by admin | Aug 12, 2020 | BLOG
Tulaya is a grandmother, or in Chichewa an Agogo. She has two grown children and lives with her husband of 20 years. They have a number of grandchildren who live with them as their own children, a common practice in Malawi.
In 2018 Tulaya was selected to participate in Y-Malawi’s program to empower women and girls. About halfway through that year she was sponsored by a family from San Diego, California. At the time Tulaya didn’t understand what sponsorship meant, she just knew that someone from America was going to help her. Although not young, she and her husband were working hard in their garden trying to feed their family, but there were many times they had no food. Tulaya was anxious for any help she could get.
That first-year sponsorship focused on food security and some other basic needs. Tulaya was provided items like maize flour, salt, sugar, soaps and blankets. Once food secure, she learned some new gardening skills through a program called Farming God’s Way. Life was starting to get better. Tulaya expressed to her sponsor her gratitude, “Thank you my sponsor and friend for all you have done for me. I think of you often and pray for you always.”
By the end of 2019 Tulaya had survived a very bad hunger season. In the face of hopelessness all around her, she gained renewed hope. She received a goat that year so that she and her husband could use the offspring from the goat as a small business venture. The goats meant that she could earn enough money to keep her grandchildren in school.
In 2020 her sponsor learned that her roof was in bad shape. It was a common thatched roof. It leaked during the rains and was causing the family hardships during the winter season. Her sponsor provided some funds to replace the roof with a brand-new tin roof. Tulaya was overjoyed, “The roof was badly damaged, it was leaking, I was supposed to replace the grass and the roofing paper. Unfortunately, I had no money to do the job. When it is raining, we could sleep at the corner of the room, and in the morning we could realize flour and other things are all socked in water. I thank God for going through you to answer my prayer.’”
Although she follows Islam, Tulaya also joined a local Bible Study Group. A faithful attender she is now leaning more about the Bible and Jesus. At the Bible Study she is not only learning about the Bible, but about new methods to gain more from her garden and she is even participating in adult literacy classes learning to read and write.
Sharing the love of Jesus can’t be done without touching the lives of others. Tulaya’s sponsor is sharing the love of Jesus by letting her know that someone cares. Her life is full of new opportunities and new hope now. Tulaya’s sponsor is loving her in the very same way Jesus loved people while he was here on earth.
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by admin | Aug 11, 2020 | BLOG
Chief’s Bible Study Centers are a critical component of our Chiefs Ministry. Sponsored by a specific Chief, these groups come together on a regular basis to study the Word of God. But that’s not all they do.
Attenders learn about new ways to increase crop yields such as Farming God’s Way. They learn how to make their own fertilizer. They work together to irrigate each other’s gardens. They form a community. Some are believers in Jesus, some are not, but everyone attending will experience the love that Jesus demonstrated in caring for, listening to, and sharing with others.
So far this year four more Chiefs Bible Study Centers have opened, and Chiefs are calling for more. Three of these new Centers have opened in areas where very few people are Christians. In fact, they have opened in communities where there is a strong presence of witchcraft and what might be called black magic. These centers are going deep behind the lines into enemy territory!
The challenge gets more difficult. There are only one or two Bibles per Center. That’s like being dropped behind enemy lines without your most trusted weapon! Then comes the Calvary. This Spring a Sunday School class in California provided a special gift to buy 200 Bibles. Now these new Centers have the tools they need to share the truth of the gospel.
In John 8:32 Jesus said, “the truth shall set you free,” and it has. People have become Christians, people have been healed of physical and spiritual ailments in miraculous ways. People believe they have value now, they have a new hope in their future and in Jesus.
It’s a great privilege to have access to The Word of God. We should never take it for granted. We should value our blessings and learn from those who know the power of the Bible.
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by admin | Aug 11, 2020 | BLOG
This past month another 15 students graduated with new skills in tailoring and carpentry that will allow them a bright future of independence and hope. In 2018 when Y-Malawi launched the new Vocational Training Center, we never dreamed it would become such an important part of the community. We knew we would be preparing students for a career, but we had no idea that the community itself would take so much pride and ownership in the development of the center. That’s exactly what happened.
This new center is providing training in tailoring, carpentry, tin work, tie dye, and jewelry making. It has also become a community meeting place. Chiefs and other official hold meetings there. Youth and churches hold training sessions, and share important information there. Not a day goes by that there is not some community activity taking place at the center. We could not have imagined this would happen, but we are elated that it did.
As a result, two new buildings have now been added simply because so much space was being used for things other than vocational training. A new building is going up to house the tailoring skills program. Another new building is being constructed to house a new program of tin work where students will learn how to make water buckets, window frames, and other necessity items.
