"What we have seen and heard, we proclaim to you so that
you may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son,
Jesus Christ" 1
John 1:3 |
In "2007 Reviewed" we said: “The disparity between our riches & life in Africa
poses dilemmas. We seek partnership yet we can be patronising and paternalistic". Partnership
works when it is based on mutual fellowship with the Lord. In this issue, you can read how God used
our sponsorship of one church planter and his wife, from the other end of Malawi & a different
ethnic group, speaking a different language but trusting the Lord, to bring life from the dead to
80 people in the far north.
You will also find news of: new missionaries; a new Principal for the Evangelical Bible College
of Malawi; a new role for Ruth Folayan; new life at funerals - all in this new design of 'Update'.
Please pray for our fellowship with the Church, & for our close fellowship with the Lord and…
Keep Shining
Jim Hasnip
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 The Kanyumis Arrive
The Kanyumis report: "We touched down on 2 July to a wonderful welcome! Our new home had been
well prepared, our neighbours have been very friendly and Ethan has made himself at home in many homes
(and his birthday party on 16 July proved popular with local children!). The campus is busy as students
return for term 3. ZEC leadership have been pleased to receive us, which encourages us that
we are in the place the Lord has prepared for us. We have attended 3 ZEC churches all lively
but very different in their setting and make up of congregations. The weather has been similar
to Scotland, so far!"
(David has now taken his first teaching session and he and Kirsty have had their first language
lesson)
 Christmas
is Coming
If you can't think of a gift for someone with everything, why not send one to somebody who
has nothing?You will receive a leaflet with the next ‘Update’ but you don't need to wait. Choose
a gift from the examples below, send the price* to us, and we'll send you a card with details of
the project for you to give to your friend/relative:
- Give a Bible £6
- Treat 23 sick children £6
- Feed an orphan in the day care centre for a month £7
- Sponsor a church planter for a month £37
- Give a bike to a pastor with no transport (and several churches) £46
- Give a sewing machine to help a pastor and his wife support themselves £100 New
- Roof a rural church £297 (but any gift will
help) New
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A Church Planter’s Story
 ZM-sponsored
church planter, Masautso Kamwana, here pictured with his wife Gertrude, tells the story of the
Church at Chitipa, in the north of Malawi:
"It is 115 years since ZEC established in Malawi without
reaching Chitipa. Both I and my wife, Gertrude, come from southern region hence passing through
central region to northern region to the far end of Malawi. With our daughters, Memory (6) and Justice
(3), we departed Blantyre on Friday 9th February 2007 for Chitipa by public transport. Arrived on
Saturday 10th at 10.20pm, a distance of 750 miles.
At Chitipa there was nobody whom I or my wife knew. After passing
through the uncertainties by God's grace and guidance we planted a church. The church started on
25th February 2007 with a single member. By 6th July 2008, we had 80 members."
Church elder, Ted Sichalwe, a local Chief said "I had not
set foot in a church for 52 years until Pastor Kamwana came to my home. I, and most of the people
here, were bound by spirits until he came and preached the Gospel."
 Today the church has a Fellowship of Youth,
Sunday School, and Women's Fellowship and a programme of hospital visiting where members "go
to preach and sing and give gifts like soap, sugar etc." These are poor people but they willingly
share what they can. Pastor Kamwana says "other days as a church we discuss to go to other
villages to share the gospel. I and my wife organise door to door to our members to encourage them.
As a church we have been conducting all night prayers with a theme eg. "Doing God's Word".
Other churches have joined these nights which "helps the church to mature spiritually."
"The challenges were: language (over 21 languages are spoken),
culture, Traditional Belief; and acceptance. However, by God's grace we were accepted and pass through
challenges by trusting in the Lord, the impossibles are possibles and there is nothing hard for
Him and His faithful Servants. We have seen the hand of the Lord since we came."
They now plan to plant churches in Chendo (20 miles) and Kameme
(22 miles from Chitipa).
Pastor Kamwana "thanks Almighty God for making it possible
to have ZEC here after 115 years, which aims at helping the unsaved to be saved".
News in Brief
- Malawian Louis
Ndekha is now Principal of the Evangelical Bible College of Malawi, and ZM’s Ruth
Folayan is Academic Dean.
- Anthony Moloseni,
ZEC Superintendent writes "God is wonderful and brings his people to Christ in different ways.
I have just preached at 3 funerals when more came to the Lord unexpectedly"
- Hariet Sekeya (Children's
Ministry) writes "On 18 May I talked to 30 children at Mulunguzi about the need to keep God's
Word in our hearts - 5 received Christ."
- In September, UK
Administrator, Fiona Mayer-Jones leaves ZM to enter the Anglican ministry and Richard
Brassington joins us.
- UK Development Manager, Dave
Brown, recently visited Malawi. He said of the Orphan Day Care Centres (ODC). “Orphans
are given food, clothing, medical care and education. I asked two host families, both Muslims, what
difference this made. One, a grandma had 3 other children to look after. She said that the children
were happier. The other, a younger lady, had 5 children. The youngest was often sick, (epilepsy)
and each time the girl needed treatment, she had to find extra work to pay the bills. Since starting
at the ODC the child had less attacks, and the mother is less tired, less worried and can care for
everyone better. So, the love of Christ is being demonstrated practically."
- ZM missionaries, the
Beatons, need another vehicle - their present one is too small and old - and we have launched
a Vehicle Fund. If you wish to contribute, please contact us.
- The church planted
at Mayani in 2007 after a ZEC Fellowship of Youth (FOY) mission, now has a pastor and is growing.
(This area had no evangelical churches and there is much witchcraft.) This year there have been
FOY missions to Ngabo (in the far south) and Chiradzulu.
 Gospel Cards have a range of cards highlighting
the real meaning of Christmas and are again giving 20% of their sales of cards to missions.
To support
Zambesi Mission contact: Gospel Cards,
PO Box 56, Bridgend, CF31 1WG Tel: 01656 647551 www.gospelcardsetc.com (and
mention Zambesi Mission when you order)
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