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Malawi and our McNation (Written July 27)    (Below- THE Monkey of Monkey Bay, Malawi  : )

So as you may have noticed about the World Race, what we say we’re going to do or where we say we are going to go… are almost always guaranteed to change.  Don’t worry, though, we’ve taken on an attitude that’s even more giving than flexible (because flexible could break)…we’re fluid, baby.


We made it safe and sound up to Monkey Bay, Malawi (on July 13) and are staying with this amazing couple, Jose and Naara (that’s same same as my previous blog).  We’re not learning how to farm but instead we find ourselves worshiping together every morning, fixing up this gift-of-God house that we’re living in and then playing with the kids from the village on the BEACH right behind their house every afternoon.  On the weekends, we’ve been traveling to remote villages and leading worship services, where God’s presence has been real and rich.
We are learning a lot about the local culture of Malawi through Jose and Naara’s one year experience here.  They are trying to reeducate the local pastors about the fact that they, as foreigners, are not here to give out money and create an “other dependency”, which already exists in so many African minds.  Instead, they are going through the more rigorous process of finding out where the pastor and his congregations’ hearts are at,
(Above- Principal of Monkey Bay Primary School, Cliff and his wife Joyce and children…we were invited for dinner one night)
and giving them correction and advice where it is needed. 


Last weekend, we went by boat to a fisherman’s village and had a church service on a rock, with basically a four brick high wall outlining where the church will be.  The locals (and us North Americans too) make such a big deal about building a church and comparing whose church is bigger or who attracts more people…when it really has nothing to do about that.  Like a wise, tall man from McGregor, Texas once said,

“If how it looks matters, than how it     really is never gets dealt with!   (above- Pre-Children’s Sunday school at Fisherman’s village)
 
Jose and Naara also commented about the huge problem that adultery is here (and our big mac, quick fix nation too).  One day, this man, (maybe even the pastor) is supposedly happily married to his wife and then the next week he has a new wife.  Jose and Naara ask their friend honestly, “What happened with your last wife?” and he responds, “She didn’t cook well”.  Well there’s a good reason if I’ve ever heard of one…order in or get in the kitchen yourself, buddy!
 (at the Croc farm on our day off)

With all this “junk” going on in Malawi, there was so much raw beauty and rich presence of God to experience too.  Alright, like Jose said…for the price that you supporters have collectively spent to send just me on this one year mission…we could have fed a family of six here in Malawi for 34 years.  Yet, one could also see this year as an investment and already a deposit in the Kingdom of Heaven, where just one more sheep saved, or coin found, or son coming home (or if he’s the son that never left, understanding his identity better as a child of God – see Luke 15) is worth all man’s money and God’s energy…by far!