Soon we hope to raise enough money to add piped water at the facility. This will allow for new skills programs such as salon services and even food service. We will also be opening a Vocational Training Center Store. In this store dresses, uniforms, computer bags, jewelry, backpacks, sanitary kits for women, tie dye clothing, and lots of other items made by students will be sold to travelers, and locals. We even have plans to open an on-line store so that anyone anywhere can have access to these goods.
When we started, we had no idea where God would take this. We quickly found out He has big plans. Watch for more announcements as we grow together with the community. It’s going to be an exciting adventure!
by admin | Jul 27, 2020 | BLOG
Her name is Mayamiko and her past is behind her.
When she was very young her parents divorced. Both parents left their community and their 6 children to be raised by grandparents. Life was not easy for such a large family, but her grandparents did all they could to see that Mayamiko and the others had opportunities in life.
She was able to start school when she was 7 years old. A very bright girl she did well in her studies. The family had no money for schooling supplies and a school uniform, but that did not stop Mayamiko. She worked hard in school. Her dream was to one day become a nurse.
At 15 years old she was ready to begin High School. In Malawi, not everyone can attend High School. There is a selection process for the best schools. The outcome is often influenced by factors that have nothing to do with school performance. The process can be very political. Mayamiko was selected, but was assigned to attend a poorer performing government school a distance from her home.
That summer, before even starting High School, Mayamiko became pregnant. She and the boy wanted to marry, but her grandparents would not allow it. The baby was born without a father. Mayamiko felt her dream of becoming a nurse was now over. She was 16 with an infant to care for. She thought, “What can I do now but find a husband and become a wife to bear more children and work for my husband.”
It was that same year, while Mayamiko was so discouraged, that everything changed. She joined a local Youth Club and began to hear about Jesus. She found encouragement from other youth and hope when she decided to give her life to serving Jesus. The Youth Club provided some career guidance and Mayamiko began to think again about going back to school. Her grandparents even encouraged her to do so, but she thought, “How can I pay the expenses of school with this young child to care for?”
While all of this was going on one of Y-Malawi’s Field Officers heard of her situation and recommended her for the sponsorship program to empower women and girls. Mayamiko was registered and then a miracle. In just a few weeks and she had a sponsor from the United States!
Sponsorship has allowed Mayamiko to return to school where she is now completing the 11th grade. Her dream of becoming a nurse is coming closer. It has not been easy. There are many who will throw stones at someone trying to get ahead. At school her fellow students make fun of her saying, “Momma, what are you doing at school? Why don’t you go home and take care of your kid?” Older women who are not in school criticize her as well. They say, “Why are you wasting time at school? You should get married while you are still young and can get a husband.”
Mayamiko is not detoured from her goal. She was raised to follow Islam, but now she says, “My future is in the hands of God. My past is gone. I have only to cast my worries and troubles to Jesus. He is where I will place my life and hope. It is because of my Jesus that I can feel safe. I know I will make it.” Then she quotes from the Bible, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Her story is encouraging others too. Recently, Mayamiko has begun to speak at Youth Club meetings to encourage other young girls facing similar challenges. Because of Jesus and through sponsorship, she has literally been empowered to stand up and not only change her own life, but the lives of all those she meets.
God is using Mayamiko and her sponsor to make a difference in the lives of many young girls in Nkhotakota.
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by admin | Jul 12, 2020 | BLOG
Like so many other women in Malawi, Malita has lived a difficult life. She was born into a family that follows Islam and married at an early age. After her third child, her husband found another wife and left Malita alone to fend for herself. With no skills, no education, no property to call her own, she worked the fields for a few cents each day in hopes she could earn enough to have a meal.
Then one day the pastor of a local church that is a part of the Y-Malawi supported Church Empowerment Zone, came to Malita’s door. He shared with her some lessons from the Transformation Tree curriculum. He helped Malita to see that poverty is both spiritual and physical. He helped her to understand how poverty came into existence, and how knowing Jesus can transform a mind from despair to hope. That day Malita’s life changed. Now she is a follower of Jesus and regular church attender.
Y-Malawi is helping Malita with food security. Since she lives in a home that is not adequate and safe, her church has plans to help build her a better house. Malita’s life is still hard, but she now has hope. Recently she testified, “I feel so much better about myself. I feel so good to be a part of a church family. I am even being discipled by the Pastor himself!”
Malita is dreaming of the day she might have her own Bible. Thanks to a generous gift, Y-Malawi will soon be providing her just that. No longer does she feel herself a “throw away life,” now she believes there are people who care, and that God actually loves her.
Click here to help a woman like Malita
