A poem written for us by Daniel Chinawa who works with Habitat and Humanity and the villages.
You
were born with the ability to change someone’s life and you didn’t waste it
YOU CHANGED A LIFE
‘Eat,
Sleep, Build’ that is one motto that links well with Habitat for Humanity,
But
how can you jovially eat in a house that is leaking at a great gravity?
How
can you sleep in a house with no proper windows?
How
at all can you comfortably live in a house with weak or destroyed doors?
Build,
yes! That’s right build,
For
if you build you bring about a shelter which august well with one of Abraham Maslow’s
physiological need,
This
word build is exactly what brought together Habitat for Humanity Malawi,
Habitat for Humanity Great Britain and Touchstone to come to Salima,
It
saw the need of Esinta Banda, Regina Mtambalika and their families,
And
so has met the need in a way that leaves beautiful indelible memories for years,
Now
if someone wants to give directions to Nakondwa, one would say ‘...then you will find these two beautiful
houses’
Truly
in some sort of new local mesmerizing Global Positioning System beyond the
beauty of a garden of roses,
I
pass by the two houses that you constructed I am met by the priceless smiles of
Precious and Petra so young and free,
And
it’s all because of the initiative of Touchstone, Habitat Great Britain and
Habitat Malawi,
And
I know, I really know that this mark made in the hearts of the two families
will last a lifetime,
Protecting
the families from many dangers and increasing their joyful laugh time
So
Sam, Mahroof, Stacey, Manuela, John,
Rae, Fenna, Brad, Dane, Lins, Symon and Mela, I want to tell you how
grateful I am,
Thank
you for building not only houses, but also memories, smiles and hope for a
future that’s much brighter,
May
this be imprinted in your hearts everywhere you go ‘I changed a life’ for you made the beneficiaries’ problems much
lighter,
Never
at one point just reminisce that you only built houses in that community,
Always
find satisfaction in that you brought everlasting smiles and changed lives by
your humanity.
You
should also find solace in the fact that you offered to the less privileged a
long lasting housing immunity,
Make
sure that you keep in memory the Chichewa phrases that you learnt like Dzina
lako ndani? (What’s your name?) Zikomo Kwambiri (Thank you very much), chonde
(Please), Tionana Mawa (See you, tomorrow), Matope (Mortar) and Njerwa
(Brick/s)
INDEED
YOU CHANGED MANY A LIFE!
Never
doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has - Margaret Mead
