Break from Technology

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Travel between our hotel and build site took about an hour. Throughout the ride we often exchange waves and thumbs up with the people we pass. The children will often shout to get our attention. When we arrived back at our hotel, I got to enjoy my first warm shower while staying there. When I say warm, I should say lukewarm for enough time to wash my hair before back to the chilly water I decided was my normal temperature setting. Another room only got hot water and quite a few of us experience low water pressure. However, we still had access to clean water and could take showers, something that many people in Malawi could not enjoy.

Due to poor infrastructure in the country, we experienced our first blackout. Instead of staying in my dark room after my shower, I decided to spend the time before supper walking along the beach and enjoying the stars. What an amazing gift it was to be without electricity as I have never seen the night sky so clear! While many of the constellations are different in the southern hemisphere, we clearly could see the Milky Way and found the Big Dipper. However, the Big Dipper was a bit tricky as it was upside down and backwards in the sky.

The power returned part way through our candlelight supper. I have to say having very limited access to the internet (I could only access it while in Lilongwe and not in Salima) and a short period of time without electricity was a wonderful break from technology. I found myself at peace without all the stress and demands of being attached to the internet or my iphone. Not having electricity allowed me to view and enjoy the beauty of creation without pollution and destruction caused by humans.

Several of my friends expressed hope that I would be able to use part of this trip as a vacation. The slower pace and less attachment to material stuff has made that hope a reality. While I may be a bit tired after handling so many bricks on the work site each day, I am loving being free of the stress in my life. Right now I am getting to build relationships with my teammates, learn about the culture here in Malawi and build homes for two deserving families.

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Comments

[Brendalyn Shird]

:)
Reading about your trip to Malawi makes me smile. It sounds like your experience was transformational for you as well as the people you were privileged to assist--Habitat at its best!