4 Weeks in The Villages of Malawi

I'm back home after 31-days in Africa.

There is so much to tell after being there for a month with 80 people from 15 different US churches and about 50 Malawian missionary partners.  We had ministry partners working in the mission station hospital, leading kid's activities, farming, teaching sewing, teaching Bible classes, doing outreaches with the Jesus Film, doing construction, etc.

My Trip Highlights

• They haven't seen white people since 1963.   16 came to Christ.

I took a small team on a several hour hike out to a remote village area that had not seen white people since 1963.  We did medical check-ups, kid's club activities, visited with groups of people, etc.  I personally had the honor of sharing with a small group of village chiefs and some of their wives.  After sharing the creation story and the Romans Road Scriptures, I drew the Bridge Illustration Story on the dirt (just as my mentor Steve Weik had taught me).  16 people prayed with me to accept Christ.  I gave them a Talking Bible in Chichewa, so that they can have a weekly Bible Study together.  ;-)  The need and would like more Talking Bibles... click HERE to see what a Chief or Chiefs said to me.

• I taught evangelists, pastors, & chiefs. 

I taught shepherding, evangelism, and Bible doctrine to 80+ evangelists from all over Malawi as part of their annual 2-week training program.  I was asked at the last minute to teach a marriage workshop. 

It was from 8am to 6pm and 135 people attended.  I gave a Gospel presentation to start the class off and 32 people prayed with me to accept Christ.  What a great way to start the day... it was a fun class to teach.  I learned that their marriage issues are similar to ours.  However, I did learn some interesting and fun things I can't talk about here.  ;-O

We took 200 EvangeCubes and I taught all our missionaries & the evangelists how to use them. As part of a class on AIDS I showed the chiefs & their wives how to use a HopeCube (about HIV/AIDS).

• Attended a friends wedding. 

I had a lot of fun attending the wedding of one of our local missionary's.  The church was shaped like a cross and the wedding party came in dancing. Groomsmen from one side and the brides maids from the other.  Even the bride and the groom came in dancing on the arms of their parents. They met in the center and danced around each other.  It was really cool.  They entered the reception dancing too.  The band would call up various groups and people would come up dancing, then they would throw money (bills) at the couple.  We did this for a few hours... I must have danced my way up to them about 20 times.  It was an amazing party! 

•  Watched several surgeries.

I was able to join several of our doctors as they did surgeries in our village hospital.

It was an unforgettably rewarding month...
God multiplied our resources and our efforts.  In just 30 days, a ministry training center was built, fields were planted, hundreds were taught Bible classes, several Jesus film outreaches were held with follow-up, many kids clubs were done, 1,000 new outfits of children clothing were distributed, hundreds were taught valuable sewing skills, many children were cared for by our physicians & nurses, many surgeries were performed each day, 150 soccer balls were distributed and many soccer matches were played, hundreds came to know Christ, and 80 exhausted Americans returned home richer because of the warm smiles and loving hospitality they received from the Malawians.   Start praying now about coming with me next summer! 

Click HERE to watch a picture Story Board of this trip.