Malawi Gospel Outreach 2017

We have just returned from our latest trip to Malawi, when we were delighted to be joined by an excellent group of volunteers for two weeks of open-air preaching and Seed Sower text  distribution.  Thank you sincerely for your prayers – the Lord was exceedingly gracious and gave many opportunities and much help to spread […]

It’s things like this which make Malawi Gospel Outreach so special!

Although we aren’t actually home from MGO 2018 yet, we are seriously considering the possibility of assembling a second small team in December to do 2019 Calendar distribution. If you might be interested in this, please indicate your interest in the form below and we will keep you posted if/when plans develop. Many thanks. Stephen. […]

Today is our final day in Lilongwe having completed our seedsowers outreach to this area. This has been a brand new location for the MGO team and there were many similarities to previous years but also notable differences. Being in the city was different as we reached out at roadside markets and bus depots more […]

It would do your heart good to see the children learning the Word of God

We got the time of the meeting wrong and ended up at the Gospel Hall an hour early (better than late!) which gave a perfect opportunity for an impromptu Sunday school with the group of youngsters who couldn’t resist the temptation of coming to see the bus load of azungu (white people) who had just […]

That’s the guy on the right. The one on the left is Ken(nedy) and he is to be our driver for the next couple of weeks. Seems like we got the same bus as two years ago and it’s got the battle scars to prove it. The next part of the team are just starting […]

Glad to report that after a few hours in stationary mode, we are mobile again. Seems the problem may have been nothing more than an air locked cooling system. Covered the 70kms from Blantyre to Zomba without mishap. Does mean an earlier start tomorrow as we weren’t able to stop at Thondwe for our equipment […]

About 15 mins from the airport we had a boiling engine. Fortunately we are only a few minutes from my regular mechanic. But then again, the car had just come from my regular mechanic 🙁

We’ll appreciate your prayers over next couple of weeks. Team of 16 starts to assemble in Malawi tomorrow for two weeks of Open – Air work and literature distribution. We expect to distribute around Seed Sower 25,000 texts and will preach to literally thousands. Pray for: Spiritual and Physical Stamina, safety, good health and much […]

We are eagerly anticipating our annual Gospel Outreach effort in Malawi, which is now only a couple of weeks away.  Gail and I fly to Johannesburg on 6 August, where I have a conference engagement later that week, and will proceed to Malawi on 10 August, Lord willing. In previous years our team of volunteers […]

We are pleased to produce further details of our 2018 outreach.   You can download as pdf here. You can apply for MGO 2018 here.

Wednesday 9 August Wednesday is market day at Thondwe, and also at Dzaone, a small rural settlement about 30 mins from Thondwe on a bumpy dirt road heading south towards the Phalombe plain.  We have been visiting Dzaone for a a couple of years and made a return visit there on Wed morning.     […]

Our 2017 Summer outreach is now (sadly) a fading memory.   Nevertheless we trust that deep, lasting impressions have been made upon many souls, and that we will see the fruit of our labours in eternity, even if not in time. I must apologise for not updating this blog as we went along, and for being […]

We were reminded in morning devotions today that the Lord is before, behind and right there with us in all the circumstances of life. We are certainly glad of this truth as we take the Gospel to the people of Malawi. Today was a very full day. After an encouraging open air meeting at Mbulumbuzi […]

As we set off for Malawi the weather here at home is truly miserable, cold and wet – normal summer service has resumed 🙂 By contrast, the prospect is for brighter days ahead. Reminds me of the Christians great prospect of a never-ending day of glory. I enjoyed (again) a little verse from the Book […]

With only a week left before the team starts to set off for Malawi, two of our number, Gary & Angela Williamson (Toronto) are already en route for Zambia to visit Shawn & Rhonda Markle for a few days before joining us at the end of next week. Plans are coming together nicely – at […]

I’ve been in touch with the airline concerning travel plans for this year’s Malawi Gospel Outreach. I’m delighted to confirm that they have revised their high season timetable so that our planned days fall outside this period. At time of writing I’m told that return flights from Dublin to Blantyre will be around €875, considerably […]

