A word for my month in Malawi is press in.
I was able to spend a few days with the sweetest woman this month. She goes by Algogo (grandmother) and she has more life in her eyes as an 80 year old than most people I know. She holds humor and spunk and wit and wisdom and now she holds a little more hope.
When I sat down with her in the dirt for the first time, I could see her weariness. Her body had aches, hinting at malaria. Her back was sore from years of hard work and hunching over. She was weary of the white people who had been making noise and invading her village for the last week and a half. Even so, she sat quietly and listened while we shared true love with her and while we prayed over her.
When I sat down with her for a second time, I saw excitement in her eyes and I laughed so hard when she told me a joke for the first time. Tears filled my eyes when she told me she was confident that she was malaria free.
The third time in the dirt I could barely contain myself when she told me her back had no more pain. Then she clasped her hands as a sign of respect and said she feels so much love because of our visits. I watched the Lord do something truly amazing. He showed a Muslim woman his true character. That he is one that cares. One that notices. One that will keep coming back for her. One that won’t forget about her no matter how long she resists Him. One who will heal her.
I watched the Lord this month, press in. As precious as Algogo is to me, she is so much more to him. And that’s the only thing holding my heart together. I know he loves her. I know he will continue to fight for her.
Because the Lord is teaching me how, I’ll press in. I’ll continue even though I’m tired. My squad mate shared this verse with me at the beginning of the month and I’ve leaned on its truth since.
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:1-5
