Seems like not too long ago I was wandering around Malawi looking for a special project for my group to take on this Summer. Now the time is almost here and I am headed back with a group to complete that very project. All the volunteers and I have spent the last month raising money and we are excited to get our feet on the ground and start building this kitchen. I have been getting updates from Malawi and as of yesterday 1,000 bricks had been made and the foundation was ready to be poured. The people living at Adziwa are so excited to see this project come together. I can only imagine the impact this new kitchen will have on the community and the children living there.

Preparing for a trip is always a little crazy, but I have a great group this year and things are coming together well. This will be the spot where I will post updates from Malawi during our 2 week stay. This years trip is special in a few ways, the first being that years itinerary will bring us very close to culture of Malawi. For the first time we will be staying part of the time in a traditional Malawian village that has been built in order to give people an idea of what it is like to live as the Malawians do. This experience will be wonderful, but will also put a road block up between me and a computer for some of the days we are in Malawi. We are also lucky in the fact we will adventure into Zambia for a 3 night safari. For the first time ever our group will leave Malawi and experience another culture. This will also make blogging difficult. I will do my very best to keep all of you updated as I am able, but remember….no news is good news and when a blog does pop up that means I have found a moment to share what is going on with everyone.

A big thank you to everyone who helped make this project possible. Many people made donations of money and supplies and without these the project would not have happened. I often get people who donate and say “well it isn’t much, but i hope it helps” YES every donation helps and puts us a little closer to our goal. It is because of the support of friends, family and people in our communities that these projects happen. I know the group will agree when I say we all carry a piece of each of you as we travel and put our hearts into this important work. Knowing that people at home are thinking of us and supporting us helps us everyday in Malawi.

I will post once more before departure on June 9th. Pass this blog along to anyone you think might want to keep up with the group and I as we travel back to the warm heart of Africa.