Why??

WHY in the world am I doing this?

Over the past few weeks I have answered many questions about my mission. But one important one I still need to answer is why am I doing this? Why would I move from a developed, wealthy nation, to the poorest developing country in the world? Why would I give up my job, to go do something I have never done before? Why would I leave the comforts of my house to live in a new place? Why would I choose to miss out on watching the kids in my life that I care about so much grow for a full year? One of my best friends and her husband are having a baby girl right before I leave and I would be lying if I told you that I will not be a bit heartbroken to miss the entire first year of her life! Why would I leave my family, my friends and my church family for a year?

All of these questions, plus many more have gone through my head at some point as I was deciding, and even now, as I prepare for my year in Malawi. Even though there are all these reasons I could use as an excuse not to go, there is one simple explanation as to why I will be going, and it’s really pretty simple. I feel CALLED back to Malawi.

Before we left for Malawi as a family in 2004, our friends and family all gathered together for a commissioning service. During that service the moment that stands out in my memory the most was when we sang the hymn “Here I Am Lord”. This has always been one of my favorite songs to sing (and I know whenever it is being sung I can look at my mom and she will most likely be crying). The Lyrics to this song can easily answer the question, why am I doing this, they read:

“Here I am Lord. Is it I Lord?

I have heard you calling in the night.

I will go Lord, if you lead me.

I will hold your people in my heart.”

I’m going to Malawi, with the help and support of all of you. I have heard God’s call in my life, and I’m ready and willing to follow that calling and go where the Lord is leading me… to Malawi!

When??

WHEN does this mission begin…

When will I be leaving?

As of the day I post this blog, I will be leaving in 140 days, but who is counting! It is still a little bit too early for my plane ticket to be bought, but as of right now my tentative date of departure is August 23rd, 2017. Leaving on that date will mean that I will arrive in Blantyre, Malawi on August 24th, 2017! Although this is when this crazy journey will physically begin, with the help of all of you, my journey to Malawi has already started with all of your prayers, donations, love and constant support.

When does the school year start?

I am not leaving until August because the school year in Malawi does not start until September. By arriving a few weeks before the start of the school year, I will have the opportunity to settle into my new surroundings. I will hopefully have time to beat jet lag from flying so far from home and unpack the few items I have brought with me. I will also use this time to get to know the other staff members of the school (Teachers, Headmaster etc.) and read over the curriculum to the classes I will be teaching. Since I have never made a lesson plan before I am hopeful I will be able to contact my sister Heather and my Aunt Debbie, who teaches High School Science for some expert advice!

When will I be returning home?

My plan as of right now is to remain in country for one full year. Which will mean that I will most likely return to the United States sometime in August of 2018.

When did I live in Malawi/Travel to Malawi?

This will be my fourth time spending time in the “Warm Heart of Africa”. It has been 6 years since I have been back to Malawi. The last trip that I went on was in May 2011, my mom was the only other member of my family that was also on that trip. We lead a group of students from Waynesburg University where my mom teaches, and some of my friends who I was working with at Camp Crestfield. The time before that, I returned to Malawi in 2008 with my dad and a few members of our church. It was on this trip that I first visited our sister Church, St. Andrews. Little did I know at the time that someday I would be returning to that place to live and work at a school that hadn’t even been built yet! The first time I went to Malawi was when the entire Merry Family lived there to live for a year in 2004-2005! I was 14 at the time and the year we spent there was life changing. We have not had the chance to travel back to Malawi as a family since we lived there. I am hopeful that we will once again be reunited as a family in Malawi during my year there. I absolutely love to travel and explore new places, but going back to Malawi never seems like traveling to a far off exotic place, it simply feels like going home, which is a very comforting feeling.