Someone once said, “A picture is worth a thousand words…” so here is my lengthy blog in pictures.
Please feel free to comment in the words that I could not come up with…
My Bike Taxi Man
Have some thoughts, share away!
What do the pictures evoke inside you? How do you connect or not?
Does it intrigue you?
Doreen is a young girl. A sweet, kind, and inquisitive girl. She is Malawian, and she is from the southern city called Blantyre. Blantyre in my opinion is beautiful, and hilly, and full of color, vibrancy and a business city, too.
Doreen and I first met, back in April 2012, when I spent some time working at Rays of Hope. I was in BT just under two months, and did not know Doreen had grown so close to me. The day I declared it was my last day, she drew pictures for me, and joined some of the others when writing me notes. She wrote me a note, that I still have today, that says “I love you more than a cup of tea!” When I read this, I sighed, because I know Malawians LOOOOVE their tea, but then I learned that is a well known phrase in Malawi, for expressing love, I knew how sincere her note truly was. I melted knowing this, and her tears, made me cry… we hugged once more, and I drove off..
She has since been in my memories and prayers, and in my stories, for when I talk about the kids who do not have, but use all resources to set goals and hope to accomplish them too.
She wants to be a nurse. She wants to heal the sick. She comes from a poor family, and luckily has the opportunity to attend Rays of Hope Ministries.
Willie Mpasuka & John Zekeyo, loyal leaders in the community, both here and there. Mpasuka working on a Masters, at Eastern University, with the hope of bringing back more knowledge to further the work that Zekeyo is working on the ground in BT, now. They are literally providing hope and opportunity to the youth, young adults and the community at large. They are making academics a priority and leading like Christ, through their Christian leadership.
Since being back in Malawi, this past July, Holly and Ally were able to meet Doreen. We sang songs in the pitch dark night, as the power had gone out. She was in John’s house, able to see what education can do for ones life. Dinner was being prepared, as we hugged and share quality time, catching up. Praise God, she was doing well, but studying A LOT! She was to sit for the 8th grade exam, which is a cumulative exam covering not just many subjects but many years of learning…
Pass this exam with high marks, get selected to secondary school.
Fail this exam, repeat 8th grade and try again next year.
The youth all across Malawi are under immense pressure, and to fail, its un-motivating, and trying.
Shown below is a letter from Doreen, as she shares an update about having to sit for the upcoming exam…
Doreen Gausi for Molly
….Today I received this email from my friend John, telling me 20 students out of 22 passed the national exam, and got selected into secondary schools!!
Thank you God for this amazing news! Thank you John and Willie for living and breathing for this city, and its children, its future.
Doreen is one of the 20 who made it!! 🙂
Amazing!
This was the address on the letter I received from my favorite family in Madisi.
Carrot, his Mother and his brother Stephen, and their younger siblings have played a significant role in my experiences and life in Madisi.
The are my neighbors, they live on less than $1.25/day. They are practically raised by a single mother, since daddy is practicing polygamy and is usually out of the house.
Mom is a provider, trying as she sells groundnuts, and offers herself to do piece work within the community, resiliently, she smiles.
The Ibrahim family, and their smiles, oh my goodness, they are contagious. Carrot and I initially met back in 2010, when his smile captured me from across the room, and commanded my smile back. Now, I have memories of sitting inside on the simple bamboo mat in one of the two rooms of their mud/brick house, by candle light — telling stories. My Malawian momma, as I call Carrots’ mom, illuminates this small room, and humbles me with her words, as she calls me family, banja (in chichewa), O’hana (in Hawaiian, one of my favorite ways to say it). We sat, and she shared how she was scared to see me leave June 2012, and how she was worried, she would never see me again.. She faithfully prayed and thanked God for bringing me into her and her families’ life. She told us this, and I felt her love. My heart felt.
She then let me introduce Ally and Holly, and with Stephen and Carrot helpfully able to translate, they were interpreting the girls’ stories into Chichewa. I was sharing how Holly re inspired the faith I had, in order to trust God, that coming back was in His plan. I shared how Holly had never been on a plane, yet had met friends in the U.S. that were from Malawi, and how she wanted to see the impact they are making in their own communities around Malawi. As for Ally, she has always dreamed of coming to Malawi; she has been praying for this country since she was a child. Her family was connected to a couple who served as missionaries in Malawi, hence, all the prayers. All this was shared, and translated and love was lit up in the eyes of mom, Carrot, Stephen, Ally, Holly and I. Pure joy was abound, and I am constantly thanking God for that night, and the unplanned moments in our trip, that made it more worthwhile.
—
Leaving Madisi, after 8 days was particularly difficult for my team, since they were absolutely in love, and impressed by the RiseMalawi Ministry and the impacts they are making on the young people. We said goodbye at camp, but could not leave without visiting our family, one last time.
Me and my Brothers..
Carrot in Red, Stephen next, Holly, Ally and Shebo the younger brother.
Some say life is a Beautiful Struggle, and sometimes, for me and my journey to and from the motherland, and Malawi, I’d agree.
The time back was beyond great, and especially amazing to see two friends fall absolutely in love with Malawi, RiseMalawi, and the culture that captivated me — I could not have asked for a better trip back. (lets do it again, anyone, want to come, email me, Mollymccormick.mem@gmail.com)
The beautiful struggle still sits in my head, as to how I can get back there, stay there, get paid to travel, get paid to work with children, get paid to actually make a difference in someone’s life and live a life that brings joy and purpose into practice.
Thoughts swirl round and round in my head, as I process the interactions we encountered, the people I missed, the impact I hope I had, the kids I got to see again, and the new opportunities that came with leading this trip.
What’s next?
So, Malawi, I went, and America, I have returned too.
It was a unique trip, not just me by myself, instead me leading two other young women in and around Malawi.
I learned a lot about leading others there, and taking that role, and I really enjoyed watching two first time Malawi visitors breath in Malawi air, and teach Malawian children.
It was a dream.
Zikomo
Here we are leaving Virginia, Me, Ally and Holly.
Here we are FINALLY on Malawian SOIL!
(Ally, Holly and I)
Yesterday I was not feeling quite ready to leave Malawi….
Today, I was able to at least get more things done, say a few more goodbyes and actually come to terms with the journey here ending. I know the journey will continue, as I want to keep bloggin, and post photos, so you can really connect.
By 8am my time, I will be leaving the house, off to the 1st of 4 airports and leaving the door to this chapter ajar, as I keep relationships going, as I advocate for these children and as I keep learning from the Warm Heart of Africa.
zikomo kambiri for the prayers, comments, likes, emails, and phone calls. continue to journey with me.
ps. ideas for new blog names, are welcome.
With 20 days remaining with no particular order, my top highlights from my journey here in Malawi:
longing for
familiar faces and
happy places,
a spot to rest my head.
people I know and
ways I can grow,
a spot to rest my head.
direction and light
bringing me to new heights,
a spot to rest my head.
“longing for a home” says this
Earth wanderin’ soul, wanting to be planted, yet
uprooted again,
longing for
familiar places and
happy faces
a spot to rest my head.
mollytomalawi 