News and Views – Page 7 – Good News Malawi

More encouragement today

This post is mainly for the encouragement of the sisters who accompanied us to Malawi last August. Victory, pictured on the left with Harold and I, received a Seed Sower text from one of the ladies on our very first day of outreach at Blantyre market.

He is a believer, and actively involved in Gospel outreach, and was impressed by the truth of the message the text contained. He has been in touch a few times with Harold, but this was the first time we have all been able to get together. It was very encouraging to hear a clear testimony of God’s saving grace, and to witness his interest in spreading the Gospel. We were able to supply him with a few thousand tracts, and we have no doubt that he will soon be looking for more. He has invited Harold to join him at an evangelistic Bible study he conducts at his home each Sunday afternoon. A valuable contact indeed!

News

A fruitful day

I haven’t done as much travelling on this trip as I usually do, mainly because brother Harold has been suffering badly from sciatic pain after an injury last August. I’ve been able to help him have a few physio appointments since I arrived, but this has restricted our movements quite a bit. In any case, he finds it difficult to stand in the open air at the moment, and sitting in the car for prolonged periods doesn’t help him.

However the Lord makes no mistakes and this enforced limitation had provided a perfect opportunity to make some follow-up visits to contacts from earlier literature distribution.

This morning Harold and I had the great joy of speaking to a young lady called Nellie who listened very attentively as we explained the Gospel and shared our own testimonies with her. She first contacted Harold by sms after we visited Thondwe market with Seed Sower texts last August. Please remember her in your prayers. Nellie says she had trusted the Saviour, but has many unanswered questions. We left her with a selection of tracts and invited her to get in touch again.

Meanwhile, as we say in the car talking to Nellie, Mr Saidi was waiting to see us. We also met him at the market last August when he took a few tracts to distribute elsewhere. Today, as we talked with him it was clear that he loves the Lord and is active in open-air and door to door evangelism. We were able to apply him with several thousand tracts and a little booklet to help him in his understanding of the Gospel. We expect he will be looking for more tracts soon!

Later in Chinamwali we met two more contacts also involved in evangelism. One, James, was very clear on the Gospel, while the other was much less so. The “village gospel” which is little more than salvation by good works is so rampant here, and it is heart breaking how many we meet who are “sincerely lost”. Just like our final contact of the day, a leader of a village church looking for material to help him in his outreach work, who when giving us his testimony spoke at length about his call to serve God, his dreams and visions and the “amazing change” in his life since he started to serve, but never once mentioned the cross or faith in our Lord Jesus Christ! As I said, sincere. But lost.

Literature Work News

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ…

Post author By Stephen
Post date 18 February 2016
No Comments on Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ…

Around 700 teenagers heard the Gospel and received an exercise book with a clear Gospel message from Acts 16v31 – no more important question than “What must I do to be saved?”, and no more straight-forward answer than “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved”. Please pray that many will do just that, and for the Lord’s blessing as we continue this valuable work.

It was humbling to see so many youngsters get excited over a gift of an exercise book. But then we were told that many students were missing from school today as they had been sent home for failing to pay the balance of their school fees – about £5 equivalent for the entire term!

News

Know a better way to use a pickup?

Post author By Stephen
Post date 17 February 2016
No Comments on Know a better way to use a pickup?

I just love to see the truck full of Gospel literature!

I’ve used my trusty pickup for manys-a-thing in Malawi (including as an ambulance and a hearse!) but nothing quite thrills me like seeing it loaded up with Gospel Literature!
Today I took delivery of another 25,000 Gospel Tracts, on top of the 25,000 I received yesterday, but I’m especially excited about the consignment of 10,000 Exercise Books for distribution in local schools.

Acts 16v31 Exercise Book00 — Front of exercise book – “Study to shew thyself approved…” Pity it doesn’t quite translate that way in Chichewa 🙁

Malawi is the world’s poorest country, and the cash-strapped government has failed to provide writing materials to many of the impoverished students this year (never mind textbooks!) and so it is a thrill to be able to provide some to students in neighbouring schools. I was going to say that the “sting” is in the tail, but really it’s the blessing – the back page has a simple Gospel message themed on Acts 16v31.

