Red Out Loud

Week 4- Blog Entry

Thursday 2/11/10

            Sitting in the house at Area 49 on this glorious Thursday afternoon, I have been granted a little extra time to reflect on the week past. Joanna and I left the village abruptly yesterday afternoon when Joanna came down with a stomach bug. Wednesday afternoon is actually usually the hardest time for me in the village, the “hump” day, so to speak. During our hours of downtime between school and choir, the hottest hours of the day, I dream of a good (albeit, cold) shower at Area 49, a trip to the supermarket and a little space to move around. So I was a little shocked to feel as regretful and sad as I did about having to cut our 4^th week short. Watching Mama and Mr. Benesi worry the way they did about Joanna truly made me realize just how integrated into their family we had become. As we waited for Raphael to arrive we saw that Mr. Benesi had made a trip to town just that morning to replenish bread for our lunches, wheat bread, of course, despite the family preference for white, he had learned of our preference for wheat and abided, lovingly. Watching Mr. Benesi, Diana and Mama as we drove away from the compound nearly brought a tear to my eye. We both reached back to them, figuratively, but knew that for Joanna’s sake a night in the house at the orphanage (with a REAL toilet) was for the best. Unfortunately, though we both were itching to get back today for our last night of the week, the drive back to the village would prove too much for our driver who has much to do at the office and in the city today. Probably for the best, some time for Joanna to continue recovering, I still seriously regret losing two afternoons with the choir that on Tuesday, we had successfully widdled down to 25 passionate kids. Just as we pulled away yesterday, 6 girls arrived joyfully for their first practice, only to be turned away. Their faces broke our hearts, but next week we plan to devote a good 4 days to teaching them some fun parts to 2 songs and doing a little performance on our last full day in the village, Tuesday, February 23^rd. We are reserving Wednesday, February 24^th for an afternoon of, what I am just realizing, will be tearful goodbyes. Something I am not yet ready to think about, we have another full week in the village and my focus is trying to make that last week truly count.

            Though our week was cut short to 3 days, instead of 5, it still felt packed. We began the week in a different school. There are three pre schools in the Mcgongamira village and they all requested our presence, some materials and some ideas. We did not realize that we would be stepping into an entirely different environment and that the center, a one room school house we had been privileged to work out of for the past 3 weeks, was far more advanced a shelter than the bamboo shack that made up the other school. The irony is, enclosed with the bamboo walls and underneath the straw roof, there lies a group of children so well behaved and excited to learn and a teacher that inspired me with her grace, strength and passion for teaching. Truthfully, this teacher could probably teach a thing or two to the teachers at the main center about enthusiasm. We were delighted to be there for Monday and Tuesday to observe class and make some suggestions. Our challenge was different this time, though. When we arrived at the main center, we arrived with bags full of materials we had purchased in the United States in preparation for our trip. We were under the impression we were coming to the village to outfit one nursery school with materials, lesson plans and strategic ways of teaching. We did not realize that there were two other schools that wanted our help, two other schools in even greater need, with access to less space and less material to begin with.

            We arrived at the Nazareth school to a group of dancing women and children, thrilled to welcome us to the school. The school was quite a distance from the Benesi home and from the main center. We, fortunately, had a ride on Monday morning, but made that afternoon and the following morning.  The women sang for us, not only the teacher, but the chiefs wife and other Tiyambe Nawo committee members. Anywhere we go in this village, I am telling you, we are treated like the celebrity that I used to dream of becoming, but for such a different reason. It is overwhelming and sometimes I just hope that the reverence is warranted. We were ushered into the shack, that is the school and Maggie began to teach. The children adore her, it is clear and obvious why. We watched and took photos through most of that morning. Our challenge to step in was really, what could we bring to this class, with the little materials to offer that morning and only a bag of stuffed animals and a bag of foam balls to work with “in house,” we improvised much of the planned schedule we had come with. Maggie was very proud to show us her teaching skills, her class and her notebook full of activities, none she was really implementing fully, but still, she had them and was excited about them. We worked on group free play, songs, dance and just structuring her morning with an actual schedule. She walked us back each day of class, after lugging her ripped plastic bag of toys back to her hut. Her joy, like the joy of so many people in this country, is apparent and overflowing, but she was not shy to let us know what is lacking, what she feels like she needs and how poor and sick many of the children are in the village. On Tuesday she walked us home to the Benesi house and stayed for a meeting, the chief’s wife joined along with two committee members. They sat as Diana translated for us and we went over ideas we each had. I am not a teacher, I have worked with kids, but teaching is not my trade or my craft, yet I am both saddened by but inspired to change the lack of education in this country, the lack of structure, the lack of motivation to learn. This teacher gave me a bit of hope, devoted to both her village life and educating children, she seems like the perfect mix of growth and sustainability. I am looking forward to visiting the school again next week.

