Brett praying for a widow
Last year a short-term mission team from Peace River Bible Institute (PRBI) in Alberta, Canada, traveled to Malawi to work with ACTION’s missionaries there. One of the members, Brent Surbey, gave a summary of his time and activities in Africa and told about the impact the trip had on him:
“As a member of the short-term PRBI ACTION Malawi team, I can easily say that it was the most life-changing summer I have ever had. We did a lot of different work, ranging from singing songs, visiting hospital patients, praying for widows and delivering food to them, teaching children and youth, playing games with kids, and preaching in local churches.
“The activity that impacted me the most was definitely the ministry to the widows. I have a heart for helping people, especially people who are suffering or in need in any way. Encouraging these widows was something that really made me feel like I was making a difference. I was being the hands and feet of God by spreading His love through food, prayer and encouragement to hurting people.
“Even though I had some amazing experiences, I also had some real challenges as well. Probably the two hardest things I faced while in Malawi were dealing with the differences we had as a team while striving to work together efficiently, and trying to understand that I serve a loving, caring God while seeing young kids in very bad condition in the hospital.
“There were nights where the team would have disagreements among its members—almost to the point of getting into heated arguments—because of our very different personalities. I learned through this challenge that even though you might not agree with how someone might present an idea or do an activity, sometimes you just need to trust the other’s judgment and go with it.
“The second challenge came from visiting sick kids in the hospital in Ntcheu. This was something that really shook my view of God and made me question His love. The kids were just lying there with very limited help and it was hard for me to grasp if God cared. And, if He did, why wasn’t He doing anything to help them? But looking back, I realize that God was doing something: He was helping the hurting kids through us. He used our team to ease suffering and show Himself in a loving way to the Malawians.
“The trip last summer was really phenomenal. I know I will never forget the wonderful experiences, lessons, challenges, and growth that came along with it.”
