Check out this new video about out trip to Malawi!

Short Term Trip: Malawi - Supporters' video [Newsong Irvine | 09.27.2010] from Newsong Church on Vimeo.

Hospital

I knew that working in the hospital would be difficult, but there was no way to prepare for what I would experience: illness, death, pain, sorrow, smells, lack of resources.

The illnesses most common in the children were pneumonia, malaria and measles. We treated our patients with minimal interventions: medications, IV therapy, blood transfusions and oxygen.
Really what mattered most to the patients was to be seen and heard and loved.

I witnessed organized chaos on a daily basis, and didn’t always feel particularly useful. But I know that sometimes even just a smile would brighten a child’s day. Or a mother would appreciate when I would stop and talk to her and her baby, just to see how they were doing. Even in the midst of pain and suffering, I still felt love and joy from the families in the hospital.

There is still so much to process, and I know God will continue to teach me through this experience. I know forever in my heart I will remember the people and the hospital and be reminded of the things that break God’s heart and the immense love He has for His people.

Yoweli

Jeff has done a fantastic job describing my experience meeting our sponsor child Yoweli.

Here how I describe Yoweli:

happy,

content,

playful,

loving,

full of life.

I will never be the same having met him and experienced his joy and warmth.

Still Not Totally Back

Yes indeed we're back (sort of) and two weeks into "normal" life already! It's definitely strange not to be looking forward to Malawi as I was for so long. And I feel different. It's like I'm hovering over my life and just observing. It's not that things don't feel real, it's more that they seem to hit me less hard, from a distance (through a tunnel?). It's almost like I'm still half-way in Malawi imagining what the day would be like there.

In any event, I feel more at peace. I saw a lot of sad things, I saw a lot of happy things. I got to farm and hang out with kids! I got to make new friends and reflect on life and God. I saw elepants, warthogs, hippos and crocodiles. I got to sing songs in Chichewa with the locals (I tried!). And I was blessed to have the unforgettable experience of meeting my WorldVision sponsor children (worldvision.org if you are interested) - the highlight of my trip.

I'm still in the process of digesting everything. In the meantime, here are my answers to some questions curious minds have asked me:

1) It was actually really nice weather for most of the trip since it's winter in Malawi right now. It did get very cold (for my SoCal bones) toward the end of the trip.
2) We ate well. Too well actually. I was counting on losing 5 lbs! And no, I did not try "mice on a stick" (though I do appreciate that it's a salty snack).
3) Malawi gained its independence from the UK in 1964 and is now a multiparty democracy. Yes, the US does have an embassy there.
4) The bathroom situation where we stayed was just fine (like Girl Scouot camp). The bathroom situation "out and about" was fine too, as long as you don't mind nature (I don't) or a hole in the ground (good enough).
5) Yes, I did get sick. Not too sick though and it only lasted 24 hours. Many of us got sick, but we're fine now!
6) Yes, I would go back. I can definitely see why people fall in LOVE with Malawi. The vitality of the place is so enticing!

That's it for now. Thanks for reading!

Yoweli in Malwai

One of the neatest things about going to Malawi, Africa, is that many people got to meet their World Vision sponsor children! In fact, usually the entire village will come out singing, dancing and celebrating together. Also, part of the funds go to improve the village collectively through education, spiritual training, health programs and more. For all involved this is truly a profound moment and a highlight of the trip. This was especially true for Robyn Baran.

One of Robyn’s children is a 5 year old boy named Yoweli who Robyn has been sponsoring for a year and a half. Robyn met Yoweli and his little brother Fanuel and learned more about their situation. Yoweli’s father left his mother for another woman awhile back. Since divorce doesn’t really exist in Malawi, people just marry multiple wives and abandon their first ones. Not only that but Robyn learned that Yoweli’s mother is not very present in Yoweli’s life. She had gone to town five days before and had yet to return for reasons unknown. This leaves his grandparents to do most of the raising. They are the ones who receive Robyn’s letters and who she got to meet.

In addition, Robyn and Yoweli both exchanged gifts. She gave him some stainless steel bowls, a water bottle, school supplies and pencils. He gave her a live chicken and straw mat made by the family which is an incredibly generous gift. Robyn also gave Yoweli perhaps one of the most coveted items among Malawian children, a REAL soccer ball. Yoweli, to say the least, was a very happy kid that day.

