The title is truly what it feels like. I will say, I am not able to fully express what I have felt being on this trip in one post. It will be in the stories I tell, in the memories I have years down the road, and the excitement I feel being back home and having Africa pop into my head at seemingly the most obsolete time.
Africa has always been a dream of mine. From the moment I saw the work being done here through a video in 4th grade, I have wanted to be a part of it. Now I have.
What can I say about it? What was my favorite part? What will I remember/miss the most?
These are going to be questions I have for the next months ahead of me. Is it smart to prepare an answer so that I don't sit there dumbfounded when people ask me and I try to summarize three incredible weeks into 3 minutes? Maybe. However, I will have something different every day. There wasn't just ONE experience that sticks out that was the best day. There wasn't just ONE day that I went to bed and said, my life is changed. But coming here three weeks ago, I am not leaving the same person today. My mindset about things is different. My appreciation for family, culture, faith, community....they are different.
Will I still probably provide those three minutes because many people who ask how it went will ask out of habit and maybe don't want the three hour description? Probably.
And this is what I would say,
Being in Africa was something I will never forget. The children, the mission, the teaching, will be with me forever. I am more excited than ever that I have decided to become a teacher and I cannot wait to associate some of the things I have done here and learned here into my future classroom. A memory that will always stick out in my mind is pulling up to the churches and the children screaming and jumping up and down, sometimes jumping into the open bed truck...! and so eager to learn. What we are teaching them isn't just a story. It is the story of God's love, and I got to teach that saving message to 1686 children these last two weeks. We are all one church body. We have different cultures, different skin tones, different ways of life, but we are all one body of Christ, all working together and making each other function. We can hold each other up and we can build each other up. They realize when we get there that the best thing we can give them is not money, but the promise of eternity in heaven.
My prayer as I leave Malawi, Africa,
Dear God,
"Thank you, first of all for the opportunity in the past couple weeks to be able to periodically think to myself, "Am I really in Africa?" I thank you for the strength to come and share something I love and to grow in my faith with you. I thank you for safe travels and keeping us all healthy on our trip! I pray you use what we did here to strengthen the faith of those children and church members who are here and continue to be in the word even while we are not here. I pray for the boldness of speech as I come home so I may efficiently describe what I have done here and describe how you are working in all those we worked with. I thank you for the time with wonderful new friends and for the time of relaxation. Finally, I pray, Lord use me. Send me to do your work, use me to share what I have done here that may lead to them wanting to come share their faith as well. Use me to continue to pray for those little ones here who have just heard about your love for us."
Amen
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List of "Thanks":
Thank you to all the donors who have made this trip possible for me. Asking for money is not something i am comfortable with, and you all were so generous and gracious.
To my parents who have encouraged me, since I was that 4th grade girl watching that video, to go on mission trips and share my faith.
To friends, thank you for being so supportive. Driving me to the airport, picking me up, buying me caribou and leaving notes and pictures for me to find in my bag... I love you and thank you so much!
To the Felgenhauer Family for being so flexible with our group, taking us to see so many great places, countless hours in the car, and the support while we were doing VBS at the churches. You have such a wonderful opportunity here in Malawi!
To the group I went with, you guys were awesome. This trip would not have been the same without you and I look forward to reminiscing about this trip in the days, weeks, months ahead. Probably at 4 in the morning when none of us can sleep.... :)
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TIME TO JOURNEY HOME!
Goodbye Malawi, Hello America.
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