You're Looking Fat Today!

Potato chips are my great weakness, especially barbeque flavor. If there is a bag of chips in the house, they begin to call out to me at about 9:00 at night. I can behave and eat the right things all day right up to that point and then I cave in. Ask anyone in my house, they know I can eat a whole bag of potato chips by myself. I’ve struggled much of my life trying to balance putting the right amount of food into my body.

About three years ago I started exercising more and watching my food intake more intentionally. Over the course of a couple of years I lost about 35 pounds and took up running. Peoples’ reactions to the change fall clearly along cultural lines.

Western reaction – “Great”

“Wow, Ryan, you look really healthy. You must be proud of yourself.”

“Ryan, what’s your secret?”

It is usually assumed that I intended to lose weight and am living a healthier lifestyle.

Malawian reaction – “Are you OK?”

This week at the Africa Evangelical Church’s Annual meeting I have been meeting some pastors that I’ve not seen in a while. I’m getting a different set of reactions. I’ve been pulled to the side a few times and am asked questions like:

“Pastor, you are looking thin, are you well?”

“You don’t look as happy these days as you were.” (while making hand gestures in a circular motion around the midsection indicating a larger body) “Are you OK?”

In a context where weight loss and looking thin are often signs of sickness being fat can be seen very positively. It is a sign of health and that you are doing OK financially. A common compliment to someone who has recently traveled or returned from vacation is, “You’re looking fat!” We would probably say, “You look rested.”

Interestingly, the Malawian view of being fat and healthy is similar to the Old Testament view of things.

Ps 92:14 They [the righteous] shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

Pr 13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

Pr 28:25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.

Even though I understand it as a compliment, I’m not sure my western ears will ever adjust to quickly appreciate the compliment, “You’re looking fat today!”

Innovation

A couple of weeks ago I was in Chapananga village for the dedication of a new church building. Music and choirs are a big part of any special church function. This day was no exception. I was particularly impressed with one man’s innovation in creating a special drum set. It consisted of two traditional goat skin drums, bottle caps and my favorite piece, a bicycle bell. He played with some other drummers as the youth sang and danced.

See the video Chapananga Drums on YouTube

I never thought to mention that ...

There was a fight not long after church last week. We were busy decorating our Christmas tree as a family when one of the neighbor boys came to get Caleb because there was a fight going on. Caleb came back quickly to report that one of the boys was bleeding from a cut that he had received. I went out to find the boys were all sons of my gardener. One of them was bleeding from a deep cut just below his eyebrow. I later learned that the boys were arguing about a football (soccer) match and one head butted the other causing the cut.

A trip to the hospital resulted in eight stitches. We returned home with a bandaged boy and some pain medicine. The Malawi health system is notorious for not explaining to its patients anything related to their troubles. It is normal that patients leave the hospital with pills to take, some vague instructions and no idea of what the name of their illness is or any broader understanding of their condition. Based on my interactions with people, I don’t believe the normal school curriculum has much about health or the body in it. So, I usually take extra time when I have been to the hospital with someone to explain about their problems and why it is important they take their medicine and what the medicine does and does not do.

When we arrived home, I had Sete come in the house and I explained to him about his stitches. I explained what stitches are, that it is important to keep them clean, that the doctor said we could remove the bandage after two days and what the ibuprofen that he needed to take would do.

On Tuesday Sete returned to have the bandage removed. As I removed it and cleaned around the area, I began to explain again the need to keep it clean and that the swelling would go down. Suddenly Sete slumped forward into my arms. He had fainted. We grabbed a chair and had him sit for a while and drink something. As he returned to normal, I asked what had happened. He said that his heart had been racing. After a little more talking, we learned that he had been afraid. His heart was racing with fear that he would die. With all the explanation I had given him, I never thought to mention that he would not die! The rest of the family quickly assembled around him to show off scars of past stitches and give testimony to the fact that they are still alive (all of us but Faith have had stitches somewhere).

I am constantly amazed at the how we can take simple things like knowledge for granted. What many of us consider common knowledge is not understood by many in this world that have not had the benefit of a good education.

Have a great Christmas and while you’re at it, thank God for your education.

Lookin for Fuel

Malawi has had a fuel shortage for a few weeks now. We had one earlier in the year, but it was nothing like the present. It is only recently that the government has come out to say that it is being caused by a shortage of foreign currency. I don’t understand the economics of it enough to explain the problem or the solution. Put simply, I believe that we are importing more than exporting to the point that we can’t pay for basic needs like fuel. The government has made various statements including one encouraging Malawians to not import “luxury items,” such as cars, during this time as it worsens the problem.

The practical side of the fuel shortage is that basic services are now being affected. The public transportation system is struggling to find fuel. People needing to travel to work are walking instead of driving and transportation of goods from one area to another is happening less. Today, lines of vehicles up to twenty cars long were lined up at all the fuel stations I passed with hope of a delivery arriving. No solid information, just rumors.

Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving has been one of those holidays that we have celebrated sometimes while living overseas and at other times not.

For the last few years, we have tried to celebrate it in one way or another. Usually we have had chicken or ham, as turkeys can be hard to come by. This year will be different. A few weeks ago, one of our missionaries acquired some turkeys and has been feeding them in preparation for the holidays. One is ready this week. He’ll be on the table Saturday.

We call him Tom. He's free range, organic, fresh, and all that other stuff.

Being Thankful

A culture of entitlement makes it difficult to be thankful. I take what I have for granted, I believe that much of what I have I deserve or that it is my “right” to receive the things I have. Marketing gurus tell me that “I deserve a break,” because I have obviously been doing something difficult.

I was reminded the other day in a conversation about the uniqueness of our times. At no other time in history have as many people lived as comfortably and generally well off as the present. For most of history, the average person has lived much like the average person lives here in Malawi. Much of life is focused on survival. Obtaining and preparing food is a major feature of the day as well as acquiring water. Education, having more than two or three sets of clothes and durable shelter are considered luxuries.

I think that much of what we take for granted as “normal” is really not normal for much of the world, nor has it been normal in history. I think that our lack of exposure to the realities of the world or lack of reflection on these realities lull us into a false sense of normalcy. We don’t tend to be thankful for things we consider normal.

I don’t thank God for the glass of clean water I am drinking because I can access it from the convenience of my tap any time I want. I don’t thank God for my basic education because everyone I know has had the same opportunity. I am no longer thankful for my clothes because my closets are full to the point of needing to regularly sort and dispose of articles no longer being worn. My car is not a blessing because it consumes too much fuel and needs regular maintenance.

We need to practice the art of being thankful. As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, why not take some time to deeply reflect on God’s goodness. Step back from your situation enough to get perspective on the many ways you have been blessed.

Thankful for family and opportunities to serve and a couple of hundred other things,

Ryan