Malawi: Report #12

Malawi Mission Report #12
     In case you are wondering where report 11 is, Curt filed that one in my behalf yesterday.
     Today was to be a restful day at Lake Malawi. However, there was some business for Curt and me. We stopped by the Baptist Clinic in Salima, about 2 hours outside Lillongwe, to meet with the director. She spoke with us for a while about details relating to the health station Curt is planning in Kamoyo. There was much good information, including guidance on obtaining medicines, the best site in the village for the dispensary, staffing issues, and the like. We then made our way to the Sunbird Resort on the shores of the Lake. The setting is beautiful. On the horizon are low, vague mountains, the border of Mozambique. The waters of the lake are blue with gentle waves at the shore. Some of us spent time on the sandy beach while others sat up at the table awaiting our lunch. There was the occasional monkey, and a couple of small but determined birds were trying to make away with the rolls.
     On the way back we stopped at a row of vendors selling wood carvings, reed items, and the like. Bargains were to be had, and everyone shopped for gifts and memories. Then away and back to Lillongwe, to the Msamba guest house.
     Tonight dinner was at Msamba, and we dined with Pastor Blackson, Peter, and Lewis—all from our Malawian team. Curt and I discussed the health station and some possibilities for church planting and leadership in Chiwoza and Mkangamira.
     I will not have access to this computer to send these reports after tonight. Curt will probably follow-up tomorrow with his iPad
     Matters for praise: It has been a good trip, with many people—children, youth, and adults, reached with the Gospel. We are all of us thankful for God’s call and blessing on our work here. I wish you could see these ladies and young people in action! You have sent a great team to the villages here.
     Matters for prayer: Please continue to pray for our safety in travel. Tomorrow we minister half-day in a neighborhood, then say our good-byes to out interpreters/friends. Sunday we are away to the states.
     Thank you again for praying with us. You share in the results of our work here.
Ray Smith
Malawi Team

 

Malawi: Report #10

Malawi Mission Report #10
     Today we went to Kalolo, and we met with the local pastor, Brino. I was last in Kalolo four years ago, but a team did visit last year. There have been some real changes, so that the local congregation is not meeting regularly. However, the chief welcomed us warmly and invited us to evangelize. Leadership teaching changed to evangelism as Brino is now trying to build up the body of believers in a new but nearby location. I shared the Gospel with about a dozen people, several of whom were already believers.  The others did pray to receive Christ.
     Curt, Hannah, and Alicia went out to do evangelism, Curt and Alicia together and Hannah with Lewis, one of the stronger interpreters. They made several stops, and some prayed for salvation.
     Constance, Wendy, and Maddie conducted the VBS phase. There were a little over 100 children and they were not able to complete the lesson.  However, some of the children were attentive and seemed to understand what they heard.
     At lunch we discovered that that a teenage girl had died in the village next door. While the rest broke into teams for evangelism (no VBS), I went with Brino, the chief, and my interpreter, Peter, to express our sympathy. They had made it sound as if I would deliver some sort of speech or message, but as it turned out, the girl was Catholic, and a local priest came to fulfill that role. We did meet with the father and the family to express our sympathy. WE then regrouped and left Kalolo. Because of the funeral, most in Kalolo will walk to the other village tomorrow. As a result we will travel to a different village and church under Brino’s responsibility.
Matters for praise: Praise God for the day despite the difficulties; all is according to His plan for this village. Thank God for continued blessings of health, safety, and receptive hearts.
Matters for prayer: Please continue to pray for our safety in travel and for prepared hearts as we continue to share our faith in a new village.
Thank you again for praying with us.
Ray Smith
Malawi Team

