April 21……
It has been a wonderful day as we settle in back at the mission house. We spent most of the day in Kachere where the primary school and feeding center are located. Samuel and Misozi went with us too. When we arrived they were still in session, but we had the opportunity to visit each classroom and chat with the children in grades 1-8. Those faces and those smiles…….. It would appear that math is not their favorite subject….😂. When we reached Stanley’s class however, Stanley asked Karey if she would like to teach!!! They went back to Stanley’s office and she picked what she would teach. I am sure they love math now!! I am sure Karey will be able to give you more deets, as I was off on a different adventure.
I always find myself gravitating towards the women. These women at the back of the feeding center cook for 100 orphans 2x a day and once on Sunday. Let me tell ya, it’s no joke!!! Misozi and I started cutting cabbage…..I first thought I would be cutting off a finger or a hand, but the blades were dull…..it took a lot of work to shreds the cabbage super fine. While we tackled the cabbage together, another lady was cutting up pumpkin greens, one was cutting up tomatoes and another was frying chicken parts…..free range chicken. At one point when Karey got done teaching we both giggled as another chicken walked over to the pot peering in to see what was being cooked. 😳 There we’re also 3 other ladies starting up the Nsima. They had a huge pot nestled on 3 rocks with a fire underneath. After a while it was time to start mixing…..I gave it a try……it was hard! These ladies are strong! But then……Abusa Eddie (Pastor Ed) came over to give it a try and the kids went crazy! They were running to watch and oh how they laughed…….I guess men aren’t normally seen cooking with the ladies. Everyone got such a kick out of it! “Become all things to all people”……..We had the sweet opportunity to feed the children in the feeding center….. It was a wonderful time serving them and eating with them.
While in Kachere, we also had the opportunity to walk a few of the paths between homes…..at one place that we stopped there were sweet potatoes vines…..no home. It was shared with us that a home used to be there until the storms came……there is nothing left. Except for a brick Ovi found under the vines…….I stood there……no words as I thought of the devastation to someone’s home. That was hard. We visited another home that had lost its roof and one of its walls…..the family was inside when the storms came through……they survived, thank God!!! There is so much to do here…..
Before we left Kachere, we gathered the children under a tree, sang songs and then Karey taught “Daniel in the Lions Den”. She has the gift of teaching and bringing a story to life!!
We then headed off to see how the work was going on the new church in Zomba, had the opportunity to take Misozi home (so she would have to walk)and drive through a few markets. During the drive, Samuel helped me/us with different words in Chichewa! This was really helpful as Karey and I want to be able to interact more. One of the words we keep hearing as we drive through villages is “azungu” which means white man. We have learned others as well which will be helpful on our excursions.
When we debrief in the evenings, Ed will ask all of us for a high and a low for the day. I will share of the conversation Ed, Ovi and I had while food was cooking at the feeding center today. A conversation on following Christ. While salvation is free, to follow Christ there will be a cost. The cost can look different but there should be a cost…whether it is time, talent, resources…..if there is no cost, am I really following Christ? Jesus said there would be a cost…..Luke 9:23, Luke 9:62, Matt 8:18-22 and it keeps going. I don’t think it is about salvation and then do what I want….in my comfort zone. That comfort zone will not cost me…….Lord may I be obedient to the cost before me to follow you.
One last thing….a question posed during our drive today…..what is your biggest dream right now? It was suggested that dream should scare you…….I think if it doesn’t scare you then we limit God and how He will show up. We limit how God will be glorified. What is your dream? Since we are children of God, what is your biggest dream for Gods glory?