Jae

Years ago God placed it in my heart to go to Africa. I think it germinated from the idea that there was much need there and if I could, I wanted to help. Since that time, after a few false starts at attempting to put this together I started questioning myself. Why do I want to go? Did the Lord actually call me? Do I have the right motivation? Do I want to put in the effort? Over the past year my mind started to settle. It was revealed to me, step by step, that I wasn’t called to go to help per se, but to just follow Him. This path led me directly to Love a Village. I look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for me in Malawi and continue to pray for His guidance and my obedience to His leadership.

 

Benita

Hi my name is Benita. I’m a wife to my husband Jae and a mom to Natalie and Tobias. As a child and young adult I dreamt of traveling overseas to live and work. I thought of going on missions, not knowing at the time what missions really was. Presently, I am very excited about going to Malawi on my first missions trip. It’s a very different notion than how I dreamt of travel when I was much younger. It certainly isn’t because of any sense of wanderlust this time. I’m excited now, because Jesus is the central person of desire and His call for me to go is what has spurred this on. I wonder mainly what the Lord has in store for me and my family in Malawi, and after this trip. I am very thankful to be able to do this with my family and our friend Matthew. I’m grateful to have this opportunity to serve God this way since I know a few people who desire to do this type of missions, but because of various circumstances in their lives, can’t at this time. When I reflect on how this trip is unfolding, I see God’s perfect timing. I hope that I will be fully present throughout this journey. I hope that I can fully share Christ’s love to the people I meet there. I’m praying for my family and friend Matthew as we plan and get ready. For anyone reading this, I welcome your prayers for us. They are so appreciated. Love, In Christ, Benita.

 

Tobias

Hi, my name is Tobias. I am 14 years old and was born in Canada. I’ve been going to church since I was born and I do believe in Jesus Christ. I am going with Love a Village to Malawi for the first time this summer. I am going with my family and a school friend for a month. I think this trip will give me a chance to get closer to God and build stronger relationships with my family and friend. I am so used to a comfortable life here in Canada, so I am not too sure how I’m going to feel in Malawi. In Malawi there might not be as many distractions as there are here, so maybe I will be able to get to know God better and spend more time with Him. I am excited about going to Malawi because I think it is a unique experience and it will bring me closer to God.

 

Natalie

My name is Natalie and I am 13 years old. I am going to Malawi with my parents, my brother and a friend. At first my parents decided for me that I am going on this trip and I wasn’t too happy, but now I‘m looking forward to it. I think the Lord has created this opportunity for me because He wants me to see and really appreciate how much He has blessed me with. I think after coming back I will truly realize how God has blessed me. I also think that it will be interesting to see how this trip to Africa will go, and how things will change for me when I arrive back in Toronto. I hope to try and experience new things while I am there. I do not have any expectations but after being in a few meetings and having someone with more experience explaining the trip to me I think that I’ll have fun.

​

Matthew

My name is Matthew, and I am 15 years old. I go to a school called North Toronto Christian School and I am a dedicated Christian. I love sports, particularly swimming. During my spare time, I enjoy reading, playing video games, and going out with friends to watch movies or just hang out. I am immensely excited about going to Malawi even though it is my first time going on a missions trip. I want this experience to be beneficial to the people there and to myself. I want to be of as much help as possible, and I hope to gain some life changing experiences that will elevate my perspective and reveal to me that my life is not the most important thing in the world. I want to be able to fully appreciate my life of comfort in Canada, and be able to have more confidence to go on more trips that are similar. Going to Malawi will be an experience of a lifetime and I would not miss it for anything.