So much so that after an hour and a half, when it was time for Robyn to leave, he refused to let go of her. Robyn hugged him again and tried to leave yet he refused to let go a second time as well. Robyn, who was almost moved to tears, finally gave him one more big squeeze and pried him off of her.
Climbing into the truck she waved again and as they drove away she watched Yoweli run after them, waving good bye in the dust. It is a moment she will treasure forever.

Meeting a sponsor child is a powerful thing. It takes those who seem so far away and distant and makes them real. Now when Robyn prays for Yoweli or writes to him, he is no longer just a picture on her refrigerator door but an actual little boy who she has met and held and who values her love and support. In the end visiting a sponsor child isn’t about going to someplace exotic or giving them gifts. It’s about meeting a new family member and that is something worth far more then $35 dollars a month.


-Jeff Jordan

Farming

So one of the things that I participated in while in Malawi was something called "Farming God's way." I learned alot about this farming method while I was in Malawi, and spent about four days supporting the amazing people who have already been teaching this to the people of Malawi for years. They do an amazing job of demonstrating this method, as well as tying in how we need to rely on God for our spiritual food as well as physical food. There are alot of resources online where you can learn about this in depth (http://www.farming-gods-way.org/FGW.htm), but I will attempt to give a brief overview.

This was taken from the site I listed above:

"Farming God’s Way has a proven track record of 28 years & was initially designed by Brian Oldreive of Zimbabwe, on the commercial farm Hinton Estate (3,500ha). The farm was ultimately the second largest commercial farm in Zimbabwe. The technology was thereafter made available to surrounding predominantly subsistence farmers, & many success stories abound where farmers have adhered to standards, & lives across the continent have been drastically improved with results of radically improved yields, provision, profitability & restoration of farmers self worth."

The main staple crop grown in Malawi is corn, or "Maize." Most people who farm are sustenance farmers, which means they farm purely to be able to eat and feed their families. This really shows the importance of agriculture, and any way to be able to grow more food and prevent starvation is huge. The goal is to show people a better way to farm, prove that it works, and hope that they will break away from the traditional way of farming and take a risk with something new. Sometimes this can be hard, especially when you are used to something that you know will produce some food, even if its not enough. Risking your food source on something totally foreign to you can be a challenge. This is why there is usually a sample garden planted on a small plot of land owned by a local church. People can see for themselves how this way of farming works without having to take any risks. The goal from there is to have people try it on a small part of their own land, and eventually on their whole property once they see its benefits.


Four principles:
-Do everything on time (According to the optimal season and rainfall)
-Do everything to a high standard (Measuring out the field and planting stations)
-Don't waste anything (leave dead plants on the ground instead of burning them)
-Do your work with joy (God gave us farming as a blessing, not a curse. Adam was told to work the garden of Eden and take care of it, this happened before the fall.)

When you look at the forests and the places where there is no need to work or tend the plants you can see that the dead plants have fallen to the ground, sometimes covering it. There is no one there to clean up, yet the plants grow just fine. Apparently having this dead plant layer helps protect against soil erosion, and gives nutrients back to the ground.

The traditional way of farming requires:

-Tilling the ground and making ridges, which is very labor intensive.
-Gathering and burning the old plants

Farming God's way has been shown to require much less labor, making it more time efficient. It also has been proven to grow healthier, larger quantities of plants. Thanks to Cathey, Mcnell, Wonderful, and the rest of the FTS guys, you are amazing.
Here are a few pictures of what I was involved in:

We are back!

So after 17 intense days (4 of those being travel) we are finally back! This experience has been amazing and challenging at the same time. After being back it almost feels like a dream or another completely different life. I have been trying to process everything that I experienced and figure out what the next step is. I will post more in the near future about what specifically we did as a team, what we saw, as well as pictures and video. Its good to be back, and I want to thank all of my supporters for contributing toward me and the team I went with. Thank you for all of your prayer and funding support, I am excited to share about what God has been doing in Malawi.

WATER

My bag is packed!

