The Warm Heart of Africa Calls Again.
Back in 2010, Malia and I embarked on a journey that changed our perspectives on poverty, justice and hope. On this trip we met fomer child soldiers, HIV/AIDs orphans, widows of war and disease, and some truly wonderful people. We were enthralled by the sights, smells and challenges of Africa.
As I was siting on a small stool in Anai-kii, Uganda, I was introduced to a small boy. He was maybe seven or eight years old, both his parents had died and he was left with his grandparents, in a mud hut along with several other brothers and sisters. He suffered from wounds that never seemed to heal on his legs and it was clear that he had contracted HIV from his parents. How completely tragic. We packed up and got back in the van with heavy hearts, and thought what can we do? Rescue them all? Rent a 747 and load them all up on a flight to America? As helpless as we felt, we were encouraged to know he was in our Village Partnership Program and that he would receive food, clothing, education and medicines when he needed them. Perhaps, his life would not be defined by his conditions or his illness. We have no picture of him, no name to give you but neither Malia nor I will ever forget his story nor how he made a big imprint on our hearts. On the rest of our trip, we thought about what his grandpa said, with some angst "How will you help me?"...
I continue to work for Children of the Nations on behalf of children like this, and in September I will be overjoyed to walk through the tall grass on my way to Mgwayi village, in Malawi, while listening for the cheers of the children who will greet me with warm smiles, dusty faces and unavoidable joy.
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Daily Life in Malawi
The people are warm hearted and friendly, many live in small homes and in the rural areas they eak out a living from growing maize, beans, nuts, and pumpkins. Many live in mud huts with straw rooves, desease is common and less than 3% make it to 65 years old. Literacy rates are low and HIV is highly prevalent, almost 1 million suffer from this disease, which kills 51,000 people every year.
Children of the Nations stepped into this mess in the 1990's and has been providing holistic care for orphans and destitute children ever since!
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The Most exciting thing...
The part of my trip that I am most excited about is seeing the progress that has been made since my last visit! In less than two years we have built a school with dorms, a community center, and added a new Widows Program!
Seeing the progress being made is always encouraging and I look forward to sharing the pictures and stories with you... The school is really helping us to better educate our teenagers, by providing an excellent facility with great teachers!
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Village Highlight
Chilombo village is a rural village, located less than an hour from the capital and our main office. The community lives through subsistence farming and some small business'. They have a public school for elementary age children, the school has no roof, and barely any walls. Malaria is frequent as is malnutrition. This year Children of the Nations has provided blankets, mosquito nets and food supplements for families in the most desperate situations, and there is a plan to build a community center where the kids can learn and read even in the rain! Even through the adversity of this place you will find hope!
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