A poem from Dan ....

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?

 And so this leaves one super important facet of this three word motto,

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