New Church Growth
A newly planted church in Mozambique visited by John & Charles in October The Church of the Disciples of Jesus (CDJ) has been growing into Mozambique this past year. In October John led a group to visit and encourage new churches that have been started by people who have left Malawi to live in Mozambique. Please pray for the growth and maturity of these new churches. |
A new church plant in the district of Nchisi There is also a new church plant in the district of Nchisi north of Lilongwe. John & Charles visited to teach and meet for the first time early in December. |
Nsanje Leadership Changes
These men have temporarily replaced the absent leaders in Nsanje and recently met with John for a couple of days teaching |
Many of the churches in the Nsanje region in the south of Malawi have lost their leaders in recent months. This is due to them leaving for South Africa in search of work. The new leaders really do need our prayers. The problem of hunger has become acute in the country. The poor harvest combined with the devastation of the floods at the beginning of 2023 have caused most village people not to have any food in their homes. Literally! The Church of the Disciples of Jesus (CDJ) started distributing maize aid to the neediest people in their churches just before Christmas. With so many churches this was a massive effort. In the course of 2023 SaltMalawi has given £30,000 to CDJ to enable them to buy maize when it has been available in anticipation of this situation. Thank you to those of you who have helped to make this possible. Please pray for God's protection over the team who will be serving in this manner and the maize that has been stored in preparation for this exercise. |
Malawi Update December 2023
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Malawi is experiencing great darkness and hopelessness at this time. Her economy suffered a massive blow in November when the currency was devalued by 44%. This caused an immediate rise in the cost of the basic commodities essential for life, such as sugar, oil, soap, food, fuel, seed and fertiliser. In 2021 a 50 kg bag of fertiliser cost 35,000 Kwacha. This was considered then to be too expensive for the great majority of people. In 2022 the same size bag doubled in price to 70,000K. That caused a widespread failure of harvests early in 2023 because people were unable to afford fertiliser. In December the price had risen to 120,000K! The impact on the poor of the nation is predictable. Keep in mind when reading this that the great majority of Malawians do not have employment or any form of regular income. What money they get comes from the sale of their crops. Their ability to survive the coming year has been made even more difficult. |
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Julian's visit in July
The problems facing people are not easing up. During his visit Julian spoke with village families facing real hunger in the coming months, some of whom are surviving now due to the generosity of family members. He was unable to buy fuel for the vehicles because of national shortages of both diesel and petrol, meaning that some of the planned travelling had to be cancelled. And he witnessed many people struggling with huge increases in the day-to-day cost of living.
The team led by John has managed to buy and store over 650 x 50 kg bags of maize in preparation for helping the poor in the church when the crisis of food shortages becomes more intense. We praise God for this.
The principal work of the Church of the Disciples of Jesus in Malawi, supported by SaltMalawi, remains the preaching of the gospel and the making of disciples who are taught to put into practice the teachings of Jesus. Julian accompanied John and Charles in visiting the churches in the district of Chikwawa in the south of the country. They taught a group of church leaders, some of whom had travelled on foot for over 12 hours in order to reach the gathering. This area was one of those badly affected by Storm Freddie as previously reported.
The church at Lengwe Chikwawa celebrating in dance and song |
The district of Chikwawa with the Shire River |
Leadership Training 2023
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A major part of Julian's visit was spent training leaders, many of whom have had little or no schooling. The group pictured here which met on the farm are principally from the district of Dedza. Julian was greatly encouraged by their ability to understand the teaching and from the reports of the work they do in establishing groups to study the Rooted in Jesus course that he had taught on previous visits. We give God thanks for the positive way in which Julian, and the teaching he brings, continues to be well received by the village at Tsumba, for the encouragement of the leaders who live sacrificially in order to bring the gospel to many new places, and for the growth of the work generally. |
The leaders of churches in Dedza district after teaching at the Village of Light |
New CDJ AdministratorThe new CDJ administrator Charles Nelson has settled into the new role very well and is now able to take some of the pressure off John. He has moved onto the farm with his family. The propagation of the Rooted in Jesus teaching via small groups is going well in the Dedza region but more slowly in Lilongwe and Chikwawa. John is encouraged by the progress that has been made in Nsanje. Please pray. |
CDJ leaders in Lilongwe with Rooted in Jesus 2 books. Charles Nelson is on the far left. |
Hardship through drought and storms
Malawi is suffering from severe shortages at the present time (mid-2023) – shortages of fuel, food and fertiliser.
There have been problems with drought in the north of the country and severe storms in the south.
Some of the devastation caused to the roads in the south of the country by Storm Freddy
The high cost of fertilizer is now out of reach of many ordinary families so crop yields this year have been far below normal. Earlier this year, SaltMalawi provided the Church of the Disciples of Jesus (CDJ) with funds to help alleviate the problems of insufficient food.
At the beginning of May, 25kg bags of maize flour were distributed to the families of 200 seriously affected church members in Chikwawa and Nsanje districts following the devastation caused by Storm Freddy. The aid package included 200 blankets, 200 buckets, 36 pots, 200 basins, 204 cups and 800 plates.
Julian will be travelling to Malawi in July and will be able to witness the situation first-hand and assess how best SaltMalawi can help.
Delivery of aid to the south