New Adventures

School has kicked itself into high gear as the semester is coming to a close. From this side, it seems like the papers, presentations and exams will never stop. But I know that in a few short weeks the world will be right again, and everything will once more be calm (PraiseJesus). I have had a wonderful semester back at App and can't believe it's nearing a year to when I left for the great adventure that was Spain. As I reminisce on my time there, I am so thankful for the beauty of other countries and cultures that I was able to see, the people I was able to meet, and the overall eye-opening experience I was blessed to have. I love Spain. 


SO even though the semester is slowly winding down, I am gearing up for a new adventure :) One that will take me out of the country from January 1-16. One that will require me to fly over the Atlantic. One that will land me in SOUTHERN AFRICA!!!! Specifically, Malawi. I am going to Malawi, Africa!!!! I can not tell you how excited I am!! I am going with a group from Appalachian (about 10 other students) and we are staying mainly at a Non Profit called World Camp in their volunteer house. We are going to go on a safari (YES!!!) in Zambia and also go to Lake Malawi and stay a night there. The icing on the cake is that we get class credit!! It counts as three credit hours that will go towards my spring semester!
For part of our grade in the class we have to have a blog (perfect) and we are required to answer a few questions for class before we leave and then keep a daily journal while we are in Malawi. So instead of making a whole new blog, I edited mine a bit and am just going to add to it! So our first 2 questions for class are...


Question One: Why is Malawi poor?
I think that Malawi is poor for many different reasons. They have a very poor infrastructure, very bad corruption, undiversified exports, and limited natural resources. Malawi finds itself in a poverty trap. The total discretionary budget is $378.8 million ( 53.6%) of the overall budget. This represents $31.56 per capita for the provision of all services. This small amount is obviously inadequate to provide services that will be impacting. So quality of health, education, financing investments in agriculture and food security, and other services get put on the back burner and thus they are still in immense poverty. Most of the population lives in rural areas and agriculture is what a majority of these people do for a living. However, they have been farming on the same land for years which leads to a decline in the soil fertility and it stagnates the agricultural productivity. This results in an unstable food security situation. According to national data, 64% of the population live below the poverty line. Also, Malawi has an external debt of $3.23 billion which is taken from the very small amount the country does have that should be put into developing the country. 


Question Two: What does it mean to be poor?
In my opinion to be poor means to not have the financial means to support yourself and lacking access to basic amenities.




and the second set of questions too because I'm late with the first ones (sorry Meredith!)...




Question One: What is the definition of a sustainable process?
A sustainable process is development that does not jeopardize the ability of future generations to meet their needs by fulfilling our own needs at present time. 


Question Two: How does it encompass inter-generational and intra-generational equity?
The Brundtland Commission's interpretation of sustainable development brings together the equity between generations (inter-generational) and the equity within generations (intra-generational). The report stated, "Even the narrow notion of physical sustainability implies a concern for social equity between generations, a concern that must logically be extended to equity within each generation." Sustainability is what connects different generations. It requires people in industrialized countries to reduce their consumption of resources per head to a level that everyone in the world would be able to live on indefinitely.


Question Three: What is the difference between sustainability and sustainable development?  
Most people fail to differentiate the difference between sustainability and sustainable development. Sustainable development is a term that ultimately gives priority to development, and growth. It is more of a business term. On the other hand, you have sustainability that is mainly about the environment and used more by environmentalists.




So, dear friends, please be praying for me and I am preparing for this amazing trip. I am so excited to see what the Lord has for me in Africa!! 

Here's another way to put it: 

You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. 

God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.

 If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you?

I'm putting you on a light stand. 

Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! 

Keep open house; be generous with your lives. 

By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

-Matthew5:16-18 (The Message)