Some pictures

Our first trip into Kauma village. The Bullocks took us in on just the main road. Most of the members of the Kauma branch live in this area. There are several large "villages" like this in and around Lilongwe.

The sign and gate outside the Kauma branch chapel. Both of our chapels are older homes with rooms large enough to use to meet in. We don't really know how many members there really are in the branches but last Sunday they each had about 65 people in attendance. Both are in walled compounds like most of the houses in the city (not the villages).

Inside the wall at the Kauma branch compound. This picture shows the former servants' quarters (called the "boys quarters"). Inside this wall there are 6 small rooms in an L shape with a courtyard. In these little rooms 2 sets of our elders live. There are 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, shower room, toilet and sink room and a living/study room. All of the rooms open onto the courtyard not to each other. Each room is about 8x10 or 11.  It is actually a great location for them because they are right there at the church and also very close to Kauma village where they work. It's certainly not the Hilton but they are taking great care of each other there.

Elder Fly (from Virginia) and Elder MPanza from South Africa headed out to work in the village.

The road in to our house. It comes off Blantyre street (which is paved) and is rougher than the road down to the river. We live at the very back of the road on the left past the guy standing. It is a brand new place.

Looking from our house toward the gate and beyond. There are 2 two bedroom houses on the left and 2- 3 bedroom houses on the right in our compound. Our adjoining neighbor is Lettise. She is head of security for the UN here. Across from us is a couple with a baby. He is American and she is from Uganda. One works for the World Bank and the other works for US aid, I think. The forth house is still empty but there is another member family coming from the States and we are hoping they will move in there. He was supposed to get here this week and his family after Christmas. The other member family from the States, the Collins' live just up the street from us. (About a 5 minute walk)

Our not so humble abode. We have to say we feel guilty every time we come home. We are enjoying it very much though and are grateful for such comfortable safe surroundings. The very best part about it is that we have good internet and have been able to Skype and Skype phone. We are so grateful for that!!! We dug and planted a little garden in the back yard and really look forward to some of our very own vegetables. The Malawi we have come to apparently is very different to the one even six months ago. Since about August fuel is extremely difficult to get and the power goes out a lot - sometimes all day. We are very lucky that our compound has a generator and if the power goes off in the evening they start it up and we don't even notice.

We visited the Kapinda family with Elder Gonza (from Z|imbabwe) and Elder Okumu (from Uganda). Sister Kapinda (2 to to our left) is a widow with 8 (I think) children. She and 3 of her children are strong faithful members and we were there not just to visit but so Elder Gonza could interview one of her married sons, Calvin, for baptism. He and his eight-year-old sister, Grace,  (the one starting to stand up closest to the camera) were baptized on Sunday. Calvin has been walking more than 12 km every week to church. He really wants his wife to be baptized too but she doesn't speak English and they live outside the elders teaching area. We hope she will be able to be taught soon with translators. This last few days we have really been trying to ramp up a translation team in both branches. There are so many members who speak no, little or very poor English that it is really needed. On Sunday in Sunday School and Priesthood mtg they tried saying a sentence in English then the same in Chichewa. It is kind of cumbersome but the sisters loved it and it gives them the chance to hear things side by side and hopefully improve their English skills as a result. Anyway, back to the Kapinda family. After the interview, there were about 12-15 of us standing visiting outside and they invited us into the living room. It is about maybe 10x10 and by the time we were finished our little meeting there were 23 of us in there. We have visited about 10 or 12 member families in their homes now and what a sweet humble privilege! A couple of them had no more than a little wooden stool and a couple of rickety chairs in an empty little room but they love the Lord and are trying their best to live the gospel. We have been astounded at their sweet understanding and deep testimonies even though most of them have only been members for months. They just love us to come to their homes. I don't know why that amazes me but we have learned so much about life in these few short days. We love these sweet people.