Sambani is from Kalonga Village in Lilongwe District.  He lives with his parents and four siblings.  He had been blind for two years, and had stopped going to school last year.  He had been doing well at school, and told me “I was an intelligent boy!”  He was in standard 4 but his low vision “made me to be a useless boy” he said.  I couldn’t believe what he was saying.

Sambani in the Clinic

He lives with his father and mother and four siblings, and they were looking after him.

Sambani after his second cataract operation

Sambani told me and nurse Rose, that he is now going to continue his education because he is “still young”.  He wants to be a driver or a teacher.

Sambani

It will be great to take Sambani back home today, so he can be with his whole family again, and then start school again next week when school opens for the new year.  We will try and meet him again in a few months to see how he is doing.

Pieter, the South African missionary living near Monkey Bay phoned me yesterday.  There are many people he has met in the villages who would like to, or need to, come to Nkhoma for their eyes.  Lumbani will be heading down on Sunday with the ambulance to help collect them. We will try and meet with Mary who lives nearby, and see how she is doing, 4 months after her surgery!

Chongoni Rock Art, Dedza

Just 45 minutes drive south is Dedza, the next market town along the road to Blantyre.  If you turn off the main road and drive on the gravel road a few miles towards the Mozambique border, through villages and around a few hills, you come across an old church where the road ends.

Beyond this, its only a 30 minute hike up a totally random hill, with a local guide from the village who will spot you and be over to show you the way before you park.

Through a couple of maize fields, up and then to a rocky outcrop.

Chongoni rock art

This is a newly designated UNICEF World Heritage Site, the second in Malawi.

Stunning rock paintings some a few hundred years old.  Others a thousand years old.  In the middle of a hill, with no-one around.  Just stunning.

Of course there is also Liwonde National Park, Mount Mulange, Nyika plateau. And of course Lake Malawi.

Kasankha Bay, and the reflection of a giant baobab

The third largest lake in Africa often seems like the sea.  I love heading down when we can for a weekend relaxing by the beach, and enjoying the serenity.

Thumbe island sunset, Cape Maclear