Just Obey

I have been asked to teach Sunday School for the children at Echoing Hills as well has teach at
camp. I always say yes without much thought. As the time approaches, however, I start to realize the
responsibility it is to teach from God’s Word. I am intimidated. Who am I that I should teach? There
must be someone who is better at this than me. James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” What if I portray the wrong impression or say the wrong thing? What if I bore the children? What will the other leaders think? The more I think about what to say, the more I realize that I don’t even know where to begin.

My first Sunday here, I taught from Exodus 3-4 (God speaking to Moses from a burning bush).
When I was preparing to teach Sunday School last week, I planned to continue with the story, but reallyfelt like I needed to help explain the holiness of God. As I studied the passage and the preceding
chapters, I became so grateful for Moses, and his many questions—I am not alone in my fear of talking in front of others!

Below is my paraphrase of God’s conversation with Moses:

    God: “Go and tell Pharaoh to let my people go and worship me.”

    Moses: “Why me? Who am I?”

    God: “It doesn’t matter who you are—I will be with you.”

    Moses: “What if they don’t believe me?”

    God: “It’s not up to you, whether they believe or listen—it’s up to me. I will show them with a
    sign.”

    Moses: “I’m not skilled enough—I can’t talk.”

    God: “Who gave you a mouth anyway? Who gives any skill after all? I will help you speak and
    teach you what to say.”

This is the message that I needed to hear. I was still super nervous, feeling the weight of sharing God’s Word. I started praying that God would do as He pleases with the lesson. If He wants me to teach, then He should give me the words that I should say, as He did with Moses.

When it came time to teach, I did not say what I had prepared. I was prepared to continue the story in
Exodus, but I felt pressed to talk about God’s holiness. “Take off your sandals for you are on holy
ground.” As one child asked a question, I realized that I must explain gospel. God is holy. I made the
comparison of pure water. As there is no dirt in pure water, so there is no sin in God. Because God is
holy, no sin can come near Him. However, I sin every single day. “How can I come near God?” I asked the children. Through a series of questions and answers, we eventually came to the conclusion that only through Jesus’ sacrifice, we can be made holy. Jesus’ blood washes away our sin and He gives us His holiness so that we can enter into God’s presence.

By talking with the children, I think a few of them actually understood. I pray that Jesus will continue to make Himself known to these kids and that they might follow Him with their lives.

What I’ve been learning through this experience is that when God gives me a message or a task, it’s not about me, me being skilled, or even if the audience believes what I say. It’s all about the Lord, my God. He will make Himself known—through me or not. But He wants to use me, so I just need to obey.

Reunited at Last!

On July 14^th, Brother Philip picked me up and took me to Echoing Hills Village, a home for people with disabilities and disadvantaged children. This is the same place where I stayed two years ago as I helped provide a camp experience for children from the slum community. Below are a few of the highlights of the past two weeks.

·         

      * It has truly been a joy to be with my friends again, especially Irene. Pastor Larry and Brother Philip did not tell anyone that I was coming, so it was such fun to surprise them all.

  

It was dark when I found Irene. She was sitting by the fire enjoying the evening with a few others. I came up beside her and because I could not see her face I said, “Is this Irene?” It was Irene!

There is something special about the friendships that are founded in Jesus Christ. It had been two years since we had seen each other, but the time didn’t matter. I thank God for my sister Irene! My two favorite lines from the surprise are, “I couldn’t have dreamed this!” and “Only men could keep it a secret for so long.”

Since that night, I have enjoyed working alongside of Irene, tramping through the rain in the market to find all of the ingredients that we needed for her graduation food, traveling with her to an Auntie’s house to get some cake decorating lessons, late night talks, visiting a sick friend, celebrating her graduation, cooking many Ghanaian dishes, and sharing life together.

·         * What a special time it is to see all the friends at Echoing Hills Village again. The children have grown! They have the same faces, but they are taller, stronger, have better English, and look much older! The kids are so excited for camp—they are ready for the team to come!!  They keep asking me if team members from past years are coming. They rejoice when I say yes, but are so sad when I have to tell them that other team members will not be coming this year.

