Thursday, September 18th – we are getting our bore-hole drilled as I type. We were desperate for water at the Bible school. This hole will be adequate for the whole ministry site – including our home and other homes once they are built. I’m sure it is hard for people back home to imagine what it would be like for the people here to live without water – it’s so challenging having to carry water such a distance. This bore hole will allow us to begin gardens at the school to help the school have enough food as well as be able to give food away to the many thousands who are starving all around us. There is great joy and excitement with this new development.
Monday, September 15th (opening day at the Bible School) – had a good day today. Getting a lot of stuff done at the school as the pastors arrive. It’s quite a sight seeing them arrive. They come with hardly anything yet with great joy. They arrive very hungry after their long journey. They come without any money and with ragged clothes. Those I met today were so full of gratitude to be able to attend the school. It was exciting preparing the first meal there. What a sight to see these people so delighted that they have a school. Even though I witness it first hand, I will never know how wonderful they are feeling – in so many ways I just can’t relate to their joy. Sleeping in a building (even if it is on mats on a concrete floor) is much more luxurious than they are used to.
Saturday, September 6th – so, I get to the airport (in South Africa) and I’m weighed in at 62kgs. My allowance is 20kgs. So, I’m asked to wait while the check-in guy goes and talks to the supervisor. He comes back and says that I’ll have to pay the extra amount for the overweight. I explain my situation again – he takes my arrival tickets back to the supervisor to again. I’m waiting now for about 15 minutes. He comes back and says there is no room to negotiate and I would just have to pay (about $500 USD). But, he said if I would like, I could go and talk to the man myself. So, I left my luggage on the cart in the check-in area and was escorted to the supervisor’s office. I arrive in his office and he’s busy with other people. I wait about 10 minutes then plead my case directly to him. He says, “I know your case. There is nothing I can do for you.” He does the math and tells me that he will let me have 5kgs grace but insisted that I would have to pay the rest. At least by now the price is better – only 1,000 Rand (about $145 USD). I told him that I thought that was too much money and showed him my October tickets with South African airlines and explained how the rest of my family was traveling South African airlines giving him good business. Still, no budge and he left me for a while. I remained standing beside his desk for another 15 minutes. He came back and said he couldn’t do anything else for me and I was wasting my time standing beside his desk. I could wait longer if I wanted to but it would make no difference to him. A few more people entered the office wanting the supervisor’s time. So I said to him, “I don’t want to wait anymore – I’m done here. So, tell me what to do next and I’ll finish with you.” He said to go back out to the guy who checked the weight of my bags and tell him to come back with the receipt with the baggage weight sheet and he would authorize it. So, I went back out to the check-in area. By now all the people had checked in and the man was packing up his equipment – it seemed like he as ready to go for his break. I told him exactly what the supervisor had said, “take this receipt back to the supervisor and he will authorize it.” The guy didn’t seem to want to go back there again so he just put “nil” on the baggage receipt and said “go ahead”. So, I took that paper, checked in without any further questions asked and that was the end of it. No fee necessary what so ever!
God’s timing is amazing. I thought I would have to pay – I was prepared to pay eventually because I needed my luggage in Malawi. However, my timing to the guy outside (75 minutes later) was so excellent. Praise God for answering my prayers of the day before. It was not without hassle, but God allowed me to save the 1,000 Rand and now be able to use that money for Kingdom building instead.
Much Love to you. Bye for now,
Mo
-Wednesday, Sept. 3rd – today I boarded a plane at Pearson International Airport, to begin the long journey to Bangula, Malawi. Making stops in New York (and switching airports in NY), Frankfurt, Germany, and Johannasburg, South Africa, it took me almost three days to reach the airport in Blantyre, Malawi, and then another few hours to reach his new home in Bangula!
