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