Jesus Loves Malawi August Newsletter

In between. That's were we are right now.

In between Africa and Canada. In between houses. In between two cultures. In between two lives. At the moment we are on an extended layover in Europe, visiting Stephanie's German family, who live in Holland, and on our way back to Canada for home assignment. So we are enjoying family, taking some trips with Oma and Opa (Grandma and Grandpa), and seeing familiar things with different eyes. Two days ago we went to McDonald's for the first time in over two years. Not that we missed it too much. Just sayin'... it's different. Sometimes we ask ourselves, What would Malawians think of this? And it reminds us that we live in two different worlds, culturally speaking. Already, some memories of what life has been like for the past two years are beginning to fade. But some things we can never forget, like the warmth and friendliness of our Malawian friends, the cruelty of poverty and hunger, and the frustration of living in a system which is broken on so many levels that we feel at a loss what problems to address first. That's not much different from our own systems, by the way. We just get so used to our own kinds of brokenness that it doesn't seem as broken as it really is. But praise God that Jesus gives hope that our brokenness can be healed, in every culture. Our last months and weeks in Malawi were filled with all kinds of activity. There was, of course, the busyness of moving so many details everything from what to store and what to pack? to who will take care of our dogs??? Everything worked out, however, and even the ducks found a home. Wrapping up unfinished business was also on the front burner, and there were more invitations to visit churches than we could fill. On one occasion we received a last minute cancellation, which was disappointing because we would have no other opportunity to visit that church this time around. But, it allowed us to visit the Zomba church, closer to home, on their Paper Sunday. Paper Sundays are the Malawian approach to having a special offering (of paper money) for a special project, and they make it a big event. Many other area churches are invited, and they come! (Usually, after their own service, they come as a group to participate in the offering, which is always near the end of the service). Various groups are called forward one at a time. They choose a song to sing while they dance, in a line, toward the front. And while everyone sings and dances they throw paper money onto a cloth spread on the floor, and around which they are walking/dancing. It is all a great celebration as they give sacrificially and show mutual support between Christians. Singing and dancing as we give. God loves a cheerful giver.

But what was the purpose of their Paper Sunday? They want to improve the pastor's house by replacing the mud floor with concrete, plastering the walls, and installing electricity to both the house and the church. This may not sound like much, but out of all of our (roughly) 100 churches in the Southern Conference this will be the first church or pastor's house to have electricity! We can rejoice with them about this milestone, and pause to remember that in North America we are truly blessed. Stephanie was invited to speak at the annual Free Methodist Women's Conference for the Southern Region. About 100 women were there so many that we had to have church outside under a tree. And even a goat came to church! It also gave us an opportunity to bid them goodbye, as that was our last village visit before leaving Malawi. Our very last event was Annual Conference, where we said goodbye to all our pastors. They were very happy (relieved, actually) to hear that we hope to return in about a year.

Stephanie preaching through a translator.

While we're home we need to take a number of courses to better prepare ourselves for our next phase of ministry. And we also hope to connect with many of you as we visit churches. (If you're involved in planning, and would like us to come to your church, please let us know so we can set a date). As always, thank you so much to all of you who have been supporting us through prayer and/or finances. Please pray that we will be clearly led to the right house and the right community while we are home, for travelling mercies, a divinely orchestrated schedule, and that all necessary support will be raised. Let us know, too, if youre aware of a furnished home for rent. May God bless each of you!

Dean and Stephanie Babcock

Children always love to see the white people. If you want to create a stir, walk into a village and hear the cry go up, Azungu! Azungu! (White People!)