To be real with you guys, I was really nervous to live in Africa for the next 3 months. I was anxious because of the different cultures and the very different living conditions. No air condition, no American toilets, and no internet. But at the same time I was a little excited to be in a country that loves family and lives simply.
We have finished our first month here and all I can just say is that it has really been an amazing and at times weird experience. Our days consisted of door to door evangelism, joining in on discipleship classes, preaching and worshipping at churches and hanging out with our hosts and the neighboring kids. Most days we would be surrounded by pastors from all over the village trying to teach them the game of spoons while they tried to teach us Tonga (the tribal language).
Our living conditions were just what I expected: no air condition, three people to a bed sweating all night long, squatty potty outside, bucket showers and absolutely no communication to the outside world whatsoever. It wasn’t all bad, in fact we all enjoyed our time in the town of Chintheche. We stayed with a family which included a pastor, his wife and their 4 kids. Our day to day life was spent talking or hanging out with them, trying to cook cima and learning Malawian dances. We also ate an unbelievable amount of mangos everyday!
Of course we had interesting days like when we would find a snake in our room and one of the pastor would have to anoint it with oil before he killed to make sure he got the demon out. Those days made us realize how much we missed our snake-free homes. Don’t even get me started on all the coachroaches, spiders and scorpions we saw. Way to many!
It was hard to live for a whole month without communication or wifi but it was also a great way to get my know my new team! With all the free time we learned to laugh at the fact that we had to pee in a hole outside and that whenever we drove places the van would be packed with people and fish!
On our last night in our host’s home I realized how the lord has changed my heart for Africa! I am no longer anxious or afraid of living here but I have an open heart and I am willing to do God’s work. Jesus showed me how to live in a healthy community with people who you won’t always agree with. He has showed me how to give grace and to love people unconditionally. I am so thankful everyday for the opportunity he has given me!
My scripture for this month:
Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things that you do not know.”
Thank you guys so much for supporting me. I am so grateful and appreciative for everything you have done to get me this far! I do have some news though. My deadline for $13,805 is coming up fast on February 28th! I would love your help to accomplish this goal. Please consider supporting me on my last leg of the race.
I only need less then 2,000 dollars, if you would like to donate please check out my blog at ninamcnerlin.theworldrace.org. You donations are appreciated so much!
