by admin | Jan 6, 2023 | Teaching kids
With raised voice and eyebrows, the man at the podium asked, “Just what are we teaching these kids?” The audience reacted with applause. There may have even been an “Amen” or two raised. The Board Members lowered their heads and covered their microphones. It was clear they felt the full weight and impact of the question.
The Bible makes it clear that we have a responsibility to teach our children good values. In Deuteronomy 6:6, God Himself tells us to teach His laws to our children. Those words were written thousands of years ago and teaching children the values found in the Bible can be a real challenge today. Yet, it can still happen.
Children’s Clubs in Malawi are designed to do just that. Y-Malawi partner, Fishers, Trainers and Senders has the responsibility of orchestrating Children’s Clubs in the areas where Y-Malawi is working. Literally thousands of children are attending these clubs weekly. During their club time they sing, play games, recite scripture, and perform Bible dramas. All of these are wonderful, but recently these clubs have begun doing even more.
As an example, last month one of the Children’s Clubs went to the home of an elderly man who has been sick for some time. Working together they cleaned up the man’s yard and did other chores for him. They brought him water and supplies that he needed to survive. The children learned something very important that day. They learned the value of life. They learned the value of serving someone else. They learned what it means to give of yourself expecting nothing in return. They learned that because God loves us, we can love others.
It was an important lesson. It was an important day, a day that they will remember their entire lives. So, what are we teaching these kids? We are teaching them about love. We are teaching them about the love of Jesus.
by admin | Jan 6, 2023 | Y-Malawi community
Malawi has 5 seasons, Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall and Hunger. In the west, it is hard for us to comprehend that there is a genuine season for hunger. In Malawi, the hunger season is given fact of life.
80% of the people in Malawi are unemployed. They live in small villages of 15 to 150 people. Most have a garden where they grow the maize, cassava, and other vegetables. Generally, the rains only come December to April. During these months the gardens must produce the food people depend on for the entire year. They work hard but there are factors beyond their control.
Not enough rain can come. Too much rain can come. Pests can attack the crops. Cyclones have destroyed entire districts in past few years. Elephants may trample the garden. As if all this were not bad enough, this year new challenges have made life even more difficult. The war in Ukraine and inflation have caused new problems. People cannot afford to buy the fertilizer needed to ensure good plant growth. This means what they harvested was much less than they need. As is always the case, it is the poorest of the poor, the most vulnerable, who bear the greatest impact. This hunger season is exceptionally bad. By the Fall of the year people were scavenging unripe mango fruit to keep themselves alive.
There is good news. The Y-Malawi community has responded. Thanks to your generous gifts, our teams have been able to provide emergency food to feed 1,000 people per week since the beginning of December. The work has stretched our teams to what seems like the limit, but in this effort the pain is truly worth the gain. Without help, many of those suffering would not just go hungry, they would die.
We praise God for those who have responded. You have not just saved lives, you have shared the love of Jesus. With His life Jesus demonstrated the importance of caring for those who are suffering. Our Y-Malawi community is living out what Jesus taught us.
This crisis will not end until the harvest this Spring. Until then, as long as we have resources, we will continue feeding those who are suffering. Can you help us? Your gift could make the difference for someone praying to live through just one more Spring.
Clink here to donate now!
Y-Malawi teams providing food to the hungry
by admin | Dec 6, 2022 | Growing church
How is it possible? How could a small village church grow more than 100% in membership in just a few months?
Some would say it is not possible, but it is. The 70 churches in the Church Empowerment Zone established by World Relief/Y-Malawi are growing! The Empowerment Zone works because churches of all denominations come together. They put their doctrinal differences aside focusing instead on how they can share the good news of Jesus in their communities. Of course, there is pastor training, nearly 6,000 Bibles have been distributed, and there are training programs for families, children and youth. But most importantly, each of these churches agrees to begin a seed project within their community.
These churches are reaching out to the lost with the love of Jesus. They are cleaning clinics, working fields for widows, building latrines, feeding the hungry, caring for the disabled. Truth is, they are doing the same thing Jesus did. He did not ignore those in need. Instead, he often went out of his way to help them. It’s one of the things that drew people to Jesus. When his people demonstrate his love in the same way, it’s still one of the things that draws them to him.
The Apostle James wrote, “But someone will say, “You have faith, I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by deeds.” (James 2:18) These churches are demonstrating what James was talking about. They are not trying to convince people to Jesus, they are leading them to him by example. Zig Ziglar used to say it this way, “People don’t care what you know, until they know that you care.”
by admin | Dec 6, 2022 | Economic Empowerment
Mdana was struggling. Her husband left her. She was unable to feed her children. School fees nearly impossible. Then she registered for Y-Malawi’s sponsorship program for women and her life began to change.
She became food secure. Her house was improved, her children able to attend school. Things were so much better that Mdana decided to apply for a new Economic Empowerment program Y-Malawi was offering. She was accepted and started learning about business and handling money. She was given a grant and combined with a loan was able to start a small business of selling bulk rice.
The business didn’t stay small for long. Mdana had big dreams. She would buy rice in bulk in the city, then transport it back to her village where she would sell it at a profit. Before long she was selling 50 bags of rice each month! In the photo she is sitting on some of those bags. Her business grew and soon became valued at $3,000. A lot of money for someone from the village.
Mdana hasn’t stopped there. With coaching from her Field Officer, she has invested in her own rice field. She has a field of about 5 acres (see the photo) where she will now grow her own rice to make even more profits in the future. She no longer worries about food, clothes, or school for her children. Her life has changed. She is independent, able to stand on her own. Recently she told her sponsor in America, “I am so grateful for what you have done to me. My life is not the same. My life is better now.”
Economic Empowerment is working. Mdana is proof.
You can help someone like Mdana. Learn more by clicking here. Learn More
by admin | Nov 10, 2022 | Sponsorship program
Can a foot carry a load without a hand? Can an ear see where to go without an eye? The Apostle Paul poses these questions in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. The answer is obviously no. His point is that every part of the body serves the others, and so it is in the body of Christ. It is the same in the Y-Malawi Community. We are so grateful for all those that volunteer, donate, and serve so that we can open hearts for change in Malawi.
There are so many examples. A women’s Bible study that has been such an encouragement to us. They have raised funds for several projects, and they pray for us regularly! A Senior Sunday School Class that sponsors a girl in Malawi and has donated funds for literally thousands of Bibles. Sandy donates her time to help keep our books in order. Sheryl helps with the sponsorship program. Linda does the same, she also writes the newsletter. Steve and Gwynne are faithful partners on the prayer team.
We are so grateful and praise God for our Y-Malawi community. Bound together by the love of Jesus, a family, together we are loving God and loving people.
Want to get involved? Visit GET INVOLVED | y-Malawi
