A bonus…I had the time ;)
Another busy beautiful day here in Malawi.
I still haven’t figured out how to stay awake late enough so that I don’t wake up at 3:30 or 4 each morning, but I’m trying! I suppose it’s still just my brain and body adjusting to the time change. For whatever reason it has been more difficult this trip. Couldn’t be because I’m getting older could it???
I was lucky enough to be able to watch the teachers from Teach For America get into the classrooms here in Malawi today and teach! It was awesome. These teachers all have such different styles, but also such immense passion. It truly was so cool to get to peek in on each of them and see how they were able to handle classes of up to 400 children!!!
After they taught one block they took a break to meet together in the library and discuss how the morning had gone. I sat and listened in 🙂 as I sat listening to some of them reflect on the morning one of teachers (Shirley) came over to me with her eyes literally brimming with tears. She told me that after teaching for 30 years this was one of the highlights. She praised the program we have put together for them and went on and on about how wonderful her morning with the students had been. Once she was done and I had thanked her so much and told her how happy I was for her she stood and said “I’m just so happy I feel like I could dance!” This is a moment from this trip that I know I will treasure. I felt like quoting my good friend Dena and telling her that she had truly “just blessed my heart!” Once we came back to the village for lunch I did just that. I wanted her to know how much it meant to me for her to share her joy with me. Sometimes people don’t express these feelings openly and I was so very glad she had chosen to.
During my stay in DC the night prior to my flight to Malawi I met a man who began asking me about my work. We got into quite a debate because he told me that he couldn’t “buy in” to what I do unless I could prove that enough people were being helped. He wanted statistics and wanted me to prove that my program was actually helping “enough” people. I responded to him by saying that I may not ever know what impact this work has had and I may never be able to map it or graph it. I won’t ever know if one person who is touched ends up doing something that will then change the lives of millions or if 10 children who were touched will go on to do something they may not have. I do though have faith that this work is worthwhile and that people are positively affected both in ways that I know and ways I may never know. Today Shirley’s comments to me drove this truth home even further. A part of me wished that Shirley could call him herself and let him know that her life had been touched in a way she had never imagined. Who knows how the dominos will now fall simply because of just her experience. Those are the moments when it is clear that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be. It is not necessary for me to prove anything to anyone. In my brief quiet moments of doubt I will add Shirley to the list of memories I draw strength from.
Hopefully this rambling made sense to a few a of you. It may still be to early in the trip for my blogging to have been dusted off enough from last year. Hang in there though! They will get better i promise!
Erin
Your blogs are awesome… what an amazing couple of days already — so awesome to hear how deeply impacted the teachers are already in their short time there — and of course the children are as well .. don’t listen to that man … some things can’t be measured in statistics and numbers.. you know, the children and those teachers know how wonderful this life changing experience is for all!
4:01 AM and i am up reading your blogs…as for the man…I am of the opinion if, one only helps one person along the journey..good has been had – In life in general. Such conversations are not worth a debate! If nothing else getting out of ones environment, seeing how another Nation lives, is an exceptional experience of a lifetime…and who knows, hopefully the child/the village people do walk away with “positive” but possibly, the individual who choose a different path for 2 weeks (or more), is who is truly is gifted with the real “Change in Mind”. There are no losers.
Love the bridge story!!! The walk is so awesome. How is the kitchen faring? Great to know you are awake before “the flip flop ladies” and the doves arrive with the morning wake up ….Love you
I love reading your blogs! So super exicted!
I love reading your blogs mom 🙂 they get me excited about coming with you someday. I’m so glad everything is going well, I miss and love you!
Xoxo