Hi, I’m Nathan and a few weeks ago, I returned from an amazing trip to Malawi. Thought I would put a few words here to reflect the trip and what it meant to me. This trip has been something special, and it has managed to teach me a lot not only about life in Malawi but also what life should be like back here in the U.S of A! Upon getting off the airplane at one very empty airport (you’d almost think it’s deserted) one thing became obvious, the joy and kindness. And you can ask anyone who has ever been on this trip before, they will say this exact same thing. And people who have never been to Malawi will also hear this said about it over and over again. So I was expecting to see this joy getting there but this would lead to the bigger mystery to crack; how, how are they this joyful? The answer would lead me through a bigger path than I could have ever imagined. 

Like I said, the people at the airport were brilliant, welcoming you with smiles and greetings all around. That was amazing but albeit expected, I mean people at airports have to make a good first impression right?? Maybe try and see if a little good service wins an extra tip?? Wrong! Correction very wrong! This is the start of what makes Malawi unique, people don’t try and provide hospitality just for the chance of something in return like what is more typical here, no, they do it out of the kindness that is ingrained in their hearts and culture. This little theory is proven true as this hospitality is not constrained to places where tourists flock around, but in fact filters all the way down to the humble villages, where no tourist would dare visit. But upon our visit to multiple villages we found the same, if perhaps better hospitality there. Upon our arrival to the villages in our buses, people would start to gather around the buses and start singing, bear in mind this is while the bus is still actively moving! And once we came to a halt in the villages they would keep the bus surrounded, eager to greet us and children ready to lay claim to your hand the millisecond your feet came off that bus! Now you tell me, what person do you know who would come up to your car singing and be over the moon to talk to you the second you step out? Didn’t think so! Then in some villages they were also willing to give out some of their food, that could be in the form of rice or a sugar cane stock, freshly hacked down from their garden! And this is all while living in extreme poverty! Quick facts, over 70% of Malawi lives in extreme poverty with most not making anymore than the equivalent of $22 a month! Yeah, a month! And yet despite having very little, they are able to give so much of both their love and possessions. This just begs the question of- how? How are the people of Malawi able to give away the possessions they hardly can afford to lose and yet still have the capacity to love others when it seems like they got dealt a bad hand? I could only hope that if you put an American in this same desolate state that they would react the same way. Though I could imagine some may react by cursing God for putting them into such a circumstance. What are we missing? Upon me realizing the answer to this question is what would make this more than just an average trip, but one that changes the way you think about life.

Ok, so I just left you on that cliffhanger, (yes that extra space between paragraphs was very intentional) so let’s take an even closer look. So we have come to the conclusion that everyone in Malawi shows hospitality despite being in extreme poverty. To discover how they are able to do this, you have to pay attention to the people. They have made the revolutionary discovery that we are all humans just trying to make a fulfilling life in this world. I noticed when I was there, envy was kept at a minimum, sure they were curious about our glasses, name tags, and our fancy super computers that sit in our pockets. But in the end, they were satisfied with simply the opportunity to interact with and be in the presence of a foreigner or azungu as they called us. This is so different compared to Americans, as in our culture, it becomes very easy to envy what someone else has, whether it be their house, their car, their relationship, people here tend to find something to envy for. This is not so much the case in Malawi, the only envy I saw was kids wanting the opportunity to also be with an azungu along with their peers. They would start fighting with each-other just to be the one who gets to hold your hand. This right here is a big clue to solving this mystery, they don’t envy for anything except to have human connection. Starting to see the bigger picture? If you are, it’s because you have noticed something. We are so distracted by envy created by social media and those around us that we lose sight of what’s really important to living a fulfilling life in this world, being a human who interacts and cares for other fellow humans. You see, when we put aside our envy and distractions of our modern world we realize that we all have the same goal: humans trying to live a fulfilling life in this world. And as Malawi demonstrates true fulfillment in life does not come from the possessions we have, it comes from the relationships that we make. Relationships that are big or small, from a simple wave and smile to a full on conversation about life. It’s these moments that capture the essence and meaning to life and thus why people in Malawi are overflowing with so much joy compared to the U.S. The interns I met on the African Bible College (ABC) campus are great examples of this! The interns are either current college students or recent graduates that stayed with us during our entire trip. They would eat with us, travel to the village with us, and most importantly, talk with us. Each intern showed an unwavering determination to get to know you (and prevent you from falling asleep on the bus) throughout the trip. And every time they would remember you by name and remember the small details from your last conversation with them. They truly went above and beyond demonstrating the meaning and importance of building relationships with the people around you! Then, what do you know, Jesus would also heavily encourage the fostering of relationships! Who woulda guessed!? In the bible Jesus consistently shows us to help those around you no matter who they are or who you are. He would consistently care for people by helping the injured, feeding the hungry, defending the vulnerable, and being welcoming of anyone in his presence. His life shows that true compassion is always active, humble, and not able to be interrupted by the meager details of life. We are told to follow in His footsteps and getting back down to the basics like the Malawians has shown us a path to effectively follow that trail. 

So what does that mean for us? It means to cherish every moment you get with other people. Living without people is a life with little meaning. The things you will look back on will almost always be the moments with people like when someone, remembers a small detail about you, makes a nice gesture towards you, listens to what you are saying, randomly checks up on you, or laughs at a totally un-funny joke! These are the moments that we will actually remember because they help to make us feel seen and special and the Malawians have been able to crack this code! I have found this to be true myself as some might know that I recently graduated high school and what I remember isn’t the score I got on those tests or the awards I have won for my achievements but rather I remember the moments with the people I was close with, the laughs and conversations we had, I remember. Malawi has taught me that people are what bring meaning and joy to life. I will never forget this experience I had and hope I will be able to return sometime soon. Until then I will hold Malawi and the lessons it’s taught me close to my heart. Thanks for reading and God bless!!