As I was packing, Ryan was helping me by bringing large ziplocs to use. He took one and said, "Mommy, I need this one."

He then told me he was using it so I could bring it to Malawi. So I go back to packing, not paying attention to what was going on.

Three minutes later, he said, "Mommy, I spilled some of the water out of the bag. Sorry, mom."

Okay, what is he doing?? I go into the bathroom and he tells me he wants Yoweli and Happy (our sponsor children) to be healthy. He says he wants safe water for us to drink. He then says he doesn't understand why the water can't go in the suitcase!

Amazing how much my kids have paid attention, especially when I didn't know they were listening!

Southern (Africa) Hospitality

This past Sunday I had the chance to go to the church of my youth with my Mom. The priest shared about his experience living in Haiti and about his non-profit that helps orphan children. He told us about “mud pies” which are literally dirt fried in oil that the kids eat in order to overcome hunger (temporarily). He talked about how parents will leave their children in public places in the hopes that someone will pick them up and be able to feed them. The plight the priest described brought tears to my eyes and his plea for our hospitality to these kids was quite effective! Hospitality, he said, was the theme of the scriptures we read and the theme of his purpose in speaking to us that Sunday.

When I hear these stories, I feel a strong desire to be more in a position to do something. This time, I also felt really excited about being blessed to go to Malawi and to contribute – even for a short time. The people who have gone before us have told us that just sharing the experience of the moment with the people is a great gift (for both parties) even if it’s a moment colored by suffering. It seems that being able to forget and step outside of yourself and connect with another person – no matter what your life situation is – is something we all crave and need. I think it’s "connectedness" that satisfies. Otherwise, what's the point of “it all”? The ironic thing is that we've heard over and over again that the people of Malawi (aka "The Warm Heart of Africa") extend such touching hospitality to us even when they have little to give from a material perspective.

For the second time this week I got a message about hospitality – that exact word, in italics from a friend who was asking for help on behalf of refugees in need of basic household items.

This week God's message to me is hospitality. Loud and clear. More will be revealed, I'm sure.

“God does not call the equipped, he equips the called.”

I read this quote in Rich Stearns’ book The Hole in Our Gospel.

This has given me hope and peace as I follow the call to learn about God’s work in Malawi. I know He is bigger than my fear and anxiety. I know He is faithful to complete the work He has started and that His plans are always good.

I rest in the peace that surpasses all understanding, knowing that it can only come from our Lord.

Is This a Dream?

I still can't believe that in about a month, I'll be in Malawi. Every time I think about it, I think of my classmate from 2006 because he returned from Malawi with reports of "mice on a stick" snacks. In addition to the mice snacks, I'm really looking forward to connecting with the people - all kinds of people: the people of Malawi, my Trex team, the other folks on our mission, the Y-Malawi staff, and folks I don't even know to be excited about yet!

I also can't wait to see what impact I get to have there and what impact the trip will make on me. The past 6 months or so have just whizzed right by (which is always a good sign). Sometimes my life feels like a dream that I'm just moving through. I'm pretty sure that getting off the plane in Malawi will snap me right out of that. I'm hoping that (for a while anyway) my petty worries about my extremely blessed life disappear into an attitude of profound gratitude. I'm hoping for a greater sense of belonging to humanity. Though ironic, I'm hoping to feel joyous and free in circumstances that will bring me face to face with the much harsher circumstances of life on the other side of the world. And of course, the ultimate, I hope to feel closer to God.

The thing is, great things are already happening. I guess it's best expressed as a spirit of boldness and confidence because going on this trip is more intimidating than most of what I encounter day to day. I find myself thinking about what my intentions are for my life and the world in a much more conscious, precise way. I find myself having better perspective.

I'm thrilled by the adventure. I have expectations but truly I have no idea what to expect. I'm pretty sure I can't even imagine what's in store...

Fears for Fun

So welcome to our Malawi blog. I must say I am really, really excited about this trip and we are going with a great organization called Y-Malawi.

Now you must know that Y-Malawi is actually breaking the trip into two major teams, the "His Hands" team and the "His Feet" team. (His being the person of Christ) Officially our team is the "His Feet" team, but in reality we are probably more like the His Spleen team. I am not even sure what His Spleen would do, but it would probably involve something like trip digesting what God is doing in our lives.


