How I Spent My Summer Vacation

For those of you reading this, it’s the first day of Summer. For those of me writing this, south of the equator, not necessarily so. On my previous trip to Africa, the weather was African – hot and sultry. I assumed it was like that year round. Guess I should have checked with CNN. The days are moderate and the evenings cool, even rainy sometimes. I have purchased as sweat shirt.

As you have likely discerned from my previous communiqué to you, I have returned to Africa for the specific purpose of implementing a Micro-credit Empowerment Initiative. The plan is to visit five countries: Malawi, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. The goal is to build the infrastructure and train the Comptroller to manage the program locally.

Joining me on this trip is a friend from hometown youth – June Kastner. She refers to herself as “My Mission Buddy”. June is a spiritual companion who provides prayerful encouragement to this endeavor. (While I provide the chivalry, like ridding the mouse from her mattress or hanging her mosquito net.) June is a widow of a Christian Pastor and a pre-school teacher at the YMCA, as well as veteran of mission work in India. She is putting her history to work by teaching at the GSM schools, sharing love at the orphanages, ministering to the widows and seniors groups. While this short description makes her sound like a saint… it still takes her >30 minutes to put on her make-up and do her hair. That’s okay, it gives me time to sit in my room and write.

My other activity while in Malawi is the construction of a pig corral. I’m donating the resources, including the blisters on my hands to the “Luinga Women’s Group”. I realize few chores could be less glamorous than hog farming – but in a protein starved country few could be more lucrative. The women plan to use the profits from their communal efforts to start a Hospital Ministry and a Prison Ministry and share the balance raising their families. Yesterday we dug the foundation… tomorrow we starting laying the bricks.


As I wrote before my previous trip, I don’t want to burden your Inbox with mail you don’t need or want to read. So, If you’d like me to remove you from these missives, let me know. My ego will just assome that you have book marked: www.myspace.com/edmarkiewicz or www.gsm-mef.blogspot.com and chose to read them at your convenience.

Sincere Thanks to those of you who have donated to my purpose and continued appreciation of your prayers for this trip as well as the last. I will keep you informed of the progress... as soon as I make some.