I learnt how to cook a cake!!!

The greatest thing I have learned so far in malawi, and one of the things I hope to take away with me forever… Is how to cook a cake… now I know its not a terribly profound discovery on the surface, but I can’t tell you how much it really has symbolized my time here so far!!

It started out as just a few cakes. And now I think I have a thriving bakery happening in my little house in area 22! Right back in the beginning my first cake experience was rather significant for me. It was the day I freaked out a little when I made a cake and didn’t know who to share it with, right back then I had to make a choice about how I would live in Malawi, and I chose to put my self out there by taking my cake to Weka’s house. Not only has that formed a great friendship, but it has taught me how to become a part of this community here in Malawi. And I don’t want to ever forget what I have learned.

In the early days baking cakes saved me! Back then it was all about me… it was comfort food, it was fun, it filled in time, it helped me bring a part of my life at home here into Malawi. Having coffee and cake with friends at home has always been important to me, and I needed to make that a part of Malawi life.
I did actually know how to cook a cake at home in Australia…but I rarely did it, and when I did, it was not in the same way, not for the same reason and certainly not with the same outcome!
Now, I make a stack of cakes. I have made nearly 20 in the past 2 weeks!! Sometimes for my neighbours, sometimes for friends, sometimes for birthdays, sometimes for the youth girls, sometimes for work meetings, sometimes when I go to a house for dinner, and when I have people over for visits… and sometimes for no reason at all.
I have taught people how to make cakes, we have modified the recipe so it can be cooked in open fires, stove top and coal cookers.
Next week I’m meeting with the village mums for a cake making party!
My friend Weka and I are thinking we should teach some of the youth girls from our group how to bake as a business for them.
I’m starting to have to buy ingredients in bulk. And its getting rather costly… butter and cocoa & icing sugar are not very cheap!! Some weeks I run out of food to eat for me… but I make sure never to run out of cake making ingredients!
My appointment diary at work now doubles as the birthday book for cakes. Everyone loves it! I love it! the joy it brings is astounding!

It really isn’t so much about the cakes though. But instead they symbolize so much of what I am learning:

The meaning of life here is food (many people have told me this) its often the thing people worry the most about, it’s the things that people celebrate much about, it’s the thing that brings families together, its central in celebrations and in mourning. I have learnt a lot about food and community. So to be a part of the community I have learnt that inviting people over for meals, or bringing food when you are invited to someones house is special!
Although I would normally have used a recipe, I no longer need to. A recipe doesn’t work here, because a recipe limits your flexibility here, it limits your creativity, it also means you have to have those ingredients…and what happens if you don’t? No recipe is far far better!! I could come to malawi…or anywhere… and think I know what is needed, or think I know what might work, or think I should do things a certain way. But instead of bringing a recipe from home, I needed to learn without one. It was hard at first, but now I can make one in my sleep! I can make one with generally whatever mix of ingredients I have, and if I don’t have, I learn how to find!
Simple is good. Although at times I have wondered if I should try a more complicated cake, with fancy ingredients and fancy trimmings, its always the chocolate and banana cake that are loved the most. Simple strategies can often be the most effective!!!
Making a cake is learning how to serve someone. It breaks down barriers. It blesses people in a way that almost surprises them! I had to learn to invite myself to people’s houses. And I learnt how to slowly give and serve others rather than be given TO and served BY the locals who initially thought that was what had to be done for the new white girl. It broke down barriers that were amazing! Of course its not all about the cake. But it can be a great excuse. I remember fondly helping Mary move house. she wouldn’t let me offer to help clean and pack… so instead I just turned up with a cake for the hungry workers…and that was ok…and instantly that was my door in to help pack and clean. She thanked me for months!! I had so many barriers to break here as a white person. There have been others who have come before me with very different attitudes, it took a lot of time to show I REALLY did want to be a part of peoples lives. As a friend, not just as a visitor.
Sometimes I have questioned if a chocolate cake is really what people need when they sometimes only have rice, or they’re never really sure if they will have enough food. I cannot provide meals for everyone to sustain them. But I can sure love them. Can you imagine the joy that a cake can bring to someones life who has only ever eaten rice. This has been a constant concern of mine in so many ways. Do they really need speech therapy when they don’t have health care, education or FOOD! I can’t save the world. I don’t intend on doing that. I can just love people like I know how to. And lately that has been a lot of cake making and eating together!
When you eat a cake what do you do? You talk, you share and you enjoy life together.
It’s a part of me that I’m bringing into the equation. I could try and cook the local food, but I’m terrible at it, they all know that, and they all laugh at me. its lovely to have lessons from them and be able to share something in return. It wouldn’t be right for me to turn up at someone elses house with their food…that would offend them,,,. BUT I can bring mine! I am not and never will be Malawian. I need to stay true to who I am. I wasn’t meant to come here to be someone else. Just as I am I can make a difference and be a blessing to people. it has been remarkably freeing to discover this again!!
It identifies much of what I miss, I miss being in aplace where you take what food you cn buy for granted, It reminds me of how much we have, and how easy it is to find, I miss the variety in food, because food is important to me, it symbolizes a lot of what community is for me, you go out for coffee and cake, or you go out for a meal, or if you have people over, it is always awesome to have good food to share with people. good food affects your health so much more significantly than you realize.
Sometimes if you practice something enough it becomes such a habit that its easy to do! Just like baking a cake, I want that to happen with lots of different things I’m learning.
Its not just about the cake, but the cake is a good start!
This is my response to how blessed I am!

So, my challenge for you..… learn how to make a cake.…whatever this means for you!! and don't forget to enjoy it!!