Welcome!!

As many of you know this past summer I spent 8 weeks in Malawi, Africa serving as an intern with an organization called Children of the Nations. As you read further you will see ways that my heart has forever been changed because of this experience. It is a journey of losing myself and finding Christ in the eyes of the poor and orphaned. I have come to realize that this was not just a 2 month vacation, but that I am now responsible for what I have seen. I am now in the process of taking what I know and applying it to my world here. Please join me in this as I become more aware of the hurts in Africa and search for other ways to serve at home. I pray that this website will not only be informative, but also encouraging. Thank you for visiting!
God Bless!!

Love,
Karin :)

Encouraging Words of God

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" Ephesians 3:20
"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Support Future Projects!

Over the summer I had the opportunity to serve alongside a previous intern who is now working full time in Malawi for COTN. Christopher Adare has a unique passion for Malawi's children and shared some special project ideas with us. Some of these include a sunflower garden and oil press, a COTN youth retreat, job shadowing, and educational visits which will directly affect the futures of the kids I grew to know and love. Please continue reading to learn more about Chris' vision for the coming year as well as taking a look at his website found in the "Please Visit" section of my blog.


23 Oct. 2008
Dear COTN Supporters,

I have been a part of Children of the Nations’ ministry to the orphaned and destitute children in Malawi for nearly three years. In September, I returned to the States after spending 15 months working with children in the villages and orphans’ homes. During my time in Malawi, God taught me a lot about how He calls servants, and me specifically. I discovered the challenges that Malawians face, and I feel that I am responsible to them and to God to serve them in every way that I can. As a part of that calling, I will be returning to Malawi in January 2009 for an indefinite stay, to live and work side by side with Malawians as we seek to improve the communities and glorify God.

I will be organizing three primary projects for the next year, and recruiting college students from around Malawi to implement them. The first is a Youth Retreat that will take teenagers out of their everyday lives in the villages and orphans’ homes to relax, reflect, and hear from some of Malawi’s strongest Christian leaders. The second project is to arrange educational and vocational visits to broaden the perspectives and ambitions of COTN children to break the cycle of poverty. In the third project, I will work with agriculture students to design and market agro-technologies for the village farmer, such as a manual oil-press, beehive and centrifuge, and universal peanut sheller. The specific objectives of this project are to improve nutrition and reduce labor demands on children and women.

In order to do these activities and others, I will need to raise the money to finance them. I ask that you pray for me and for Malawi, and consider whether you can make a contribution. As I am planning these activities, I am humbled to know that I do nothing except through the grace and strength of Christ. I hope you will take a moment to reflect on your calling and how you might impact the lives of destitute children, though you may never meet them in this lifetime.

For the Children,
Christopher Adare

To read more about my work in Malawi, see photos, and contribute to the ministry go online to my website: www.asatayike.org

You can also mail contributions made payable to “Children of the Nations” to:
COTN, c/o Christopher Adare
1112 E. Woodcrest Ct.
Spokane, WA 99208
(a tax receipt will be mailed to you)

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Exhausted after 3 days of travel and no sleep...

Hello America!

After a tear-filled take-off and a grand total of 39 hours of flight time plus lay-overs I'm finally home! As we were flying out of Malawi it was difficult flying over the vilages and realizing that my time there was over and that I don't know when or if I will be coming back. It was hard having to say goodbye to my fellow interns/friends as we all had to go our seperate ways from London to the States. However, I'm glad we made it back safely and that after 3 days I was able to sleep in a bed and take a nice shower (it was a refreshing change to have hot water and pressure!!) My sister welcomed me at LAX yesterday with my favorite spring flowers and some snacks that I have missed. It was great to see her, but it's hard to be excited about being home. A huge part of me didn't want to land because I knew I was going to miss the Malawian culture right away. The first thing I noticed was how big, loud, and fast everything was around me. It's going to be hard to adjust to it all.

BUT I'm soooo thankful for Mexican food!! I had a fabulous burito and chips and salsa for dinner last night and it never tasted so good! Haha. Then I forced myself to stay up until 7 and woke up at 6 this morning. I don't think I have ever slept so hard!! After enjoying a cold bowl of cereal for breakfast, catching up on some Olympic highlights, and eating a scrumptious turkey sandwich and fresh fruit for lunch, my sister and I ran a couple of errands. I hopped into my car for the first time and it was sooo weird to drive (not to mention on the right side of the road haha). It was filthy so my sister paid for me to get it washed and an oil change! I'm holding off on filling up my tank until tomorrow.. I didn't miss the gas prices that's for sure!! Tomorrow morning after another good night's rest I'm driving back down to San Diego to settle in to my new apartment. It will be nice to have a little over a week to get prepared to go back to school since I start after Labor Day this year! My parents just booked a flight for my sister and I to come home that weekend so the 4 of us can spend some time together and I can share about my trip, show pictures, and distribute gifts as well as getting much anticpated hugs and kisses from my parents :)

Thank you for all your prayers and for the warm welcome home! Please continue to pray for me as I begin to process my summer and get used to my surroundings. I hope to talk to you soon! Please don't hesitate to give me a call if I don't give you one first :) I will let you know when my pictures are ready to post. Love you all!!

Love,
K

Friday, August 15, 2008

The end is near.. :(

Hello!! I am so sorry I haven't posted in almost 2 weeks! Lots of things have been going on, but I decided to wake up early this morning to post my last update before going home... I can't believe that time has come!! Last week was our last week of ministry.. it's been hard to think that I don't know if I will ever be able to enter these villages again. They have been home to me for the past 2 months and it was an emotional time saying goodbye to my family. Giving my thanks and farewells to the widows last Thursday was a cry-fest, but of course it was mixed with singing and dancing. I love those women sooooo much!!!

The Tuesday before saying goodbye the girls and I decided to put our foot washing idea from the beginning of the summer into action. Rachel read from John 13 which is the story of when Jesus washed His disciples feet in oder to show them that He came to serve not to be served. It was a powerful experience that I haven't been able to put into words as the five of us knelt down and served our sisters. Tears filled my eyes as I prayed over each woman as I pictured Jesus in that moment. Scripture has never felt that alive to me!

On Monday we had to say goodbye to the kids in Mgwayi.... I am going to miss playing with them! They have taught me a lot and I love them dearly, but we were advised not to cry in front of them because they wouldn't understand, so we tried our best to leave them with smiling faces (which isn't too hard because I can't help but smile around them). As we were walking back home with our usual trail of kids with us we reached the spot where we had to part. I was walking with my favorite girls Christina and Angela who are best friends along with their older brothers Yamikani and Gift who are also best friends. The girls and I didn't want to let go and stop hugging, but Gift tenderly and protectivley pulled his sister away, looked at me and said, "It's time for you to go now". He was right.. even though it was hard to hear, but my time with them was over. Gift then told me that they will praying for me to come back to Malawi and someday for them to visit me in my country. I was amazed by the strength of this 13 year old boy and the love he has for his fatherless sister. I told both boys what great brothers they were to my precious friends! Gift asked if I could pray for them and I said "Of course I will!", so he nudged the 3 others and they all clasped their hands and closed their eyes (I didn't realize they wanted to right that second!) It was a powerful moment and an awesome reflection of God's work as I walked away knowing that He is still with them after I leave.

As if all these goodbyes weren't enough, we then had to see the National interns off as they go back to school. I am going to miss hanging out with my Malawian friends!! It's not the same around here without them... they are not only a blast to hang out with but none of our ministry would've taken place without their hard work and translation assistance!!

On Wednesday morning we left for Safari in Zambia and got back last night (Friday). It was sooooooooo amazing!!! The country is beautiful and the animals are magnificant!! (and of course there is nothing like an offroading adventure in the African wilderness! HAHA) We saw lions, giraffes, zebras, hippos, and tons of monkeys and elephants (even in our camp!!) We were exhausted after 4 rides in a day and a half, but we got to see the sun rise and set as we had coffee and biscuits (God's colors are sooo beautiful!!) It was a blast and I can't wait to share pictures and video.

So now it's just us... 20 Americans hanging out in Africa... not quite sure what to make of our experiences... and unable to believe that we will be home in less than a week! I think I only feel ready to go home because I know I have to, but if I was to stay another few months I would be completely fine with it! But, I am excited to see you all and hear all about the last 2 months of your lives! Among the group we have thousands of pictures which will be so great to share, and I hope they can come close to what Malawi is!

Well that's my last post for my time here, but stay tuned for post-trip thoughts and pictures! Thank you for reading! We leave today for Lake Malawi to have a relaxing vacation and some defriefing before we take off early Tuesday morning for the States. I love you all! Thank you sooooo much for your support and prayers and for getting me here!!!!! See you next week :)

Love, K

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

His presence made known

Hello again ☺ I hope your first week of August is going well! How on earth did that happen??? AHHHH… anywho… I’m sorry this post is later than usual… I was planning on updating you all on Sunday, but then I was able to call my Mama for her Birthday!! We sang her a song and then I passed her around so everyone could say hi. Then I got to chat online with my sister instead! It was a great surprise even though I got kicked offline about 10 times and had to wait about 30 seconds for each message to send haha. I have about an hour before our intern meeting… just enough time to catch you up from last week! Here’s a few highlights:

On Tuesday we had all the widows bring their children so that we could take family pictures for them. Since we can’t get them printed here, we are planning to send them back as a gift after we leave. Not only was it special for them, but it was also helpful for us so that we can have each woman’s picture and name to use for future prayers and memories. We then made an announcement for them to bring a plate with them on Thursday because we wanted to serve them lunch. They were sooooo excited (what’s new? Haha) and the afternoon was finished off with usual singing and dancing!

Our normal schedule for Thursday is to spend the morning with the widows and then come back for lunch and a siesta before we go back in the afternoon. This Thursday, however, we stayed behind in the morning to prepare lunch for all the women. We purchased rice, beans, and greens from the market in order to feed over 40 women. It was quite a process since the beans have to soak overnight and the rice has to be sifted for rocks, but luckily the cooks helped us with the quantities. We arrived at noon and as we walked in with our 3 pots the women surrounded us with singing and dancing because they were so excited and thankful. After about 8 songs or so, I had prepared an encouraging word and blessing to share since it was my week to lead Bible study. I thanked them for allowing us to serve them in this way because they always serve us. I shared my love for long meals with friends because of the fellowship that goes along with it, along with Jesus’ love for community that they exemplify so well. I read Romans 15:5-6 which says, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. I reminded them that the most important thing we have in common is our love for Christ and thanked them for showing us a deeper sense of His love in the way they serve us and each other. As we were serving food we were worried that we wouldn’t have enough for everyone, but we just kept praying for God to provide and make it stretch. Everyone was served a substantial helping and about half of the women were able to come back for more!!! We enjoyed an amazing time of fellowship and eating (with our hands of course! Malawian style….) and I can’t even describe the presence of God that I felt in that room. The most amazing thing to me as I reflect on the day is the women’s response to it. Up until that point all we have “done” is sit with them and fail at knitting, most of the time not being able to communicate. Yet, this was the first time we “did” something by bringing them food, and their graciousness and joy was exactly the same as every other time we have spent with them. Their hearts are amazing and I have learned so much from them!

