This is Karen. (With the red bandana on). Karen is a 24-year-old woman who volunteers her time to work for an organization called Ministry of Hope. I walked with Karen through a buzzing market place in Chipoka, Malawi only 2 weeks ago. As we walked through the market place, piercing stares from the day’s merchants and consumers made their way towards our path. An entourage of young children yelling out, "Mazungu" (white person) quickly made their presence known close behind as we walked. 

It was a loud, busy market place and amidst the noise, I asked Karen a question that seemed to quiet our surroundings in an instant. "Karen, what is your story?" She immediately launched into her story as if she'd been waiting for me to ask the question from the moment we began our walk. 

Karen's story is like so many others in Malawi and in a number of parts of Africa. It's simple. She's experienced pain and hardship and disease and ultimately life in an unjust world. Her uncle murdered her father when she was just a child, due to reasons involving witchcraft. Karen, her younger siblings and mother were then forced into the care of her murderous uncle. A few years and a lot of abuse later, her uncle died of Malaria, leaving her family without a caretaker yet again. Karen, as the eldest, was forced to quit school and find a job to help support the family. 

Today, Karen has finished school, although it her took her several years to complete her studies. She volunteers for MOH as a preschool teacher and had an upcoming interview at a local facility in Chipoka the week after camp. When I asked Karen what it was that kept her going and keeps her moving forward today she repeatedly said, "God is faithful." 

When I look back at all of my cross-cultural adventures and the heartache it often brings me and the compelled heart to love it leaves me with, I know that what Karen said is so true. God is faithful!