The day begins early with team discussion, prayer and worship. It’s a very organic process – nothing formal, nothing structured or planned. Just the result of doing life together here. We talk about practicing the presence – like Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach. We talk about living moment to moment in God’s presence and radical kingdom faith – like George Mueller and Hudson Taylor. There is authenticity and honesty as we encourage each other.
We head to Kaliyeka mid-morning and find the older kids eagerly waiting for choir rehearsal. We met them a few days ago to ask about their dreams, inspire them and pray for each one of them individually. The freedom that broke out on that day has held and we find them open, joyous and ready to get started.
Today we introduce simple vocal exercises and there is much laughter – but they jump into it. Almost immediately there is an improvement in both sound and tone as their jaws relax and mouths finally open. We begin with a familiar chichewa song and then move to learning a couple of songs in English. Two hours pass before we know it and finally the younger kids begin to push through the front gate.
The Chifundo team women, who have been cooking since 8 am, quickly gather the kids into their age groups and organized play begins. One group plays a delightful Malawian game involving shoes, another group plays catch and jump rope, yet another plays a game that resembles red rover. The older boys and girls play soccer together at the back of the lot. We’re impressed at the order we now have and the organizational ability of this team. We laugh as we think back a couple of years, recounting stories of utter chaos as we tried to handle hundreds of children without a building or a fence with a gate. We have come so far in just a few years.
Play time ends and all kids scurry to the pavilion and find a seat on the red benches. The women from The Log Church in Crosslake, Minnesota have sent 200+ handcrafted name card holders in a multicolor jigsaw puzzle fabric. The kids listen intently as as we talk about how God has joined us together – different races, different ages and nationalities – and has made us one family. Every person in this family is important, each one is seen, each one will be called by name. One by one we call each child forward to receive their name-tag. As one team member slips the lanyard over their head, another team member slips a red Ancient Path Malawi bracelet on their wrist. We pray a brief prayer for each and every child. All of the kids sit quietly, with their necks craned, watching expectantly as they wait to hear their name called. Because this is school break season and many children are visiting family in the villages only 160 kids are present. We are left with about 40 tags – but these children will be return soon.
Next, the team distributes a craft to each child – a cross-shaped ornament with a scratching tool used to reveal color under the black surface. The kids watch their colorful patterns emerge with delight – proudly showing them to each other and to us. Each one creates designs as unique as they are. We teach them the hand-sign for I Love You and they begin to flash the sign with huge smiles.
Now its time to eat and again, we are impressed with the system the AP Malawi team has in place. The women fill plates to overflowing with nsima, vegetables and beef in the kitchen. The oldest kids form an assembly line to distribute food to the youngest children who file by after washing their hands. It works like a well-oiled machine and soon all 160 children are eating.
As the day draws to a close, the children wash their hands again, receive a chewable vitamin and, today, a lollipop. The older children and team members wash and dry the dishes, sweep the pavilion and carry benches back into the classrooms.
The sun sets as the van makes its way out of Kaliyeka, children waving wildly on both sides of the road. A boy runs to the van and flashes the I Love You hand sign.
It’s been a good day.
