Beauty And The Mud Hut ...

At times, the vivid colors of African fabric and the expressive curves and of an African woman's body seem eternal, especially in warm afternoon light.

I meet this woman, Margret Chitsulo, a few days ago at her home.

She has four children, two boys and two girls.

She and her husband, who works as a fisherman at a nearby lake, are quite poor. 

At this time of year, her family is often without food for days at a time.  When resources allow, she feeds her children bits of corn, millet, rice, and fish.

Yet, her spirit is bright.  

She did not go to school.  Her mother and father did not go to school.  She is pushing hard for her children to complete a basic education.  Her greatest wish is to see her children complete school and start into jobs far from the village where she lives.  She wants her kids to have a life much different than her life, a life without so much hunger and struggle.  

She spent about an hour sharing the details of her home and the activities of her "everyday" afternoon.