As soon as I stepped into the orphanage where Natalie lived, my eyes went straight to her.  As soon as my mind registered that she was in chains (both literally and figuratively), my heart quickly followed.  When my husband, Nic, and I walked into that Haitian orphanage that June day in 2010 and met Natalie, my world forever shifted.  Her smile- beautiful.  Her heart- compassionate.  Her circumstance- heart wrenching.  God used Natalie to plant a seed in my heart and an idea in my mind.  The picture: sharing the healing love of Christ alongside my training in trauma-informed care and trauma stewardship in various locations across the world.  The why: so that children like Natalie and those who care for them can live and rest in the hope and healing that freedom from the grips of trauma brings. 

As I sit here now in 2016, the Lord is continuing to grow this dream and bring it to fruition!  In 5 short weeks, I will be traveling with a small team of professionals to Malawi, Africa.  

There will be 3 pillars to my time in Malawi, with overall goals of encouraging, equipping, and fostering healthy growth. 

Pillar 1: Encouraging full-time, on-site missionaries. Our small team will stay on-site at Esther's House, a church-planting, community-supporting campus that shares Jesus with and invests in at-risk children and widows.  The mission field isn't always easy, and these folks are doing incredible work. There are currently three awesome missionary families living at Esther's House, and we will have the opportunity to work with these couples and their children as well as the mission team as a whole to foster healing and team growth.  

Pillar 2: Training and equipping missionaries, ministry staff, and local teachers.  Each day, mission staff are interacting with countless children (in addition to day programs, Esther's House has a residential program for local children that have lost both parents and are without any additional family to care for them), women (there are high numbers of widows in this area) and community members that have one thing in common--heartache.  Trauma and loss are no strangers to Africa, and Malawi is no exception.  As I have had the opportunity to gain training in and practice trauma-informed care over the past several years, I have grown to see the unique needs of working with those that have experienced significant or chronic trauma.  While in Malawi, we will have the opportunity to teach and train Esther's House staff and local teachers in responding to and caring for those who have experienced trauma in a way that fosters true health, hope, and healing.  

Pillar 3: Assessment of current and future needs.  We are looking at this not as a one-time outreach effort, but as an opportunity to partner with the Esther's House team in Malawi over time- continuing to bring needed training and healing to meet the unique needs of the team and the Malawian people.  We are praying that as we grow to more accurately understand the needs during this trip, we will be able to co-create additional training and resource initiatives that will spark a ripple of hope and healing across the region.  

I am in complete awe of the Lord's answer to this 6 year prayer and dream, and I can't wait to see what He is going to do!  While there is a small group of us actually traveling to Africa, so many of you- my community of family and friends- have played such a pivotal role in the realization of this dream.  You have prayed for me and with me.  You have supported me and encouraged me in my training.  You have allowed me opportunities to teach.  Thank you.  And just as I couldn't have gotten here without you, I hope that you continue on this journey with me as I travel to Africa! 

More than anything, I covet your prayers. Please pray for safe travel, for open hearts, for sustained energy, and for hope and healing!  If you feel led, you may also partner with me financially.  If you would like to talk more about the specifics of the trip or my journey to this point, please please reach out!  I am very passionate about every aspect and would love to share.  Thank you for taking the time to read to see what I'm up to- I am so grateful for the community around me!  God is good. 

Blessings, 

Megan