Robsons In Malawi

Christmas 2011

2012-01-31T05:39:00.000-08:00

A week or so before Christmas, Jonathan's younger sister Julie and her husband Michael were in a terrible car accident. We had our Christmas early and then Jonathan spent three weeks in the US with his family. Julie is alive and for that we are grateful to God. Please continue to pray for her as this is a long and tedious recovery process.
Here are some pictures from this past month.

The pre-opening presents shot. Georgia was still sleeping. JJ waiting patiently. : )

Building a lego car

Georgia making her "Christmas Snakes" (how contextual!)

Homemade Peppermint Patties. (Can't get them in Malawi)

JJ's wire truck made and designed by a student

Waiting for Daddy chain. A link came off each day.

Celebrating at Kamuzu Airport. Welcome home!

Christmas Concert 2011

2011-12-09T04:36:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night was the ABC Christmas Music Concert. I want to change our name to the ABC MASS Choir. We are now 120 members loud! The highlight of this semester has been working with Lackson and Linda. I believe they are two of the most naturally talented choral conductors in the country and both serve at ABC. We are blessed. We sang Silent Night, Use Me Lord by Daryl Logan, and an original, Chisomo Chake by Linda.

ABC Choral Department

Pre-concert photos

Crisis Nursery

2011-11-12T05:03:00.000-08:00

The Lilongwe Crisis Nursery is a place where babies can transition from hunger to health. Many of the babies have been orphaned and their extended families cannot afford to feed or care for them during infancy. After a couple years of care at the nursery, they are transitioned back to their families and home villages, well fed and in better health.

As you may notice from the photos, our Georgia Mae loves visiting(as she calls it)"Cwisis Nurswee."

Special note: In Malawi for every 100, 000 births, approximately 877 mothers die.

Reading Day

2011-10-07T03:56:00.000-07:00

Today was the ABCCA all school reading day. JJ was handed down a really nice frog costume which was perfect as he and Georgia genuinely enjoy the "Frog and Toad" series. Georgia was less literary and joined in as Strawberry Shortcake!

Teachers joined the fun.

Cute campus kids

Middle Schoolers making the effort!

All school assembly

Out of Sequence

2011-09-18T03:45:00.000-07:00

While looking through my photos, I realized I'd left out a few things here and there. Time to catch up.

Georgia Mae turned 3 on July 30!

New Freshmen arrived at the end of August

The leaders of Freshmen Orientation

Chisomo's family moved in across the street.

Both age 3 and sometimes inseparable.

JJ is getting very successful at catching all sizes of lizards.

Yale!

2011-09-03T01:47:00.000-07:00

My colleague, Kelly Dehnert won an $8,000 Yale alumni grant. The money was used to build practice rooms and a keyboard/guitar lab onto our current music building. Thank you Yale for supporting the growing music program at African Bible College!

The Addition

Senior Chimwemwe Songelani in a new practice room.

First Day of School

2011-09-02T23:59:00.000-07:00

Which child is not a morning person?

Off to Kindergarten

JJ with his teacher

One Year

2011-08-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

Lots of laughing and tears. Missed home and enjoyed all things new. Prayed for the year to go faster and wanted time to stand still. Ah, transition. We are so thankful for the Lord's sustenance and for keeping us close to Him in the roller coaster which was our first year in Africa. We have learned that when we are weak He is very strong and great is His faithfulness to us. Looking forward to year number two.

Here are a million family photos we took this morning...for the grandparents whom we miss very much!

Academy Activity

2011-08-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

The end of the year was a busy time at African Bible College Christian Academy(ABCCA) I volunteer once a week teaching two academy choirs. JJ had a wonderful year in Reception with Mr. Owen. Reception is a pre-kindergarten program 5 days a week and 5 hours a day. He had classmates from Portugal, Zimbabwe, India, Jordan, Malawi and the US. It was a great school year for JJ.

Upper School Choir with Taritta conducting

Ballerina /Choristers

Mr Owen's and Miss Kiti's Reception Class

JJ and Mr. Owen on awards day

Brenda my wonderful accompanist

Taritta my very talented conducting assistant

Graduation

2011-08-08T04:59:00.000-07:00

On June 4 the African Bible College Class of 2011 crossed the graduation stage. Parents were cheering, students were smiling, the faculty was proud. May the Lord bless them and keep them.

Proud Parents...

and Grandparents.

Saying goodbye to the rising Sophomores

and future Seniors!

Oh Where is My Prom Dress?

2011-08-06T01:05:00.001-07:00

Malawians like to dress "smart" as they say. I mean 6 inch heels to class and never slippers (flip flops). It shouldn't have been a surprise that for the Senior Dinner all the girls were dressed in FANCY gowns. I also had a dress thanks to the Salvation Army in Thomasville, GA! It was a fun celebration.

