Mary in Malawi

January 30, 2011

The best moments spent in Malawi, are the moments at the beach, chatting with people. It's like you're being taken out of time, like everything is the way it always been and always will be.

This has been a lovely weekens at Cool Runnings, Senga bay. It must be my favorite place... 99% because of the people there. Sam, the owner. A timeless lady, who might aswell be 25 as 75, She is beautiful, with thick long hair all the way down to her hips. There is Henry and Felix who works in the bar and in the garden... Two wonderful malawians, always smiling and helpful, and they always gets your coffeorders wrong, but that is like a part of what makes thyem wonderful..

And my boys on the beach! In the beginning, I was a good costumer. But now, I am a friend. They share their food with me, even though they know I have enough money to buy whatever I want for myself. But they insist. I most of time sit with them in their shelter with wood craft on the beach, chatting about nothing and everything.. Listening to the waves clasp the shore, gazing over the lake at the fisher men in their little wooden canoes heading against Lizard Island. Polishing some wood crafts with the guys.. It is just so amazing.

And one of them, he is a hero. The guys found a starving little boy outside their shelter last week. He was almost unconscious from hunger. They took him to Sam (who is also a nurse) who tested him for everythingg.. Malaria, TB, Pneumonia, HIV... The little boy tested positive on everything. Stage 3 HIV. But this guy, he took care of him, and found out that his mother had died from HIV and his father had then abandoned him. The boy was devastated, and knew nothing about medication for HIV or anything. He thought his life was over. But ”my” guy stood up, in a room full of other people, and talked to the boy. And he said ”Look at me! I am strong, I am healthy. And I am HIV positive. As long as you take your mankwahla (medicine), like I do, you will be just as healthy as me!” And the boy could smile again, and now my lovely beach guy is like his mentor. Helps him out, reiminds him to eat food, helps him and explain the medication for HIV... It is beautiful. This guy is quite fat, have bad skin and wears old worn out clothes. He washes himself in the lake using a piece of old fishing net to clean his body. He is poor, and he earns his living by fooling tourists to buy a lot of crap. And honestly, at first sight you might get a little scared of him. But I think he is one of the most beautiful people I've ever met, and he has a heart of gold.

Now Im back in Nkhoma, to tired to go to Isabelle for dinner, so I had some chicken at home.

Work tomorrow, back to reality...

And by the way, I now know what Malawi means! Malawi is chichewa, and means ”Flames”. And it is called that because in the dry season, when it is dark, there a thousands of grass fires on the waist lands and on the mountains. It lights up the sky and it is the only thing you can see in the deep, african darkness. I've seen the fires many times, and even Christian and Jenny saw them. When tthe locals see these fires, they say ”Malawi wa Moto” with means ”Flames of Fire”. Cool, huh? =)