We have been in Malawi for four days now and I am already in LOVE with this country! Here is little information on what our month will look like in “the warm heart of Africa”!
City: Mzuzu
Language: English and tumbuka
Currency: Kwacha (about 495 kwacha to 1 USD)
Area: Mzuzu is the third largest city in Malawi, from what I understand, in the northern part of the country. The population is about 175,000 people. People get around by car (on the left side of the road!) and bicycle. If you want a taxi you will find yourself on the back of a bike! The shops are made of clay, most with tin or flat roofs, and they are painted pretty colors. They are mostly stand-alone, and sometimes I can’t help but feel like I am in an old mining town out west, if that makes any sense at all. People live in neighborhoods surrounded by generations of family here in Mzuzu. Malawi as a whole is exactly what I imagined it would be. As we drove from Lilongwe to Mzuzu on Thursday we were surrounded by sprawling land, only to occasionally drive past a small village with clay huts and thatched roofs. I saw young girls pumping water from a central well and children kicking a makeshift ball around. I saw women carrying everything you can think of on their heads, including grocery bags, lumber, and even a giant basket of potatoes! I can’t imagine how strong their necks are. I will try to take pictures to share but at the moment I am just taking it all in and trying my best to describe it to you.
Ministry: We have partnered with Harvesters International this month. Their goal is “to reach the unreached” all over Malawi. Our contact name is Pastor Grant, and he is so excited to have us here with him! Our main ministry is evangelism and church planting in the small villages around Mzuzu. We officially start tomorrow, but from what I understand, each day we will leave at 9am and travel to a village. A few of us from our team will preach the Gospel to the people there, and then counsel them on how to live a Christian life. We will return to that village over the next few days to offer support before we move on to the next village. What’s great is that Harvesters has a pastor assigned to each village, and they will continue to visit regularly even after we leave to offer encouragement and plant a church there.
I will be honest, I am a bit nervous about this ministry. I have never preached before, and really I am not quite sure how. I can offer encouragement one-on-one, tell them about Jesus, answer questions and pray for those I meet, but it is nerve-wracking to think about standing in front of a crowd of people and preaching the Gospel. This is where I know the Lord will stretch me though, and I am going to learn so much, so I am looking forward to what is to come this month!
Accommodations: We are living in a home this month, which I am so excited about! We are being hosted by an incredibly kind, gracious woman named Pastor Kris and her lovely daughters, Jane and Muzie, and Jane’s three-year-old son Isaac. They have a beautiful home in a small neighborhood, and they have welcomed us with open arms. The girls and I are split between two rooms and three beds, which is nice and cozy. The girls cook us breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and it is delicious! It is usually a combination of rice with a spicy sauce, chicken, and boiled greens from the garden. For breakfast we have fruit, eggs, and PEANUT BUTTER! They also very kindly work up hot water for us to bathe in. We are spoiled a little because they have a television with cable! Who would have thought the next time I watched Friends would be in a home in Malawi, Africa?! Jane and Muzie love a Spanish Soap Opera dubbed over in English, so we watch that with them. I have to say, it is quite entertaining. The biggest thing for us to get used to is the “squatty potty”, but after a few days I have mastered it! I believe I can speak for all of my teammates when I say I truly feel loved and welcomed by Pastor Kris and her family. They want us to feel so comfortable and at home, and we do. I am so grateful for them and I am looking forward to the next month so we can get to know them more (and play with Isaac!).
Some random facts about Malawi:
1. It is known as “the warm heart of Africa”.
2. It is home to Lake Malawi, a beautiful body of water the spans almost the whole eastern border of the country. We are only about 30 minutes away here in Mzuzu, and Pastor Grant is very excited to take us there on one of our off days.
Our internet access is very limited here, but I hope to post a blog about the first few days of ministry in a week or so.
Also, because of the limited wifi availability I will not be able to post pictures as often on my Facebook Page and Instagram but please keep checking back just in case! When I do have internet I will post all the previous days’ pictures.
Facebook: Around the World, With Love: Danielle’s World Race
Instagram: @atw_withlove
Thank you for all of your prayers over the past few months! I pray you all had a great summer back in the States. Enjoy the upcoming Fall, especially those of you in New England! Have a warm apple cider donut for me, I am definitely going to miss them this year! 🙂
