Today is a pancake-breakfast, dancing-round-the-kitchen-in-pyjamas-to-Chicken-Fried kinda Friday. 

It's our last Friday in Malawi and a Public Holiday too. This month has flown by, and has been filled with all kinds of challenges and adventures, and plenty of motorbike rides through the mountains. For those of you who know what I'm like, I haven't fallen off once. I've been working with Heather, one of the loveliest Canadians I've ever met and the wonderful Service Centre team here in Dedza up near the Mozambique border. 

I can see now why Malawi is the warm heart of Africa; I've been completely floored by the kindness of those we've met, both here in the Service Centre and in the communities Hands is working in here in Malawi. Heather and I have had the privilege of staying in three of the four communities, living with care workers and getting a better understanding of what life in rural Malawi is like for the people we're serving. 

With that in mind, I'd love to share with you the story of one little girl I met in Mcheneke this week. Ava* is a beautiful little five year old girl, with an eleven year old brother who dotes on her. They live with their Gogo, who took them in when their mother died three days after giving birth to Ava. With no income or way to support two very young children, Gogo went into the fields looking for piecework to buy baby formula. She went to the local hospital to ask them for help and support, and was directed towards Umodzi CBO, the community based organisation that Hands partners with in Mcheneke. Whilst both children have been enrolled for the past four years, and therefore receive a hot meal at the Care Point every day, as well as essentials like mosquito nets, soap and school uniforms, life is far from easy for the family. 

Because they have little to no income, Gogo was unable to purchase fertiliser which means that they have no maize to harvest this season. We're approaching winter in Malawi, and this lovely family are living in one room, with a tiny sheltered kitchen and no front door. They did have a house, but were kicked out by the landlord and are now forced to live in a room the same size as a garden shed, with no security or protection. 

As hopeless as this all sounds, things are slowly changing. Both children are in education, as school is free up to the end of Grade 8 in Malawi.  Ava and her brother not only have the love and support of their Gogo, but a team of care workers at Umodzi that visit them and support their family. As I've mentioned before, these care workers are the real heroes. They serve the most vulnerable in their community, having come from very similar situations themselves. 

I've also been astounded at the way that men here in Malawi step up to meet the needs of their communities. I'm a part of the most fatherless generation there has ever been, due to a variety of reasons. We see that in communities in South Africa too, where men are either completely absent or causing trouble. Malawi couldn't be further from this though. In every community I've visited here, I've been met by men who care about what's happening to the children in their local community and actively seek to protect the most vulnerable. I'm reminded that not all men give up on their families or fail to protect them or provide stability for them. Men are stepping up to run the CBOs we work with, and to visit children as teachers and care workers. I can't express how incredibly exciting that is to see. Because these children are growing up with a whole cohort of incredible father figures who can point them towards their Heavenly Father, the One who holds their future and will never let them down. 

I'm headed back to South Africa next week, and although I'm so incredibly excited to see my Hands family, I know I'll miss Malawi. The communities and the people here will always have a special place in my heart. I'm hoping to be able to share some more stories of the people I've met here, so watch this space :)

Much love from Dedza x

P.S. You should check out Heather's version of events :) you can find her at  heathermariainafrica.blogspot.ca

*names have been changed to protect the identity of the family