Today is just a typical Thursday in Malawi. I suppose the stars aligned this morning, though, to present me with the perfect opportunity to give thanks.
I'm thankful for the opportunity to get covered in white powder and help my Malawian colleagues at Urunji distribute nutritious food to hundreds of children. On a day that is so often focused on plentiful food in the United States, it was humbling to be able to hand out a month's worth of food to each child. This is one of the many "feeding programs" that Urunji has, which help to ensure that students at schools around the outskirts of Lilongwe have enough nutritious food to eat each month.
I'm very cognizant of how I portray this country to people who have never visited. I actively try not to contribute to the "White Savior Complex" or to the idea that everyone on this continent is starving and living in misery. I can't deny that some people see my pale skin and automatically define me as a Westerner who has come to "save" this continent, but I can say that this is not a land that should be defined by sadness or suffering.
That being said, I acknowledge how much more "stuff" I have than the vast majority of Malawians. Even though I'm not at home, I could easily make myself an entire Thanksgiving dinner right now, yet today I handed each child a small bag of powder that will hopefully last them a month. Many of the children came to school with empty food bags that they had turned into knapsacks to carry their notebook and pencil - a clear example of resourcefulness. No matter how little money or how few possessions they have, though, they have so much to give and to teach. It's amazing how much those who "have so little" have to share with those of us who "have so much."
The head teacher called each class to the front and the students filed into a line to get their bags of food. I realized as I was handing a bag to each child that none of them were saying "zikomo," or "thank you" in Chichewa. In the United States, children are taught from a very young age to say thank you when receiving something.
I had to realize, though, that the idea of literally saying the word "zikomo" is just not part of the culture these children were brought up in. This realization helped me see that the children were clearly showing their gratitude without having to say a word. In their eyes and their smiles, I could see how thankful the children were to be given so much food.
I'm sad to not be at home today, catching up with high school friends and sharing a big meal with my family. I'm so thankful, though, for the people of Malawi, who have shown me all that I have to be grateful for and taught me the importance of putting things in perspective.
I'm thankful for the opportunity to get covered in white powder and help my Malawian colleagues at Urunji distribute nutritious food to hundreds of children. On a day that is so often focused on plentiful food in the United States, it was humbling to be able to hand out a month's worth of food to each child. This is one of the many "feeding programs" that Urunji has, which help to ensure that students at schools around the outskirts of Lilongwe have enough nutritious food to eat each month.
I'm very cognizant of how I portray this country to people who have never visited. I actively try not to contribute to the "White Savior Complex" or to the idea that everyone on this continent is starving and living in misery. I can't deny that some people see my pale skin and automatically define me as a Westerner who has come to "save" this continent, but I can say that this is not a land that should be defined by sadness or suffering.
That being said, I acknowledge how much more "stuff" I have than the vast majority of Malawians. Even though I'm not at home, I could easily make myself an entire Thanksgiving dinner right now, yet today I handed each child a small bag of powder that will hopefully last them a month. Many of the children came to school with empty food bags that they had turned into knapsacks to carry their notebook and pencil - a clear example of resourcefulness. No matter how little money or how few possessions they have, though, they have so much to give and to teach. It's amazing how much those who "have so little" have to share with those of us who "have so much."
The head teacher called each class to the front and the students filed into a line to get their bags of food. I realized as I was handing a bag to each child that none of them were saying "zikomo," or "thank you" in Chichewa. In the United States, children are taught from a very young age to say thank you when receiving something.
I had to realize, though, that the idea of literally saying the word "zikomo" is just not part of the culture these children were brought up in. This realization helped me see that the children were clearly showing their gratitude without having to say a word. In their eyes and their smiles, I could see how thankful the children were to be given so much food.
I'm sad to not be at home today, catching up with high school friends and sharing a big meal with my family. I'm so thankful, though, for the people of Malawi, who have shown me all that I have to be grateful for and taught me the importance of putting things in perspective.