Tearooms are all over Malawi and in the village is no exception.  Inside these little dark huts, men congregate to “take their tea” and socialize in this space.  And there is a stigma attached to them.  Those who have tea at home and spend the rest of their days working, look down upon the men who spend hours of daylight in these dark spaces spending money on tea rather than saving it for their families.  We see them on our walks as their eyes inevitably follow our path as we pass, and I wonder what gives some the desire to be there, puzzled by what’s so appealing about it.  Are they content with the status quo or are they unaware of what’s possible, even in these circumstances?

Papa doesn’t go to tearooms.  As a dedicated and successful farmer, he is constantly working, attending to the cows, going to one of his many gardens, or selling what he grows with his own hands either right outside his home or by making occasional trips to deliver some of them in town.  But there is even more depth to this man, beyond what he does to make a living.  Papa is among the most open-minded, intellectually curious individuals in the village.  I know that part of why his doors are always opened to guests is because of the exchange that takes place between him and them.  He loves learning about our family, our lives, our values and beliefs.  He is deeply devoted to his religion and is simultaneously so open to learning about those that are different from his own.  Though proud of where he lives, he shares his honest gripes with the inefficiencies and the lack of motivation that seem to plague some of his neighbors.

Here he is, the incredible Papa, continuing the tradition that his father, pictured below, set before him.

“Go-Go,” what Malawians call their grandparents.

In one village there is both a culture of taking tea for some and a work ethic for others that enables them to build a life for their family.  Papa, one of 12 children, grew up in a similar village and was never hungry.  The farm he has created, the children he raised, the family he nurtures, the thirst he will always have to learn and experience, will ensure that he will always take good care of his family.  Their life, to me, is beautiful.

Mama continues to support and encourage my immersion in the Malawian way.  How beautiful is she?