What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months?
I must admit, I really had to think when this question came up a few days ago. [Edit: And that was before Cyclone Freddy hit Malawi!!]
Many of my friends in the U.S. have either personally experienced or know those who have experienced extreme weather events. In some areas of the country, we have it down to a system.
The rain has eased enough for Anna and Goodson to begin to assess the damage in the surrounding community following Cyclone Freddy.
Anna writes: ” We walked. ๐ Not even trying to drive today.
“Some pictures are following. The damage is extensive. Many, many houses have fallen. It’s a bit overwhelming.
“And, yet, what we are facing here is nothing compared to other parts of the country – where entire villages were swept away by mud slides.
“Please pray for wisdom to know how to help when the need is so overwhelming.”
Many, many houses have fallen. It’s a bit overwhelming.
Anna
In Blantyre, the situation is particularly bad in some of the very overcrowded townships. Blantyre is surrounded by mountains, and many of the townships are built on lower foothills, making them susceptible to mudslides. Homes are typically built with mud-brick, often with only mud for mortar, and building standards in the townships are not enforced. A recipe for disaster.
In the immediate aftermath of this disaster the needs are:
In the longer term there will a lot of reconstruction to do.
We have begun a process of talking to the local village chiefs to see who the most needy and vulnerable are.
Here is a selection of heart-breaking news pieces from reliable sources:
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The following page give a good assessment of the humantitarian impact, and is updated regularly: https://reliefweb.int/disaster/tc-2023-000023-mdg#updates
As heavy rain continues to fall, the situation continues to develop. It’s still too early to say what the scale of the disaster is – but it is a disaster! The death toll from Cyclone Freddy Malawi has already exceeded 100, and some people have been in touch to ask what they can do as part of the relief effort.
CNN reported today that Cyclone Freddy is breaking records for the duration and strength of tropical storms in the southern hemisphere. Al Jazeera says police in Malawi have reported 11 deaths around the city of Blantyre. [Edit: The death toll has now exceeded 60 – 18:00 GMT – 13 March 2023)
Malawi has one of the worst records in the world when it comes to child marriages. According to the UNPFA, almost half of women in Malawi are married before theyโre 18, with an alarming number married very much earlier than that. Child marriages often have devastating consequences for the girls involved. Not only are they often subjected to sexual violence, risky pregnancies and HIV, but many drop out of school early, dooming them to a life of poverty and dependance.
Thatโs 3 litres of music there. And you have NO IDEA how sweet it sounds!
Over four years ago, Goodson and I were travelling home from Lilongwe (Lee-long-way) when the engine in my Isuzu pick-up packed in.
It wasnโt a good situation. We were a couple of hundred Kms from home, on a section of road which skirts along the edge of Mozambique. Itโs an area notorious for armed bandits who take advantage of the open border. And there was only a hour or two of daylight remaining.
The car had overheated several times recently, so I put in a distress call to the mechanic whoโd been working on it.
He disowned me.
Iโm still amazed at times that you can get internet coverage in the middle of Central Africa. Then, I was just grateful. I repeated my distress call on a local Facebook group, and within a few minutes was in touch with another mechanic in Blantyre who had a recovery truck. Or at least, he knew a guy with a recovery truck. Heโd get on the road immediately. And a couple of hours later he did.
It’s a beautiful part of the country, but I wasnโt much enjoying the scenery as the evening shadows lengthened. A small crowd of interested onlookers gathered. Some were drunk. Or had been smoking dope. Or both. Some offered kuteteza โ to protect us (for a fee, implied). Hmm. Friend or Foe? I donโt know.
It was very late when the recovery truck arrived. The Isuzu was winched aboard, we paid our protection money, and were on our way.
When travelling to/from Lilongwe, we used to joke, why not take the short way? I can tell you, it was a long way in a recovery truck, but I didnโt complain. And, boy was I glad when we rattled into the yard of the workshop โ even if it was the wee, small hours.
Where the car remains until today.
The story is a familiar one in Malawi. Relievable parts are hard to find. Reliable, skilled people are scarce as hensโ teeth. Trust me. I know. Iโve dealt with more than my fair share of turkeys!
My mechanic โ weโll call him Mike โ has had his problems. His problems became my nightmare. Unanswered calls. Unfulfilled promises. Over and over again he assured me the car would be ready โnext weekโ. Over and over again, it wasnโt.
So, to say I was sceptical when he told me it was running, would be an understatement. Iโve lost count of how many different things he claimed he tried. But he invited me to come for a spin โ and wow โ it spun! When I arrived at his place, the car was sitting out front with the engine running – music to my ears!
Mike has lost weight and is looking well.Heโs off the booze, eating healthy and working out. After a โnasty separation, heโs dating a nice Christian, is slowly getting back to church,and has lots of good people in his life.โ As he thanked me for my patience, and apologised for letting me down, I reminded Mike that going to church wonโt take him to heaven, and that itโs the Lord he needs in his life. โYeah, yeahโ he said , โwe need a good talk.โ
Pray for Mike. A few of you know his real name. Better still, the Lord knows everything about him. Pray that the Lord will really work in his heart and that he will repent and trust the Saviour.
And pray too that he wonโt let me down with the remaining repairs on the car. CV joints, ball joints and bushes he can find in Malawi. Some other stuff, Iโll bring from the UK. Maybe if the Lord tarries weโll have the old girl back in service again soon. After all, sheโs spent 20% of her working life in Mikeโs workshop!
Tropical Cyclone Freddy has already caused serious disruption and some loss of life as it passed over Madagascar and Mozambique.
After heading back to the Indian Ocean, Freddy has again begun to track towards the coast on a path which would take it to Malawi by this coming weekend.
Many families are still affected by last year’s Cyclone Ana. Please pray that the many tens (hundreds?) of thousands of people very vulnerable to serious weather-problems will be spared further hardship. Pray too that these difficulties may be used by the Lord to create increased opportunities for the Gospel.
Click here to see the latest position of Tropical Cyclone Freddy
SALT was established to lay a foundation for the development of the Lord’s work in Malawi. We are seeing that work grow, and could use some additional skills to build upon what has already been achieved, particularly in the following areas:
