Reflecting on Malawi - Bruce Reeve

Wow, it's been two months now since we came back from Malawi! It's amazing how fast you fall back into your old routines after being away. But even after getting back to the hustle and stress of our normal lives, I do notice something different. Not a day goes by when I don't think at least once about my experiences in Malawi. I remember feeling guilty when we were there about being so concerned with buying keepsakes to bring home. But now I find that I cherish them not for what they are, but for the memories they trigger of the people we met and the things that we witnessed.

There's the village print Sarah bought that is hung on our wall, and my coffee cup at work with a village scene. Both remind me of the church services we attended in small villages out in the countryside. Since they drew so many villagers, most of the services took place outdoors in beautiful natural surroundings. Those surroundings however were no match for the beauty of the faith held by the people we met. These are people who have very few material possessions, but their wealth goes far beyond material things. Though they have so little, they give everything they have to their faith and to those who have even less than them. I see Violet, the young lady who was teaching orphans at two villages. Without any other means of transportation, she was walking for hours each day to get to her kids. We could see on her face how proud she was just to have the opportunity for God to work through her to provide that service. We could also see the pride in her students as they show us their math and English skills. I think of Aaron, the carpenter who used his skills with rudimentary tools, to pour a new cement floor for the church in his village church. We were there to help, but Aaron and his helpers from the village provided all the skill. I think of the village women carrying large containers of water and laundry many miles to and from the borehole several time each day. Wouldn't their lives be improved if safe drinking water was more readily available?

I see the cloth bag we bought in support of the church women's group, which reminds me of all the important land breaking work that group is doing to raise the status of women in the church, and to provide ministry aimed at improving the lives of the less fortunate.

I see the small wood carvings we brought back. Some of animals and fish which reminds me of the natural beauty we witnessed on our trips to Liwonde National Park and Lake Malawi. Others of angels, which were presented to us as gifts at one of the villages. At another village we were presented with clocks, with scenes depicting Africa, that were made for us by the villagers.

Most importantly, every day I put on a small wooden cross that I bought to remind me of the incredible faith I witnessed in the people of Malawi. I find just putting it on causes me to be more reflective about not only the trip, but also other things going on in my life. It feels very comforting just to wear it. The cross reminds me of the many amazing people I met on this trip including church leaders like Rev. Mhone and Rev. Steve who have a fantastic vision for growth in the Malawi Methodist Church, and projects that will improve the lives of Malawians. It also reminds me of two brothers Steve and Kelly, young men with uncommon leadership skills who are dedicating themselves to make a difference in Malawi. All of these leaders are very inspirational to me. Everyday when I put on that cross it brings back memories of the the things I was able to witness in Malawi. I feel privileged to have been afforded the opportunity to experience Malawi as I have. With that privilege God has provided comes a responsibility and a challenge to stay committed towards helping the people I met there. They've given me much more than they'll ever know, just by sharing their faith. That in turn has allowed me to grow in my faith. I know I'll always be indebted to them for that, and that I have a responsibility to pay back that debt by continuing to provide help.

I am back - but my heart is still in Malawi - by Mike Gudka

Wow! What an incredible Holy Spirit filled trip. Once again the people of Malawi, particularly those who belong the UMC of Malawi, were so loving and so uplifting that despite their extreme poverty, they lifted me up. I only hope in some small way my presence, work, and words of encouragement and hope lifted them up as well and brought them closer to Christ. It is the relationships that you make that change you, change the other person, and bring us all closer to Christ. I continue to pray for them and work to deepen the relationship between Ankeny First UMC and the Malawi UMC for many years to come. I want to encourage anyone reading this blog to get to Malawi! If you feel the Holy Spirit is guiding you to go, then trust, I mean really trust God, and make plans to join next year's trip. God bless.

We're back! And what a glorious experience it was. Challenging, exhausting, faith expanding, humbling and exhilarating are words that just begin to describe our adventure. After almost 22 hours of air travel (plus layovers) we arrived in Des Moines just before 2:00 PM Sunday with most of our luggage. As all of you discovered, updating the blog was quite a challenge. Most internet access sites closed by late afternoon and we rarely arrived at the hotels before evening or later. We visited churches in villages and worshiped with their members. We conducted bible studies, taught Sunday school and learned more about joyous singing and prayer than we could ever imagine. We hard a presentation from Daniel Mhone, Mission Superintendent of the Malawi UMC, about his dream for a training center for the future growth and success of the Malawi UMC. We worked on a home/church that was in dire need of repair and visited Mzuzu University to learn more about their education system so we can provide scholarships for those most in need. We helped pour a concrete floor in a church that previously had only a dirt floor. It was noted that the new floor would prevent the members from having to wash their close after each service. Malawi is a great contradiction to say the least. It is one of the poorest countries in the world. Most villages have no electricity or clean water. They have a very poor public transportation system and very few have cars. A bicycle is considered a luxury. Food production depends solely on the amount of rainfall during the rainy season. Having said all that, the people of the Malawi UMC ( and in general, the people of Malawi) are the most amazing, inspiring people you will ever meet. They are hard working, positive, worship with a fervor and joy which is very hard to comprehend. They pray with complete faith and and without hesitation. We will be sharing stories, pictures and videos over the coming months. We will also be offering opportunities for financial support of specific projects. The bottom line, however, is to really understand the country and people of Malawi you must go. I have been there twice now and I continue to be overwhelmed both with joy and sadness. You cannot visit Malawi and not be changed forever. We are so very blessed and we appreciate it so little. We focus on "stuff" and we worship, sing and pray afraid someone might hear us. We confuse heroes with celebrities and "fit in" church activities when we can. Are these exaggerations? Perhaps, but not by much. Can we change to be more like the people of Malawi? Certainly. The task before us is "simple, but hard". Know that your financial support is being spent wisely and as was requested by the Malawi UMC leaders. Your prayer cards were an inspiration to everyone, not just members of the Malawi UMC. Our thank you's will continue but words cannot express our gratitude for your financial support and continuous prayers. The trip was an experience that exceeded expectations by a factor of infinity. The team truly was a team in the largest sense of the word.
Peace to all,
Dennis White

