So when I found out about the World Race and was accepted, I thought that it was going to be early mornings and long days of manual labor and serving the Lord while doing it. Well, although there has been some manual labor, for the most part, I have not had to get up with the sunrise and work until sundown, and then Malawi began.
This month my team and I are working with a fellow J squad team as well as a Passport Immersion squad (they got to 3 countries in 9 months) at a new mission organization called Zehandi. We are working by Senga Bay (I am trying to upload pictures but internet is like gold here). We are up with the sun at 5am and y’all — it is the most amazing sunrise I have ever seen in my life. It rises over the water and it sets over the mountains.
Our days thus far have consisted of doing miscellaneous activities; personally I have been doing electrical work in their house. If you know me at all, you know that I know nothing about electrical work, but it is truly amazing to see God work through it. The family we are serving just added an addition to their house – by addition, I mean they finally have a master bedroom so the family of 5 does not have to all sleep in one room. They wanted me to drill in their bedroom as well as into the foundation for their circuit boards. I was terrified for this job; I have never done this kind of work before, and they told me what I had to do and left! Even though I had an idea of what I had to do, I was so afraid I was going to screw things up, until Marie, the wife of our contact, came over and told me that it’s ok if mess up. “Trust yourself,” she told me. So I did and all the electrical work is set in place; keep in mind, I have made my mark in that house with 12 mini holes in their walls, but you cannot see them, which is good! : -D We have also hauled hundreds of bricks around the property, and have begun painting their house. This is all before lunch time…
After lunch, we go around the town and just build relationships with the local people, the children here are adorable, and the people we have met are amazing! Malawi is called the Warm Heart of Africa and we can see why: everyone wants to say hello and talk with us in the little English that they know.
On top of all of these things, we have about a 10-15 minute walk to get water for cooking, flushing the toilet, taking bucket showers, drinking; whatever you need water for, you have to work hard for it. This month is truly a walk back in time. We live off the bare minimum, no electricity, no running water, no beds, and no AC. I already have a greater appreciation for a cool drink as well as food with substance to it. One of the main meals here is called nsima (pronounced: shee-ma) basically maize flour and water, it fills you so fast and you are starving in 20 minutes. It’s rough, it’s tough, and I love every minute of it.
The Lord is working on me in incredible ways this month, and I have such an amazing feeling in my heart about what the Lord has in store for the rest of the World Race. I am still praying that the Lord works in your hearts to either support me or share my journey with others. I am $3,500 away from my final deadline and I KNOW the Lord will provide. Thanks for all the love, support, and prayers; they mean so much to me as I’m far away from home and seeking to serve the Lord in everything. Peace and Blessin’s
Ps- The View's here are amazing and I am going to try and post pictures but internet is slow and hard to come by so we will see but I will try my best!
