A LIFE-CHANGING trip to Malawi is drawing ever closer for a charitable team of Peebles youths.

Young members of the Melrose and Peebles Presbytery are currently fundraising for the African excursion, where they will feed and educate orphans in the Malawian village of Zomba.

Peebles’ Euan Lumsden, Simon Roberts, and Flynn Fraser, along with siblings Rachel and Peter Noble from Melrose, will be embarking on the 10 day trip on July 3.

Also in tow are group leaders Marc Haslam, Ishbel Adamson and Minister Bob Milne, who are all members of St Andrew’s Leckie Church in Peebles.

Marc visited Malawi back in 2013; a trip that he said “completely stunned” him.

“I saw the poverty and the way these kids lived out on the streets, and saw what a huge task it would be to effect any change,” he explained.

“It actually completely stunned me rather than spur me on and I actually shrank away from it all thinking this is too big, there’s nothing I can do to help. It was overwhelming.

“But the opportunity has come round for us to raise money and really make a difference in partnership with the Mary’s Meals school feeding programme - which ensures that every child of school age gets at least one nutritious meal a day.”

The Borderers will spend time in a rural school and will engage the children in fun teaching activities, Bible stories, games, craft and learning initiatives, as well as assist with the Mary’s Meals programme.

So far, the group have raised around £8,500 but hope to reach at least £10,000.

Marc will be taking part in TweedLove’s Glentress Seven event - a seven hour endurance cycle where the aim is to complete as many laps as you can in the seven hour time limit.

From this he hopes to raise a further £3,000.

Marc explained that the many of the school-children in Zomba have been orphaned from their parents dying of AIDS, but in an alarmingly large number of cases, their parents have thrown them out because they can’t afford to look after them.

“This will definitely be eye opening for the five youths,” he continued. “And hopefully it’s an experience that makes an important imprint on them.

“It will broaden their cultural awareness and let them see how some children around the world live. It will be hugely beneficial to them, as well as the children they help.

“Sometimes Westerners struggle to relate to those we see as less fortunate than us but they have something truly valuable to teach us.

“They have so little and yet are content. 

“They suffer great hardship and yet remain happy and thankful. They are unencumbered by the worries we in Scotland obsess over and as such lead simpler and more fulfilled lives. And this is why we are taking our youth out to spend time with the people of Malawi.”