This trip is not without it's dangers and I must confess that some fears have risen.

A. Malaria or Scurvy – Now Malaria is curable and highly preventable, however mosquito’s love pasty white people and you can never be too careful. At the same the very thought I am going somewhere so exotic that Malaria is a threat produces a highly adventurous feeling inside of me. I feel a bit like Indiana Jones, but without the Nazi’s, crazy adventures, dumb aliens or Shia Lebouf.

As for Scurvy, I know, Scurvy isn’t really an issue, and there are plenty of mangos to go around, but it just seems like it adds a lot to the trip to view it as a possibility.

B. Marriage – Let’s be honest, most guys have this fear as well but mine is different. It’s not so much marriage I fear as much as the prospect of an accidental marriage. You see, it could be entirely possible that I accidentally accept a marriage proposal from some young Malawi native and not realize it. Perhaps there is a big party, with a bonfire and dancing and food, and some girl comes up to me and puts a wreath around my neck. Of course, I am flattered and accept the wreath, thinking that it only a kind gift, or possibly they are making me their leader, when in all actuality it is a marriage proposal and I now find myself engaged. (At this point I would like to say that my parents would probably be thrilled.)

I then try to get out of the marriage but realize I can’t do so without eternally shaming the poor girl. She would then be scorned by her family, cast out of her village and forced to live in the wild where she would eventually be eaten by a lion and I don’t know about you, but I just don’t want that on my conscience.

So you see, there is a lot more going on here then meets the eye. The perils and pitfalls are numerous and the stakes are high. I can only ask for your fervent prayers.

I hope to continue to write more adventures here as we go and to be sure, for those who read my real blog, there are bound to be some Great Moments in OCD History that will transpire. I shudder to think of the possibilities.

Jerseys for Joy

Our team will be delivering soccer jerseys to the many children we'll be meeting in Malawi. How did we get these jerseys? It's all because of one woman's vision to make a difference with a very simple idea to collect jerseys from schools kids in Orange County. Here's a message from our friend, Jenn:

Jerseys for Joy: A Priceless Endeavor
One idea, two collection days, and a few emails later, we have a gift for Malawi kids that is 130 times better than when we first began. Jerseys for Joy was a simple idea that didn't cost a cent but became a priceless endeavor. Our family's idea to donate our daughter's "retired" soccer jersey to our sponsor child in Nkhoma, Malawi, turned into a collaboration with kids from Newsong, Costa Mesa Vineyard, Crossroads Community Church, Rock Harbor South County, and a soccer commissioner for AYSO. We collected 130 gently used and new soccer jerseys, but more importantly have forged and strengthened relationships between believing communities throughout Orange County. It was not only a great opportunity to share our possessions but also to allow our kids to talk about world view with friends and classmates in a non-religious setting. This was, indeed, an opportunity to unleash beauty.


Thank you, Jenn!

An Inspiring Story!

Was sent this video the other day about this Malawian determined to change the road his family was traveling...totally INSPIRING!!

The 6 - The Story

Want more?
See the Story.
Click here

Unleashing Beauty in Malawi

Nkhoma, Malawi is one of the 7 initiatives in our church's "Unleash Campaign" which is our effort to help sustain the work and leaders that are caring for the community both locally and globally. Newsong has a long term commitment in Malawi and hopes to continue to send people and resources to provide holistic care and see a generation of leaders developed, poverty and HIV/AIDS eradicated and clean water accesible to all. Read more on the Unleash Campaign and how Newsong plans to make an impact this year: unleashingbeauty.net.

Already, over 1500 World Vision children are sponsored in Malawi through Newsong (1104 were sponsored in just one day!). Our team will get to see some of the sponsor kids. What a privilege! We hope to see more people go out whether short or long term to connect with the children.

Our Team

Here is our team, its the best I could do with MS Paint. Where did she find those garlic fries?! They look just like the ones they sell at Angel Stadium.

Malawi Overview

Malawi is a landlocked country located in southeast Africa that is surrounded by Mozambique, Zambia, and Tanzania. Lake Malawi occupies nearly all of the country's eastern border. The north-south Rift Valley is flanked by mountain ranges and high plateaus. In the higher elevations, Malawi is pleasantly cooler than many other African countries, but the lowlands are hot, humid, and tropical. Natural resources include limestone, hydropower, uranium, coal, and bauxite.

