Please pray for a fruitful meeting with the Emmaus International Coordinator and other key stakeholders aimed at re-energising the extremely useful Emmaus Correspondence Ministry which has been stalled for a while in Malawi.
Emmaus is a really good fit with the Gospel literature ministry which is at the core of what SALT does, and the Nthawi ya Baibulo (Bible Time) ministry which is due to come online later in the year. Particularly, we see it as a priceless tool to instruct and spiritually develop our network of literature distributors, and others by extension thorough them, so pray that a Lord will guide us and that a clear strategy will emerge as we go forward.
Angel had a follow up appointment with her surgeon last week. She said it was a positive meeting and the surgeon said she was surprised to see that the bone seems to have started growing back!
Angel’s had a couple of physiotherapy sessions over the past weeks which were quite challenging, but thanks be to God for the prayers and the positive feedback from her doctor.
Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a conference hosted by Bible Educational Services (BES) in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. It was tremendously encouraging and energizing to connect with people from all over the world who are involved in similar ministries.
Perhaps one of the most impactful things was meeting the woman who started it all! To think that it started with one woman posting lessons to one student and now today the curriculum is being used in over 80 countries and in 45 languages! Wendy Gray and her husband, Bert, and another older couple who have been involved in children’s work for decades, Stephen and Jean Gillham were both an inspiration and a challenge to me. Results are not often seen immediately in children’s work, but these couples reminded me that preserving and trusting the Lord to bless will result in fruit for His glory!
Results are not often seen immediately in children’s work, but these couples reminded me that preserving and trusting the Lord to bless will result in fruit for His glory!
Left to right: Wendy Gray and her husband, Bert, stand with Stephen and Jean Gillham (Image credit: Bible Educational Services)
I was also encouraged by the testimony of several of the delegates who were saved as children. One was taught the word of God while he was a child at a Sunday school. Though not from a Christian background, what he had learned as a child stuck with him and was used to bring him to salvation as a young adult. Another woman, also not from a Christian background, came to know about the Lord through children’s work, eventually accepting Christ at a Bible camp. These testimonies were a reminder of the importance of sharing the gospel with children and have bolstered my faith as I pray for God’s word to do a work in the hearts of the children we have come to know and love here in Malawi. Let us pray that this will indeed be the case!
Another takeaway was the importance of working with others. This is not a work that can be done single-handedly! Sessions on cooperation with coworkers got me thinking about how we can partner well with others to reach as many children as possible. It is something that needs much prayer and consideration. We want the work to be sustainable, i.e. not dependent on us. Please pray that the Lord will give clear direction from the start as to how we can best partner with others in a way that encourages this.
…more than ever we need to be in prayer for the Lord’s direction and blessing.
Overall, I was inspired and revitalized by spending a week in the presence of so many men and women who are giving their lives for the sake of sharing the gospel with children. What a privilege we have to tell the next generation about our God and Savior! What a responsibility! As we anticipate the launch of Bibletime in Malawi and look forward to training and distributing to others – more than ever we need to be in prayer for the Lord’s direction and blessing. It is, after all, His work, and He knows best how it should be done. Please pray with us that we will have a clear sense of His purposes for us and this resource in the coming months, so it can be used to reach thousands – perhaps millions – of children in this country who desperately need a Savior.
We have just received notice that the new Toyota Land Cruiser we ordered several months ago is due to be shipped from Gibraltar on 22 June.
Please pray for its safe transit by sea to Durban and then by road to Malawi. It is expected in-country by early August. This will be a huge benefit to the work!
Please also pray particularly that we will be able to obtain duty-free clearance of the vehicle on arrival. There will be surtax & excise to pay on arrival, but duty, if charged, could amount to twice the purchase price! Please pray!
The extremely poor rainy season has resulted in the borehole at Saidi running dry. This affects the operations on-site, as well as the many villagers who have become accustomed to using the free water we supply.
It will be at least 5 months before rain is expected and there is any prospect of the water table starting to rise again.
Please pray as we explore options for an alternative water supply.
Anna requests prayer for the Lord to give clear direction for the development of the work in schools and with the Nthawi Ya Baibulo (Bibletime) curriculum, as we anticipate a new phase in the next few months.
Note: Translation & editing of the 3-year Bible Time curriculum is at an advanced stage. We are hoping that the first booklets will be printed and shipped to Malawi in the next few month. Anna and the team are anticipating a lot of preparatory work once the next school term begins in September.
Anna says: “I am thankful for a safe and incredibly encouraging trip to attend the BES Conference in Northern Ireland.”
Give thanks for journeying mercies and for the encouragement received.
Note: BES provide the Postal Bible School curriculum which we are already using in the Dzaleka Refugee Camp (Swahili language), and which is in process of translation into Chichewa for use in the rest of Malawi. Anna was able to attend their recent conference and meet key people involved in similar ministries around the globe.
Brother Goodson asks us to pray for the planned Baptism next Lord’s Day (23 June) at Saidi when it is expected that a further 9 believers will obey the Lord. We give thanks for this further evidence of fruit following the preaching of the Gospel.
Also continue to pray for blessing upon the conference week which took place in early May
Saulous Chilima, Vice President of Malawi has died in a plane crash in the northern part of the country.
As well as praying for his family at this difficult time of personal loss, also pray for political stability. Relations between the President and Vice-President have been strained, and any speculation about the cause of the accident could be destabilising.
Remember the families of the other victims of the crash.
