This month has been absolutely crazy and so good. We haven’t had much wifi so I haven’t been able to share nearly as much as I would have liked to but that’s okay.
Walking into the month we had no clue what to expect and honestly I don’t know that expectations would have helped at all.
Over the past couple weeks since school has been out for the holidays we have had a much more flexible schedule giving us the opportunity to try so many new things. Here is a little tidbit about each of my highlights.
Beauty for Ashes
We got to host a Beauty for Ashes retreat for some of the girls in the youth.
Beauty for Ashes is a retreat for girls that focuses on the beauty Christ calls us into out of the ashes of our personal stories.
Over the course of two afternoons the girls learned what the identity Christ gave them is and what it looks like to walk out in that. Before they all left we got to serve them by washing their feet just as Jesus washed His disciples feet in John 13.
Planting Trees
One afternoon we got to help some of the staff here at Rise plant some trees around the campus. We planted a total of 198 trees. (Secretly I would love to actually see them all in 10 years once they are full grown) it was a cool representation knowing that the seeds we planted here will continue to bear fruit.
New Years
New Years this year looked a little bit different but the idea of having a fresh start in Malawi was pretty dang cool. We spent the evening dancing in the moonlight, chatting on the porch and of course popping open (my favorite) a Pineapple Fanta to watch the fireworks at midnight before falling asleep in our tents in our living room.
To make it better, we woke up the next morning to the delivery of a couple live chickens. I can now check “kill a chicken” off of my bucket list…right after I add it first. We cooked it up for dinner and man oh man I gotta say it was the best chicken I’ve ever had in my life.
Bonfire
As a last big hoorah before we leave we introduced all of our new Malawian friends to an American pastime. We had a bonfire! We came together cooked a feast of the best goat meat I’ve ever eaten & rice. A classic meal here. The evening was filled with stories and laughter and ended with a big old fashioned sleepover around the campus. You should have seen their faces when we tried making them oatmeal in the morning..again a first for them. They were not a fan. LOL.
I gotta say, this month has been one for the books though and it is truly very difficult to say goodbye to all of our friends here at Rise Malawi. I am blessed to have been a part of such an amazing ministry even if it was only for a short time.
