Spring has Sprung!

April showers bring May flowers...right?  Well, maybe in Pennsylvania!

Some cactus like plants in our yard, staying alive through the
dry season.  We enjoy having a few aloes (right)
for when we get sunburn!

In Malawi, the hard rains of the rainy season have not yet arrived, yet flowers are bursting from trees all over!  It is springtime in Malawi (since we're in the southern hemisphere) and it's beginning to feel sort of normal in this second year of experiencing seasonal weather here.  While our friends back home in PA are shivering in the 30's (Fahrenheit) throughout the night, we wake up to a "chilly" 78° most mornings and effortlessly climb into the 90's by mid to late morning.



We eagerly anticipate the coming of the rains and all the green grass, avocados and healthy crops that it brings, but as we wait, we enjoy the BEAUTY of...

(I wish I knew the names of all these beautiful trees and bushes, but I only know one!)

 

The Flamboyant or Flame Tree

 

...and the TASTE of...

Papayas

Straight from the tree!

 Bananas

We usually buy from a road side stand such as this one.

Mangoes are coming into season.  They come from the hotter parts of Malawi first, then ripen here in Blantyre a bit later.  They range from 5- 10 cents each!






Litchi (or Lychee)

Litchi fruit was a new one to us upon arriving in Malawi.  We turned many street vendors down at their attempts to sell them to us at first, but then caved in to curiosity and bought some.  The kids LOVE them.  I (Becky) say they're okay, but are incredibly work intensive...but then again, so are mangoes!  Here's what litchis are like:

They have a hard, textured outer shell -  you need a sharp knife to open without too much squirting.

Here you can see how big it is
compared to a 5 kwacha piece
and a U.S. quarter

Outer shell of the litchi

The shell and pit, removed

The inside is squishy with a hard seed/core. 
The taste and texture resemble a green grape -
tart and sweet.

Rachel likes to play with the shells and pits, fitting them back together again.

Strawberries

These are commonly purchased on a flat box from a street vendor.

In the midst of the hot, hot days of a Malawi November, we appreciate the beauty that has sprung up around us, even when rain is scarce.  It can remind us of God's mercy and faithfulness to us even in the "dry" times of our lives - the times when we wait in expectant hope of what is to come.