Jamie Farewell is expecting his trip to Malawi this summer to be a life changing experience.
The Marystown resident is headed to the African country in August as part of a group from this province. The participants have partnered with Global Youth Missions and will be part of ‘YC Malawi’.
For the past several years, Mr. Farewell has been a regular attendee of ‘YC Newfoundland’, an inter-denominational gathering of youth and young adults held in the province.
The event attracts upwards of 4,000 participants from around Newfoundland and Labrador annually.
Each year, a collection is taken during the conference. For several years, the money raised was donated to a project to help build an orphanage in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, called the ‘Village of Hope’.
Mr. Farewell, 30, indicated the project to build the orphanage was successfully completed a couple of years ago.
“So, last year now their new mission was to have what’s called YC Malawi. It’s the same thing we have here in Newfoundland. It’s just going to be a larger scale. It’s going to be a huge venue – a lot of people from Malawi will be attending.
“Plus, they wanted to send over some groups to just help in the community and reach out.”
‘IN MY HEART’
Malawi is a densely populated, democratic country, bordered to the northwest by Zambia, and Tanzania to the north, with Mozambique surrounding the east, south and west.
Despite being the world’s seventh poorest county, Malawi is often referred to as ‘the warm heart of Africa’. The country has an estimated population of 13 million, with about 400,000 people residing in the Lilongwe, the capital since 1971.
Malawi is heavily dependant on agriculture. Tobacco, tea and sugar are the country’s three biggest exports.
Poor nutrition and insufficient access to medical treatment are among the country’s most significant problems. Malawi has more than a million orphans – AIDs the biggest contributing factor.
During the trip, Mr. Farewell and his group will visit orphanages and prisons, conduct children and youth ministries and participate in other humanitarian efforts. He indicated he’s very excited to be going on the mission.
“Really, it’s been something in my heart for a long time and last year I decided that when they had the opportunity, that you could fill out the application and apply for it, I spoke to my wife about it and I said, ‘I’d really like to try to apply and see.’”
It took a while to hear back, and had actually slipped to the back of his mind. Then one day he opened his e-mail to some wonderful news. He’s spent the last couple of weeks getting organized for the trip.
“It was unreal. It was a little bit surreal, just check your normal e-mails and then to see that … I’m going to Africa! I can’t wait.
“Just to see a different culture and to be a part of it. Just helping others and reaching out to a different area of the world.”
FUNDRAISING
Mr. Farewell is planning a number of fundraisers, with the help of family and friends, to raise the $3,600 needed to cover the costs of the trip.
May 3 there’s a bake sale at the Peninsula Mall in Marystown. There’s a yard sale on Greenwood Street May 24. A gospel concert is also in the works.
He indicated the Calvary Pentecostal Church and the community, in general, have been very supportive of his mission.
“You don’t realize it when you’re always at home and in your own community. You know everybody and everybody’s pretty much the same – same type of culture – but when you go overseas and see how they live and how they react to people and treat people is really amazing.
“I’ve heard a few people say they’ve went before or knew people that have gone before, and they said that it’s changed their life, just their perspective on things is just totally different.”
Most people’s experiences with Africa have come through television programs or in magazine articles. Mr. Farewell acknowledged he’s looking forward to witnessing the continent up close.
“You’re only getting tunnel vision, basically – you’re not getting the full aspect. To witness it firsthand and to go and see the full outlook of everything is going to be an awesome experience.”
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