Baptisms & New Church

There is so much to write about, but I can’t seem to organize my thoughts enough to put them into words. Every time I begin to write, someone starts talking to me.

Talking hasn’t been much easier lately either. (I say this somewhat jokingly). The other week I told one of the guards that the weather was beautiful…well, at least that’s what I was trying to say. Instead I ended up saying the tree is beautiful because the words are very similar. That poor guard! I tend to make all my mistakes with that one! He most likely thinks I’m nuts!

The other week I was determined to write, but my adorable little friend (a regular visitor), hid behind the wicker chair and began calling out in Chichewa, “Amayi! Where’s Pulo? Where’s Pulo?” Finding little Promise was definitely more important!

So after at least a month of different little things like that, I hardly know where to begin or how to get everyone caught up.

I feel like I’ve had very little quiet time lately for writing, but actually I still have some – it’s just being used to write lesson plans for the Sunday School teachers we’re working with. We are so blessed in America! If you need Sunday School material, we have many to choose from. But here, there is nothing that I know of. So I am working my way through the Bible, preparing lessons…and keeping Brother Shadrick busy with translation work. I am so grateful for his help as it’s a very large project.

Another burden I have is to give the children a desire to read God’s Word for themselves. Bibles may be hard to get, but we usually have plenty of John and Romans. We are working to put together reading plan sheets with questions for kids. Whoever is interested will get a John and Romans with weekly questions to fill in.

These two projects have been taking up most of my “free time” (is there such a thing as a homeschooling mom?).

We held baptisms in Phokera a couple weeks ago and now they are officially a church! Everyone was very excited…and it felt like everyone wanted pictures with me that day. I was quite exhausted by that time, but how could I say no?

When we arrived home, one of the ladies knelt down to hand something to Brother Shadrick. A little while later, Lydia knelt down to hand him something. Everyone laughed and he called her a real Malawian. How different that is then American culture! Could you imagine the uproar if a man in America expected women to greet him or hand him stuff only when kneeling?

The other difference is that the girls here carry everything – not the boys. The other week someone set some bags down and motioned for the girls to get them while saying, “Here you go, strong girls!” My girls were just shocked! Thankfully, they were rescued by their strong brothers, who quickly grabbed them.

Easter Sunday, through your gifts, we were able to provide meals for both the church here in Tengani and the church in Phokera. We were not able to attend either meal as we were preparing for the second services, but have heard that it was a blessing to many.

Tomorrow the church in Phokera will be holding “regular” services, meeting in the morning instead of in the afternoon like before. It will be a mad rush!

Services here are from 7-9:30 AM, and services in Phokera begin at 10. We will have very little time between the two churches. I am trying to make sure that I don’t forget anything! Just when I thought I had everything, I remembered that I hadn’t packed pictures for my S.S. teachers here or in Phokera, nor my lesson.

Surprisingly, amidst all the craziness, the Lord gives strength and peace. Oh, there are moments when I crave quietness, but what mom doesn’t?

God is good! And I am thankful that He has called us to this ministry. It is really nothing about us. I think the Lord called us to a slower growing mission field previously just so that we wouldn’t get prideful. Everything here is only because the Lord is doing a work, and we get to play a small part in it.

If you remember, pray for us tomorrow for strength and clarity of mind!