It has been a pleasure to get an inside peek at what really happens at Echoing Hills Village by being a part of morning devotions, exercises, teaching Sunday school, cooking, cleaning, hanging out, etc. There is such love, acceptance, and patience in this place. I am amazed by the staff’s stamina, wisdom, and the grace that they freely give.  The few staff here care for and live with (day in and day out) well over 100 people with disabilities and disadvantaged children.

I can’t help but think of Jesus when I am here! He had compassion for individuals within the crowds. He stopped for those who were sick, crippled, and the children. In this place, I see Jesus’ love on display. May He continue to be glorified here!

·       *  It has been great to visit the kids who live in the slum or “street community.” There are roughly 300 kids who gather for Bible Club with Sir Philip every Sunday afternoon. In order to be chosen to attend summer camp, the children must regularly attend Bible Club. Therefore, in the weeks leading up to camp, more and more kids have been attending Bible Club and everyone wants Sir Philip to know that they are present.

      

      

These kids have grown so much since I saw them last. I don’t recognize many of them at first, but when I look again at their faces, I realize that I know them. I got to see about nine of the kids who were on my team for camp two years ago. I can’t wait for this year’s camp!

·      

   * Seven-year-old Sophia lives across the street from Echoing Hills and last time I was here, we became fast friends. This time she crawled up on my lap eager to show me the photos and letters that I had sent over the last two years. To my surprise, Sophia read almost every word that I had written. When we finished reading, Sophia ran to grab her folder from last year’s camp. Again she diligently read and sang the verses and songs from last year. She remembered almost all of the songs.

[These kids remember what they have been taught! They are learning to read and write in English, but much more importantly, they are learning of the love of Jesus. As the songs that Sophia sang to me say, His love is “reaching out to me” and “He saved us not, because of the righteous things we have done, but because of His mercy, mercy, mercy—He saved us.”]

·         In addition to seeing old friends, I have been put to work sorting through the donated supplies in the clinic, organizing it, cleaning it, and running it for the residents at Echoing Hills. I have quickly gone from being a nursing student in the United States to being called doctor here at Echoing Hills. It’s rather intimidating feeling the responsibility of caring for so many. I am incredibly grateful for the learning experiences I gained in Malawi and Togo and thankful that I brought my drug book and phone to look up what I don’t know. I am thankful that the hospital is not too far away.

So far I have been bandaging wounds, giving pain meds, testing/treating malaria, etc. Additionally, a large task is distinguishing between the kids who really have headaches and those who are tantalized by the mysterious thought of “magical medicine” from the obroni (white person).

There are only four days left until camp starts!! As we eagerly await that day, please pray for:

1.       Brother Philip- He has to make final decisions on who can come to camp and who will have to wait for another year. There are many more children who wish to come than what our accommodations allow.

2.       The children who will be a part of camp-They come from various religious backgrounds and are hungry for acceptance and love. On Sunday, I asked a few girls why they are so excited for camp. They said that they are excited because it will give them a future. Let’s pray that they will find their hope and future in Jesus Christ!

3.       The staff at Echoing Hills—for energy and an extra measure of grace.

4.       The team that is coming from Hope Community Church in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania- Pray for unity in spirit and in purpose. Pray that we at camp might behold the glory of God’s love and worship Him with our lives.

5.       Me- I need wisdom as I attempt to be a camp nurse, prepare to teach during camp, and lead my team of campers. Also I need strength. My spirit is far from weary, but my body is tired.

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement. I am very, very grateful!

In the Dressing Change Room

Some patients enter the dressing change room hobbling with crutches, others have to be pushed in a wheel chair, but some can walk for themselves. There are so many wounds. Infection eating away the flesh. Burns covering the skin. Broken bones, skin grafts, amputations, head trauma, surgeries, snake bites.

As we unwrap the dressing, the sight is startling, but the smell is worse. The combination makes me nauseous. I have to step back—and look away. This is awful and these wounds are gruesome. “I should let someone else do this. “ “I can’t handle it. I feel sick.” “Someone else can take care of these patients,” I think. I am repulsed.

But then I look at the patient’s face. I can’t help but look into their eyes. The Holy Spirit reminds me, “In the image of God He created him” (Gen 1:27).

The image of God.

