Homemade Bricks and Grass Roofed Churches

This month we are serving in a little town called Zomba, located in the Shire Highlands (yes we live in the Shire) of southern Malawi.

We live with a pastor and his wife. Pastor Gama has pastored and planted many churches in the area. And is part of a larger organization called Harvesters Bible School. He and his wife have been amazing hosts and God has truly blessed him and his growing family.

Our ministry this month consists of us visiting different villages in the area. Singing and dancing, playing with kids, giving testimonies, sharing a message and praying for people.

On Sundays we visit a church where we dance and worship with the congregation and someone gives a sermon they have prepared.

Here in Malawi, almost every building is made of bricks that have been molded by hand, sun dried, stacked and fired. The process produces some of the of the most colorful bright red bricks that I have ever seen. Most roofs are now metal but some are still made of dry brown grass, collected from the hillsides that scatter the landscape and thatched to provide shade from the sweltering midday sun and shelter from the storms that come during the rainy season.

One of my favorite days this month was when we gathered in one of these churches. We sang and worshiped as always but then they asked us if we had a special song we would like to sing. We hadn’t prepared or practiced anything. But none the less Daniel, Nathan and I decided we would sing Amazing Grace.

It really turned out great and the people loved it. It made me realize that I have always been so worried about what everyone else thinks, that I would be judged if my voice didn’t sound as good as the person next to me. That I have never sung out and worshiped God the way He deserves to be worshiped, with my full voice and my whole heart. Not worrying what others think while I sing, but only focused on praising and worship the God that has always loved, and shown me so much grace. The God that has radically changed my life. The God that has and blessed and trusted me with so much.

 God does not desire us to be perfect in our praise and worship, we will never get there. But He DOES desire our WHOLE heart to be postured toward HIM. Not consumed with comparison or shyness.

God has given us all unique voices, that we can use to praise His name. None are perfect, but together we can make a beautiful noise that is pleasing to The Lord.

So let’s use our voices, let’s sing out to the God of our salvation.