Our visit to Bondo Village

Here's another story for you. Brother and Sister Mitambo, members in Lilongwe Branch have been asking and asking the elders to go with them to meet their parents in their villages outside Lilongwe. The elders finally got permission from the mission president to go so the six of us loaded up into our little Toyota pickup and headed out. About 45 minutes out of the city we turned off the pavement and set out on another adventure. We thought that over 30km on dirt roads on our first trek was far but this one was almost 60. Apparently in dry season you can go a lot shorter ways but this was still rainy season. Anyway, good thing we had our oranges, rolls and banana bread along with us. After a good hour on the dirt road we came to Sister Mitambo's village (I can't remember the name of it right now). We stopped and were introduced to her parents. Her father is mostly blind. He had surgery a few years ago and was good for a while but has lost his sight again. As usual, a crowd gathered in no time. Her brothers and their wives and children and most of the neighbors came and we all sat under a big tree and had a really nice discussion. The father wanted a priesthood blessing so we went into the house for a little privacy. As we were getting ready to come out of the house, Sister Mitambo's mother handed me a nice fat rooster. Yes, you will see in the picture where I'm coming out of a house, I'm carrying a real live chicken. So, what to we do with a live chicken when we have miles to go? Yup, put it in the back of the truck. While we were getting ready go they also brought several other things. We sure wished we had something to give them. All we could do was teach them a message about the Savior and living a Christlike life and promise them that someday the gospel would be available to them.

 

On we went toward Bondo village.

The river near Bondo village.

A canoe. They fish from these all the time but you never see them sitting in them, always standing.

The Mitambos and Elders Buckholz and Prete by the river.

The man in the purple shirt in front is Bro Mitambo's father, Chief Bondo, and his wife is in the blue skirt.

Bro & Sis Mitambo and Sis Mitambo's parents in front of their home.

A couple of the things they gave us at the village.

Yes, I am carrying a live rooster. The leaves you see hanging above us (and the entire roof inside the house) are tobacco.