December 23rd, as all Saturdays are this month, was an adventure day for us. However this day turned into more of a rest day. The day started off with the finishing of compiling my last vlog post and then playing some games of Bawo of which is a daily occurrence. After that I went for a swim in the lake before going to town.
While we were in town we split up to go Christmas shopping. Within our team we did a Christmas gift exchange with a target of 3000 Kwatcha (which is the equivalent of a little over $4). After Christmas shopping most of us went to eat at our favorite in town restaurant where you can get a full meal for 1500 Kwatcha (a little over $2). This night I had their fish for the first time and it was amazing. The fish came out whole and looking like it had been swimming the day prior. I even ate the eye which was good for the experience, but I wont be doing that again.
Once we got back from dinner we had team time where we went over the feedback we had for each other and then had a Georgia fish tournament. Georgia fish is my team leader Zach’s version of the classic “Go fish.” He insisted that its how you play but no one agreed. We ended up still playing by his rules but we changed the name of the game to Georgia fish as that is where he’s from.
To end the night I listed to a podcast by the summit church on understanding God’s will for your life. Basically he talked about how understanding God’s will inst something that is meant to be difficult. In fact He gave us clear guidelines in determining His will through the Bible. The Bible reveals his character and following His will, will naturally occur the more you read and take to heart the characteristics the Trinity displays. Thank you Fickel family for sponsoring this day that may not of had much adventure but had plenty of fun and spiritual fulfillment.
Christmas Eve was a rest day that wasn’t too restful but definitely enjoyable. We started off with morning Bible study which we do every Sunday. This time we focused our attention on Matthew chapter 5 with the Beatitudes and discussing the being the salt and the light of the world.
After that we had team time where we worked on our weekly “journey marker” together. Journey markers are weekly assignments given to us by the world race to help us reflect and/or challenge us to better ourselves. This particular journey marker was about identifying problems with the world today, identifying your individual passions, your talents and then trying to see where they all intersect. We talked it out as a team so that we could help point out each others strengths and talents. After we discussed it as a team we all submitted our answers. When they were done I played a few games of Bawo and then went to town.
In town we bought food to make a fruit salad and and a tray of cookies for the Christmas day potluck. After buying the food for Christmas a few of us went to the same restaurant we went to the day prior (I go about 5 times a week because it falls into our $4 a day budget). I got the fish again and it was just as good as the prior days.
After dinner we came back to find the hostel packed with people who came in to stay for Christmas eve and Christmas. It was nice to meet some new people. I talked to some guys who are stationed in the central part of Malawi who are from the United States and are here as a part of the peace core. Then after a few games of pool I called home to see family before going to bed. Thank you to my cousin Chelsey Wirth for sponsoring Christmas eve. For it being a day that was hard to not be around family, its nice to have the day funded by one.
On Christmas I started a bible reading plan given to us to use by my squad leader Drew. My goal is to have read the whole Bible come next Christmas. If you would like to join me on this I will post the schedule here.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ENeZ1o0mjmrO3TF6LZfbpHgg7DbcNI1k-ucY0gSFIy8/edit?usp=sharing
From what God was teaching me that morning combined with what I had felt God laying on my heart to share I wrote up what I was going to share at the prison later that day. After that was done, I played some games of bawo and picked 10 mangos for our fruit salad. Then Mack, Lindsey K, Drew and myself went to the prison and we all shared our lesson. Here are my notes from what I talked about (a space designates where I would stop for the translator to translate)…
How you can understand more about who the trinity is, is through reading and understanding scripture.
The Bible and it’s contents gives us a greater understanding of their character.
The more you read it the more you will live in God’s will and understand Him.
This morning I was reading the start of Genesis and this is what stuck out to me.
Since the beginning God has always taken care of his children, even when they have disobeyed Him.
“The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.”
??Genesis? ?3:21? ?NIV??
When Adam and Eve were casted out of the Garden of Eden, God even in that time of justified wrath he provided them with clothes.
“Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” But the LORD said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.”
??Genesis? ?4:14-15? ?NIV??
Even when Cane killed His brother Able, God still protected him from harm by giving him this mark.
Those are two examples from just the first 4 chapters of the Bible.
As we continue to gain greater understanding of the Bible and read it more we can see God’s consistent character throughout.
The amount of times God stays with us despite our disobedience throughout the Old Testament is numerous.
Then we transition to the New Testament and we see God’s consistency and His love in its fullest.
We are all sinners.
And yet
We get to celebrate today that God’s son came down from the perfection of heaven to be with us in this imperfect and broken world.
We read in John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
??John? ?3:16? ?NIV??
But people usually stop there but my favorite verse is what comes next in John 3:17.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
??John? ?3:17? ?NIV?
Then Romans 6:23 states “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God is a God of justice which means that our actions will have consequences.
But these verses tell us the Good News.
Jesus did not come down to earth to condemn us to the death that we rightfully deserve.
He came down so that we may be set free from that condemnation and have life eternal.
We may turn our backs on Him but He will never turn His back on us.
Ever since we first went to the prison I know I wanted to go there on Christmas and I am really glad we had the opportunity to do so. After that was over we went back to our hostel and had our potluck dinner. It was so good, not as good as Christmas dinner back home, but it was still a great meal.
Once the potluck we played cards and did our gift exchange within our team. After this I watched a Christmas video my sister had compiled with messages to me from friends and family. On a day where I was really missing family and friends it brought me to tears. Thank you to everyone who sent videos in to her, that meant more than you know. Lastly, to end the day, after trying all day to call home I finally got good enough connection to call home around 11:30pm. In all, Christmas away from home was easily the hardest day yet here on the race but I know God has me here for a greater purpose and I am so blessed to have so many of you back home supporting me. Thank you George and Pam Zaiser for sponsoring such a great day of celebration.
