In All things: Counting Blessings
- Mark Garrison
- Dec 16, 2025
- 3 min read
Here in our village of Nkhoma a small group gathers every Sunday night for an hour of singing praise and worship songs. We have had the privilege of hosting this night a few times now and it is always a highlight of the week. A favorite song has emerged from these evenings and become a theme for me:
“Counting My Blessings” by Matt Maher and Seph Schlueter
One, two, three up to infinity
I'd run out of numbers
Before I could thank You for everything
God, I'm still counting my blessings
For all that You've done in my life
The more that I look in the details
The more of Your goodness I find
Father on this side of heaven
I know that I'll run out of time
But I will keep counting my blessings
Knowing I can't count that high
Some Sunday nights these words bring me to tears, some days Emma and Wesley and I sing them joyfully, and, sometimes they are a response to whatever uncomfortable circumstance is directly in front of us.
The blessings we’ve been counting are…
That Luke Greeley and Clara arrived for the holiday break!
It has begun to rain in Malawi
We have had the privilege of hosting many visitors for dinner
The Lord has provided an opportunity every time we’ve needed a ride into town even though we don’t have a car yet
Overall we’ve been healthy, as malaria season starts
I was able to purchase some homeschool material from another American family
For Thanksgiving we enjoyed a festive potluck, hosted by an American missionary family. Everyone was invited and before eating they recounted the history and tradition of the Thanksgiving holiday. We even got to enjoy some turkey and other new delights!
Christmas feels different here. Its not snowing nor is it cold. If you find decorations they are seen in some shopping centers. The commercialism just seems misplaced and lost in this environment. We celebrate our own ways to enjoy the festivities and celebrate with our with our friends and family as our festivities have begun.
We’ve set up a Christmas tree that would make Charlie Brown happy.
We enjoyed participating in a new tradition we have learned about where the parents write a note (both praising and "humorously" humbling the kids) with a visit from visit from Sinterklass.
As the year end we give thanks for you partnership and support. It is because of your faithfulness that we are here serving. Your prayers and support allow us to live and give to the Malawian People. Due to the surgical center project delays we are taking on smaller projects such as helping with temporary housing for the PAACS residence programs, some bible studies with the nursing students and as well as work around the housing compound.
We will also moving into a "new" house that was recently vacated and is in need or some repairs and an addition to house the family. It is smaller than the house we have been temporarily occupying. As the year ends, we are looking for other opportunities to give back and support people as the start to the hunger season looms near. These projects really help provide work for people and families.
We are praying and asking the Lord to bring in an additional $7,000 dollars to help in these areas. These funds will go directly to these smaller projects and to support people.