When we got to Nkhata Bay it was late at night and being the newbies to the hostel everyone already had heard about us- including the locals.
There was one local in particular that had greeted us, and beings it was eight at night and we had a long travel day- I couldn’t keep a conversation to save my life.
The next day as I was doing my quiet time the same person who introduced himself the night before came up and tried chatting with me. At this point I had kind of done an eye roll and had just wanted to be left alone as I knew he was trying to sell things to me. I entertained his questions and conversations and realized he’s a lot different than any art vendor I have ever encountered thus far.
I want to introduce to you, Happy Coconut.
He has been one of he most real individuals with the biggest hearts that I have ever met in my life. He is relational to the max and cares so deeply about people. He wants to make people happy and will always brighten someone’s day when he smiles at them. It’s incredible!
Over the course of the last three weeks I have spent a lot of time with him. He is the person who taught me how to play a Malawian game, called Bawo, so we’ve played a lot of this game (I’ve actually gotten quiet skilled at it)! 🙂 He’s also the person that has taught me about seeing people as people and to not judge them.
This past week we went to his village, called Kaboko and I was able to meet his family (which is basically everyone in the village considering he comes from a long line of chiefs and his parents are one of eleven- and it’s a decent sized village)! We were welcomed to his childhood home where I met his grandmother, Rebecca (we called her Agogo as that is how to say grandma in ChiTonga). (Pictured is not the whole village nor his whole family- just those that wanted to come meet the Mzungus {White people as they would call it in Africa}).
His cousins showed up shortly after we arrived and they brought us bananas (red, green, and yellow- my favorite fruit while on the race)!! They also cut up some sugar cane for us and served us local chicken, cassava nsima (which is actually pretty good), and some plantains! It was delicious!
While we were there Happy Coconut was our translator with his family as they didn’t speak a whole lot of English, and it was the best village visit in my life. I felt like I was welcomed into their family and that they genuinely cared about us. We didn’t feel like tourists or people that just came to get an African experience, we felt as if we were long lost relatives that could pick up where we left off and man did it feel awesome! Gosh I loved it!! 🙂
Part of Happy Coconuts story is that his parents both died when he was very young and in Malawi culture it’s not really appropriate for men to express how they are doing. So for him, he has learned at a young age of how to stuff his thoughts and feelings and just keep people happy. He puts on a smile and tries to make those around him do the same- just by being super friendly. However, this man has so much Joy about him that I cannot just coin it as him trying to put on a friendly face…
One day as we were playing Bawo we had talked about the difference between joy and happiness and I think for the first time ever for him, he realized that he does have that joy and that it’s something about himself that he loves. More importantly, I truly think he believes that it comes from the Lord.
When I tell you that he has joy, I’m telling you that he expresses it more than myself, and that’s a lot! He’s an intelligent man, who is very skilled in his art, and the way that he loves people is beautiful. God has given him such a BIG heart and that has been awesome and refreshing to see in Malawi. It’s been awesome to hang out with him, and hear about his life stories and encourage him to impact his community around him.
God has redeemed him, by allowing him to quit drinking (which is quiet common in Malawi and very cheap), and to instead become a person that can walk into a party and genuinely hang out with the people around him and love them despite their actions.
This has been one of the things I have learned from Happy Coconut the most. To love genuinely everyone despite the things that the person does. You may not like the action or support the team/ thing that they’re doing, but that doesn’t mean they deserve less love.
One love as they say in Malawi, and I will be leaving my heart full this month! 🙂 please be in prayer with me that Happy Coconut continues to encourage and build up the community he’s currently in! 🙂
Also– I am $200 short of being FULLY FUNDED!! If you feel at all led to support me while on the race, I would be extremely honored! I love you all so much, and thank you for the amazing time that I have already had while doing this journey-it has given me some unforgettable experiences! 🙂
