The Stauffacher Family: Coming home to our old "new" life!

Hello from the other side of the world. Seriously! It took us 3 planes, 28 hours and many times answering " how much longer mom?" and "haven’t we have been on this plane for forever!" We arrived into Malawi full of nerves and excitement. For the known and the unknown that was waiting for us! As we got off the airplane- we could instantly smell the African Rains coming! (I think that should be the next Yankee candle – African Rain) It poured! There is nothing like it! It has been amazing to be back to where I feel like we just left yesterday, but really know that it has been a year and half! Thank you all for your prayers and love emails and facebook connections!

Things that have changed for us since we have arrived:

- The gas situation is at its worse here- People line up for gas in about a 2-mile line and wait for fuel! Then there are about 300 people with cans trying to fill up. Sometimes it comes and sometimes it doesn’t, Bob waited all day yesterday for fuel (we are borrowing someone’s car while we look for one our selves). It never came. We had a friend who was 8 cars away when they ran out of gas just yesterday. So it really is causing simple things not to work. For example- sugar is not on the store shelves because there is no gas to get it to the stores.

-Electricity outages are about everyday – from 1-2 hours to 12 hours a day. We like it right now – but know that it will get old very soon.

-Riots have been occurring more – (there were never any riots when we left) due to the problems that come with lack of fuel and money.

- Our sweet dog Dolly that we had brought from San Diego has run off the campus where we live and has not been seen for the last nine days! We are praying that she be found!

- Everything has gone up at least 1/3 of the price. So if the poor were poor they are 1/3 poorer. Amazing how much it has an effect on everyday living.

-Making new friends. We are getting to know the new missionary staff and 150 new college students!

- Bringing Luke to Malawi- In Chichewa his name is Luka. He is a hit here and everyone is excited to meet him and hold him!

-Seeing the girls see things that they never saw before but were there all the time- for example- Nya can't believe all the dirt and bugs! But they have been here all along!

Things that are the same!

-We are living in our same house! So it feels so cozy to be in a familiar home setting!

-The smell of Africa- whether it is rains or it’s the earth over here – it is amazing!

- The girls feel very happy to feel things that are familiar!

-Weirdly that foreign foods are familiar tasting- for example- we were on the plane coming to South Africa and they had this beef stew that I really enjoyed- But I remember the first time I had it and was not my favorite!

- Hearing the muslim call to prayer starting around 4 am ( I am up with Luke) reminding me that I am in a foreign land.

-Seeing old friends that were former students at ABC or that are the upper classmen at the college or missionaries here.

-Fruits and vegetables are still so amazing tasting!

-The simplicity of life here!

-That God is still King of the Universe and we can put our hope and trust in him!

Thank you for praying and being apart of our journey! Hopefully jet lag will calm down by this next week so we can feel like normal human beings! Lots of love- all of the stauffy family

P.S. By now you should of gotten your prayer magnets so you can remember to pray for us! If you haven’t please email me at amystauffacher@yahoo.com and I will make sure you get one!

Below are some pictures- Luke is mainly in these due to the girls are off doing adventures!