From the beginning of the year I kept writing and telling everyone about the problems in Malawi, and now also BBC reports the fact that nearly 3,000,000 (million) people are facing major problems.
Shortly, this is the line of the events and the current problem:
1. November 2014. The rainy season begins and the farmers plant corn, their staple food.
2. December 2014 - January 2015. The Bansi cyclone hits Malawi, bringing torrential rains. Tens of thousands are displaced and millions are affected. People's gardens are washed away.
3. January 2015. The rains stop for a short time. Full of hope, people plant again.
4. January - February 2015. The rains come again and the people's gardens are washed away for the second time. It is now too late to plant yet again.
5. February - October 2015. Those that managed to harvest have enough for their families. Others take advantage of the situation and sell the little they have for a big profit margin. The demand is very high, the supply very low.
6. October 2015 - March 2016. Malawi is now in what is known as the "hunger season". Those that had harvested have now run out of food. The corn in the markets and stores is very expensive. Nearly 3 million people suffer of hunger.
7. April - May 2016. If the combination of rains and heat is good this coming rainy season, people will be able to harvest and have enough food.
Until then, we have millions of people that don't have food on their tables. We cannot help all the 3 millions, but we can help some, and we already do that. As you very well know, the people in our church in Muheriwa have just received their first transport of corn. Still, there are more we can help, and every little bit matters. $10, $100 or $1,000 can feed 1, 10 or 100 people. What will YOU do in the face of this calamity?
