Malawi isn't a large country. Someone on this trip told me it's about the size of Pennsylvania. Malawi will never be the center of the political world. No famous actors, singers, or artists hail from this tiny, landlocked, third-world country. But in God's eyes, Malawi is gorgeous, Malawi is great scenery -- including a masive freshwater lake that runs down the entire eastern border of the country. It's home to thousands of unique animals, all designed by His sovereign hand, and all made to bring Him glory.
Our team had the privilage of exeriencing some of the most beautiful aspects of this great country the last two days. Our God looked great, and worthy of so much praise as we visited Lake Malawi and a large game park at the southern end of the country. Prais God our travels were safe and we were able to get close (but not to close) to Hippos, Elephants, Zebras, Warthhogs, Crocodiles, and many, many other breathtaking animals that call Malawi home.
No doubt many of you will see amazing pictures in the days ahead as the students share their experiences. With each picture you see, think of the wonder and majesty of a God so great, so powerful, He personally ovesees the teeming animal life in this small, seemingly insignificant country of Malawi.
It's hard to believe, but tomorrow is our final day here in Malawi. At 3:00 P.M. local time we board a plane for Ehtiopia, then we will continue on to Washington D.C. This will be my last blog post. I can't thank all of you enough for reading this blog and praying for this trip.
Our time in Afirca has been unforgettable. God's answered so many prayers and revealed Himself mighty to save and sanctify teenagers from American and men and women from the heart of Africa.
Team unity has stayed intact throughout the trip, our health is good, our spirits are high, and our hearts are full of praise. We are eager to see many of you when we return Friday evening. Until then, continue to pray for our safe travels, and pray also for the people of Malawi. We will forever feel a special kinship with this small country.
Signing off,
In Christ,
Corey Williams.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
A final visit to the village
Our team of 22 teenagers and four staff came to Malawi to serve International Bible Fellowship and a new church plant in a village across the street from African Bible College. Today, we visited both places for the last time. In the morning at church, our team had the privilage of singing "There is a Fountain" during the offertory. Like last week, Ryan Nahat, Jared Price, Taylor Dempsey, and Tyler Linehan assisted the worship for the entire service by playing drums, guitar, and piano. We're grateful God gave us the opportunity to serve this local church, then be spiritually fed by the preaching of Pastor Brian Biedebach.
After lunch, we headed to the village for the last time to spend a couple hours with the children. We gave a lot of things away (the soccer balls were easily the biggest hit), and we reviewd many of the Bible lessons we'd taught throughout the week. Then it was time to say goodbye. On the way out of the village, our translator Clifford told us he was sure we had made a lasting difference on the children. It was very encouraging to hear him talk about the difference a team like ours can make.
Tonight, our team has spent the evening packed, cleaning, and preparing for our trip tomorrow to Lake Malawi. Pray for safe travels along the way. It should be an unforgettable adventure that will hopefully involve some hippo, rhino, and elephant sightings. Our team can't wait to see God's creation on full display in a way we've never seen before.
There's a strong possibility I will have no Internet access the next couple days. I hope to blog, but may not have the opportunity. If I do, we'll talk on the safari. If not, I'll blog again when we return to the Floreen's hosue Wednesday afternoon.
Until next time (whenever that is),
Corey W
After lunch, we headed to the village for the last time to spend a couple hours with the children. We gave a lot of things away (the soccer balls were easily the biggest hit), and we reviewd many of the Bible lessons we'd taught throughout the week. Then it was time to say goodbye. On the way out of the village, our translator Clifford told us he was sure we had made a lasting difference on the children. It was very encouraging to hear him talk about the difference a team like ours can make.
Tonight, our team has spent the evening packed, cleaning, and preparing for our trip tomorrow to Lake Malawi. Pray for safe travels along the way. It should be an unforgettable adventure that will hopefully involve some hippo, rhino, and elephant sightings. Our team can't wait to see God's creation on full display in a way we've never seen before.
There's a strong possibility I will have no Internet access the next couple days. I hope to blog, but may not have the opportunity. If I do, we'll talk on the safari. If not, I'll blog again when we return to the Floreen's hosue Wednesday afternoon.
Until next time (whenever that is),
Corey W
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Our work here is finished ... almost
It's hard to believe, but today, Team Malawi finished its last full day of work. Saturday was much different than the rest of the week. Instead of our team splitting into four different work groups, five people worked at the veranda and the rest of the team took on a new project: painting a new lecture hall on the campus of African Bible College.
We managed to finish the job by the end of the day, putting a fresh coat of paint on the newest building on campus! It's been fun interacting with several students from ABC this week. Three have spent considerable time with our team: Samuel, Clifford, and Cool (no, that's not a typo. His real name is much longer, so he told us to simply call him Cool, which is the first four lettes of his name. Of course, we all replied, "that's cool .... Cool."). These college aged students served as translators for our team during our ministry in the village. They translated our Bible lessons and testimonies, and helped us organize the kids for games. We're so thankful for their help.
After finishing the work today, our team celebrated at the Biedebachs with ice cream cones and other special, and uniquely Malawian, treats. Tomorrow our team will again attend Internation Bible Fellowship, where several team members will again help lead worship. We're grateful for this service opportunity.
