The pictures here depict what, after a week of being home, has become my most significant day on our Malawi trip. It was the third of three days spent at the medical center in a small village, a busy place most days with over 200 people here at any given time to see what amounts to one medical assistant in radically underwhelming facilities. One photograph depicts a room full of mostly teenage girls very much pregnant. They are here waiting to give birth. Many of the children in these pictures are orphans. We decided that morning to break into four groups; those finishing installing lights, those finishing the brick wall and those who would interview a selection of people about what their lives were like, their hopes and dreams for their children and for Malawi. We believed that wed gain insight into how we could best support this village by listening directly to the people who live there. Our group of interviewers reported that the people they spoke with were eager to share about their lives. Another group of us spend time playing with the children for at least three hours straight.Our group was unrelenting in their delivery of fun and the kids were ecstatic. We broke open a large donation of jump ropes, a couple ropes were tied together and children and teenagers who would soon be moms went wild with them. Nine month pregnant fifteen year olds jumping two at a time like there was no tomorrow. I was in the fortunate position of continuously circling the scene, going from one location to another, photographing, observing, overseeing. I saw people working and playing together, getting something done, enjoying each other, giving themselves fully to whatever they were doing. When I arrived home I immediately began running a ten day teacher training (of fantastic people who I love spending time with), so Ive had little time to hole up to pause and reflect upon this trip, as is my nature. What Ive found since Ive been home is a deeper appreciation for Africa at large, as if this continent has just introduced itself to me (because I was walking around with my eyes closed apparently) and it says, Yes, Im very much here. And by the way, I always was. NPR is running one story after another about Africa issues, many of which can seem rather insurmountable. At the same time, Im working on the chapter about Haridwar, India and the people I met a few months ago and photographed who were victims of polio. As I went digging around about the polio epidemic and Indias incredible campaign to successfully eradicate polio effective just this last spring, I was struck by the efforts of a variety of groups including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rotary Club, Unicef among others. Somehow through collective conviction and relentless and intelligent execution, they turned polio around in India in a couple of decades. Completely amazing. Bright people with good organizational skills and relentless vision changed things. So I keep this example in mind when I think about Africa. Dont you want the world to get itself together so people are suffering a great deal less? Wouldnt it be great if we as human beings could figure that one out? Since Im known by loved ones for often not giving them room to finish their own sentences, tonight Ill finish my own. Yes, it would.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 03:00:20 +0000
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