Malawi: Report #9

Malawi Mission Report #9
     Today was our second and last day in Chiwoza. For those of you who have visited there, there are some changes. The little church made of homemade brick has a side wall that is leaning outward, and the wall near the pulpit is leaning inward. It is a dangerous situation, and I doubt it will survive the next rainy season. Also, two years ago there was construction on a large building. This is complete and is a local hospital, funded at least in part by foreign funds. Kamoyo is only 2-3 km away, and the hospital could serve to back up the dispensary Curt has been planning for Kamoyo.
     The morning began on a sad note. One of our interpreters, Gift, received word that his father-in-law had just died. There are no living sons to attend to the funeral arrangements, so Gift has that responsibility. Peter, our logistics man, took Gift back home. Gift will travel tomorrow about 5 hours to the north to Mzuzu, where his and his wife’s families live. That is the second death event to hit this team of interpreters.
     Constance and Wendy worked with the children, assisted by Alicia. There were over 200 children today, some from Mtata village across the river. Once again it all went amazingly well.  Wendy led the teaching this time, and in the afternoon she worked without Constance, who swapped with Maddie.
     Curt, Hannah, and Maddie went by bus to Mkangamira village once again, with the hope of meeting the chief whose father they had met yesterday. He told Curt that he was sure God had arranged the visit to help with his father’s illness. This was a long visit, and there was no other evangelism in the morning.  In the afternoon Curt met a school teacher who is thinking of entering the ministry. This would of course be perfect for a church plant in the village. Curt later discussed this with Balckson, and he was very excited at this prospect.
     I worked with Abusa Blackson again with a small group of leaders in the Chiwoza congregation. There were eight women and five men. After the morning session I fielded some questions about forgiveness. It was during this time that a surprise happened. We had a brief, light rain. Remember this is their winter and the dry season. But none of us got very wet.
Matters for praise: Praise God for the developments in Mkangamira. Thank God for continued blessings of health, safety, and receptive hearts.
Matters for prayer: Please continue to pray for our safety in travel and for prepared hearts as we continue to share our faith in a third village beginning tomorrow--Kalolo. And pray for continued unity.
Thank you again for praying with us.
Ray Smith
Malawi Team

Malawi: Report #8

Malawi Mission Report #8
     Today the team rode to our second village, Chiwoza. We last visited there two years ago, and for Constance and Hannah it was a bit of a homecoming. Two years ago there was a child there who appeared quite ill, with a swollen eye. We saw her today, and she looked quite well. Also, starting today we have a new team of interpreters. Lewis, Dalitso, Laiter, and Gift have joined us for the week.
     Constance and Wendy worked with the children, assisted by Hannah. There were 200 children. It all went amazingly well by all accounts. During the craft time, the older children who remembered the lesson from the morning were selected to guide the others in the craft. On this outing, we had the children morning and afternoon.
     Curt, Alicia, and Maddie went by bus to a large, nearby village, Mkangamira, for hut-to-hut evangelism. Laiter and Gift went along with them as interpreters. In all, 35 people accepted Jesus as their personal savior. Two of these were women who are chiefs in their villages. There was also the wife and father of a third chief who is over several villages. The father was sick, but they presented the Gospel to him and both he and the chief’s wife received Christ. The father remarked that he wished his son could have been there. It is likely that they will return to the village tomorrow, and they will visit the chief (as would be proper).
     I worked with Abusa Blackson again with a small group of leaders in the Chiwoza congregation. Eight were there, morning and afternoon. It was good to see the familiar faces of a couple of them. Afterward they asked a couple of questions, on and off topic, which I and Blackson answered. It was a good day. They are a wonderful group.
Matters for praise: Praise God for the receptive hearts in Mkangamira and Malunga, a village next door. Thank God for continued blessings of health, safety, and receptive hearts..
Matters for prayer: Please continue to pray for our safety in travel and for prepared hearts as we continue to share our faith in Chiwoza village. And pray for continued unity, not only on our team but among the interpreters as well.
Thank you again for praying with us.
Ray Smith
Malawi Team

Malawi: Report #7

Malawi Mission Report #7

Today we left for the new guest house. Curt and Maddie had been asked to help in an early service in town before we drove to the village. Maddie sang and Curt preached while the team moved luggage to the guest house, where we later converged and made our way to Kamoyo village.