I'd also like to add a special thanks to Brian and Anita Biedebach for the incredible Q and A we had with them last night. They told us how God brought them together, how He led them to Malawi, and what they hope to accomplish for the Savior while they are here. It was both instructive and fascinating to hear about these humble, gifted servants. No doubt our team will pray for their family years from now. Already, our hearts are closely knited to this family, and we are so thankful for their hospitality during out stay in Malawi.
Tomorrow should be a fun day, with church and one last trip to the village to see the children. Thank you to all of you who are praying for our team's health, unity, safety, and ministry. Your prayers are being answered on the other side of the world.
In Christ,
Corey W
We managed to finish the job by the end of the day, putting a fresh coat of paint on the newest building on campus! It's been fun interacting with several students from ABC this week. Three have spent considerable time with our team: Samuel, Clifford, and Cool (no, that's not a typo. His real name is much longer, so he told us to simply call him Cool, which is the first four lettes of his name. Of course, we all replied, "that's cool .... Cool."). These college aged students served as translators for our team during our ministry in the village. They translated our Bible lessons and testimonies, and helped us organize the kids for games. We're so thankful for their help.
After finishing the work today, our team celebrated at the Biedebachs with ice cream cones and other special, and uniquely Malawian, treats. Tomorrow our team will again attend Internation Bible Fellowship, where several team members will again help lead worship. We're grateful for this service opportunity.
I'd also like to add a special thanks to Brian and Anita Biedebach for the incredible Q and A we had with them last night. They told us how God brought them together, how He led them to Malawi, and what they hope to accomplish for the Savior while they are here. It was both instructive and fascinating to hear about these humble, gifted servants. No doubt our team will pray for their family years from now. Already, our hearts are closely knited to this family, and we are so thankful for their hospitality during out stay in Malawi.
Tomorrow should be a fun day, with church and one last trip to the village to see the children. Thank you to all of you who are praying for our team's health, unity, safety, and ministry. Your prayers are being answered on the other side of the world.
In Christ,
Corey W
Friday, July 8, 2011
Behind bars in Malawi
Yesterday, Team Malawi decided that we were having such a wonderful, encouraging time here in Malawi it should be illegal, so we went to jail! Literally.
JACKED! By Austin, Robert, Sara, Ashlynn, Katelynn, and Carleigh........ okay fine, Sheller too.
As it turns out, we did go to the prison... but not because we were in trouble. We were given the opportunity to encourage the men and women of Maula Prison's Bible fellowship. The congregation consists of 25 women and 360 men. The girls went to the womens' side of the compound and the boys spent their time with the men. After being welcomed with singing and dancing, we had a great time. It was encouraging to see the joy of the prisoners whose hearts had been transformed by God. The team's perspective was greatly changed after being reminded that we all serve and worship the same God, regardless of where we are from or what we have done. We shared testimonies, sang, and rejoiced with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We finished the day off with a few hours at the worksites. After coming home, we spent time together singing praises to God led by Ryan & Hannah, and praying for the remainder of our trip.
Overall, our day stimulated great growth and encouragement in the hearts of each of the members of our team. We are so grateful for the opportunities we have had to serve the God of ALL nations. Praying for the Floreens and their journey back to the states. We are so thankful for their hospitality and are attempting to keep their home in perfect working order.
We love our oatmeal, cornflakes, skim milk, and Malarone. God is at work in the hearts of TEAM MALAWI.
See you in a week,
Austin, Robert, Sara, Ashlynn, Carleigh, Katelynn, and Sheller.
JACKED! By Austin, Robert, Sara, Ashlynn, Katelynn, and Carleigh........ okay fine, Sheller too.
As it turns out, we did go to the prison... but not because we were in trouble. We were given the opportunity to encourage the men and women of Maula Prison's Bible fellowship. The congregation consists of 25 women and 360 men. The girls went to the womens' side of the compound and the boys spent their time with the men. After being welcomed with singing and dancing, we had a great time. It was encouraging to see the joy of the prisoners whose hearts had been transformed by God. The team's perspective was greatly changed after being reminded that we all serve and worship the same God, regardless of where we are from or what we have done. We shared testimonies, sang, and rejoiced with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We finished the day off with a few hours at the worksites. After coming home, we spent time together singing praises to God led by Ryan & Hannah, and praying for the remainder of our trip.
Overall, our day stimulated great growth and encouragement in the hearts of each of the members of our team. We are so grateful for the opportunities we have had to serve the God of ALL nations. Praying for the Floreens and their journey back to the states. We are so thankful for their hospitality and are attempting to keep their home in perfect working order.
We love our oatmeal, cornflakes, skim milk, and Malarone. God is at work in the hearts of TEAM MALAWI.
See you in a week,
Austin, Robert, Sara, Ashlynn, Carleigh, Katelynn, and Sheller.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
the halfway mark
Hard to believe we left for Malawi one week ago! I know I've mentioned this before, but one of the great blessings of this trip has been staying with Matt and Rachel Floreen. This godly couple has been so generous to us, opening their home, feeding us wonderful food, and spending time with us each day.
Last night, the Floreens were kind enough to do a Q and A with our team. We spent an hour and a half asking them about their minisry here in Malawi, why they decided the Lord wanted them to be missionaries, and how they met each other. All of us benefited from the insight they had on life as servants of Christ in Africa.
Before the Q and A, our team worked a full day. In the village, we've laid the foundation for the building and are now laying brick for the walls. It's exciting to see the building go up. The village kids heard the Christmas story yesterday, and will continue to hear truth from Jesus' life as this week comes to a close.
At the church office for International Bible Fellowship (the Floreen and Biedebach's church), we are making good progress on a veranda that will be used to hold baptisms. If the Veranda is finished by Sunday, our team might get to witness a Malawian couple be baptized!
Again, thank you so much for your prayers. The spirits are high on the team as we head toward the second half of our trip. God has blessed us so far and we are eager to see what He will do this next week!
In Christ,
Corey
Last night, the Floreens were kind enough to do a Q and A with our team. We spent an hour and a half asking them about their minisry here in Malawi, why they decided the Lord wanted them to be missionaries, and how they met each other. All of us benefited from the insight they had on life as servants of Christ in Africa.
Before the Q and A, our team worked a full day. In the village, we've laid the foundation for the building and are now laying brick for the walls. It's exciting to see the building go up. The village kids heard the Christmas story yesterday, and will continue to hear truth from Jesus' life as this week comes to a close.
At the church office for International Bible Fellowship (the Floreen and Biedebach's church), we are making good progress on a veranda that will be used to hold baptisms. If the Veranda is finished by Sunday, our team might get to witness a Malawian couple be baptized!
Again, thank you so much for your prayers. The spirits are high on the team as we head toward the second half of our trip. God has blessed us so far and we are eager to see what He will do this next week!
In Christ,
Corey
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Independence Day, and the day after it, in Malawi
We the people of the United States .... who are here in Malawi serving Jesus ... have come together to form a more perfect union of servants dedicated to the idea that the name of Jesus will be magnified and proclaimed on this earth.
The 4th of July brought a lot of firsts for Team Malawi. It was our first full day of work. From 7:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. the students were hard at work on the African Bible College campus and in the local village, building a church building and ministering to hundreds of local village kids through songs and Bible teaching. We were especailly excited about the opportunity to tell the kids about Adam and Eve and the nature of sin, as well as the story of Moses and the 10 commandments. Later this week we'll have lessons on Jesus' life and the nature of salvation. Pray for that wonderful evangelistic opportunity.
After the day at work was finished, it was the first time any of us have celebrated Independence Day outside America. The Biedebachs and a few other missionary families hosted a 4th of July celebration on the campus of African Bible College. Our team enjoyed a great barbeque, and some high quality fireworks which may be impossible to find back in the States. At the party there was another first. Jenny Chung twirled a sparkler for the first time in her life. Ironic that this staple of every American's life was first experienced by Jenny IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY. :)
The 4th of July was also the first time the power went out at the Floreen's house. It only lasted a few minutes, but it was enough to disrupt the Internet. Thus, my first day not blogging!
Yesterday after a hard day of work our team gathered together to reflect on what God is doing on this trip. The team had a great, almost two-hour discussion tonight. One of the common themes that came out of this discussion was the privilege of ministry. God doesn't need Team Malawi to accomplish His work here. We get to worship God with our service. That theme has dominated many conversations this week and we are excited to see how the Lord works in our hearts as the trip continues.
Right now, our team is getting ready for Wednesday's day of work. Today we will be continuing our different work projects, then tomorrow Brian Biedebach has an exciting new ministry opportunity for our team. Stay tuned for more details!
Please pray for the continued health of our team (so far so good!). Also pray for our four ministry projects, particularly the opportunitty we have to share the gospel with people in the village. It's thrilling to think that the Lord could use our team to draw someone to Himself.
Until next time,
In Christ,
Corey
The 4th of July brought a lot of firsts for Team Malawi. It was our first full day of work. From 7:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. the students were hard at work on the African Bible College campus and in the local village, building a church building and ministering to hundreds of local village kids through songs and Bible teaching. We were especailly excited about the opportunity to tell the kids about Adam and Eve and the nature of sin, as well as the story of Moses and the 10 commandments. Later this week we'll have lessons on Jesus' life and the nature of salvation. Pray for that wonderful evangelistic opportunity.
After the day at work was finished, it was the first time any of us have celebrated Independence Day outside America. The Biedebachs and a few other missionary families hosted a 4th of July celebration on the campus of African Bible College. Our team enjoyed a great barbeque, and some high quality fireworks which may be impossible to find back in the States. At the party there was another first. Jenny Chung twirled a sparkler for the first time in her life. Ironic that this staple of every American's life was first experienced by Jenny IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY. :)
The 4th of July was also the first time the power went out at the Floreen's house. It only lasted a few minutes, but it was enough to disrupt the Internet. Thus, my first day not blogging!
Yesterday after a hard day of work our team gathered together to reflect on what God is doing on this trip. The team had a great, almost two-hour discussion tonight. One of the common themes that came out of this discussion was the privilege of ministry. God doesn't need Team Malawi to accomplish His work here. We get to worship God with our service. That theme has dominated many conversations this week and we are excited to see how the Lord works in our hearts as the trip continues.
Right now, our team is getting ready for Wednesday's day of work. Today we will be continuing our different work projects, then tomorrow Brian Biedebach has an exciting new ministry opportunity for our team. Stay tuned for more details!
