Dear Malawi,
You brought out the fight in me. Being with you was the first time my ministry wasn’t my ministry; my ministry was to my home, and the family created within those walls. It was a fight to make my time count. And it was a fight to love.
It was a fight to love deeper than the love that’s easy to carry on a mission trip. Your children knew our stay wasn’t permanent, and in that they assumed our love wasn’t permanent, perhaps not even real. It was a fight to love against that. It was a fight to love new people who saw love differently, and it was a fight to love like them.
Most importantly, though, you brought out the fight in me that said, no matter how tough, no matter how disheartening, I will stand firm, and I will not falter. You brought out the fight in me that reminds me of David, the fight that makes me think of Paul, the fight that continually points my attention to Jesus. It’s the fight that stands with patience and gentleness, the one that holds love and passion as its greatest weapons. Because of you, I am stronger. My heart can break, and I won’t be weaker for it. Your people call you the Heart of Africa, and rightly so. A heart must be strong and hard working, a frontline warrior in the battle for life. You call up warriors of love and faith, and you called me up no differently.
You were a hard season, but a necessary one. Thank you.
With strength and honor,
Sydney
