One week ago today our plane touched ground in Lilongwe, Malawi. From the airport Za, our host, drove us about two hours south to a village in Madisi, Malawi where we greeted with the warmest of welcomes in a song. Rise Malawi Ministries is our partner for our third month of the World Race.
Rise Malawi was founded in order to raise a generation of hope in the villages of Madisi. To inspire and encourage young people to pour back into their community.
Through their after school program, they teach the kids about the Bible and Jesus, and tutor them in various subjects such as agriculture, math, and English. Rise also teaches the kids scripture memory, holds counseling, and has a time of prayer with the kids.
Rise also has a program called Youth Dream Center. This program is for the young adults who have graduated high school and are waiting to get into college. In other words, they are in a gap year. A time of waiting and searching. YDC allows them to learn practical skills in business and agriculture. They also have a group Bible study each week.
Rise Malawi has many different programs, however, these are our main focus this month.
Madisi is a beautiful place with some amazing people. I think it’s safe to say that our team has settled in pretty well here. The Lord’s goodness has been shining brighter than the sun so far- and we praise Him that we actually have sun this month!
One of the biggest blessings, I think, is that we only have access to the internet once a week when we go into the city for groceries (about two hours away). I say it is a blessing because our team has had no choice but to invest in each other and the people around us in a much deeper way. When there are times of struggle, we can’t escape. The only option is to lean on each other and the Lord. It does get tough at times, though. We do still have things that actually need to happen, and that can only happen with an internet connection. However, we are learning to trust the Lord more than ever with all of our needs. This month, it doesn’t seem like we are in control of much.
I honestly think I could compile a long list of blessings and things I have to be thankful for this month, but that could take awhile. I do have miracle to report, though!
Each morning our team holds a time of intercession for whoever and whatever the Lord has laid on our hearts. One of the days shortly after we had arrived we were told that the village needed rain in order for the crops to grow and people to eat. The next morning we did all we could think of- we prayed. We prayed and prayed for rain and not even an hour later IT RAINED. It has rained everyday since. Going on a five day streak now! Hallelujah! God is so good!
