news from malawi
BALAKA
Thank you for sending me the books and lectures, which strengthen me to stand firm. I pray every day for the spread of the gospel worldwide, though I cannot travel long distances, but I pray for transport so that I may join my brothers and sisters who are doing the job, to fulfil the words in Mark 16:15-16. Life is very hard now everything is so expensive.
Bro. Eason Makwecha
When I went to Chinamwali Misson in Zomba district, on the way the bus had an accident and some people died while others were injured. I was among the injured and I stayed in hospital for two months. Since I depend on agriculture (subsistence farming) I have failed to harvest enough food and am in trouble due to hunger. Also I am failing to preach well now. Of course I am a church mouse and it does not rise from deceitful lips. Is it possible to help me, as I am lacking in health, food and money as I am in trouble? I have resolved that my words will not be sin in God’s sight, but please God that you can help me.
Bro. Harry Benito
CHIKWAWA
Thank you for what you have done for us here. It is only God in heaven giving you more days and years of life to enable you to spread the gospel. As we read in 2 Tim ch. 3, the last days of our life will be complicated with new, strange things like civil war, hunger, selfishness and the like.
Bro. Harold Temboh
Bro. Harold Temboh standing on the left with Bro. Mpezeni right and Bro. Roneck sitting.
GONDA
I greet you all in your team in the name of our beloved King. I am very happy indeed to tell you that I have received three parcels of Christadelphian literature which consist of: a box of Bible Basics, Holy Bibles and Hymn books, Judgement to Come, a Biblical discussion, ‘Signs of the Times’ leaflets and a parcel of Gospel News, Bible Reader’s Calendars 2009 and papers needing to be filled in. For all these I am very thankful because it means that God has answered our prayers about the missing parcels. I think that God corrected this problem in order to allow us to have preaching materials and to strengthen our ecclesia to be courageous. As Joshua 1:7 says, “Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law”.
I want to thank you for the notes on Sunday School lesson books and general notes on the ‘Signs of the Times’ you send us here. We had a meeting at Ntowe Christadelphian Ecclesia and Bro. Walker encouraged all present about preaching and he assured us that the day of the Lord will not come until all God’s chosen people hear His Word and are baptised. It is the work of all who receive the message, believe it and are baptised, to preach the gospel and to ask God to increase the number of preachers in these last days.
Bro Robert Folley
KASUNGU
How is your life and that of Sis. Gwladys. I hope God is keeping you well now. Here in Kasungu Ecclesia we are all fine and we have commenced this year with eight Bible students. God willing, out of this number some will be baptised. The Sisters’ Bible Class have just reminded me that there is another book which I wish I could read and that is “Beyond Bible Basics”. I remembered this when I saw our sisters in Kasungu studying Bible Basics. God has blessed me because some time ago I was in isolation but now I am praying with brothers and sisters and moreover we have an ecclesia here. Very wonderful!
Bro Harmony Ntchalachala
LILONGWE
I want to write about Colossians. About ten times in the epistles Paul talks about praying without ceasing. Clearly it does not mean that Paul did nothing else but pray. What it does mean is that whatever he was doing, saying, writing or thinking was always accompanied by prayer. In Col.1:3, Paul has the brethren and sisters at Colosse in his mind. Col.4:2-3, It is not for everyone to be a missionary, certainly not in the way Paul was, but all of us have things we can do in service to the Lord. It is important that we all acknowledge what each one can do and we ask in prayer for God’s help and support for one another as Paul here asked his brothers and sisters to pray for him. Col.4:12, notice he is said to be labouring fervently for them in prayer, wrestling in prayer is the idea. The prayer he offered on their behalf was that they might “stand perfect, complete in all the will of God.” It is a prayer we could well offer for each other. Do we really desire that our brothers and sisters might be successful in working out their salvation? Do we pray that they will? This is the way of Epaphras.
The epistle also contains some examples of Paul’s actual prayers. It is easy to miss that they are prayers because they are mixed in with the rest of what he has to say. This is an example to us of the way in which practical thoughts, meditation and prayer can and should all blend together as we think about the way we can help each other grow in grace before God.
There are two examples: one is in Col.1:9-13 and the second is in Col.2:2. Notice how each prayer does not actually come to a full stop but goes on into a meditation about the importance of the Lord Jesus Christ, how we are in him and the great blessings we have through him. Let us consider the first prayer more closely. The prayer begins by asking that we might be filled with a growing knowledge of the will of God. The purpose of prayer is that we might know the will of God and co-operate with it. As Ezra and Isaiah have taught us, we need to get to know what God has revealed and tremble at His Word. When we pray we are not so much making God listen to us, but making ourselves ready to hear His Word.
Bro. Finley G. Nkomelah
MZUZU
Many thanks for the parcel of tapes and books which I received a week ago. I have already listened to some of the tapes and the messages are very encouraging. As I am writing this letter, we are remaining with just a day to close the year 2008. While looking ahead to the New Year, we should at the same time be thinking of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. God willing, as we begin the New Year let us also consider how we have walked in the Lord this year that is just ending. Do we still have the burning zeal in looking forward to the Master’s coming? If not, let us pull up our socks in the New Year to match up to our first love for Jesus.
Bro. Sylvester Tembo
We are still working hand in hand, battling and we are still in that battlefield. We don’t lose hope for we know that one day we shall rejoice and sing in the Lord. I have only received one book – Christendom Astray from the Bible. If there is still the opportunity of other books, may you please consider me for some, except Bible Basics and Women in the Church, which I already have. I will be happy if there are any other books.
Fertilizers have doubled in price. Last year’s harvest was very bad because only a few farmers grew maize, but many of them grew tobacco which is their Malawian reliable cash crop and due to this problem we still expect a little hunger which always happens during these seasons.
Bro. Dutch Mphayah
NENO
We had suspected cholera cases where the people who are interested Christadelphian contacts are. Then my office provided me with transport to go to investigate and tell the people measures of control. I then met two of the contacts who are teachers at a primary school. I asked them whether they are continuing with the Bible Basics book and they said yes. I then gave them the leaflets you sent and the Introduction to Bible Basics and urged them to continue and strengthen the other seven families to continue praying.
I still have the Israelis here at Neno and we discuss their belief in Judaism and they provide me with information from the Wikipedia. Bro. Tony Benson, the editor of the ‘Testimony’, had an article about Wikipedia in one of the magazines and it is true that we should take care of what is written in Wikipedia. I agree with him because there are Ashkenazi Jews who say they are originated from the sons of Japeth, after the flood who are mentioned in Gen.10 and when we read Gen.11 we find the real origin of the Jewish nation from Abraham and that continues to Gen.12. I therefore find it difficult to believe that the Gen.10 people are Jewish. If possible can you find more information about them. It seems to me that they don’t know much about their Bible. They do not read the Bible on their own; they believe only what they were told by someone who they think knows much.
I think we should put much effort to preach to people and I know the effort is already there. When I again visit these people who are interested I will let you know and I hope you will write to them using the address I have given you for a back up.
Bro. A.D. Liwawa
NSANJE
Thank you for the Gospel News and “The Death of the Cross”. We had a meeting with our friends from Chislidi, which we enjoyed but unfortunately we are lacking Chichewa Bibles. Could you please help us because our common language is Chichewa and Christians here need Chichewa Bibles for easy reading.
Bro. M.P. M’Gundeni
RUMPHI
I am devoted to the defence of the Gospel, edification of the household of faith and to maintaining purity.
Bro. Luke Chawinga
SALIMA
I am busy working in the groundnut field. Rains are now with us and I am hoping to send you photographs of both maize and groundnut fields in the near future. Thanks for the books you sent me: Christendom Astray and The Devil explained in the Bible. They are comprehensive and give me more depth of understanding in the Scriptures.
Bro. Austin F. Nyirenda
SINYALA
God does hear us when we pray. To pray is to talk to God, to enjoy fellowship with Him, to come close to His throne. There we speak to Him with simple words that come from our hearts. We worship Him and make our requests to Him. Whoever has a heart that is cleansed from sin by the blood of Jesus and is yielding to the will of God has the privilege of praying. If the person does not meet these requirements he may confess his sin to God. If his repentance is real, God will hear his prayer and cleanse his heart. The Bible says in Heb.4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of NEED.” Since the Bible says that there is but one Mediator between God and us, all our prayers to God need to be made through Jesus.
I humbly appeal for your kindness to send reading glasses for Bro. Daniel Banda, Lens clear +2.50. He is failing to read the Bible as his eyes are not good. May the Almighty be with you in all effort to spread his Word.
Bro. Henderson M. Sosola
TENGANI
Bro. Brown Ketche’s family
THYOLO
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I would like to thank you a lot for all the good things that you did for me. I thank you also for the encouragement you give me from the United Kingdom through sending me Gospel News. May we not forget to read the Bible ans meet together as written in Heb.10:25. If Chichewa Bibles are still available please try to send one to me to help my study.
Bro. S. Lombe
ZOMBA
Thank you for the new edition of Bible Basics for Moslems as well as the news updates which I found interesting and helpful. Here in Malawi from January to February every year, we always experience hunger and now people are starving indeed. The parcel of maize flour we use and buy each day we call a “Walk Man” meaning a small packet, which is equal to 1-1 and a half kg. that a man put in his pocket to take home. But God cannot leave His people alone, hopefully He will provide something better. All these signs, such as famine, floods, wars, earthquakes and so on fulfil the conditions of the last days, which point forward to the return of our Lord Jesus. The babies are growing healthier, as well as their mother, even the first born son, Frank, they are all feeling better.
Bro. Kenneth Maganger
