Malawi: A Travel Log Day 6

Day 6

Chicken Run and Toy Story

It's been a while since I've seen someone get so excited about chickens.

Well, other than my boss, that is. She's into chickens and all things that run around on four legs.

Villagers in the remote village of Embangweni are ecstatic with their brood of egg-layers.

They're so excited we could hardly get out of our vehicle before we were rounded up and in the coop.

No sooner than World Relief had supplied the birds, the members of a local church - St. Joseph's - got together and built a chicken run out of sticks.

The villagers have only one complaint: the chickens aren't as plump as they'd like.

But this simple agricultural project goes a long way towards increasing food security among these church members and their families - people who are at the top of the totem pole when it comes to vulnerability.

Chickens are perhaps the most entertaining thing in this village.

So when Kevin produced a bag of toy cars for the kids, eyes lit up.

These children had never seen toys before. Usually, they play in the dirt... perhaps with a stick or a few pebbles or a piece of twine. The look on their faces was one of pure delight.

Back in the U.S., Kevin's sons, ages 5 and 9, had loaded their dad up with toys to give away to children in Africa who'd never seen a toy truck before, let alone a PlayStation.

The action of a child is a reminder that each of us can truly leave our mark on the world in some small yet meaningful way.

We will take many memories with us from our travels in Malawi, but perhaps the most enduring image will be the power of simple things to make a real difference - things like chickens and toy cars.