Highs and Lows

The past 24 hours have been a time for emotions at the opposite end of the scale. Real highs and moving lows. During the evening, a happy care free local Malawian named George with his tightly curled jet black Rastafarian curls and infectious broad smile took us out on his wooden boat to the bay around the corner. We had paid him a few pound to take us to the magnificent African Sea Eagle. On the shore he had mesmerised us with his tales of being able to call the Eagles and make them take fish from him just yards from the boats. It all sounded too good to be true. George swam out to sea until he was a dot on the horizon carrying a hook and some bait and returned some 10 minutes later with seven lovely fish - Chumba and Bluefish. He placed bamboo through their mouths and placed them carefully on the front of the boat. Off we went to the next bay watching different types of Kingfishers, Herons and Cormorants as we went. It wasn't long before we spotted the Eagle and George starting a loud whistle. The Eagle looked up. He then through a fish some 10 yards from the boat and almost immediately a bird flew towards us. It kept coming. Only when a few yards away did it stretch out its wings and with a huge splash hit the water in front of our noses and caught the fish. Amazingly a second bird then appeared and we were treated to the same. Truly mesmerising and a never to be forgotten experience. George's idea was typical of the creativity of some of these locals. They have to etch out a living in what ever means they can. By training these birds over the last five years he has been able to make a small living by taking travellers who pass by, out to see his Eagles. Later we went for our evening meal and visited the Butterfly Foundation where Alice, a British ex-pat and her Malawian Husband Combo prepared us a meal. They run a charity who help the local people. We heard how they bring the community together by starting clubs and groups to develop skills such and gardening, cooking and building. They help those with the HIV disease through paying them to cook lunches for guests once a week (one in ten people here have the HIV disease!). The help local special needs children by offering multi sensory experiences. Through their local training programs they have built several local playgrounds for children. They provide care and support for albino children and people who have no pigmentation on their skin. These people have been persecuted in the past and they suffer greatly in the sunlight; many are blind or have horrible burns and blisters due to the sun. It was extremely moving listening to the problems and inspiring hearing what lengths some people go to to help. We are very lucky to live in Wales, however we can learn a lot from the people who live in this country.