Well, we are 6 weeks into our year-long African adventure. The time has flown by already!

We already feel very settled into life here – having lived here for 3 years before, not too much has changed. The kids have adjusted amazingly well. Within a day of being here, Isaac had ventured outside our gate and had met 6 Malawian children from the nearby houses. Canaan and Masika hesitantly followed, and soon after, they had taken out our soccer ball and hockey sticks and were all having a blast playing together. I’ve been truly astounded with how resiliant the kids have been and how well they have adapted to new circumstances, new friends and tons of new cultural expectations. As an adult, I have been challenged to be as open, trusting and unselfconscious as they are in meeting new people!

The first week of school was tough on all of them, but in only 1 month they have all made a few friends and are feeling fairly comfortable at school. All 3 of them have made the ‘swim squad’ and they swim several times a week. Isaac has also made the field hockey team – we are trying to keep at least some element of hockey alive while we are outside of Canada! (GO ISLANDERS!!!!)

Joel and I are immensely enjoying being back in the warm weather. We were very, very thankful that someone lent us a vehicle the first day we arrived and needed it back the day before we were able to purchase a vehicle for the year. Thank you to those who were praying for that for us, as that has made our first days much easier. Buying a car in Malawi as a foreigner is a long, complicated process, so we are really glad to have sorted that out.

Bec has started working with development projects that are funded through the Presbyterian World Service & Development (PWS&D). They currently involve partnerships with an all-girls Secondary School, an HIV/AIDS project and the Tidzalerana ‘Handicapped Club’.

Tidzalerana (which means ‘working together’) provides a weekly drop-in for people with disabilities, and also has a small shelter for people with disabilities that have no one to care for them. The weekly Club provides a healthy snack – usually roasted peanuts, bread and butter, limited physiotherapy support for moms with young children with disabilities, and essential supplies like soap and assistance with medicines, to some of the most vulnerable people in Malawi. With no social security system, these individuals (women and children especially) are often left destitute and alone.

Last year, there were devestating floods in Malawi that destroyed hundreds of homes.The Presbyterian World Service and Development (PWS&D) arm of the church is currently funding the reconstruction of 17 homes of members of the Club. My role involves reporting on the work that is already underway and supporting the Malawian’s who are already on the ground to facilitate the work between Canada and Malawi.

Joel is getting involved in the work of Kachere CCAP (Church of Central Africa Presbyterian), located in Ndirande, a 5-minute drive from where we live. Ndirande is one of the poorest neighborhoods in Blantyre but the church is very vibrant and intentional about reaching out in their community. Joel is responsible for the teaching at the English service, which starts at 6am!!! (yes, that is not a typo!). He also preaches on occasion at the Chichewa service – with the aid of a translator. Some folks in the church believe he will be preaching fluently in Chichewa by the end of the year. Joel has told them that they had better begin praying for a miracle. He is also getting involved in other ministries of the church as well as assisting the Chaplin in the prison (more on that next time).

Joel and I continue to work through how best to help and support people here in our short year here. It is humbling to see how much we have in relation to others. We are struggling to learn how to be more generous with what God has given us.

We are so very thankful for all your prayers and support for our family and for our ministry partnership here! I’m sure much of the reason that our transition has been so smooth is because of all the prayers 🙂

Feel free to send prayer requests our way as well (joel@parispresb.ca or rebecca_sherbino@hotmail.com). Our family tries to pray specifically for different people/families each night at dinner and we love to pray for people back home too.

A verse that I have been taking to heart these days is this one:

“If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need.” Deut 5:17-18