Thursday, July 11, 2013

To be continued…

As I prepare for my second trip to Malawi, I’ve tried to think about how best to explain why we go.  During my first trip two years ago, I wasn’t completely sure why I was going.  By the end of the trip, I was in awe of the good works being done in Malawi and didn’t want to leave.  As I finish packing for this trip, I realize that I’m going because I can’t wait to get back and see the many friends I made last time.  I can’t wait to get back and see the progress that has been made at the church’s farm.  I can’t wait to get back and see the new church and tailoring school in Mzuzu.  In short, I can’t wait to get back and see all the growth that has occurred in the last two years.

The Malawi UMC is growing and reaching the people of Malawi in both spiritual and material ways.  The Ankeny FUMC has been privileged to be a partner in the work being done in Malawi.  I have been blessed to be able to participate in the work we’re doing in this partnership.  The needs in Malawi are incalculable, and if we focused only on what remains to be done we might easily become discouraged.  Instead, we choose to focus on how far we’ve come and be inspired to continue the work.  We continue to drill new wells in even more villages.  We continue to expand the operation at the church farm.  We continue to fund scholarships for promising Malawi students.  We continue to visit Malawi so that we can encourage and assist our partners in this work.  The work will continue for many years to come, and we will continue to go because we are partners in this effort.

God bless,
Matt Phoenix

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