5th February 2026
It was a quiet morning. The power was out all night and nothing had changed as the sun came up. I knew at some point I would have to get up and pack my bags. Whenever I have a flight or a trip planned I usually spend the whole day preparing for it. Unless of course it’s early in the morning. In that case I spend late hours preparing. It almost seems like a waste of a day since there isn’t really time to do much. But it was nice to have a slow, quiet morning even if it meant packing.
Coffee waited until I was completely packed. I had two cups of coffee by mid morning (my usual routine). Patricia predicted I would have four cups total by the end of the day, perhaps before we left for the airport.
After breakfast and a visit to the clinic I decided to take a walk. I’ve been doing a lot of sitting and driving and riding in a car. It was nice to just take a walk. I headed down through the main street of the village. It’s a friendly place and many people responded when I waved and said hello. Some were hesitant perhaps because their English skills weren’t very good. Others greeted me in Chichewa perhaps to see if I would respond correctly.
I had a quick lunch with the Chapambas, said goodbye to Patricia, and climbed behind the wheel of the Mark X. Cephas thought I should drive one more time before I left. George joined us as well. We had to try and be on time getting to the airport and we were, but there were a few moments when I wasn’t so sure. That also depended on traffic. But we forgot a few things at the house and had to turn back once. Then we picked up Wiza in Lilongwe. The traffic through the city was fairly normal but there were a few large trucks going slow on the last stretch to the airport.
Haiton met us at the airport. Unfortunately Sophie had come down with malaria so she couldn’t join us. Malaria is a serious matter but many Malawians experience symptoms periodically throughout life. I take antimalarial tablets when I travel but long term use over an extended period of time isn’t good. Otherwise people could probably just take them all their life. The guys walked me to the entrance of the airport. We hugged and said our goodbyes. There were a few other people waiting to go through the security check at the entrance behind us. One man asked what the hugs were for and said he wanted one too so I gave him a hug.
I put my bags through the scanner and walked through the metal detector. I turned and waved goodbye to the guys and proceeded to the domestic departures terminal. It seems that each time I arrive or depart from the Lilongwe airport things are a bit different than last time. I’m pretty sure I had forgotten that in order to check in through the domestic terminal you first have to check your bags and get your boarding pass in the international check-in area. I almost felt silly dragging my suitcases back and forth through the gift shop area, past the small cafe, and trying to put them through the scanner meant for carry-on luggage. It also turns out I had to sit and wait 15 minutes before I could actually check in. I was tempted to get a cup of coffee at the cafe but I thought I remembered there being some in the small domestic terminal.
Once I checked in and dropped off my bags, I could now go through the proper security area without being turned away. I was the very first one in the small waiting area except for the lady running the snack bar. There’s a small executive lounge and I think that’s where the coffee is so … no third cup for me (I was able to use points to upgrade my seat for this short flight but not to the executive level).
The second person to walk into the terminal was the young man who needed a hug going through security. He asked me if I was staying in Blantyre and what I am doing in Malawi. I explained that I’m a pastor and I travel to Malawi to see my brethren and hopefully encourage my fellow pastors. He asked about my church, what we believe, and if I was the founder. I explained, mentioning the Sabbath and Holy Days. We had a little back and forth regarding the Sabbath (which is common) and the man proceeded to say he wished he had more time to chat (was he trying to escape the conversation?) but then proceeded to explain his thoughts on what the Kingdom of God means and how mankind is meant to rule and dominate the world. I listened politely and really considered what he was saying. He missed a few points regarding the fact that God is creating a family and the kingdom is more about relationships than reigning. He listened politely until his colleague arrived. We exchanged WhatsApp numbers. Maybe he’ll have some more questions or more things to share.
Eventually our flight to Blantyre began boarding. For the first time in my life I was in the comfy seats! I could definitely get used to that, but costly upgrades aren’t in the budget (until I build up enough points again). I actually only paid $9 (and thousands of points) for the whole flight including the seat upgrade. The perks, besides the comfortable seat, included an actual pillow and a drink before the flight took off. Unfortunately they save the champagne for the business class passengers. It’s probably best since I needed water anyway.
As I was sitting in my seat waiting for everyone to board I suddenly had the feeling I might be on the wrong flight. Next to us was the usual smaller prop planes that I’ve taken on relatively short flights before, but I wasn’t on that plane. They hadn’t scanned our boarding passes before we boarded the bus to the plane even though they did look at them and write down our seat numbers. An announcement came on over the speakers: “…flight to Dar es Salaam…” My heart skipped just half a beat because the pilot making the announcement also mentioned the weather at Chileka which is the former name of the Blantyre airport (most people still refer to it that way). Soon we were in the air, and within half an hour we were on the ground again exactly on time.
It’s always nice to see Gracious and Daniel waiting for me at the airport. Our drive from Chileka to the church hall always gives us a chance to catch up on the state of things in Blantyre and in Malawi as a whole. While the cost of everything continues to rise, with help from brethren around the world we’ve been able to begin and complete some projects in Mayaka. Although in general the brethren in and around the city have better accommodations than in the villages, they have their own challenges. Tomorrow the plan is to visit the homes of some of the brethren around the city.
The evening was quiet. I got settled in my room and Dan took me with him to see his cousin’s AirBnB project that was almost halfway complete the last time I visited. This time most of the houses are completed inside and out. They look really nice! Lena and I have stayed in some AirBnBs in Blantyre in the past, but none as nice as these are. There was a chance I could have been the first tenant to try them out, but I always prefer staying with brethren on travels if possible.
Dan and I walked back from the neighboring compound just after sunset. We had a quick cup of coffee before heading out to pick up Dekha from one of Dan’s cousins house on the other side of town. Telvin accompanied us, dressed in his warmest coat. Dekha was asleep when we arrived but that gave us a chance to sit and visit for a moment. I made sure to take a family photo before heading back to the house.
Once home we ate dinner and then finished the evening having some birthday cake. Telvin and Dekha share a birthday but the cake and the singing were mostly for Dekha.
-Lewis VanAusdle
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