Sunsets and Green Pastures

Thank you all for the prayers. It has been a big jump for me this past week. Saying goodbye to my family in West Africa to travel down to Malawi and begin to do ministry here. It has been such a sweet and sorrowful time. Change is something I have never liked yet I know that we should always be seeking to change and grow closer to God. Sometimes that means He moves us to different places for a time. I am very grateful for all my time in West Africa and can’t wait to go back early next year.

What an honor it has been to serve in West Africa. The team of believers there have become my family. My heart and prayers will always be in West Africa and I look forward to my return early next year. My last few weeks in West Africa were filled with many visits and goodbyes. I had the privilege of visiting again with the village Canaan Baptist Church has been doing ministry with for many years. During tea time some conversations lead to stories of Christ and to prayer. The opportunity also came for me to visit a dear friend’s village. Please continue to pray for the people in West Africa for the believers and those that have not yet accepted salvation.

Psalm 23

“The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me besides still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walked through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod in your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anointment my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

This psalm was really on my mind, while I was visiting a friend’s village in West Africa, there were so many sheep and shepherds everywhere. I remember my mother having my sisters and I memorize this psalm as a child but I never thought I would travel to green pastures that shepherds bring their sheep too someday. I never really understood why the Lord compared people to sheep, and why it is so significant that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Seeing it in real life and having it explained to me deepened my understanding and brought this passage to life. Those that shepherd cows don’t really need to worry the cows know when to come home and the goats also return everyday to their owners. The sheep on the other hand must always have a shepherd with them or they will end up wandering off and getting lost and never finding their way back. The shepherd must remain with the sheep all the time, no exceptions. People can’t find their way without Jesus, He has to lead us and we would just get lost if He ever left us. What a beautiful reminder that Jesus promised never to leave us and told us that He is the only Way. What a Good Shepherd He is coming down to save us so we can know Him and be known by Him.

One thing I will really miss from West Africa is watching the sunset from the roof while praying. This began for me in the first month of my time in West Africa back in the beginning of 2025. I have had some very real conversations with the LORD on that rooftop. The more time I spend talking to God the more I realize that I should definitely stop talking so much to Him about how I think He should run the world. Instead I am learning to be still and listen to God and trust Him in the unknown. Being grateful for the lessons that come however difficult they may seem at the time. I wish I could say I have graduated from learning this lesson but I have a feeling I will be continuing to learn this more and more throughout my life. The picture below is one of the last times I got to pray and watch the sunset with the LORD on the roof of my home in West Africa. Though I will miss that rooftop, I am forever grateful that I can always talk to the LORD no matter where I am at or what time zone I’m in.

For the remainder of my commitment I will be in Malawi serving until I return to the US. It has been quite a shock coming to Malawi from West Africa because it is so cold here. I went from upper 90s everyday to now in the 60s as the average temperature. I never thought I would think this qualifies as cold weather but my body seems to think differently. 
Many exciting things are on the horizon for my time in Malawi. We have several plans from teaching English to joining kids, women’s and youth Bible studies. I will have the opportunity to teach Bible knowledge at the Bethlehem Christian Academy school when they start the new school year in September. I will also be able to visit and meet with more of The Nations Initiative church partners here. We are just a few days away from an American team arriving and I will get to join them for VBS at the Bethlehem Christian Academy school. It was such a blessing to see my BCA sponsor child at church on Sunday, he ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug. What a gift it has been to see God at work all over the world. 

Thank you for reading my blogs. When I first started writing them they were really just reports in my mind to prove I was doing something to everyone that was not with me. They have now become more of a place for me to reflect on what God is doing. I appreciate all of you who read them and continue to pray for me. It means a lot, thank you.