Mostly About a Bridge...

Today marks our seventh day in Malawi. It seems like we just got here, but it also seems like we have had way more than one weeks worth of experiences so far. For those who are wondering, no one in our group did any vomiting today. Madison and Alexis ate less than normal due to some mild queasiness, but both seem to doing very well now at 10:57 on Wednesday evening.

Today was mostly about a bridge. Several weeks ago, a fellow Rotarian asked me if I could take some time, while in Malawi, to look at a site where they were starting some plans to build a footbridge for a rural village. As fate would have it, the project site is fairly close to an area where we would be driving anyway, so I was excited to be able to help.

First, we visited a local Rotary Club luncheon held at a nice hotel in downtown Blantyre. The food and the company was excellent. I was super excited to exchange banners with the Limbe Club. The club asked me to give a short presentation about why we were in Malawi. Even though I am oh so shy and scared to death to speak in front of groups of people, I somehow found the courage to fill about seven minutes on the program. (wink, wink)

Do I look nervous? Didn't think so.

Founders of Annie's Closet and future Rotarians?

My home Rotary Club, in Racho Santa Fe,  has a brand new banner which just happened to be designed by my awesome, beautiful and talented wife Paulette!

You probably can't see the details of our banner, but it is really cool.
I am planning to give a second banner to a different Rotary Club tomorrow.
Will try and get a picture that shows more detail.

Limbe Rotarians.

After the luncheon, we loaded into several 4x4 vehicles and drove to the village where the construction of one of two bridges had already been started. I am pretty sure that the road to this village is the worst road I have ever experienced. No photos, but we are planning another trip tomorrow so I will plan to snap a few to share. The extremely bumpy ride did not help Madison and Alexis feel better in their tummies, but they managed quite well, considering.

The children just walk up and start holding your hand as you walk.
Then you just gotta hang onto them the rest of the day. It is totally awesome.

When we arrived at the site, the villagers had gathered for a big ceremony celebrating the construction of the bridge. We parked a few hundred meters away and walked to the bridge site, then past it into a large clearing where we were greeted with singing and dancing. Look for a video to be posted in the next blog entry.

250+ gathered for the celebration, including Village Chiefs, Rotarians, JOCC Representatives
and even some government dignitaries.

This bridge is a joint effort between the Limbe Rotary Club, several Rotary Clubs in the UK and an organization called Joshua Orphan and Community Care (JOCC). http://www.joshuainmalawi.org.uk/

We met an amazing woman named Sylvia Avgherinos, who is the executive director of JOCC. There is not enough room to write about her awesomeness. You can learn a bit more at their website listed above.


There were dozens of introductions (including me), several speeches (not me), and more singing and dancing. The ceremony lasted longer than we had anticipated, so we did not walk the extra 3/4 mile to look at the second site where a footbridge is needed, but we plan to go there tomorrow, after we attend the Blantyre Rotary Club luncheon.

Village Chief speaks with an interpreter.

After the ceremony, we mingled for several minutes before walking toward our vehicles.

Here is what it looked like after the ceremony. 

Here is what the unfinished bridge looks like so far. Since it is the dry season, there is only a trickle of water.
But in the rainy season there is a raging torrent here.

After a 75 minute drive down the mountain to Chikwawa, we are now back at Hope Village in the home of the Green's. Don and I head back up the mountain early tomorrow morning for some computer shopping, which was supposed to happen last Friday, then luncheon, then bumpy ride and long walk to the bridge site.

Looking forward to another exciting day.

G'night!