St. Matthew's Group visit Primary Schools

The primary school students at Lunyangwa Girls and at St. Peter's were over the moon to see St. Matthew's students. They loved the group singing and dancing with them.  Both schools received gifts of pencil, pens, crayons, chalk and other useful school materials.

Shannon handing over penpal letters & gifts from St. Mark's to Ellen DHT, Lunyangwa Girls.

Presenting gifts to DHT, Lunyangwa Girls

Harry delivering letters from St. Peter's Primary Ardossan to DHT, St. Peter's in Mzuzu

Gifts for St. Peter's

Scottish Group Visit

It was wonderful to have the group from St. Matthew's Academy finally here with us in Mzuzu. Meal times in the house were very busy...16 altogether!!

Everyone here at St. Peter's was very excited to meet and welcome the group.  The official opening of St. Peter's Secondary School Science block was a highlight as this was a joint project for both schools.

Growing Project

Recently we went to see the 2 fields where maize and beans are growing.  Due to the regular rain showers and sunshine the maize and beans have been growing well.  It is hoped there will be a good crop. SVDP members at St. Peter's are grateful to the friends in Scotland who have made this project possible; it gives them hope that they can continue to help the needy in the community.

Nature is a fine balance; we pray the much needed rains for the crops do not become so heavy that the beans and maize rot.

Looking down on the fields

Beans are growing well

Maize cobs are healthy

High maize

Schools stop for Easter

On Friday the schools closed for Easter.  Just like Scotland the learners have 2 weeks holiday.  On the last day of term the learners receive their school report if they have paid 100 kwacha. There is also a whole school assembly outside.  Unfortunately the heavy rains came down and we were all soaked.

Sheltering from the heavy rains

Assembly time at Lunyangwa Girls' Primary

Reports issued to learners

Running to school in the rain

Gathering for Assembly at St. Peter's Primary

Scottish Day At Mzambazi

 We spent a wonderful couple of days at Mzambazi, near the Zambian border.  Mzambazi is a beautiful rural community where the goats roam freely, bullocks pull the carts along the rough track. while maize and tobacco crops surround the dwellings.

Our purpose in visiting this time was to assist Mzambazi Community Day Secondary School celebrate their first ever Scottish Day.  Staff and students participated in a variety of activities to find out a little more about the Scottish culture; Scottish country dancing, reciting Scottish poems, singing Scottish songs, playing traditional games and learning about famous Scottish people.

Everyone at the school and in the community is looking forward to meeting their Scottish partners from Largs Academy in June.

Comparing the Malawian Flag and the Saltire

Creating tartan patterns

Teacher playing peevers

Learning the Gay Gordons

Playing rounders

Watching a video about Largs

Beautiful Babies

There were several beautiful newborn babies at St. John's Hospital when we visited to give out the lovely hand knitted clothes and blankets from the ladies in Scotland.

Monkey Business at Nkhata Bay

We enjoyed our recent stay at Nkhata Bay for a couple of days.  There was a little rain, keeping everything very green and it is still warm.  Around 5.30p.m. we were able to watch the monkeys jumping from tree to tree searching for food.

Delicious Food

People still ask us what we eat here.  I have to say that we eat many fruits and vegetables which are grown locally; we purchase them from the big market in town.  Luckily we brought some cook books and we can access the internet on occasions.  Here we have time to experiment with new recipes.  Now we can make our own chipatis when the flour is available in the supermarket.

Potato and cauliflower curry

Apple and banana fritters

Letters from St. Anthony's

The learners at St. Mary's, Nambo were delighted to receive letters from their Scottish penpals who attend St. Anthony's Primary in Saltcoats.

Surprise!

The learners here at St. Peter's Primary were over the moon to receive beautiful Christmas Cards from penpals in St. Peter's Primary, Ardrossan.  They enjoyed reading the good wishes sent and looking at the colourful drawings and beautiful gift.

This is what two learners said:-

The Festive Season

The days prior to Christmas here is very different from Scotland.  There is not the same anticipation or rush about the shops.  In fact you hardly notice Christmas is coming; Shoprite has a Christmas tree at the entrance and even some Christmas music playing and the Coffee Den has put a little tree on the counter.  However, there are little developments as this year the workers in Shoprite were wearing red and white Christmas hats.

It is not part of tradition here to put Christmas trees up in houses although the national newspaper did have an article describing how some people could prepare their house for Christmas.  We put up a Christmas tree, we made our own decorations and played the one Christmas cd over and over again.

We attended the Christmas vigil at 8p.m. Fr. Mkandawire who has just come to the Parish from Nkhata Bay ensured the service was very lively.  Some of the youth performed a short drama of the Christmas story. For the first time there was a real family with their newborn baby in the crib; during Mass the baby was baptised Emmanuel.

On Christmas day we attended the English Mass at 7a.m. This was an extra special event because Bishop John Ryan came to celebrate his first mass here.

Our Christmas tree with our wooden giraffe standing by

Celebrating with our friends

Drama at the Christmas Vigil

Bishop Ryan addresses the congregation

Thank You St. Matthew's Academy Community from women and children at W.D.C.

Our next Christmas Party celebration was at the Women's Development Centre, here in the Parish.  Some of the senior girls help to prepare the party food of rice, meat, a potato and greens.  After eating, the Christmas party gifts from St. Matthew's are distributed; at first there is silence as gifts are unwrapped then the children burst into song and laughter.  Today will be a wonderful memory!

Enjoying the party food

Receiving a Christmas gift

"Thank you friends"

Tawonga St. Matthew's

Thank You St. Matthew's Academy Community

Just now in Malawi we are all waiting on the rains so the crops for the coming year will flourish.  This is the lean time in the country.  Prices of basic household goods and food including vegetables have been increasing.  There are fewer tomatoes and onions which form the basis of the tomato sauce to accompany nsima or to be cooked with the greens available.

The arrival of the Christmas gifts from St. Matthew's Academy community bring smiles and laughter to children and adults. The first party we attended was at Mary Martha.  Christmas party food consisting or rice, meat (offals) and nsima was prepared. Prayers of thanks were offered as everyone felt touched that people in Scotland were thinking of them at this time.

Gifts from St. Matthew's at Mary Martha

Playing with the yoyo is fun

Reading a Christmas card from one of our friends at St. Matthew's

Tawonga - Thank You

Thank you to the Scottish friends who have given donations to help support the needy in St. Peter's Parish.  The members of S.V.D.P have a monthly programme (December until March) distributing a bucket of maize, pkt of salt, bars of laundry soap and some dried beans which is much appreciated by the beneficiaries.  Without this support these people would go hungry.

Wrapping up the maize in the chitenge, to carry home

Some of the beneficiaries at St. Peter's

Distributing goods at St. Albert's, one of St. Peter's outstations

We were also able to give out some baby clothes knitted by friends in Scotland.

S.V.D.P. member giving the mother of twins some baby clothes