Please pray for the continued health of our team (so far so good!). Also pray for our four ministry projects, particularly the opportunitty we have to share the gospel with people in the village. It's thrilling to think that the Lord could use our team to draw someone to Himself.
Until next time,
In Christ,
Corey
Sunday, July 3, 2011
The Lord's Day in Malawi
It's encouraging to reach "The Warm Heart of Africa" (that's Malawi's nickname) and attend a church where God's Word is faithfully preached and His people worship and serve together in a vibrant local church. That is certainly the case at International Bible Fellowship where Brian Biedebach pastors. And by God's grace, our team was able to do more than simply attend IBC this morning. We had the privilege of singing Amazing Grace during the offering.
It was particularly exciting for Ryan Nahat, Taylor Dempsey, and Tyler Linahan, who arrived at the church two hours early, practiced with the regular musicians, and were able to play the guitar, drums, and piano for every song during the worship service. What a privilege!
After church and lunch, Pastor Brian took our team on a walking tour of Lilongwe, showing us the markets where the majority of people in the city buy and sell clothes, crafts, and many many other things. It was quite the cultural experience: very eye-opening for everyone on our team.
Tomorrow the work begins in earnest. We should be at our worksites by 7:00 and plan on working until 4:00. Tomorrow night, we will look forward to a 4th of July party on the campus of ABC with the Biedebachs.
Continue to pray for the team. The hard work is about to begin, so now is when the need for service is greatest, and our heart for service will be most tested.
To close out today's blog, I've posted a picture we took of everyone on the team singing this morning at IBC!
In Christ,
Corey
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It was particularly exciting for Ryan Nahat, Taylor Dempsey, and Tyler Linahan, who arrived at the church two hours early, practiced with the regular musicians, and were able to play the guitar, drums, and piano for every song during the worship service. What a privilege!
After church and lunch, Pastor Brian took our team on a walking tour of Lilongwe, showing us the markets where the majority of people in the city buy and sell clothes, crafts, and many many other things. It was quite the cultural experience: very eye-opening for everyone on our team.
Tomorrow the work begins in earnest. We should be at our worksites by 7:00 and plan on working until 4:00. Tomorrow night, we will look forward to a 4th of July party on the campus of ABC with the Biedebachs.
Continue to pray for the team. The hard work is about to begin, so now is when the need for service is greatest, and our heart for service will be most tested.
To close out today's blog, I've posted a picture we took of everyone on the team singing this morning at IBC!
In Christ,
Corey
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Malawi day 1.5
We've now spent one and a half days in Malawi (hence the title Malawi day 1.5).
It felt great to have the travel behind us, get a good night's sleep, and begin to serve the people of Malawi. Today, our team worked for half the day, breaking the 26 of us into four groups.
One group worked at the Biedebach's house, building a veranda that is going to be an extension of Brian's office.
A second, smaller group helped with a construction project for the folks at African Bible college.
The third and fourth groups went into the local village and experienced a lifestyle unlike anything they'd ever seen before. Group three worked on the church building itself, helping build the foundation. Later this week, our team will mix concrete and build walls for that budding church. Group four's task was simple: spend time with children from the village. Over a hundred kids gathered to play football (that's soccer back in the States), kuku, kuku, boose (that's duck, duck goose), and hear a Bible story about the six days of creation. It was a powerful, eye-opening time being with the village kids, experiencing life as they know it. Everyone who went to the village couldn't stop talking about it the rest of the day.
Next week, those four projects will be ongoing. We will mix up the groups each day so each student gets an opportunity to serve at the Biedebach's, at African Bible College, and in the local village.
After lunch, it was time for a tour of African Bible College with one of the students: Samuel. The Biedebachs live on this beautiful campus, and they were gracious enough to give us a tour of their home and tell us a little about their ministry.
We are so grateful that no one is sick or homesick .... almost. I love you mom! (love Austin and Sheller... and Tanner). :)
Tomorrow we head to International Bible Fellowship, the church where Brian Biedebach and Matt Floreen pastor. They've recruited our team for a special rendition of Amazing Grace. No, this does not mean Team Malawi is cutting an album while we're here. (Not saying your children aren't talented enough.)
Will be back tomorrrow with an update on church, and an afternoon tour of Lilongwe led by Brian Biedebach. With Brian at the helm, it's sure to be interesting. Don't worry. No students will eat mice on a stick ... probably.
Thanks so much for your prayers. We are benefiting greatly from them and we can already see God's hand in the work we are doing here!
In Christ,
Corey W
It felt great to have the travel behind us, get a good night's sleep, and begin to serve the people of Malawi. Today, our team worked for half the day, breaking the 26 of us into four groups.
One group worked at the Biedebach's house, building a veranda that is going to be an extension of Brian's office.
A second, smaller group helped with a construction project for the folks at African Bible college.
The third and fourth groups went into the local village and experienced a lifestyle unlike anything they'd ever seen before. Group three worked on the church building itself, helping build the foundation. Later this week, our team will mix concrete and build walls for that budding church. Group four's task was simple: spend time with children from the village. Over a hundred kids gathered to play football (that's soccer back in the States), kuku, kuku, boose (that's duck, duck goose), and hear a Bible story about the six days of creation. It was a powerful, eye-opening time being with the village kids, experiencing life as they know it. Everyone who went to the village couldn't stop talking about it the rest of the day.
