Thinking of Malawi

   

     I was reminded afresh this week just how much I have to be thankful for.  A dear friend sent me a video that was about Africa and photos from a worship session where a group from Africa were singing praise songs.  Realizing the differences in our cultures, she was surprised and humored by a line in the song that compared caring children on their backs to God carrying us.
     This took me back 7 to our trip to Africa.  I would take much longer than a blog to talk about how and why we ended up on a mission trip to Malawi, Africa but that is not for today.  No matter where life takes Taylor and I we are never very far away from that trip to Africa.  It was crazy, but crazy good.
     I was reminded this week of the women in Malawi.  I began to consider how they carried their children on their backs.  In the good ole U.S.A. we typically carry our children on our hips or in a sling on the front of our bodies.  I haven't really thought about this much.  But when I saw that video this week it hit me...they have to carry their children like this.  Those dear women carry their children on their backs out of necessity.  They work very hard to scratch out an existence.  I do not say "living" because most of them are barely staying alive.  They do not have childcare and they do not have other options.  Everyone who can, is working in some shape, form or fashion.   In America we have things to do.  And, yes, as moms we often multitask by carrying our babies in a sling while we work.  But often times its more helpful to place them in a sling because those precious little ones like being snuggled up to Mom and they tend to sleep or enjoy looking around while they are close to Mom.  But in Africa they have to put those little ones in their slings on their back because they have to have both hands free to thresh grain or carry extremely heavy water jugs on their heads that have to occasionally be balanced by their hands.  They have to wash clothes by hand and build fires for meal.   But actually taking time to compare how and why we carry our children astounded me.  All those years of raising our little ones, a dozen years of toddlers,  I took for granted carrying my babies.  And to be honest I sometimes resented being busy and needing to toss a toddler on my hip.  But the truth is I had a privilege instead of a responsibility.  It was luxury (isn't that ironic) to be able to carry my little ones around on my hip!
     The other memory I had was one with the women in the bush.  Most of the people at the "conference"  we held had walked hours in order to come and learn.  They had brought all their children and everything they would need to stay as long as needed to.  When asked how long we should teach they said for us to talk as long as we would. We literally tagged teamed the entire day for several days and these hungry people soaked up every word we shared like it was there first meal in weeks.  But the memory that stirs me today is one where the women and men had separated into groups.  We had a question and answer time allowing the women to ask about those things that were weighing on their hearts.  A lady stood that day to ask me a question.  I was scared to death.  They were so hungry and I felt so inadequate. She, through the translator, asked, "I am a Christian and my husband is not.  I can not read.  How do I know how to follow the Lord?"  There she stood, hoping that I held the answer to her question.  I would like to tell you I had a brilliant response, but honestly I can not remember what I even said that day.
      From that place of complete honestly and desperate need, there rises up in me a fountain of thankfulness.  The honest truth is we have so much to be thankful for.  If you are reading this blog today you are doing better than 785 million people in this world.  If you are married and your spouse is a Christian you are in a vast minority by a long shot and that is cause to exceedingly rejoice!  I can't remember thinking God for being able to read-EVER.  But I am today!  I have thanked him for my husband and for his faith but I have never really appreciated how rare our situation really is.
     Where ever this find you today, we have so much to rejoice about.  We have so many things to be thankful for.  In spite of what is happening today there are things to appreciate.  So let's start this week out counting our blessings and asking God to show us as we go throughout this week more of those things we have never stopped to be grateful for.  An hymn is playing in my heart, "Come thou fount of every blessing.  Tune my heart to sing thy praise."  It is going to be a great week!