In the States the month of May means spring time, rain, flowers and graduations. Soon the caps & gowns will commence and summer vacation is around the corner. While many get their diplomas in America, here in Malawi, Africa we are donning our stocking caps and unpacking the down.

Our rainy season has passed and the grass is turning brown.  Flowers are fading, the air is cool, the wind is picking up, a few trees are dropping leaves and I suppose autumn is in the air – technically anyway. There are no colored maple leaves lining the yards, Indian corn, hay rides or spiced apple cider to reinforce the season though.  It seems hard to acknowledge May as fall. I still refer to this time of year as “spring.” However in the southern hemisphere, near the tropic of Capricorn, and in the British school  system, this is hardly spring. Summer vacation for us was in December. School is in session until July and the temperatures will keep dropping.

Winter temperatures here usually range from the low 50’s at night to mid 70’s during the day.  Many Malawians will soon be seen wearing thick, second-hand winter jackets, warm knit caps and be bundling up their babies. There is no indoor heating here or housing insulation to keep in or out the heat or cold. If it is 10 degrees Celsius (or roughly 50 degrees F) outside that is the temperature inside. Here that is chilly.  It will soon be time to put the woolen blankets and quilts on the beds. Time to trade sandals for socks and shoes. An umbrella for a jacket. A t-shirt for a sweatshirt. Even though it feels like Christmas might be coming we just celebrated Easter.

No matter what the season every day we can celebrate Jesus. We should be prepared in season and out of season give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (I Peter 3:15) There are still many who don’t know their Savior and the meaning of his coming, living, dying, and rising again. We have lots to share. In the process we might even have the chance to explain why their second hand sweatshirt reads, “Let it snow!”