another essay

Describe an experience in which God surprised you.

I have found that God has different plans for us than we often have for ourselves. I have heard that if you want to make God laugh tell Him your plans…and my second year in Malawi was exactly that. I went to Malawi with a plan and purpose: to work with the youth program of the Synod in starting a girls’ program. Within 2 months of my return my contacts in the Youth Department had been fired and I had to find my calling outside my original plan for the year. My plans had fallen apart in the first months of my return, I felt lost, useless and like I must have misread the signs about coming back. It took time and reflection to adjust my outlook and find the ways that I was called to be in Nkhoma—to not be affiliated with one of the many facets of ministry there but to help where I could in the community. I spent the year helping at the hospital, the school, and the guesthouse as clerical assistant, teacher, headmistress, teacher assistant, and manager. Had I planned to come and help at the school, hospital and community in the mish-mashed way that I did, I most likely would not have returned. The surprise at finding my niche in the school and hospital and community after my youth work failed was gratifying. Beginning the year with a completely different picture of what I would be doing and how I would be helping, I found it to be an eye-opening experience of what I could do and how to be flexible in God’s plan. I felt that I was supposed to be there, doing what I was doing and maybe that was why God got me there.

more reflection

I had to write some essays and do some deep reflections for the application to volunteer in Haiti...

Describe previous mission experiences and the way in which you grew as a person as a consequence of that service.

Since graduating from college I have had many jobs and enjoyed them…most of them working with youth or adults and I figured that my calling was there. When called to Malawi, I had no idea what to expect. The school needed a kindergarten teacher. I had no training in early childhood education or teaching but as a kindergarten graduate (24 years before) I was assured that I could do it. I had worked one-on-one with K, 1st and 2nd graders, but never in a classroom to myself. My understanding was that school was in English, there was curriculum and plenty of supplies there ready for me to use. My first day was a nightmare. It sunk in (quickly) that while English was used in school, these children didn’t know English and I knew no Chichewa and had no assistant or translator. I was ready to jump back on the plane and head home—I was in over my head! After a pep talk from a mentor and a chance to journal, I awoke the second day and did a short devotional before going back to school, and while it certainly was not a cake walk it was better than the first day. And each day after that got better—well, there were days that didn’t but they were in the minority. The kids and I grew and learned together. What I expected for the day didn’t usually happen—if I “knew” it was going to be a great day, it was more chaotic than normal; when I expected chaos things went smoothly. I learned to continually remind myself that it was God’s day and whatever happened would be in His hands, we work to meet the plan but nothing we do can throw it off. It is a great lesson that I’ve taken with me. My teaching was fulfilling and challenging in a way I would never have foreseen. I could do it and enjoy it.