Next week, those four projects will be ongoing. We will mix up the groups each day so each student gets an opportunity to serve at the Biedebach's, at African Bible College, and in the local village.
After lunch, it was time for a tour of African Bible College with one of the students: Samuel. The Biedebachs live on this beautiful campus, and they were gracious enough to give us a tour of their home and tell us a little about their ministry.
We are so grateful that no one is sick or homesick .... almost. I love you mom! (love Austin and Sheller... and Tanner). :)
Tomorrow we head to International Bible Fellowship, the church where Brian Biedebach and Matt Floreen pastor. They've recruited our team for a special rendition of Amazing Grace. No, this does not mean Team Malawi is cutting an album while we're here. (Not saying your children aren't talented enough.)
Will be back tomorrrow with an update on church, and an afternoon tour of Lilongwe led by Brian Biedebach. With Brian at the helm, it's sure to be interesting. Don't worry. No students will eat mice on a stick ... probably.
Thanks so much for your prayers. We are benefiting greatly from them and we can already see God's hand in the work we are doing here!
In Christ,
Corey W
Friday, July 1, 2011
Malawi is even better in person!
The trip to to Malawi couldn't have gone more smoothly. We arrived safely at 1:00 P.M. local time today, Friday, July 1st (who knows what time that was in Los Angeles).
Thanks so much to all of you for your prayers! During the 13-hour flight from Washington D.C. to Ethiopia nobody got sick, no kids got yelled at by flight attendants, and at least 57 people asked us why we were all wearing green shirts. This gave us an opportunity to meet some interesting people, a lot of whom had heard of John MacArthur and Grace Community Church. We even ran into the sister of Andy Snyder (a professor at The Master's Seminary) as we headed to our gate in D.C. What are the odds!
Once we landed in Lilongwe, we were greeted by mid-70s temperatures and a cloudless sky. Since Malawi is south of the equator, it's winter here, which means perfect, almost Southern California-like temperatures.
Grace Church missionaries Brian Biedebach and Matt Floreen, along with a couple students from the African Bible College, picked us up and drove us to Matt and Rachel Floreen's house where we will be staying for the duration of our trip. During the 45-minute drive on the freeway, we passed an odd mix of people, including three selling mice on a stick (a fine dessert here in Malawi), and a man on a bicycle toting at least 25 chickens. Those of us from the San Fernando Valley felt right at home. :)
The Floreen's house is beautiful and large. Rachel had fruit and cinnamon muffins waiting for us. There's plenty of room for everyone to sleep, and, thankfully, we all have mosquito nets. Perhaps best of all, the Floreens have a Great Dane named Simba. I think it's the same Simba from the Disney movie back in the 90s.
Tomorrow we head off to the African Bible College and a local village to get our ministry going. We are eager to begin serving God in this great country. We will keep you updated as we can, but, as we expected, internet service is hard to come by here in Malawi.
So until next time -- please continue to pray for our team, and join us as we praise God for His kindness toward our team so far!
In Christ,
Corey
Thanks so much to all of you for your prayers! During the 13-hour flight from Washington D.C. to Ethiopia nobody got sick, no kids got yelled at by flight attendants, and at least 57 people asked us why we were all wearing green shirts. This gave us an opportunity to meet some interesting people, a lot of whom had heard of John MacArthur and Grace Community Church. We even ran into the sister of Andy Snyder (a professor at The Master's Seminary) as we headed to our gate in D.C. What are the odds!
Once we landed in Lilongwe, we were greeted by mid-70s temperatures and a cloudless sky. Since Malawi is south of the equator, it's winter here, which means perfect, almost Southern California-like temperatures.
Grace Church missionaries Brian Biedebach and Matt Floreen, along with a couple students from the African Bible College, picked us up and drove us to Matt and Rachel Floreen's house where we will be staying for the duration of our trip. During the 45-minute drive on the freeway, we passed an odd mix of people, including three selling mice on a stick (a fine dessert here in Malawi), and a man on a bicycle toting at least 25 chickens. Those of us from the San Fernando Valley felt right at home. :)
Tomorrow we head off to the African Bible College and a local village to get our ministry going. We are eager to begin serving God in this great country. We will keep you updated as we can, but, as we expected, internet service is hard to come by here in Malawi.
So until next time -- please continue to pray for our team, and join us as we praise God for His kindness toward our team so far!
In Christ,
Corey
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
It's finally here!
After months of preperation, fundraising, prayer, planning, and ... well ... waiting, departure day has finally come!
Tonight at 10:45 Team Malawi departs from Los Angeles International Airport. We fly to Dulles in Washington D.C., then tomorrow at noon, we board a plan for Ethiopia. From there we go to Lilangwe, Malawi!
Thank you so much to all of you who prayed for this team and supported it. We are ready to go and we are eager to see what God has in store. Continue to pray for us as we travel. Your intercession is precious to us.
And to stay up to date on how things are going in Malawi, stop by this blog. I'll be posting on a regular basis while we are in Malawi, letting you know what our team is doing to serve the people of Malawi.
