April 30^th, 2023

Good morning. Praying you are having a wonderful service full of worship and the Word of God.  Hopefully our video made it through to you.

This morning was an early start, heading out to Nasedegu. Some of you may be aware that this is the church that Highland Park has been deeply involved with throughout the years.

From a small group of people meeting under a mango tree, doing house to house visits and sharing the gospel with people and letting them know that a church was going to be built by the mango tree.

Even digging out the foundation for the bricks to be laid, along with those that would attend down the road. Until the day finally came when the church was commissioned, and a new group of believers started gathering on Sunday in a building that the Lord had provided. 

As with any church there have been ups and downs as is normal for every church, there has been growth and loss, but today the church has a strong group of believers in it.

Service in Malawi is quite different than any service at home. There is usually at least an hour of worship as various choirs march in singing, do a few songs, many with actions, and then march out singing.

Besides the many choirs today we were blessed to hear from a young man, and also from two young women that shared a few worship songs with the congregation.

I have posted some short clips of the songs on our Mission to Malawi page, make sure you check them out.

There is dancing, drama, and so much joy as the church here in Nasedegu worshipped. We even had songs in English that we could understand. Then they asked if our team would like to share a worship song, and thankfully Leah shared “Victory in Jesus.” She has such a beautiful voice.

When she finished and sat down, we were asked, Is that all? They take their worship very seriously.

Since the church has been established for some time, I preached from Hebrews 12:1-2, detailing how to run this race with endurance.

At the end as always, there is an altar call. Surprisingly, but not surprising because of what God has done this trip, four adults came forward to accept Christ.

Born again believers always weigh heavy on my heart, especially here in Malawi. Will there be follow-up, will they be discipled, will they get involved in the church and not fall away if it was a true profession of faith.

There is quite the network of Pastors at the Hope Baptist Churches in Malawi, providing support for many. And they have grown greatly under the leadership of HFTF since I have started coming.

But I think anyone would desire the best for new believers. As Leah said in the video, God revealed to her the importance of making connections. First between Christ and the lost, then connections before salvation, and after salvation.

There needs to be someone that will follow up with these new believers, and there may well be, this is just something that crossed my mind as we were talking here.

So many things on my mind that God has me thinking about. So many lost, so many in need, both physically and spiritually. So many wanting to know the Lord, but so few willing to share the Lord, to Go.

But any way, what a joyous day in Nasedegu. We got to see brothers and sisters that we haven’t seen since last year. We always say, “If God allows, I will see you next year.”

They were thankful that God allowed, we were very thankful that God allowed as well. It is always a gift to be able to share about Christ. We share anything we have, but the most important thing we can share is Christ Jesus.

On a side note, this was my last Sunday in Malawi this year, unless God changes something. Three weeks goes fast. As our time draws to a close, self-reflection is important for me.

Was I a God honoring witness for Jesus? Did I give everything I had to give? Will I be able to leave knowing that I had every conversation, preached every message, and loved each person that God wanted me to?

As I say to the team, will I leave all that I am and all that I have on the field here? Having regrets about missing something God had for you on mission trips is so painful. I have spoken with many that “held back”, that waited to see, but close to the end they opened up and regretted not allowing Christ to use everything they had.

I pray that as our time here starts coming to a close that the entire team did just that, left everything they had on the field here in Malawi.

And I pray fervently that we leave everything on the field daily when we return. Missions do not stop simply because we board a plane back to America.

Each of us has our own personal mission field that we labor in. Do you leave everything you have daily in your mission field? I pray you do.

Nothing is worse than regretting a missed opportunity that God put in your path.

Janine and Leah are currently dancing in the kitchen {I’m not making this up} in front of me, Janine has the beginning of a sore throat, all the ladies have mosquito bites all over their legs, and have given up trying to stop it.

Tired? Yes! Sore? A little bit. Ready to come home, nope, not even close. By God’s grace we will milk every minute out of these final days. Our desire, the same as Ovi confessed yesterday.

That when we stand before Christ in heaven, we hear, well done my good and faithful servant. Until that day, we run with endurance the race that is set before us.

Blessing in Christ,

Brother Ed