Time

It's amazing how one year can affect a person so much.

Confused, we stared at the rear of the car. Which side has the steering wheel? As I drive I chant to myself: Drive on the right side, drive on the right side, drive on the right side...
And I can assure you, we had the cleanest windshield on the highway, because each time we needed to signal, those wipers came on instead!!

We stopped at the grocery store on the way home from the airport. After our purchase, I politely said, "Zikomo." The clerk looked at me strangely. Shaking my head and giving an awkward grin, I tried again. "Thank you!" She smiled, relieved.

After 42 hours, we arrived at our home! "Home! We're home!" I announced joyfully. My two year old daughter looked at me and angrily replied, "Dis not my home! My home Ma-wow-i!"

Driving in the car one day several weeks later, we heard from the backseat, "Daddy, where's my Mawowi?" And a few days after that, in a sweet, sleepy bedtime voice, "Daddy, I want to go back to Mawowi."

It's so cute to see her carry stuff on her head, but especially in the USA, where it looks completely foreign. Malawi is in her heart.

And it's in ours.

You see, we (especially I) complained a lot last year. It was a difficult adjustment for me. I was scared and angry that I lived in a place in which I felt alone and threatened so much of the time. Now that we know more about Malawi and we have enjoyed this refreshing time in the USA, we feel renewed energy to minister to the Malawians, through God's grace. I am so grateful that we are able to return home for a short time each year for that reason--and also because the children love to spend time with their grandparents!

Our time in the USA has been unexpectedly extended this year, and I wonder if perhaps God is giving us more time to reconnect with Him and His vision for Malawi. I pray we learn our lesson and that we are better equipped to serve others instead of ourselves.

Please pray for us! We appreciate your prayers more than I know how to express in words.