I’m sitting on my bunk bed in Malawi. I still can’t believe it. We’re in Malawi.

Our adventures started as we left the South (which was a blast!) and flew out of D.C. with a send-off from our dear friend Amber Rieke. We landed in Brussels, Belgium, which is where we connected with our USA nursing team that we were about to spend (almost) a month with in Sierra Leone.

*The blog is long….again. Sorry! Skip down to the conclusion if you don’t have much time and just want the “from the heart” thoughts.

Step 1- Unexpected 24 hour delay in Brussels. Three meals and overnight lodging comp’d by the airline. I expected to be thrown into a Motel 6 or something of the like. Talk about hashing out team dynamics in the face of uncertainty. Trial by fire. All I can say is it ROCKED. We were put up in one of the nicest hotels that we’ve ever stayed in. We ventured into the city for a brisk evening of fun. Delicious meals. I’ll take unplanned adventure like this any day.

Step 2- Arrival to Freetown, Sierra Leone on January 6^th. As our plane was touching down and palm trees and far off dilapidated buildings were whisking behind us I had this overwhelming sense of PEACE. We were arriving exactly where we needed to be.

Step 3- The next day we arrived to Upper Banta, in the Moyomba District-our Sierra Leone home. We  call our home Banta for short. On many levels it felt as if we never left. We quickly had the opportunity to re connect with people we spent the last 8 months missing. Our work last year in Sierra Leone (in the Banta clinic) was met with much sweat and tears (and joy)….but the bonds of friendship and impact on our hearts unbreakable.

But now we’re beginning a new chapter in Banta.

With the USA nursing team (5 RN’s and 1 Nurse Practitioner) we spent the following weeks introducing new COTN (Children of the Nation) clinic standards and training to the four Sierra Leonean nurses (similar to providing continuing education).The foundation was laid for our future work. When we return to Banta in the end of February we will spend the next 4 months working alongside the Sierra Leonean nurses to help empower and enable them to implement the standards and education presented in January by our nursing team. It won’t be easy, but the practice changes/improvements we’re striving for as a team are crucial to improving the health of the region. It will be GOOD. These nurses really are incredible women that have a passion for helping people. We all keep agreeing that the Banta clinic WILL BE the BEST clinic in Sierra Leone.

Month #1 Highlights:

·       COTN supports hundreds of children around the world. This year brought the very first college graduate of the COTN family! There was a HUGE party to celebrate. The graduate was the center of the party, and in accordance with Sierra Leone graduate tradition, paraded around with a candle, a can of aerosol bug spray, and matches. We all danced and danced….and dodged barrels of flame….as the graduate torched her away around the dance floor. Talk about living life on the edge. My heart was racing, but not from the dancing. HAHA! It was awesome. If you know me you know how much I’m a pyro at heart. No one was hurt in the flame process, and it was a perfectly celebrated night of a young woman with much due honor.

·       5 snakes (green mambas) were killed just 150 yards off from where we live. 1 Boa Constrictor spotted. Another red snake found in a hut roof. AND NO ONE HURT. Score.

·       Witnessed two births in the clinic. Both mamas and babies healthy. This was wonderful.

·       The Banta Clinic got a paint make over. We are “bluffing” (aka-showing off) in our awesome clinic.

·       THUNDER AND LIGHTENING. There were several (unexpected and rare for the time of year) storms that we all thoroughly enjoyed. One night in particular our team lined up with chairs on the veranda (porch) and watched the splices of light shatter through the sky as if we were enjoying a movie together. It was a GOOD night. 

·       So many great times shared: With the kids. With the nationals. With the team from USA (+ our dear Irish friend on staff. We don’t want to leave him out!). We re-connected with and met truly talented and impressionable people.

·       TOKEH BEACH. We spent two nights on the beach prior to departing for Malawi. Our team debriefed. Ate the best lobster and fish you can have, hands down. Body surfed. Relaxed. Laughed. The sand was white, soft. The atlantic ocean water warm, inviting. Surrounded by palm trees and hammocks. Sooooooo nice.

Step 4- MALAWI. Traveling to Malawi from Sierra Leone was cake. Let’s just say I am Kenya Airway’s biggest fan. 

We’ve been in Malawi for almost a week. Our hearts are captivated by these people. They refer to themselves as “the warm heart of Africa.” It is true. We’ve been so kindly welcomed everywhere we go. With every step we take it seems we’re met with traditional dance and song. Ohhhh the song. Heaven has come forth in their voices. The work COTN is doing here has uniqueness from Sierra Leone, and it’s powerful. God is powerful.

We’ll write more later on Malawi. For now, stay tuned on facebook. We actually have wi fi here, so we’ve been posting videos and pictures. On the 11^th we leave for a Safari!! (definitely on the Ashley Bucket list). Then, on the 13^th we’re off to Uganda.

Our current travel team is the Spoon’s (Tanya is the Nurse Practitioner and Dave, her husband, is COTN’s Spiritual Care Director) and Doug-the world’s best volunteer photographer. Seriously. Our little team is like family.

CONCLUSION (for now): Both in Sierra Leone and now Malawi, I’ve felt overwhelmed on this trip thus far by all the healing I see taking place. In Sierra Leone I’m amidst a people ravished by war. I hear their stories. My heart breaks over and over. Yet I’m compelled. I’m convinced of the reality of Jesus when I see these people rising up and pressing forward….when I see these children make steps to transform their own nation. The strength of human will can be a conquering force….the will to survive your circumstances… the will to carry on. It can’t be measured. I know you’ve seen it before. Picture it. But when this will is met with Jesus, there is a completely, indescribable difference-and an unexplainable joy that people carry. A joy that shouldn’t be possible in the midst of such suffering. In this joy I see healing and true life. This joy is worth giving my life for. A thousand times over.