It has been a very long time since I have updated anyone so I am about to attempt to summarize my time in Africa. This journey I’m on right now is crazy.. I can tell you I would never choose to do it again but I would never wish away the past 8 months and this last month. Yes!! It is month 9 and I am so excited to come home. It has been the longest 8 months of my life but also the fastest. It’s been filled with some highs and some very low lows emotionally, but out of it came so much growth.
MALAWI AFRICA
Africa was, well it’s hard to explain. The 3 months in Malawi was a very hard time. When I was a kid my family visited a country in Africa; Tanzania, and I had always dreamed of going back to do ministry. I chose this route with World Race because it would take me back to Africa. Well Malawi is very different from Tanzania… After our 3 months in Asia, we had team changes so I got a new team for Malawi. I am still with that team here in Guatemala but starting off in this new country with 5 new people that I didn’t know very well was difficult. My team lived with another team in a pastor’s house in Lilongwe, the Capital of Malawi. This was our ministry for the 3 months:
Monday: Crisis nursery. There were about 9 babies total ranging 1-4 years old. Generally with only one living parent that could not care for them until they are older. There were these triplets that were about 2 years old, two boys one girl. They were the grumpiest/happiest/funniest little guys ever!
Tuesday/Thursday: Chisomo(meaning “grace” in Chichewa) children’s club. This club is for kids/teens 10-18 years old who were taken off the streets from drugs, brothels, bad homes, etc., and brought to this amazing Christian club. The kids would live there for 2-3 months to be taught, counseled, and loved until they were brought home if their home was a safe place to be. The staff would check up on them through the years to make sure they stay on a healthy path. It was a really amazing place. My team and I would go hangout, play games/sports and share a Bible story or two. Olivia one of my teammates would narrate the Bible story while the rest of us acted it out. No practice was ever involved, we just did what Olivia said. Our acting skills need some work, it was pretty hilarious sometimes.
Wednesday/Friday: Small private school. I taught art to grades 1-7.. I am aware teachers are not supposed to have favorites but I loved my standard 6 class!! <3
Sunday: 3-hour church service. We were put in charge of the service besides worship (Preaching, testimonies, and teachings.) It was one of the hardest things for me on the race. I am extremely uncomfortable in front of large groups of humans. It stretched me beyond my comfort zone, but it was good for me.
So it doesn’t sound so bad right? Well ministry was great, but we had a ton of free time either before or after ministry with nothing to do. We were stuck in a house surrounded by a brick wall to keep us safe. For fun we went to the grocery store, Shoprite, for entertainment if that tells you anything. It was month 4-6 being away from home filled with many hours of nothing to do. Month 4 was right after Christmas and I just missed home like crazy. I never get homesick, but I got homesick. It was hard because I hadn’t seen anyone in 4 months that had known me all my life and I still had 5 months to go. All I wanted was to see or hear someone’s voice who knows me but I was in Africa with no wifi. During those 3 months, I didn’t have a ton of fun but I grew so much closer to the Lord. My relationship with him grew so deep because he was the only one I could talk to who truly knew me. So yes, Malawi was very difficult, but it was definitely needed for my relationship with the Father.
Stay tuned for my next blog featuring life in Guatemala!!
Drew Alyssa Jansma
