news from malawi
BALAKA
Thank you for the books and preaching material. Brother, we have brothers and sisters who do not have Bibles New Testaments. Please could you send some for us to give to our Brothers and Sisters.
Bro. Lyton John
Bro. Lyton John and Sunday School children of Nkanda Ecclesia
BOLERO
Pleased to read the current Gospel News – to be precise, the improvements made have already made it super and interesting, but indeed more is to be done and I am ready and willing to give a hand. Making Gospel News more colourful and informative should be a priority in my life, seeing it is probably the most widely circulating and interactive Christadelphian magazine. The items get a wide readership and are informative, stimulating and encouraging, especially to those in isolation.
It is so encouraging to learn about the recently published pocket New Testament, and that it will later be the whole Bible – don’t forget me! Despite making Gospel News quarterly to save expense.
There is to be a ‘Time of trouble such as never was’, from which, in the Lord’s mercy, we will be delivered; indeed, God willing, our very bodies will be transformed into the Divine nature and never again will we experience the frailties and limitations of this present mortal state.
Bro. Mwaomba Gondwe
Prior to taking the emblems, ‘let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup,’ (1Cor.11:28). To ‘examine’ is to test, inspect, to carefully look at, and was a word used to ‘prove’ metals by refining.
This minute scrutinizing is not for the motes in others, but for those beams in ourselves: ‘let every man prove (Gk. ‘examine’) his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.’ (Gal.6:4)
The seriousness of our personal examination is that it reveals our spiritual condition: ‘Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?’ (2Cor. 13:5) – a reprobate being one who has failed to produce the desired result after refining. (Jer.6:29-30). It makes us of a humble and contrite heart as we realize the magnitude of God’s love and mercy extended to us.
Bro. Lukanga Nyomiro
Memorial Meeting at Bolero
DZALEKA REFUGEE CAMP
We are facing a very dangerous life here in the camp. That’s why we always call upon God and our Brothers to assist us. Bro. Muleso visited us last month from CBM and every time he comes here we explain our problems but till now no assistance from them. Please pray for us.
Bro. Bernard Wabene
GONDA
I appreciate the book of essential Bible references, entitled “Bible Guide,” which was included in the parcel of Sunday School material. I find it very helpful, increasing my knowledge of Scripture, and all brothers and sisters and Sunday School children are studying it very carefully.
I would like to know about ‘Elpis Israel’ and the ‘Eureka’ books – I just read these titles through Logos and other Christadelphian magazines. I don’t have any of these books, so I would like to know about them and if they are available.
I am happy to tell you that my wife Dorothy, who was admitted to Ngabu Rural Hospital, is now feeling better and she was told not to work too hard, so I praise God for what He has done for me.
Here at Gonda area we received our first rainfall in November and the season seems to be better, but we do not know about the future – only God knows everything and He is most high above all the creatures. So we seek His Kingdom and righteousness (Matt.6:33).
Here at Gonda we pray for Israel to win the war against their enemies surrounding them through God’s power and his kingship, when the earth will be ruled by the King prophesied by the prophets. Jesus is the only Son of God and he is our king and priest, anointed by God Himself. ‘He will judge between the nations and shall reprove many peoples and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruninghooks. Nations shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more’ (Isaiah 2:4).
Bro. Robert Folley
Bro. Folley
KASUNGU
After you published my letter in the ‘Gospel News’ about my difficult situation, so many sisters are writing to me, encouraging me to take everything to God in prayer: He sees everything and gives an answer and a way when there seems to be no way.
My second daughter, Charity, caught malaria from school, so we were admitted to hospital for a week, but we are now well again. Thank you for the books you sent me, including Bible Basics, ‘The Real Christ’ and the two New Testaments which I’ve given to two people in our group who meet with us every Sunday. These are people from different denominations and we share Bibles. As there are so many who desire to have the New Testaments, I was unable to help them all because there were too few books. We would ask, if there may be some more, please do send them to us. I’ve started reading ‘The Real Christ,’ and I am very interested in it.
I am enclosing the picture we took during our Bible Study. We always meet on Sunday afternoons, though we are from different denominations. I am the one with ‘The Real Christ’ on the right of the front row in the ‘photo.
Sis. Bertha Khonje
Kasungu Bible Study Group, with Sis. Bertha on the right of the front row.
We had a very good fraternal in June. Brethren and Sisters from the Northern Region came to Kasungu and met with our ecclesia. New Testament Bibles were distributed.
Five students were interviewed by the Northern Region Counsellor: they were all successful and were baptised on the following day.
The Zomba CBM has entrusted me with another ecclesia which has just been established in Dowa District at Mponela.
Bro. Harmony Ntchalachala
MTENTHELA
The wisdom of God is far superior to man’s, and a little boy or girl, however young, can be kept from all the evil that is in the world on the simple principle of subjection and obedience to the Word of God. You don’t need to know all the evil that is in the world. You don’t need to plan against a clever enemy. You just walk in obedience to the Word of God.