Spring Concert and Peter Mawanga

2011-08-06T01:01:00.000-07:00

The ABC Spring Choir Concert was on June 1. A semester of hard work came together nicely. We sang a three part arrangement of "Salvation is Created" by Tschesnokoff. It stretched the students abilities as well as their stylistic preferences. I was proud of them. This piece is slow and very different from anything they've heard before. When I played it for them in January they thought it was boring and by June it had become a favorite. We also sang the gospel song "Hallelujah, Salvation and Glory" and a beautiful original Chichewa composition by Senior Linda Chiyani.

Dress rehearsal

The Seniors

Me and Peter

Peter Mawanga, Malawian international recording artist, spent a few rehearsals with the ABC jazz combo, Mingoli, teaching a song from an upcoming album titled, "Mau a Malawi, Stories of AIDS." Here is a link to a website that explains more about the heart and mission of this album. We are also honored to have Peter working with Mingoli for a few rehearsals in September. He will be performing at the University of North Carolina in the fall for a large benefit. Go if you're close!

Baccalaureate

2011-06-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

The Sunday before graduation, ABC held a Baccalaureate service for the graduating Seniors. Jonathan gave both the Invocation and Benediction. The chapel was packed. The kids and I listened from outside.

Linda

My Assistant Choir Director, Amayi Abusa(pastor's wife) and proudly serving the Malawian Army.

Shonduri

2011 ABC Valedictorian and Malawian Police Officer

JJ and Georgia "helping" with the reception. JJ posing with tables full of Fanta.

Christian (ABC Sophomore) and her daughter

Enettie and Amayi (mom)

JJ and Abambo a Enettie (Enettie's Dad)

Music Theory II

2011-06-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

Back: Chikondi, Dennis, Mayamiko, Joseph Middle: Me, Pempho, Faith Front: Humphreys, John

There were 35 students in Music Theory I. Similar to theory classes in the US, a large number did not continue into this second semester, leaving our Music Theory II with the 8 sophomores you see in the photo(freshmen had a scheduling conflict)

There is something unique about teaching a small group of motivated and bright students. Written musical notation is brand new to all of them. We began with a nice Hungarian Ear Training curriculum.(Kodaly based) They were challenged to sing their weekly homework assignments in front of their classmates. We became like a little family-lots of laughing and joking, mixed with genuine hard work.

For the final we took a hymn and learned the solfa for the Soprano, Alto and Tenor lines. Then they broke into groups of three and performed for the class. I was very proud. Singing notation is difficult even for experienced musicians. I already miss my Tuesday mornings!

Traditional Clothing

2011-06-09T05:27:00.000-07:00

Georgia and Grace

The most affordable new clothes are those made from chitenji (African cloth) and sewn by a local tailor. Georgia wanted a purple dress and JJ asked for something blue.

Super Saturday

2011-06-05T06:47:00.000-07:00

Field Day @ABC

Beginning with the men's bike race

Freshmen with a game plan

Seniors!

Pempho biking for the Sophomores

JJ cheering his favorite Senior

400 meters

Georgia Mae and Becca

Pumpkin fairy

2011-05-19T01:32:00.000-07:00

Fall fun

Smashing pumpkins

Place in pot with water

Cover with Chipiku shopping bag and boil....

Socialize outside for one hour

Finished

Seasonal Malawian dinner

Thanks Enettie and Thandi!

....unmet expectations!

Enettie

2011-05-06T04:50:00.000-07:00

Enettie Malangano is a senior. We love her. We will miss her more than words can say. She has been offered a one year international internship with Urban Promise ministries in Wilmington, DE. She is leaving Malawi for the first time ever in August. Here are some photos from the day she (finally) got her Malawian passport!

Visiting

2011-05-02T04:08:00.000-07:00

Last week we spent a few days visiting the southern part of Malawi. Unlike Lilongwe, there are mountains and forests in the south. Here are a few photos from our trip.

Always camping

Poinsettia vines in bloom

Acacia trees (an allergy nightmare!)

Mount Mulanje

Tallest mountain in Malawi

Kids in April

2011-04-20T04:03:00.000-07:00

Can you say hair product?

Georgia Mae and Samuel

That was an exhausting egg hunt

Light saber or lawn mower??

Definitely our lawn mower. Who says 5 is too young to cut the grass?

Short term missionary who fixed our washing machine (and MANY other house repairs) earns a spot on our blog. Thank you!

A Video

2011-04-02T04:45:00.000-07:00

Here it is. The first video ever to survive the three hour upload and spotty internet.

The ABC Choir led worship on Thursday night for Spiritual Emphasis Week. Classes were cancelled and Vince Wood, a PCA pastor from Florida gave 13 messages in the past 5 days. We hosted a small group for breakfast, prayer and discussion each morning. (pictures in the previous post) It was a nice change of pace and a refreshing time with our students. (As you might notice, 1/3 of the student body is in the choir!)

March Photos

2011-04-01T05:04:00.000-07:00

Tembo's Induction as Pastor of Kafita CCAP, Lilongwe

One of the women's choirs. Notice the sweet tiny baby in a yellow blanket on his mama's back.

