Malawi

Have you ever felt what it's like to hear the rhythmic footsteps of 50 small children sprinting from their huts to greet you with eager and unexplainable happiness as you step into their village? Or seen a child overwhelmed with joy just by simply letting them hold your hand, by giving them a hug, or by making a stumbling attempt to communicate in their language? Or ever experienced what it's like to worship and dance with elderly widows who have next to nothing, yet still retain unwavering hope and immeasurable satisfaction in a God who is faithful? These sort of happenings were day to day, nearly hour by hour experiences while I was on mission with Summit in Malawi. I honestly had never witnessed such simple and untainted joy. There was so much to learn from these people about love, happiness, and community without them even having to speak words that I could understand. Although I've been on several mission trips in the past, this was a first time for me to travel overseas, to a third-world country, and witness that these God-given attributes really do know no boundaries in language, culture, social class, or location.

Upon leaving for Africa, my mindset was that I was going to be the one to pour into others and help those in need, but it was God, the people in Malawi, and my team that really poured into me. It became so easy to see God working for us, in us, and through us, and to see His love physically brighten the spirits of these African people through simple gestures like reading a child a letter from her American sponsor, serving a hot meal to a 5-year old orphan, or spending a little extra time walking through Bible passages with young men in a late afternoon study. One of my other team members put it best when he said that it seemed we were "filled with boldness and faith like we've never known." I definitely experienced this firsthand when myself and two others from Summit were given the awesome opportunity to share our stories and give our first sermons in front of over 800 people at a soccer tournament.

I think often we aim our focus to meet needs that are physical, and often rightly so, but it was so apparent in this place and in this atmosphere, that God's aim is for the soul. That's where the hunger is. That's where the bread of life can satisfy. Paul commends Christians to preach the gospel daily to ourselves and others, so that through the Holy Spirit, our lives and theirs will be transformed. It was an unbelievable experience and was so beneficial to see this in action within my team and also among these Malawian people. We were all in this state of perpetual movement and spiritual growth that I wish I observed and personified as frequently here in the states. It was kingdom building at it's finest. My prayer upon return is that God would give us eyes to see the world as He sees it, to cultivate His love and grace amongst each other, to harvest hope, and seek to live lives of consistent worship all unto the glory of God and the praising of His name.