Lilongwe to Senga Bay to Lilongwe to Dedza

Tuesday November 17, 2009

I’m up at 4 AM. After all it’s not every day you get the chance to introduce the Vice President of a nation to the new V-Tractor. Come to think of it this is the first and only time I have ever done this! I’m ready to have breakfast and get on the road. Only problem is that no one else gets up until 5. Now that seems like a 20-hour wait for the next 45 minutes. I think I ate the entire breakfast in three short gulps. Sort of too bad because the B & B looks to be a really great place to spend a little time and we have just popped in and out like popcorn popping on a hot burner.

I’m pressing the car for all we can do as we get out of town (within the speed limit I assure you). We really have to push it because I’ve watched these caravans of government officials pass us along the road. I can assure you I would not be able to keep up. But on second thought it would be nice to be placed somewhere in the middle and ride along dreaming, would it not? About an hour into the trip we learn the V.P. is slightly late getting away from Lilongwe but they are headed our way and coming fast. We reach Senga Bay in another 20 minutes and check to make sure everyone is ready, then we go back to the turn off from the main road in order to insure the caravan only has to make one pass to find the right roads that wander back through the village. In moments we hear the sirens indicating they are just near. Wow! It took us 1 hour and 20 minutes. It must have only taken them 45 or 50 minutes. How in the world did they do that without getting a speeding ticket?

The Vice President and entourage view the tractor as Tom describes its capabilities. They are obviously impressed, and appear to linger much longer than I expected knowing how far they must travel today and the number of things they must do.

Around 9:30 they are away and we sit down to a second breakfast. The night before Tom had contacted us to advise us of the death of a close friend in the U.S. and that the plans for the morning would have to change so he could catch the next flight out to the U.S. After breakfast we turn back to Lilongwe and airport to see Tom off. While at the airport we run across an old friend and church elder and have lunch with him. Since our earlier plan called for us to be in Dedza by noon, we are already so late we probably won’t make it before dark. Suzi has been trying all morning to reach Mama Kadzamira, who we know is waiting for us, but no luck. Apparently the phone company has trained the electric people. No service. We head back to the B & B to pick up our luggage, stop to drop off a microscope to a doctor in the capital, then on to Dedza. When we arrive there the electric company has given instructions to the water company as well as the phone company. Let’s add it up. There is no water, no phone service, and then the electricity goes out for a time. Now the really nice thing about that is there is nothing else that can go out. Oh don’t you believe that one, as we will find out in the morning.

Three of the farm workers come to discuss the V-Tractor and the plans for the next morning. Oh, my! Tom is gone and as I look around me there seems to be no one to try to answer their questions except me. I need a good nights rest.

Mama is kind and gracious as always and very quickly we relax. When we are with her she reflects such a calming influence, no matter how much chaos is swirling around us, that I conclude the questions with the V-Tractor are nothing to be worry about. Perhaps I may be a bit too optimistic.

All of us are a bit exhausted so it is early to bed. Since Dedza District is on a much higher elevation the temperature here is much cooler. We sleep much better. I’m not even worried that I have the V-Tractor questions in the morning.