That changes everything. All too often I forget who I am caring for. I have seen some very ugly cases and gone through intense situations with many patients. I forget that these people are human beings created in the image of God. There are so many sick and dying. Many of these cases are preventable or at least would never reach this degree of severity if the patient was living in a more developed country. I get overwhelmed by the masses of patients. The future for them seems so bleak to me.

But Jesus had a different perspective: “When He saw the crowds (sick and diseased) He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt 9:36). Jesus has compassion on the crowds. He heals their sickness. He gives them hope for the future. He is the shepherd for the sheep.

In the dressing change room, I was reminded of my own repulsive wounds. Sometimes they are buried deep under my skin, other times they are covered by my clothes, other times they are out in the open for everyone to see. My sin in eating away at me.

 We are all suffering under the weight of our sin, the evil committed towards us, and because we live in a broken world.

In the dressing change room, I was convicted by the perspective that Jesus has. He does not behave as a typical human—turning away from the hurting. Jesus spent His days with the patients “in the dressing change room.” He came to make them well.

In the dressing change room, I had to confess, Jesus, uncover my wounds—especially the ones I hide so well. Wash away the dirt and debris, cut out the infection, just like we did in the dressing change room. Make me clean Jesus. Heal me. I am sick. Sin is rotting in my heart. Give me Your perspective Jesus, I need You. I can’t do this job. You have to do it through me.

Suffering is so common. Death is frequent. But Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and He is working here. He is working in me.

To Togo I Go

I arrived in Togo on June 17th. It is a stark contrast compared to Malawi—the main differences are it’s hot here (in the 90’s versus in the 60’s in Malawi), very green (it’s the rainy season here verses dry season in Malawi), and a highly concentrated Muslim community (versus a high percentage of Catholics and Christians in Malawi).

I’ve been staying with the Thompson family and working at the hospital in the village of Mango, Togo. Janelle, my friend from Cedarville, has oriented me to being a nurse’s aide in all the units in the hospital: men’s, women’s, infection, emergency, intensive care, pediatric and maternity. We work four 10 hour days or nights per week.
Some highlights from our shifts so far:

Getting to know Bomboma.

This 7-year-old boy fell out of a tree three months ago and was paralyzed from the waist down. His family did not care for him properly, so he got massive stage four pressure ulcers on this back side. He has been in the hospital for three weeks now and his wounds are slowly starting to heal. As any kid would be, Bomboma is bored out of his mind. Thankfully Janelle and I have been able to spend much of our down time with him. Bomboma loves to blow bubbles, fly paper airplanes, take selfies, color, and read Bible stories. We’ve been having lots of fun together.

Babies!

Who doesn’t love to hold them, feed them, snuggle them, and love on them? I could only stay awake through night shifts because of these little guys! Also, it has been incredible to participate in five deliveries so far. I am constantly amazed at God’s creation of new life!

Getting to know the staff.
It is great to pick the American nurses’ brains about missionary nursing and to joke around with the Togolese nurses. There is an atmosphere of continuous teamwork at the hospital. I’m grateful to be a part of it.

When we don’t work, we play:

• Read books in the enormous climbing tree
• Attempt to learn French
• Walk down to the market
• Cook lots of tasty food
• Go swimming during our midnight break from work and see multiple shooting stars
• Play with missionary kids 
• Learn to ride motorcycles (the main vehicles of transportation around here are bicycles or motorcycles)

Prayer requests:

• Our Muslim community is finishing its 40 day fast for its holiday called Ramadan. I don’t know how it is for other Muslims, but during the last 10 days of Ramadan here, the people are praying more fervently than at any other time of the year. They are staying up all night and crying out to god, hungry for him to answer their prayers—but their god is not our God. We are humbly asking our God to make Himself known to these people and that they would come to find salvation and new life in Jesus Christ.

• About half of the hospital staff are Muslim. Pray that God would give boldness to the Christians to speak with grace and truth about our faith in God.

• Pray for Bomboma. Although he is getting lots of love these last few weeks, it doesn’t sound like his family cares/has the means to take care of when he goes home. My biggest prayer for him is that he may come to know Jesus!

• Pray for the missionaries who are here—that they may be “likeminded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” (Phil 2:3).