On Friday we did a photo scavenger hunt in Mgwayi where we broke up into teams and wandered around the village taking as many pictures we could of things on the list. The kids loved it!! Well anything that involves a camera is pretty much always successful!

On Sunday the COTN country director (aka: a bigwig around town), Yobe Lungu, took a few of us with him to his church in the morning. It was from 7-9 am and then he had to go preach at another church at 10. He is seriously the most genuine and loving man of God I have ever met! He is so intentional with his time and always seeks us out to say hello and see how we are doing. During the service, even though it was in English, he was explaining a few of the traditions that were going on and then during the offering he handed the 3 of us some money to put in so that we could all walk up together and drop it in the basket. We were introduced to the church (a Malawian tradition) and was welcomed with a song of course! Even though he had somewhere to be we never felt like we were wasting his time or we had to rush. We left church at 9:15 and still had to be driven back so that Yobe could arrive to church on time. Yet, on the way home we stopped to sit down and have a cup of tea and a little chat! Haha we were cracking up… that would never happen in the States! Needless to say he showed up a little late but that’s completely acceptable when entertaining friends!

Thank you again for all your thoughts and prayers! This current week is our last week of ministry which is going to be a lot harder than I originally thought! I have been blessed with amazing relationships and a deep love for the people here that it will be hard to leave. Please pray that God will continue to lead me in His will and that I would be open to what else He wants to teach me with my little time left here. Please pray that our goodbyes would be blessed and for our physical and spiritual health. I love you and miss you! See you in 2 weeks ☺

Love, K

Sunday, July 27, 2008

So this one time when I was in Malawi...

Hello everyone!!! How's America? Well, Africa is nice.. thanks for asking :)
Haha but really.. I hope you are all doing well! Miss you! Let me catch you up a bit on my week...

The kids just finished their second trimester of school so they have a few weeks off until they go back to finish out their year. In this break time we now have the opportunity to tutor at Chitipi (one of COTN's children homes) in order to catch some kids up so they can pass the exams and move forward. Chitipi is just up the road and houses  around 30 sponsored children who have been pulled out of their village. It's awesome to see God's transformation in their lives in comparison to the village kids that we spend most of our time loving on throughout the week. So I am now part of the teaching team which goes on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Me and another intern work with 5 kids in standard 5 (5th grade) with the ages ranging from 10-14. They are pretty far behind according to standards in the States, but we are doing our best to help them with what we can. We have a small time of devotions in the beginning, then move into math, then have a play break, then work on English and reading. Monday was a struggle for me because we went not knowing what kids we were going to be working with or what we would be teaching them. The kids were really shy and unmotivated and it was difficult considering the differing skill levels. I've only done one-on-one tutoring in the past, so this was definitley going to be a challenge. One of the girls, Modesto, didn't smile the whole time and wouldn't even say goodbye to me. I felt really discouraged because I didn't know how to relate to her and I could see that she was being teased because she's really far behind and wasn't understanding. I felt like the whole day was a failure and had no idea how I was going to relate to these kids, since I had never struggled with school before (let alone the other issues they have faced growing up). I was getting nervous about going back on Wednesday so I prayed continuously for God to give me His strength, energy, patience, and creativity and to use me to reach these kids and be excited about learning. Wednesday came and compared to Monday it was night and day. I came up with a tons of simple math games we could do to get them motivated, they were all smiling and laughing and retaining the information that I was getting so frustrated with on Monday. The same girl from Monday gave me a big hug when we left and I can't wait to go back tomorrow :) God is good! Mom and Dad I don't know how you guys do it day in and day out... teaching is HARD!!! I love you both!!

On Thursday at the widows' ministry one of my friends Wezzie gave me her hat as a gift!! All the women made matching green crocheted hats that they wear as a uniform and she let me where hers on Tuesday. They are so silly, but I love it! At first I thought she was just letting me wear it again, but then she said, "No my friend... it's a gift.. for YOU!!! You can take a piece of me home and share with your friends and family." That room is always filled with so much love. So now I'm trying to learn how to make one from my friend Christina, but all we do is laugh because I can't understand her directions and so far I've only done 3 stitches on my own... it's so hard!

On Friday we had our weekly game day in Mgwayi (the village behind us) and a couple of the national interns started organizing a dance contest with the kids. We created a beat and then cheered for the best dancers. It was the funniest thing ever! Then all the kids pulled some of us "azungus" up there to show our moves and battle against the remaining kids. Of course I was one of them because I never turn down a good dance party! Haha. All the kids were cheering for us and then surrounded us with a big group hug at the end.

Last night (Saturday) was such a relaxing evening and made me feel like I was home. The power went out at dinner (which is pretty much an everyday occurence) so all of us girls hung out at the duplex (the staff house which is really cozy). We lit some candles and played the guitar and chatted while we waited for the power to come back on. When it did we popped some popcorn over the stove and baked cookies. We then got a projector and watched the Holiday on one of the walls while we cozied up on the big cozy couches. It was a great girls night and I haven't felt that cozy in a long time! It made me miss home even though I'm not ready to go back yet...

Thanks for reading about my weekly highlights! I am continuing to pray for you all back home :) Please continue to pray for me as I am beginning to see the end of my time here. I want God to continue to show me the people that He wants me to deepen relationships with, as well as the people who just need to know who He is. Please pray for patience and flexibility, since many things don't go the way I envision them to. Mostly, I just want to be fully present and open to His will for me here. I love you all! Talk to you again soon :)

Love,
Karin

Sunday, July 20, 2008

It's already been halfway!