Tembo receiving his charge. (facing the speaker)

Kafita children's choir

ABC Choir leading worship for Spiritual Emphasis Week

Georgia and Ruth

Nyasha and Wezzie

Fannie and Doreen

Ronald and JJ

The Abambo in the kitchen(not culturally normative!)

Our breakfast/prayer group

Too sunny for a clear photo. (sorry)

Loss

2011-03-27T10:23:00.000-07:00

Many of you already know we lost Vitumbiku, a freshmen, to cerebral malaria last week. On Sunday, there was a funeral service at the outdoor Academy chapel. As you might expect, malaria is very common here, but ABC has never lost a student to malaria. This is a devastating loss for our community. Malaria is preventable and usually very treatable. Please pray for us as we support the students and also process this sadness.

Vitu was on the volleyball team, and his teammates wore matching black ABC t-shirts in his honor. About a fourth of the students jumped onto the back of flatbed trucks to escort the body from the hospital morgue to the campus. ABC rented his family a small bus, and when the funeral was over, they placed the casket between the seats where his family sat for the 7 hour ride north to Mzuzu,Vitu's home.

We're living in the "already but not yet." Vitu was a believer and is now in the presence of Jesus. We have great comfort in that. Yet we are eager for the day when Christ will make everything new, and death will be no more.

Zitenje

2011-03-11T05:20:00.000-08:00

Breaking the law

2011-03-11T04:17:00.000-08:00

I'm glad I wasn't driving!!

A little note from Connie (My next door neighbor): Just in case you’re wondering, it’s illegal to turn left (we drive on the left side of the road here) on a red robot (traffic light). Um, especially not wise in front of a bunch of policemen. They could chase you down in their truck (who knew? – there are very few police cars) and pull you over and take you to the area 3 police place to pay a MK5000 fine ($28), EVEN IF you didn’t know it was illegal, cuz guess what? It still is! And even if you are in a hurry to get back in time to teach your English class, you shouldn’t be in THAT much of a hurry. And guess what else, if you sweet talk the policeman who climbs in the back of your van to “take you” to the area 3 police station cuz his friends in the truck have somewhere else to go apparently, and he tries to help you find a zippity quick parking place once you get there, it does NOT mean that the police “king” of THAT little parking area of 10 cars will let you park there and so you have to go to the other parking lot where the police “king” of THAT little place will NOT let you park, but you have to go to the first place even when you tell him you can’t cuz that king told you “no” so you go to HIS second choice, you should be careful not to run your van front end over a hidden in the tall grass cement block and crunch it down hard…cuz that would sound terrible and almost make you lose it… And then the nice policeman could be waiting to write your ticket zippity quick cuz you told him you hoped you could get back in time and is there ANY way he could help you?? And so wouldn’t it be funny if while he was helping you he handed you his ticket book to hold while you followed him to the guy with the receipt book…and then Jessica might call her husband and tell him, “CJ got arrested and we are at the police station and we hope we can get back for her class.” And then on the way out the nice policeman could joke with his friends in Chichewa that he was marrying Jessica and we wouldn’t even stop to file a sexual harassment thingy. Wouldn’t all that be something? : )

February Photos

2011-03-04T03:25:00.000-08:00

K is for Kite

The Chipiku bag was a nice try, but this kite didn't fly

T is for terrible two!

This one flies

Front yard fun

Mr. Peacock and JJ avoid snakes in the field while flying the kite.

Intro to Music Education-Taritta and Rachel

Esther, Abusa Saka, and Viscia work on their composition

Foster, Harry and Gabriel learning solfa.

A Week

2011-02-08T06:33:00.000-08:00

Steelers Lost

The kids are on day 6 of a really bad virus

... but we saw a beautiful reminder of God's promise in the midst of it all.

"No, God's war bow was not pointing down at his people. It was pointing up, into the heart of Heaven"-Llyod-Jones

Please pray for us this week.

wild

2011-01-30T05:09:00.000-08:00

Snails-Snakes-N'gumbi-All appear with the rainy season. N'gumbi are flying termites that rise out of the ground in plague like style after the first serious rain. They lose their wings within minutes and then crawl around until a Malawian fries it for dinner. Georgia loves the ngumbi. She didn't eat one, but licked a few!

ngumbi crawling in the bottom of the pot

ngumbi wings shed on our porch

resident lizard

almost ate one

Jonathan did!

A few days ago there was a lot of shouting in our neighbor's yard. Their gardener had discovered a mamba. Most Malawians call every snake a mamba. We did some research and it was legitimate. None the less-95 percent of all snakes here are poisonous. Thankful that our children who play outside all day everyday have yet to meet a snake.

Christmas Wa Bwino 2010

2010-12-24T23:49:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

We consider it a great privilege to be in Africa at this time serving with ABC. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We are truly grateful to those of you who so faithfully pray for our physical and spiritual well being.

One of our favorite carols begins:

"Thou who was rich beyond all measure, all for love's sake becamest poor."

Thankful for a Savior who entered into the suffering of His people to bring His great promise of eternal comfort.

