
I am forever changed after volunteering in Malawi
In the fall of 2018, my life was forever changed after I participated in Kingdom Workers’ Service Immersion trip to Malawi. The people I met and the experiences I had taught me so much about myself and the world around me. I left feeling as though I had been given just as much, if not more, than I had given to the people we served.
As I started researching short-term mission opportunities, I realized that preparation was key to a successful trip. The Kingdom Workers’ Service Immersion trip to Malawi had everything clearly laid out and included a volunteer orientation process. After reading a bit more about the opportunity, I decided Kingdom Workers would be a good fit for me.
The people I met and the experiences I had taught me so much about myself and the world around me.
Isabel, a sweet girl with cerebral palsy served by the Disability Ministry.
At our volunteer orientation we walked through the list of objectives and did a few readings about life in Malawi. We also got to talk with some people currently living and working with Kingdom Workers in Malawi. These sessions were a great opportunity for me to ask questions and gain a better understanding of the Malawian culture. When it came time to leave I felt confident to get on the plane and begin my two-week adventure.
There were so many powerful moments that I experienced during the two-week long trip:
- I saw sweet children doing their therapy lessons with such grateful attitudes.
- I heard the sound of 500 children at vacation bible school singing a song we had taught them just the day before.
- I got to share fellowship with and pray for people I never thought I would get to meet.
One thing I really appreciated about Malawian culture is their emphasis on community. In the United States we look straight ahead and don’t talk to anyone around us. In contrast, whenever we arrived at a village in Malawi, everyone was so welcoming and excited to share with us their way of life and their stories.
Disability Ministry volunteers spending quality time with a program participant.
We were constantly in conversation with people and we were immediately made a part of that community even though we were newcomers. Everyone lived together, worked together, and supported each other in daily life.
Now that I am back home, I feel that need for community and I want to create opportunities for myself to be more involved with those around me.
It was also inspiring to see how the Christian lay people in Malawi are so giving of their time and so active in their church. People didn’t think about themselves and their plans but instead, they put the needs of the community first. Now that I am back home, I feel that need for community and I want to create opportunities for myself to be more involved with those around me.
Since returning home I have tried to hold on to the memories and moments of self growth I experienced while in Malawi. The exciting thing is that God works through us where we are and with what we have. If you want to help, God will show you how.
If you have a longing to serve others in new ways, I definitely recommend looking into Kingdom Workers opportunities!
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" – Acts 20:35
Photos by Sophia Aasa Photography
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