We are really pleased to announce dates for Malawi Gospel Outreach 2017.  Subject to final confirmation of flights etc., the main outreach will take place during the two weeks 7-20 August 2017. As in former years, there will be opportunity for any who wish to join the “advance party” from around 3rd August, or to […]

From Grace Smith: “As soon as you arrive in Malawi, the assault on your senses begins. The bright colours of waxed African fabrics, the clinging orange dust, the throb of loud music and the baking heat can be overwhelming. But none of this prepares you for the feeling of overwhelm you experience when you look […]

From Anna Vallance: “Without being dramatic, I would say that Malawi and its people have a way of burrowing into your heart. It’s only now that I’ve been away for a few weeks that I’ve realized how much I came to love the country. “Never have I seen such openness to spiritual matters. Never have […]

By Jim McMaster: “MGO 2016 has undoubtedly been one of the highlights of our entire Christian life. The amazing liberty for open air preaching and text distribution  coupled with the enthusiastic receptiveness of hundreds of listeners at every place can only be described as sheer Christian delight. Malawi is a country full of astonishing contradictions […]

By Rob Gratton: “Truly amazing opportunity to share in a gospel outreach. Learned so much about how to simply present the gospel as I listened to the messages. The people of Malawi are happy, appreciative people and very open to hearing the Word of God. The group was close and very supportive. Traveled with my daughter – great […]

It’s taken me a few days to get around to posting some of the pictures we were permitted to take inside the prison during our visit there last week. A large crowd of men gathered to hear the Gospel – probably around 500 initially, although this dwindled a little towards the end as it approached […]

The last few days have been a bit of an anti-climax after saying goodbye to about half of the team over the weekend. Nevertheless, the remaining team members enjoyed further fellowship at Nsanama on Sunday, and were out again for our final open-air and Seed Sower distribution at two busy market places – Bvumbwe and […]

We returned to PIM today for a second bite of the cherry 🙂 Last week we were very frustrated when the PA system’s battery went flat early in the open air (nobody’s fault but mine) , so we decided to go back another time. It was such an encouragement to see dozens of people standing […]

Although we were frustrated not to get into the prison in the morning due to a security issue – the prisoners were “striking” for improved food rations – we did have a very fruitful afternoon in two of Zomba’s townships, Mpunga and Mpondabwino. On another positive note, we did have a good conversation with the […]

We were privileged today to join with the believers at Nsanama to remember the Lord and for the Gospel preaching. Tomorrow we are hoping to visit Zomba prison to preach and distribute literature packs. The prison authorities have told us to expect a large number of prisoners to attend, so please continue to pray that […]

Some of the wonderful fare we enjoyed at Goodson’s home. Ndakhuta kwambiri.

We spent a profitable time at Nachikangwala market, before moving on to Goodson’s home for a traditional Malawian lunch (more of a feast, really), and a cottage meeting when family, friend and neighbors heard a clear gospel message. We also had opportunity to visit some of the widows who we were able to help with […]

Unanimous agreement that, so far, today has been the best yet.  The Lord provided an excellent preaching spot at the top of the market area in Thondwe, and hundreds of people heard several clear gospel messages. What a wonder that God has made known the love of Christ in Chichewa as well as English.

As another day closes, we have so much to give thanks for.  Zomba bus depot is a favourite location of ours to preach the gospel and distribute texts, and many of the drivers and vendors in the area remember us from previous years. Many people stood to listen to the word today, but pray for […]

We are so grateful to the Lord for bringing the remaining members of the group safely to Malawi today. We are really looking forward to a time of blessing in the Gospel. Please pray for Anna, Alan, Deborah, Euan, Isaac, Grace, Janet, Jim, Lois, Naomi, Peter, Rob, Sarah and Victoria. And of course, Harold, Goodson, […]

We just spent an hour or two at Thondwe preaching the gospel and giving out around 3500 texts and Gospel magazines. A few minutes after leaving Thondwe the team witnessed a fatal accident immediately in front of the minibus, in fact, a second or two could have seen our minibus involved in a head on […]