            Tuesday afternoon we brought Diana down to the main center to help with Choir. The walk through the village to the center was filled with children, running after us, giggling, calling our name. By the way, Joanna and I now have one name, they simply call “DEENAJOANNA!” through our entire walk. Some just pick one name, but a majority of them have simply named us as a pair. It is adorable. Now we are really getting to know the children, by face and name, so we slap five, hug and hold hands with our students. Of course, as is with any endeavor in Malawi, there are a million unnecessary steps involved in getting to the finish line, this one involved a stop for the key to the center, which took a moment for Metze, the teacher, to locate, we stopped for photos with the kids, photos OF the kids, who are fascinated by our cameras and the pictures we take of them, they each crave inclusion in our shots. We are happy to oblige.

            Once at the center Diana really took the reins.  Our plan was to find 20 kids who could really dive into choir practice so that we could actually accomplish more than a glorified sing along, which was what the “choir” had become to this point. There was little organization to the event, but we had many kids sing solo and sort of try out for this choir. We got the names of 25 of them, it was slightly chaotic, but we got them. The kids were pumped and the rest of the kids really had little idea of what was going on. It started to POUR outside so we were stuck at the center until the rains passed. The center is covered by a tin roof which, when raining, is louder than thunder. It is very difficult for me to speak over the noise of the rain, so I quickly gave up on teaching them a song and had them sing to me, the most beautiful sound in the world. They sang song after song, Bertha in the lead, the new “choir” kids helping the other kids gather themselves to sing along. It was a beautiful 2 hours, though loud and crazy, still exciting and a welcome break from the downtime we have each afternoon back at the house. The rain finished, we went back to the house for our bucket baths and a late supper of chickpeas, pumpkin leaves and rice. DELICIOUS. Diana, is everything to us here, translator, chef, friend. We would be nothing without her!

            Wednesday morning we returned to the center for school, eager to see how the classroom looked in action, wondering if the teachers had kept up with what we had worked on with them and if the kids had forgotten about us entirely. We were very pleased to see that things were in order. The teachers still looked to us quite often to step in, which is not what we want at this point, but we enjoy ourselves so much we did participate more than we probably should have. The only thing still missing is the excitement and enthusiasm, but I can sympathize with the teacher’s exhaustion and hope that is the reason they lay back the way they do. There was no food again for the children after class, something we have gotten used to. Kids are supposed to have porridge every day at 11, but unless Mama comes to cook it for them, they get nothing and that morning Mama was visiting her granddaughter in town, who had fallen ill from Malaria, or something the doctors were calling Malaria. Malaria is synonymous with the word Flu or Virus here. Anyone who is sick with anything has “Malaria.” It is very bizarre.

            By Wednesday afternoon we had finished our lunch of peanut butter sandwiches and fresh avocados and were ready to settle into our few hours of downtime before the first “REAL” choir practice when Joanna began to feel very ill. We tried to see if it would pass, we started a long walk to the maize fields with Diana to pick green maize, or “dowa.” Half way there my dear Joanna had to turn back and about an hour later we decided to head back to Area 49 so that Joanna could recover fully from her stomach bug. A latrine is nowhere to suffer a stomach bug. That is certain. The worry on the faces of our Malawian mother, father and sister was so disheartening. We felt awful leaving and worse for worrying the family. The worry made it apparent, we were not just visitors there anymore, we were their family and they were worried about Joanna as they would worry about another one of their daughters. It devastated me to leave. Usually, I might welcome the opportunity for a break, the village life can be wearing especially, 4 weeks in, but I was bummed to leave, sad to have not made it to the fields and devastated to miss choir. I was worried about Joanna though and would not let her suffer through this alone. Raphael arrived to pick us up and wanted to go to the hospital, we luckily avoided that experience by assuring him we had medication and just needed a bed and a toilet. We arrived in the city center within an hour, picked up some groceries and went home.

