On November 12, we went on our first trip to Malawi. At the invitation of the Zambezi Gospel Church leadership, we arrived and started working with children and build a Sunday school Building! We had “only” 5 transfers and of course our bags were lost. This was our first inconvenience, but this is Africa and here this seems to be the norm. Just a day later, they called us from the airport to tell us that our luggage was found. We took a shower, changed clothes and our moods improved.
We were greeted by the leadership of the union and discussed the details of the work and the various possibilities of ministry and we began with construction. Local helpers work like ants – without any rest. It is gratifying to see that they are not indifferent to the fact that we came to help them. In other countries, we only dreamed of such help … The atmosphere is open and very brotherly, it is very nice to see and hear. Willard Muwalo, the Union General Secretary, not only gave us five volunteers, but also offered his strength and construction assistance! We have already filled the foundation with concrete and started to weld the steel structure. Pray for our team, that the Lord bless all the planned work!
It was a holiday! But not only for children. Mercy invited all parents to school so that they could thank together for these new uniforms! Thank you very much to everyone who sacrificed and prayed for a school in Kenya.
Children at school never had uniforms before. Many of them received new clothes for the first time in their life! In the Maasai tribe, school is traditionally not a priority. The government needs to convince parents, to send their children to school. In our school, which we opened several years ago, we have more than 20 students.
Mercy, as the wife of a pastor, is not just a teacher, but also a mentor. She can pray with the children and invite non-believing parents to the ministry!
Thank you all for your open hearts to the Maasai tribe!
Dear supporters of New Fields Ministries, as we wrote in the previous letter, God put in our hearts to open a school for church leaders in Blantyre – Malawi. Our people are very open but without training and instruction, it will be difficult for them to remain clear to the doctrine of the Gospel. To open new churches in remote areas and rural areas, we need educated pastors.
To sponsor pastoral training, we will need financial support of $100 per month for 2 years. We plan to train up to 20 pastors a year to plant new churches.
Currently, we have announced to the churches our first group 20 pastors who are willing to open up churches in northern Malawi. We believe that in January 2020, they will begin their training. We pray that the Lord will encourage you to participate in this matter!
Here in Maasai, people depend on livestock such as goats, cows, sheep and donkeys. This is their favorite work. When a baby is born, the first thing it learns is to simply graze cattle. Many Maasai do not know that children should go to school! I was lucky, because in my family, I was the only girl who went to school. My father had five wives and my mother was his first wife. She gave birth to nine children. I was not even seven years old when my father approved that I can go to school.
I finished eighth grade in 1995 and wanted to continue my education. But my father decided for me to get married. He called a friend and said: “if you have a boy who is ready to marry, then I have a wife for him.” In our tribe you cannot disobey what your father says and in 1996, at the age of 14, I married Morris Ntikoysa. He was not a pastor at the time but was a born-again Christian. I gave birth to our first son named Francis, after one year into the marriage. Then a girl Esther, a boy Boniface, a girl Sylvia and the last girl Everin. In 2004, my husband was ordained for a pastoral ministry. We had a very difficult life, barely enough food to survive, but God helped us in everything. Thanks to your support, all my children are doing well at school. One boy is even a scout commander. Girls are studying very well.
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for opening a new school in our tribe, where I can teach children the alphabet and their native language!
In Malawi, many children have lost their parents due to HIV / AIDS. Children grow up on the streets and face many challenges. Many parents, if they are alive, live in poverty and make their children to sell things in order to earn money for the family.
Such children do not go to school and as a result of they remain without education. Often left to their own devices, such children turn into criminals. We have children who have lost both parents, and the eldest of them leads the family of his brothers and sisters. We have opened a children’s ministry to solve this problem and to help children come to Jesus Christ. We teach children the Word of God to sing hymns of worship. We teach them to share the Gospel and food with hungry friends.
Child trafficking is becoming a big problem in Malawi because of the poverty some parents are willing to sell their children.
Pray with us that the Lord will help us expand our ministry with children in all regions of our country. Thank you for participating in this project!
By teaching church leaders, we are able to grow quantitatively and qualitatively. Churches opening in rural and very poor areas. Here, most people live off farming and their livestock. New believers will need to learn to support the pastor. When the church grows stronger and can support the pastor, we will need help with sponsoring the pastors, and help with the rental of premises. For 2 years we will need the support of $100 per month for each pastor. We plan to train up to 20 pastors a year to plant new churches.
We currently have 10 pastors who are ready to open churches in northern Malawi in the districts of Dove, Chitip, Chikangawa, Chintech, Nyungwi, Rumphi, Borelio, Kasante and Karong.
Please help us to begin this work for the glory of God! We will pray that the Lord will encourage you to work with us!
