New continent.
Hello! It’s been too long! I am in a country called Malawi. We live in the beautiful capital city of Lilongwe! Stepping off the airplane from Thailand I instantly felt a new freedom. After being here for 10 minutes I knew this would be a place of growth for me — a place I could learn and also thrive. I live with a pastor and his family. This family is something special! Two of the daughters, Faith and Sharon, live here in the house. They are funny, sweet, and always willing to join in a last minute dance party. Chisomo is the youngest daughter. She lives at boarding school but when she’s home on break she is defiantly not afraid to kick our butts in a card game. Their nephew Francis also lives with them. Francis is in the 6th grade. He is smart, funny, a great dancer, and a kid that will brighten up any sad day. Lastly, our host parents are Blessings and Grace, and their willingness to do anything to build up the Kingdom is amazing. Blessings is obedient to his calling in missions. Even when life gets tough, Blessings never stops turning to the Lord for all of his needs. He cares for us as if we were his own daughters. Blessings is surely a blessing!
UPDATE: New team!!
We also got new teams a few months ago. I now have the privilege to serve alongside seven God-fearing women. I am going to introduce them to you!
Ashlyn is such a special person to me. She is caring, peaceful, and a has such a servants heart. Ashlyn always puts others in front of herself. She is a black belt in taekwondo so she can also kick our butts if we get too crazy. (She often has to put us all back on track). Ashlyn is so sassy when she wants to be! She has been teaching me about being still and being disciplined.
Demi is so much fun. Demi is wise, seeks the Lord’s voice, and is constantly pursuing what God has for her life. Demi has the ability to change an environment with her laughter and joy. Demi also has a gifting in playing with kids. Seriously, they love her. She can start up a dance party for no reason. Demi is teaching me to enjoy the little moments, and embrace life with open arms.
Jenna is loyal, brilliant, and is so helpful (and sometimes very sassy as well.) Jenna is extremely supportive. She is a shoulder to cry on or somebody to celebrate life with. Jenna has been on my team for 5 and a half months now and she has taught me so much about being present. Jenna has the ability to bring excitement wherever she walks. She carries humility like I’ve never seen before (she’s also teaching me about that).
Mikaela is the definition of a good sport. She is from Canada so we are consistently teasing her for the way she pronounces words. For example, she calls colored pencils, pencil crayons. Unique, right? Mikaela is so hungry for God’s word and is so willing to learn. She is creative, genuine, and is so in tune to how people feel. She can walk into a room and immediately notice and care for people who aren’t doing well. Everything that comes out of her mouth is raw and real. Mikaela is teaching me the power of speaking life.
Katie is so sarcastic and funny. Katie is loving, full of wisdom, and so joyful. She is great at digging deep into the hard stuff. She cares about how people are doing and she puts time into building relationships with people. Katie has the ability to make people feel special and loved. She has a gifting when it comes to being free — she freely loves, freely worships, and freely gives. She is teaching me what it is like to lift everything up to God and give everything I have.
Lyric is fun, generous, and life-giving. Lyric is someone I never stop learning from. She is a silent leader. She chooses to pursue an authentic relationship with the Lord. Lyric takes time to notice the needs in a room and she will do anything to fix them. She is an incredible dancer and shares her skills in dancing with all of us. Lyric is also gifted in children’s ministry. Lyric is the first to play, sing, and act crazy with kids.
This is team Banana Pancakes. We are wild, fun, loud, and loyal.