Monday update

Monday morning is a trip to Sister Witness' house for repairs and renovations. This home also sevres as a church during bad weather so it is actually more than a home repair. We spend the morning hauling bricks up the "driveway" and buckets of water from the borehole up a very very steep hill. Some did better than others. :) The weather is warmer today so we are burning a few calories. Today is also a time of sharing and learning about cultures. After the hard work of the morning we traveled to Lake Malawi for lunch and a little relaxation. The lake looks like the ocean becasue it is so big and the water so blue. A much needed break from the intense experiences so far. Everyone continues to be overwhelmed by our experiences and cannot wait to return home to share. Get ready for lots of pictures and excited discussions. The day ended with some to dinner down the street and some at the hotel. Tuesday was back to the house renovation to carry more water and general "grunt" work to assist the more skilled workers. :) Dennis participated in a healing service for a very sick young member of the household and others shared in learning about woodworking and food preparation. After a brief break we will have bible study and a meeting with their church council. Dinner is an unknown at this point. We continue to be blessed by God on this journey and are already beginning to discuss how we can continue to move forward with this project after we return home. Peace to all.

Mzuzu Sunday (sorry it's Tuesday)

Day began with usual regiment of egg filled breakfast. The group began customary wait for Copeland. Attended Sunday service at Mzuzu chruch. Once again greeted by warm welcome. It was a service full of surprises as Bible study is more like scripture reading than actual q and a. Beth's sunday school was a hit with the children and Dennis and Kelsey's preaching was astounding. Gifts of bowls and jars were given to the group. Pictures of sewing student and encouraging framed letters given from us to them. Then the group left service and handed out heart stickers that could only be described as pure and utter chaos. Group then went to supermarket to pick up supplies for cooking demonstration that afternoon. From there we headed to Copelands house, to begin preparing lunch/dinner. The women were outside preparing Malawi dishes for us. Youth (from both US and Malawi) played soccer (football) in the front lawn. Malawi dishes are all "squishy" mostly mashed and boiled. We prepared sandwiches (huge hit although the idea of meat, bread and vegetables together was foreign) mac n cheese, tuna caserole (ask Arlyn!) pasta salad, pancakes (Dennis mother's special recipe) and french toast. The women of Malawi STACKED their plates full and seemed to enjoy everything. I can't say the same for us, but I do believe we left with a true appreciation of home cooked meals and the idea of eating for sustenence. The group returned to hotel for rest. Majority ate dinner at nearby Indian restaurant, which was fantastice even by American standards. After that, devotions, debriefing and much needed sleep.

Josiah

Mzuzu Team (the A team)

Picking up where Josiah left off.....

Saturday morning we awoke at the Mimosa Lodge to cold water (except Josiah and Sam) and breakfast of eggs, chips (french fries) and sausage. Thankfully for me there was also cereal -room temperature milk :( and fruit. We loaded the bus (left late - we're on Malawi time now) to visit orphanage and meet the scholarship winners. The Hope Home is for orphans and children with only 1 parent. The children sang and rejoiced (in English too!) and even had a little Bible quiz. In typical fashion points were awarded to teams, but as each team got a correct answer Jesus got 2 points first, then 2 for me and 2 for you followed by laughter, claps and cheers. It was such a blessing as we passed out sandwiches and drinks! We met the tailoring class and were able to see the sewing machines we've provided. Jesus says if you teach a man to fish.... We've been blessed repeatedly that day with fellowship. It is amazing how much is the same and yet at the same time so much is different. We lunched at the University provided by catering/food service students. I will be adding cabbage to salads when I return. Several of us got to visit the market (Josiah, Sam and Arlyn will wear their new shirts soon.) Bartering skills need some fine-tuning! Dinner was at a restaurant in town. Chicken and beef are standards (same as home) and Spaghetti was also offered. Eating has certainly NOT been a concern (although I packed as if I would have to grow/kill/prepare my own meals.) We had debriefing every evening complete with devotions, recap of crazy things and plans for next day. Went to bed tired, but full of God's grace and love. Surely the Lord's presence is in this place!!

Sonja

Lilongwe Team

Sunday (Lilongwe Team)

We left the lodge at 9:00 to travel out into the bush to worship with Trinity UMC. This little church that looks like a mud hut with a grass roof has about 97 members.

We first entered into three groups. Several went with the children (there were probably about 20 kids) and the men went with the men and the women went with the women. We all had incredible discussions as we shared what it means to be a Christian in the different cultures.

