[snapshots] of malawi.

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 things by the ankle like a goat. her belongings were taken from her and burned. in the eyes of her family, she was worthless. but what they looked past was how strong of a girl they were messing with. she was determined to get past that and of all the girls i worked with she has found hope in her new home faster than any. she was willing from day 1 to share her story, to find safety, and to move past the hurtful past. she does not let her past define her. she has huge dreams for the future. and for a 12 year old she is incredibly strong despite her lifes challenges. my life was blessed and challenged by tionge this summer. a girl who has faced challenges far beyond my imagination showed me what real strength is in life. she challenged me to not let the past define me, to dream big, and to be open and vulnerable. her willingness to share her story is one thing i can point to as healing her. she never felt as though she had to hold it in. yes, there are still signs on her life and spirit that show she faced challenges. but those signs don’t define her.

i pray for tionge, to continue to pursue big dreams for the future. to continue being stronger and better than her past. to continue relying on others despite the hurt others have caused her. and i pray that she continues to influence lives of others just like she has impacted mine.