I wish I could keep you all updated more frequently since there is so much I want to share! Limited communication is so hard because I went to tell you everything!! But I'm going to try my best to describe my experience so it feels like you are here too :) Just keep in mind that once again internet connection is unpredictable.. haha
* side note: We made another blog for the whole entire team and we are trying to post on it more frequently so feel free to check it out at malawi2008interns.blogspot.com It has more information of our weekly schedule which  might be hard for me to include on mine.
With that said here are a couple highlights from my week:
The widows' ministry is going well and I have been feeling more connected the more time we spend with them. Tuesdays and Thursdays are dedicated days with these women. In the mornings we visit their homes where they teach us true Malawian chores like bucketing water from the well (yes I have carried a bucket on my head.... not as easy as it looks hahaha), washing dishes, washing laundry, building cooking fires, sweeping inside the house, and mudding floors (this is my favorite.. we mix mud and spread it on the floors to fill in some holes and have a clean finish.. when it dries it looks like a brand new floor!) In the afternoons we come back to help them with their projects to sell in the COTN store back at the compound. It's been hilarious trying to learn how to knit! And mom I wish I would've paid more attention to your sewing skills.. you would love it! They use antique foot peddle Singers and are super fast and talented. Tons of beautiful fabrics.. don't worry I'm bringing some stuff home to share :) This Tuesday was my favorite day with them.. We literally spent 2 and a half hours dancing! Even the older ones were getting down super low! hahahaha I was dying laughing! Malawians are all born with rhythm and amazing voices.. I don't know how that happens.. but it's not really something to learn (believe me I've tried hahahaha). I feel like we have reached the stage where the women are comfortable being with us and now I am praying that we can form a deeper realtionship by hearing their stories and sharing my own. Language barriers have definitley prolonged the process, but in that time God has taught me how to listen and to be present. I never realized how rewarding it is to just take part in what He is already doing and observe His simple joy and love :)
Another highlight was when we went to Mgwayi on Friday for our outreach program. Mondays are spent giving a message, Wednesdays are small group discussion, and Fridays are game day. I was in a weird funk for a couple days before just feeling useless and frustrated and missing the comforts of home. As we were walking into the village I was praying for God to give me energy because I had none whatsoever (I know hard to believe.. haha), all I wanted to do was start the weekend early and just relax. As we entered 2 of my favorite little girls (Christina and Angela) ran to me screaming my name, "Auntie Kaylin!!!!!" They were so excited to play with me and it was refreshing to see their smiles. It was a perfect picture as God's prescence was known with the sun shining perfectly through the clouds as I scooped these girls up! My energy was immediatley filled and even though I couldn't understand a word they were saying we spent the whole day singing and laughing and dancing! God has been showing me that sometimes words just complicate things and get in the way of experiencing what a laugh or smile truely means. His love is so simple.. all He wants is us.. nothing else... and it was displayed perfectly in Christina and Angela. I felt like I was looking in the eyes of Jesus where I was completely known without saying anything and felt no shame letting go and being exactly who He has made me to be. God is GOOD!! 
I miss you all!!!!!!
I'm glad this post could be longer... it's part of our lazy Sunday routine :)
Love you all!!!
Until next time.... Tionana!!!

A couple pictures so that you really know I'm here :)



Picture 1 (sorry I can't make it verticle...) Here I am with one of the widows Mrs. Harry and 2 of her children Febby (who I am holding) and her son (I am forgetting his name right now...). It took them a while to warm up to me but now Mrs. Harry greets me with a huge everytime and by the end of the day I can get Febby smiling and laughing. 
Picture 2: This is a tickle fest in Mgwayi (the village right behind us) and I am in the process of falling over. Christina (on the right) loves to wear my sunglasses and laughs so hard when I have her look through my prescription glasses. They don't really understand the difference so it's funny to see their reactions. 

Monday, July 14, 2008

So I'm not abbducted....

Sorry about the last post I made... my first experience in an African internet cafe! Haha! Just a heads up... all my internet connections are slow and unpredictable so I will do my best :) Right now I just have few minutes in the office at our compound.... I loaded the page before lunch and it was up and ready after we ate... haha gotta love the slow-paced culture! I will be able to do a full post later this week or during the weekend when we go into town again, but I just wanted to let you know I'm alive since my last post ended mid-thought mid-sentence...
I love you all!! Thanks for my few comments Mom, J, Auntie Bobbi!! The rest of you should hop on that train :)
Until next time....
Tionana!! ("See Ya" in Chichewa)

Friday, July 11, 2008

I'm a true Malawian!!!

WOOOOHOOOO!!! I'm here!! It has officially been 2 weeks and a couple days since I was last in the States. In some ways it seems like a lifetime since I have been home and in other ways it feels like the time is flying by. Malawian time is not like American time at all. I pretty much never know what time it is, and for the first time in my life I'm waking up at 6:30am without using an alarm.. I know it's hard to believe. But, maybe it's because it gets dark at 6 and I'm ready for bed by 8 hahaha. Anywho... thank you sooo much for all your prayers! The whole intern team is an awesome group of people and it is evident that God has hand-picked each one of us for this particular trip. The National staff is amazing... Malawians are so crazy and fun to be around.. I can't believe how much I have been missing (my loud uncontrollable laughter fits in perfectly here haha) The beginning was kind of rough since it was a huge culture shock... I usually don't consider myself to have blonde hair, but for some reason it really sticks out here!! haha there is no such thing as blending into the crowd that's for sure.. but the people here are amazing!! I have never felt so far from home but so at home all at the same time. I have never gone to a place before where I am always welcomed with smiles, hugs, singing, dancing, and uncontrollable waving! Every time I think "I'm really not that cool...." but then God reminds me that it is His Spirit that draws people close and gets them excited which is pretty sweet when you think about it!
So let me share a few stories with you to give you a little picture of what I am experiencing here:)
The first time we went into the village I was taken back by the amount of poverty surrounding me. Tons of children with not that many adults to account for them, only a few sets of shoes on people's feet, homemade brick houses with hay roofs, families of 10 sleeping on one bamboo mat with no blankets. I didn't know what to do with what I was seeing, but then I felt a child's hand slip into my hand. I was surprised at first and I looked down to the biggest smile I had ever seen.. so full of joy and peace. It didn't make sense to me. This kid had nothing. But then God said to me in a small voice (which is hard to hear when I am constanly surrounded by noise) that only He can make us complete. He is truely all we need. I have known that and heard it over and over but this was the first time where I experienced it in it's truest form. As we continued our walk through the village we started as a group of 20 white people and ended with over 100 kids with us... I never thought that 2 hands wouldn't be enough!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Departure day is here!!