The worship service went on for 3 hours and we marveled at every moment. We sang, we danced, we prayed - I mean really prayed, we heard words of witness, we had a joyous offering, and Mike preached. The most amazing part of the service when people were asked to come forward and receive the Holy Spirit as the team laid hands upon them. They were asked for them to pray for the team to receive the Holy Spirit at the same time. People came forward - men and women; and the children also came forward. It was amazing to see the team bend down to lay hands on the little kids. We also had the opportunity to present most of the prayer squares to the women of Trinity UMC. They feel very fortunate that the women of AFUMC will be praying for them as they will be praying for the women of AFUMC.

Trinity UMC is where Ankeny FUMC has sent money to purchase pigs. The church members are starting to make bricks to make the pig pen, then a member of the church will travel to the village to teach them how to raise pigs, and then they will purchase the pigs. The hope is that as the pigs multiply, each of the church members will receive pairs of pigs to raise them for food and maybe even some for sale.

After worshiping at Trinity UMC we traveled to the parsonage of the circuit pastor Steve Mbwe and his wife Rhoda. There Bruce taught them how to use the Chlorine Generator he brought. This will be a critical part of the church program and most of the people do not have access to safe drinking water. To drill a safe water well with a hand pump costs almost $8,000, but the Chlorine Generator only costs about $300.

After the Generator training, we went into Pastor Steve's house for bible study. We enjoyed entering into their discussion on "What is a Christian" were we explored everything from being born again to people acting like fake Christians.

We traveled back to the Kiboko Lodge, at some dinner, rested.

Monday:

This was work day. We traveled back to St. Peter's UMC and began to install the new cement floor. The women of the team were asked to join the women of the church to walk about 1 mile each way to get water for the cement. This meant carrying the water buckets on their heads like the village women. Let's just say that the when they arrived at the church, there was less water in the bucket than when they started. They had to make three round trips to get enough water.

The men of the team joined the men of the church to dig out the old and level to the old floor. It was dusty and hard work and we were amazed at their stamina compared to ours. We were able to lay about half of the floor and will return tomorrow to finish the work.

I just cannot put into words what the team is experienced. They are seeing poverty at unbelievable levels, but they are also experiencing God through the joy of these very special people. We are all being changed, the people we meet and the team. Please continue to pray for us as God is being revealed in very special ways. The team is also making very deep friendships with many of the Malawi UMC members. These relationships will be maintained over the years to come.

Also, you can probably tell we are not able to keep up with the blog on a daily basis. This is because we leave very early and get back late. But please know the team is doing well and we will all be very different Christians when we return. The word Malawi means "fire" and I think we will be bringing back some Malawi fire when we return.

Friday, June 19 (Lilongwe) The team travelled north after repeated stops at the produce market and to drop off books and the obligatory Coke & Fanta at Pastor Smart's home. We greeted a church at the Lilongwe South church--our first exposure to a village church. The villages are beyond poor. There was no church building; we worshiped in the open air. Needless to say, they really outsang us!! We were greeted by a female chief, who warmly expressed her excitement about being there. We continue to be blown away by the depth of their faith, love of God, and their willingness to show it. After that church, we went to Pastor Steve's house and met the leadership of the Bethel Circuit. We received a solo from one of our new friends, Kelly, written just for us. We also heard many of them give their testimony about how they came to Christ. After 14 hours, we finally arrived at the Kiboko Hotel. We had a very late dinner. Since it had been 14 hrs since we last ate, we could not even taste it we ate so fast.

Saturday, June 20 (Lilongwe) Woke up to an incredible African sunrise and had breakfast at the hotel: local tropical fruit salad, fried eggs, toast, and coffee to die for. Loaded on the bus, went back to Pastor Steve's house, where we picked up several people, and proceeded to St. Peter's Church, UMC. This church supports over 80 orphans. My Lord, how humbling the experience to give out clothing, food, and blankets that had been purchased by AFUMC to them. Many of these children have absolutely nothing, and it is only the St. Peter's UMC that stands between them and certain death. Yet they smiled, sang songs to Jesus, and were some of the most well-mannered children you can imagine. We also presented some gifts that we brought. We then toured the church where we will help install a cement floor on Monday. We toured the village and were able to enter a hut of an elderly woman, experiencing life from their perspective. We also witnessed 80 orphans as they lined up for porridge. The church is teaching them hygiene, so they huddle in a line to quickly wash their hands and spoons. They huddle in another line to get their cup of porridge. We saw Christ in every face. We stopped to view one of the bore holes (a shallow well operated by a hand pump)donated by the Methodist Church. This is their only source of clean water for miles. Women walk at least 2 miles to obtain water to wash and drink. We then stayed true to African time and arrived at Pastor Steve's house at 3:00 (scheduled for 1:00 pm). We had a tasty lunch of rice, fried chicken, fresh salad, seasoned peas (tomatoes, onions, salt), and the obligatory Fanta & Coke. We then proceeded to Trinity UMC, where we delivered more food and blankets to the orphans. Jim Crabb taught basic skills on raising pigs that will be purchased in the near future with funds from AFUMC. We will return to Trinity UMC for Sunday worship service to teach and worship with our brothers and sisters, who have now become the deep heart of who we are.

