This month we are on M ‘n M duty. We have left Zambia and have entered our third and final country in Africa, Malawi! We are now doing Ministry in Malawi! It is the second poorest country in the world, but many people told us before hand that it is also one of the most beautiful and joyful countries in the world. Both of these have been very true!
We are in Nitcheu, located in one of the mountainous regions of the country. It is a small town encompassed by rural villages. Mountains that look like they are straight out of the Lord of the Rings movies surround these communities. (As I look at them, I half expect to see a dwarf, a man, and an elf come running down them asking about two hobbits… It still hasn’t happened, but I am holding out hope!) The blue sky, red sand, and sparse, low-lying shrubs are beautiful!
Our Ministry this month is working and living at a Ministry called Esther’s House. Here is the link to their web page: http://puremission.org/
Esther’s House focuses on orphans and widows. Nine orphans live here, and they care for about seventy widows. They also offer tutoring, skills training, and food for many more children in the community. They care for people’s physical needs but ultimately have the mentality that if the people they are loving never hear about Christ, it is worth nothing. They try to bring Him in/recognize Him in everything, which is awesome!
Two American families live here full time and run the Ministry. One is a young couple, and the other is a family of six with four children under the age of 13. My primary Ministry this month is bringing life to this second family by homeschooling three of their four kids! Their mom, who would normally be homeschooling them, has had malaria and is slowly recovering from it. My teammate, Kara, and I were both homeschooled, and we are letting her rest by teaching school for her. We are having a ton of fun coming up with science projects, teaching math lessons, learning Bible facts, helping with spelling, and, most importantly, getting to know this family and pouring into them.
The other facet of my Ministry this month is teaching spiritual formations three days a week with the rest of my team. This ministry involves telling Bible stories and connecting with both the orphans and widows who attend these. I also think we are leading VBS the next two weeks… It’s Africa, so we really aren’t completely sure until it happens!
I have loved being in Africa. Each Ministry has been better than the last. God has shown up in amazing ways and has taught me a lot about Ministry not just being telling people about the Gospel but bringing life and lift to the people around us. This month is filled with that.
I am excited to see what God will do this month. Please pray that He opens more doors as well as our eyes to see what He wants us to do. We want to love these people well.
Blessings from Malawi,
Elise
PS: For those of you who have asked, my fractured toe is doing better. I can now run and walk for the most part without any pain. Thank you for your prayers.
