Malawi Bound...Again

"Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don't have to know Einstein's theory of relativity to serve. You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Something else I have learned, is that the people who serve, would be utterly lost without the people that support their service. Through you and your support, WE serve. One year ago this week, I returned "home" from Malawi, Africa. My time there can be summed up as the best worst year of my life (a line I borrowed from my dear friends, the Finnefrocks). For those of you who followed my blog and journal entries, you know that by the time I left Malawi, it was also "home" to me. I learned that I was capable of loving deeper than I ever imagined, I learned that I could dig deep and grow stronger every day, and I humbly learned what it meant to depend on those who supported me, and my kids.

When I left Malawi a year ago, I left a secondary school of 30 students, one classroom, two blackboards, and three teachers. I left confident in the sustainability of a school that was my heart and soul, and knew that with time, energy, and a lot of drive and determination it would one day thrive. I am happy to report that today the COTN Secondary School is home to 65 students, four classrooms (more in progress), a staff of seven, and...well...probably still two blackboards!

One of the most important experiences I had while I tried to integrate myself back into American culture was the opportunities I had to share Malawi with you. All of you asked about the school, the kids, my heart, and most importantly, everyone of you asked, "When are you going back? How can I help?" This helped me to realize the vital role that each one of you had during my time in Malawi.

I am returning this year by myself. This makes it very difficult to take all of the things I would like to take to the kids in the school, orphanages, and village. I am allowed two 50 lb bags. My bags are at capacity at this point. I was able to have uniform shirts made for the students (which fills them with an amazing sense of pride and belonging) as well as various school supplies and needs for day to day life (don't worry, I also found room for water balloons). Thank you, humbly, to all of you who have donated. My trip is paid for thanks to my Income Tax return, and all of the supplies I am taking to this point have been generously donated. I am paying for the shirts, basically on a shirt by shirt basis.

This is where you come in... One of my favorite things to do in Malawi is help provide for families and kids in need as I see them on my daily walks through the village, and as I watch the kids in the homes and at school. It could be providing medical treatment for a sick child, baby formula for a struggling baby, buying flour for a family, tooth brushes for kids in the homes, or even a first pair of shoes for a teenage boy from the village. This year, I would also like to invite you to provide a uniform shirt for a secondary school student. If you feel that you would like to contribute to this part of the journey, I would love to have you play a role. I promise to document every step of the journey, and collect stories and pictures of those you help.

Donations can be made through Hillside Community Church. Donations can be made at: www.hc3.org or they can be mailed to:
Hillside Community Church
103 North Ford Street
Golden, CO
80403

Just be sure to Mention "Annie Brown- Malawi" in the memo.

Thank you again for your support, your prayers, and your belief in me and the children of Malawi.