In Christ,
Corey Williams
Tonight at 10:45 Team Malawi departs from Los Angeles International Airport. We fly to Dulles in Washington D.C., then tomorrow at noon, we board a plan for Ethiopia. From there we go to Lilangwe, Malawi!
Thank you so much to all of you who prayed for this team and supported it. We are ready to go and we are eager to see what God has in store. Continue to pray for us as we travel. Your intercession is precious to us.
And to stay up to date on how things are going in Malawi, stop by this blog. I'll be posting on a regular basis while we are in Malawi, letting you know what our team is doing to serve the people of Malawi.
In Christ,
Corey Williams
Friday, May 27, 2011
Important reminders
T-minus one month and two days until Team Malawi departs! I can’t wait.
Of course there’s much to do before we leave. There are five items on the agenda for this blog post.
First, we need to raise more money. At the parent meeting two weeks ago, Justin asked each team member to send out 25 more support letters. If you’re on the team and you haven’t done that yet, I urge you to put together those letters and get them to Emily Taylor this Sunday. She will gladly mail them for you. All you need to do is put stamps on the return envelopes, stuff them, and bring them to her at church. Also, if you need anything printed, or you need more return envelopes, she’s the person to talk to. Emily already has done so much for our team, and she’s willing to do more. Thank you, Emily!
Second, here is the travel itinerary discussed at the parents' meeting:
Departure:
June 29th - Leave Lax at 10:35pm, arrive in Washington DC at 6:28am
June 30th - Leave DC at 12pm, arrive in Ethiopia at 7:45am
July 1st - Leave Ethiopia at 9:45am, arrive in Lilongwe at 12:20pm
Return:
July 14th - Leave Lilongwe at 3:05pm, arrive in Ethiopia at 7:45pm
July 14th - Leave Ethiopia at 10:15pm, arrive in DC at 8:40am
July 15th - Leave DC at 1:45pm, arrive in Charlotte, NC at 3:12pm
July 15th - Leave Charlotte 4:35pm, arrive at LAX 7:03pm
Third, let’s talk about packing. Let me reiterate what we talked about at the parent meeting. You can bring one carry on and two 40 lb checked bags. We recommend you use a backpack as your carry-on. A backpack will be much easier to carry during the long travel days, especially as we walk through airports. That is a recommendation, not a requirement.
Regarding your checked bags, we recommend that you bring two large duffel bags. Most of the space in these duffels will be used for team supplies, tools, gifts, etc. We would like you to fit most of the packing list into your carry-on, but if you overflow into one of your duffel bags, that’s okay. If you do not have duffel bags, and cannot borrow them, just do your best to bring whatever you have. We don't want to place more of a financial burden on you by saying you must have a certain type of bag. Just know that whatever you bring will have tools and other possibly heavy items packed in it. At the packing party, we will make sure you don’t overpack. Justin says he’s going to have a yard sale at his house the day after the packing party so he can sell all the clothes we remove from the teams bags. I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but I don’t think it’s a terrible idea. Could help us raise more funds for the trip. J
For sleeping bags, please only bring a mummy style sleeping bag specifically marketed for backpacking, or a compressible fleece blanket. Mummy-style backpacking bags pack down much smaller than your standard sleep over at your friend’s house sleeping bag, and they are much warmer for the weight. Down bags are the lightest and most compressible, so if you can find a good sale on a down bag, I recommend bringing one. Or try to make friends with someone from our ministry who likes to backpack, and borrow theirs. You can find good sales at http://www.sierratradingpost.com/, http://www.backcountry.com/, or if you're lucky, find one on http://www.steepandcheap.com/. If you do not have, cannot borrow, and cannot afford one of these sleeping bags then try to find a highly compressible fleece blanket. If you can't find anything, email me and I'll see what I can find in my backpacking gear closet. Keep in mind that we are packing as if we are going camping. Whenever I go camping or backpacking, I always plan to sleep in some clothing for extra warmth. y doing so, I can pack a smaller sleeping bag and still stay warm. I recommend that you plan to do the same.
Fourth item … medication/vaccinations: Here is some important information from Mr. Luedke regarding the travel clinic. Go to http://www.passporthealthusa.com/ . The consult is $50 plus the price of the necessary shots. They carry almost every shot needed for overseas travel.
And fifth but not last (I don’t think that makes sense), let me remind you quickly about the work day we’re having on June 11th and the packing party on June 25th. Please email Justin, jw19719@gmail.com, here sometime this week if you cannot make the June 11th work day, otherwise he expects that you will be there.
That’s all I have for you in the way of reminders. In closing, let me say a special word of thanks to those of you who made it out to the work day last Saturday at the Roehr’s house. We dug a ditch, mixed concrete, then poured it, and ate pizza. All in all, I’d say it was a great day, just like the days we’ll spend in Malawi … minus the pizza of course. Here are some pictures of the day.
Of course there’s much to do before we leave. There are five items on the agenda for this blog post.
First, we need to raise more money. At the parent meeting two weeks ago, Justin asked each team member to send out 25 more support letters. If you’re on the team and you haven’t done that yet, I urge you to put together those letters and get them to Emily Taylor this Sunday. She will gladly mail them for you. All you need to do is put stamps on the return envelopes, stuff them, and bring them to her at church. Also, if you need anything printed, or you need more return envelopes, she’s the person to talk to. Emily already has done so much for our team, and she’s willing to do more. Thank you, Emily!
