How do you move 2500 tons of earth? One bucket-load at a time.
It would be lovely to have the luxury for heavy earth-moving equipment. But we have to make do with what’s available locally. We are so thankful to have been able to source a CAT Loading shovel for hire. Otherwise we would have had no alternative but just build up an unsightly 1.5m foundation on one side.
Progress is slow. But it’s progress, and for that we praise the Lord!
Always expect the unexpected!
We didn’t expect the topographical info of the site to be inaccuracte – but it was. So, whereas I expected we would be pouring the footings for the Hostel Project by now, we are just starting to level the ground, having searched for quite a few days for an available digger at a reasonable price.
It’s exciting to start shifting earth – even if a fair amount of it was going up in the air. The ground is very dry and dusty, as you can see.
Thanks for your prayers and practical support.
The problems with the Malawian economy continue to deepen. Inflation continues to soar, to the extent that the team are having to curtail travel for literature distribution and other outreach purposes.
Please pray for a resolution to this problem, and for wisdom in the meantime.
There are constant commodity shortages. Even goods produced in-country (E.g. Sugar, cooking oil and coffee) are now in short supply, as supplies are being diverted for export to generate foreign currency. This has a huge inflationary impact.
At present the black market rate for the Malawi Kwacha is 2.5 times the official rate. This means that the value of each £ or $ brought into the country using the regular banking system is reduced by that amount, hugely inflating operating costs.
The government needs to allow the local currency to float to a more realistic level, but doing so would instantly increase the wage bill for the huge public sector, so it’s unlikely to happen soon. Meanwhile black marketeers push the unofficial rate higher and higher, affecting the price of everything in the store.
Please pray for wisdom and guidance as we consider options to urgently replenish supplies of Nthawi ya Baibulo (Bibletime) which are already starting to run out.
We received around 60,000 booklets towards the end of last year, but the demand has been overwhelming as Anna has been carrying out leader training around the country. The quickest way to re-stock is by using a commercial printer in Malawi.
Please give thanks for the arrival of the long-awaited container which was shipped from Toronto in September.
The shipment contains various tools and equiment as well as supplies for use in the growing CHildren’s ministries, but was delayed at the port in Mozambique and again briefly in Malawi. It has now cleared customs and the goods are due to arrive at Saidi on Monday, Lord willing.
Continue to pray for the shipment of garage doors presently in transit.
Please continue to pray for a resolution to the issue of the container of goods for children’s ministry which is still delayed in customs.
The two Canadians we are sharing the container with have been holding out for the possibility of a waiver of import duties, but meanwhile the container continues to accrue storage charges. Please pray for wisdom to know how best to proceed, and/or that the authorities will grant the waiver requested without further costly delay.
We’re pleased to share continued progress across several ministry areas throughout May. Here’s a summary of recent developments from our team in Malawi.
Encouraging momentum continues in the Children’s Work. Over 200 children attend weekly Saturday and Sunday classes. A new book has been introduced, and school packs are being used to reward regular attendance and outstanding work. Anna has resumed travelling to distribute and train others in using Nthawi ya Baibulo (NYB)—a Gospel-focused Bible study resource for young people, designed to help them understand and apply the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Several believers have requested baptism—a heartening indication of growing faith and commitment among the local assembly. Please keep them in prayer as they prepare to take this public step of obedience.
Our translation and publication efforts continue steadily. Gibson, our principal translator, has completed one more additional Emmaus Bible course and is now working on two more. Anna is revising and formatting previously developed courses in preparation for print. New tracts are currently in the design phase, and we’ve secured a designer to create updated covers for the Emmaus series.
We are excited to share a preview of some of the new Chichewa Emmaus Booklets we are about to publish.
Work on the perimeter wall has been completed. Meanwhile, construction of the new warehouse building has moved into the plastering phase—a significant step toward completion. We are waiting on roller shutter doors arriving from the UK for this and the Garage / Workshop which is also nearly finished.
Looking ahead, we are beginning preparations for a major new project: the construction of dormitory accommodation. This facility will greatly enhance our ability to host participants during next year’s Bible teaching conference. Planning and groundwork will take place over the coming months, and we value your prayers for this important development.
The Mitsubishi Canter truck has been returned to the premises. However, the ministry still requires an additional vehicle—not only to support our growing outreach efforts, but also to assist with transporting materials for the ongoing building projects, including the upcoming dormitory construction.