Holy Moly!! I'm leaving for Africa in 9 hours according to my countdown!! My drive down to Sheila's went well even though I was on a few hours of sleep.. but I made it here safely and we got to have good catch-up time and lounge time last night. We ate pizza and watched movies and went to bed fairly early. I felt like I had to force myself to relax because I have tons of "to-do lists" floating around in my brain, but I'm glad I took a break :) I slept super well because I was so exhausted and woke up to waffles and strawberries (yummmy). If you can't tell I'm probably going to miss food the most which is probably why I've gained like 10 pounds since I've been home! HAHA. After breakfast we ran some errands to get some fun things for the plane like a sleep mask, ear plugs, coloring book and crayons, word puzzles, and Sudoku. I also have reading material, music, cards, and my journal to keep me occupied not to mention the best traveling buddies for great conversation!! My last, yet most important, errand was to stock up on snacks for when I'm in-country and missing good tasting goodies. I got starburst, cheez-its, granola bars, and cookies in little individual packages, as well as some crysal light to-go packets to flavor up my water a bit. So now I'm all set to go! I'm still at Sheila's and about to leave in a little bit to drive to my sister's so we can have lunch, take a shower, and relax before we drive to the airport. I feel pretty calm, but it's probably just because it hasn't hit me yet. I don't think it will until probably a couple weeks of being in Malawi and I will still have 6 weeks left to go! I can't wait!!

Here are just a few reminders before I leave:
1) Once I arrive I will get one phone call which I will use to talk to my parents and let them know I am safe and sound. I then left my mom a phone list of people to call so she can relay the message which includes: my sister, grandparents, aunts and uncles, my three best girl friends (Megan, Raven, and Ashley), one representative from my church at home and in San Diego, one Courtside representative, and Sheila so she can tell our other roomies.
2) After my initial contact with home I will not be able to communicate for 2 weeks just so that we can effectively begin our cultural immersion process and stay focused on our purpose in Malawi. After that I will be able to have limited computer access so please check my blog regularly since it will be my main source of contact!!
3) I am turning off my phone and leaving it in the US so I won't be able to receive calls, but please feel free to leave as many voicemails as you want to so I can hear your precious voices when I get home! I will call you all when I get back and can't wait to share my stories and pictures with you!
4) I just realized that I never posted my official job for the summer. Please refer to my previous post called "Our creative juices are flowing..." for a description. Our original ideas for the widow's home, art class, and teenage girl outreach have now been established and I'm so excited to see them develop further with our service and God's guidance!

Here are a few prayer requests for the next 8 weeks:
1) That we will have a stress-free travel by getting all our stuff through customs smoothly.
2) That we will all stay healthy.
3) That we will transition smoothly into the Malawian culture.
4) That we will be received with favor by the natives as well as the rest of our team.
5) That we will remain flexible and patient.
6) That we don't let ourselves get in the way of God's plan, but that we will follow Him wherever He leads us even if it is scary and uncomfortable.
7) That our hearts and minds will be transformed by what we experience.
8) That we will be able to bring people to Jesus through our love for them and establishing meaningful relationships.
9) That we can slow down and learn how to listen.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and donations! I couldn't have done any of this by myself since when I applied for the internship I had no ideas whatsoever on how I was going to raise the money. But, God is so faithful and has provided abundantly by using you all in His plan for me!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! I love you tons!! I will update you again in 2 weeks :) See you all in August!!