I am sure we are going to be kept, no matter how dark the day, no matter how difficult the path. There is just one simple principle that will keep us faithful to the end – that is, the spirit of obedience to God.
Thank you very much for the two parcels (one for Kadase Ecclesia and one for Mtenthela Ecclesia) containing New Testaments for brothers and sisters who have no Bibles. These are very helpful to us. Please also send us 10 if possible for new contacts, students from Secondary School etc. CAT’s efforts in sending us many books and preaching material have been bearing fruit. At the moment I am enjoyed reading the books you sent.
Bro. Henderson Sosola
MZUZU
This is just to let you know the sad news we heard in June, that Bro. McDonard Jobe passed away. The sad part of the story is that none of the brethren knew of his demise until late in the afternoon after the family members had left for his home for the burial.
Hearing the news of his death, we were so shocked because soon after receiving him into our fellowship, he was elected as one of our church elders. So you can see our plans were contrary to those of the Almighty Father in heaven. However, our sorrowing is not like those without hope. We know our brother is asleep in Christ. When Christ appears, his first task will be to awake those who have fallen asleep in his name.
Bro. Sylvester Tembo
NENO
If Bible Basics are available they can be sent, since I will retire on November 30 then I will be distributing them in various places, that will be my duty then to distribute Bible Basics, will keep me busy in my retirement.
Bro. Amison Liwawa
NGABU
Here the work of God is moving on, waiting for Jesus to come again. Ngabu Ecclesia is growing bigger and bigger every year – now our number grows and we are almost 75 people. We do preach every Sunday; home calls and open air meetings. We built our own church, but we lack Sunday School books and Bibles.
The only message I have is to ask our friends all over the world to pray for Africa, because Africa is in trouble, mainly through civil war, uprising, famine and corruption. In Malawi things are not OK, so we need the prayers of our friends over there.
Now my new address is via Ngabu (Box 12), as I was transferred from Balaka to Ngabu.
Bro. Micky Mbawe
NKANDA
Sis. Dolophy Magoli From Nkanda Ecclesia, who is learning nursing.
NKHOTAKOTA
Duncan finally came to Malawi and Nkhotakota in particular. Indeed his coming was a blessing to me as a person and to our Ecclesia as a whole.
You might have heard that the last time I met Duncan was in Norway and then it was here. Among other things Duncan managed to do baptism and managed to link us to the main stream Ecclesia in the country. For the first time I come face to face with our councillor and some prominent brothers from Salima and Lilongwe. Praise God.
Brother Marcus I count it all joy to be a partaker in the new found doand some are kept in our library in Brother Leonards house. We appreciate your care and support. May the good Lord bless you all and interceed for us.
Its my prayer that the good Lord will continue giving you the power and zeal in looking for more materials which may still reach us in the end. The Lord is really at work. It must be noted that the teaching of our Lord in this manner is new in this area and even further north of the country. As such people are scrambling for these materials.
Its also our hope that in the end we may have our own hall for meetings as we are still meeting at a brothers house. We are indeed making contributions towards that and finally through Gods grace we believe we will make it. First we need to buy a piece of land which has been identified already as we are in town then start the construction. We are just asking God to bless and approve our plans.
Bro Esau C Chirwa
Let me thank every one of you for keep on supporting us. Let us work hard to reach more people for the true Gospel and salvation. As you know I am a doctor and very soon I am going to communicate to you about some of the programmes we want to start for helping orphans, elderly and other needy groups. I am still gathering with brothers and sisters at Linga Christadelphians.
Bro. Andrew
I am happy to let you know that GOD is making our ecclesia grow and of as now we left gathering in my house due to understanding of our doctrine to many people. so we are renting a school block 2km from my house.
Bro Leonard
SALIMA
Begging is bad if it is based on ill will and manners. It is true that there are people who need help, but to others it has just become routine. For instance, you will find in every magazine produced, there are articles appearing begging and complaining at all times. We must remember that Jesus Christ urged his disciples to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and that thereafter the rest would follow. (Matt.6:33) Surely I am one of the poorest Malawians, but I strive to do hard work in order to earn a living (2 Thess.3:10). The Bible encourages us to work extra hard with our hands every day, unless we feel sick. (Eph.4:28) Anyone who was a thief must stop stealing; he should try to find some useful work instead, and be able to do some good by helping others who are in need.
There are people who really need help:
- Refugees, for they do not have choices in their lives due to political, economic and ethnic crises in their home countries.
- Elderly people, for their strength is gradually weakening and they need someone to help them.
- People hit by natural disasters, i.e. earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions and sudden changes of climate due to environmental degradation.
- People with handicaps, HIV/AIDS victims and children who are left behind due to the repercussions of a pandemic.
James 1:27 “Pure, unspoiled religion in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.’
Therefore I appeal to my fellow brothers and sisters to reflect that begging is not bad, except when it stems from wrong motives and manners.
Bro. Austin Frank Nyirenda