Love

the Robsons

(the required family christmas photo)

classic Georgia Mae

Concert

2010-12-16T05:43:00.000-08:00

The African Bible College Choir performed in the semester end concert on December 3. They sang a beautiful Praetorius canon, "Jubilate Deo," an original Chichewa composition by Senior Linda Chiyani, and Keith Hampton's Gospel piece,"Praise His Holy Name."

We worked diligently this semester on vocal technique appropriate to the style of each song. I love my choir. Linda composed, taught and conducted her piece. There is currently a great desire and need for new Chichewa compositions specifically for the church. Malawian composers like Linda are an incredible blessing to the worshipping community. Also, Linda has one of the largest and most beautiful voices I have ever heard. What an incredible talent.

If the internet speed increases, I'll upload videos. Until then, enjoy the photos.

Dress Rehearsal

Mirriam, Thandi, and Edith

Some of the men

2010 ABC Choir

Can you find me?

International Day

2010-12-08T05:19:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago ABCCA hosted an International Day which included traditional dress, music, dances, and food. JJ is enjoying this rich cultural environment at school. The following photos are from the parade of nations. I must admit, it gave me goosebumps. It all felt so very Olympic!

Lebanon

Portugal

He spotted me in the crowd

"traditional"American boys : )

new Malawian flag

Naasha

Brian, Luntah, and Luisa

Dzaleka Refugee Camp

2010-11-24T08:25:00.000-08:00

"But oh! When gloomy doubts prevail, I fear to call Thee mine. The springs of comfort seem to fail, And all my hopes decline. Yet gracious God where shall I flee? Thou art my only trust. And still my soul would cleave to Thee though prostrate in the dust"

Linda(student)Patience-DRC refugee, Enettie(student) Deborah-DRC refugee

"Hast thou not bid me seek Thy face, and shall I seek in vain? And can the ear of sovereign grace, be deaf when I complain? No, still the ear of sovereign grace, attends the mourner's prayer. Oh may I ever find access, to breathe my sorrows there."-verses from "Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul" -Steele

Last Saturday, we traveled with 45 students and staff to Dzaleka refugee camp in Dowa, fifty minutes north of Lilongwe. Dzaleka used to be a Malawian prison, and now hosts up to 11, 000 refugees. We were granted special access to the camp for the day. We listened to people's stories and prayed with them. Mingoli, our jazz ensemble, played a concert.

This was the most emotional experience we've had since arriving in August. Yes, we live across the street from many villages without power or running water, but villages are fundamentally different. These refugees suffered unspeakable trauma, and are far from their homes.

Refugees at Dzaleka are not permitted to leave or do any income producing work. They are lonely and afraid. Prostitution is prevalent, and the percentage of those with HIV is staggering.

Food is provided by the World Food Programme although distribution is problematic. We were told that the resettlement program is full of corruption. Only those who can offer bribes are relocated to permanent homes.

We traveled around the camp with five students and a couple translators. Our students were incredibly effected by this experience. For most, this was their first time crossing cultures. The languages were unfamiliar, and the reality of the refugee situation was upsetting.

We met two sisters who fled the Congo with two younger brothers just six months ago. When we asked them to tell their story, they couldn't. They explained that the past was too horrible to speak about. The girls hugged us and cried.

Next, we met a family that was expecting their second baby. They were fearing for the baby and mother because her first delivery was a C-section. The father was close to crying when he asked us to pray that this second child would deliver naturally. I could barely hold it together. I was sitting on a dirt floor hut, looking at a woman about my age, praying for the life of her baby.

The concert was in the afternoon. The children loved singing and dancing with the music. You can see their smiles in the photos. Jonathan gave a brief Gospel talk with Swahili translation.

This Thanksgiving we are thankful. We see that God is present with those who suffer the most. We wait for the day when every tear will be wiped from all of our eyes. But for now, we're a long way from home.

grandparent post

2010-11-12T03:11:00.000-08:00

Pics of our kids over the past month....

JJ's 5th Birthday -Chicken Nugget Celebration.

"mom, can you make a smile cake?" -yes, yes I can. So glad he didn't say optimus prime...

homemade pita bread

Out of Lilongwe

2010-11-10T03:56:00.000-08:00

Prayer House Ministry (10-24-10)

Abusa Tembo(center with collar), Church Elders,

Jonathan and Kelly (right)

Kodaly Lilongwe

2010-11-04T23:34:00.001-07:00

Music update:

In graduate school I studied a Hungarian methodology for teaching musical literacy by using indigenous folk music. (Kodaly) When I taught a music education course at African Bible College in 2009, I met a student from Lilongwe named Lackson Chazima who is incredibly gifted.

Since then, Lackson has studied briefly in Spain and helped train a small group of Malawians who now teach for an international group called Music Crossroads. My colleague Kelly Dehnert, and one our our seniors, Linda Chiyani and I visited their music training school last week. (on a very warm afternoon!)

I was about in tears with happiness and excitement to see how well the trainers have been educated and how beautifully they were presenting the lesson. It was helpful for me to see in person how effective the Kodaly methodology has become in Malawi even on a small scale.