After a housekeeping day yesterday, today we have begun the great work the Lord had given us to do. We are at Mbulumbuzi,a small market not far from Thondwe. Pray for the Lord’s blessing. Thanks

Just to notify you of our upcoming trip to Malawi. We set off with a few others on Tuesday for this our fourth annual Gospel outreach trip, and expect to be joined over the ensuing few days by volunteers from the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States of America. By next weekend there should be […]

We are really pleased to confirm dates for Malawi Gospel Outreach 2016 and to release the information pack (on following pages). Dates in Malawi will be Wed 3rd to Wed 24th August, with optional arrival and departure dates of Sat 6th or Sun 7th and Sat 20th August respectively, for those unable to commit to […]

The paucity of posts over the 3 weeks we were in Malawi probably speaks for itself. We were busy! As time permits, I’d like to catch up with the accounts of what we were up to, but in the meantime here is a rather eclectic assortment of memories from the trip. They’ll certainly mean a […]

12 years ago today we left Northern Ireland as a very green missionary couple and young son for the beautiful land of Malawi. Of course, there have been some problems, but I can truly days these years of service for the Lord have been the greatest of our lives. I’m so thankful for a loving […]

Today was our first day with the full team of workers in place. We are grateful for such a willing group, each of whom had really thrown themselves into the work without reserve. We have been working today in Zomba, first in the town centre by the bus depot, where we have held open air […]

As we were had to meet the final two team members (Ruth and Deborah) at Chileka airport (Blantyre) on Monday afternoon, we spent the morning in Blantyre with open air meetings at the main market in the city, and later at Ndirande township, “the Soweto of Malawi”. As always, the reception was extremely encouraging, with […]

We had an 8 o’clock start Sunday morning for the 30 minute drive to Nsanama for the meeting there. Two funerals in the village meant that the meeting had to be kept quite short but we enjoyed the young people reciting their memory verses and singing a couple of the choruses they have learned. I […]

Darkness falls very rapidly here – only 15 or so degrees south of the equator, dusk lasts maybe 20 or 30 minutes and then the light is gone!  Only darkness remains. These nights, the constant beat of the village drums seem to welcome us home, yet solemnly  reminds us that this land is enveloped in […]

“So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.”  http://ref.ly/Ac19.20 Just catching up on my reading on the bus – this verse is a real encouragement to all who engage in the spread off the Gospel. The past months have produced many responses to the distribution of literature in Malawi, and doubtless many more have […]

Got a message about 30 mins before leaving home to say flight cancelled! Been assured it’s just a technical glitch :-\ We’ll see when we get to Dublin.

We begin our Gospel outreach trip to Malawi tomorrow, God willing. Gail and I will set off from Dublin in the evening and the rest of the team will assemble in Malawi over the course of the next few days. We should all be in place by this day next week. We will very much […]

A few memories from the 2014 trip. Thanks again to Google Photo Assistant.

The Google Photos Assistant (which I’m really loving!!) just produced this today when I uploaded some old stuff which I’m trying to archive. It’s from our trip in 2013 and brought back some wonderful memories.

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” http://ref.ly/r/kjv1900/Ps20.7 It’s just two weeks now until the outreach team starts their respective journeys to Malawi. I enjoyed the encouragement of this Psalm this morning, remembering again the strength that is in the Name of the […]

It’s hard to believe, but there are, indeed, less than 3 weeks to go until the start of our 2015 Seed Sowers outreach effort. Unfortunately we have had a couple of late cancellations due to unavoidable personal situations, and although the team of volunteers will certainly be smaller than previous years, we go forward looking […]

Plans for our third Gospel Outreach trip to Malawi are well underway. We hope to distribute a large quantity of bi-lingual “Seed Sower” texts and other Gospel literature, as well as open-air Gospel preaching and Children’s work during the month of August, Lord willing. Although we have almost a full complement of volunteers, there is […]