Second, here is the travel itinerary discussed at the parents' meeting:
Departure:
June 29th - Leave Lax at 10:35pm, arrive in Washington DC at 6:28am
June 30th - Leave DC at 12pm, arrive in Ethiopia at 7:45am
July 1st - Leave Ethiopia at 9:45am, arrive in Lilongwe at 12:20pm
Return:
July 14th - Leave Lilongwe at 3:05pm, arrive in Ethiopia at 7:45pm
July 14th - Leave Ethiopia at 10:15pm, arrive in DC at 8:40am
July 15th - Leave DC at 1:45pm, arrive in Charlotte, NC at 3:12pm
July 15th - Leave Charlotte 4:35pm, arrive at LAX 7:03pm
Third, let’s talk about packing. Let me reiterate what we talked about at the parent meeting. You can bring one carry on and two 40 lb checked bags. We recommend you use a backpack as your carry-on. A backpack will be much easier to carry during the long travel days, especially as we walk through airports. That is a recommendation, not a requirement.
Regarding your checked bags, we recommend that you bring two large duffel bags. Most of the space in these duffels will be used for team supplies, tools, gifts, etc. We would like you to fit most of the packing list into your carry-on, but if you overflow into one of your duffel bags, that’s okay. If you do not have duffel bags, and cannot borrow them, just do your best to bring whatever you have. We don't want to place more of a financial burden on you by saying you must have a certain type of bag. Just know that whatever you bring will have tools and other possibly heavy items packed in it. At the packing party, we will make sure you don’t overpack. Justin says he’s going to have a yard sale at his house the day after the packing party so he can sell all the clothes we remove from the teams bags. I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but I don’t think it’s a terrible idea. Could help us raise more funds for the trip. J
For sleeping bags, please only bring a mummy style sleeping bag specifically marketed for backpacking, or a compressible fleece blanket. Mummy-style backpacking bags pack down much smaller than your standard sleep over at your friend’s house sleeping bag, and they are much warmer for the weight. Down bags are the lightest and most compressible, so if you can find a good sale on a down bag, I recommend bringing one. Or try to make friends with someone from our ministry who likes to backpack, and borrow theirs. You can find good sales at http://www.sierratradingpost.com/, http://www.backcountry.com/, or if you're lucky, find one on http://www.steepandcheap.com/. If you do not have, cannot borrow, and cannot afford one of these sleeping bags then try to find a highly compressible fleece blanket. If you can't find anything, email me and I'll see what I can find in my backpacking gear closet. Keep in mind that we are packing as if we are going camping. Whenever I go camping or backpacking, I always plan to sleep in some clothing for extra warmth. y doing so, I can pack a smaller sleeping bag and still stay warm. I recommend that you plan to do the same.
Fourth item … medication/vaccinations: Here is some important information from Mr. Luedke regarding the travel clinic. Go to http://www.passporthealthusa.com/ . The consult is $50 plus the price of the necessary shots. They carry almost every shot needed for overseas travel.
And fifth but not last (I don’t think that makes sense), let me remind you quickly about the work day we’re having on June 11th and the packing party on June 25th. Please email Justin, jw19719@gmail.com, here sometime this week if you cannot make the June 11th work day, otherwise he expects that you will be there.
That’s all I have for you in the way of reminders. In closing, let me say a special word of thanks to those of you who made it out to the work day last Saturday at the Roehr’s house. We dug a ditch, mixed concrete, then poured it, and ate pizza. All in all, I’d say it was a great day, just like the days we’ll spend in Malawi … minus the pizza of course. Here are some pictures of the day.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
parent's meeting
Tomorrow is the big parent's meeting for Team Malawi! Of course, you already know that if you're going on the trip or you have a student on the team. If you don't fall into either category, we love you, and we're thankful that you're cheering us on, but tomorrow's meeting is not for you.
For those of you attending tomorrow, here are a few important reminders:
-- The meeting is from 1-3 in the basement at Grace Community Church (obviously).
-- Lunch is not provided.
-- Jill Winton will be in the basement from 12-1 notarizing your "Affidavit of Parental Consent."
Also, here is the 'To do list" for students on Team Malawi. Justin emailed you this list a couple weeks ago.
"To do list"
-Send the complete name on your passport to Justin.
-Bring passport to meeting
-Send Justin your parent's email address, if he doesn't have it already.
-See your doctor regarding vaccinations/medications
-Bring "Medical History and Consent Form" to meeting
-Bring "Affidavit of Parental Consent" to meeting
-Bring copy of insurance card to meeting
-PRAY
Looking forward to seeing you at the meeting tomorrow!
In Christ,
Corey
For those of you attending tomorrow, here are a few important reminders:
-- The meeting is from 1-3 in the basement at Grace Community Church (obviously).
-- Lunch is not provided.
-- Jill Winton will be in the basement from 12-1 notarizing your "Affidavit of Parental Consent."
Also, here is the 'To do list" for students on Team Malawi. Justin emailed you this list a couple weeks ago.
"To do list"
-Send the complete name on your passport to Justin.
-Bring passport to meeting
-Send Justin your parent's email address, if he doesn't have it already.