In the near future, ABC would like to join this effort of training teachers in music education. I'm happy to be teaching the college's first official music education course next semester. There is currently no such degree offered in the country.

Please pray for us as we seek to build partnerships and learn from what is already happening in Lilongwe. Please pray for us as we identify and invest in the talented students that God brings to us at ABC. Please also pray that we would have wisdom in this process of possibly growing a music degree program at the college.

Gladson, me, Julia, Marlyn, Linda, and Lackson

Kodaly teachers of Lilongwe

abusa

2010-10-29T02:23:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, Jonathan and our neighbor Kelly traveled to Abusa Edward Tembo's church. Tembo is an ordained minister in the CCAP(church of central africa presbyterian) and a sophomore at ABC. He oversees over 8000 congregants in about 25 different prayer houses. CCAP pastor's have a main station church and then smaller prayer houses in outlying village areas. They visit the prayer houses as much as possible, but it is quite a challenge to be so many places at once. Sometimes prayer houses only see the abusa(pastor) twice a year.

This past Sunday, Tembo invited Jonathan and Kelly to visit one of his prayer houses. Jonathan preached, did baptisms, as well as a communion service. They learned the flow of the liturgy because Tembo asked them to return again and serve at his station church or prayer house so he can be more free to visit his other prayer houses. Jonathan is practicing his Chichewa!

Tembo is a gifted pastor. His congregation loves him. He is passionate about the gospel and seeing lives transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are thankful to be a part of ABC and have the opportunity to see our students grasp and apply the gospel and communicate this message so clearly and immediately to the church in Malawi.

The church is large in number, and is in great need of well trained and gifted pastors. It is a blessing to be involved in the lives of our students, especially the ones who make great sacrifices to serve in the pastorate.

At the end of the day, Tembo's congregation thanked Jonathan and Kelly by giving them the gift of peanuts or "ground nuts" as they are called.

the Lake

2010-10-25T06:04:00.000-07:00

Lake Malawi is the 8th largest in the world with around 11, 000 square miles of surface area. On Saturday, we caravanned an hour and a half north with our friends to see it for ourselves.

We are thankful to the Lord for this beautiful country and for the car that was so generously given to us so we can easily travel for ministry and leisure.

The relaxing day at the lake was much needed as Jonathan spent all of Sunday helping a pastor and student at a village CCAP church service. (more details to come)

mother's day

2010-10-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

Today is Mother's Day in Malawi. I love my kids. Here are a few photos of JJ and Georgia in our yard. The beauty of the campus is something we really appreciate. There is a mango tree in the front yard and papaya trees in the back.

student life and returning graduates

2010-10-08T05:43:00.000-07:00

Last friday the junior class sponsored a singing competition. The sophomores took the prize. It was great to hear Malawian popular music as well as some traditional Chichewa songs.

I sat with new professor, Limbikani Kamlongera. Limbi is an ABC graduate who is finishing her doctorate in Education from a university in the US. She is so helpful to me as I adjust to Malawian culture, and gracious to answer all of my questions. I'm thankful that God has so quickly brought me a friend.

Please pray for Limbi as she has made incredible sacrifices to return to Malawi and SERVE. It's not always typical for students who study in the US to return. What a blessing to have her back.

Limbi and I enjoying the concert

JJ with the student body

Freshmen Class

Joseph -jazz pianist

Linda conducting the seniors

Reading Day

2010-10-02T04:12:00.000-07:00

JJ is in a 4 year old reception class. This past Friday was "Reading Day." Each child dressed as his favorite storybook character. We brought a Captain Hook costume, but as you will see from the photos, JJ changed his mind. (he found a book about baseball....and dressed accordingly)

a baseball player

ABCCA Reading Day Assembly

little spectator

JJ's Class

Brian, Luntah, and JJ

Happy Birthday

2010-09-29T02:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Jonathan's birthday. We ate amazing indian food and celebrated with friends. This picture was taken before our conversation about all the cobra encounters on campus. If possible, our faces were even more white after that. (thanks kelly)

Music Theory

2010-09-24T02:27:00.000-07:00

I never loved learning music theory in college, but it has been a JOY to teach. I'm sharing the class with my colleague, Kelly. He teaches 1 day of written theory and I've been doing 1 day of ear training. Over 40 students are registered for this course. Their interest in learning to read and notate music comes from a culture with rich singing traditions, and yet for almost all of them, college is their first introduction to formal music training.

Kelly and I are pushing them. We start with lines and spaces-but are moving at a decent pace for beginners. It's thrilling to see them compose, even on a small scale.

I am learning some Chichewa music- so as to give them a context for their solfa (do, re mi, etc..) but am also sharing from the western music tradition. It's especially sweet to see their eagerness to take what they learn to their churches. Many direct or participate in church music where they are considered the music "expert" because of their education at ABC. Our relationships with the students are growing closer. Please pray for us as we encourage these young Malawian believers.

