I FORGOT how filthy the kids get playing outside in all this dust. At least 2 or 3 times a day we ask the kids to wash their feet and hands and faces and for sure a good SCRUB before bed. The tiled floors need to be mopped constantly from the dirt we track in and the thought of those dusty legs climbing into clean sheets at night. Forget it ! I keep saying " I can't believe how dirty you are" and Ben said " MOM, playing barefoot is just the beginning in Africa" I had to laugh....because he's absolutely right. We have a GIANT task before us in setting up a home and an entire organization from here forward. For now, we are SO glad to see the kids playing outside. There isn't much else to do at the moment. We were hopeful for a few more toys and clothes to arrive in the boxes we shipped as scheduled two days ago. But, no boxes on the airplane. Seeing that only two flights come into Blantyre in a week we'll have to be patient. Kids are creative, though, and I've been particularly intrigued by one little item that got tucked into our suitcase at the last minute. The day before we left was the 4th of July and the kids got a red frisbee thrown to them by a local Bank in Watertown, WI.
This frisbee sat in our suitcase from America to Germany and down to Africa and never moved. The other day we suggested the kids should go out and play with some Malawian kids who live on the property where we are staying. They said " but we don't speak the same language?!" And we said...." but you can play". So they organized a plan amongst themselves to go outside and play with the frisbee - overthrowing it so that it would reach the interested kids watching nearby. Out came the red frisbee from the suitcase. It worked !
Next thing we knew we heard tons of laughter and the red frisbee was being thrown all around from child to child. The boys starting climbing trees and having bamboo stick sword fights and the girls used the frisbee as a bowl to make dirt and leaf soup ! They've all been fast friends since - nevermind the language differences. I am so thankful for these experiences for my children and for me ! Time to wash more dusty feet..........
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Location:Blantyre, Malawi
