This time of year is always so full of excitement and hype all over our country...the proverbial school bell now rings loud each morning calling her students into a new time of education and never-ending opportunities for enriching their future. I have found myself many mornings going about my 6am routine, as my hands are drying my hair or applying my moisturizer, my mind and soul drift across the big ocean that separates us ("the land of opportunity") from the sub-Saharan continent of Africa and narrows in on the children of Malawi. What is morning like for these children? Do they go to school? Do they know what the word "opportunity" means or even understand the meaning of a dream fulfilled?
Few people know about Malawi, Africa. It is a small country that is landlocked by Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. Not many people have heard about Malawi simply because there has been long-standing political peace, quite different from the political unrest that her neighboring countries have endured through. Though Malawi people are not in struggle with political wars they do war against the HIV/AIDS that has overtaken her people. The average age of Malawians is 38 years old!! In addition to that national statistic, it was found at the end of 2007 that a half million children had been left orphaned and 91,000 children were infected with HIV. With these figures it is not surprising to read that Malawi is the 3rd poorest country in the world! Poverty and HIV/AIDS is winning the war.
Daniel and I are privileged and humbled to be a part of a non-profit organization called Equitas (see link on right) that is spearheading several projects in Malawi, Africa. Over the course of a few months Equitas has raised enough money for 75 students in 3 villages of Malawi to go to secondary school...the cost was only $150 per student for 1 year! See, in Malawi elementary education is free but secondary (equivalent to JR and SR high-school) cost money. Education is seen as a precious commodity but often times it is the abled bodies and extra hands that are needed the most to work the fields and bring home any food for the families. Orphanages aren't really known in Malawi, it is a very family-oriented society...so if a child is orphaned he would be sent to an uncles or a grandmothers place to live. Oftentimes grandmother's will raise several grandchildren...food is needed and education only happens if there is money for it.
Equitas hosted a fundraising dinner last Thursday to raise money for this project. We are so thankful for a community of people who see the need for these children of Malawi; for them to know and understand God's love, mercy, justice and grace!
More to come from my heart on Malawi...stay tuned!
Me helping the chef plate the food...he was an incredible chef from Mccormick & Schmick's, a friend of Steve Cook's.
Here is Rachael helping out too...we had so much fun being Chef Conrad's apprentices. This was the yummy crab dip appetizer...there was a fancier name that I just can't remember!
2 comments:
What a great opportunity to be involved in something like that Jamie - to help us here in the US keep perspective!! So neat!
Looks yummy! And what a great cause! Sounds to me like this may be a place you just might end up in one day! I have actually heard of Malawi because I did a unit on that country my first year of teaching third grade.
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