Another full heart :-)

This weekend I was blessed in so many ways. I was able to go out to do outreach in a village not once, but twice. I am brimming with joy and my heart is full after this weekend.

Saturday morning I was able to go out with the Chisomo Idea and help coach underprivileged boys and girls in soccer. We went out with the intentions of coaching just the girls team, but this being Malawi, plans changed a bit and we were able to interact with both the girls and the boys. The Chisomo Idea is an amazing organization that provides a soccer academy for the underprivileged. As I was looking around watching both the boys play soccer and the children standing on the sidelines watching, I realized something amazing was happening here. The Chisomo Idea was teaching the boys (and girls) not only how to play soccer, but to be role models. The boys were learning self-esteem and confidence. They were learning responsibility. It was so cool to watch the faces of the little ones not yet old enough to play. They were gleaming with the joy of the possibilities to come. They were itching to be old enough to put on a scrimmage jersey and take up with the team. It was amazing knowing all that comes with putting on that jersey. The boys were looking forward to something- they were looking forward to a better and brighter future. One that not only contains countless hours of practices and scrimmages, but responsibility, hopes, and dreams.

The girls were just as inspiring. One girl (who reminded me of myself when I played soccer all those years ago) showed up dolled up in a fancy dress. I thought for sure she was going to be one of the “typical girls” (at least the stereotypical American girl... which, might I add, is not so typical) who is scared to get dirty and break a nail. Boy was I wrong. She was all over the field, slide tackling her teammates, slamming her body into her opponents and the ground in a sacrifice to get the ball. She had spunk. It was amazing to watch these girls come alive on the field.

It's incredible how God works sometimes. I remember the last time I walked off the soccer field my senior year of high school very well. I cried like baby because I knew it would be the last time I played soccer. And so far, I have been right. But here I am, in Africa, showing kids love- God's love- through this amazing sport that dominated my life and heart for 13 years. I couldn't help but smile and laugh at how blessed I was (and am, because I hope to continue to work with the Chisomo Idea) to help out.

I was also able to go out to a village this morning, where I had the opportunity to go to a village (“local”) church. When I was leaving in June last year, I was upset with myself because I never made an to opportunity to go out to a village church. It was an amazing experience. The worship was extraordinary. There were not one- not two- but three choirs. Even though everything (except the sermon, which was given by one of the ABC professors) was in Chichewa, there was no translation needed for the worship. The intensity in which this church was worshiping God was awe-inspiring. You could feel His Spirit there with you. The church was not only packed with people, but full up of God's Spirit.

Today I learned what it means to really love those around you. Today I was shown how to be selfless. After Reverend Brown spoke, they informed us that they were going to give us a small gift. A procession line of women came to the front where we were standing and handed us gift after gift. We ended up getting a huge box of peanuts, bundles and bundles of onions, heaps of tomatoes, lots of peas, and a chicken- a live chicken. The average person in Malawi lives on less than a dollar a day-a lot of these people lived on less than a dollar a day. And they gave us more food than we knew what to do with. I have never been so selfless. I continue to be humbled beyond belief in Malawi. I wish I had the heart to be able to so selflessly give. I am learning so much from my neighbors here. They are showing me what it means to worship, what it means to be selfless, what it means to love your neighbor more than yourself. What it means to love God. It seems like the more I am here the more I am falling in love with this beautiful country and the beautiful people that live in it.

a picture of the gifts that they gave us (minus the skateboard)