As I meander my way through Dzelaka Refugee Camp, I see house after house. Outside a few kids are playing with a homemade ball of plastic bags, some women are washing clothes or cooking, a few teenagers are pumping water from the well, and some men are chatting along the road.

The camp did not strike me as a busy place. Instead it is quite the opposite. Dzelaka is full of able bodied people who are willing to work. No, they long to work. They just don’t have a job. Many of these people are educated and had jobs in their home country, but because of the war, they were forced to leave their home.

Refugees are not able to work in Malawi unless they have training. Educational training is not an option.  There is a several month orientation process for refugees who are medical professionals, if they have money to pay the orientation fee. Wherever I go and whoever I talk to, they always tell me that there are just not enough jobs.

It’s hard to see all of these people who want to work, they just don’t have the opportunity and don’t know how to find an opportunity. There is Hope is an organization that is giving refugees opportunities to get out of this hopeless situation. They provide vocational training, scholarships, and help refugees with previous training get oriented into the Malawian system so that they can work again.

The problem is large, and helping takes time. But we serve a God who is not daunted by these tasks. Instead, He has always been in the business of drawing people out of their present situation and giving them a new life. May God continue this process, strengthen There is Hope staff, and build a flourishing community out of what looks like a hopeless camp of refugees.

The Days at Partners in Hope

We start off the day with a time of worship and mini sermon. [Jesus knew what He was doing when He created the church. We need each other, we learn from each other, and we are challenged by each other. I’m thankful to be a part of the Body of Christ!]

At the beginning of my time at Partner’s in Hope, I spent my shift in the day wards, gave medications, learned the process of how to refill ART medication (HIV treatment), and shadowed the nurses during their various duties. I got to observe an abdominal paracentesis, lumbar punctures, and the casting of a little girl’s arm. After a few days, I began helping the patient attendants (nurse’s aids) take vital signs, perform rapid malaria diagnostic tests, and draw blood for viral loads, CD4’s, creatinine, etc.

The staff at Partner’s in Hope is incredible. They are welcoming, love the patients, value each member of the team, and enjoy their work. They taught me a great deal about malaria, tuberculosis, HIV symptoms, diagnostics, and treatments. I’m thankful for the many memories made with my dear friends at PIH!

Berta, A Dear Friend

I met Berta a few weeks ago. She cooks for the men who are constructing an addition onto a building at There Is Hope Center. “Jambo,” she said with a wide grin. When we met again, we tried to talk. Berta speaks Swahili, but through a translator I discovered that Berta is Congolese and lives in Dzelaka Refugee Camp.

For several days, we spent our time teaching each other our own languages. By pointing at objects and saying the word in our respective languages, we learned to names of many things. We scratched the words into the red dust, wiped the words away, and tried to write the words from memory. Together we came up with a list of about 20 words. Day after day we quizzed each other.

One day Berta invited me to her house. When her work was finished, we meandered our way through the camp to where she stays. Berta has lives with her husband, Asumani, and their four children. She has two daughters and two sons: Salia, Nonbe, Sofia, and Alonda. They range in age from 2 to 10. They have lived in Dzelaka for five years. Before they fled to Malawi, both Berta and her husband were students. Berta was a community leader in Congo, but now she and her husband do not have jobs, because there are very few employment options available.

Although their situation is bleak, Berta is a beacon of light. A smile radiates from her face, and she is always thinking of others. Berta loves to spend time with people and just chat…which becomes challenging when we don’t speak the same language. Thankfully Berta has some neighbors who enjoying chatting and want to practice their English.

An example of Berta’s kindness is her gift generous gift of a live chicken. Though the language barrier, I eventually convinced Berta to keep the chicken for me so that she could teach me how she cooks it! A few days later we deep fried to chicken, made ugali, and an African version of fried spaghetti. We had quite the feast!

Every day with Berta is a pleasure—whether we walked to the market, waited for hours at the clinic, cooked, practiced languages, or played with her kids. She is an eager learner, generous giver, and joyful friend. I can’t wait for the day when we are reunited!

A story of how God inspires His people to bring about community transformation.

This is my friend Joseph. He works for Partner’s in Hope, the clinic where I have been working.

