But GOD Had Other Plans: How I Ended Up In A Malawi Mission

BUT GOD HAD OTHER PLANS: HOW I ENDED UP IN A MALAWI MISSION

Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to go to Malawi on mission. But God had other plans.

It took 18 hours flying time for our 3-person CFL mission team to get to Blantyre, Malawi, but the mission trip took much longer than that. It started over a year ago, during the April 2023 ÔÇ£Hearts on FireÔÇØ faith rally. We were asked to pray and discern where the Lord wanted to send us to set the world ablaze. I noticed brothers and sisters putting their flame stickers all over the map of the Philippines. There was also a world map with different countries. I remained the lone person who stuck her flame sticker on the map of Malawi. Why? I didnÔÇÖt know why. It wasnÔÇÖt my plan, but it was definitely GodÔÇÖs plan. I was certainly caught by surprise.

In January of 2024, I saw Bro. George Mbekeani, CFL Malawi country head, and we talked about a youth program called ÔÇ£GodÔÇÖs NowÔÇØ to be given to their CFL Malawi youth based on the papal exhortation, Christus Vivit. He said, ÔÇ£YouÔÇÖre coming to Malawi in 2025.ÔÇØ But God had other plans. CFL Area Coordinator for Africa, Bro. Roland Nillas, said we needed to send a mission team to Malawi this August 2024. I said I was willing to go. The rest is history.

God was sending me to Malawi, known as the heart of Africa. But I had no team. I asked different Singles to come with me since nobody should go on mission alone. The Biblical principle was that you had to at least be a mission pair. But they said no due to all sorts of conflicts. In prayer, the Lord told me to ask a CFL Singles member in my household to come. He would say yes. When I asked him, he said no. But God had other plans. Two weeks later, in the middle of our opening worship, Dan said that he was going to Malawi! WHAT? There were many reasons he shouldnÔÇÖt go but God called him, and he said YES. And then, CFL Youth coordinator, Bro. Jay Sibug, said he had a youth missionary who was willing to go to Malawi: Emak Ramos. So, now our team was complete. We went to give an echo conference, ÔÇ£Let Your Light Shine,ÔÇØ from August 17-18 to 100 participants (20 couples, Maidens, and youth). It was their first-ever official CFL conference in Malawi! We also gave a CFL Youth conference, ÔÇ£GodÔÇÖs Now,ÔÇØ to 46 youth, 30 of them were official members and the others were guests whose parish priests were interested in setting up CFL Youth in their parish. Then Bro. George reminded us that August was the month CFL Manila and CFL Washington came to start CFL there, 5 years ago. Happy 5th Anniversary, CFL Malawi!

Our mission team witnessed the celebration of Archdiocese of BlantyreÔÇÖs Silver Jubilee of three of their priests: Fr. Maximos Mwapuwa, Fr. Marko Makolo, and Fr. Benedict Kaliya. It was also the ordination of 4 deacons into priesthood. Likewise, they were celebrating the closure of small Christian communities (SCC)ÔÇÖs jubilee and the 10th anniversary of the Archdiocesan choir. We also made a courtesy call to Bishop Alfred Chaima, the Bishop of Zomba, with the assistance of Fr. Santos Mpingu. (Archbishop of Blantyre, Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa was not available for a courtesy call when we were there.)

It wasnÔÇÖt an easy trip, partly because Malawi is literally halfway around the world. Emak and I lost our luggage going there, and like the Resurrection, it took 3 days before we got our luggage back. (Did you know we also lost our luggage coming home? But thatÔÇÖs another story.) In the meantime, we completely relied on our generous hosts, Bro. George and Sis. Rose Mbekeani, to provide clothes for us. It was a truly humbling experience, that reminded me of Jesus telling His disciples to take nothing for the journey (Luke 9:3). I learned to detach from what I had, trust in GodÔÇÖs providence, and rely on the kindness and generosity of others. The Mbekeanis were so accommodating and amiable that coming to Malawi was like coming home. I realized that Malawians and Filipinos had a lot in common. Apart from both countries struggling with dire poverty and corruption, both cultures were warm, hospitable, and joyful. We expected to give them much through talks and experience with mission work, and this we did, but our CFL Malawi brethren also gave us so much of themselves, maybe even more. From composing not one, but two songs, to welcome us, they also lavishly showered us with their openness, humility, inspiring stories, and hearty laughter. I reunited with old brethren like Bro. George and Sis. Rose, Fr. Santos (who is now rector of Nankhunda Seminary and the Development Director of the Zomba diocese), Sis. Alice, Sis. Reena, Sis. Tembi (Regina Osofro), and Bro. Kondwani. I also met other CFL Malawi brethren like Bro. McDonald and Sis. Clara Chavi, Bro. Andrew Galeta, and CFL youth, David and Daniel.

If you want to know what it is to be a true missionary, say YES to go halfway across the world to Malawi. (Did you know that in terms of numbers, Africa has the fastest growing numbers of Catholics in the world today?) Say YES to Malawi where you will experience expecting the unexpected. There you will feel like youÔÇÖre coming home through the smiles and hearty laughter of our CFL Malawi brethren. You may think itÔÇÖs not for you, but God may have other plans. After all, He isnÔÇÖt called the God of surprises for nothing. See you in Malawi!

#CatholicsForFamilyAndLife

#CFLMalawi