Heaven on Earth

Banja mulibwanji?? (how are you my family?)

Well, as you can imagine, the flight overseas took a very long time. My flight from Chicago to London I didn't get much sleep because there was a poor girl a row behind with an upset stomach... For those of you who know me, you can imagine how that night went... The next flight was better, and I woke up in time to watch the sun rise over Africa! All the while, the sky was red on the horizon and I had the Lion king playing in my head!

When I finally got to Lilongwe, I was taken aback by the openness and small size of the airport. While standing in line for customs, I actually saw a bird fly in, zoom around one of the shops, and fly back out! Everyone simply acted like this was a normal thing, too! I just thought it was so cool! I got my luggage, and went around to the waiting area, looking (almost frantically) for anyone who looked like a senior missionary couple (the actual flight to LLW my motion sickness got the better of me, so I wasn't in the best of moods--actually I was just hoping they'd let me stay in the country just in case I had to dash to the toilet). I got around to the front lobby--this place was small enough that the front was lobby sized--and started looking around. There on the stairs were four heaven-sent angels!

President and Sister P, Sister M(a ward missionary), and my companion Sister N. She's from South Africa, and her first language is the click language that everyone told me to learn (see? it's too far south for me to need to learn it!) Her name has a click in it, which explains the q.

On our way to the area, Sister N told me that I'm not a greenie, I'm a baby shark. Pres. P calls us that because baby sharks are born ready and they snap at anything! It's funny, because now she calls me Baby all the time, and I call her Amayi (so much easier than saying her name). We work in two villages and one 'tall gate' community; Makatani and Kauma, and Area 11. Walking through the villages is a hassle all its own, because most of the kids have never seen a white person before. They'll trail after us, calling 'Azungu!' and in Kauma, they'll clap their hands like it's a chant!

One of the Elders (also American) told us that he once made the mistake of freely handing out sweets, and now they run after him yelling "Azungu ma sweetie!" (white boy, give me sweets!). But the kids are, for the most part, sweet and very curious. Today while waiting for a mini-bus (an adventure all it's own, my friends) a couple of children ran up to me just to touch my skin. The little boy, after touching my hand, grinned and hugged me around my legs! There's not much else I can do there than just let them be!

I also had a really cool first Sunday: There were ten investigators getting baptized! I was so happy for them!

You see, it's not a problem finding people who want to be baptized. It's not even a problem teaching them why it's important. The problem is keeping them active once they are baptized. The branch here in Lilongwe is very new, and they're still forming even simple things like Visiting and Home teachers. But I have the faith that it will be done!

Overall, my first few days here in Lilongwe have been amazing! The people are so kind and humble, and so open to the Gospel! As Sister Ngqo says, "This is Heaven on Earth!"

Well, banja, I close today with this: The church is true! God has called special men to lead us with the wisdom of their years and the words of our Lord! And we, as members, need to 'let the lower lights be burning', because there are many out in the dark waters of the world who need and want to come to shore!

I love you all! Sister Adams