Some of the guys at the printers loading the exercise books. Notice the older man with the tract in his hand!

We hope to begin distribution tomorrow (Lord willing) so please pray for blessing upon the Word of God.

I know I’ve grumbled about the slow service at the printer before, but I’ve got to know the guys here quite well. Notice the older man standing to the right of the pallet of books. That’s one of our tracts in his hand – and I didn’t give it to him! When I turned up to collect the materials this afternoon he was sitting chatting to the others with the tract in his hand.

Although I love to see a good stock of literature, let’s pray this doesn’t remain in the store too long!

Another older man spoke of the “powerful preaching” in the books. Pray for the blessing of those men – wouldn’t it be a thrill if the Lord blessed the material in salvation even before it left the print room!

Acts 16v31 Exercise Book02 — Back cover of the exercise books with Acts 16v31 message.

Literature Work

Translation projects

I have a meeting tomorrow at 10 am to initiate a number of very important translation projects, and later with the printer to discuss printing matters. There is a lot of translation and publication work in the pipeline.

Please pray for wisdom and guidance in these matters.

Literature Work News

Sowing the Seed…

SOWING the seed by the daylight fair,
Sowing the seed by the noonday glare…

Hot day in the Lower Shire area meeting some new contracts and supplying others with Gospel literature.

Literature Work News

Thanks for praying

Hi from sun-kissed Malawi. (I know – must be because it’s nearly Valentine Day!)

I arrived safely (if tired on Wednesday) and was relieved when my luggage eventually turned up after having been told it wouldn’t be coming on that flight, and having already completed the ubiquitous Property Irregularity Report!

I am expecting some materials from the printer early next week – we have ordered a restock of 50,000 Gospel Tracts and 10,000 Exercise Books overprinted with some Bible verses and a short Gospel message. I have borrowed this idea from the brethren in Sri Lanka, and although this is a trial run I have little doubt that they will prove very popular with students in the very under-resourced schools here.

Also in the pipeline for next week are some meeting in relation to planned translation and printing projects. We have some fairly ambitious plans, and will value your prayers for wisdom and guidance.a

Today Harold and I made the 2-hour trip to Chiringa, near the Mozambique border, to deliver the last remaining Gospel Calendars. It was evident that much of the maize crop is very stressed due to inadequate rainfall, and sadly threatened rain came to nothing again today. Please pray about this as further delay could prove catastrophic for many.

Please also pray for Brother Harold. He has been suffering severe back pain since a bad twisting injury last August, and it is seriously inhibiting his activities, both in the Gospel and the little business he depends upon for his living. I am planning to get him to see a physiotherapist on Monday in the hope that he will be able to get some relief.

Thanks for your prayerful interest in the work here.

Stephen.

News

Upcoming Visit to Malawi

Just to mention that I will be leaving for a further short visit (a little over 3 weeks) to Malawi on Tuesday 9th Feb.

It is almost exactly a year since the very unpleasant experience when I collided with an elderly pedestrian who crossed the road in front of me unexpectedly, and this reminds us how important the Lord’s preservation and protection is as we travel.

I would therefore be grateful for your prayers as I go.

Outreach 2016

Malawi Gospel Outreach Dates & Brochure

Post author By Stephen
Post date 7 January 2016
No Comments on Malawi Gospel Outreach Dates & Brochure

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 full three weeks.

If you are interested in joining us you can fill out an application form here.

Information Pack

Information Pack – Low Resolution

News

Storm damage at Kachoka

I’ve just received these photos from Brother Emi of damage done to some of the buildings at the Children’s kindergarten at Kachoka, where we’ve participated in a number of children’s day camps in the past. This facility has been a real blessing in the area, and a large number of children receive a basic education, a bible story and a meal each day.

There was a very strong storm yesterday and many structures in the area were affected, with some homes being completely demolished.

Please pray for Brother Emi as he begins the urgent work of replacing the roof before coming rains do further damage, and remember those who have lost their homes in this storm.

The good news is that with the arrival of the rain, many people are at last able to plant their maize, albeit a bit later than they would like.