Do you know how hard it is to become friends with someone who doesn't speak the same language as you? Trust me, it's difficult! Now I'm not saying I don't have any malawian friends, because I do: there's Tina, Enala, Liaka, Gofiyas. They may all be in 1st grade but they still count as friends...right? I'd say they do, but how about some my own age?

Do they count as friends?

Lately, I've been praying to God that he would give me confidence to talk to the teens in our village. I actually do talk to them, just not how I talk to my azungu (white) friends. When we are passing, I will say "Wawa!" or "Muli bwanji!" If they have a question I will answer. If I like something that they did, I will tell them. But then nothing happens after that. We just smile at each other, and walk away. 

However, I have suddenly been feeling random bursts of boldness when I am around the teens. I admit I don't always grasp the opportunities that God gives me, but I am really trying. Which is why I am so thrilled that I have become "friends" with a group of teenagers all from the same family. I will write about them in in my next blog.

My more mature friends