Living in the US, I loved hosting people. I loved having visitors. I loved sharing the things I loved with people. In Malawi, I love it even more. Having visitors here is such a gift. Whether it be friends; family of teammates from the US; volunteers from other places, they can be an amazing breath of fresh air.
This month, I got to share that with my mom (which is like a double whammy!)! Time always seems to go faster than we expect and a week is an awfully short time to experience everything, but I was grateful she got to experience a little of everything in the short time she had. We spent a day at our ministry center and in Dzaleka Refugee Camp seeing a little of our work and spending time with some people I've come to love. She was able to meet most of my team and visit the church I attend. Her birthday happened to be during the week she was here, so we celebrated with a Safari before she left (because, it's really a shame to visit Africa and not see some elephants).
It's a beautiful thing to share the things you love with the people you love. Stories come to life, people become real and connections are made when people can see, meet and experience for themselves. I'm so grateful to a to have gotten to share little of the beauty of Malawi with my mom and introduce her to some of the people that make this place great. It was an amazing experience to share with her - watching her take in new information and cultural differences, seeing God's extravegant beauty in a new way and even playing with new languages (Yes, plural). Having my mom here, even for a short time, was indeed a breath of fresh air and gave my soul the kind of rest you get from the comfort of home.
Click HERE to see pictures from the Safari!