He lives with his two children and niece. No school is in the area, so Joseph sent his children to a boarding school many kilometers away. Joseph and many other parents in the area had to spend a considerable amount of money for transportation. Many more kids do not go to school at all because they do not have the funds to travel, therefore were not receiving an education.

When Joseph considered this situation, God planted in him the dream of building a secondary school (high school) in his own community. It took a lot of planning and talking with the local chiefs. In faith, Joseph place a sign at the entrance of the school property in June saying that school would open in September of 2015.

Building a school takes a lot of money. An organization was helping Joseph with funding, but then it fell through. Apparently the organization only funded government schools, not private schools.  There were only three weeks left until September and the school property was empty. The only option left was to ask the bank for a loan. The bank denied the request. Joseph did not know what to do except to pray. He believed that God gave him this vision, but did not know how it was going to come about.

Two weeks before school was to start, Joseph received a call. The bank granted his loan! Although the buildings did not have roofs for the first day of school, there was a schoolhouse!

Only three students came in the first week. Then one of the kids ran away because it was so small. Eventually more and more students came, and the student who ran away came back. Now there are 42 students! Next year Maya Secondary School will include forms 1-4, which is 9th-12th grade.

Joseph has a vision to see this school grow. He earnestly desires to see the kids in his community educated so that they can have “success through Christ,” as the memo states. Malawi is an extremely poor country, undeveloped, lacking in jobs, and suffering desperately. Through an education founded on scripture, Joseph believes that the next generation can bring about change in Malawi. I have to agree.

I had the opportunity to visit Maya Secondary School on two different occasions. It was such a joy to chat with the students, encourage them to keep studying even when it is tough, and most of all keep seeking God, because He is worthy and will provide. Although I’m not a teacher, the teachers convinced me to teach a quick anatomy lesson. It was great honor to be in a room full of young men and women who are eager to learn and ask questions about the heart!

On my next visit, the kids stayed after school so that they we could play volleyball and net ball, and then teach me some dances. These students are energetic, competitive, and a ton of fun. We had a blast!

I share this story for three reasons:
1) To encourage you to notice gaps in the way you do life and then ask God to show you how to bridge those gaps. Joseph’s faith and boldness have challenged me greatly. I pray that his story will to the same for you.

2) If you have any books, sports equipment, or school supplies, Maya Secondary School could use them! Joseph is starting a library. It’s a very nice room, but is currently empty. If you are finished with any type of book, send them to Malawi. ☺ (Contact Joseph Wowa: josephwowa@gmail.com)

3) Will you join me in praying for Maya Secondary School? I’m praying that God would inspire the students to study diligently, provide financially for their school fees, and raise up these young men and women to shape the culture of Malawi. I’m praying that God would grow the school, guide the teachers, and provide funds for the school to expand. I’m praying that Joseph would have great wisdom as he leads this project and that he would be encouraged to press on even when it is tough. Thanks for your prayers!

A Day of Firsts

When I woke up Monday morning to go to Partners in Hope Clinic, I did not know how many new experiences I would have—both positive and negative. It was a day of many firsts.

Over the weekend, Kirk taught me to drive is manual car on the left side of the road. When you drive in Lilongwe, you have to hug the center line (even though it appears as though you are going to collide with the oncoming traffic) because there is a continuous line of pedestrians and cyclists. Although there are many busy junctions, the traffic lights work less than half of the time. There are many traffic circles, which are confusing to navigate. Driving certainly takes some getting used to! Kirk thought that I was doing pretty well at driving and was confident that I could navigate to Partner’s in Hope with the help of google maps on my phone. Monday morning, I drove to Partners in Hope without any problems.

Within Partners in Hope are three wards: Moyo (which means life), Dalitso (which means blessing), and Thandizeni (which means help). Moyo is a free clinic for very poor HIV positive patients. It is always busy. Dalitso reminds me of a clinic that I might go to in the United States for regular check-ups. Patients can make appointments or walk-in. Many patients are there to refill their antiretroviral treatment (medication used to slow the progression of HIV).  Thandizeni is for very ill patients who need to stay overnight.

