I hope you’re enjoying this Christmas season as much as I am. As some of you know, I was able to make it home this year to South Florida for three weeks to celebrate Christmas with my family! The commercialized Christmas traditions are very different compared to humble Lilongwe, Malawi. Since I have been a terrible communicator this semester, I wanted to recap what has been happening lately with my ministry in Malawi.
I inherited a new group of students for my first grade class this year. Some of the most exciting things so far have included getting started on our Accelerated Reading program, going on a field trip to the new parliament building, baking bread, learning how to rap (taught by some college students, not me;), dressing up for reading day, learning to swim, performing various songs and skits for chapel, making Joseph’s coat of many colors, and many others. I love interacting with my students from this year and last. As time goes on, we seem to create a closer bond and I like to call us a little family.
I’m continuing my children’s ministry at Senza Village that I started last year. Our team of 3 goes every Saturday to teach a Bible lesson, sing worship songs, and play a game or two. The church that was started last year has been without a building since it began. The village and I decided that if they make the bricks and put up the walls, then I will put up a proper roof. After working for over 2 months, the people of Mafungulo Baptist Church finished the bricks and put up the church walls. I bought and delivered the iron sheets and lumber necessary to put up the roof as well as found people to build it. After about a week, the roof was up and the building was ready to be used as a place of worship. Attendance has increased from 132 to 298 members. Now, they can worship without the sun or the rain making them uncomfortable. I was encouraged by a letter written by the chiefs saying that the children have been reciting the weekly verses for fun.
I volunteered to be the “assistant director” of the school Christmas Program at the beginning of the year. I didn’t realize at the time how much work this would involve, even after watching my mom do it for so many years. I organized 200 costumes for the kids, 84 costumes for my ballet girls, as well as choreographed 4 of the 5 ballet dances. The kids did a beautiful job.
I have been having fun this semester getting to know the college students better and learning more about Malawians in the process. God is doing incredible things with their lives! I can’t wait to see what he does when some of them graduate in June.
Thank you so much for all of your prayer and support throughout this semester. I cannot tell you how much of a difference prayer makes in my attitude, patience, and health as well as the lives of those I work with. I pray often that God will use me for his glory with the kids he has put in my path. Please remember the kids of ABC and the kids of Senza village; that they will know the true meaning of Christmas.
Grace and Peace,
Whitney
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