As I walk through the streets of our neighborhood, I look at the day begin. People start emerging from their homes to buy eggs, clean yards, cook breakfast, meet friends, and wash laundry. Children walk down the streets headed to school in their bright, blue uniforms dressed up with old, dirty crocs and jackets way too big. Men ride bikes headed for a long day’s work while women fry samosas to make barely a couple dollars. But one thing that flows through every person in the streets is the smile on his/her face. Every morning as I prayer walk the corridors of our neighborhood I give and receive more smiles before 7 am than throughout an afternoon. As I pray for the joy of the Lord to reach the hearts of my neighbors, I can immediately see the fruits of that prayer. As I pray for abounding opportunity in their lives, I see so many kids walking to a school with their small backpacks and bags of popcorn. As I pray for security and provision, I see a mother with a baby wrapped to her back frying eggs for breakfast. The Lord reminds me that He loves His children just as much as He loves me, and I can see His work in their lives hoping that they can see Him through me.
It’s only the first week of living in Lilongwe, Malawi, but I can already see my community forming. It’s a community that refills my soul with their sweet “Hellos.” A community that grasps my hands with their little hands on the way to the market. A community that loves one another enough to just sit and be still. A community that cheers me on during my run where I’m tired and too out of breath to gesture anything but a wave. A community that for the next few weeks I am blessed to be a part of. This community puts a smile on my face every morning at 6 am while I just walk and rest in the presence of the Lord, because I know He is in these streets.
He is the one who gives hope, love, joy, protection, beauty, and so much more to each of us living on these roads. I just hope that I can bring a light to these people, letting them know who it all comes from, which is because of His steadfast love that’s so so deep for all of His children. The bright and early hours of the morning are easily some of my favorite parts of the day because I get to meet Jesus in a hundred smiling faces and sweet “hellos.”
Love always,
Lindsay
