We finally arrived at St Patrick’s at 1:30pm this afternoon just more than 48 hours after we left home on Wednesday. Again most of us managed to snatch a few hours rest on the bus as we came up from our overnight stay a little north of Lilongwe. The weather reminded us of Scotland changing from mist and low cloud to big open skies with sunshine and big clouds. The local town of Mzuzu was the customary chaos of large trucks, erratic minibus driving and people strolling on the verges and across the roads with barely a glance at the traffic.
One further hour north through yet more roadworks we arrived at St Patrick’s in Rumphi. There an incredible song of welcome from all the boys arrayed in their uniforms on the front grass as we left the bus greeted us and the members of staff welcomed us just as the Rector Fr Wezi had done at Lilongwe airport and the head boy whose name is “wonderful” added the boys’ welcome.
We were then escorted into the priests house where with great formality Fr. Martin the vice rector introduced all the members of staff by name and they introduced themselves telling us their subjects and how long they had taught at St Patrick’s. Miss McFadden then introduced the boys and girls from St Benedict’s telling the staff how delighted we were to be back at St Patrick’s after 5 years enforced pandemic absence. I added my own thanks for the warm welcome and how powerful the partnership had been for both schools. The pupil council added their formal welcome and introduction too and we all sat to down to a feast of welcome; chicken, rice, spinach & nsima. Exhausted we retrieved our suitcases and were shown our rooms giving the chance to unpack and wash before evening prayer a light bite and informal chats by the pupils of both schools which ended our very first day of our Malawian experience.

Fr. Michael