Anna says, “I’m thankful for a safe trip to Lilongwe. Though things took longer than anticipated, I am thankful that we were able to get all of the boxes to the different depots and storage areas.”
Brother Stephen is approaching the end of his present visit to CA, AZ & NM, USA. Please give thanks for a very encouraging response to the reports of the work in Malawi, with many of the Lord’s people committing to pray for its blessing.
Stephen will travel home on Tuesday, and plans to return to Malawi on 16 Feb (DV).
Anna says, “The BES (Bibletime) material is almost ready and the crew here are on board with using it for our Saturday class – both definite answers to prayer!”
Note: The team has been working on the Chichewa translation of BES Bibletime for the past year or more. We are grateful for the completion of the design work on the material for Year 1 of the 3-year cycle. Years 2 & 3 are still in progress. We plan to use the Y1 booklets for a small-scale pilot while the remaining materials are being translated. This is a very exciting step forward in the work.
Give thanks that our overseas consignment has finally arrived and pray for safety and blessing as the calendar distribution begins in earnest.
Although it is regrettable that we didn’t receive the calendars for the start of the new year, these will still be gratefully received across the country. We are aiming to distribute 500,000 calendars over the next few weeks.
Please pray for safety as calendar distribution trips begin.
Note: Our shipment of calendars from UK was delayed due to a mechanical problem with the press, so we ordered some to be printed locally as a stop-gap. We are still waiting for the main consignment, so please pray for their speedy arrival and clearance through customs.
Anna requests, “I will be starting to teach the younger kids’ class next Saturday, God willing, so prayers are appreciated – especially for the Chichewa bit.”
Brother Stephen will appreciate your prayers as he travels to USA tomorrow for ministry and reports of the work in Malawi. Please pray for journeying mercies and that the time with the Christians there will be a blessing to all. Pray that as the believers become better informed about the work that they will be better able to support it with their prayers.
Stephen also plans to return to Malawi in February, and will be grateful if you would remember the preparations for that trip too.
Pray for the families made homeless due to the current weather condition in Malawi. Although good rains are essential at this time of year for the success of the crop (around 80% of Malawians are subsistence farmers), they are often very destructive to the makeshift homes many people live in.
Wati asks that we pray about the cholera outbreak. Schools in Lilongwe and Blantyre didn’t open as planned after the Christmas break due to the increasing number of cases. The Government is providing an oral cholera vaccine to help with the situation.
Goodson requests that we pray for protection for the team at Saidi and the work there. During the wet season, the standing maize provides excellent cover for thieves, who also take advantage of the heavy rain storms to pursue their criminal activity. We had a couple of attacks during last raining season.
