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!!]
3 January last year, we were excitedly preparing for our online broadcast when we got the news of the lightning strike at Saidi. That day is burned into my memory. And I won’t forgot the Saturday morning in early May when I woke to the news of Anna’s break-in!
Both of these incidents compete for the title of biggest challenge of 2022 (with one clear winner!) Yet honestly, I could never have predicted either.
Which goes to show that sometimes the biggest challenge is not knowing what your biggest challenge is going to be!
We know who holds the future
We do well to remember that “although we don’t know what the future holds, we do know who holds the future.” Amen! We are completely confident that God is working everything to fulfil his own purpose – in his own time and in his own way.
Notwithstanding our absolute confidence that everything is in the Lord’s hands, it is important to do what we can to anticipate challenges, and manage risk. This is common sense, not lack of faith.
We can certainly anticipate some of the challenges we will face in the months ahead. Many of them are not new:
- Economic/Political Issues – Malawi has been going through (yet another) political crisis. Unsurprisingly, this resolves around allegations, and counter allegations of corruption in the highest echelons of government. Such scandals inevitably bring the risk of civil unrest and economic meltdown. For example, although it’s possible to find fuel right now, we have just come through a period of very severe scarcity. The spectre of fuel shortage is never far away.
- Food security – We had the most consistent rainy season for years. Prices are unaffordable for most villagers, who rely on subsidised government supplies. Unfortunately the supply of fertiliser has been the worst for years. The maize crop is almost due for harvest, yet the fertiliser needed three months ago is only arriving now. A bag of maize which was selling at less than K10,000 a year ago is now selling at over K30,000. Many are likely to go very hungry in the months ahead.
- Resources
- We constantly struggle to satisfy the increasing demand for literature. 600,000 Gospel calendars were woefully inadequate. Our supplies of tracts and exercise books for the schools ministry are running critically low. We are so thankful for the support of Revival Movement who have sent us several container loads of materials over the last couple of years, but even these are not enough.
- Moving hundreds of thousands/millions of items of literature continues to present a major challenge. Especially as we have struggled with vehicle reliability and servicing problems.
The Biggest Challenge
On reflection, the biggest challenge (surprises excepted), will be balancing competing priorities and demands. There are so many open doors. But there are so few hours in the day / days in the week.
The folks on the ground are constantly working flat-out in the various ministries we are involved in. We all find it frustrating that we have to leave so many things undone. We just don’t have enough “boots on the ground”. And, unfortunately, circumstances dictate that I can’t be there as much as I would like.
Accordingly, please pray particularly for the Bible Teaching Conference planned for early May (DV). Although overseas missionary help is desperately needed, we believe that the future of the work lies in equipping local believers to take forward the Lord’s work in their own land.
Enlighten, Encourage. Empower.
