Team Malawi have landed and are due back at LP approximately 9am!

Team Malawi have checked in for their flight home!

Inspire Text Update:

"Another great safari this morning with lots of elephants, hippos and crocodiles to view. We have had a lovely evening sharing experiences/best bits of our trip. Lots of students keen to come back to Malawi. Team Malawi have been a really great, energetic and caring team and have genuinely been a real pleasure for us to work with. We (Inspire leaders) are going to miss 'Team Malawi' lots"

 

Well done Team Malawi 2012 - You are a real credit to LP!

Message for Parents... Return time to LP

It is still a couple of days away, but we anticipate that Team Malawi 2012 will return to Field House car park at school between 8.45am and 9.15am on Wednesday 31st October, provided there are no delays! I will post any changes or updates on this blog!

We saw a LION!

WOW.... Seeing a lion in Liwonde National Park is so rare (there is literally one resident family in the park) and some of Team Malawi 2012 have seen it... FANTASTIC!

 

Lots of singing and dancing and lots of meat consumed at a BBQ last night and at breakfast this morning a monkey took a pancake off of one of the students plates!!

 

They are having a wonderful time!

AMAZING SAFARI DAY!

Team Malawi 2012 have experienced yet another amazing day. They have been viewing elephants, crocodiles and hippos and lots more wildlife in Liwonde National Park on a boat cruise this afternoon after their morning trek across the Zomba Plateau!

 

 

THANK YOU JOSHUA CHARITY!

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Team Malawi 2012 (LP, Inspire and Joshua charity on the ground in Malawi , but also within the UK) for these truly amazing outcomes. I am so proud of you all and we couldn't have achieved what we have without the team work of all the parties involved! Your hard work, determination, team work and sheer attitude to such an awesome expedition has been first class from where I am sitting in the UK! Not to mention the positive impact that you will have all had on a special rural community in Malawi.  Enjoy your much deserved safari Team LP and the Zomba Plateau!

Text update received at 7.45pm this evening...

"We completely finished the clinic sign this morning and it looks absolutely FANTASTIC! We have so many great pictures to show you all! Everyone was so sad to have to leave the village of Pensulo but the team have perked up now that we are at Sunbird Hotel in Blantyre enjoying an amazing dinner! The majority of the group had a massive steak so lots of happy faces right now! Early start tomorrow as we head to the Zomba plateau for our walk and we are hoping for clear blue sky as the views are really superb! Then we will be heading to Liwonde... Not a bad life really!"

A taster of the views - Zomba Plateau! A GEOGRAPHER'S PARADISE!!!!!!

TEAM MALAWI 2012 SPORTS TEAMS UNBEATEN ON TOUR

That was the wording in a text message received from Pete Bulteel at 10.30am this morning.... Well done sports teams! Enjoy your safari :)

Site work complete!

Text update:

"We have finished on the building site. Massive effort from everyone! We had a presentation last night followed by a football match. We are packing up and then off to our well earned safari and a BBQ with meat :) Camping too!"

Well done Team Malawi 2012 - So very proud of you all!

FACES OF PENSULO....

Team Malawi are making amazing friendships in Pensulo!

The images below taken in rural Pensulo of the happy children say it all...

 

Text message update received 8 minutes ago...

Received from Pensulo village at 1.45pm today (UK time)...

 

"We are all just off to give a presentation to the local school and community about 'England' and also to thank them for their absolutely amazing hospitality"

Interacting brilliantly!

Update from Pensulo this morning:

 

Team Malawi have had another tiring morning at the building site but the progress made is absolutely magnificent. It has been colder and windy overnight after their monsoon rain shower. The local Malawian children and the LP students had a huge tickle fight yesterday and it was amazing to see our students interacting so amazingly and to see them so engrossed in the local community. Lots of friendships have been made and this is exactly what the expedition is all about! Well done Team Malawi!

Activity Update...

... Text update from Jess (Inspire Assistant Leader):

 

"We have had a really great day today. We took a small group of students to the feeding centre. The students were a little overwhelmed at first, but by the end of it they (Nick, Jake, Niall, Becky, Chris and Alex) all had children literally hanging off of them from various limbs and they were relaxed and thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the young children! Onsite, things are going brilliantly and two classrooms have been completely painted. This evening we took part in a netball match with the local girls which was amazing! All of our girls played, including Idah and we won 6-3! The highlight of the day was everyone walking back to the village with the whole community involved in singing 'Waka Waka'! We have had an awesome day and I have heard lots of students say that they 'want to stay longer' :) "

 

Malawian girls - netball match awaits...

 

Text update from Team Malawi...

I received the following message from Pete Bulteel on behalf of Team Malawi an hour ago:

 

"Everything is still excellent here. We are about to experience our first Monsoon shower! Site work going really well. Some students went to the feeding centre this morning (see image below). All spirits are high. But.... please get us some meat!"

 

They really are having a wonderful time and an amazing experience.       
Fantastic news Team Malawi!

 

Photo above is the feeding centre that was built in October 2010        
by Leighton Park students alongside local fundis (builders)

Photos just received from Malawi... WHAT A TEAM!!

WOW... I have just received some fantastic photos from rural Malawi to accompany yesterday's text message! It takes a while to send any photos across to say the least (via a local called Hester - general manager of Joshua charity in Malawi) as internet is not on their doorstep or within reach of our students. Thank you so much Hester - these photographs are absolutely brilliant and are really appreciated by everyone!

