Our travel to Malawi was definitely an adventure. All our flights went as planned, but as soon
as we got to Johannesburg all plans made by men were void.
Our bus that was supposed to meet us at the airport fell through
and we spent the night in a hostel where we met and loved some amazing
people. I was disappointed when we were
supposed to leave the following day.
God’s peace and joy were present in that place. And so, when our bus fell through again, I
was not at all unhappy about spending another day there.
Finally, two days after we were supposed to be heading to Malawi,
we boarded a bus (3 hours late I might add).
Thus began our 84 hours sitting on buses, sleeping on buses at closed
borders cramped and barely able to breathe due to the heat, waiting for visas
(sometimes for 8 hours), sleeping at another closed border (our men sleeping
under a parked semi so that the women could lay across seats), finally arriving
in Malawi to board another bus. In those
84 hours, I managed a total of probably 8 hours of fitful, restless sleep.
While many times throughout the trip I was uncomfortable and
unhappy, God was present. Once while
wishing desperately for sleep and frustrated at finding myself absolutely
incapable of finding rest I decided to pray.
I prayed for my team and my squad, that we would be united in our
hearts, that we would find joy even in these circumstances, that the Spirit of
God would descend on the bus and it would erupt in spontaneous worship and
prayer. The singing started quietly,
several rows behind me just minutes later.
As I joined in my spirit was renewed and refreshed. Soon the whole bus was singing and people
were moving around to pray with whomever the Spirit lead.
The journey ended with a 12 hour bus ride from Blantyre to
Mzuzu. I slept for 30 minutes on that
bus. Finally as the sky was beginning to
lighten around 4am I found a position in which I could sleep, but God said to
me “Watch the sunrise.� Nothing in me
wanted to, but I felt the voice say “It will be worth it.�
It started with the sky a deep purple and ended in the most
vibrant red I’ve ever seen. Tears of joy
slipped from my eyes as all my teammates slept.
I watched the sky for over an hour, constantly amazed at the beauty of
God’s constantly changing creation, each moment more beautiful than the
last. I can’t think of a more beautiful
sunrise and it was worth it!
We are now in Mzuzu, Malawi.
We live at a church and have been welcomed as brothers and sisters; shown
hospitality that the states could never match.
If I had to do the 84 hours over again, I would.
The following is a poem born of the stay in our hostel in
Johannesburg.
Whispers
Inspired by a whisper in the tickle of the grass on my toes and a
thousand flowers embracing me in their fragrance
Peace abounds amid a courtyard showered in lavender petals from
the branches above
Where joy alights the day in a rainbow around the sun and the
very breath of life itself can be felt in the breeze
My love for you is made anew in this moment, my soul at peace,
rejoicing in your presence
Yes, all of creation sings your praise, the joyous melody of life
The creator of the universe, unfolding heaven and earth with a
word, power and majesty untold
You are here with me, sitting in a garden?
The whisper, a tiny voice “I think God loves me�
A purple flower drops upon my lap, I laugh and the sound mingles
adding harmony to the everlasting song of your praise
