Dzuwa without you knowing the history would not seem right. The first time we heard about Dzuwa was about a week after we had moved to Malawi back in August of 2007 we met Ronald. Ever since then, we have been apart of it (financially and having a deep friendship with people working there). Bob and Roland became fast friends and were soon traveling around Lilongwe and into the back parts of Lilongwe that only a local Malawian would know. Roland had graduated from ABC in 2006 and was working as campus maintain manager for a year before he was going to was going to move there after getting married to Ulemu. The wedding (click on that and you can see their wedding we were apart of) came and it has already been a year they have been living in the village.

They are what ABC is about. Training Africans to train Africans. They are missionaries out in a village about 2 hours way ( in the middle of nowhere). Mind you they are city people. They grew up with running water and electricity and conveniences here in Lilongwe. But they have heart to help so they are apart of Joy to the World Ministries (click here are the projects they are involved with). It is amazing to hear their heart for Dzuwa and the surrounding villages. Around 10,000 people or more. They have a team of people working with them on building a hospital, a school, and providing a maize mill ( so people can grind their food up to be eaten), using irrigation ( which is unheard of here because Malawians depend on the rainy season for irrigation) to set up a farmers association, building wells for drinking water and so on. They help the villages so much spiritually and with their projects here in the middle of Nowhere - Africa.

You know how Hollywood has made ... "Africa" the Hot Hollywood Trend. The new fashion accessory is to help Africa. Even the stores are into it. (Gap, Starbucks, etc) This Africa that they are pushing you to give a dollar to help stop AIDS or a dollar to help provide water. I do like that they (Hollywood) are trying to think of others than themselves but Where is this Africa that this dollar is going to?

Well- for us this Africa is here in Dzuwa. They are making a difference with all that they are doing and we are so glad to be apart of it. Here are so pictures of us in Dzuwa...


As you can see - very busy traffic getting there. Bumper to Bumper... in the middle of nowhere.

Where Ron and Ulemu live is an area that they are building up for more people to help out there. Here is where a Doctor house and Nurse can live in for the clinic they have started.

Here is where Ronald and Ulemu live. Analise and Nya are putting on a show for the local kids. Love that Laughter is cross cultural and breaks through all language barriers.

The Bathroom and bucket shower room. We are not very good at peeing in a hole we decided. They are call Pit Latrines here. I love toilets and I am a very big fan of running water. I appreciated coming back to my toilet and so did the girls...

Here the girls are so cute playing duck duck goose. Love that they initiated it too. I was very proud of them.

Here is the normal life with Bob and Ronald. Talking! They chat and chat and chat...

Now for most people that know me - I don't love to cook. But I was so proud of my self that I cooked dinner on a coal stove and had no problems. And it tasted good. It did take some practice of maintaining the coals so it didn't get too hot and burn everything.

We woke up the next day to take a tour around the area and this was our transportation. The girls were so excited. It might as well been a Disneyland ride.

off they go....

Bye....

Walking to the hospital clinic...

On Uncle Ron's shoulders...

Here is the clinic in which they are hoping to open in about 6 months. A church in California sent over a container full of medical supplies and so we just need to finish the houses for the medical staff and they should open.

Here is a well that was dug for the village through what Ronald and Ulemu are doing...

Touching and feeling the water

The girls trying to pump the water...

The front of the clinic. There is a huge open area for people to rest and wait for medical help under shade of that hot African sun. It is hot.

Nya took this picture of this girl that was following us... We will be giving clothes for these kids. We have plenty and she has a hole in her dress. Seriously, sometimes my priorities are messed up.

Here we go into the Maize Mill. Malawians eat this as a staple. It is about 16 miles away to another maize mill so this a helped amazing for the area. Can you imagine walking with a 120 pound bag that far. No way. So below is the inside...

Hard at work...

So we continued on with our journey. One of our friends from ABC who is a junior, Blessing also came with us out there (Analise is on his shoulders)...

Then about 5 more college students and a friend who is a teacher at the Academy came out for the night. We all climbed in our new old (20 year old) truck -(we sold our other car and got this) and went to look at the irrigation site.

We headed out to the irrigation area that you can see. It is a huge project and it has changed on how they can grow food and sell it. They are able to grow crops out of season due to the irrigation. They help subsidize for things they need with that income of selling those crops.

For example these potatoes only grow during the rainy season and here they are plentiful due to the irrigation.

Michelle and Analise loving it...

Some of the crops! There has been no rain here since April so the ground is dead, but not this area. Water irrigation has changed it all...

water has changed it all...

Here is a pump that is helping irrigate the land. Analise taking a turn pump the water....

Both girls taking a turn....

Back at Ron and Ulemu's house we are drying out the maize for it to be made into the nsima ( staple food). There are allot of steps of getting this processed.

Here is Ulemu. She is about 6 months pregnant here. We are so excited to see the new baby in Feb.

Here are some other people journey's if you want to keep reading... A doctor's story and here is Josh and Emily story of Dzuwa

So thanks for coming along. And keep Dzuwa in your prayers and that we would continue to be able to help them also. We will be going back. Lots of love- amy louise