More News From Abroad!

Hi everyone

Anne and I successfully met up this morning at Heathrow – Anne from Singapore and myself from Lilongwe/Jo berg. We are now relaxing at the Thistle hotel. I am typing this email at a very unfriendly terminal in the lobby but hopefully I will not experience the server crashes evident in Malawi.

The celebration on Sunday at Ntandire was a great success filled with joyous music to accompany the 3 hour Mass presided over by a very sprightly 71 year old Bishop ( French Canadian ) and in the afternoon enjoyed traditional dances, a play and a comedy sketch. There were nearly 1000 people packed into the church and afterwards the numbers swelled to what I gauge to be 3000; a very attentive sea of teeming friendly faces. Afterwards I gave a radio interview with the very popular Catholic radio station, whose ratings exceed the commercial stations.

Earlier, on the way, as we lurched along the red dusty pot holed road, people were waving and greeting us (in the normal friendly way synonymous of the poorer areas of Malawi) when a rare motorist suddenly pulled out in front of us and we narrowly avoided an accident. The drivers here are shocking and rarely give any signals, but even when they do it’s likely to be incor
rect. The previous day an ambulance spilled into a group of people rushing to receive free voter sponsored T shirts killing 8. They are also fond of road blocks and we have been occasionally stopped by the army or police to check where we are coming from and our destination. The officers however are always friendly.

After numerous thank you's and an endless procession of gifts to Fr Taylor- goats, chickens -and speeches it was time to say goodbye. I asked FR Taylor to cut a section of the cloth I received and together with the hand carved crucifix for OLHC, post it off to me in mid june when I’m back. We left with such a crowd of people following the car you could barely see the road and we crawled along at 1 km an hour until we could eventually break clear when the red dust gave way to a wider section.

On the Monday we travelled to Lake Malawi which is very beautiful and I enjoyed the warm clear water with Fr Taylor, Dyson and his son Felix. A long way off were crocodiles and hippo’s.

Best wishes Lindsay Link

Out of Africa

Hi Everyone

Wherever I travel am greeted with “Welcome Home”; an acknowledgement I am considered to have returned to my home – Africa the cradle of civilisation that. Indeed I have been made to feel most welcome.

Stopping off at Joberg I was pleased to see the sights with my guide ; Mandela square; numerous monuments to gold mining, many historic buildings, and a city views from 50 floors above . New developments attempt to modernise a once dangerous city and provide a more friendly place to visit.

I arrived at Lilongwe last Wednesday and so far have visited many of the christen communities, the local gaol, the catholic school at Mt Sirize and a government school which has 5000 students. 1 have also listened to numerous stories from the locals. The parish is made up of about 12,000 split into 5 churches : St Kizito, Gabriella , Philomenia , Mt Silize and St Andrea. Each church is further split into christen communities of which there are 47 in total. St Kizito has 13.

I have confirmed a funding project with the sister headmistress at Mt Sirize which will involve daily breakfast for 300 children , made up of a mixture of maize, soya and sugar which will enable at least one meal per day to ensure the children are not hungry and malnourished; who are then are able to concentrate on their schoolwork. I also confirmed we are able to sponsor 15 children for secondary education.

Fr Frank and Fr Patrick O' Hagan have looked after me very well. Fr Paddy looks after the orchard so we have enjoyed some wonderful fruits at breakfast. I jokingly told Fr Frank he has concrete flowing in his veins and not blood since he is constantly involved in building projects for the communities. He even also recently completed a shelter for the gaol, using labour from within and increasing their skills, At the gaol I mistook an inmates for an official. He thought it was hilarious as he was serving a 16 year sentence. The over crowing is unbelievable . There are 2,126 men in such a small space they scarcely have room to walk around. There are only 56 women, a measure of the dispropotionate amount of crime committed by men,.

Tomorrow is the big celebration at Ntandire. The new church and hall looks beautiful yet simple and welcoming. It would accommodate 1000 people at a push. Fr Taylor has also built another small building alongside from a donation he received from the wife of the Irish Ambassador which will be rented be provide income for the Ntandire community.

Wherever I go you are greeted by 50- 60 children who are fascinated to see you and people are all very genuinely pleasant and welcoming . It is indeed the warm heart of Africa .

The trip has been very good so far except for my back which has given me so curry. Link

Malawi fundraiser

 

 

 

We held another Fundraiser this Saturday when we were entertained and danced to the wonderful music of the "The Degenerates" who donated their services for the sixties dinner dance.

I am setting off to South Africa then Malawi,this coming Monday, later to join my wife as we tour the south west of England and Wales,then accross to Ireland and finally to Hong Kong before returning to Austrlia.

The pictures are of the band, scenes of ethusiastic dancers and yours truly with my wife

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Elizabeth Rose

 

 

 

 

Our eldest daughter Vanessa has given birth to a 3rd daughter named Elizabeth Rose. Naturally enough her 2 big sisters Alice and Chloe together with her cousins Declan and Liam( pictured) were delighted to see and nurse the baby.Pictures are of Vanessa resting in the afternoon.Three year old Alice is shown leaving home; 'I am so excited', she said on the way in to hospital !

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