We arrived as the service was just beginning, and the team took part in the Sunday service. Constance and Wendy led the children in a lesson for Sunday school. Hannah, Alicia, and Maddie did a program for the youth and helped them memorize Phil. 4:13. I led an adult Bible study.
In the morning service that followed, during the time of singing (and a little dancing) the team was asked to sing. Maddie led us in two songs (no dancing). Curt preached from Philippians 4 about rejoicing and knowing the peace of God in difficult times
It was good to see men and women there whom we have seen since the earliest days of ministry there. Their reception was warm. And we ate our customary lunch of Malawian food (nsima, ndiwo, and some meat). We passed a restful afternoon in our new rooms.
Matters for praise: Thank God for continued blessings of health, safety, and receptive hearts..
Matters for prayer: Please continue to pray for our safety in travel and for prepared hearts as we go to share our faith. Monday and Tuesday we will be in Chiwoza village.
Thank you again for your partnership with us.
Ray Smith
Malawi Team

Malawi: Report #5 & #6

Malawi Mission Report #5 & #6
Today was a second day of planned urban ministry. The team spent the entire day working in a second neighborhood next to the one they visited yesterday.  It is named Chinsapo 2.  There is a Baptist church near this neighborhood, and Curt suggested that we work with members of that church so that believers would have follow-up. The pastor of that church and several members went with the team. They spent the morning, took a break for lunch, and then spent the afternoon meeting people and sharing their testimonies and the Gospel. In all there were 75 decisions to receive Jesus.  However, I was not able to work with the team today as I came down with a water-borne illness.
We will be moving tomorrow to our new lodging. Our current host did not take the news well. However, we finally did settle up with him, and later, when I stopped by to give him the money, he invited me in to sit with his family. It is the last of Ramadan and they are Muslim. I tried hard to direct the conversation toward a chance to share the Gospel, but he is quite a talker and I was not able to steer the conversation. It all was quite pleasant, so that our departure has ended on a good note.
Matters for praise: Thank God for the responses we have seen so far. It is a great encouragement to see God working.
Matters for prayer: Please continue to pray for our safety in travel and for prepared hearts as we go to share our faith. Pray specifically that no one else will come down with my illness. I so want the team to have positive experiences on this trip. And God has provided so far.
Thank you, again, for your partnership with us.
Ray Smith
Malawi Team

Malawi: Report #4

Malawi: Report #4

Today we traveled to Kamoyo village again. School was officially in session, but as there was no school work to be done, the children were dismissed to VBS. There were nearly 200 children taking part. Wendy did the story in the morning session—her first ever—and Constance did the second, with Maddie as their helper, along with their interpreters. It was a wonderful, full day with the kids, and afterward many were showing me their craft, pictures from the resurrection story that they had colored.
Curt took Alicia and Hannah on hut-to-hut evangelism. In the morning they went to a “not-so-nearby village” in the area, traveling by bus. At that village there was a female chief who was very interested in the Gospel. She and a large group of 10 men, plus women and children, about 30 in all, listened to the message. Many prayed to receive Christ. The chief asked for a Bible, and Peter, an interpreter, gave his to the chief. She intends to have Bible studies in the village. We suggested to pastor Blackson that he might plant a church there. On a second stop in a village nearby, they presented the Gospel to another group of about 10 people. Later they met the chief, who was sick with malaria; they prayed over him. There were many who responded to the Gospel here as well. In the afternoon they went to two other villages with a good response to their message. Once again they prayed over illnesses of two women. In all there were 71 decisions for Christ.
I (Ray) worked with the pastor on discipleship/leadership studies. Three men and 12 women attended. Not surprisingly, as part of the topic was spiritual warfare, there were questions about spiritists and about reincarnation.
Matters for praise: The bus is repaired, and now we are traveling together. We continue to be healthy and in good spirits.
Matters for prayer: We continue to work through the wi-fi issue. At least we are able to keep in contact with our church back home. Also, the water works is having significant problems with their pumps. This is the second evening with no showers. And the hotel lacks what most have: a large reserve tank. Bummer. Pray for a solution for this. As I write this, showers appear to have returned (but for how long?).
Thank you for your continued prayer in our behalf. God is at work.

Ray Smith

Malawi Team