The MOH feeding center of Katondo was where most of the work was done by our 2008 team. This is the site where we built the second chicken house. All of the team members got to work on it, but Ryan, Andy and Greg stayed here for the entire duration of our stay to try and get a majority of it done before we left. I have honestly never met harder workers than those that we met in Africa. The women even more so than the men. They had their babies strapped on and even breastfeeding while shoveling, scooping and carrying enormous loads of fill dirt over to the foundation. Kids helped by transporting large rocks on their heads from the feeding center area over to the work area - pics are in the slideshow.
Also in Katondo, we gave a VBS story and craft to the kids. Jenny talked about salvation the first day, and the kids made salvation bracelets as their craft; the second day, the story was about how God is always there, even though you can't see Him. The kids made kites that day out of brown lunch bags and string, symbolic of how the air that we can't see fills the bags and enables the kites to fly. Just as the air is invisible, God also is naked to the eye, but when He calls us to Him, He fills us up and we become free through His Son. "It is freedom that Christ has set us free." Galatians 5:1a "We live by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7 We brought crayons and stickers for them to decorate with. There was so much joy in the kite craft. The kids were running around flying their kites, following Beth and laughing and smiling seeing just how fast they could go!! What a joy it was to see such happiness come out of something so simple to make, and the illustration was just perfect! Beth and Emily were great with the kids, playing "duck, duck goose" and hand games with them. The kids also got a kick out of blowing up medical latex gloves and keeping them up into the air, not letting them touch the ground.
I was in charge of the hygiene clinic. I showed the kids how to wash their hands well with soap and water, and also how to brush their teeth. We were able to hand out toothbrushes and toothpaste and bar soap that was donated to all the kids there!
Susan read scripture with the older kids, and passed out small Bibles for them to keep. The older kids read English fairly well, so they were able to take turns reading and they got to talk about what those passages meant to them. How awesome!
We also held a medical mission there at Katondo. Dr. Butler is a pediatrician so he saw many kids with a wide range of symptoms and diseases. Medicine such as antibiotics, children's cough syrup, de-worming pills, ibuprophin, and tylenol were provided for us to give to the kids- and to the adults we saw- in need. There was also a physician's assistant named Mwawi that worked in one of MOH's crisis nursery's that traveled with us to a couple centers. She was able to help in seeing and diagnosing the huge turnout of patients. It was truly amazing at how the Lord equipped us with specific people to help us do His work. This happened more than once. "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:9b-10
Labels:
chicken house,
Katondo,
Malawi 2008,
Ministry of Hope
God provides. God provides indeed! Over the past two weeks, we have a lot to offer praise for. Ryan is scheduled to start seminary in June 2010, so we plan to be down in Jackson in May so that we can get settled in and acquainted with our new home town. Since Ryan will be in school full time, he will only be able to get a part time job, which means we will have to live on even less than we do now. So, we have our house and car up for sale now. We've been praying that the Lord raise up an honest and fair buyer for both and that He provides us with a mini van to accommodate our growing family. The Lord did provide- and even beyond! He provided us with a FREE mini van! Glory to God for his goodness and provisions!! We have been so humbled by this answered prayer. Ryan told me a few days before we received the news about the van that his cousin Marilyn (who is a prayer warrior!!) was praying for us, for the Lord to raise up a mini van, perhaps a free mini van, if not just for our needs, but then to encourage and soften everyone hearts around us. Well, the Lord indeed hears our prayers, and He answers prayers!! What an incredible blessing!! "
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
We immediately called Marilyn with the news of this answered prayer and she was ecstatic. I was crying... I could tell she was teary eyed too! She emailed me later saying "Romans 8:32" which reads "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Along with this answered prayer, we also have received medical coverage for our children, a $71.00 credit on our gas bill, and deposit money for on-campus housing for seminary. We needed to get that deposit money off very soon to make sure we secured housing for us. We prayed about the Lord sending us money, and out of the blue a couple of days ago, for no apparent reason, Ryan's mom gave him exactly the amount we needed to send!! To the dollar!!! This has no luck or chance to it; it is ALL God!!!!!
How wonderful He is!
He loves us because we are His.
Thanks for everyone's prayers!
Labels:
Praise and encouragement
Chimwangombe is the feeding center/village the 2007 team worked at for the entire 2 weeks they were there. One of their main projects was to construct a goat house, and our 2008 team was able to see how God was using that goat house to bless the village. First, the villagers ended up using the building as a chicken house.... but from selling the eggs, the village had raised enough money to send 2 kids to secondary school (which is high-school over here, and is not free over there), they bought a plot of land which they had cultivated and were growing vegetables on, and they were able to purchase the necessary medicine for a couple of kids who had HIV/AIDS! Wow! What an incredible blessing. This chicken house was named 'House of Many Hands'. The chicken house our team constructed was at a different village- Katondo-, which will be the next post I will publish.
Immediately upon arrival, the village kids ran up to our taxi bus. They all seemed so happy and excited about something 'new' going on in their village. We gave the kids here a VBS story and craft, sang songs, played games, gave out toothbushes and toothpaste, and YES, I had the privilege of showing them how to brush their teeth!! They all had seen toothbrushes before, but brushing teeth was not a daily hygienic routine like it is here- there is not a nearby store to walk to that sells it, and even if there were, they would most likely not have the money to buy those items. Money goes toward food.
We also had time to just hang out with them, talk with them, and encourage them. Most know some English, and many could speak English well enough to have a conversation. We did have 4 translators from the African Bible College (ABC) with us, and they were able to communicate for us to the ones who knew little or no English, and this was extremely helpful with the medical mission at the 3 other centers we worked at.
It was humbling to see their living situations, their lack of comfort and lack of food, kids orphaned because of HIV/AIDS, dirty clothes with holes, no shoes, obvious health problems... but through it all, every one of those kids we saw (and adults too) were smiling. They had such a peace about the life God has given them. Why can't we Americans be like that? Why can't I be like that? With all that we have over here, we still want more. We complain about the things we have; they didn't complain about the things they didn't have. Well, the Malawians ended up teaching me a few things. Maybe that is one reason God sent me.
"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life" Philippians 2:14-16
Labels:
Chimwangombe,
Malawi 2008,
Ministry of Hope
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