Life and Death in the Village

During one of our first visits to the village, a little boy listening to the Bible study began coughing. He continued to hack and wheeze until it became apparent he was in trouble. As a fellow asthma sufferer, I could tell he was having an attack, so I got my rescue inhaler out of the car and started to show him how to use it. One of the adults said I shouldn’t give it to him without permission from his parents, but his parents are Muslim and didn’t come to the studies. Just about the time John and I had decided we may have to ask for forgiveness instead of permission, someone showed up with his mother. She said she knew he had asthma but couldn’t afford the medicine. Within minutes after using the inhaler he was breathing freely, and I gave it to her in case it happened again. She thanked us, and though we didn’t see much more of her, her son Hassam kept coming to the Bible studies. We just got word a couple of weeks ago that Hassam died. We're not sure why. Nobody is. They say “it just happens in the village.”

Hassam (in the red vest)

Jessie came to us several months ago. She had terribly swollen glands all over her body that have been there for years. She had been to the local clinic but they said nothing could be done. We helped her to get an HIV test and cancer screening. Both were negative. With the help of a local doctor, we also got her some pain medicine that seemed to help quite a bit. The next step was another blood test to check for other diseases. Jessie said she was too tired and didn’t want to go back to the doctor. We pleaded with her and warned her that what she had was not normal and could be life threatening. She declined. We were concerned about her children and who would raise them if something happened to her. The baby on her back, she said, was a twin. Her sister died of dehydration. It was a tragic situation but there wasn’t much more we could do if she didn’t want help. Jessie died while we were in the States on furlough. Nobody will ever know for sure what was wrong with her. They say “things like that just happen here.”

Jessie and Baby Priscilla

Last week our friend Susan told us that her mother, who lives in a village three hours from here, was sick. She had diarrhea for several days and was now vomiting, unable to keep any fluids in her body. She went to the local clinic and was given the equivalent of Tylenol. We weren’t looking forward to hearing about another death that “sometimes just happens” so John went to our local pharmacy and explained her symptoms. He bought a medicine to kill parasites and a powdered hydration mix. We sent it by minibus to reach her the next day. After the first day, she slept for hours and woke to feel much better. She is doing well and is very thankful. So are we.

Much has been written about the white savior complex in Africa. We don’t presume to be here to save anyone’s life. We don’t think we have that power. We’re not even medically trained. We do know some wonderful medical professionals here who save lives every day. We’ve requested their help, sending photos and questions on countless occasions. If the country were full of these selfless people, surely there would be a higher life expectancy. As it stands there is only one doctor to every 40,000 people and the life expectancy is about sixty. We believe our main role is to teach and disciple so that the upcoming generation will know God and His world better. If physical lives are saved along the way, we attribute that to a divine plan, not our own devices. Likewise, when people die in ways we consider unnecessary, we just pray more diligently for the kids we’re teaching to grow up well and become answers to their own problems. 

We are so thankful for your role in this ministry that makes education for the children of a seemingly forgotten African village possible. We hope to be in your shoes one day, hearing from these kids about the first world schools and medical facilities they’ve created. We look forward to seeing them live longer, healthier lives, making better use of the rich resources God has blessed this country with.

Rebuilding

View of the Church Shelter From the Bedroom That Was Crushed 

Eight days ago Snoden and Susan’s house collapsed from the heavy rains that characterize the rainy season in Sub-Saharan Africa. Their nine-year-old daughter was inside alone when the structure began to crumble. Thankfully, they got her out before the roof fell in on her bedroom, and their four-year-old son is fine. They recently finished construction on a small shelter adjacent to their house to serve as the temporary preschool. They immediately moved into that to get out of the rain. They were able to salvage a few pieces of furniture from the rubble and crowded it all into the tiny, unfinished building. Though they were safe and dry overnight, the house they had purchased from their landlord just two days before had fallen to the ground, and they were devastated.

The House Before it Was Completely Knocked Down

Snoden asked us to come as soon as the rains permitted our vehicle to navigate the treacherous obstacle course the road to the village had become. Steep and slippery ruts are being etched deeper and deeper into the roadway by the rushing water from an especially heavy rainy season. He assured us that his family had everything they absolutely needed. Susan was cancelling preschool indefinitely to buy them some time to get back on their feet. Besides, he said the church he had invested in over the past year would surely come to help. 