3 hours on a cement slab

2010-09-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

This morning we traveled to Madisi. Anold Saka, a sophomore at ABC, is the pastor of this CCAP(church of central africa presbyterian) congregation. Jonathan and I both have him for classes. He pastors over 6000 congregants in 26 different "prayer houses" Jonathan was invited to give the sermon for the communion service, which followed the 3 hour morning service.

The church building couldn't hold all the people. There must have been close to 1000 packed into this cross shaped sanctuary. We squeezed together, sitting on cement "curbs" for pews. We heard the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles Creed professed in Chichewa. What an incredible feeling of unity to be surrounded by Malawians who share our faith in Christ. Four choirs sang, including a children's choir of over 70.

The communion service felt like an early church experience. Some were dressed in all white, and there was quiet singing of hymns throughout.

There are multiple challenges facing the CCAP, some of which I mentioned in the last post. Please continue to pray for congregations such as these, whose needs are staggering. Please also pray for Pastor Saka and his family who are serving so sacrificially.

Georgia exploring Pastor Saka's house

(yes, that is an egg )

She found the chicken

inside the packed church

JJ and Janelle after church

nsima, rice, and beef

Enock(an amazing bass singer and junior at ABC) taught us how to open bottles without an opener!

outside the church

Jonathan walking back for the afternoon communion service

new perspective on AIDS

2010-09-17T05:35:00.000-07:00

Our neighbors, Connie and Kelly Dehnert, were invited by a former student and pastor to come and lead a marriage seminar for his village church elders and their wives. The following is an excerpt from their latest update letter:

"...we met at the dining hall for lunch today(with the village pastor) to discuss issues that they struggle with in their marriages and had some fascinating information presented to us...."

"There are a number of traditional religious practices that make for many problems. Among those is the view that if parents engage in sex when their daughter is pregnant (the entire pregnancy) she or the child may die in childbirth. In addition, if a couple has hens and the hens are sitting on eggs, the couple should not have sex, because this will hinder the production of the hens. As you can imagine there is a significant amount of going outside the marriage by the man and partly because of this, Malawi ranks quite high in the HIV-AIDS scourge. "

"There are many fears people live with here, based upon these beliefs. We hope that the gospel and biblical teaching will be a comfort to them."

Jonathan and I are traveling with the Dehnerts to visit this village church on Sunday. Jonathan will be preaching for the communion service. Please pray for this CCAP (Church of Central Africa, Presbyterian) congregation, that they would know the power of the gospel and will move from fear to freedom in Christ.

Won't you be my neighbor?

2010-09-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

Being far from friends and family is difficult. We are thankful for new relationships that are growing everyday.

JJ and Andrew

Ema and Georgia Mae

Georgia and Gwen as twins

(Their grandma's both shop at Kohls. This isn't their only matching outfit!)

Praise (age 1 1/2)

Charles, a sophomore student, and his wife came to visit us this week. They brought their son, Praise.

He enjoyed JJ and Georgia's toys. They all thought the pretend food was very funny. I guess it is.

This and that

2010-09-04T03:45:00.000-07:00

Jonathan and I are settling into our academic schedule. Here are a few snippets from our week.

I started rehearsals with the ABC chorale on Monday and Wednesday. There are over 50 students signed up for choir this semester. I love their enthusiasm for singing.

women's sectional rehearsal

There is standing room only in music theory I. It is a beautiful mix of teaching and learning. I've been unable to post videos because of the slow internet speed. I 'll keep trying.

On Thursday morning in chapel, we began by singing a beautiful song in Chichewa. It was like a taste of what heaven might sound like. Such beautiful singing and worship continually bring tears to my eyes. We're so thankful for this time to learn from and be a part of the church in Africa.

Our lost bag was found. We're especially thankful for toys to keep our kids occupied during the rainy season. Our raincoats were also in that bag. Another necessity during the rainy season!

Georgia reunited with her favorite toy mrs. teapot

JJ has made fast friends with Wongani. He is a sophmore bible major. He is a bright student that Jonathan has enjoyed in his Joshua/Judges class and to JJ's delight a football (soccer) player.

JJ with the ABC football team during halftime

It was a good morning

2010-08-28T07:46:00.000-07:00

Thankful for new friends who share our love for donuts.

Old School and other things

2010-08-24T12:11:00.000-07:00

Merry go rounds. Pop in glass bottles. It's old school.

Georgia has made friends with everyone on campus. She speaks better Chichewa than all of us.

Her little voice saying "muli bwanji" is hilarious.

We've been reading a lot too (no tv)

Classes at the college begin tomorrow.

Looking forward to our first semester.

Miss you all.

Thanks for your prayers.

Milk on tap

2010-08-21T01:03:00.000-07:00

One luxury we're enjoying in Malawi is milk on tap. Connie Dehnert introduced me to the milk store, jugs in hand, where they have a huge vat and will fill any container you bring-prices are per liter. The young man behind us was waiting to have his coke bottle filled. Environmentally sound-and so good. On the other hand we're finding that staples from home are very pricey. I saw a bottle of bertoli olive oil for 45000 kwacha which is about 30 US dollars.