When I got to the clinic, I met and shadowed Dr. Jones while he did rounds in the Thandizeni ward. He then introduced me to the nurses and I shadowed/helped Violet. She gave me a tour of the facilities and introduced me to just about every person who works there. I got to practice my greeting in Chichewa a lot!

Violet and I spent our day in Dalitso calling patients into the triage room and taking their vital signs. Near the end of the shift, I watched Violet attempt to start an IV on a very ill two-year-old who was dehydrated and likely had malaria. The nurses told me that by the end of my time at Partners in Hope I will be a professional at starting IVs. I hope they are right!

During our down time, Violet taught me more Chichewa, explained the traditional engagement/wedding process, and told me about nursing programs in Malawi. We had a lot of fun together! Everyone at the clinic is so kind—they always say, “you are most welcome here.” I feel valued and loved. I look forward to my next shift at Partners!

When it was time to drive home, I had a feeling something was going to go wrong—I had 8% battery left on my phone, which was my GPS. I had about a 30 min drive ahead of me. Everything was fine until a police officer ahead waved me to the side of the road. Apparently I was driving the wrong direction on a one-way road. Let’s just say that one-way roads are not well marked (the other Americans here have done the same thing, so that makes me feel better)! I got a K10,000 fine (which is $14), and my phone promptly died.

If only I knew the city better, was a skilled navigator, or had a phone charger. Nope. I spent the next 2 hours driving in bumper to bumper traffic in the dark the wrong way. People weaved through the lanes of traffic. Motorcyclists speed between lanes. I was lost by myself in a foreign country, in a large city, with a dead phone. I began to panic a few times. Mom, thanks for encouraging me to memorize scripture. Jesus, thank You for being Emmanuel, the great comforter, and the way, truth and the life.

I stopped twice to ask for directions, but road names are not marked and directions don’t come easily to me. I kept praying, driving, and reciting scriptures. When I finally made it home, I told Kirk, “I don’t know how I made it back. I was so lost. All the streets look the same, but nothing looks the same as in the day.”

So, it was a day of many firsts for me, but nothing is new to Jesus. Although getting lost seemed like just about the worst thing that could happen to me, I passed by two cars that had broken down in the middle of the road, several people came to beg at my window, and countless people didn’t have a car to drive that night. Conversely, I had fuel in my tank and my Savior with me. His presence seemed especially near to me during that time. I prayed several times, “show me the way, Jesus. I have no idea which way to turn.” And that is what He did.

This is how I want to depend on Jesus for life...not just driving. Show me the way, Jesus. I do not know where to turn.
I have been reading John. Throughout the book, Jesus makes many “I am” statements: “I am the bread of life…gate for the sheep…the good shepherd…the resurrection and the life.” Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). This is the One we follow. He will show us the way. Let us not wait for times of desperation to call upon His name. He is with us always. Amen.

I'm here!

I arrived in Lilongwe, Malawi on Monday after roughly 22 hours of smooth travel! After unpacking a suitcase of gifts for Kirk, we went to Innocent (the founder of There Is Hope, the organization that Kirk works for) and Flo's house for a team gathering. I met almost all of the There Is Hope staff, played volleyball, and tried some Malawian snacks.

On Tuesday, we (There Is Hope staff and I) went to the "Center" which is There is Hope Ministry Center on the edge of the Dzelaka Refugee Camp. At the Center, there is vocational training for refugees. Training includes a brick laying class, a carpentry class, a sewing class, and Bible training.

Also at the Center is a shipping container that Kirk transformed into his laboratory. Kirk is developing two different handmade soap products: one inexpensive soap to sell in the refugee camp and one fancier soap to sell in tourist shops and hotels. He is quite the chemist. Through research, experimentation, and innovation, he has figured out how to cut the cost of soap in half while preserving its quality. Currently he is experimenting with fragrances, coloring, and packaging.

Kirk taught me how to cut soap, prepare molds, stain oils, mix lye, and create the chemical reaction that yeilds soap. We cut 120 bars of soap and poured 120 more bars into their molds.

We ate lunch at Kirk's friend, Chobani's restaurant in the camp. I ordered chipoti mayeye which is like two thin fried tortillas with a thin layer of egg inside. I also tried a mandazi which is like a doughnut. Everything is very tasty!