Susan, Doreen, and Snoden Loading our Truck with Bricks

We got to the village the second day. A corner of the house had broken off like so much gingerbread. Half the house was still standing, but we were glad to hear Snoden say they would demolish it before rebuilding. It was apparent from the complex network of long cracks that the construction would not withstand more rain and would be unsafe to live in. They’ve been saving to buy it for many months. Because it would take many more months to save enough to rebuild, we’re helping them get the process started. The sooner they get back into their own house, the sooner we can use the preschool building for the children of the village. We all want that. In the meantime, they are still cooking daily and feeding the orphans. 

Children of the Village Doing the Work

Most of the church never showed up to help—except to ask for a paid job on the demolition site. He did employ a few of them. And, when Snoden went to find skilled masons to reconstruct the walls, they quoted him an inflated rate. He says it’s because they know he’s friends with white people and expect more money. He continued the search until he found an honest man with an honest price. The foundation has been completely removed (It was a concrete frame filled with sand.) and the yard is full of bricks that have been painstakingly carried—sometimes one by one—to begin rebuilding. Very few adults came to help, but the children of the village were there right away, carrying bricks without even being asked. Besides the physical structure of his house, Snoden feels we need to rebuild the metaphorical structure of the church that meets in his backyard. He's understandably disappointed that they haven’t been there to help and have even tried to make a dime off his suffering. We feel this is a necessary discussion and plan to have it after the family is living in their own house again. Please pray for favorable conditions and diligent workers to rebuild what has been damaged.

Pile of Bricks in Front of the Demolished House

Please send financial gifts to Westworth Church of Christ, 5728 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76114, c/o Malawi Mission Work, or you can give with a click at http://www.westworthcoc.org/malawi-mission/ Thank you, and God bless.

Launch Malawi

Happy to Be in Preschool Class

Just before we left for furlough in October, two of the ladies in the village said they were starting a preschool and needed our help. That didn’t really fit in with our travel preparations. Even though they were drawing from the pool of kids we’re already feeding every day and it would benefit the little ones greatly, the timing seemed wrong. Sure it was something John and I had talked and prayed about, but we certainly didn’t expect a couple of the villagers to take the initiative and get something going without our choreography. We hadn’t even shared the idea with them! In the end we were impressed and encouraged them to do whatever they felt they needed to while we were gone, assuring them we would return with the training and resources they asked for.

Education at every level is a critical need in Malawi. We had decided after our first year in the country that the aim for this mission should have something to do with teaching. We weren’t exactly sure where to start, but it seems these ladies have nudged us in a specific direction. They made it clear that they’re responding to what they’ve learned in our weekly Bible studies and that they want to serve their village in the best way they know how. They feel that teaching the kids, whom the church is already cooking for each day, is the next logical step. How could they know that we’d recently come to the same conclusion? The Spirit is obviously weaving a tapestry among us all, and we're witnessing the opening of the village school. 

When we returned from our trip, the ladies were eager to share their progress with us. Now I want to share it with you. Here’s a photo of the building Snoden constructed next to his house to serve as a temporary preschool while we were gone. 

The bricks are held together by sand only.
We are working this week to get a layer of concrete over the walls.

One of the founders of the preschool happens to be Snoden’s wife, Susan. She said they needed a place out of the rain to cook for the children and to keep them dry during class time so, with the help of their relatives, they cut bricks from the clay in their yard and put them together with sand. There are two rooms inside--one for the younger children and one for the older. There are two small closet-like rooms that serve as cooking and water storage spaces. There's also a nice, new outhouse behind the building.

Susan’s teaching partner is Doreen. Doreen’s baby had a terrible hernia when we met her. After we helped get him the medical procedure he needed, she has been a loyal supporter of everything we do in the village. She walks over two miles each morning to get to Snoden and Susan’s house to teach preschool—for free. Doreen doesn’t speak any English but has been learning songs and rhymes in English to teach the kids. In essence, she’s learning along with them so that they will get a good education in the country’s national language—something that doesn’t usually happen in a village environment. Most village schools are conducted in Chichewa, leaving the kids to learn English on their own. High school and college is taught in English, and all business is conducted in English, so you can imagine the importance of children learning it well. Thanks to Susan and Doreen, they are well on their way.