Blantyre onward (mzuzu)

arrived at blantyre airport to warm welcome of vibrant singing and dancing. Group met just outside airport on steps and began first of many introductions and services. Women recieved their skirts from the womens methodist group. From there we traveled by bus to the soche tourists lodge. accomidations were satisfactory, though hot water and breakfast aluded the late sleepers.

the first day the whole group traveled to zomba's church for a service. they were instantly greeted by singing women and wide eyed children. the service was spirited and joyous beyond anything i've seen in my life. the offering could easily change the american definition of giving with joyful heart. baskets were exchanged twice before the offering because of there inadequate size. after service the group traveled to a local hospital were the zomba church frequently visited. it was astounding to see the lack of modern technology and medicine, yet to still see such amazing from the nurses. next we went to the local church of blantyre to yet another warm and freindly welcome. a service and exhibition of the womens contributions followed. during the service the lights went out and the true spirit of malawi showed, the service continued as if nothing had changed. after service the group headed back to the lodge for a goods night sleep.

Friday began with a common breakfast of sausage, eggs, toast and chips (french fries)

after breakfast the group split and one headed to lilongwe and one to mzuzu. the mzuzu group began the long 10 hour drive full of beepin goats and people out of the way. the mzuzu group stopped at a church in bwanje to the costumary warm welcome. the group had a short service which was followed by a prayer over the new site being constructed by the bellmound church in america. then after that the roadtrip continued. the group arrived at mzuzu at 9pm having left at 830 am. the group checked into the hotel and quickly fell asleep.



-josiah

Travel update

Greetings from Johannesburg, South Africa. A great, but long travel day. Everyone is tired but excited and can't wait to finish our travels tomorrow. All three flights went smoothly and all luggage arrived, as well. We will leave tomorrow morning at 10:25 AM (3:45 AM CDST) for Blanytre and the beginning of our adventure in Malawi. The T-shirts and flag pins attract a lot of attention and allows us to share God's word as to what we are doing. Please continue your prayers for us as we get ready to learn how we can serve the people of Malawi and more importantly how we can grow our faith through them.
Peace,
Dennis White

TOMORROW!!!!

Its so hard to believe that tomorrow is the big day weve been waiting for for about a year and a half! Thank everyone who has prayed for us and helped support us. We'll see everyone in two weeks!

Max and Sarah

The Hands and Feet of Christ....

I believe mission trips provide us with the opportunity to be the "hands and feet" of Christ.
I've been fortunate enough to do mission work in Mexico and Russia, and now I have the opportunity to do the same in Africa. I'm trusting that God will use the talents He's given each of our team members to accomplish the work He has planned for us in Malawi. Together, we will be the body of Christ as this poem by St. Teresa of Avila calls us to be:

Christ has no body but yours
No hands, no feet on earth but yours
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Robin White

The future...

The future of any country is the religous and general education of the youth. I hope to listen to church and educational leaders in the country. Where there are needs, I hope to help. The book "Three Cups of Tea" gave me the fire in the belly to want to go on this mission trip.

Randy McMahill

Why am I going to Africa?
I am going to Africa because God called me to this mission a year ago. Over the last year I have learned a lot about the problems in Africa. I decided not to stand back and shake my head but to step in and do my part. I began doing fundraiser after fundraiser to buy supplies for the people of Africa. As my net total began to rise past my goal of $2,500 to $6,000 I knew God had a bigger plan for me. I loved going on mission trips every summer with my youth group(Washington, Ia) and knew traveling to Africa would be my next step. At a fundraiser I hosted in Ankeny I was invited to join the group traveling to Malawi, Africa. This opportunity came at the right time and I accepted with excitement. Weeks before I had been meeting with my youth leader and discussing different options for mission work I could do if I were to travel to Africa by myself. There is no doubt God has worked through me over the last year to help the continent of Africa. I realize this was only the first step of His action and I look forward to what lies further down my path.
Kelsey Bishop

what are the reasons im going?

I love to worship God, I love going to church (youth group, spring break mission trips, or just going on Wednesday nights to hang with God and friends), I love to talk about him and what he has done. Once I heard about this trip I was like WOW!!! that would be amazing to go and help them out because I just love to help people, and going to Africa and making a difference in a place outside of America is really getting out and doing his work for others. It is just so amazing what you can do when you put God first in your life. I know deep down we are all scared to go I know I am but when God comes first he blocks out those fears and gives us the strength to do this. But the number one reason I do mission trips and why I'm doing this one is its my way to say thanks. I mean he gave his life for us so I give my life to him and do his work on earth for as long as I live and every opportunity I get I will take it.

God Bless everyone
Sam Henry

I am Supposed to Go

I don't know why I am going, I just know I'm supposed to. Psalm 37:5 says, "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will act." This scripture helped me decide to go ahead and commit. It also did help that in my current job I now have paid vacation and I haven't always had this.

To me this is a gift, an opportunity and a blessing from God. Who would have through that a little girl growing up on an Iowa farm would ever get to go to Africa - I didn't! I guess I didn't expect great enough things from my God!

The people of Malawi are very poverty stricken; they face life threatening diseases, starvation, early death, and yet they are a happy people who praise their God enthusiastically. We are going to their country to help them and teach them about Jesus and the United Methodist Church, but I'm pretty sure we'll probably learn more than we teach.

Betty Poley

Happy to be Going!