JJ had a good first week of school with his teacher, Mr. Owen. He is from Zimbabwe and a natural with the kids.

WELCOME FRESHMEN!

I volunteered to take photos of the freshmen as they arrived for orientation yesterday. Pray for them as they transition to campus. They are thrilled to be at ABC. Jonathan and I can't wait to work with these wonderful kids. J is currently the college chaplain and has a full course load. I'll teach freshmen music theory/ear-training next week and college choir begins the following week.

Thank you for your continued prayers, support and encouragement.

First Day of School

2010-08-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

Today was JJ's first day of school at ABCCA. We're so thankful to have a great place for him-right on campus. Georgia and I will walk him to his reception class (pre-k) everyday. He's particularly thrilled about the uniform.

Thank you

2010-08-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks for your prayers and support. We arrived in Malawi safe and sound (and only missing one bag)

We had quite an adventure in Johannesburg. Imagine 2 kids, 5 carry-ons, retrieving 8 massive bags and 2 car seats. Now imagine pushing that around the airport, paying someone to wrap, lock, and guard the luggage overnight (unsafe to recheck luggage) convert dollars to rand, then stand outside at night hoping that our hotel shuttle really will come and take us somewhere safe to sleep . Then imagine 2 kids wide awake from midnight to 3am. and then waking at 5:30am to hop back on the shuttle retrieve all baggage and recheck it, and finally board our final flight to Lilongwe, Malawi. Nothing has been even close to that difficult since arriving. We're so thankful for your prayers for patience and safety! JJ and Georgia Mae did amazingly well.

We are enjoying our first week of orientation and trying many new things that we'll eventually share.

We miss you all and are thankful for your continued prayers and support. with care, Jess and family

Here we Go

2010-08-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

Please pray for us. Here is a favorite from the Heidelberg Catechism.

Question #1

What is your only comfort in life and in death?

That I am not my own, but belong body and soul in life and in death to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven: in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

Goodbye Columbus, Walnut Creek Presbyterian, sweet friends and family and wonderful supporting churches.

June in photos

2010-07-06T16:13:00.000-07:00

Dear friends and supporters,

One month from tomorrow the four of us will board a plane to Africa. We are grateful for your prayers. God is providing and we have a few more weeks to raise our last bit of needed support.

This June we made the trip to Georgia to visit Jonathan's family for the last time, as well as visit dear friends in Florida. We met with First Pres in Deland, Christ Community PCA in Thomasville, and Jonathan's home church, Eastside Baptist. We felt so encouraged by these great communities. I also traveled to Slippery Rock, PA to visit my parents and help with their VBS. My sister and her three daughters came in from Toledo to say goodbye. On June 28 we celebrated our 7 year anniversary.

Please continue to pray for us. Goodbyes are so hard.

love
jess and family

JJ and Georgia with Snickers

St. George Island

Grammy and Papa

Aunt Julie and Aunt Charity

Eloise and Georgia Mae

Molly Jo and JJ

cousins

alli and me and baby lotti

Dr. Tim checking JJ's teeth

year 7...(yes, I know we look like teenagers)

June Update

2010-06-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

June has been a whirlwind for the Robson clan. With stops in Georgia, Florida, and Pennsylvania, we enjoyed spending time with family and friends. Even more, we had the pleasure of seeing churches, families, and individuals excited about what God is doing in Malawi.

Our moving plans for August are shaping up. One piece of exciting news is that we have purchased a car from a couple at African Bible College. Not only was it great to find a reliable and affordable vehicle but also within a few weeks, a family donated the exact cost of the car. We're overwhelmed by God's care for us and by the generosity of His people.

Here's a brief update on our financial situation.

Budget Update
One-time Needs: 85% (about $3000 to go)
Monthly Needs: 80% (about $700/month to go)

We need your help to reach our financial goal by August. If you would like to give, click here or go to africanbiblecolleges.org ("Give Now" on the right-side menu) for instruction on how to do that. Please contact us with any questions.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for God's work in Malawi through African Bible College. Pray that He will raise up Christian leaders and equip them for ministry.
Join us in thanking God for providing churches, families, and individuals to partner with us in this ministry. We love you all! Continue to pray that God will protect the health of our family.
Please pray for God to give us wisdom in deciding which Malaria medication is best for our kids. Along with this, pray that God will protect the health of our family.
We have a number of other decisions to make and details to deal with in preparation for our move. This can be stressful. Please pray for God to replace our anxiety with His peace.

Your prayers are essential to this ministry opportunity. It is deeply encouraging to know that so many of you are supporting us in this way. Thank you!

Why August?

2010-04-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the 2010 school year, over half of the African Bible College faculty will be in the US raising support and visiting family. This has created a urgent need for teachers. Jessica and I want to help meet that need which is why we want to be in Malawi by August.

Will you help us reach our goal? We need you to join us by praying and giving. God has provided in amazing ways, and we're not far from our financial target. If you have not done so, would you let us know about your commitment to support us?

