How to Hold Things Loosely

Dr. Seth and Rebecca Mallay live and serve in the small West African country of Togo. In 2016, Seth was a part of the Samaritan's Purse Post-Residency Program, which is designed to prepare and train doctors to serve full-time on the mission field. During their first year in Togo, the Mallays’ oldest daughter, Arwen, was diagnosed with cancer. The whole family returned to the United States for Arwen to undergo treatment.

Though the next few years of treatment were grueling and discouraging, Arwen wholeheartedly trusted in the Lord. In 2021, Arwen desired to return to Togo—a place that had become home to her. She passed away a year later. Rebecca shared with Kristy how Arwen’s faith never wavered.

“She was so strong. She said, ‘Well, God's going to heal me, either here I'll be healed or in heaven I'll be healed. So, either way I'll be healed.’ And her take on it was that God's got this no matter what. Her faith was astounding.”— Rebecca Mallay

The Lord had been preparing Seth and Rebecca throughout their lives to be able to handle the loss of their daughter. Seth witnessed his parents lose his baby brother to a brain tumor, while Rebecca grew up on the mission field in Brazil and also experienced losses that strengthened her faith. Seth remembered his parents’ witness and testimony and wanted to exemplify that same steadfast faith. The months after Arwen’s death were a time of personal family discipleship.

“My personal desire was to lead my family through what was going to be a very difficult time, faithfully. To show them that I would continue to trust the Lord. That I would continue to seek Him and to put my hope and faith in Jesus.” — Seth Mallay

The Mallays leaned on one another and their community of missionaries during this time of healing. Seth and Rebecca speak about how they practically keep their eyes fixed on eternity, even when things are hard. As they lead their families and serve in missions, they actively ask the Lord for the Holy Spirit and daily go to Scripture for guidance. The Mallays have clung to verses like Isaiah 26:3-4.

“You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind has stayed on you because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” — Isaiah 26:3-4

Please pray for the Mallay family in Togo. Pray that they would keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, relying on Him for their daily bread. If you’d like to keep up to date with more stories from On the Ground, please visit samaritanspurse.org.