Monday, February 11, 2013

Tis the season


Tis the season
This is the season for many things in Malawi. Everything stands still as the rainy season brings life to the dusty Malawi scenery. What was once brown is now green. Where there was nothing in the garden. If untamed in weeks you have a jungle. I had neglected my beloved garden while I was away on holiday and traveling a lot in the past couple months. I was surprised to see my garden full of things that I don’t remember planting or even plants that I didn't sow seeds. But it is a beautiful time of year when people are busy in their gardens and farms to hopefully have a good harvest. If you don’t plant, don’t have a good harvest you and your family may go hungry. It is latterly life or death. People are busy with little food to eat. What do you say to a person who is your friend who says, “l haven’t eaten in three days”. Not to be dramatic but it is just life here this time of year. You see the babies getting weighed this time of year and see their weights decreasing. What do you say? To Malawians they just say “Tis the season”. So much abundance during this time but the biggest staple crop, maize is yet to be harvested. If people don’t eat Nsima made from Maize, they go hungry. So as I may complain on trivial things of not having enough money sometimes or projects taking a long time to get started; the real issue remains, did I eat? Most days yes! Even with hunger comes generosity. Yes they may not have food, but they will always invite you to the little you have. Things are interesting this time a year. As this whole country is based economically still on agriculture, everything slows down as we wait for the harvest.  Will the rains bring enough water to make a good harvest? Let’s only pray.

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