Susan, Teaching Numbers and Colors to the Older Kids

Doreen, Singing an English Song with the Younger Kids

Thanks to some generous donors, we brought back lots of great materials for the teachers and the kids. We're researching prices for consumable supplies and plan to raise support for each child to have what he needs for the best preschool experience possible. We also want to start paying the teachers a fair salary for all their hard work. According to our sources, the average primary school teacher's salary in Malawi is well under $100 per month, which is a ridiculous bargain for the jobs that are going to launch Malawi into a self-sustaining future. 

Waiting for a Ride

        Our truck has been in the shop for most of the days we’ve been back home. We drove to the village the first Sunday, but it sounded like the bottom was going to fall out on the way back, so we took the truck in for repair. The mechanic said it needed new CV joints but that it might take him some time to find them at a reasonable price. His first quote from a supplier was almost $750 each. Instead of visiting and supporting the work going on in the village that week, we got some time at home with each other, which was not half bad after three months of almost non-stop travel. 

This old truck has been put to the test and has served us well.

        We finally got our truck back, click free and with new shocks. The following Sunday we went to the village again, but the brakes were screaming at us along the way, so back to the mechanic we went. He fixed it lickety-split, and we’re back in business. The truck is running better than it has in a while and we’re no worse for the wear, so we’ll give it another go this week and try to make some headway on the plans for the school. We spend a lot of time around here waiting for things. The wait over these past two weeks just happened to be for a ride to the village. 

Some Helpful Hands Trying to Get the Truck Started--A Familiar Sight This Year

        Following is a link to a video of the road during the rainy season, showing you why it’s important to have a four-wheel drive vehicle with good shocks and brakes. (If you've driven the roads in Africa, this won't impress you, but the rest of you might like to see what our drive to work is like.)

Click Here to See a Ride Into the Village

Please send financial gifts to Westworth Church of Christ, 5728 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76114, c/o Malawi Mission Work, or you can give with a click at http://www.westworthcoc.org/malawi-mission/ Thank you, and God bless.

Furlough—It’s not Just for Prisoners any More

       When I was a kid, I visited my dad in prison on a regular basis. Once he was temporarily released to come to my brother’s funeral, so I learned the meaning of the word furlough before most of my peers saw it on a spelling test. I grew up and out of that kind of living and became a Christian, determined to raise my kids differently. You can imagine my surprise then when, during mission training, John and I were told that furloughs would be a part of our work. I wasn’t really sure what that meant and, unless you’re familiar with the prison scene or have done much long-term mission work, you may not know either. 

We just took a three-month furlough, so it seems right that I would tell you what that means. Let me start by saying what it’s not—a vacation. While we had some times of refreshing and were happy to visit friends and family, we only took a few days of vacation. The rest of it was work. We were blessed by so many hospitable and benevolent people that we had a comfortable place to stay, a nice car to drive, good food to eat, and money to spend wherever we went. I would be remiss to not mention by name some of the people who lavished us with ridiculous amounts of generosity—and probably a little crazy to do so. (What if I forget someone?) Let’s go with remiss and leave it at that. You know who you are and we are eternally grateful for your love and attention and donations. We truly are. You made our work over these past three months a pleasure.

For the most part, our furlough consisted of travel and visits. We got up early and met with families and churches for breakfast, lunch, or dinner—and sometimes all three in one day. We reported on what God has been doing with us in Malawi over this past year. We thanked some people who have been supporting us and asked for more support from others. We had annual medical checkups and some necessary medical procedures, and we did a lot of shopping for basic items we cannot get where we live. We had our phones and computer repaired, bought clothes for the next year, and ran an inordinate amount of errands to take care of so many small details that it would bore you to mention them all. Imagine having to gather everything you would need for the next year, barring food (although I did pack some spices and nonperishables). That’s kind of what we did.

Overall, we took three months off this work to do another kind of work—reporting, fundraising, and preparation. We count it a success in that we did raise some money to get started on building a school house on the property we purchased in October. While we were on furlough, we also researched and bought curriculum for preschool and kindergarten children and hope to have classes up and running by the fall. We received lots and lots of donated books and plan to stock a library for the village as soon as they arrive. It’s all very exciting and we’re happy to be back home and back at work. 