KEEP UP THE AMAZING AND FANTASTIC WORK TEAM MALAWI 2012!

Sign Making Team - Tuesday 23rd October! Well done!

Building Site Team 2012 - Fantastic Work!

A quick rest break from the brick laying - Tuesday 23rd October 2012 - Well done Team Malawi!

A TREAT FOR TEA AFTER A BUSY BUILDING DAY!

TEXT MESSAGE UPDATE FROM SEB (INSPIRE TEAM LEADER):

 

"All is very well in Pensulo today. We have built a new sign for the clinic today - Matthew, Jonny, Joseph and Charlotte worked very hard on it. They were so good at it and did so well that the local fundis (builders) think that  they may be out of a job now! The rest of the team were located at the building site and things are moving quickly with the new build, which is just great and some students also painted a classroom this afternoon! It has been busy! We have just all taken part in a communal potato peeling session as Idah (a local) is making chips for supper so the whole team are very excited at this prospect of a treat!"

PREPARING FOOD IN PENSULO FOR SUPPER!

Team Malawi text message update...

... received from Pete Bulteel at 5pm today:

"Day 1 at the site is complete! The whole group worked really hard on building the first wall today. There are some natural builders in this group! We are all exhausted now, but all is well! Very hot indeed out here today and an early night is much needed for Team Malawi tonight!"

Fundis (local builders) preparing the resources to start building!




Team Malawi 2010 at a similar stage to whereTeam Malawi 2012 are at today !!

FANTASTIC WORK TEAM MALAWI! SLEEP WELL!



 

 

I suspect they will all be snoring as I write!

Team Malawi photos just received!

It is Monday morning in sunny Pensulo and the team are at their project site in the village ready to start work!

I have just received some photographs from the warm heart of Africa from the 'Team Malawi' weekend activities:

TEAM MALAWI EXPERIENCE A WARM WELCOME AT THEIR CEREMONY

STUDENTS MEET AND CHAT TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE AT PENSULO CLINIC

MALAWIAN FACES AT THE CEREMONY - SUCH A WARM AND FRIENDLY COMMUNITY

Chichewa Lessons!

Yesterday (Saturday) 'Team Malawi' took part in a Chichewa (the local language) lesson, which was followed by an official welcome ceremony by the community. There was much singing and dancing and many speeches – and even some acrobatics were witnessed! All of the team were dancing, along with the local villagers. It was a great moment!

After a couple of hours the team returned to their accommodation where some helped cook the evening meal, whilst others relaxed (don’t worry, they will all take turns to cook!)

After dinner, they were given their Chitenjes (traditional dress) ready for their Malawian Church experience today. The evening was finished off with a quiz.

All of the team attended a local church service this morning, which was a real African experience for everyone involved! They taught the locals a song, which went down very well indeed!

After lunch the team headed to the local clinic, built and funded by Joshua Orphan & Community Care, for a talk by Hester, Joshua’s Programme Manager about the work of the charity.

This afternoon they all took part in a football match – Niall scored two magnificent goals and the team drew 2-2 against the locals! BRILLIANT! It was a great effort from everyone and they had a very large following of local children afterwards!

Tomorrow the team will experience the first full day of project work at the Joshua Secondary School.

All is happy and buzzing in Pensulo!

Meet our staff!

Seb and Jess from Inspire spent a few days doing preparation work for us in Pensulo before the team arrived. As experienecd trip leaders they have assessed all of our planned activities and will continue to do so on a daily basis. They are integrated members of 'TEAM MALAWI!

http://www.inspire-worldwide.com/home/

The results of our efforts as a group will have contributed significantly to the current needs of the Joshua Orphan and Care Community and will give our group an incredibly rewarding Malawian experience.

http://www.joshuainmalawi.org.uk/

Team Malawi dance all afternoon!

Team Malawi have been in contact to say that they were all dancing merrily this afternoon African style in Pensulo. It was a traditional part of the local Malawian welcome ceremony! The team are just settling down for dinner now after a cultural afternoon and after meeting and making many new friends! They will be sleeping well this evening in their house under their mosquito nets!

LP receive a very warm welcome!

Team Malawi are off to a welcome party this afternoon that has been arranged by the local community! They are having a fantastic time and have received an amazing warm welcome already...... and the 'official Malawian welcome' has not even commenced yet!

Team Malawi arrive in Pensulo!

Team Malawi have settled into their house in Pensulo and mosquito nets have are all been set up in the daylight and are now over their beds ready for bedtime this evening!

Team Malawi rest at Doogles Lodge

Team Malawi have arrived in Blantyre and have had supper at Doogles Lodge in Blantyre before an early night! All is well on the shores of Lake Malawi!

Team Malawi Arrive Safely

Just a short note to let you know that the team has arrived safely in Lilongwe (along with all of their luggage!) After departing Leighton Park (see image below)

They were met by Seb and Jess (the Inspire Leaders) and are now on their way in a private bus to their accommodation in Blantyre to catch up on some well needed rest after the flight.

Later today and tomorrow morning the team will be doing some in-country training and preparation run by the Inspire team, before heading out to the project site in Pensulo later tomorrow. They will settle in to their accommodation today, meet the building team, the students and staff at the Secondary School and the staff from Joshua Orphan & Community Care who will be supporting them during the project.

On Sunday they will spend the day getting to know the local community.