Word to your Mother...from Malawi

So far, we've missed 2 calls from Jordan. >-( That's the bad news. The good news is that Alli's parents haven't missed any of her calls and so they are filling us in. They had a long conversation with her today and were good enough to pass on what they remembered.

Everything seems to be going fine, though everyday is somewhat unpredictable and they almost never end up doing what was planned. Even if they are told "Tomorrow, we'll be...", when they wake up, it's something different. Alli's mom said she asked her "So is that Mark (group leader) or your hosts or the travel agency?" Alli's response was "It's Africa."

Their first real activity was spending time in the crisis nursery. She said the babies there seem to be clean, well cared for, and well fed, but it was still heartbreaking to see so many babies in need. Since then, they've been at the feeding center- where children come to be fed, essentially. As much as babies pull at the heartstrings, Alli said the feeding center is harder because the children who come are not clean or well-fed. They are dirty and hungry and get their one meal a day before leaving. While there, though, they get plenty of frolicking and playing in with the LHS kids. Apparently, the leader's little daughter (9 or 10 I think?) is like a movie star to them and the African kids just go crazy for her pulling on her and wanting to be around her. Each of the LHS kids seems to have bonded with their own particular set of kids and has exchanged contact info with at least one older kid to be able to keep in touch after leaving. The children all speak Chichewan and English fluently and all school work or homework assigments are completed in English.

Alli said the LHS kids are all going with the flow pretty well, and although they are pretty much exhausted most of the time, no one is complaining, whining or causing trouble. When Alli's mom asked her how the hotel was (for this first portion of the trip), Alli said "Well, let me put it this way. Some days we have hot water, some days we have cold water and some days we have no water." Her mom asked what kind of day today was, and Alli said "no water."

For food, they get sausage, eggs, and tomato most mornings, with peanut butter and honey sandwiches for lunch, and whatever the hotel serves for dinner, which is African and "mostly edible."

They have not "explored" at all and are being tightly kept within their work site or hotel for now. Better safe than sorry. They will be heading back into the capital in a few days and hopefully, we'll get an email or a call soon. In the meantime, we are very grateful for hearing whatever we can, however we can.