September 2010
2 posts
[mawu]
one of the newest members of timothy’s home, mawu brings a unique and spunky character to the group. she is one of the most joyful people i have ever met and honestly i never would have thought such hurt and abandonment were a part of her life. in most scenarios she is the most easy going and seemingly unaffected by the pieces of her life that should hurt so much. but the first day i did...
August 2010
3 posts
joy and healing and hope. [chrissy]
i remember this little girl, a little girl i can clearly say helped me fall in love with malawi. she was just a little bundle of joy that summer of 2009. yes, she was a little apprehensive of us white people- but she was not hesitant to play and dance and laugh. i thought she was so tiny and wonderful. her name is chrissy. not to pick favorites, but she was one of the favorites from that first...
tionge.
open book. hurtful past. big dreams. there is one thing you will realize the moment you meet tionge, she is willing to be completely open and vulnerable. the first day i sat down with her, she told the stories of a horrible past. things that i could never experience flowed from her. as these words were translated i kept asking, are these things true?! yes, she was beat by her father. tied to...
July 2010
5 posts
(Befa) June 29, 2010
her face showed no emotion, well no happiness at least, a face of pain from the past. she just didn’t feel anything anymore. this 10 year old girl has experienced more in her 10 years than a person could ever dream of having to go through in their entire life. she holds the story, the scar of abuse, loss of parents, spiritual battle, and that is probably just the start. her name is Befa (or...
(Chrissy) May 29th, 2010
I held her in my arms for an hour, the sweet little Chrissy. Her body looks like a 3 year old, but in reality she is 6. her body is burning up with a fever, and her breathing is so fast. her entire being is weak. not only physically, but also her will to keep fighting for her life. Chrissy’s body is not only consumed with AIDS, it has lost its passion and desire to thrive. she won’t...
home.
well after the long journey, complete with delays and long waits in the airport, i am home. Malawi was an even more incredible experience than i ever could have imagined. at this point i can’t even begin to express all that i saw, heard, and learned. i’m going to post a few entries that i wrote while there, but expect many more yet to come. my heart is very sad to be away from malawi-...
June 2010
2 posts
Tuesday June 22
Straight from safari in Zambia doing well…loving every minute of time in africa. I’ll be home June 30th, some changed plans! See you all soon!!!!
Tuesday June 22nd
Had a message from Alissa today. They are on safari and seeing so many animals. I will let her expand on that when she can. She is having a wonderful time and getting sad as her time in Malawi draws to a close. They board the plane to return home on Tuesday, June 29th and arrive in Indianapolis on the 30th. This is a week earlier than planned.
May 2010
3 posts
Update from Malawi
It’s been 7 days since Alissa boarded the plane for Malawi and finally this morning at 5:30 a.m. a text came saying I could call her. Alissa and the team are at Lake Malawi spending the day with the 11 children who are living in Timothy’s Home, the house built on the circle of hope compound for these precious orphans. It is the first trip for most of these precious children and I could...
excitement and fear.
I AM EXCITED FOR:
seeing the faces of some of my favorite people in this world AND hearing their voices.
hearing the joyful singing of God’s beautiful Malawian children.
sitting through 4 hour church services that show me what real worship is. that bring you right into God’s powerful presence.
using the knowledge I have to poor into this community. I may feel inadequate, but in all...
take off.
well this is it! the last few days before i take off for malawi have quickly approached. bags are packed. lessons are made. toys are collected. all that is left is actually leaving!
i think back to the day almost a year ago when i knew i would be heading back to malawi. i was still there, and every part of me knew that i had to go back. there was no doubt. but somehow over the year, life has...
April 2010
1 post
March 2010
1 post
77.
i can’t believe how quickly my trip is approaching! it is seriously unbelievable, and at so many times i am in denial. i was sitting looking at pictures of some of my favorite people in this world, malawian friends of course, and i realized just how much my heart misses them. i get tears in my eyes so often when i think about their lives, and how blessed i am here. but that is making me even...
February 2010
1 post
toys needed.
This coming summer I have an incredible opportunity to do counseling with a group of children through Circle of Hope. I have a focus on 5 girls who have experienced abusive pasts, witchcraft and other spiritual battles, and possible learning difficulties. I want to use techniques I have learned about Play Therapy to help them work through their past hurts. Play Therapy is a great technique that...
December 2009
2 posts
143 days.
before i know it i will be hopping on a plane to travel to malawi. the time seems to be coming so soon, but it still feels so far away. i have a lot to get accomplished before this approaches, but i know it will all get done. the project preparations are somewhat overwhelming, and i feel like there is so much work to be done!
support is coming in so incredibly, and i am amazed at how God is...
