A typical week here in Malawi is very different than one back home. It also is very different than other months on the Race. Instead of doing the same thing every day, our days look very different. *Here is what a typical week here looks like.
MONDAY:
We head to a baby orphanage, in the morning. Where we hold babies and love on them and feed them. These babies have been orphaned due to their parents dying, being unable to support them, or just abandoning them. It is heartbreaking to hear the stories of these babies, but what a blessing it is that the Father has given us this opportunity to love them.
I miss holding my sweet baby Jay at home, but these little orphan babies have helped to fill that hole in my heart. Our first day that we spent with these sweet babies happened to be Jay’s first birthday. Even though missing this at home was hard, being with the babies here was comforting.
In the afternoons we spend time with a widows group in the village. My heart has really gone out to these women. They have some incredible stories of perseverance through their struggles. Here in Malawi widows are treated much differently than one might imagine. When a woman’s husband dies his family comes in and takes everything; house, money, belongings everything. Which leaves the widows on the streets with nothing.
Every week we share our stories with these women and bring the Word of God to them. They have gotten to know us, and we in return have gotten to know them. These ladies have captured my heart. They are women of faith and love, and I have learned much from them. Their situations have stirred me to want to do something.
The women in this particular widows group, have started a small sewing business to support themselves and their children. They make uniforms for the local school children, small bags, aprons, headbands, jewelry, and skirts.
These women don’t ask for money, they ask for people to buy things from them to support their business. However being the lover of sewing that I am I asked what supplies they needed. While new machines would be a huge help to these women, my goal for this month is to be able to supply them with some basic sewing essentials; needles, thread, yarn, scissors, etc.
If anyone would like to partner with me in this, please let me know. (Comment on this post, or email me [email protected].)
Each team member has a day to decide what we will do as a team that day. Monday has been designated as McBride Monday, and we normally end the day by playing a competitive game of cards.
TUESDAY:
We start our day at a free primary school called Good Hope School. The kids who attend Good Hope can’t afford to go to the regular primary schools. If Good Hope wasn’t there, these kids probably wouldn’t be getting an education at all.
Each week our time at the school is different, however what we are doing remains pretty much the same. We sing songs with the kids, play games, and teach Bible stories. Sometimes we are all together with all the students, and at other times each team member takes on a grade to work with.
Being with the kids is always fun. They are so full of joy, and excitement. There is never a dull moment at Good Hope.
In the evenings we go to a salon in town owned by a woman named Faith. She is a local believer who has decided that each Tuesday her shop will close at 4 PM so that a church service can be held there. Each week our team gets to worship and dance with these believers in or close to where they work. We are able to bring our testimonies and the Word of God to them, and also pray for them in their sicknesses and trials.
This past week we went to the salon a few hours early, and got pampered with pedicures. Not only are we able to encourage these women in the faith, but also support them financially. Make no mistake, it was a magical day, walking around in sandals all day every day leaves your feet in a state of constant grossness.
WEDNESDAY:
In the mornings on Wednesdays we don’t have any specific ministry. We normally spend our time with the Father, playing with the kids who live on our street, doing laundry (by hand), or cleaning up around our house.
In the afternoon we go to the village to play sports with the teams that Pastor Blessings has established. There is an under 14 soccer team, over 14 soccer team, and a netball team. The purpose of the soccer teams is to keep the boys on them out of trouble. Without having something constructive to do these boys could easily fall into drug and alcohol abuse. The majority of the girls who come to play netball are prostitutes in the village. (Netball is similar to ultimate Frisbee played with a ball, which you spike into a hole in the dirt.)
The boys and girls who come to play on these teams would not show up in church on Sundays, so Pastor Blessings established these teams as a way to reach them. After practice is over everyone gathers around to hear the Word of God. By having soccer and netball available for them to play they are able to hear the good news of Jesus and we have seen many of them accept Christ, even while we have been here.
THURSDAY:
We spend our day with an organization called Children of the Nations. We arrive shortly after noon, and spend time entertaining the kids. (Dancing around, making silly faces, they mostly just like to laugh at us.) Then we are able to address the kids together, and sing songs with them, and speak a little bit about what the songs mean.
After this, the kids are given food. For some of these children it is the only meal they will get that day. They get their food, and you see these kids sharing this meal that they have with brothers and sisters. You see them making sure their siblings are fed before they eat themselves.
After the kids eat, we hang around for a little while. Spending time with them. Making them laugh. Reminding them that they are children and it is okay to be care free for a little while.
While my team was outside with the kids, I was able to visit with the widows. I was able to do some sewing with them and build a closer relationship with them.
FRIDAY:
Friday is our off day. We choose to spend our time in town, where we found a pool and wifi. Bonus there is a shower we can use too. This is a time where we are able to relax and catch up with family back home, which I miss very much.
SATURDAY:
Saturdays have been different each week. Our first Saturday we visited Children of the Nations, to get a feel for what they do there. Our second Saturday we attended church, where we sang for the congregation, brought our testimonies, and preached a sermon. Last Saturday we were able to spend the day at Lake Malawi, which is beautiful, with our host Pastor Blessings and his wife Grace. Pastor Blessings insisted that if you don’t visit Lake Malawi you have never even visited Malawi, so he made sure that we made it there.
SUNDAY:
Pastor Blessings has taken us to two churches, one is the village church that he regularly leads and the other is a church plant in Chimbalanga, a village that is a few hours away. These two churches are different in their own ways. Pastor Blessing’s church we meet in a small facility, in lawn chairs, with 10-20 attendees. At the church plant we met outside under a straw roof on wooden benches with close to 40 attendees.
The Lord has been working in me this month to release fear of man, by standing up to speak in front of people. I am slowly letting go of that fear, but it is still scary for me. However I am choosing to walk in obedience, and boldly share my testimony. Also I chose to lead the children’s church at Pastor Blessing’s church this past week. Teaching the kids new songs, and the story of David and Goliath.