In Him,
Karin

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Packing until 3 AM


This shouldn't surprise you.. I am the biggest procrastinator alive!! Haha. Today has been a crazy day.. running around all day picking up last minute items and visiting with some friends. Surprisingly I'm not that tired, probably because of all the excitement. I have felt encouraged by my home church community since the past 2 weeks I have been prayed over by the college group that I used to be involved in before I moved to San Diego. It's awesome to be able to catch up with everyone when I'm home and still have those relationships as well as meet new faces. After college group, I was up late last night spending time with my best friend Megan, just chatting and eating ice cream.. what we do best :) Then I was woken up bright and early by my parents so I could say bye to them as they headed off to Vegas to celebrate the end of the school year (teachers are spoiled with 3 months vacation!). I fell back asleep for a little bit, but not for long since it was scorching outside and I began to sweat at 8 AM and haven't really stopped since! Haha. I then got a surprise visit from my best friend Ashley and her mom (a.k.a."Mama Maxwell") complete with my favorite Starbucks drink (iced white mocha) and an awesome prayer session! Then the laundry began and the beginning of lots of packing to come. I not only had to pack for Africa, but also to go back to San Diego since I won't be coming home before school starts again. Then I met my friend John at Aqui's for lunch and had amazingly refreshing pineapple-strawberry sodas and good conversation as always! Then the errands began... I bought one more skirt at Ross, a copy of "The Irresistible Revolution" for Rachel (the four of us are going to be reading it together throughout the summer), went to the bank... twice, Target, and the UPS store to get a packing box for my supplies. On my way home I stopped by my best friend Amanda's house (she has air conditioning and a pool!!). She wrote me a precious card which said "I will be praying for you while you're in Mexico" among other nice things... HAHA she won't live that one down... she tried blaming it on the heat.. Oh well :) She said she will also pray for me while I'm in Africa so that's comforting! Then I drove over to my friend Josh's house to say bye to him because he's leaving tomorrow to spend the summer in Lake Tahoe working at Safeway! I'm super excited for him and told him to say hi to my parents when they go shopping since we spend our summers in Tahoe. I then came home to pack some more until my best friend Raven came over with Togo's for dinner (I'm definitely going to have a hard time without turkey sandwiches for 2 months...). As we were eating, John and Susan (my parents best friends and Mom and Dad number 2) came over to say hi and pray for me. The rest of the night was spent packing and weighing my bags to make sure they are within the 50 lb. limits. I can't believe I fit everything in 1 duffel bag and a backpack!! I'm pretty stoked for my simplistic lifestyle I must say! Well, I'm pretty much all set to go.. just a few more details to complete (like snacks and games for the crazy long plan ride!) Megan is coming over at 8 with a bagel breakfast and to help me load my car up as I drive down to LA. I am going to stay the night at my friend Sheila's house (she was my roommate all last year and I'm super excited to see her!), then I will drive to my sister's house on Sunday morning so I can keep my car in her garage for the summer and she will take me to the airport! Those are the travel plans.. pray everything goes well and that I don't fall asleep at the wheel... I will post again before I leave!! I can't believe it's finally here! Thank you again for all your support and prayers :) I love you all!!! Ok, bed time...

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

God is crazy!!!!!!!!!

I went to work yesterday morning still needing $1700 to raise and came home debt free!!!!!! As you all know I have been very worried about where this money was going to come from to pay for this trip, but God definitely has His own plans. Of course to test my faith and patience He waits until 5 days before getting on the plane to display His power. I had a complete breakdown the night before as I was crying out to God in desperation. I was filled with discouragement and doubt because from what I could see the means to go were not in sight. How in the world was He going to pull this off? He has done so much already in the past few months, confirming that Malawi is where I'm supposed to be, so why was I losing faith in His timing? Well let me tell you how it all happened...
This past weekend I typed up a flyer to give to some employees describing what my plans were for the summer and how they could help by donating money, supplies, and by visiting this wonderful blog!! I have been praying that God would invoke passion in people's hearts, and that by choosing to support me in this adventure they would be able to take part in something bigger. I was able to witness a huge act of generosity, as well as the biggest confirmation from God yet. As I was training a new employee, a fellow worker came up to me and told me how great she thought this opportunity was for me and wanted to help by giving. She asked how much money I had left to raise and I told her it was about $1500. She said she wanted to write me a check for $1000. I'm not sure what my face looked like, but I'm pretty sure my mouth dropped and my eyes imediatley began to tear. All I could say was "thank you" and give her a huge hug!! I was in disbelief, not only in her large contribution, but mostly in the way God used her to fulfill His plans for me. The story doesn't end there... She came back with a folded check written for the whole $1500!!!!!!! I can't even believe this.... a huge weight has been lifted and all I can do is praise God!
Then, about 5 minutes before I was leaving work, one of our massage therapists walked in with a black garbage bag full of yarn to donate for the widow's ministry. She said she was just wondering what she was going to do with all of it as she was cleaning out her knitting closet. Perfect timing :)
Then I came home to another $100 check from a friend, and an encouraging card with $100 from my best friend. That's it! My trip is paid! I'm going to Africa!! I am so filled with joy and encouragement as I've seen tons of people brought into this process. Thank you all for your support and prayers!

Friday, June 13, 2008

I stand in awe of His power

So I leave in 10 days which doesn't leave that much room to raise the rest of my money, but God has convinced me that He doesn't work on the same time table. It seems like right as I begin to doubt Him, He reveals Himself to me in such amazing ways in order to provide encouragement. He is constantly offering confirmation that Malawi is where I am supposed to be this summer and that He is going to make it happen! God has created environments where people are brought into my life that I would never even think would be a part of this process. So let me give you some highlights of this past week and a few ways that God has made His vision clear to me.

First off, I'm pretty much working every single day before I leave which makes me a little busy and tired, but I'm able to earn some much needed cash and be in a supportive environment.

Also, last week I had to finish up all my medical stuff so I had one appointment to complete my shots and another with my doctor to sign a medical release. I got them both scheduled just in time and with no hassle which never happens (for those of you who have experienced Kaiser.. haha) A huge blessing has been my medical insurance since all my shots were FREE!!!!!! A lot of my teammates have already racked up a huge bill for their vaccinations. I started my shots in San Diego and when I talked to the nurse about everything I needed she said that Malarone (my malaria medicine) would be the only thing not covered because it is a name-brand prescription. She said it was 5 bucks a pill and since we have to take it before we get there, every day we are there, and after we get back that means A LOT of money!! Money that I definitely didn't have. So I decided to put that off to the last minute hoping I would get a few hundred extra dollars somehow... well that didn't happen and it was time to pick up my prescription after my shots were done. I told the nurse that I didn't have the money and that I understood it wasn't covered so I might have to hold out a bit longer, but she interrupted me by saying, "Oh no that was just changed... you now just have to pay your regular co-pay." I was completely blown away and couldn't help but laugh! That's just crazy talk! HAHA. Then if it couldn't get better... I go to the pharmacy to pick it up and they didn't charge me right. I was supposed to pay my co-pay for every 30 tablets, but they only charged me once instead of 3 times. The pharmacist caught it and said, "Don't worry about it we won't tell... have a great trip!!" Once again my only response was laughter. I was in such disbelief that God was seriously doing this! Once again, money is completely out of my control. He is so good :)

