News

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.

Please remember to pray for various Christmas programs taking place over the next few days.

The children’s and teens’ programs have already taken place on Friday / Saturday past, but there will be another meeting at Saidi on Christmas Day.

These are great opportunities to preach the Gospel and to share a little practical love and encouragement for people going through a very difficult time in Malawi.

Children at Saidi
Children at Saidi
Children at Dzaleka
Children at Dzaleka
Children at Dzaleka
Children at Dzaleka
Children at Dzaleka
Children at Dzaleka
Children at Dzaleka

Anna says: “We are thankful that the translator has finished the final section of Bibletime! Please pray for the revision and design stage to go smoothly.”

Comment: This is a significant milestone, and a cause for much thanksgiving. Not only does it mean that the Bible Time project is nearing completion, but it also frees up Gibson, our principal translator, to focus on other very important translation projects!

Meet Goliat Chisowa, a gospel literature distributor from the southern region of Malawi.

Transcript:

My name is Goliat Chisowa, I stay in Mwatheta village.  

I have a family. I have six children.  

Calendars help us, we give them to students so they can know the date.  

The tracts encourage us because not everyone has a Bible. The tracts encourage us in the Word. For example, the tract “Going to Hell is your own choice”. So, where we may not have Bibles, we make use of the tract.  

Meet Cyford Chimwaza who shares how tracts help him share the gospel in the most remote areas of southern Malawi.

Transcript:

My name is Cyford Chimwaza from Phalula in Balaka district. 

[Tracts] help very much because we distribute in the remotest areas where people cannot find any literature, and when we reach them it shows that we are reaching them with Jesus and the Word of God. And we very much appreciate for the tract.

[We distribute] In the district of Balaka and also in other districts, but our ministry we do very much in the remotest areas. So it’s like in the village, like in Manjawira and even in Phalula and around, even we enter into Ntcheu, Neno – around this area it’s where we distribute the calendars and also the tracts. And also we show Jesus film. So wherever we show Jesus film, we distribute the tracts. So it’s very effective in our ministry.  

We would like people to pray for us, especially this year as we are going through [a] difficult time with hunger and economic challenges. So when we meet the Christians and even other people, when we are talking about the Word of God others wonder how they can understand this as they are going through the hunger problem and other things. So if God [can] help us to give us wisdom so that whatever little we have we can also share. We share the Word of God spiritually but also we could love to share other things practically, like food and even medication. So, if God can open the doors of the help so that we can also extend the help to the needy. As we show spiritual love, we show also physical love as Jesus did. So help us to pray for that.

Here’s what Harold had to say about why schools ministry matters to him:

Why do school visits matter?  

Schools matter a lot to me for two reasons…

First, this is the time when you meet students who are starting to mature. They don’t have much knowledge about salvation or the Bible. But they have open hearts to receive the gospel.

The second thing is that many of these students do not have the background of the gospel in their homes. And so, when you preach to the students, it’s like you’re giving them the gospel for the first time. And you can see how the gospel is accepted in schools and appreciated by the students… people who are coming from different backgrounds… they all have the opportunity to hear the gospel.  

Harold (L) stands with the headteacher (R) and students after distributing gospel calendars and exercise books

When did you start visiting schools?

Immediately after I got saved, in 1998, I felt that God wanted me to concentrate on going to schools and preaching the gospel. So, when I completed my secondary school in 1999, I started visiting schools and preaching the gospel. It has been like that partly, I think, because I was saved when I was at secondary school.

What’s your favourite thing about school visits? 

My favourite thing about school visits is that it’s a place of open doors for the gospel… Sometimes when you go to the markets, others may want to sit down and listen, but others may not. But it’s different when you go to a school, everybody sits down and they listen.

Any favourite memories? 

I’ve got so many memories about school visits, but one of the prominent things that comes to mind is the team in 2022 when we were visiting schools around Thondwe and Zomba. I have very good memories about how the gospel was dramatized and how everybody was able to contribute… it was presented in such a simple yet beautiful and lovely way.

Malawi Gospel Outreach (MGO) team perform the parable of the lost son for students

Is there any feedback you’ve received? 

I have received feedback from many students… in various schools. Good feedback like “I am from a Muslim background, but I would like to learn more about the Bible. Would you please help me and we develop some kind of relationship and we talk about the Lord?” And this has been so encouraging. Sometimes they just drop a message in my phone and say, “I come from a Muslim background. I received the gospel when you came to preach at our school. I’m not allowed to go to church, but I’m so happy that you came. I was able to hear what the gospel means”. Also… in towns and various places, some people have stopped me and said… “You came to our school at such and such a time… you were preaching to us with the white people that came.” So it’s just fantastic to see how the students in schools remember things – sometimes you even forget… and they’re able to remind you of some of the verses that were used.

