Wednesday, February 1, 2012

My New Malawian Friend :)

Receiving my gift...a moment I'll never forget! :)

Lennie and I in our SACCO cloth outfits :)

Experiencing the "Warm Heart of Africa" one last time.....

We had a great day today, our last full day in Malawi before we leave tomorrow.

The MUSCCO staff took us to a tailor here in Lillongwe to have our SACCO cloth made into an outfit before we leave for home. I had done that last year in Ghana and really wanted to have an outfit from Malawi.

We got all measured up and then dropped off our cloth - it was around 10 am and we were told to come back at 2 to pick up our outfits.  So while we waited we went back to the hotel and lounged around the pool for a few hours, and oh boy am I burnt! LOL....I can hear the groans now...and the violins playing in the background from my Canadian friends back home as you are in the dead of winter!

We went back to the tailor in the afternoon but the outfits weren't quite ready as they had run out of buttons in the market.  While we were waiting a lady selling cloth and beads offered me a seat, beside her, on her bench while she did her beading.  It was fascinating, and she was so friendly.....again.....the "Warm Heart of Africa" surfaced......

I purchased a couple of sets of beads from her and then she told me to pick one.....she wanted me to have one, a gift from her.......WOW!!! I can't even begin to tell you how touched I was.....they have so little and yet they are the ones always giving......here was this lady, making a living selling material and beads and she was offering me one...for FREE!! This place truly is amazing, please add it to your bucket list as you just have to experience it to believe it!

When we went to leave I gave her my last Canada pin...she was so thrilled......she said thank you and I love you...hahaha.....I think that just means she was happy to have met me :)

Another amazing day in Malawi.....I wish I could stay another week........

Heidi in Lillongwe :)

 P.S. The outfit cost 3500 Malawian Kwatcha to have made which is $15 Cdn!