Another cool story is that the other day at work I was talking to a coworker about my trip and she asked how much money I still had to raise. I told her that I still had a quite a bit to go, so she created a plan right on the spot. That night she baked brownies and made a donation box with my picture on it and started selling them to employees at the club. I was so touched by her thoughtfulness and willingness to step up and help out. What a blessing!

Also, I was feeling discouraged about not recieving any responses to my support letter recently in the mail. I was also getting worried because I had to have all my mail forwarded home if it was sent to San Diego and I wasn't quite sure if it was working or just getting lost somewhere. Then yesterday, right as I was feeling really overwhelmed about my finances, my dad walks in with the mail and I had 3 letters! The last one I opened was a large unexpected check and an encouraging note from a family member!! I broke down in tears as I was humbled by His power and renewed by His faithfulness.

Then tonight, after sharing my plans for the summer with a group of old and new friends, a girl who I had just met felt led to give me money. She said that she was trying to figure out what to do with it and after hearing about my trip she really wanted to help me out! I had just met her! I didn't know what to do! I was so amazed by her generosity!

These are just a few ways that God has been loving on me this past week, and I hope it is an encouragement to you. He truly never gives up on us and is able to provide in ways that we can't even imagine to be possible. It's so encouraging to see people feeling called to give and to do it joyously! Please pray for continued provision as well as the ability to be joyous in all things :)
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Doors are opening...

So for a little over two years before leaving for school I worked at a high-end sports resort called Courtside Club. About a week ago I e-mailed my former boss to see if she had any shifts I could pick up while I was home. She knew all about Malawi since she was one of my references for the internship and was thrilled to hear that I wanted to work before I left. She said that I couldn't have asked at a more perfect time because two key employees were leaving which left a huge gap at the front desk. She was able to give me 48 hours right on the spot!! Then, during my first shift yesterday I was able to pick up an additional 20+ hours just by talking to fellow employees that need coverage over the next couple weeks. I have been worrying a lot about my financial situation, and by this work opportunity opening up I have been able to rest more in God's provision. I was instantly reminded that God doesn't just leave us hanging out to dry, but that He will provide us with what we need when He leads us somewhere. He is preparing the way for me this summer and I am so thankful for His faithfulness :)

Please pray that God will continue to open up financial opportunities like these as well as bring people into my life who are willing to give. Also, that I would have faith that God can make this work even though I have so much more to go. I need to see that God doesn't rely on the same means that the world does and that He is so much bigger than money!

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Friday, May 23, 2008

Goodbye San Diego

Here we are (Rachel, Leslie, me, and Sarah) at our last Wednesday night college group. We had a BBQ party to celebrate the end of the school year and the beginning of summer. It was a memorable event where our whole community got to reflect on what an awesome year of growth it has been. The night also focused on extending prayer over all the short-term missions that Flood is going to be sending out this summer. It was cool to hear all the places that God has called a lot of my friends to this summer including a few different trips to Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Connecticut, and Hume Lake Christian Camps. It was encouraging to see others step out in their faith as well as being supported in prayer by those who are staying back home. The party continued with a slide show of pictures from the past year which reminded me of how many friendships have been formed in such a little amount of time. I can't believe that I came to San Diego without knowing a single person and now I am surrounded by so many amazing people that I'm going to miss while I'm gone this summer. Everyone seems to be going their separate ways this summer, but I am so excited to return in the fall and hear about everyone's experiences. Since I was leaving to drive home the next day, this night was the last time us four girls would be together until we see each other at the airport. It would also be the last time that our whole college group would be together how we are because even though we will return in the fall, our hearts will be forever changed by the things God shows us through other cultures that we choose to serve this summer.

Please pray that I can be filled with peace as I think about returning home in the fall. I have been more worried about who I will be when I come back then about actually being in Malawi. Usually we don't get to know ahead of time when our lives are about to change, so I need prayer on how to prepare for that as well as trusting God even though change scares me.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Our creative juices are flowing...

Although Children of the Nations already has programs set up in Malawi, as interns we are expected to be proactive in coming up with additional ideas we can contribute while we are there. Along with our single bag of personal belongings (clothes, shoes, toiletries, etc.), we are each allotted 50 lbs. of supplies to bring over and use within our programs. It has been challenging to think of what we want to bring since we still don't know exactly where we will be placed within the organization. However, we are pretty sure that Sarah and Leslie will be developing some sort of art program with the orphans and Rachel and I will most likely be working within the Widow's program. This would include helping them with their daily activities of making jewelry, textiles, bowls, etc. for them to sell at the markets for their source of income. It would be a mixture of craftiness and business as well as being able to build relationships with the women through learning their trade. We are in the process of trying to get donations for art supplies such as paints, markers, paper, glue, scissors etc. and sewing materials such as buttons, zippers, thread, yarn, needles, patterns etc. We also want to bring lots of jumpropes since that is always a fun activity that the kids love and are currently using anything they can find to tie together. In addition we have been brainstorming a unique program that we can do in addition to our internship roles. All of us feel on our hearts that since we are a team of just girls then we want to spend some extra time getting to know the older girls since they tend not to get as much attention as the little kids. They are used to having people come in and out of their village all the time, and visitors are more inclined to love on the 4-10 year olds rather than the junior high and younger high school kids. We feel that just because these kids live in a different culture than we do doesn't mean they don't go through the normal struggles of adolescence that we have all experienced. Therefore we want to form a sort of big sister-little sister program where we meet with the older girls once a week and really get to know them and spend time with them. We want to plan something different to do with them every week such as making crafts, baking, painting nails, etc. We are still working out the details since there are cultural barriers to work through, but we are definitely passionate about this idea! Even though we have been bouncing a lot of cool ideas off each other we still have to be reminded that our plans way not work out the way we envision. Please pray for faith to follow our passions as well as being open to allow God to change our plans. Thanks for reading and I'll keep you updated on more to come :) Hope you're having a blessed day!!