We’ve been here for about a week now and are just catching up on sleep. Travel time between Lilongwe and Dallas is about thirty-six hours. Suffice it to say the trip is difficult and then it takes time to adjust to the fact that you’re trading days for nights. Thanks to some trustworthy friends on this end, we came home to nothing more than general maintenance on our house and cars after being gone for three months. One of our biggest adjustment challenges is the fact that Jonah stayed behind with John’s family in Colorado to finish high school. This past year has surely been a great experience for him, but unfortunately, he has no good options for high school here. We miss him but feel this is best for now. 

Thank you for your support and prayers and for the many ways you’ve been involved in this work. We look forward to the creative things God is going to do to show Himself this year in the mission and in our relationships with you.   

Please send financial gifts to Westworth Church of Christ, 5728 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76114, c/o Malawi Mission Work, or you can give with a click at http://www.westworthcoc.org/malawi-mission/ Thank you, and God bless.

Year-End Video

Here's a short (less than seven minutes) video we made about our work in Malawi this past year. It's linked to YouTube, so please be aware of what's in the sidebar if you're with kids. Thanks for watching.  

Please send financial gifts to Westworth Church of Christ, 5728 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76114, c/o Malawi Mission Work, or you can give with a click at http://www.westworthcoc.org/malawi-mission/ Thank you, and God bless.

Meeting Snoden's Family

We have just a few weeks left until we start our three month long furlough. I won’t go into all the details of what’s involved in planning a trip like this, but I will say it’s a bit overwhelming and requires all of our attention. That’s why, when we were invited to speak to a village outside of town this week, we thought the timing couldn’t be worse. The people there are listed as one of the 7,080 unreached people groups in the world by the Joshua Project. (That part about considering this bad timing is a confession. Clearly, this wasn’t an opportunity we were going to miss, and God’s timing is perfect, so we trust Him to work out the unfinished details of our furlough—even though we’ve lost a little sleep over the whole thing.) 

Snoden is originally from a village near Lake Malawi that is traditionally non-Christian. He has shared what he’s learned with his family, but he and some others have asked us to come and teach them more. Snoden said they’d heard the name of Jesus but didn’t really know who He was. John shared the Gospel with them yesterday, and there were questions. Just like in Acts 8, someone pointed out that their village is near the lake and asked why they couldn’t be baptized. The fact that it’s a ten kilometer walk to the water didn’t seem to be a deterrent, so they agreed to meet us there next week, when we can come back and spend another day with them. In the meantime, they’re going to their neighbors’ houses to share the Good News and to invite everyone who will come to hear about Jesus. 

Much like small town U.S.A. has a Christian church on every corner, this part of the world has a different kind of worship center every few miles. Despite that fact, one lady at the study said she knew what John was saying was true, even though they’ve all been taught other things. It seems Christianity may have brushed by this area, but it hasn’t settled in for some reason. Some say it’s because there is no water or electricity, and other religions don’t mind that like we do. I would like to say I’m not included in that camp, but truth be told, I like a hot shower and lights at night. However, if that’s what’s keeping these people from Jesus, I guess it’s time to do some camping.  

So, we plan to go back one more time before furlough and trust that God’s going to help us get our affairs in order before our departure date. We’re committed to the widows and orphans in the village closer to our home that we’re feeding and teaching on a daily basis. Now we’re also faced with a village an hour and a half away of unreached people for the Gospel. Both villages are connected through familial relationships, which means because we’re trusted by one, we’re also welcome in the other. It’s not something we could have orchestrated and certainly wouldn’t have concocted on our own. In fact, it seems like an impossible task to be involved with both. However, we know that if God is calling us to this work, He’ll equip us through His church. 

We ask you to consider giving a one time gift or to become a monthly financial partner. Our current needs include money to buy land and develop classrooms to teach Bible, English, literacy, and health—classes we already teach outside but need shelter for during the rainy season. We also need a larger, more reliable four-wheel drive vehicle to make the long trips on the rough terrain to get to both villages and anywhere else we go outside of town. We’ve already broken down twice and take that at a warning to begin the search.

Yes, I take pictures of everything. 😁

Thank you for taking the time to read and respond to our reports, thank you for praying for us and for the people of Malawi, and thank you for listening to God’s call in how you might join us in this effort to take care of widows and orphans and to reach the unreached with the Gospel. And, thanks to those of you who are already invested in this with us!

Please send financial gifts to Westworth Church of Christ, 5728 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76114, c/o Malawi Mission Work, or you can give with a click at http://www.westworthcoc.org/malawi-mission/ Thank you, and God bless.