More than 80 percent of people live in rural areas and are engaged in farming. Agriculture products include corn, sugarcane, cotton, tea, vegetables, nuts, cattle, and goats. More than 65 percent of Malawians live below the poverty threshold, and the inflation rate is 30 percent. Malawi is a very poor and densely populated nation that is categorized as one as one of the world's least developed countries, ranking 165 out of 177 on the human development index. Despite attempts at economic reform, the government continues to face challenges due to a rapidly growing population, the increasing number of HIV and AIDS cases, limited and poorly managed natural resources, recurrent droughts, environmental degradation, and food insecurity.

In May 2004, Bingu wa Mutharika, an economist, was elected president. The economy of Malawi relies on substantial economic assistance from the IMF, World Bank, and other nations. The government is attempting to develop a market economy, improve educational facilities, and address environmental issues, as well as deal with the escalating problem of HIV and AIDS.

The HIV and AIDS pandemic have had a significant impact on Malawi, where the prevalence rate among adults is 14.2 percent.

Feeling Blessed!

There has been so much going on in my life the past 2 months- it's been a little chaotic. My times I've felt totally overwhelemed and ready to throw in the towel on some things, but then God steps in and gives me a glimance of his power and control of the situations in my life. He opens opprotunities to met my needs and bring blessings. These glimances restore my soul and bring me to a place of prayer and worship. I am blessed to be going to Malawi, truely blessed. I am blessed to be apart of a church community where 5 yr old kids are giving up their birthdays to help bring clean water to other kids worlds away.  I am blessed that i have a husband and kids that love me and lobe that i have this chance to go to Malawi, even though it means BIG sacrifics for them. I am blessed that I have a personal relationship with a God that deeply and passionately loves me and when I smart enough to make space for God in my life He shows up every time!
~ Shannon 

Recent Thoughts

Just some recent thoughts of mine:

Earlier this week I was walking over to my van and something on the ground caught my attention. It was a baby sparrow and it looked like it was half asleep. When I tried to pick it up, it climbed onto my finger, jumped off, and glided slowly down to the ground about 6 feet away. I went over to pick it up again and could see that it was injured. I figured it fell out of a nest in a nearby tree considering it was windy that day. After I picked it up again and went inside the house, I called my sister and asked her what we should do. We both decided to try to nurse it back to health and release it again once it was strong enough. There was an old bird cage in the garage that we found, and we added some leaves and newspaper to the inside to act as a new home for the bird. We also put a plate of water in the cage, and I went out back to dig up some worms, isnt that what baby birds eat? The bird continued to be pretty unresponsive; it was half awake with its eyes nearly closed, but was still breathing. We had no luck feeding it mashed up worms and it wasn't drinking water. My sister mentioned that the bird was probably cold so she decided to sit down and watch a movie while holding it in her hands. About an hour later while I was outside working on a friends car, when my dad came out and told me that the bird didn't make it. My sister described that it's breathing became more and more shallow, then it just stopped breathing altogether while she was holding it. Although it seemed like a rather brief and insignificant event in the busyness of life, it caused me to ask myself some questions think about a few things. Why were we so willing to give our time to help that bird? Was the life of that animal important in God's sight? Why was life so fragile? What can we leave behind that will outlast material possessions? What is really important in life? It also brought to mind this verse:

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31

A few days later I learned that an old friend and coworker who I was roommates with about six years ago had passed away in a motorcycle accident. I don't know the details, or even when exactly it happened, and it made me sad to realize that one sentence was all it took to describe such a huge event. Maybe I will see him again after I move on from this life, but while I am here I hope that experiences like this will cause me to be humble, realize how short life is, and to remember what things are really important.

What do we want to be remembered for? Lets leave behind something in this world that will last: The redeeming message of the cross of Christ and the love he showed for us. In what ways can we express this? I think that the many things happening in Malawi are just one way, and I am excited to see what God has been doing there. Just think, 1104 children were sponsored through World Vision last Sunday alone! Glory to God.

Ryan