Waking up on Mount Mulanje

(Due to no internet access Saturday night, this is posted on Sunday morning…)

Wow! What a magnificent view this morning. Since we arrived after dark last night, we didn’t realize exactly where we were. We awoke to an amazing view, and were told my one of the workers that what we were looking at in the distance was actually Mozambique (which borders Malawi to the South, East and Southwest). We asked what the mountain was called, and he said “Churu, but that is NOT a mountain, only a hill”. He had us turn around and look up behind us and said, “now THAT is a mountain.” Wow, he was right! We are actually on the bottom part of the mountain, and have quite a view. Mount Mulanje is the highest mountain in south-central Africa. After a leisurely breakfast, we left, with 8 of our team going for a drive through the countryside, headed for Game Haven, a game reserve where we met later for lunch.

I rode with Jonathan, a new driver for Habitat, to Blantyre, to meet our other two teammates, who were arriving from Lake Malawi. We drove through many small villages that were bustling with people. It was “market day”, and the roads were crowded with people walking, pushing loaded bicycles, and taking mini-vans (a main public mode of transportation). We found teammates Joanna and Jason in Blantyre, and also met up with Consulata, the Global Village director for Habitat Malawi. We then drove to Game Haven, where our team was now complete, and lunch awaited us. We ate on the “lawn” with only glimpses of wildlife, but amazing scenery. Following lunch, we came back to Kara O’Mula, where we had some free time before orientation and dinner. We listened to musicians playing traditional music, watched some traditional dancers, and saw a beautiful sunset.

Before dinner, we had our Habitat orientation. We learned that Habitat families in Malawi are chosen not just by Habitat, but with the input of local community organizations, village chiefs and district councils (which cover about 10 villages). Habitat Malawi started in 1986, and has focused on low income households living on less than $120 per month and Orphan and Vulnerable Group Households who have lost one or both parents, or who are child- or grandparent-headed. Two things the new homeowners learn are 1) the rules of inheritance (the last born child is the rightful owner of the home), and 2) training on HIV/AIDS and Malaria (which includes giving them mosquito nets for sleeping). Habitat Malawi has served over 300 households (1 in 5 children), mainly in Salima and Mulanje. A Habitat house costs about US$4,000, and Habitat estimates they build about 40 houses a year with Global Village groups.

After dinner, we hung out on the lawn chatting, having drinks, and gazing at the amazingly bright stars.

Tomorrow we will hike on Mount Mulanje, now affectionately known as “our mountain”.

Good night,

Kari

Churu in Mozambique

Our lodging

Team before Joanna and Jason…

Our lodging

Good thing we didn’t bring our high heels to build in!

Now THAT’S a mountain!

Market day

Market day. Apples or maybe some… fried mice?

Look what they can carry on their bikes

Bananas?

Potatoes?

Traveling toward Blantyre

Game Haven

Lunch at Game Haven

Lunch at Game Haven

On the road to Mulanje

Mulanje Mountain

Ashley and Laura with new friends

Traditional music

Ashley and Jerod at sunset

Our mountain at sunset

Large spider visitor

Kari with Habitat team – Andrew, Consulata and Faith