Due to an unexpected mixup, our regularly scheduled accommodations are not available tonight, so the team is staying at their sister hotel, the Kambiri Beach Resort by Serendib. Tomorrow, we will switch to the Blue Waters Hotel.
We left Johannesburg this morning around 10 AM. It was the first time I ever had to take a shuttle bus out to a tarmac to get on a plane. I was so confused! Clearly, I need to travel more. 🤷🏽♀️
The flight was about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, followed by in hour or so clearing immigration and getting our visas. From there, the bus ride was a short two-ish hours to Salima and our current accommodations. If you have the ability to read this, and you’re sitting in the comfort of your home on the Internet using either a smartphone or other computer, please let this be a reminder of how incredibly fortunate you/we are. There’s so much to absorb in this small village community, but what stands out are the challenging living conditions and poverty, which is widespread. Even the cows looked skinny. I want to share my experiences with you, but at the same time, I felt guilty to be taking pictures of the conditions in which so many of these people live, knowing I would soon be in the comfort of our hotel with plenty of food, air conditioning and other amenities that we expect (and often take for granted).
We had a team orientation, we learned a little bit about the Habitat for Humanity Malawi and the ways they serve this community. We were also cautioned not to give presents to individuals here as it could cause jealousy, resentment and other problems in this small community. Even something as simple as our (empty) water bottles are not to be given away- and we were cautioned to expect that the children would ask for them. Many members of the team have donated clothing and toiletries and other needed items with us in our luggage, and those items will be given to the local Habitat leaders, who will be responsible for sharing those items after we depart.
There were also plenty of warnings about staying hydrated, resting frequently and taking our anti-malaria medication. Tomorrow, the real work begins.
Thanks for reading this far!
