Because we are "take charge, can do" Americans, we always want to know what we "can do" whenever our hearts are touched with the call of God. Give us a wall to build, tracts to pass out, people to teach, whatever...just give us something to do.
Very often when we were in Malawi, we would ask the Christian leaders what we could do to support them. They have an impossible job and in painfully difficult situation. Certainly we can do something?
One of our team members, Sheryl, describes just such a conversation:
"At dinner I had an opportunity to meet Francis who is the leader of the Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM). He works with 34 denominations and 32 para-church organizations in the country. I asked Francis if he had a vision for how we could come along side the churches in Malawi and serve them. He started by saying, "first of all, the most important thing is that you come." He went on to say that it is such an encouragement to them that we just show up - that we travel all the way to Malawi to be with them. He said, "it feels like someone cares and that we are not alone." I was in tears and so humbled by this blessing. I had done so little and it had meant so much to him. But what a great reminder that sometimes just being "present" is all that our brothers and sisters need from us. We Americans are so concerned that we "do" something, that we often miss the blessing of just "being" with people."
Our SCPC team will be presenting a report of the trip in the worship services on Sunday, I will post some more stories from that report on Monday.
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