Connecting Hearts
Our family had the privilege of hosting a dear new friend, Mary Phiri, visiting from Malawi, Africa. She is on staff with Gogo Grandmothers-a ministry that supports vulnerable children and their gogos (grandparents). We had so much fun introducing her to family and friends in our community. We took her to the Farmers Market, drove to Tilden Park to see the view of San Francisco (fog prevented the perfect view) and had an event where she was able to share her heart and passion for her ministry in Africa. Bethany and Garrett were able to be with us this weekend as well and that added to the excitement since Garrett is at such a fun age-curiosity and JOY fills every waking moment. 
I have a forever friend who has captured my heart. Her life story is amazing. Her joy for the Lord is her strength and she is a person who definitely has dedicated her life to put her love in action. She supervises all the community based childcare centers that the Gogo Grandmothers ministry supports. I can’t wait to go see first hand how she monitors and teaches all her volunteers.
Garrett loved showing Mary all his favorite things…He loves the outdoors so we went to the Farmer’s Market and we enjoyed tasting all the fresh fruits.
My mom, Gramie Rozie, joined us for the day and she was enchanted by Mary as well. Rick took them to Chick-fil-A for Saturday lunch and they had a blast.
Mary was captivated by Garrett. I think Garrett has a #1 fan!!!! She is one classy lady.
Each month the US director, Leslie Lewis writes updates about the great work going on in Malawi. Here is an except from the April update……”After 2 years of drought and hunger in Malawi, the rains that came this growing season are producing seed and food for the hungry! What joy! This also perfectly applies to how God’s Word, when poured out produces “spiritual seed” and joy in the soil of our hearts and minds!
The prophet Isaiah said it this way.“Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth, doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, so will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.” —Isaiah 55:10-11
The gogos (grandmothers) kept planting during the 2014 – 2016 years of drought. Their hope was placed in God and His promise that He would provide for them. That was beautifully evidenced when the gogos knew that their harvest hadn’t produced enough food to last until the next harvest. But, for both years, they still gave a generous portion of their maize seeds to feed the 2,200 children in our sponsored Community Based Childcare Centers. The children NEVER lacked their porridge or needed us to bring maize for the CBCCs because, despite the little they had, the gogos gave!
God’s Word in their hearts did the good work He sent it to do! The gogos believed God’s promise that He would repay them if they gave what they had. Although the seeds they planted those 2 years of drought produced only a small harvest — God brought his own harvest of maize to them through the Joseph Project that many of you made possible. It sustained over 2,000 gogo families and prevented them from eating this year’s premature green maize which would have led to another year of food shortage. The Joseph Project also gave opportunities to give them Jesus and share God’s word with open hungry hearts!”
Each time I have the privilege of telling others about the incredibly cool ministry taking place in Malawi Africa called Gogo Grandmothers, I am thrilled. Being an ambassador for this ministry is one of my greatest life privileges.
What is one of your passion you love telling others about?
