I have been in Atlanta for over a month now. I came back to the United States to care for my mom. She is suffering cirrhosis of the liver and is waiting for a liver transplant. Because her liver doesn’t function the way it should, her kidneys are not doing well. She is jaundiced; she can’t sleep at night because her skin itches; her lungs and abdomen sometimes fill with fluid. When this happens, she can’t breathe so she has to go to the hospital and have the fluid drained. Because when one organ does not work, everything is affected.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
Mom has good weeks and bad weeks. Some days, she still tries to cook my favorite meals, even though I should be taking care of her. Other days, like this past weekend, her lungs had filled with fluid and she was struggling to breathe. She was fine one day, and the next day she wasn’t.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
I forget that I am a part of a greater body at times. I forget that when my sister from another country is suffering and not living fully to the image that God to which God has called her, I am also affected. I may not sense it right away, but over time I am affected. I am called to love, to bring peace and justice, to bring restoration and healing. When I am not doing that — whether in ways big or small — I am not living fully to the image to which God has called me. When I live only for myself, I become selfish, self-centered, and impatient.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
As we end the Mafuwa A Moto project in Malawi, I am concerned about Nasoweka, a single mother of six. I worry that she will not be able to grow enough food to feed her children. I worry that her neighbors will continue to look down upon her and not help her.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
I think about the girls in Lunzu that have stopped engaging in transactional sex. I think about how some of them went back to school and are determined to stay there, but the financial struggle persists. They need to feed themselves and their families. I pray that God will continue to whisper their value to them and that they will work together to help each other to become more financially secure. I think about the tailoring classes that four of the girls are starting. I really pray that they learn a valuable skill they can use to earn an income.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
I think about the community that came together to start a school. Now young children have a safe place to learn. The community is also providing a basic porridge for the kids in the morning when they come to school. I pray that more support will come from the community and everyone will contribute to care for these young children.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
Today, mom got a new liver. As I type, she just got out of surgery and is finally sleeping. I think about all the people who made meals for her, who prayed for her, who cared for her. I think about the amazing doctors, nurse, and assistants who came together to care for my mother.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
You who are reading this letter are also caring for the body of Christ — when you generously give of your time and resources; when you pray or organize fundraisers or share these prayer requests with your friends. As you all of these things, you are living in the reality that we are part of a larger body.
Thank you,
Faye Yu
Program Consultant
World Renew Malawi