Its normal to be robbed

We have discovered that Malawi is very different from the UK.

Yesterday, Janet and I went shopping in Limbe, the nearest town about 6 miles away. We went to the bank and drew out about £70 in cash and then parked the car a little way up the main street so that we could buy some sugar from a wholesaler there.

We left my briefcase in the boot (surreptitiously so I thought), took Janet's handbag, and were away about 30 minutes. When we returned the car was open and the briefcase gone. With the case, a new one brought from the UK for us by Alan Turnbull, we lost about £50, 2 cheque books, my calculator and pen and a notebook I kept all our local information in - telephone numbers, contacts, engagements, accounts, staff rota and payments, places to buy things, customs details, etc.

The robbery took place in broad daylight and was watched by bystanders who took no action because they could be attacked then or later by the thieves. We told the police and stopped the cheques. But now we hear that this is going on all the time; nobody thought to mention it to us. We regard it as a shot across the bows, and thank God that we lost so little.

Miles Thomas lost about £300 worth of stuff when his Land Rover was attacked some time ago, and he has had three attempts made on his cars. We have been advised never to leave a car unattended.

Lesley Evans had her handbag removed from her car while her son Jonathan was in it. We've also been advised not to stop at the scene of an accident but, if necessary, to drive directly to the nearest police station.

Sometimes a body lies in the road, so that when a car stops to help, the driver can be robbed. In addition, if you stop, you can be accused of causing the accident, and attacked by local people. Either way you have to drive on. So we have learnt that the surface courtesy of the people can cover dark goings on underneath.

In our dealings, it is hard to tell if you are being helped, because a smile and the words "Sorry we cannot help" may cover up laziness or worse.

We still cannot get the landline telephone to our house working after two months. It is the law that all outstanding bills must be paid before the telephone will be reconnected for a new customer, even if the unpaid bills pertain to a previous tenant. But it is difficult to know if the bill has been paid because the local telephone office have printouts that are two months old. Meanwhile we are expected to pay the rental for a telephone that doesn't work, otherwise it will remain cut off even after the earlier bill has been paid.

So there are inconveniences all around.

When we get over one thing, something else strikes.

Life is the UK is so structured and organised, but it's not at all like that here. I'm having to cope with fear and upset and, I hope, learning to trust the Lord more.

When we first arrived, several times a night I would jump out of bed reaching for the torch, being convinced that there were intruders in the house; sleep was very interrupted until I began to settle a bit.

The bungalow where we now live is normally staffed during the day, and guarded at night by a watchman with a club! Armed robberies are more likely in town, but we are on the M2 trunk road going south to Mozambique, (seven foot wide for much of its way with earth shoulders!) and the property is very open to the road.

Having said that, the house is in a beautiful setting with a lovely garden. Palm trees and blue gums, pawpaw, bananas, guavas, loquat, pomegranate, avocado (I don't like them!) are all around us.

The gardener is importing flowers from friendly gardeners in the area! Every morning something new appears.

The vegetable garden is growing well with beetroot, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, turnips, lettuce, peas, beans, cucumber all starting to come.

Please pray for us! We are so grateful for a supportive church, and also for all the ex-patriate missionaries we know who continue to be kind to us.

We were in Blantyre a few days ago and met up with Jim and Helen Lapka, Canadian missionaries who've been here for 20 years. As we talked with them, an old women came up to us and began to beg for money in a very persistent way. I turned to Jim and said "How does this fit in with the Lord's words to give to those who ask?"

He replied "She's the richest women in Blantyre. When she's not begging she drives a Mercedes. If you see a Malawian give to a beggar you know that's a real beggar. Most of the rest are not." Amazing. I think we have a lot to learn.

The boys are settling into school and Ben has now stopped saying "When are we going back, Mummy?" and "I want to go back now". He had his shoes stolen at school a few days ago, so to make the point he's wearing plimsolls for the next few weeks.