Why I'm excited to be on this trip

by Lizzie Franz, member St. Philip Lutheran Church

When people asked me why I wanted to go on this trip, I didn't really have an answer.  Mostly, it was just "why not?" I never had any emotional pull towards this trip in particular but a few days before we left, I realized why I was excited to be going.  Now that I'm here I can totally agree with everything that I was feeling.

I worked at Caroline Furnace for four full summers and one of the reasons I always love going home (there) is because it was a place of little worry - from the outside world at least.  I can go there and just be.  Be myself and be in the moment with those around me. This summer when I was there, I found myself using the wifi that was available too often.  I was very excited about why the wifi is there - so that we can share the real world of living with God with what we often think of as the real world back home - but instead I found myself snapchatting and using imessage to chat with friends and not focus on the world around me. I finally realized afterwards that I have become so attached to technology that I can't even go one day without seeing if I have any Facebook notifications or any funny tweets on my Twitter feed. That was when I realized that I really need a break to break me from that habit and what better way than to travel into a country where none of my technology works.

My favorite thing to do is be with other people, enjoy their company and have genuine relationships with them. That's hard to do when you have a cell phone in your hand that is distracting you. Here in Malawi, they do actually have cell phones but they use them to make "arrangements". Before we came, Kathleen and Pastor Kelly explained to us that we would be living on Malawi time - a flexible, ever changing schedule and so far that has definitely been true.

We arrived at the Lilongwe airport which was pretty easy going except that we weren't allowed to walk the 100 yards to the terminal.  Instead, we had to wait for the bus to come back since the people on the first bus wouldn't scoot over so we could fit. It took us a little longer to get through the airport than we would have liked, but that's ok because we were taken off earlier than originially planned to the grocery store.  We got the opportunity to visit with the representatives from the Northwest Wisconsin Synod on their last day and learn more about their partnership with the Lutheran Church in Malawi.

Our first plan for the day on Monday was to meet with the Bishop, but since it was a holy day, that got postponed until Tuesday. Instead we spent most of the hanging out and being with the people of Malawi, which was so fun.  We got to play frisbee and soccer with some of the children.  We also got to go to the mill, but instead of getting to see them ground the corn into flour, we got to watch them try to fix the machine and in the meantime teach each other English/Chichewa.

Tuesday morning we met with the Bishop and got on the road a little later than we were originally supposed to. We also are now staying in Mponela instead of Madisi because of a power outage, but that's all ok.  We got to visit with two of the ELDS projects that are going on here in Malawi and both of them were extremely cool to see.  It's amazing what God's people can do with a little help from their brothers and sisters figuring out what they need and getting them there. After these three days here, even though our plans have changed many times, I don't feel like I've missed anything. In these moments, being with the people here is all I need.  We are able to enjoy each other and what is happening, even in the craziness that is Malawi time.

Don't get me wrong - I still want to know how you all are doing and what you've been up to while I'm gone, but it can wait until we can have a nice long chat and really enjoy each others company.  And I still will snapchat you but I hope you can understand if I don't respond to yours right away. 

The need to feel known and loved is most truly satisfied by really being with the people around you.  Having your phone attached to you is a hard habit to break but it's one that's worth it. Even in the past three days, it has really come back to me how great a feeling that is.  I'm excited to return to my real world and live a life where I can focus more on the people around me than technology.  Sometimes God gives us gifts that will satisfy us in ways that we didn't imagine originally.  I am so blessed to be given the opportunity to be here, be with the people around me and be reminded of ways that we can show God's love to those around us.