As I spoke with one of my professors today he made a comment about how my face changes when I start to talk about Malawi, its the place that makes my eyes light up. I tear up during prayer and weep during alone time. It's almost time! 33 DAYS!
33 Days until I am back on African soil. The first 15 days I have the incredible opportunity to minister to those who have never heard the good news of Christ! My team and I have the privilege to go and share the love that has been so freely lavished onto us with a people that is so close to our hearts. I am beyond honored that the Lord would allow me to be even a small part of this trip. Then onto Malawi.
I dream about walking down the hill and seeing my kiddos and hugging my mommas. I can almost hear them. It's hard to focus on statistics homework when my mind is so infatuated with the excitement of the tomorrows. So what do I do when I miss them so much I wanna cry and never get out of bed? I look at pictures...Thank God for the camera!
As I was stocking everyone's Facebook who has ever been to Mtendere Village I found this picture of my handsome son.
Jaziel, or Jazzy to me, is the love of my life! My family and I have sponsored him since my first trip to Malawi in 2011. I have watched him grow from a crazy four year old, to a bold 5 year old, then he was a confident 6 year old. He makes my heart so very happy! I can't wait to be able to be with him again.
But the thing I really love about this picture isn't just that he is super cute and that he is my son but rather the look on his face. That is not a face of a scared vulnerable little boy. That is not a face of a kid who doesn't think he will get another meal very soon. That is not a face of a child who is shocked when he gets a second meal of the day because he has never had more than one a day in his life, much less a third! No, that is not his face at all. But it was...
When Jazzy first came to Mtendere he was not used to having a plate full of food three times a day. In fact it was something so bizarre to him that he literally did not believe the other kids at Mtendere when they said that he was allowed to have it again. But now he knows.
He knows what it's like to eat and be full. He knows what it's like to have new clothes to wear. He knows what it's like to be loved.
My favorite memory of Jazzy is this past summer when I got to take him into town to get pizza. Jazzy had never been to town and never had pizza before. He loved every minute of it. But my favorite moment was when he looked me straight in the eye and stole MY pizza off my plate. He took a big ole bite and just smiled with cheese coming all out his mouth. I wasn't mad at all, because he wasn't taking it cause he didn't have his own. He wasn't taking it cause he was afraid he wouldn't have enough. He took it cause he knew that I was his family and what's mine is his. He was comfortable enough to receive my love and eat my food.
Once Jazzy and I were walking through the village and one of the momma's asked him something in Chichewa. He paused for a second then answered. He grabbed my hand and smiled. I later asked the momma what she said. She told me that she asked him if we could understand each other since he didn't know English and I am not the greatest at Chichewa. He paused before confidently answering yes. She looked at me and said "you understand each other because of love not language." I was wrecked!
Jazzy knows what its like to be full of love. And in just a few short weeks he is gonna get spoiled with love again. I have seen the effects that love has on a child and I will spend every day of the rest of my life to see more kids eat off my plate.
