I met Abott Jackson in a small village near a clinic this week.
He has lived fifty five rich, full years.
Through his eyes the landscape and cultural flow of Malawi has shifted and evolved.
For over thirty years, one powerful leader ruled this country.
Today, a new form of democracy is being tested.
Slowly, roads are built. Health care takes little steps forward. Industry and the hope of employment calls from the increasingly sprawling cities.
The sense of "community" Abbot has known for so long is stretched and stretched. Phones, TVs, and other tools have made the world smaller, more connected.
Yet, all around Abbot, farming still dominates the flow of life - tobacco, corn, and other crops are grown in one short rainy and semi-fertile season.
For most of the year, the countryside is brown, barren, and dry.
Life can be a struggle.
Abbot's face and eyes reflect much.
There is a joy, a strength, and a sense of reflection that captured my imagination.
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