Anna and Harold speak to secondary school students

“I come from a Muslim background. I received the gospel when you came to preach at our school. I’m not allowed to go to church, but I’m so happy that you came. I was able to hear what the gospel means”

What can people be praying for? 

Schools are one of the best places to spread the gospel. And the Lord has actually opened such opportunities here in Malawi that whenever you go to schools, you are able to preach not just to the students, but also to the teachers. And one of the things that folks can be praying for is that in the course of time the Lord will be able to raise people, the teachers, that would be able to help in the Bible clubs in schools with sound gospel and that the Lord will continue to keep the door open… because there are some places, some countries where you cannot preach in schools… And that while the door is still open, that the Lord will also raise people so that the open door can be utilized. In my understanding, when I visit the schools, I always feel inadequate because I very much feel that with such open doors they’re just a few people who are taking advantage to preach to the students. So, it’s like open doors that are never fully utilized because the labourers are few.

—

Learn more about children and youth ministry

Are you from North America and interested in supporting the work in schools? Learn more here.

Anna shares progress on the Bible Time Chichewa Translation Project

Recorded October 2023

Transcript

We’re continuing with translation and revision of the Bible time curriculum and we’ve just about completed the first year. We need to do some revisions now. We’ve been testing it out with the kids here and found some activities work some don’t.

We’re also about halfway through the second year’s worth of material.

There’s still some things that need to be tweaked and adjusted but overall I see it has a lot of potential for use in teaching children the gospel.

So I think it’s a good tool that can be really useful in reaching children throughout Malawi.

Pray for continued help with the translation and revision and just wisdom and direction to know how to take this area of the work forward.

Read More

I asked myself that question repeatedly when the Lord called me to be a missionary in Malawi. I had been reading a lot about unreached people groups and the 10/40 window. The thought of doing missions in such countries was exciting and, frankly, seemed a lot more logical than coming to a “reached” country. “Why Malawi, Lord?” I asked.

After two years in this country, I think I understand. Of course, there is also the slightly significant matter of obeying the Lord, even when it doesn’t seem to make sense. But apart from that, I now firmly believe that Malawi desperately needs the gospel.

A really good prayer

Let me illustrate using an incident that happened recently when we were visiting one of the displacement camps with basic food supplies and the gospel. One of the Malawians opened for us in prayer. It was a good prayer, really – asking for the Lord to open hearts to truly listen to the word of God and asking it all in Jesus’ name. From the way the others murmured agreement, you would have thought you were among believers.

But as soon as Goodson started sharing the gospel, it became evident that this was not the case. It’s a scenario that I’ve seen repeatedly in this country. Goodson began by asking how one can be right with God. And the answers I’ve heard so often started coming from the crowd – including the one who had led us so nicely in prayer: leave your sin, try to follow the ways of Jesus, repent, love your neighbor, do good works. Even after an explicitly and pointedly clear gospel message from Goodson, one of the men closed in prayer by saying how wonderful it was they could be saved by following God’s law.

The fact is, despite what the statistics from different mission organizations say, Malawi has not been reached with the gospel. Yes, everyone (apart from Muslims) goes to church on Sundays. Yes, everyone (again, apart from Muslims) believes that the Bible is God’s word. And yes, every school (apart from the Madrasas) has a Bible Knowledge class. But the gospel of grace has penetrated very few hearts. Millions of Malawians are desperately lost, completely blind to the truth of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

Door wide open for missionaries

Praise God that the door is wide open! Malawians respect the word of God. This provides a good foundation for sharing the gospel – something we have lost in the West. The hardships that characterize the lives of the average Malawian also make them painfully aware that they need God. And there is complete freedom to share the gospel pretty much everywhere: public schools, marketplaces, the list goes on.

But the laborers are few indeed. And so, we ask you to pray with us “for the Lord of the harvest…to send out workers into His harvest field” (Luke 10:2). There is simply too much work for our small team to do. And while we are actively seeking to train Christian Malawians to share in the work of the gospel – and we ask for your prayers for this, as well – there is still a need for many more laborers. The need is overwhelming, and the doors will not be open forever.

Again, I urge, pray “earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:38). “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.” John 4:35-36

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