-See your doctor regarding vaccinations/medications
-Bring "Medical History and Consent Form" to meeting
-Bring "Affidavit of Parental Consent" to meeting
-Bring copy of insurance card to meeting
-PRAY
Looking forward to seeing you at the meeting tomorrow!
In Christ,
Corey
Friday, April 29, 2011
donating used laptops
Here in the States, we're swimming in laptops. These small, portable machines are an amazing tool, one that I'm sure most of us use to work, pay bills, and communicate with loved ones.
Over in Malawi, laptops aren't as plenteous. But God, in His kindness, has provided a way for us to change that.
Brian Biedebach, one of the Grace Church missionaries we'll be serving , is in need of used, workable laptops for the expanding seminary in Malawi. He wants 20 laptops, enough for one classroom. So if any of you have a used laptop that is still in good shape (meaning it has no power issues and runs smoothly enough), would you consider donating it? If you donate, our IT folks will wipe it clean of all your personal data, load it up with bible software, and Team Malawi will deliver these laptops to the Seminary in Malawi.
Because laptops are so important, and so popular here in the states, I'm sure many of us have a second, or even a third, laying around your house, accumulating dust. Why not find that discarded laptop, give it a quick dust-off, and send it to Malawi? You'll be helping men train for the ministry. I can't think of a better use for your discarded laptops.
If you're interested in donating, email me at coreywilliams07@gmail.com so we can figure out how to get your laptop to our IT people.
In Christ,
Corey
Over in Malawi, laptops aren't as plenteous. But God, in His kindness, has provided a way for us to change that.
Brian Biedebach, one of the Grace Church missionaries we'll be serving , is in need of used, workable laptops for the expanding seminary in Malawi. He wants 20 laptops, enough for one classroom. So if any of you have a used laptop that is still in good shape (meaning it has no power issues and runs smoothly enough), would you consider donating it? If you donate, our IT folks will wipe it clean of all your personal data, load it up with bible software, and Team Malawi will deliver these laptops to the Seminary in Malawi.
Because laptops are so important, and so popular here in the states, I'm sure many of us have a second, or even a third, laying around your house, accumulating dust. Why not find that discarded laptop, give it a quick dust-off, and send it to Malawi? You'll be helping men train for the ministry. I can't think of a better use for your discarded laptops.
If you're interested in donating, email me at coreywilliams07@gmail.com so we can figure out how to get your laptop to our IT people.
In Christ,
Corey
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Floreens
For our entire rip to Malawi, we'll be staying at the home of Grace Church Missionaries Matt and Rachel Floreen. Rachel will be cooking for our team of 26 (start praying for her now!), and Matt will be helping direct many of our team's service projects.
To get to know Matt and Rachel, check out there website http://africastories.com/ There you can learn a lot about the Floreen family and what they do in Africa. You'll also see some amazing pictures of the Malawi countryside. And for regular updates on what the Floreen's are doing, (this'll give you a decent idea of what life will be like for our team once we get to Malawi), read Matt and Rachel's blog, Africa Stories: Living and Serving in Malawi. Here's the link: http://africastories.com/blog/
Now enough of my writing. Hit up those links and dive into Matt and Rachel's! It's good stuff.
To get to know Matt and Rachel, check out there website http://africastories.com/ There you can learn a lot about the Floreen family and what they do in Africa. You'll also see some amazing pictures of the Malawi countryside. And for regular updates on what the Floreen's are doing, (this'll give you a decent idea of what life will be like for our team once we get to Malawi), read Matt and Rachel's blog, Africa Stories: Living and Serving in Malawi. Here's the link: http://africastories.com/blog/
Now enough of my writing. Hit up those links and dive into Matt and Rachel's! It's good stuff.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Welcome!
Welcome to the official blog of the 2011 Malawi Missions trip!
My name is Corey Williams and starting today, I’m going to regularly update this blog, keeping you — especially you dear parents of our Malawi team members — informed on what’s happening with team Malawi.
Between now and our June 28th departure, I will be posting important information like meeting times, schedule of events, and — if I may speak in grandiose terms — virtually everything you’ll need to know about our upcoming trip.
Once we get to Malawi, I will update this blog every day, letting you know exactly what our team is doing to serve the body of Christ in Malawi.
But before we get started, a little bit about myself. I’ve served on 180 staff for 3 ½ years now. For the past year, I’ve co-shepherded South Santa Clarita’s Bible study with Jeremiah Kirberg. I’m a script writer for the radio show, GRACE TO YOU. You may have heard of it. I’ve taken several mission trips in the past to some pretty interesting locations (Jamaica, Honduras, China). From the moment this trip was announced, I’ve felt a desire to go to Malawi and I can’t think of a better group to serve alongside of than the teenagers of 180!
Now, back to those all important details. For today, I’m posting a link to the CDCs web page on Malawi. There you’ll find all the necessary health information an American traveler needs for a trip to Malawi. Make sure you read it thoroughly and consult your doctor to see what he suggests.
Here’s the link:
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/malawi.aspx#vaccines
Also, let me remind all of you that the next Malawi meeting is for both parents and students on May 15th. Between now and then, check this blog regularly for updates, information, maybe even a little insight into the team leaders and our beloved missionary families in Malawi: the Biedebachs and the Floreens.
For the glory of the Savior,
Corey
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