women's retreat at CCBC

So we spent our first week and a half in Mzuzu mostly relaxing and using the free Wi-Fi. There was a women’s retreat here our first week. The 240 women that arrived were mostly from this area but some were from as far south as Zomba. In the states most Christian women go on retreats to get away from their family and just relax with other women and learn more about their lives with God. Well not in Malawi, on top of the 240 women there were 56 whole food eating children and many other babies. The Malawian mothers don’t seem to mind their children tagging along. Classes are held with children crying, breast feeding and diaper changes as if the children were not even there. The main study of the week was being Christian wife’s and mothers, how to run a Christian home and village. As an added activity for the women, there were crocheting classes. Marty and I gave out yarn and crocheting needles to every women. (the yarn was donated by the Church of Christ in Georgia) It is just amazing what these women can do, most already knew how to crochet and they would teach the others that didn’t. Marty printed out some different patterns for the ladies and explained to them that they can make money by crocheting things. One women that attended the retreat already has a business making crocheted doilies, she charges 4000 MK (about 28$) for each doilies and she is back ordered. Over the week she found 4 women that were good crotchetier and taught them her design and after the week hired them to help her make her doilies.
The women of Malawi are so amazing. They are strong women that can do almost anything and don’t say a peep. On top of raising the children they are also the cookers, cleaners, farmers, food and fire wood collectors and much more.
In most cases Malawian woman choose their husband, in earlier years if a man had a rough hand this meant he was a hard worker and had crops or land that he harvested so he would make for a good husband, now if a man has a soft hand it means he probably works in an office at a computer and is wealthy from that job so he would be a good husband. If the women’s family approve the man then she can say that he can marry her.
A lot of Malawian women are educated and can successfully run and own their own business. Unlike many other cultures, if a Malawian mother gives birth to a little girl the family feels truly blessed and know that only good can come from it.