MAVISALO Chairperson Canaan Gondwe (center) with other members during construction.
Plans are coming together for the “Strengthen Spirit in Action” trip to Malawi and Kenya! In just a few shorts weeks, my husband Boyd and I will be meeting SIA partners and visiting their self-help projects.
Taking care of each small detail can sometimes feel like a great burden. Last night, for instance, I dreamt twice that I took my Typhoid Vaccine pill, because I was so worried about forgetting to take it when I woke up. Times like these are when I need to practice what I know.
In other words, I am being reminded to TRUST and KNOW that God is directing my path. Of course, that doesn’t mean that I ignore everything I need to accomplish in the 5 weeks before I leave – it does mean that I can ask for help, take one thing at a time, and celebrate accomplishments.
When I remember to do all that, good things happen!
For example, one of the groups I am going to visit is the Manyamula Savings and Loans Group (MAVISALO) in northern Malawi. Rather than worry about my schedule for the visit, I asked Canaan Gondwe to plan for our time together. What he put together is not only well-planned, it also makes me even more excited to meet these hard-working partners and interview them about the progress they have seen in their community since starting the group!
God at work in my life – I saw this reminder at a corner store in Dayton, Tennessee.
Here is a snippet of the schedule:
Friday:
Arrive at MAVISALO Office and meet the MAVISALO executive team and members of Small Business Fund (SBF)
Saturday:
Field visit of programs
Visit several SBF programs at Manyamula open market.
Visit MAVISALO poultry project
Travel to visit SBF “Sharing the Gift” program at Winkly Mahowe home
Visit horticultural gardens
Meet the executive team and have feed back and evaluation at office.
Slowly, the rest of the plans are coming into place. So, I’ll take this moment to celebrate the connections that have been made and the leadership of the SIA partners. Thank you for all your prayers surrounding this trip!
