Malawi Day 4: Lovely Rita
From Ellie: What a day! We thought we’d get to see the little boy Charlotte fell in love with 3 years ago who no longer lives in the orphanage here. Ends up he’s staying with his uncle about five hours away from here, so we won’t be seeing him after all. At least we know he’s with family so that’s a nice thought. Instead, we went to see Rita.
Rita is the mother of a young woman who live in the US and attends nursing school in San Francisco. In 2020 she reached out to me via email and told me she was from Malawi and wanted The MoonCatcher Project to supply kits to her primary school near Kasungu. Kasungu is right down the road from our Mtunthama cooperative, so I thought it was a good fit for us. What I didn’t understand was what “near Kasungu” meant. So, we went to find Rita.
It took us about an hour to navigate the winding roads, pick up Rita and her sister-in-law and head for the school. The children walk 2-5 kilometers to get there by 7:30 each morning. Once we were within sight of the school (we could see one roof in the distance) we tried to cross a swampy area and the car sank into sludge about half way up its tires. No amount of “back and forthing” would help us proceed so we got out, locked the doors and hand carried ourselves and our supplies the last mile or so to the school.
Our adventure for Day 4!
Once there, we found 28 very shy girls waiting to hear about menstruation and receive our kit. We tried singing and dancing to loosen them up but the subject was just too embarrassing for them, so we ended up just talking and showing pictures and hoping they were understanding what was being taught. Mostly Olipa did the talking in Chewa, the official language of Malawi. We even passed out lollipops!
After the distribution we asked for a group photo outside. Once there the kids started dancing and singing and then accompanied us back to the sunken car to help push us to higher ground. Two male teachers, Rita and her sister-in-law, a female teacher and two stray men joined in the effort. It took about an hour, but they made it happen by “borrowing” a sand bag from the nearby footbridge, jamming a log under the wheel and digging here and there. Everyone was covered with mud but laughing and feeling heroic by the end. The nearby stream provided water for washing muddy legs, hands and feet as well as making a very good carwash.
Rita is indeed lovely. She is sweet and generous and though the two of us can’t speak each other’s language we found ourselves smiling at each other - the universal language. She made lunch for us; nsima, greens, and chicken. We sat on the floor in Rita’s house, ate with our hands and enjoyed a truly African experience. She gave me a large bowl of fresh pulled peanuts (or ground nuts as they are called here) and several lovely green pumpkins (like squash) from her garden.
After lots of photos and silliness we headed back to Mthuntama by way of the Wednesday market. I’ve about this outdoor market each time I visited, and finally got to experience it. Vendors roll out mats and plastic sheeting and pile them with whatever they are selling. We saw plenty of shiny silver fish, fruits and veggies, fried worms (really!), used clothes, fabrics, and shoes. There was even a 5-gallon bucket of hair relaxer. I guess you just bring a container and buy as much as you need. It was fun seeing all the activity and excitement, but we were ready for dinner and a hot bath by the time we made it home in the dark.
From Charlotte: What I notice about people in Malawi
They are never in a rush, they take their time in every moment.
Everyone is greeted individually, with care and attention. Even in large groups.
They are quick to help each other in any situation, with zero hesitation.
They work hard and are incredibly strong.
Their faces transform when you smile at them.
Babies are passed around, truly raised by the village.
They share everything with everyone.
They laugh often and from the belly.
They sleep when they are tired, no matter where they are.
They are extremely patient with us not understanding how to speak their language.
They make delicious food.
They are incredibly generous.