Sunday, December 26, 2010

Dear: The friendliest person I knew for only one day

Mrs._________

I have completely forgotten her name

We went to Mzuzu in 2005. I was going to the Mzuzu market, infamous for it's amazing wax cloths, and I had to pass by this womans house to drop american medicine off. At first I was feeling inconvenienced, because we were so very behind schedule. But I love the thick greenery of Northern Malawi, so we parked outside her house. Which was a small village house. It had an out door kitchen and bathroom. I wondered how she got anywhere without a car, where she went to use the phone and how her son sends her American Dollars for things around the house. She hugged me hello, the driver and the other passenger, and we swapped hello's and how are you's and how is life in America? Good Good Good. We laughed. Then she went to the back, and brought out a tin bowl of warmish hot water. We washed our hands, and out came three other women with one big plate of nsima, nkuku yachi kuda (village chicken), stewed Chambo fish, and stewed peanut pumpkin leaves.

This happens all the time in Malawi. But now that I was an adult, and I had lived for one year in the non-communal western lifestyle... this lunch held incredible weight. A poor woman fed all three of us until we could eat no more. I was so touched by her kindness, and the general kindness of people in third world countries.

Mrs. ______ you and everyone who has ever showed me unsolicited kindness are in my prayers.

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