Dear Malawi,
Thank you for giving me a family. For four brothers and two loving parents. At a time on the Race when it is easy to really start missing home, such a wonderful family is priceless. I can never repay you for such a beautiful family. They will always be in my heart.
Thank you for seconds and thirds of potatoes, and loads of carbs. Rice, spaghetti, nsima, and more potatoes. Yes it was too much, but yes it was so good. Thank you Pastor Phillip for always making us take extra helpings and stuffing us to the brim. Thank you for really good cooking by Mommy Lillian and the boys. We may have gained a few pounds, but we will be dreaming about it later for sure.
Thank you for so many children. For laughs and games and songs. For acting out bible stories many times. For so many high fives and handshakes. For absolutely no personal space. For boogers wiped on shirts and diaper-less babies. For four girls braiding your hair at the same time. For new games and songs that we will always remember.
Thank you for Bangwe Motel, and the super sweet people who cared for us there. Miss Rose, Mommy, Ken, the mop man. For greetings as we came and went. For breakfast that included hot milk and sugar everyday without fail. For teaching us how to play the Malawian version of mancala.
Thank you for large jars of peanut butter. For extra protein and just good snacking. And pure happiness.
Thank you for infrequent internet. Thank you for power outages and water shortages. We have it good in America, and we often forget. Thank you for time spent reading, napping, coloring, and playing games instead of surfing facebook. Thank the Lord for headlamps and providing us with a well in the courtyard when the water turned off so we were never truly without what we needed.
Thank you for cooking lessons with mommy Lillian. For learning how to cook (or physically manhandle) nsima. For just hanging out in the kitchen with mommy. For staying back from church and hanging out in the kitchen with Caleb.
Thank you for rest. Even if we didn’t take advantage of every opportunity for a siesta, thank you for providing the option on a daily basis. Life can be exhausting in Malawi, rest is necessary.
Thank you for health. Even though nearly all of us were injured or ill at some point, no one required a trip to the hospital, and all have recovered. Thank you for a daddy who is always quick to take us to the clinic. Thank you for a family who always notices when one (or three) of us is missing and being truly concerned about our wellbeing.
Thank you for challenging what I truly believe in. Thank you for the hurt and the struggle it brought, and the potential fruit it can now produce. Thank you for the place of peace and rest it has brought.
Thank you for family time. For meals shared together where nobody is hiding in the kitchen. For much laughter together. For trips into town and spoiling the brothers. For parties complete with snowflakes, happy birthday decorations, and a cake reminiscent of cornbread with really good frosting. For photo shoots and gifts of pictures and bibles. For talent shows and songs. For celebrating and providing for baptisms.
Thank you for showing us more of the Holy Spirit in action. Spiritual gifts and casting out demons. Words of encouragement.
Thank you most of all for the Nkuna family: Pastor Phillip, Mommy Lillian, and brothers Phillip, Kenneth, Caleb, and Joshua. For all of the boys and extended family that increased each week we were here: cousin George and Samuel. For Christopher, Chitemwe, Patrick, and Weeza. For Chimwewe and Latika, and all the neighborhood children. For a place where we are known as the daughters of Pastor Phillip, the daughters of Bangwe, and the daughters of destiny. Where we are officially Malawians, because when we see a white person we freak out and yell “azungu” (white person), because we haven’t seen one all month. Because we are most definitely not azungus anymore.
Malawi, you will be missed. You have certainly left your mark on our hearts and we will remember you always.
Sorry for the lack of updates! Being in Africa means not having much internet. We have had a wonderful month in Malawi and we are very sad to see it draw to a close. We will be leaving shortly for Zambia, where we will be located in Livingstone, right next to Victoria Falls! Please keep the prayers coming and know that I think of all of you back at home often. I am so blessed.