In the afternoon I got to meet some kids from the camp. Ishmali is 10 years old, from Tanzania, and the only boy who could speak any English. We figured out that the other boys are from Burundi and Congo. We swang on the swings, played tag, and climbed the money bars. I hope to see them again on Thursday.

I so desire to be able to communicate, but am not a very fast language learner, especially because there are several languages spoken by the refugees. One of the most valuable phrases that I have learned is: "Ichi mumati chani?" Translation: "how do you say this?" Now I can point to anything and learn how to say it.

First impressions:

• Driving on the left side of the road with the driver's seat on the right side of the car is bazaar. A few times I was going to correct Kirk when he was driving on the "wrong side," but he was totally right!
• Malawi is beautiful. A rugged country side landscape is dotted with shrubs and the magnificent blue canopy creates the sky above. Red-orange dust covers the ground. The sun rises around 5am and sets around 6pm. Cool breezes in the morning give way to warm sunshine during the day.
• To everyone's amazement, I have had no problems with the 6-hour time difference. The two other girls who flew in this week from the States are very jealous of my lack of jet-lag.

I am so grateful to be here! It is great to be with Kirk, make new friends, and enter in to life here in Malawi. I look forward to helping at the Partners in Hope clinic and getting to know more people at Dzelaka. 

Thank you for your prayers!

The Count Down Begins

Only 7 days till I board to plane headed to Malawi! As I prepare for this trip I’ve been thinking a lot about how to keep my family and friends in the loop of what I am doing this summer. I hope to use this blog to share about my experiences, to share what God is doing through the ministries in which I will be involved, and to share how God is revealing Himself to me and to those I meet.

To start it all off, here is the travel plan:

 Malawi (May 15-June 15):  I will be staying with my brother Kirk in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. While he is working at the office, I will be helping at the Partners in Hope clinic. At least two days a week, Kirk and I plan to visit the people of the Dzaleka Refugee Camp. On the weekends, Kirk plans to take me on some African adventures with some of his friends. 

Togo (June 16-July 14): I will be staying with the Thompson family in Mango, Togo. Forty hours a week, I will work as a nurse’s aide at the Hospital of Hope. In the evenings, we hope to visit the children at the cuisine, which is a place for families to stay while their family members are at the hospital.

Ghana (July 15-August 13): The first two weeks I will be staying in Accra with Philip and Hannah Darko and their family. I will help Hannah sew school uniforms, visit the children in the Sodom and Gomorrah slum, and spend time at Echoing Hills center for people with disabilities.  During the second two weeks, I will be a part of the kid’s camp experience put on by Arm of Hope and the team from Hope Community Church, Mt Joy, Pennsylvania.

Thoughts as I prepare:

·         Wow. Is this actually happening? Ever since I was young, I have wanted to be a missionary nurse. Ever since I went to Peru, I have wanted to go back overseas and serve. I have learned a lot of lessons about serving well wherever God places me instead of always longing to be somewhere else. But now I get to go, and that is exciting!

·         THANK YOU. So many people have given so generously to invest in me and the ministries in which I will be involved this summer. I am humbled and honored to be sent by you to represent Jesus and share the good news. I truly recognize this as an investment that you are making in me, as I will be learning, growing, and shadowing many missionaries and health care professionals. Thank you.

·         Am I nervous? Not yet, but I probably will be when I’m dropped off in the airport. I have never before traveled internationally by myself! Before I can leave, I still have a lot of packing to do, and I am still praying that my passport and visa make it back from the embassy in time for me to leave.

  

The reason for the title of this blog:

This past year at Cedarville University, I had the privilege of leading a group of student to inner city Dayton, Ohio to visit several refugee families. There we led a Bible club (called King’s Kids Refugee Ministries), built relationships with the families, learned to cook Sudanese foods, played games, had sleep overs, etc. I adopted Paul’s prayer for King’s Kids:

“…I pray that you being rooted and established in love may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

From this past year alone, God has done immeasurably more than I can ask or imagine in several facets of my life, especially through King’s Kids. The better I get to know Jesus, the more I realize how true that He is to His Word. He is faithful, worthy, and good. We serve a great God who is more than able to transforms lives—and He does (I’m living proof). That is my prayer for my summer, and beyond!