After really living African life for the past week in Zomba, Malawi, I've realized that we have so many options in America…options you don't even think about.
First of all, we all automatically get free schooling. Many African families have to decide if they want to send a child to school, or eat. They have no extra Kwacha to spend on any other options…not like they have many other ones to begin with. Parents often have to make the tough decision of choosing only 1 or 2 out of their 6 children that will get educated. Some local siblings, Grenis and Gradson, are in that situation. It breaks my heart to know that only 1 of them is getting educated, while people in America are skipping school because they simply just don't feel like going.
Another option we take advantage of is food. In most cases, a typical house in America has a pantry full of food. No homes, not even the one we are staying at (which is very nice compared to others) has access to food like that. Not only do we have access to food almost 24/7, but we have many foods to choose from. We have had the same foods all week, which is fine though because Momma Rose's cooking is way better than PB&J's 🙂 If I gave a can of food for every time I said "we have no food" while staring at a pantry full of options I could feed a whole village of people…and I mean REAL food; not the enseima (flour and water) mixture they live off of.
The last huge options I've noticed is how much clothing I have. Just the items of clothing I packed into my 65 liter pack for this trip is 3x more than what any of the people I've encountered has. Who really needs 3 pairs of shoes for a 4 month trip? Most children here squeeze their feet into the same shoes until their toes can't bear it anymore…and then pass it down to their siblings. I have way too many options of clothing at home than I know what to do with.
The reason we've been called to Africa is to remind everyone here that they have the best option of all, receiving and accepting the love and hope of Jesus 🙂 Since they don't have many other options, it's refreshing for them to hear about his love for them when they think they have nothing to live for. We have such an amazing opportunity to be able to come along side Jesus and spread his hope over this impoverished nation, and truely see what it means to find something that is worth living and fighting for.
"What good is it, brothers and sisters, if anyone claims faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and faily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead."
-James 2:14-17
"Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."
-1 Peter 13:8-9
Please continue to keep my team in your prayers! Hopefully we will be able to minister a little more this upcoming week if it stops raining 🙂
PS- Sue, Ricky, Sanal, and Nick, I miss you all SO much! I wish you were here to experience this amazing journey. It's only the second week and I've grown so much already. I can't wait to see what the next 3 months will have in store for me 🙂
Oh, and I GUESS I miss you too, Steve 😉
