A Love Song for Africa: 5 Hours for 15 Minutes

As we've had Baby Mada now for six months, we sometimes wonder if his family has lost interest in him. Does his Aunt Mary ever miss this once-starving child, or is it such a relief to have one less mouth to feed? Has his sister Matale wondered how he's doing, or is Mada one less sibling to worry about? In the beginning, these questions would pop into our minds constantly. But as time went on, Mom, Dad, and I were always reassured that the Saizi family would never forget this little blessing. At least once a month, Aunt Mary and Abambo Saizi could always be spotted trudging up the long dirt road, carrying at least one or two children. Some may have only come out of guilt to check on a child, to make the people think that they still care about their kid. But honestly, I don't believe that a single family in Malawi would walk five hours on a dirt road, up hill, all the way from Chapananga Village to Hope Village just for a fifteen minute visit. These visits are not urged by guilt, but by love.