Wintering in Africa (upcoming trip)

8th January 2026

(Link to Original Blog Post: https://visitevery.city/2026/01/08/wintering-in-africa-upcoming-trip/)

Tickets are bought but I haven’t yet packed for the trip. What kind of jacket should I pack if I’ll be transiting through winter weather in London and arriving into the comfortable temperatures of the cool, rainy season in Malawi? We’ve recently had snow here in Brooklyn.

It’s not unusual for me to travel to Malawi, but rarely in January. When Lena and I temporarily moved to the country, we arrived in January and of course it was raining when we were picked up at the Lilongwe airport (2017).

Once I popped into Zimbabwe for a week during the first month of the year. It rained almost the entire time but I did manage to see the people and places I intended to see on that trip. That trip in 2023 was my first solo trip to Africa. Three years later I’ll be taking my second solo trip to the continent.

Heavy rain outside the Harare airport in January 2023

In 2024, on a return trip, I had a pitstop in London and had the chance to visit with a fellow elder and his family for a few days. Lena had headed home earlier, off on a completely different adventure. On that solo trip I also visited the London congregation on the Sabbath which I had never had the opportunity to do before.

Proof I was there in London

This time my stopover, coming and going, will be quick. Just enough time to meet some brethren long enough to grab a few donated items for the Malawian brethren. The London congregations (there are two) have been saving some reading glasses for their brethren who can’t normally afford to buy them. When we can see clearly we take things like reading a book for granted. If my glasses broke and I couldn’t get any more my world would get a lot smaller and I’d have to rely on other people for getting around.

“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality” (Romans 12:9-13).

Something seemingly insignificant like donating a pair of reading glasses to someone might seem like nothing. And some might think it is too small to even give any effort to such a thing. And then of course there are logistics to think about. But the larger needs, and even the larger ways of showing love for one another, are built upon smaller things. We learn how to care and how to love by practicing showing love and caring for the needs of others. The small things are just as important as the larger more obvious things. Especially in a world where lawlessness abounds and the love of many is growing cold both for God and for our fellow man.

Regardless of what is happening in our lives, we must always refocus our attention on the ways of our God. We must always remember that there are those who have greater needs than we do. We must remember that we are to become humble servants like our Elder Brother who served in many small ways and also in the greatest way possible!

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8).

To this day I think it strange that I am allowed and actually encouraged to go and visit my brethren in various places. If I could, I think that’s what I would spend most of my time doing. But that might also be for selfish reasons since that combines two of my favorite things — travel and visiting people. But hopefully I can inspire a few others to go and visit their brethren both near and far. And if they can’t physically go then I hope they reach out and communicate with others as much as possible.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:23-25).

My upcoming adventure begins with a late flight on January 24th, from JFK to LHR. I’ll leave London late on the 26th, arriving in Lilongwe, Malawi the following day. From there I’m hoping to visit my brethren and fellow pastors in Lilongwe and Nkhwazi, and also Blantyre and Mayaka before heading back through London on February 9th. I’m hoping the weather will be a little warmer in Brooklyn when I get back home, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I was greeted with snow. While I’ll be seeking warmer weather, Lena has some plan to go ice fishing. If only I could be in two places at once!

-Lewis VanAusdle