Church of God General Conference

in Malawi and Mozambique

 

There are 173 congregations in Malawi and Mozambique that are affiliated with the Church  of  God General Conference. The churches vary in size from 15-20 to 125 members. 

 

For a number of years short term mission teams have been sent to these two countries to teach, preach, and to assist with food relief needs. The pastors and workers are dedicated and hard working.  When teams visit, people flock to the churches for all the services and they are very receptive to the messages. They ask us to have one or two services at each church we visit, depending on where it is located, and each service lasts about 3 hours. 

 

Famine is a serious problem for these two nations. Very few people use fertilizer, but those who do use it have incredible crops.  Drought is also a problem. Though the government provides wells for drinking water, these wells cannot be used for irrigation. Our teams have helped to provide seed packs and fertilizer to many of the church families. We are also planning to help dig wells to be used for irrigation.

 

The work is very viable. There are many dedicated pastors and workers who are godly people, furthering the Word of the Kingdom of God. They are very enthusiastic and excited about sharing the gospel. They are a blessing to us and to each other, as well as many others. They ask that we not forget them, and continue to lift them up in prayer.

 

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Malawi African Missions Update

 

By Jim Mattison

April 26, 2007

 

My daughter, Rebekah Martin, finally was able to get through to Linda Limbe, in Blantyre. The cell telephone building burned down, which has disrupted phone communication. Also, Linda has been in other African countries on business and just returned home.

 

Christina Magombo's new church building is started. They are working on putting the foundation in. You may remember her old church made of panels of woven straw blew down in heavy winds. She will now have a brick church, like the others. Christina is a member of the Malawi Board of seven. Frazer's new church will be next. The number of those attending there has outgrown the present building. The price of building churches has gone up. Christina's estimate was around $1250.

 

We are very proud of the way the Malawi Board has taken responsibility for overseeing the work, and how the churches are so united. When Moyo's church is finished, and it may be finished by this time, the Board wants to attend and have a dedication service.

 

Rebekah said that Linda is going around to our churches and teaching reading and writing to the members. This is important so they can read the Bibles we give them. This is funded by Restoration Fellowship (which is Anthony Buzzard). (Anthony will be teaching this summer in the Kenya Bible College.)

 

Also, Linda has encouraged the women in the churches to be “godly women” doing good works: pastor's wives helping their husbands in the work (Gracie, Namaona's wife is a good example of this), helping the orphans and the needy, visiting the sick in the hospitals, etc. This shows how these sisters are growing in faith and works of faith.

 

Since their seasons are the opposite of ours, winter is coming there, and the many orphans in the churches are in need of _sweaters and blankets._ There are so many orphans in Malawi. Their plight touches our hearts. Each church has some. Pastor Machemba's church is doing its best to provide for 52 orphans. They are able to give them one meal a day and take them to their homes to sleep. Linda has also bought them paper and pens for some schooling. She mentioned it is raining there now. The seasons have changed so much since we began working there. The rainy season used to be from October through April.

 

Maherit, our good driver the past few years, has taken his van to South Africa. We need a van and a good driver who knows where the churches are, and we were wondering what we needed to do. But the word from his family is that he may return to Malawi. We hope so. Linda does know of another van and driver that may be available.

 

You remember that the team did not go to Africa in 2005 because of possible danger. The team did return to Malawi in 2006. (I was unable to go on that trip because of an injured knee.) The team did not go to the churches in Mozambique last year because of the danger. This has discouraged the churches there. They felt we did not love them and care for them. So this year the team plans to go into Mozambique again. Please pray for our safety and that this trip will be a blessing to our many churches there.

 

Next week, when Rebekah returns from leading the Women's Retreat in Florida this weekend, she plans to buy the plane tickets for the July African trip. Then the itinerary can be planned. We welcome a new Team Member: Erica Fitzsimmons, 23, from Vince Finnegan's church in New York. She has felt a strong call from God to work in African missions. Sean and Ruth Finnegan from that church were former team members. Erica will graduate in May with a nursing degree. We are also hoping Jaimie Engelbert will be able to go with us again. Dr. Joe and Rebekah are the team leaders. At 83, I am planning to take my 10th trip over with them. Each team member needs to raise $4000 for the trip.

 

By the grace of God we see the growth of the message that has been and still is being preached, of Jesus and His Kingdom of God message, by mouth and the printed word, in love. Our love for them is a very important part of this work.

 

We pray that we can continue to purchase land for churches, and build churches of fired brick and metal roofs. We want to continue supplying them with Chichewa Bibles, and provide bicycles for pastors who need them, while we assist people with basic needs such as seed to plant, medical supplies, flood relief, well digging, etc.

 

There are now 173 churches with thousands of baptized believers. New churches are continually being built as new villages hear the word of salvation. We really are living in the days of Matthew 24:14: “This gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a witness to all people, and then the End shall come.”

 

May God's richest blessings be yours. We are laborers together with God. May God, His Son Jesus, and His Word be exalted! And may there be many more precious lives to enter God's Kingdom because of these combined efforts! Please continue to pray for the work in Africa. They are praying for us.

 

In the love of Christ,

 

Jim Mattison for MAM

Malawi African Missions, Inc.