Hello from Malawi! So I should start this blog by saying that it’s gonna be random and probably not gonna be very detailed. I haven’t really had a chance to gather my thoughts, and we don’t have electricity so instead of writing blogs in advance on my laptop, I have to quickly write this blog at an internet cafe where I pay per minute so I feel rushed. Also, I wish I could update my blog more often but accomodations haven’t really allowed it. I hope to have time shortly in the future to write more detailed blogs and add stories to the cool things that God has been doing. But in the mean time, just a quick update.
We’re here in Malawi working with Harvesters International Ministries (HIM). Each week, we have gone to a new town and then spent a couple days in the villages sharing the Gospel with people. It’s been cool to think that I’m walking along dirt roads into villages in Africa to share the word of God. My life is so cool. There have been mixed responses in the different villages. Many people have been receptive and have chosen to begin a relationship with Christ. Others are not as receptive. After spending a couple days evangelizing in the villages, we have a service on Saturday for the new believers to come to and receive teachings. At the beginning of the week, we do a short service where we give encouragment teachings to the local pastors. Between those two services and the church service on Sunday, I’ve received a good bit of speaking experience. It’s been cool to see not only how God has used me in this but how He has greatly grown me in my confidence in this area. Praise God!
I love worshipping with the believers here. They are so joyful, and they make American worship services look about as exciting as watching paint dry. Haha. Seriously though, their passion and joy for Christ is so cool to see. Not to mention how serving and friendly they are. Both villages we’ve stayed with have welcomed us with open arms.
Speaking of the vilages we stay in, God has definitely stripped us of all comforts that we’re used to. Bucket showers. (Although I’ll be honest. I really only shower about once a week at most. Don’t judge.) Outhouses (at least the current one doesn’t have about 30 cockroaches living in it at night.). Rats. (One day, I’ll have to tell the story of the time I was in a pitch black room and woke up to a mouse crawling right next to my head). And of course no electricity. But I’m not complaining about any of this. God shows up in the simple life. And it’s been cool to see how I’ve grown in this area. I can remember back in July when i was annoyed that the internet went out. And then at the beginning of this week, I thought a house with dirt floors was amazing because it doesn’t have rats and roaches. God is so good.
The spiritual attacks are defintely strong here. Witchcraft is very common here. Especially among kids, which is sad. (I’m sure I’ll be writing a blog about this later). Satan is definitely at work here and the evil presence is often quite obvious. As my boy Phil pointed out once, in America, Satan can use simple tactics like TV and radio and materialism to work against God’s plan. Here, where life is much more simple, the Devil has to kick it up a notch. I’ve definitely learned a lot more about spiritual warfare. I’ve found myself attacked a good bit. Over the last week, my perseverance and endurance had been low, and I’d been spiritually empty. But again, God is good. And used an instance of me hitting rock bottom to start to bring me out of it. God’s word and just being in His presence is so important to standing against the schemes of Satan. Prayer, praise, and God’s word are our strongest weapons.
Be in prayer for us. Be in prayer for the people we will continue to share Christ with. Be in prayer against the spiritual attacks here. Be in prayer for us, that we can stay strong in Christ. And be in prayer for the pastors in these areas that they can stay strong and continue to water the seeds that we’ve planted here.