Friday, May 9, 2008

My Support Letter

The following letter is what I sent out my family and friends:

I can’t believe how fast time has flown by! I am writing to you during my spring break as the end of my junior year at San Diego State is quickly approaching. To catch everyone up to speed I have been living down south since last August when I transferred from my community college to complete my degree as a Kinesiology major. It was a huge act of faith and very scary moving to an unknown place completely on my own for the first time. However, through much prayer and encouragement from my friends and family back home I was able to adjust very quickly and have since grown to love it here. It has been such a testimony to how faithful God is when we surrender everything to Him and trust His perfect will for our lives. He has blessed me with a beautiful city to live in and an amazing campus to study at, but I am mostly thankful for the community of believers at Flood church that I can serve Him with.
Flood (www.diveintoflood.com) is a creative church always coming up with new ways to experience God and providing outlets to grow in my faith with other college students. They are dedicated to serving the San Diego community and creating environments where people are transformed by the living God. As I have become more involved in my community as a servant of Christ, loving others through His love and grace, I have realized that my true passion has always been people. As a physically active person it has been great learning how the human body works through my studies, but where I get most of my energy from is getting to know others and ministering to them through love and laughter.
With summer soon around the corner, and the looming thought of having to take a summer class in order to graduate on time subsided, ideas for how to spend my three months of freedom began to circle through my head. Would I stay in San Diego, working and spending free time at the beach? Or would I go back home and just relax in the comfort of my family and friends? While there was nothing wrong with either option, I felt that I needed to be challenged more and began to pray for different ways I could serve this summer, truly wanting to be part of something bigger than myself. This is when the opportunity of a summer internship in Malawi, Africa was presented to me during an announcement at church. Although I have always been drawn to the stories and images of this unknown world there was no way I would ever be qualified enough to take part in this sort of ministry. I have always separated myself from the “spiritual giants” who went to Africa, and although I have been presented with short-term trips before I avoided the opportunity out of fear that God could not possibly use me in such a big way. What could I ever offer a nation in so much turmoil that is completely foreign to my “rich American” world? With all these fears and resistance it would be easy to just look for other opportunities that wouldn’t require as much sacrifice, but God kept putting this mission on my heart and drawing me toward the people in Malawi. After being reminded of all the times He has been faithful by trusting Him, especially through my recent move, I was able to cling to the truth that I can be used anywhere as long as I allow His Spirit to work through me.
For eight weeks, I will undertake an internship with other college students from Flood and across the country with a non-profit organization called Children of the Nations (www.cotni.org). Their mission is to assist orphaned and destitute children, pulling them out of their poverty, giving them a chance to live, and then providing them with skills and opportunities to become tomorrow’s leaders. In Malawi most of these children have been orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS, famine, malaria, and other untreatable diseases. While the main focus of the internship is mentoring these children in the COTN program, it also includes new skills, where we are given an opportunity to be fully immersed in another culture by assisting a family in day-to-day activities. Another aspect of the internship is personal ministry, where we are able to utilize our individual talents and passions to serve. Lastly, COTN offers us a better understanding of the many facets of the ministry as we get to see firsthand the work that they are already doing.
I’m writing to ask if you would be my partner in this by committing to prayer and assisting with finances. We are asked to individually raise $4,800 for this trip and any contribution you could make to my experience would be greatly appreciated. Your gift will be fully tax deductible and any contributions I receive above my individual cost will be applied to the internship program as a whole. Please make your checks payable to “Flood” and make sure not to write my name in the “memo” line. Instead, return the response portion below with your donation to me by May 31st if possible.
Even if you can’t give financially I still ask that you would consider partnering with me in prayer. I’m very excited to be participating in this trip, but I know that I cannot prepare myself fully for the experiences I will be encountering. I can’t wait to love on these precious lives and to tell you about it when I return! Thank you so much for your support and blessings!

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Video: Rob Bell "Dust"

So, I am a huge Rob Bell fan and love hearing his insight through his short film series called NOOMA. He has so much knowledge about the Jewish culture and is able to bring it into the context of today. The ability to apply scripture written thousands of years ago to stuff I am dealing with currently is such an awesome testimony that God's Word is living and active and that He is the same yesterday today and tomorrow. This video was such a good reminder for me since lately I have been feeling overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy. However, Jesus makes it clear that He calls us exactly where we are. So often I feel like I need to have all my stuff together in order to serve Him. That I'm not able to come before Him unless I'm perfect. Thank God that's not the case, and that Jesus offers grace and most importanly faith in His people. I was reminded of something that I so often forget, that God has faith in us too! He wouldn't say "Come, follow me" if he didn't think we could do what He does. Of course I have faith in God that He can do anything, but do I really believe that He has faith in me to carry out His plans? I hope you are encouraged by this video because it has added to my knowledge of what faith really means.

Part 1


Part 2