Greetings from Malawi, Africa,

I apologize if you received this email by mistake as I have sent to
all who were in my address book this current project update
information. Due to Malawi Internet being truly 3rd world it was
easier than separating addresses at this time. As you’ll see we are at the beginning stages of our web site. Bear with us as we work out the
details and are able to provide more information. With all that said,
you may find the following information of our happenings interesting.

Why are we here? Why would we venture 10 thousand miles from home, battle mosquitoes, lizards on the hotel floor, electricity that goes on and off, sometimes having water and sometimes not, the list of what
some would consider inconveniences goes on and on………..

For me however it is easy to explain. Read on……….

Meet George, a boy we fond on the street the other night. George is a street orphan. His parents are both dead. He says he stays with a grandmother who is old and cannot take care of him. He does not go to school, he tells us he has not eaten today and as you can see he is not taken care of. George is far from where his grandmother lives and says he will try to get on a mini bus for the ride home if he is able to get some food begging. Mike one of the gentlemen who works with me says in fact it is amazing he has made it all the way down town so late at night by himself. George tells us he is 10 but he looks to be about 6 or 7. George is mild mannered, very pleasant and does not appear to be afraid which tells me this is a way of life for George. None of us could ever imagine our children being out at night all alone like George does every night.

We take George to the market at the end of the street. Mike picks out corn flour sugar, salt, a loaf of bread and a bar of soap. George will be able to eat for a couple of days but that is all. We give him the

bus fair and the rest of our change, talk some more with him and send him on his way instructing him to not let anyone take the bag of food he puts under his shirt. Mike is confident he will make it back from where he came and we are confident we will find him again begging for food on the street. George is one of thousands of kids with similar circumstances.

Another concern for the children in Malawi is lack of proper health care and the curable diseases that go untreated. Notice the 3 darling
children in the picture posted. The boy in the middles abdomen is extremely distended from worms, or the boy whose leg started with a small wound is now a major infection. The disabled children who reside at the current location our office have minimal therapy and little if any  real resources for care, yet they and their mothers embrace us each time we arrive.

Now for me it is easy to answer why Malawi!!!! Why Not!!!!!!

The goal of my visit has been to obtain building bids from contractors
and finalize architectural sketches in preparation for ground breaking so we can help where we can. We are making great progress thus far. So those of you who have been praying: Thank You! On my next blog I will include pictures and progress toward this goal.

My son Preston has made this trip with me and I have managed to show him around a bit. Steve Pierce a friend of mine who I knew from traveling with Feed the Children met us here so he could help me with
the contractors bids as Jerre stayed home to hold down the fort and take care of the little kids. Merrily Huether pastors wife and board member will arrive Saturday to give a women’s retreat to local African
women and our volunteer Adam Smit from the states has arrived as well.

Another reason to help you understand why we are here is the smiling face of the little boy in those yellow shorts. Look at that smile! I thank God he knows of no other life YET!

More to come……

Working for Him,
Tracy