I'M BACK!!

Yes, it is true, I am back in America safe and sound. Well, sound would imply that I am in good mental standing...and we are just never sure about that!

I got back Thursday around noon after a wonderful time in Malawi. I could not have asked for a more precious gift this Christmas than getting to spend two amazing weeks with the most incredible man of God I know. Ryan's blog can give you the run down of what we did over those two weeks, so check that out!

Ryan blessed me so greatly by taking me around the country and helping me understand all the things going on there. It was so great to be there and experience things that I either hear about over the phone or read about in his blog.

One of the main things was what Ryan writes about poverty. I think I understand his perspective a little better now. I got the blessing of taking a 2 day trip to a village down south and a couple other village experiences, and what I learned is that those people were not "poor". Now sure, images that I saw looked like they came straight out of a national geographic magazine. People living in huts, cooking their food over a fire, and spending all day outside where it is "cooler" (its hard to say cooler when you are still sweating profusely). But I couldn't see these people as poor. They were living, and living very contently. They weren't begging us to give them money or to give them my tv that I have at home. They were happy to share a meal with us. They were happy to share a smile with us. The more I thought about it the more I realized that poverty is an idea that is birthed from disparity and discontentment.

People who live in the city of Malawi see people that have a lot of stuff. Then when they don't have it, they feel less. They want things, so they beg for them. People in the villages, everyone living together, are content. They aren't poor. Yes, they live on practically no money, but I am sure they would not call themselves poor.

Of course these are my thoughts after spending only 2 weeks in the country, so let me put a disclaimer on them that they are most likely ignorant and undeveloped. However, they are my thoughts and so I wanted to share them.

I definitely wished I could have stayed longer and truly gotten to know the culture better, but alas I had to come back. I had to leave Ryan...let me tell you, it wasn't easy. But I try not to be sad and just focus on the absolute joy that it was to go!

So now that I have finished my serious post for my time in Malawi I wanted to give you a highlight of some of the other moments of my trip.

1. Almost running out of gas and having to buy "petro" (gas) off the black market
2. Having a woman bring a chicken to offering during a church service
3. Huddling together with singing Malawian women during church to stay dry as the rain came pouring in the room.
4. Having Ryan constantly impress me with his amazing cooking from scratch abilities!
5.Buying like 50 tomatoes on the side of the road for a dollar!
6. Eating mangos while swimming at the natural pools at Mt. Mulanje
7. Taking a "bucket shower" while spending the night at a village. (basically this means pouring water over myself to shower)
8. Wearing a skirt almost every day...actually its kinda fun!
9. Walking through the market and hearing people say "sister, sister, come look at my paintings"
10. Getting to talk to Ryan face to face about all that he is experiencing
11. learning to salsa dance...no, no they didn't have this there, I brought a dvd!
12. Trying to say "Muli Bwanje" to local people and them having NO CLUE what i was saying!
13. Spending 14 days with Ryan!!