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If Streets Around the World
Unite Hand in Hand
It Will Turn Into a Tremendous Power
MAMI'S JOURNAL FROM HER MALAWI VISIT
This is a part of Calligrapher Mami's journal from her visit to Malawi. This was her first visit to Africa, the very first support project for poverty area.
Mvunguti Visit
Today we visited Mvunguti and had a meeting for the support project. We took an hour ride across a gigantic lake on a boat from the place we were staying at and arrive at Mvunguti. Mackie (local staff) is not good at swimming so he wore a life jacket right away and seemed a bit tense. We spoke for a while and he seemed a little relaxed.
The scenery from the boat was different from the ones we from land; I felt the strong connection between the villagers and the lake. They do laundry and wash dishes all in Lake Malawi. What I was overwhelmed was the never ending rocky mountains. Trees were growing out from the little soil on the mountains. I was looking at this kind of view for an hour and arrived at Mvunguti. Children at the village welcomed us. We introduced ourselves and about 20 children told us their names. They took out hands and lead us to the others.
As we explained about the relief goods we brought to Nyarere, Pokera (health volunteer at the village) and the chief of the village, the children were watching from distance. After explaining, a dozen children and Pokera showed us around. I dropped my plastic bottle with ice cold water and a little girl picked it up. I thought my clean water was gone, but she wiped of the mud on the bottle with her ragged skirt and handed it to me with a smile. I apologized in my mind for the thing I thought she was going to do and felt like crying.
The children took my hand one by one and I rubbed my hands on their faces. We don't speak the same language but I felt the trust. They took us to a well on the middle of a mountain. It had a faucet and tank to store water but it was definitely not enough for all villagers.
After they showed us around and went back to the chief, there was a boy that we haven't met yet.
He was trying to get the bottle water from my rear pocket. I can drink water any time when I get back and wanted him to drink, but if I did that we'd have to do the same for every child. I was figuring out what to do and other children kept the boy away from me.
The boy didn't really give up. He took my hand away from other children and spoke in a very loud tone, and I showed bit of a displeased look. Three of the other boys kept him away again. They kept me safe. There were kind boys and mean boys, and they were all wearing ragged clothes. If I can visit the village again, I want to give them clean clothes. I couldn't imagine what it would be like at night without electricity, but I could feel the children's pure heart.
Cape Maclear / Clinic Visit
Today we went to an orphanage and clinic. We loaded cloth sandals, 3 bags of 50kg maise flour, a bag of 50 kg rice on our car and went to a clinic 15 minutes away from our place. We met up with Marly (AIDS orphan JAG met in 2006) at the site. We went to the orphanage right after but no on was there. It seemed the place was closed down and Marly seemed surprised. We donated cloth sandals to the clinic.
We had children without shoes try the sandals and everyone was howling with joy. We donated 14 for children and 12 for adults. I hope they don't fight over it. After that we went to Fat Monkey (a hotel where we can have meal) and on the way there we had an unexpected encounter with Chikaiko, Marly's friend that Noriko (JAG staff) had met form her last visit. We had lunch together and went back to our place together. Marly and Chikaiko helped us put together a set of presents for those who help up with interviews. I was feeling sick from Malaria medicine and couldn't do anything. I woke up 3 hour later and many little bags of 300kg maise flour was made. I felt bad for not being able to help.
For dinner we had Kampango that Rocky the fisherman got for us form the lake. Marly made Nsima (staple food made from ground corn) for us. This was so delicious. This was the best meal from my stay in Malawi and the happiest time. We assorted maise flour after dinner. Everyone was laughing and I felt rewarding. Right now, I'm waiting for my turn to shower. We didn't have hot water and I hadn't been able to wash my body and hair for the past couple of days. It seems we have hot water and I'm hoping to get myself cleaned up.
Msaka / Interview with AIDS Patients at their Homes
We visited AIDS patients homes at a village called Msaka where HIV+ rate is said to be very high. We visited 10 homes.
The first subject was a woman who seemed to be facing death. My head went completely blank but I took notes. We met several patients after that. The heat, burning sun, smell of rotten fish that they dry everywhere, flies, humidity, heavy load, rough dirt road, the distance between homes, the fact that people look at you in a strange way and shouting at us... I was exhausted. It felt like a hard day. There were different homes and lives... things are completely different from Japan.
Mvunguti / VCT (HIV Test) Day 1
I'm tired.I was all alone at the pier at 8am and felt super lonely. Everyone doesn't come back for 30 minutes All alone under burning sun, just waiting. I realized the importance of friends, colleague, etc.
ブWhen we arrived Mvunguti, we carried heavy load of relief goods up to the top of the mountains. I was sweating like crazy. The muscle I was using was something I had never used before. We delivered maise flour and biscuits to those who came to take VCT. When I gave a biscuit to an old lady, she came down on me with an angry look... at least that's what I thought... I was terrified but her grandson told me that she was happy that she got vitamin. I realized that there are many different ways to show happiness.
Mvunguti / VCT (HIV Test) Day 2
Transportation between Monkey Bay pier and Mvunguti is by boat.
It's a simple boat made with wooden boards with an engine. The wind was strong and the waves were 5m high, it got me almost fall off in to the lake.
