Malawi.
What a month.
The hardest thing about not having internet access this month is trying to think of just ONE blog post to summarize EVERYTHING.
No biggie.
But as I thought about it and asked God what I needed to take away from this month and what I needed to share, he gave me two words.
JOYFUL ABANDON.
And he gave me a song.
[I’m trading my SORROWS
I’m trading my SHAME
I’m laying them down
For the JOY of the Lord.
I am PRESSED but not CRUSHED
PERSECUTED not ABANDONED
STRUCK DOWN but not DESTROYED
I am BLESSED beyond the CURSE
For His PROMISE will ENDURE.
His JOY is gonna be my STRENGTH.]
Rarely have I seen people living in so much freedom and joy as we found in Malawi.
We met people who have every reason to live in a state of depression.
Poverty. Illiteracy. Abandonment. Hunger. Shame.
When looking at statistics, those are some possible descriptions of life in Malawi.
But when looking at how the people live, there is something different.
Something joyful.
Pride. Strength. Laughter. Care. Vision. Determination. Love. Hope
It sounds cliché I think.
But honestly, we could learn something.
The people of Malawi skipped meals regularly without making a fuss.
The people of Malawi carried firewood (basically trees) on their heads.
Up and down mountains.
Barefoot.
All. Day. Long.
The people of Malawi ignored malaria symptoms.
The people of Malawi woke up with the sun.
The people of Malawi had visions and dreams for their lives.
The people of Malawi worshipped.
And they did it wholeheartedly.
With joyful abandon.
So here’s a story.
We took a group of our new friends to hike Mount Mulanje for their [and our] first time.
From our Azungu [white person] perspective:
We had snacks. We ate lunch. We drank gallons of water.
We wore hiking shoes and dry-fit pants.
And on the way down, we complained a bit of aching knees and tired bodies.
Because we all know that going down a big mountain can be much harder than going up.
On the other hand:
Our friends shared a small bowl of rice for the day.
The two women who came hiked in sandals and dresses.
And on the way down, they jumped, shouted, laughed, and sang.
Because they couldn’t help but to express the joy that was overflowing from experiencing God’s magnificent creation.
I don’t say this to imply that we had a negative attitude all month.
I think we actually did a really great job of remaining flexible and encouraging when things were difficult.
But small, casual comments in what would be a typical American conversation seemed so out of place in the midst of such joy.
Imagine finding strength in God when you are weak.
Imagine finding hope in God when you feel defeated.
Imagine finding joy in God when you feel discouraged.
The people of Malawi have embodied this perfectly.
They have inspired me to consider living a life reflective of what the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:12-13:
[I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.]
But I want more than contentment.
I want a spirit of joyful abandon that transcends all discomforts.
I want to understand that though I may be pressed, I am not crushed, and though I may feel struck down, I am not destroyed.
I want to be Malawian.
Thank you to my AMAZING support team!
Because of your generosity and awesomeness, I have only ONE DEADLINE LEFT!
I need to reach $16,562 by the end of April in order to continue the work we have started.
If you would like to be a part of this adventure, please consider a donation of any amount.
Seriously.
Get crazy.
$3.67.
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Anything helps. And anything makes me feel so loved by you.
You will receive more detailed updates and stories of what your support is doing around the world.
You will also receive my eternal gratitude as you allow me to pursue my passion for helping the people of the world!
