Our first full day in Malawi we saw the groundbreaking for the new Grove Church that will be built in Malawi.  I took pictures so you can imagine my wonder.  It was another 45 min bus ride to get there.  We got out in what seemed like the middle of the desert.  There was nothing and no one around!  Our three busses parked in the dirt.  There were two large tents set up.  A ton of chairs.  A simple stage and some speakers.  What is going on?

People slowly started showing up.  A young boy walked up to me and took my hand.  What does he want?  I ask the interns.  He is just excited you are here.  What is his name? Mikelo, Michael.  I try to remember his Chichewa name, but I keep getting it wrong.  The following week one of the interns heard his name as Maleko, which is one, of many variations I used, but that one means Mark.  He’s only 5 and soft spoken.  I’m going to use Mikelo,  Michael, since that is how we were introduced.  

Mikelo wanted to dance!  The music started playing and he pointed to the front.  That was his normal form of communication with me– pointing.  He loved the music and was teaching me some dance steps.  I looked around and the place was filling up.  Where did all these people come from?  Then the service started so they told us to sit down.  There were plenty of seats… for a few minutes.  Then they put down tarps on the ground and told all the kids they had to sit there.  Mikelo pulled on my hand to go with him.  I was the only azungu on the tarp.  I wasn’t ready for the sun!

All the chairs filled up.  They put down more chairs, more tarp.  There were more than a thousand people!  I saw 3 cars and maybe 20 bicycles.  Everyone else walked.   I wouldn’t know for a few more days, but this location was central to all the villages Live Love Malawi serves.  They were walking in from all directions!

I don’t know how many chiefs were there that day.  The stage was for guests of honor.  I guess 5-8 chiefs,  5-8 from Live Love Malawi,  10-12 azungus from the US including our lead pastor, Paul, and third pastor, a few elders.  The women sang and danced.  There were several speeches.  There was more music, then the ceremonial ground breaking.

Then they handed out bread and soda to the kids.  They were so polite and waited patiently.  There was no grabbing or stealing.  It was clearly a treat to have soda.  Mikelo broke some of his bread off to share with me.  

Everyone is excited to have a formal church building and pastor to preach.  They have also lined up a worship leader.  The team got a lot of requests the next Sunday if they can already start worshipping there.  Sorry, we aren’t ready yet.  Keep going in your village, but we will start building.