We had been planning a trip out to Mulanje with Ethel and Mary (the Guarino family’s housemaid and daughter) for several weeks, and we were excited that it was actually happening and it would be full adventure. We just underestimated how much adventure!
We woke up bright and early around 5 am to be ready by 6 am, when Ethel was suppose to come get us. Our morning went pretty smoothly without too much adventure. We caught one minibus to the neighboring town of Limbe, then caught another minibus to Mulanje. I am going to stop right here and explain some of the wonders of Malawian minibuses. Most of these busses have seen better days and look like they could break apart anytime. Now most of these busses (they really are just vans) can carry 14 passengers comfortably, but that’s not smart for business. These Malawian bus drivers and advertiser/ money changer guy, pack these busses FULL. Instead of 14 passengers, I counted on one minibus that we rode on that there was 25 passengers, crammed into every corner.
Anyways, back to the story. Once we arrived in Mulanje by minibus we had to seek out other transportation up into the bush. Now since Samantha and I are “azungus” everyone tries to rip us off. Taxi drivers in town told Ethel that the cheapest they would go was 1,500 MK per person one way( which is a complete rip off since a minibus to Mulanje was only 370MK). So we opted for the cheaper option, bike taxi. Now these guys put a new meaning to being a fit bicyclist. They ride one speed bikes on dirt roads, often bare foot, up steep hills, across sketchy bridges, at least 100km a day. My driver for going back home told me that for example, the trip I was on was about 20 km, so he rode a total of 40 km just to get me back into town (20 km each way) and these are not 40 km of nice paved roads like back home. Once we got to the church, Mbiza church, we are instantly welcomed with much excitement. We were asked to sit in chairs at the front of the church, so everyone could see us. The church family continually thanked us for coming and presented us with amazing gifts at the end of the service. They gave us two HUGE “vines” of bananas, two huge bags of fresh peas, and dried cassava root. They also fed us amazing food. After lunch we walked probably 5 km up and down hills in the hot sun to get to Ethel’s family houses, where the bikes would pick us back up. Now Sam and I were a little under prepared and didn’t take enough water, so by the time we reached the houses we were severely dehydrated. I even resorted to drink a little water, that they claimed was safe but who knows. Of course living up to Malawi standards the bikes arrived an hour late to take us back. We left Mbiza around 3 pm and proceeded to have a fun, sometimes scary bicycle ride back in. After 40 minutes we arrived in town and proceeded to buy and down several water bottles. We got everything loaded on to a minibus and took off. Now we were placed comfortably in the minibus at first, but of course you can’t turn away a customer. So before I know it I am wedged in between Sam and Ethel sitting sideways, trying to take as little room as possible. As we got closer to town our minibus began to drive slower and with less energy, and low and behold we ran out of gas. We unloaded everything and switched to yet another minibus and drove into town. Now Limbe’s bus station is a mass amount of people and busses EVERYWHERE, so much chaos.
This is where it all begins. The sun is setting and dusk is quickly coming when we arrive. I step out of the minibus with Mary (Ethel’s 4 year old) on my hip and my bag right below my hand and her body. As I step out I see a hand brush against my bag, and I instantly reach my hand down and try to pull my bag away and I don’t think much about it. Until the lady that was sitting next to me on the bus told Ethel to check out bags because she saw someone grab a phone out of our bags. What do you know my awesome Malawian phone is gone. Now apparently Limbe is known for thieves, especially at night. A young guy came around and was trying to “help” with our bananas and received a lot of scolding and slaps from other men trying to help. He must have been known as a thief. Once we found out my phone was gone more men began to huddle around us, questioning and trying to help us find the thief. Now here in Malawi it’s ok to steal, until you get caught then it punished like everything else here, by getting the crap beat out of you or death. The men standing around us began questioning the little guy who was trying to “help” us with the bananas. He claimed he didn’t do it and told them to search him, but that didn’t change their minds. They continued to beat the crap out of him right beside us, sometimes getting us mixed up in it. It was dark, it was complete chaos and we just wanted to go home. Thankfully Shadrack( Ethel’s husband) showed up and got us another minibus that took us all the way home.
Yesterday was a very memorable Sabbath. There were so many situations that could of gone a lot worse but were survivable I know by the help of God and his amazing angels. Being in another country and faced with these situations you quickly learn to just put your trust in God and hang on, because there is nothing else you can do.
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