The rainy season brings out the blue-headed lizards. Â This one is a small guy, but some of them get up to 15 inches long! Â Just another small fun thing about living in Malawi! Â =)
Author Archives: Rachel
Christmas Parties 2012
The Christmas parties were GREAT! Â We had about 35 people the first night, and about 50 people the second night.
We had food, fellowship, a kids’ Christmas movie, Christmas pictionary, carols, and a devotional to go with the reading of Luke chapter two. We also had the photo booth again this year. Â Here are a few of the great faces we captured there.
We are so blessed to spend the Christmas season with these people, our friends and our family in Christ. Â To all of you, friends and family, far and near, much love and a very Merry Christmas!
Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas!
The Christmas Parties are coming!
This year we will be hosting the 4th annual International Bible Fellowship Church Christmas Parties at our home. Â Over 2 nights, the 18th and the 20th, we will host everyone at our church who can make it to the parties. Â Last year we had almost 60 people at each of the parties, for over 100 in our home over those 2 nights!
It makes for a busy week, but one that we love. Â And it’s this week!
A Mommy Fashion Show
Abi and Rejoice are sporting the two most common ways of baby-wearing here in Malawi. Â Rejoice shows us to “under both arms” method, used more commonly with smaller babies. Â And Abi is demonstrating the “over one shoulder” method, used with larger babies and toddlers.
Abi comes by her preference for the over-one-shoulder method quite naturally. Â She spent a lot of time there!
Ngumbi
Look at what we woke up to this morning!
We call them ngumbi, but you’d probably call them termites. Â After the first big rain of the season, all the termites come out of their hills and look for new places to live, preferably places that have lights, like our house. It’s been raining off and on for the past couple days, so the termites had their annual “night out” last night and found their way into our house, despite closed doors and windows, and mosquito nets on the windows.
Would you believe that the Ministry of Health actually promotes eating ngumbi as a good source of protein? Â Minus the wings, of course. Â I think we’ll pass this year, but I will let you know that Matt’s favorite way to eat ngumbi is with a light sprinkling of cajan seasoning…
Bye-Bye Biedebachs!
The Biedebachs left on Tuesday, for a couple weeks in South Africa over Christmas, and then furlough in America until July.
JULY! Â We’re really going to miss this family! Â Not only are they our partners in ministry, they’re our good friends. Â And the longer we work with them, the more we’ve grown to appreciate and enjoy them as colleagues and friends.
The Biedebachs had packed up their beds and linens on Monday, so came to spend their last night at our house. Â It was like a slumber party! Â Abi loved having lots of kids to play with and read books to her first thing in the morning!
Then Tuesday morning, all 6 Biedebachs and all their luggage loaded up in their Land Rover and Matt took them to the airport.
We’ll miss this sweet family!
Kwacha
If there is one man God has used to encourage our hearts in ministry in Malawi, it is Kwacha Simwaka. Matt and Kwacha met over 10 years ago in Mozambique where they were both doing missions, and have stayed in touch over the years – even being roommates in South Africa for all of 2005.
Kwacha is finishing up his Theological Masters degree at The Master’s Seminary and planning to graduate this coming May, after which he will return to Malawi and join us in ministry in his home country. Â We are so looking forward to this day! Â God has blessed Kwacha with wisdom, diligence, and a heart burdened for his country. Â Those are just a few of the things we love about him, and a few of the ways that he encourages us. Â In fact, he’s so loved around here, that as Abi is learning her alphabet, she has declared that “K” is for Uncle Kwacha. =)
Kwacha is back in Malawi right now for a few weeks to extend his visa to America so that he can continue with his studies through May. Â We’ve loved the chance to spend time with him! Please pray for him as he prepares to return to Malawi in the not too distant future, and that he can finish his thesis and the master’s program with excellence!
This is Not a Cooking Blog, But…
I have a new obsession – drying mangoes.
My friend Mirjam taught me that you can dry sliced mangoes on a piece of cotton fabric, draped over a clothes drying rack and covered with mosquito netting, in the sun for 1-2 days… and you have wonderful dried mangoes.
And since it’s mango season here in the southern hemisphere and you can get local mangoes for about 3 cents apiece, my “dehydrator” has been in use all week. Â We’ve done quite a few mangoes, but also some apples and peaches.
My sticky assistant likes dried fruit, but especially favors the apples. Â She never turns down dried mango though, and now we’re looking forward to having mango all year long!
10 Years
It was 10 years ago, December 2002, that International Bible Fellowship Church had its first church service.  It was started by 4 families – 2 Baptists and 2 Presbyterians – and spent many years without a full-time pastor.  Then, finally, in 2007, Brian Biedebach took the position as pastor of IBF and moved to Malawi with his family.  In 2009, we joined the Biedebachs in ministry as Matt became the associate pastor.  Over the years, IBF has grown into a truly international fellowship of about 120 people who meet multiple times a week to study God’s Word and worship Him as a body of believers.
AND… just over a week ago, we established a board of elders and deacons! Â We are so blessed to be under the leadership of these men! Â God has faithfully provided for His church. Â Please pray for these men as they serve and lead the church. Â Like the church body, they come from all over the world, so pray for unity for them as they discuss and teach God’s Word. Â We know that the Word of God transcends culture, and we also know that it is only God’s Word and the work of His Spirit in our lives that can unite people from many different cultures so that we can be known as His body, His family. Â Praise the Lord for His work at IBF!
Water, Please.
This sight makes for a good morning around here!
The water has been off about 1/2 the time since we got home. Â It goes off without warning for anywhere from 2 hours to 4 days. Â As of this morning, the water had been out for about 2 1/2 days, and then at 8:30am, it was back! Â It gurgles through the pipes in the house, and the quiet noise has as dramatic an effect as a fire alarm. Â “FILL THE WATER BUCKETS! FLUSH THE TOILETS! TAKE A SHOWER! HURRY!!! Â BEFORE IT GETS TURNED OFF AGAIN!” Â I watered the house plants finally, and even started a load of laundry. Â Started. Â We’ll see if we get to finish it! Â =)