News

Things really began to move at pace when the tipper arrived on Thursday morning. That was until the digger got a puncture at lunch time – 3 hours lost!

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.

Pray

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.

Pray

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.

Pray

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.

Children’s Ministry

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.

Saidi Assembly: Baptisms Ahead

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.

Translation and Publications

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.

Building Progress

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.

Vehicles Update

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.

Security Update

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.

Conclusion

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.

Pray

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.

ENLIGHTEN | ENCOURAGE | EMPOWER

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