Truly Humbled

It's avocado season here in Malawi!
And yes, it really is bigger than my hand

What an incredible week this week. So many emotions going through me right now as I sit and write about the last few days! This week I really delved into my research projects, and more specifically my family planning project. 

For that project, I am partnering with another intern and asking questions on gender roles. OH MY GOODNESS. The women here are so strong. You wanna talk about power women? Every day, common, Malawian mothers. That is where the power women are found. Also, another cool thing about my research is that it is so much more positive than I was expecting! To go along with that, we read an article for one of my classes and it was so good! It’s pretty short so I recommend reading it. It’s called “What Bono Doesn’t Say About Africa”. Please go read it if you have the time!! . It’s very enlightening about the way we as a society view most of Africa. Here’s the link for ya!

Found a tarantula in my friend's room!!
Just glad it wasn't my room ;)

http://www.latimes.com/la-oe-easterly6jul06-story.html

This weekend we had the incredible opportunity of going to the Congolese (people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo) refugee camp in Lilongwe. We met with some members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints there (also known as the Mormon church…didn’t know it was global? Ask me about it!) and I was just blown away by their strength. One man's story was that he searched and tried for 10 years to find missionaries to baptize him and didn't give up until he was baptized. Where had he heard of the Church? Someone had given him a Book of Mormon and he read it and knew that the words were true, and so the Church must be true as well. 

More dancing! This time I learned. I thought I knew how to
move my hips, but dang this girl had moves!!

He and his family searched and waited for 10 whole years!! That is some serious strength. He has cousins that are wanting to be baptized now, but since the refugee camp is not part of an official area they can't get baptized yet. I can't even imagine the feeling! We sang hymns with them and tears streamed down my face as we sang:

Fear not, I am with thee Oh be not dismayed

For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand

Wow. The Spirit was so strong in the little room where we sat! Here these people were, with every reason to fear, to be dismayed. But they choose to put their trust in the Lord their God. Our Savior will always give us aid and strengthen us, even during the hardest of times. I am grateful for this opportunity I have to experience a new culture, and come to love these people.

The students here at SAFI have started to leave, which is so sad! In part of my research for the nursery(preschool) school project, I got close with the children here. One day the teacher had an emergency come up with one of the students and asked me to step in. Because I don’t know any Chichewa, I started waving at them and they’d wave back. Then I’d either put my hands on my head or fold my arms and they would repeat. Of course, per usual Emily, I was making funny faces while doing it so they thought it was funny and kept their attention. As some of the families were leaving today, one of the kids came up to me and began waving his hands and then folded his arms. Again, without the use of words a relationship had been built and my heart swelled because of the sweetness of it all and the fact that the kid actually remembered me haha.   

This is the Nursery School class, ranging from 12-40 depending on the day!

I encourage you all this week to reach out of your comfort zones and talk to someone you wouldn’t normally talk to. I promise that you will learn something new from them and that you will grow! I definitely have being here. I love it so much, and am just soaking it all in!! Sure, there are rough moments but I am still so happy that I have this incredible opportunity to be here!!

Fun Fact of the Week:  In 1991, a hominid jawbone was discovered near Uraha village that was between 2.3 and 2.5 million years old, the oldest evidence of the genus Homo ever discovered.