I am very happy to be going to Malawi and I am looking forward to spending time with the people of Malawi and greeting their families. I was born and raised on a farm with no running water - we used the well and pumped water. We raised our own food and worked the land. We praised God and were thankful for every day. As a child I danced to drums as I pounded out a rhythm on my mother's pots and pans. My Mother played the piano as we sang "Amazing Grace." I have always wanted to go to Africa. It stems from my grandmother's faith as a missionary and from within the depth of my heart. I look forward to this great opportunity to have them share about their lives for a short time. Mary Gates.

God's Tool to Serve!

This is my first missionary trip, and I'm going to soak up the experience like a sponge. I recently went through a life changing event with four surgeries in two years. Being a nurse the diagnosis was hard to take, and my husband and two boys had a hard time coping. Remember, God will never lead you where his grace will not keep you. I vowed to never take things for granted agian, and that my experience has not only made me a better person, but my Christian faith is stronger than ever. I have recovered from my surgeries , my family is still recovering , but God will use me as a tool to serve . I am so blessed , and when God spoke to me about Malawi I knew he bigger plans for me than I could ever imagine.

God Bless,
Elizabeth Sinn

God's Call

About a year ago, early 2008, there was a notice in the church bulletin announcing plans for a mission trip to Malawi, Africa.  Having never been on a mission trip or overseas, this really caught my attention.  My wife, Sandra and I attended the first meeting along with about 50 others, listened to Pastor Mike Gudka and Dennis and Robin White explain the tentative plans for the trip and answer questions.  Well, many meetings, questions, answers, immunizations, fundraisers, fundraisers, fundraisers, and one year later, 21 of us are ready to start packing.  Needless to say, this past year has been an experience of its' own, creating a TEAM ready to start new relationships nearly halfway around the world.

Most of the team only has a vague idea of what we are going to do once we get there, but all want to help in someway.  With an agricultural background, growing up on a farm and working in farm machinery manufacturing, I hope to see how the "farming community" works in Malawi.

The purpose of participating in this trip is to help however I can in a country that has little.  I also want to experience the tremendous faith and Christian life exemplified in Malawi.  I know God is calling me to this mission.

In God's Service,

Jim Crabb

Life is Meant to be Given Away

Why am I going to Malawi?  God is calling me to make this journey, to extend a hand of fellowship and love, to offer myself to help in anyway I can.  I am going in response to Jesus' call to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, visit the sick and in prison... (Matthew 25:35-36) and "to go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." (Matthew 28:19).

In March 2008, a notice was in our church bulletin for those interested to come to a meeting related to a mission trip to Malawi.  My husband, Jim, said "let's go see what this is about".   I fully agreed.  At the meeting, Pastor Mike Gudka emphasized that it was no accident we were there, that each of us needed to consider God's call for this mission.  After much prayer and deliberation, Jim and I came to the conclusion that God is indeed calling us to go and to give, yet knowing in truth that we will receive more spiritual blessings than we could possibly offer.

My heart has always been with  missions in Africa.  I have always been a wanna-be missionary to Africa.  In 1988, I was privileged to spend almost a month in Nigeria on a mission trip with the Church of the Brethren.  It was a spiritually uplifting experience.  I know the depth of the Holy Spirit in our Nigerian brothers and sisters in Christ and it has been reported that the same spiritual fervor holds true in Malawi.  Hallelujah!

The 21 of us participating in the Malawi mission have met together monthly this past year and worked together for fund-raising and as a result, I see a group of  unique individuals becoming a homogenous team, excited to meet our Malawian counterparts and are prayerful in anticipating this miraculous journey.  The life God has given me only has meaning if I can give it away to  others.  I am truly blessed!

Give God the Glory,

Sandra Stong-Crabb

We Come This Far By Faith

I have found myself procrastinating over writng this blog as anyone who knows me will tell you that I am much more of a talker than a writer!

The other reason that it has taken me so long to get to this is because I am not sure how to answer the question; "Why am I going to Malawi"? It is difficult to articulate the deep seated necessity I feel in doing this. I obviously want to learn from the people of this impoverished country and help in any small way that I can. Being African American , I also want to sense that bit of ancestry and history that makes up this race of people.

However, these reasons do not near describe the yearning and desire I feel to experience something so much bigger than myself.

This trip does not come without some risk for me. Not only physically due to a significant history of health problems- but also spiritually and emotionally as the vulnerability one must show to truly experience this amazing group of people that are growing in their faith as they are learning to love the Lord.

There is a song we used to sing in my home church that says "We come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord. Trusting in his holy word, you know he has never failed me yet. Can't turn around, we come this far by faith".

As I have watched the Malawi Team come together, this song frequently runs through my mind. We have started to bond and truly have become a "team". And it is faith that has brought us this far. We can't turn around and will continue to move forward on this amazing journey in faith.

As we experience the highs and lows, the joys and sadness that this trip will bring, we will stay focused on the fact that "he has never failed us yet".

Arlina Pearce

"Here I Am, Send Me" Isaiah 6:8

So there isn't much to my story. We were out at Faith Chapel when Mike mentioned this trip to Malawi and it was such a crazy idea that I thought maybe I should hop on the train--or maybe an airplane is more likely to get me there.



Ok so really I knew as soon as Mike told us about it that I was going, no question. I am normally overcome by worrys like what if I dont like any of the food, what if I get sick...you know the things that are in the back of all of our minds... but it took me a long time to even consider that any of that might be a problem.

