Brenda and Perry Jansen
This summation is probably for my benefit as I reflect on the incredible experience Steve and I had In Malawi and South Africa. Safari’s are not glamorous but folk who dedicate their lives to helping others are rock stars! They are the people who captured my heart on this God-led journey.
Dr. Perry Jansen: visionary, doctor,awesome guitarist, expert in AIDS and tropical diseases, Man of God, Caring father, colleague to many, and funny.
Brenda: devoted Mom and helpmate, tender and focused heart, hostess, musical,anchor.
Nate: bright student, college bound, passionate worship leader, great guitarist, kind big brother, huge potential.
Jansen Family
Erin: emerging woman, playful kid, good writer, great big sister, sweet tooth.
Olivia: small voice, big smile, large heart, pixie, chocolate bundle of joy and delight.
Blessing: phenomenal natural talent, dependable, quiet, polite, appreciative. Bird painter extraordinaire.
Donald: supportive friend, gracious, focused ladder climber.
Anna, Miriam, Joseph, Lester, Ida, Lucy, Octavius, Grant, John Hamilton, John Fielder, Cory, Elizabeth, Stalkers, Colleen, Maxwell, Agnes, the kids of Takambe, nurses in frilly caps, Blue-gingham girls, the 4:30 ambulance pile-in, Chijenzes, ironed shirts, short ties, and the miracles God brought about to pass every single day.
Blessing and Donald
Things I wont miss: Goats, potholes, crumbling roads, cold showers, bicycles, smoke, power outages, no internet, pushy vendors, extreme poverty, flying for 26 hours, converting kwatcha$, nsima.
Things I did miss or will miss: Family at home, new friends in Malawi, wine, big salads, servants, the warmth of the people, power outages (hey candlelight is nice) the African worship, people with passion, childrens’ faces, visiting, tv-less, early nights, early mornings, MASH episodes.
Dick and Charlotte Day
In Zomba we now have fond memories of Moira and Steve Chimombo, Dick and Charlotte Day, Windeson’s cooking, Winston, Ben, Jean,Irene, Isabel,Catherine, Faith the villages of Simyoni, Kawiya, Makundula, the Mponda School and Zomba Central Hospital.
And we took the love of wonderful folk who donated panties, time, baby caps, pencils, quilts, stencils and funds to make it all happen, and PRAYER and those who offered it up that kept us safe and healthy!! and a husband who shared a passion and humbly served others. Love him even more.
Thank you Editor, you keep me grounded and connected.
What a journey!
XO
What a wonderful, warm, loving time for Steve and I. We felt welcomed, that we were of some small service, made friends, and made good friends better friends.
Well Noah got finished! The weighing and measuring table is in front of it and this stencil is courtesy of Catherine Delft. Catherine is family to the Jansen’s, and she mailed this to me in the states before we left. Her design was carbon papered to the wall, and then we got to play with the colors. Hope we did you proud!
So you get to this slight canyon full of stalls, pay someone to watch your car, and venture in. The first person comes up to you and extends their hand and says “I’m—–, who are you?” From that point on, every vendor know your name and calls for you to buy their wares.
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