What kept me sane as that I was able to learn how to swim when I was little. Mackie (JAG local staff) couldn't swim so he only walked on land where there was a road. There are no roads where you can ride a bicycle because all the land is covered with gigantic rocks, the only option for the sick is to go through the lake. Today was burning hot as usual.
I couldn't use the toilet which is literally just a hole on the ground, I had to take care of things behind a rock down the mountain.
Day Off
After the others left for Msaka around 10am, I counted money. I was able to clear my head by counting money. I counted until 1pm nonstop. Then I calculated the amount used and the what's left. At first the numbers felt weird but it started feel like reality as I proceeded. I had kept myself away from an accountant but when the numbers made sense I felt rewarded.
Pretty much the whole day was a blackout. I got to do the laundry when we had a bit of electricity in the afternoon but went blackout in the middle of it. We didn't have electricity until 4:30pm. We all went to Fat Monkey at night and they told me how things were at Msaka.
They said it's a village of desire. I got interested in the expression and it's my turn to go there tomorrow.I'm looking forward to meeting the wild villagers at Msaka and at the same time I'm bit nervous.
Msaka (VCT) & Garbage Pick Up Project
It was our second day in Msaka. I had a day off so this is the first day for me. As I entered the village, I couldn't help but to compare the difference of the people here and Mgunguti.
People in Msaka are cleverer. It's probably because many different people come and go. There is a gap between rich and poor, and may different kind of faces. People in Mgunguti looked like they're from the same village.
After VCT, we had them choose from rice, maise flour and maise. Rice was the first to go, maise flour next, and then maise. No one really wanted maise. One unfortunate thing was that when we provided rice which is very expensive, no one said thank you. Once in a while some smiled back. It's hot, lot of flies... I started to get in a bad mood.
Our lunch was mushed potatoes and sausage. This was really good. I felt happy. After lunch we delivered cloth slippers that old women in Minami Sanriku who got affected by the earthquake in 3.11.2011. They made it at their shelter by hand. We delivered them to the children in Malawi.
Children made a long line, older children held younger children and had them put on the slippers. Adults don’t even say thank you but children are very kind. When I looked at the village, it seemed as if children were raising other children. I thought this is the opposite of Japan, where the old help the old. Then we started the trash pick-up project. The more you pick trash, the more you receive biscuits. For a handful of trash, you get one biscuit. For both hands you get two. Large trash you get three. There were those who get humongous trash to get four or five biscuits. There are too many trashes in Msaka.
I felt the need for them to understand the importance of picking up trash and getting them together in one place. Place a trash can and keep the village clean. I don't know where they should take the trash to after putting them in a trash can (we need to come up with a solution), but first they need to keep things clean. We had dinner at Fat Monkey. The sunset was beautiful. After dinner a blackout came. I was surprised by how the stars were beautiful. Blackout continued. Blackout at night is tough. We can't really do anything. I realized the appreciation of electricity and water. Late at night, we finally had electricity and painted a "NO FISH NO LIFE" sign that we decided to set up tomorrow.
Msaka to Lilongwe
We set up the "NO FISH NO LIFE" sign ad went back to Lilongwe. At Msaka we came across Petros who helped out with trash pick-up project. It was nice to see him again and be able to thank him. He's a gentleman. He cares for other.
He thinks ahead and does all the things that people need help with.
For example, at the trash pick-up project, I was in charge of getting water to clean children's hands. Water was almost gone and he came to me with bucket full of water without saying anything. When I was away for toilet he took my place. He helped me out a lot. When we set up the sign, I wrote the last words in calligraphy.I never thought I'd write with a brush in Malawi and it was rewarding. I happy that I was able to utilize my profession here.
We left Msaka and came back to Lilongwe. Lilongwe didn't feel the same anymore. We I first arrived here, I thought there were anything, didn't look like a capitol.
But I spent time in Cape Maclear and thought "This is a big city! Tons of food in the super market!" or "WiFi! Hot water! We can lock the door! No strong wind at night!" I was moved and got surprised by how people can easily adapt to an environment. Restaurant at the hotel was very nice too. It felt like a splurge and felt a bit sorry for people in Msaka and Mvunguti.
After Coming Back to Japan
the trip was filled with things to be learned. The scenery I saw from the car from the airport was nothing other than a waste. They should turn off the light in Disneyland at night. But maybe there's a responsibility to a certain degree for us being born in a wealthy country. I went, looked, and felt it. There's something that you can only understand by actually being there. I didn't pick up trash at Msaka though. I'm questioning myself for not helping.
Lastly
Whether you close down your sensibility and protect your current life, or you be open-minded and face yourself as you get mentally unstable. I feel like this is a test.
To protect my current life, I think I should keep calm and concentrate on my job. But when you think about the future I feel this is not right.
Maybe it's good to do something other than my job and face myself for several weeks out of a year. English, Chichewa, counting money, AIDS, support... there were so much to learn and it felt good. Life is all about learning. When I gazed at the big mountain in Malawi, I start to feel that you're not supposed to turn your back. Japanese people saw gods in nature. I felt the blood of the Japanese. When we worked on the support project, many villagers helped us. Things go smoothly and when we face a wall they gave us advice. We learned a lot.These kind people are suffering with AIDS and wearing the same clothes every day.
The reality that I don't want to accept, the fact that I can't solve their problems, the struggle... the overwhelming nature, stars, life and death... To help and appreciate each other. maybe that's the easiest way to build a peaceful world.
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