Im not really sure what I have to offer anyone in Malawi. I dont have anything too exciting about myself to say and I dont have any great revelation about how I came to be apart of this mission team. These Malawians have so much more to offer me than I could ever give them. For about 3 years now I have been getting fed up with Americans in general with their obsession with money and convenences and who can have the best idea and who can talk over people the most. It will be very refeshing to see that these are not the most important things to Malawians. What would it be like to have a conversation with someone and not be interuped by them reciving a text that they have to respond to right in the middle of your conversation. ( I gotta admit that I'm guilty of it too). I think that a lot of Americans (and Im talking about us Christains too) are missing something so important that we even have a hard time fathoming it. How hard is it to raise your hands up when you feel God during a song or prayer even when no one else is? Do the people around you really matter compare to letting God know that you are fully worshipping Him? And do the people next to you want to raise their hands but too afraid that they will be the only ones? We are so worried about what others think that we are holding ourselves back from God, who didnt hold back even His own Son. I guess I'm going to hopefully find out what true worship is.

Max Garcia

From Oregon, to Iowa, to Malawi...

I’m originally from Oregon. A little over a year and a half ago I was visiting Max and her family. We happened to be at Faith Chapel when Mike mentioned a mission trip to Malawi. At first I thought that it sounded like a good experience but at the time I didn’t think it would be realistic. Little did I know what God had planned.
I went back home for several months not giving much thought to Malawi. My life was going well in Oregon. I had a perfect job as a kitchen manager, I was close to family and contempt with how my life was going. All of the sudden, I felt a strong urge to move to Ankeny. This was not an easy transition by any means. I ended up having to take a menial job, getting a significant decrease in pay. Unfortunately, I did not have any transportation which meant walking to and from work in negative temperatures. I also dealt with depression, missing my strong family connection. I had a hard time adjusting to my new life and at many points considered going back home. God gave me the strength to find the positive in a bad situation. This is the point in my life where I grew in my faith.
I joined a few small groups, Alpha being one, which influenced my life dramatically. God was making it known to me that this mission trip was something I should pursue. I noticed that people have taken a strong interest in my decision to be apart of this mission trip through their generous donations and support. This reassured me that God was at work in my life for the good of others. During the struggles I believe that God has been mentally and spiritually preparing me for this mission trip to Malawi. We’ll see what the Lord has in store for me next...

~Sarah Morgan

Why Malawi? God paved our way!

In January 2004, Connie and I were part of an AFUMC mission team to an orphanage in Chihuahua, Mexico. It wasn’t something that we had planned to do, but after hearing of the idea one Sunday, we felt God’s call and knew we were meant to be a part of this team. AFUMC parishioners supported the effort with gifts and financial support and team members participated in a variety of projects at the orphanage (I remember wheel barrowing a lot of fill for a construction site). However, we received much more that we gave to that orphanage. Even among such dire poverty, the presence of God was evidenced in so many ways, both little and awesome, that our own faith was strengthened.

Responding to God’s call, we have helped sponsor a child in Malawi for several years. Through information provided by the sponsorship agency we became acutely aware of the many hardships facing the population of this country. Even though Malawi has a very high mortality rate, we have been privileged to see, through pictures, Wonga grow from a young child into a healthy teenager and hope there is a promising future for him.

Last summer our connection to the African continent grew when we accepted an invitation to serve as a host family for two adult women from Nigeria. Both held “professional” positions in their country, but shopping excursions to our local Goodwill were among the highlights of their stay with us. As a frequent Goodwill shopper myself, I was able to point out the real bargains but we were again reminded that we Americans take so much for granted. One of the women was married last fall and e-mailed us numerous pictures of both her Christian and traditional wedding ceremonies.

So, when Pastor Mike first brought up the Malawi mission trip, both of us were immediately interested. However, with Connie looking ahead to surgery this past January and unable to travel that far, we decided to serve as part of the support group here at home. When one of the original team had to back out for medical reasons, Connie and I agreed that I would take his place. Now I’m looking forward to meeting the people of Malawi, helping them in whatever way I can and to share in their Christian enthusiasm. Again, I’m sure that I will receive far more than I will be giving. And, I’ve I can actually meet Wonga – what a blessing!

Arlyn Weieneth

61 days until MALAWI!

At first, I signed up because my friend wanted me to go. But after she dropped out, I thought about it and I decided that it would be a great experience.

I've never really gotten the whole church thing. I've never done anything that has anything to do with being close to God and close to the church, until this. I thought this mission trip would help me get a start on that in my life.

After watching videos, seeing pictures, and hearing and reading about everything about the country of Malawi, It really makes me excited to be able to actually go there and help. I am really looking forward to this June!

New Meaning to: Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude

I think initially I was interest in the Malawi Mission because my daughter wanted to go, and I wasn't about to let her go to Africa without a parent along to look out for her. But it didn't take me long to really buy into the mission. Now, I'm very excited about the trip. Not only for me, but also for my daughter. I think we're both going to gain a lot from this experience.

I haven't been on a mission trip before, but I've always gotten great satisfaction from participating in smaller service projects here in central Iowa. I've been told Malawi is one of the poorest countries on earth, yet the people of Malawi have an unmatched richness of spirit. I want to see and understand their poverty, so we'll have a better idea of what we, as a church, can do to provide help. Hopefully we will be able to forge lasting relationships that will help us in providing assistance. For me personally it will be very important to see and understand how the people of Malawi, despite their dire condition, achieve such great enrichment through religion. We have so much in this country, it's easy to see how we can be grateful for what God has given us. But what about places like Malawi? What drives their faith? I think it's something we can all learn from.

