Sunday in Lilongwe

For the first time in her life, Scout finally ate. I found her in Primary happily munching on a bowl of noodles and singing "I Love to Read the Holy Scriptures" today. Scout was not the intended diner of these noodles; not that she noticed. They were the daily meal of a 6-year-old Harare transplant who arrived in Lilongwe last week after a several day journey in the back of a pick up. She walked two hours to church today.

I later caught Scout in the branch president's office eating his son's lunch. When I told Scout to stop, the president thought it was because I was afraid of what she was eating. He told me not to worry--that is was just homemade corn bread. People make it all the time with cornmeal and water when they don't have enough money to buy real bread.

President Natholawa often understands the awkwardness and paradox of our presence in the branch. But his eyes could not hide the injury when I suggested that Scout shouldn't be eating the other children's food because she has never known hunger. I quickly learned that children will be children and charity knows no bounds.