Budget Update
One-time Needs: 69% (only about $6,000 to go)
Monthly Needs: 65% Since our last update, our monthly support has nearly doubled! We're grateful for the generosity of our partnering churches, friends, and family.

If you would like to give, click here or go to africanbiblecolleges.org ("Give Now" on the right-side menu) for instructions on how to do that. Please contact us with any questions.

Prayer Request

Please pray for God's work in Malawi through ABC. Pray that He would continue to raise up Christian leaders and equip them for ministry.
We continue to meet with churches, small groups, and individuals. Pray that God will sustain us and provide us with partners in ministry.
Join us in thanking God that Jessica's dizzy spells are less frequent. Please continue to pray that He would protect our physical and spiritual health.
We have a number of decisions and details to deal with in preparation for our move. This can be overwhelming. Please pray that God would replace our anxiety with His peace.

Your prayers are essential to this ministry opportunity. It is deeply encouraging to know that so many of you are supporting us in this way. Thank You!

Update

2010-03-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

Here’s a quick update on our progress.

Budget Update

One-time Needs: 50%

Monthly Needs: 35%

God is providing and we are so grateful! Would you consider supporting us financially? We need your help to get to Malawi by August.

Click here for a summary of our financial needs. If you would like to give, click here or go to africanbiblecolleges.org for instructions on how to do that. Please contact us with any questions.

Prayer Requests

1) Please pray for God’s work in Malawi through African Bible College. Pray that He would continue to raise up Christian leaders and equip them for ministry.

2) The next few months will be busy as we continue to meet with churches, small groups and individuals. Pray that God will sustain us and provide us with partners in ministry. Upcoming presentations include:

April 11 - Northwest Presbyterian in Columbus, Ohio

May 1 - Harvest Presbyterian in Medina, Ohio

May 16 - The Granville Chapel in Granville, Ohio

3) Jessica is undergoing some physical therapy for vertigo. Please pray that God would take away the dizzy spells and plant her feet firmly on the ground! Also, pray that He would protect the physical and spiritual health of our family.

Over the past month, many of you have encouraged us with your words, prayers, and generosity. Thank you! We’d love to hear from you.

Partnership

2010-03-01T18:39:00.000-08:00

The word "partnership" is a popular term in fund raising circles. Often, its just a polite euphemism for "give me money!" The cynic in me didn't want to use it as we began raising support for Malawi. Then, I read the Bible. That's always dangerous for my cynicism.

In Philippians 1:5, Paul described his relationship with the Philippian church as a "partnership in the Gospel." Maybe the Greek sounded hipper, but Paul envisioned his connection to this community as a partnership. This description isn't just for first-century believers. All Christians are connected by the message and the mission of Jesus. This connection extends around the globe even to places like Malawi.

God has given us an amazing opportunity to participate in this Gospel connection with the Malawian church. We're asking you to be a part of it as well. We need you to pray. We need you to give. When you give, you don't just contribute funds to us. You join us in a partnership in the Gospel.

(On the right side of the page, there are links to pages that detail our financial needs and explain how to give.)

We're Moving to Africa!

2010-02-03T10:17:00.000-08:00

Jesus is at work in Malawi. We want to be a part of it. Will you join us?

In the summer of 2009, Jessica and I saw the incredible things that God is doing in Malawi, Africa. The church is growing. African Christians are loving their neighbors in radical ways. God used this experience to confirm and increase a desire that had been in our hearts for a long time. We want to serve the African church and invest in Christian leaders who will renew the continent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God has now given us an opportunity to act on that desire. Last week, we finalized a 2-year commitment to join the staff of AfricanBible College (ABC) and have begun the process of raising support to move to Malawi. During this process, we'll continue to serve at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church where we've been for the past 4 1/2 years. The leadership and congregation of WCPC have been incredibly supportive as we begin this transition. Our current goal is to move in August 2010.

Our ministry in Malawi will include Jonathan teaching in the areas of theology, Bible, and ministry leadership. Jessica will teach music and music education classes as well as direct several choirs and ensembles. In addition to our official responsibilities, we want to invest relationally in the students, encouraging them in God's calling on their lives.

Partner With Us

As we go to Malawi, we want you join us. There is so much more we would like to share with you about this opportunity. We hope to talk with you soon about why we're going, what we'll do at ABC, and how you can partner with us in this ministry. For now, we would appreciate your help in the following ways:

1. Pray. This is a daunting transition for the Robson family! Will you ask God to help us?

2. Let us know if you're interested in hearing more about this opportunity. Please pass along your updated contact info so that we can call, mail, email, or facebook you with further information. If you are a part of a church, Bible study, or other groups that would allow us to do a presentation, please let us know that as well.

3. Consider supporting us financially. We need your partnership in this way. Please begin praying about joining us in this ministry by giving to help us get to Malawi.

Please leave a comment or email (jerin90@gmail.com) if you want to hear more. We hope to post regular blog updates about this journey. Pray for us! Below are pictures of some students that we met this summer. Help us invest in these young leaders.