Building Trust and Friendship

Just as we approached the village of Kainga, a woman walked to the edge of the road and directed us away from the front of the mosque and down a little trail beside a nearby home. We didn’t know what was happening and were concerned that somehow we were no longer welcome in the mosque. Perhaps we would no longer be able to teach there. My heart sank at the thought.

Directed by the woman near the road, we followed her in as she passed through one home’s side yard, behind a few houses, and then near a large cleared field where we were directed to park our truck.  As we got out, a few children gathered around, anxious to tell us something. One child stepped forward and complained to Samuel, our interpreter, that since we gave the women the soccer ball two weeks ago, they have been hogging the ball. Hmm. That was interesting.  As we left on our last visit, George had instructed the women to take good care of the ball.

About that time, a few women gathered around us and thanked us for the soccer ball we gave them on our last visit.  One of them was obviously anxious to tell us something as well. She said that the boys play rough with the ball, and in their care, it would probably not last very long. She had a request: Could we possibly get another ball for the boys to use so the one we gave the women would last longer?   George and I thought this was a good idea. Evidently the women thought “taking good care of the ball” is a serious responsibility.   

Other women joined the conversation and excitedly told us that they wanted to show us what they can do.  Two women were carrying long bamboo poles, each with a small metal hoop (a slightly bigger than a soccer ball) attached to the top. They erected one of these poles on each end of the sports field.  As they moved toward the field, the women asked us to come to the edge of the field and watch them play a game called netball.  They split into teams, moved to their positions, and the game began.  In Malawi, netball is always a women’s sport.

 Unlike basketball, no movement with the ball is allowed, so to forward the ball down the field toward the goal, the ball must be passed from one team member to another.  The aim is to keep the opposing team away from the ball as your team advances it down the field by passing it to other team members. One person on each team is designated scorer. Once the ball is advanced to her team’s goal, her job is to get the ball through that tiny hoop at the top of the pole. Honestly, it didn’t look possible, but without the showmanship of a 6 ‘ 11” professional basketball player, time after time, the women easily slipped the ball through the ring.  They made it look easy.   They leapt into the air to catch the ball, and at times thrust both hands forward and took a belly dive to protect the ball from the opposing team.    The women were very competitive.  We stood along one side of the field, clapping and cheering for both sides. They were amazing. At the end of the competition, we congratulated both sides for a game well played.

I had come to teach the women how to protect their families from malaria, a very serious topic. I had prepared great visuals and a game I thought they would enjoy, but there will be time for that.   This was a day for building trust and friendship.  The women had invited us into their lives and shared with us something they enjoy.  We count it a privilege to call the women of Kainga our friends.