Home again

It is amazing how little time it takes to be completely absorbed back into home relationships and routines. Part of my mind and heart are still in Malawi of course, but already life seems very normal here. Less exciting and stimulating perhaps, but this is home. I have been busy writing up some of what I have been doing so that any new volunteers will be able to build on what I have done rather then simply starting again from the beginning, but I am by no means working full time on Malawi in the way I have been for the last couple of months. 

I mentioned that there was a Farewell Lunch for me the day before I left. I wore the dress that Selena made for me from glorious chitenge fabric that I bought in the market at Limbe. This drew a number of comments including “ Ah!!! But you are an African woman now!” This party was a true celebration and I was very moved by the strength of feeling expressed in the speeches. I presented the CC staff with certificates for each of the training sessions they had attended. It is extraordinary how much these pieces of paper mean to folk who are keen to learn but have so little access to training opportunities. Bhavna gently told me off for wasting print and paper by providing a separate certificate for each course, she said that I should have made one certificate with all the trainings listed on it and just ticked the one’s attended for each student. She is probably right but I cannot help but be glad that I helped to meet the need for recognition that these pieces of paper seemed to provide. 

I should have known that there would be speeches and that I would be expected to make one myself in reply and done a little preparation, but I did not. My response was impromptu but heartfelt. Also well received. The occasions in my life when people have written poems about me are few indeed, but this week there have been two. 

The first by Felecia Gwetse was read out during the formal part of the proceedings. It refers to the games I slotted in to the trainings and surprised me by it’s sensitivity to some of the reasons why I included some of these activities amongst more traditional approaches:

 A Farewell to Marian 

 In a room where laughter soared 

And games brought joy we all loved, 

 We stand to bid you a cheer 

 For Marian, who made it all so dear. 

 Back to back game I remember 

We’d support each other with a partner’s strength 

We’d find our way to stand. 

 In those moments, we learned to play with children. 

 ‘My name is Felecia’,with pride ‘and I am flexible’,

 ‘My name is Doreen and I am darling to many’ 

 We would say with hearts open wide 

 And in the game of ‘Robots’ we felt a bond that truly shone. 

 Line up game, and so many games 

You led with grace and playful style, 

 Made us smile, 

 Your humble heart, your childlike play, guided us through. 

 Thank you Marian for all you’ve done 

In every game we had such fun 

 We’ll carry forward all you’ve taught. 

 In our hearts your lessons shine. 

 Thank you Felecia, what a tribute! `I had to choke back the tears to speak and respond to that one. 

 The second poem was commissioned by Keith from a roadside busker set up with a table and an old fashioned typewriter in Gentleman’s Walk in Norwich: 

 For Mari, from Keith 

 When the wind blows you back home 

 and your feet walk this little English 

 street again, and the world is in 

 some way a little better for your work 

 and the house is just a little quieter 

 dinner for one and the kettle is only half 

 full - but now it is being filled 

 again, sharing all the little warmth 

 it has to give on your return. 

 Nathan Rodney Jones 

My other news is that my application to Book Aid for Early Years textbooks for Mother Teresa Children’s Centre and the ECD students at JP II has been successful, so in the fullness of time, up to 1000 books will arrive via Lilongwe Airport for Beehive to collect from a local book distributor and take back to Chilomoni. New, up to date textbooks from which our ECD students will learn so much to equip them to continue the task of increasing the life chances of at least a few local children. Hoorah! The four hours of time I spent putting together that application are surely some of the best spent hours of my life! Thank you to all the lovely Norwich-based Early Years people who donated their old textbooks to start off the Beehive ECD library collection. The 100 books you donated will soon be joined by ten times as many new books.