Malawi: Guppy’s Story

Hello everyone! Muli Bwanji?

My name Eden “Guppy” Gaskin and this May, thanks to the financial support from Camp Kintail, various churches, and the WMS society, I was able to be part of a team of 8 young adults and 2 leaders from different Presbyterian churches across Canada that traveled to Malawi, Africa.   We arrived in Blantyre, Malawi on May the 5th.  When our group arrived at the airport we were greeted by Linda Inglis, Reverend Paul Mawaya, and 5 Malawian youth who accompanied us for the first week and the last day of our journey.  This trip was arranged through a Presbyterian organization called Youth in Mission.

Youth In Mission is a program of The Presbyterian Church in Canada offered to youth ages 16 to 30. Youth can gain experience, serve others, enhance personal growth, learn skills, grow in faith, share in the mission of the church, travel, and meet new people.  YIM allows young people to put their belief into action, get some experience in the “real world”, and see how they can contribute.  Group trips are run internationally as well as across Canada.

As part of this trip I was able to learn about the Malawian context and culture and to witness and participate in how their faith is a strong part of everyday life. Our group did not have one specific location or project but were going to many different places where the Presbyterian World Service & Development programs are in place.  I had experiences worshiping in the local language and customs, assisting with their programs for children and youth, and saw first-hand the difference that development programs are making in the lives of people.

With Youth In Mission I was given the opportunity to travel across the world to another country and view new ways of seeing God at work in the world.  The short term results from our trip will be myself and the participants from our trip sharing our stories with our congregations and summer camps across Canada.

The long term effects will be up to the people, campers, camp staff, & congregations we share our experiences with; what they decide to do with the first hand information we are able to pass on about the great work done through the partnership of the Presbyterian Church in Canada with the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian.

-Eden “Guppy”