June 18, 2013
International Mission
Malawi Mission
One's first impression of Malawi is that it is a beautiful country filled with beautiful people but so incredibly poor. From all of our visits we have gained a new understanding of the phrase "dirt poor". Their houses are made from bricks made from local dirt, the floors are dirt, the roads are dirt, they scratch out a living from a little patch of dirt, and you come home with your clothes permeated with the red dirt of Malawi. We can't imagine, let alone understand, their life of poverty.
Yet, in the midst of their poverty is a dignity of character and a faith we also don't understand. Malawians rely on God for everything. They get the idea of manna in the wilderness; they pick it up every day. We, in our wealth, on the other hand, complain about our lack of quail. In this mission season, we need to remember God's bias for the poor and continue to help provide manna to the Malawians.
Project Reports:
The Beza Clinic continues to operate as a first aid station that is saving lives with simple medications such as fever reducers and anti-diarrheal's. The Malawi Network, here in the USA, has helped to connect us with other teams that can help us to get supplies to the Clinic. This past year we have been able to make two shipments to the clinic. Please pray for leadership in this village with the passing of Dr. Beza.
The Community Based Child Care at Kasasa is built and thriving, after funding from FPC in 2009. It serves over 100 children, AIDs orphans as well as other village children. Managed and staffed by villagers with help from the Synod, this facility serves many purposes. Its primary purpose is to serve the needs of these orphans while keeping them with families and the village. The center provides preschool education, a meal, after school care, training for home health care, and respite care for the home caregivers.
Funded by FPC in 2010, the Prayer House at Jandang'ombe is completed. We are excited to support this prayer house that has an active and vital youth program that is already engaged in mission work to help their neighbors. We hope to worship in this prayer house in the summer of 2012.
The Kavuzi Clinic is a long-term project. With the support of Ekwendeni Hospital, Kavuzi will offer more skilled care in a remote area that we have not worked in before. We are excited to provide a higher level of medical care for people who must now walk many miles for any assistance at all.
In the summer of 2012, we are planning another trip to Malawi to work with these partners on their projects. If you are interested in more information about Malawi or this trip, please contact Nancy Beard, Jim Hofmann, Christie or Kyle Kittrell.
