God has made a way.

Witnessing a miracle: A son walking with his father for the first time in months.

Good news has come to us/

From Calvary's rugged cross/

It is finished/

God has made a way/

Matt Eck (Reality Stockton Worship Leader), "God has made a way"

God has made a way.

Every night in Malawi I would turn on a worship album to drown out the buzzing of mosquitos and humming of flying ants. This technique protected my sleep, as well as my sanity. The mosquito net would ward off the bugs and lizards from entering my bed, but the sound would convince my mind that they were smothering me. So, instead of listening to the insect orchestra, I would listen to songs of the Gospel. This served two purposes: first, masking the bugs, second, ministering to my heart.

There was one album in particular that The Lord used to fix my eyes upon him. This was the Reality Stockton worship album. Hearing songs from my old church reminded me of worshipping back in the States. I would picture myself playing piano and singing harmony with the band or worshipping on the red carpets alongside my brothers and sisters. The memories would be so vivid that it felt like I was there. I could hear the clapping and feel the stomping. Many nights these memories would turn into dreams, blending my waking and sleeping into one large, beautiful worship service. The Lord had hidden these moments in my heart to remind me of his glory and his majesty.  He used them to bring me Christian fellowship when I had no one to dialogue about what God was doing in Malawi.

And, boy, was God doing a lot! Though many people are religious (particularly Catholic, Presbyterian, or Pentecostal in Namitondo), God used this framework of religion to display his glory. He provided the infrastructure for me to use my giftings and profession for his glory. Despite my lack of Chichewa and despite my restriction to discuss my faith with my patients in the hospital, God used the religious background of the Malawians to work miracles.

There is an understanding gap in Malawi about movement. Part of this stems from their traditional medicine, which focuses on rest for recovery. Yet, physical therapy promotes movement for recovery, encouraging patients to be as independent, mobile, and functional as they can be. I met patients who were bedridden for 13 years. I met patients who had not walked for 4 months after their stroke. There was a fear of movement, a fear of falling, a fear of the reminder of their disability. Yet, it was beautiful to watch The Lord use physiotherapy to proclaim freedom from fear to his children. These were the daily miracles I was a part of in Malawi.

My favorite moment was when our team helped a young mother with an unknown neuromuscular condition walk for the first time after a serious bout of pneumonia. This woman had no muscular control and profound weakness in her trunk, hips, and shoulders. At first it seemed impossible to stand her up from bed with 3 people. Yet, once she was standing, she slowly found her balance and would be able to stand independently. I was shocked. She was so weak that it seemed improbable for her to stand by herself, yet alone walk. After seeing her controlled balance, we decided to give her a walker to attempt walking a few steps. I can still hear her voice as she said (and the ward assistant translated), "Glory to God!" As she walked, she continued to give glory to God for her ability to walk. With each step she took, she gave God glory for her recovery. 

This is an example of how God had made a way (just as the worship song heralded) for his majesty to be displayed through physiotherapy in Malawi. He provided the religious cultural context. He provided for our team to teach and treat patients with physiotherapy. He provided the path for his miracles. I was blessed to be a part of the many miracles he performed in Malawi through physiotherapy. I am inspired to see him use my profession as a platform for the miraculous, both here in the States and globally. If there is one thing that I have learned in Malawi, it is that despite my lack, despite my weakness God establishes a path for me to witness to the glory of God. I'm excited to see where his footprints will lead me next.

When we steward our privilege...

The Kingdom comes.

Darren Whitehead and Jon Tyson, Rumors of God