Ode to Malawian Culture

I daydream A LOT.  I spend a lot of time thinking about people, life, cultures, travel, the future, what links us together and other random things.  Today I found myself thinking about where my life has been and where I want it to go.  I pondered the term, 'hero'.  I thought about relationships and life events that shape us.


There are many people that inspire me.  I am actually an inspiration junkie.  I love to read inspirational books and quotes.  I love to hear stories about people who have overcome insurmountable odds, who have persevered, who have not only survived the hardships in life, but have striven in spite of them.  People that sacrifice their lives and their desires for others inspire me.  These type of stories encourage me and remind me that anything is possible; they speak to my idealistic nature.

I could go on and on about people that have become my heroes, but I am going to narrow it down to a group of people that has inspired me and that I miss....

...Malawians.

Two summers ago I fell in love with the Malawian culture (and people).  I could write a book about the life lessons I learned during the two short months I was there.

Malawians are truly the nicest people I have ever met.  They welcome everyone into their lives.  When they ask you how you are, they expect you to tell them.  Malawian culture is communal; everything centers on the group as opposed to "I".  It is so different (and refreshing) than our American culture filled with me, me, me.

Time in Malawi is circular as opposed to linear.  For example, it is not unusual for things to be delayed because something with someone else was taking place.  Or, for a person to be late to work because they stopped to "greet" their friend as they met them on the road.  The pace of life is so much slower.  Work and money are not top priorities, but rather people and relationships are the focal point of this society.

I don't usually think of myself as someone that is naturally relational.  Relationships are an area of my life I struggle with, however, ever since I visited Malawi, I cannot seem to get enough of getting to know people.  I desire to invest in other peoples' lives.  I find myself genuinely caring about the needs of others.  The Malawian way of life has encouraged me to focus on other people-  to take time to be a part of something outside of myself.

People have eternal value and are one of the few things worth truly investing in on this earth.  It was while in Malawi that God not only spoke this to my heart, but also showed it to me through social interactions.  My encounter with Malawian culture was a turning point for me.  It made me fully realize that God created us to be relational and to weave our lives with others.  I truly feel blessed to have learned so much from such a great group of people and hope to visit again someday.