This trip will be a challenge for me. I consider myself to be very religious. I was raised in the church, and my faith has always been an important part of who I am. But I've always treated my faith as a very private relationship with God. I would guess I'm like a lot of quiet Christians, who attend church regularly, pray routinely, contribute monetarily, and participate when requested. My understanding is that the Malawi church isn't like that. There's nothing quiet about their faith. I'm sure I'll have some awkward moments. I just hope no one is video taping them.

It's time to change the world a little, in whatever way that may be.

When I first heard about this mission trip to Malawi I was a little intrigued, thought I'd go to the meeting just to check it out, not really sure whether I thought this was something I'd even want to do, having never been on a true "mission trip" before. I went to the first meeting in May and there was an overwhelming response of interested people. I went to the next meeting and Pastor Mike made the comment that we should really search our hearts to see if this was something we felt "called to do." I was really trying to discern what made me decide to even go to the meeting, was I "qualified" to go, was there some way I felt I could contribute, was I really the right person with so many people interested, many of whom had been on mission trips before and more seasoned and experienced and worthy than I. Maybe I shouldn't take up a spot if someone else really wanted to go.

In June I had pretty much thought maybe I wasn't the right person; the timing wasn't right; I have an elderly father-in-law with some health issues; this seems like a lot of money to be spending on "just me." Little did I realize I was finding all kinds of what I thought were "valid excuses" for not going.

As so often happens, God began putting people in my life who were nudging me to take the plunge, so to speak, and commit to going. Then I started reading a book written by John Ortberg entitled "When the Game is Over, it All Goes Back in the Box." Some of the author's comments seemed to jump right off the page and felt to me as if God was talking to me personally.

The author's comment on page 142 stated: "If there is a challenge in front of you, a course of action that could cause you to grow and that would be helpful to people around you, but you find yourself scared about it, there's a real good chance that God is in that challenge."

Another: "If you want a sense of mission to burn brightly in you, spend time feeding your divine discontent. If your mission involves helping the poor, spend time around those in poverty. Allow your emotions to become deeply engaged, and carry with you that fire that things must change."

Page 130: "When the jar that is life gets too full of have-tos, I find myself with little time for people. I know that every human life is a miracle. I want to notice people who are hurting. I want to notice the poor. I want to serve & learn from people of different cultures and persons of different colors. I want a compassionate heart. But that cannot happen if my life is already filled with too many have-tos."

"What ledge is God asking you to jump off now?"

"Every time someone says yes to God, the world changes a little bit." (One of my favorites!)

"Your mission starts where you are; not where you think you should be."

Each one of these statements made me really take a look at all my so-called excuses. I realized I had become complacent in my faith the last few years. I was filled with so many have-tos and involved with my family's needs that I hadn't really taken time to help those who were truly "in need." I hadn't found a mission I felt "on fire" for. When Mike said he wanted a commitment at our July meeting, I had decided if there was room for one more person, I would take it. Life will always be busy, there will always be excuses, but if I were to wait for the "perfect time," a lot of time would be wasted.

My mission starts now. It's time to change the world a little, in whatever way that may be, with God's help -- and blessing.

Beth Madison

Why i'm going to Malawi

i'm going for reasons i only somewhat comprehend. i could say the obvious helping others, or sharing god's word, or just for fun. but, those would only be half of the story. i'm going because the second i heard about the mission trip, i was immediately interested. as soon as it was said that little internal light lit up and i knew this was for me. i've felt pulled to do something like this for a while and once this was presented i knew i would find a way to be involved. thankfully lord has blessed me with the ability to both help here in ankeny with fundraising as well as the ability to go and serve there in malawi. Basically i'm going because i feel as though instantly god called me to do this.

-josiah

Change is coming!

We are often told not to wish our life away. I am willing to make an exception given my anxious anticipation to return to Malawi on June 15th. Africa is a mission opportunity unlike any other. Robin and I have been on numerous mission trips but none of our past faith-growing mission experiences prepare you for Africa. To say that it is a roller coaster of emotions is an understatement of major proportions. One minute you are overwhelmed by the poverty, death and hopelessness of everything you see. The next minute you are overwhelmed by the strong faith and uplifting spirit of the people of Malawi. Everyone that goes on a mission trip experiences the same "wait a minute, I came here to give not to receive" emotions. For the AFUMC team going to Malawi those emotions will be exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. Exhilarating when we meet members of the Malawi UMC that work relentlessly, and with complete faith, to change their world for the better one small step at a time. Exhausting when we see the incomprehensible need that defines Malawi. To the family and friends of team members I say "be prepared". I learned very quickly with little (or no) prompting I could talk for 2 hours about my experiences in Malawi. This I know for certain - The lives of the team members, family and friends and the Ankeny First United Methodist Church as a whole are about to be changed forever. My charge to the team is simple - Open your hearts and minds to what lies before you. It is an opportunity of a lifetime. Be proud you stepped forward to say "Yes, I want to go to Malawi" when the easy answer would have been "Are you kidding? Me go to Africa?!" I have no doubt the team of 21 going to Malawi will return stronger and more passionate about their faith, with a greater understanding of the meaning of Matthew 28:16-20 and wanting to return to Malawi as soon as possible.