A new security system has been installed and is now fully operational. It is specifically designed to monitor the guards’ hourly patrols and ensure they remain active throughout the night—helping prevent lapses in vigilance such as sleeping during duty hours. Following training, the guards have become confident in using the system, and it is delivering the intended results.
We remain deeply grateful for the Lord’s provision and the continued support of those who stand with us. Your prayers and generosity empower SALT to Enlighten, Encourage, and Empower lives through Gospel-centred ministry in Malawi.
Please pray for safe and speedy shipping for three sets of Roller Shutter doors which have been shipped from N. Ireland for our Garage / Workshop and the new Storage Room at Saidi.
These have been shipped LCL (Less than Container Load) which involves them being handled at several points along the route, increasing the risk of loss / damage.
April and May have been hugely significant months.
After much anticipation, we came together for a time of fellowship, prayer, team-building and planning. Following several challenging years, this gave us an opportunity to reflect on the past and renew future plans. The investment of time yielded much more than expected, and we thank the Lord for graciously giving us the opportunity.
Immediately after the trustees’ workshop, we had a series of 4 “Open Days” in different locations around the UK. Although attendance was modest, all who came agreed that these provided invaluable opportunities to meet the frontline workers, and learn about the work.
From our point of view, Anna and Harold, representing the team in Malawi, both remarked how encouraging it was to meet some of those who support the work practically and in prayer. We will definitely consider running more Open Days in other locations, Lord willing. (We did note with sadness how few younger people seem to have an interest in the Lord’s work! A cause for concern, and much prayer.)
This was Harold’s first time out of Africa. Although somewhat hampered by a heavy Irish cold, he still enjoyed the fellowship of believers and seeing a very different part of the world. For him, a big highlight was visiting the David Livingstone birthplace in Blantyre (Scotland), after which his hometown is named. Anna enjoyed some hiking in Scotland, the land of (some of) her ancestors and a weekend in England where her dad was speaking at the Bicester conference.
While in N. Ireland, Harold spent a day recording Chichewa training videos for Nthawi ya Baibulo (Bibletime) teachers. We hope this will make it possible to multiply the reach of NYB without proportionately multiplying the work involved. We were so grateful that the Lord gave Harold the health and strength required.
We are so thankful that Harold’s cold and cough cleared up in time for our 2025 Annual Conference. Particularly as the conference had been extended to include a second week of teaching. His role as translator for the visiting speakers is a vital one, for which the Lord has really gifted him. (But that’s another story!)
Over the two weeks, we were joined by a total of around 100 brothers from various parts Malawi. Some came from as far as Mzuzu (Northern Region), a distance of around 700Km. At least one brother came from Mozambique. Economic conditions in Malawi are so difficult we had to help cover almost all the attendees’ travel expenses. As you can imagine, this amounted to quite a considerable sum.
Sadly, accommodation constraints meant that we had to send around 25 brothers home at the end of the first week. This meant we could invite another 25 to come for the second. The place we rented last year was unavailable, and we had to block book a rest-house at Thondwe trading centre, a 2Km walk away. The standard, frankly, wasn’t great, and some unseasonal heavy rain made this even more challenging. Some slept on the floor of our print-room floor, or the literature storage container.
Notwithstanding the logistical challenges, we had a really wonderful time. During the first week, we made a systematic study of 1 Timothy. We touched many essential topics for those present in their work of evangelism and teaching others. Most have no other opportunity to hear clear teaching of the scriptures. Therefore, the messages on the charge for faithfulness in Christian service, identifying false teachers, the respective roles of brothers and sisters, and the characteristics of godly leadership, were of crucial importance.
During the second (shorter) week, we had 6 sessions aimed at giving a basic dispensational understanding of the Bible. At times, it was almost possible to see the lights coming on in the believers’ minds. They were learning for the first time how the Old and New Testaments fit together in God’s one unified plan. Many had no idea how to reconcile Law and Grace, OT Temple worship and NT worship in the Spirit, or circumcision vs baptism. Some did not properly understand the significance of gathering on the Lord’s Day instead rather than the Sabbath. One evening, Harold said excitedly, “We may get a surprise, brother, when we discover what the Lord has accomplished this week.”
Please pray that it may be so.
The encouragement of the conference reinforced the vision of the workshop. We face the months ahead with renewed commitment. We look to the Lord to bless his work. May he save souls, strengthen believers, and establish still more testimonies for his glory and the blessing of others.
Abale, pempherani ife. Brethren, pray for us.
Pray for the hundreds of NYB books that have been and will be distributed this month to be used to bring many to a knowledge of the truth.
