Celebrity Azungu

The red carpet rolls out, lights flash all down the way as the smoothest, hottest stars walk to the big premiere. Actually, it's a bunch of white Americans in pants and t-shirts walking down the dirty, dusty road surrounded by mud hunts, with a bunch of little African kids screaming "Azungu, Azungu, Azungu" (the term for white people) while staying 10 ft away pointing at us. Never thought I'd be a celebrity.

But that's just how things are here. Well, we don't always get the royal treatment. But we're viewed as higher than the Malawians because we're white and, presumptiously, rich. We've visited two villages now. The first we just walked through. As soon as we pulled out a camera, the kids went ballistic to get in the picture! Our second village we went with one of the men in the church. We brought them a soccer ball and some other food items, like sugar and salt. Then we just played with the kids for hours. Even though we can't speak their language, we were able to show them the love of Christ. Lord willing, we'll be able to return there and give some kind of Bible lesson.

It's amazing how much joy such people can have--because they really believe God is in control. Sometimes being here makes me think that we Americans are poorer, though we have much wealth.