Peace,
Dennis White

If not me, then who?

For those of us who are not naturally risk-takers, mission trips offer the hidden benefit of allowing us to try experiences outside our comfort zone. Would I move to a reservation, to a storm-struck coast, to an impoverished, 3rd-world country? Not as long as my family needs me here to stay connected and provide a sense of continuity in our family. BUT, under the guise of helping others, I sense that mission trips allow us to step over a line of security under the guise of altuism.

That may have actually been my motivation for the first mission trip taken to Crow Creek Indian Reservation. That, with a bit of curiosity. By the end of that trip, those motives were out the proverbial window. The next two trips deepened a sense of commitment that each person has to reach out to anyone in need in order to feel completely human; to experience a full range of emotions; and to help coalesce a person's feelings and logic with their spirituality. In other words, if I am to profess to be a Christian, following not only Christ'st teachings, but His examples, we each have to find a way to do that.

That way will be different for each person: it may be music; it may be teaching children; it may be calling on our shut-ins; it may be growing or cooking food for the homeless. But, for a few of us, extreme action is necessary to feel we are really contributing. I am a very physical person, so very physical activities give me the most satisfaction and confirmation that I am truly helping.

Thank Heaven there are a few of us who are touched in this way. Otherwise, throughout history, countless thousands would still be suffering or have died--unnoticed by those of us in the best position to help. Those of us with the resources and physical endurance to help. If I don't go, who will? If I do not step forward, cross that line, who will?

Twenty-two of us (less than 1% of our membership) feel this pull for some Godly reason yet to be revealed. What has amazed me is the depth of feeling for this mission from many who are not going. You will be blessed many times over. I wish I could express myself as well as Dennis and Mike can. My plan is to diary daily on the trip, as we did in Pearlington. Hopefully, this willl help me be more aware of details easily missed--names, kindnesses, comments, and most of all the deep faith we have heard about. I want that experience.

AFUMC Malawi Mission Team 2009

This is the team that will travel from Iowa to Malawi in June. Please keep each of them in your prayers. They are a special group, called by God, to do a special ministry. Mike Gudka

We Need the Holy Spirit

The leadership team has conservatively projected the donation amounts of the remaining fund raisers and it looks like we could be about $10,000 short. So we need some serious prayer! We need the Holy Spirit to open some hearts of people who can help us close this gap. The people of Malawi need us and we need some cash. Please, please, please pray for us! Mike Gudka

Musical Showcase a Success

What a wonderful evening we all enjoyed and over 150 were in attendance. The music included bell choirs, praise bands, children's choirs, rock and roll, contemporary Christian, to a little ballerina. When it came time for the offering, we wanted to do this Malawi style. So we first showed them the video of they they take up an offering in a UMC in Malawi and then the mission team led the way singing and dancing as they brought the offering forward. Many thanks to all who attended! Mike Gudka

Malawi Music Showcase

Well our next big fund raiser is tomorrow. We have a program that will begin with a potluck (yes, we are Methodists and we belive in "Feed them and they will come!") and it will include a two-hour music extravaganza! There will bells, children's choirs, rock bands, and soul music, puppets, and a good old fashioned barbershop quartet. There should be something for everyone. Of course the serious side is the prayer and the offering. I am praying that this is the first of our remaining fund raisers that will seriously exceed our expectations. God is good all of the time and I know that he did not place this Mission Trip on my heart to end up short of money! The Holy Spirit is simply to powerful and we are simply too blessed of a church for that to happen. So look out world, the Malawi Music Showcase is coming your way! Mike Gudka

Taking Up an Offering - Malawi Style

When Dennis and I were in Malawi last September, I was overjoyed with the way they take up an offering. It is done with great passion, great joy, and an absolute trust in God. Everytime I experienced this I would get taken by all the power of the Holy Spirit during an offering. During one of the offerings, I even saw orphans coming forward to give their treasure to God. Keep in mind that most orphans go hungry every day and most of them will never live to see adulthood. In America, some have this belief that the poor should not give. But given what I saw in Malawi, the reason for this belief is found in our disbelief that God will provide. In Malawi, everyone gives because they trust that God will provide. So if you ever get worked up over money and whether or not you should tithe, then give a watch to the attached video! God bless, Mike Gudka.

Bringing the Team Together in Christ's Name

We have been meeting as a team since June, 2008 and this has made an enormous difference. Also, Dennis White (Malawi Mission Team C0-Leader) and Mike Gudka (pastor) made a preparatory trip to Malawi in September. The experience was absolutely incredible. While I know we can financially make an enormous difference in their lives, their spirit will make an eternal difference in the lives of the team. We simply cannot wait for them to come. By Mike Gudka

AFUMC Mission Possible: Malawi 2009

The Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20 NIV): Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Ankeny First United Methodist Church is sending 22 people to Malawi in south-central Africa on June 15-28. This blog site will serve as a way for our team to tell their story. The goal of this initial mission trip is first, to make a big difference in the lives of the people of Malawi and second, to establish a long-term partnership with the United Methodist Church of Malawi.

So we invite you to journey with us as we act as an instrument of the Holy Spirit to change lives and in turn we will be changed.

God bless,
Rev. Mike Gudka