            A relief to get a shower and a bathroom plus a meal cooked with just a tad less oil than the relish cooked at the Benesi home. Joanna was on her way to full recovery. We wanted to return the next day, but unfortunately or fortunately for Goods4Good, Raphael was too busy to bring us back. Joanna needed another 24 hours to recover anyway, but by Friday afternoon we were eager to return even for a few hours, to fulfill the meeting we had planned with the teachers from all three schools.  Our new roommate at Area 49 (a whole other story, in fact) wanted to join us for a visit to the village. Christina is staying at the orphanage, in the house, working with the children, FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS, by herself. When we are at the house she craves a connection so strongly she simply cannot leave us alone. It is not a negative intention, but for us the house is really a space to zone out, being on and working in the village all week can be very draining and we just want space at Area 49. Trying to balance Christina, our space and Joanna’s illness this weekend has been interesting to say the least. A sweet girl, we are dealing with….but I will say, it is unlike me not to be thrilled to meet a new friend. In this case, I think I could deal with the space.

            That said I was happy to provide her with an outlet for escape on Friday. It can be very claustrophobic at the orphanage and I can not imagine how frightened she must be about staying here for 4 months, learning in her first week about how slowly things move here. Patience is a virtue in this country. Friday morning arrived and our trip was, typically as far as Malawian time runs, delayed 3 hours. When we finally set off, the car broke down only a couple of times, but we made it to the village. It was actually very exciting to introduce this life to Christina, our new “friend.” It is a life and family I will never be able to show to any of you friends out there and it was only until we were able to bring Christina that I realized how proud I was of our new home.

            Of course, the Benesi family welcomed the “arrendo” (visitor) with open arms. I showed her the latrine, the shower, our bedroom and the rest of the compound. Joanna and I ran to mama to hug her and Diana was so relieved to see us. Bertha and I ran to each other like we had not seen each other in weeks, which is what it felt like. Her smile, so bright, wrapped around me just as her arms did. We embraced like long lost sisters. I am glad to have had this unplanned break only to realize while still here just how much I love this family and home. Just before we left later that day, Diana had prepared “chips” and fresh cucumber. There is no such thing as an afternoon without a snack, especially for Christina, our “arrendo.”

            Joanna and I were ready for our meeting, but of course, the teachers were not at the center just yet. Raphael took a drive to pick them each up and brought them to the center, than grabbed Joanna, Chirstina and I and we headed to the center. Driving through the village is very different from walking, but we still get the same response from the kids, excitement and giggles. Seeing a car in the village is a big deal, every time.

            The meeting with the teachers was very smooth. Blessings was there to translate, Raphael picked up snacks and sodas for the teachers, food and drink motivates them. We went over the morning routine and talked about materials and enthusiasm in the classroom. We were finally able to give the two other schools some supplies from the center to add to their supplies at their schools. They were so grateful just to receive Ziploc bags of scissors, string and markers. It felt very good to go over things with them and feel their excitement about learning them, even Metze and Elaine, the teachers from the center, seemed inspired. These are women devoted to being teachers who themselves have not finished primary school. This was a perfect way to end our fourth week. The last week and a half will be spent visiting the schools to see how ideas are being implemented, visiting the last school Monday to help them out a bit. Joanna is particularly excited for this trip, this teacher has a baby named Maria, who can be found attached by a chitenge to her back at all times. Joanna and I LOVE this baby and can’t wait to give her a squeeze on Monday morning. We’ll work too, of course.

            That is pretty much it. The majority of the week was sadly spent at Area 49. The house is comfortable but extremely boring and with little to do Joanna and I exercise and cook and read and bother Raphael for rides to and from the market and office. Oh, and drink a lot of wine. We miss the village much and this will help us take true advantage of our last week in the village. Our last full week that is, we have two nights to spend there the following week. Thinking of saying goodbye to the children, the family and the village is already a bit hard for me to bear. Harder for me than I had expected.  

            With two weeks left, you can look out for only 2 or 3 more entries on this little bloggity blog. So take them in, even though they are long! Or leave them just for me, because truly, I cannot wait to read through this and remember this journey and relive memories I will keep very close to my heart.

            Next weekend, our last weekend, we will spend in Salima again, on the lake. More to come after that!

xxxxx